Ironman USA Lake Placid - TriathlonFull Ironman

Did I mention what a beat down this was yet? So I decide to head for the cable...super, me and 2300 of my closet friends. I feel as if I am the smallest person in the lake. Everyone beat the heck out of me. Almost lost my goggles in the first 200 yards it got so bad I was freaking out bordering on panic. At that point i swam to the left of the buoys to find open water to gain my composure. My hr was 184 I have never seen that before. Here I am 5 minutes into IMLP and thinking I cant even finish the swim. This is bad real bad! I tell myself get your breathing under control and go easy ..breathe you dope breathe! Well after a minute or so i start to move again and find things going much better. The goggles only have a little water in them and the Hr is much lower. However, the beating continues. I got my butt kicked for the first lap non stop. Every time I got a stroke I would run into some HUGE guy who always had a friend to his side and I could not pass them. Not to the right not to the left ...best part when I tried to draft off them someone from behind would try a new drowning technique. It is called grab the freaked out old man by the calf and pull him under. A very effective technique that almost worked on several ocassions. The second loop was not as bad as the first but still very little clear water to swim. I could have and should have been out of the water in less time. But heck who would people have beat up if I was not there. All you people registered for this race take JUDO lessons that may help. oh yes avoid the cable, duh.

Avoid all the people who want to beat the crap out of me for an hour. Also, swim wide of the cable that is the best plan I think.

Lots of bare butts on plastic chairs.

Personally, I was just happy no one punched me like in the swim.

Nothing..it is what it is

The first lap was great nice and smooth. A big part of my plan was to go slow and stop at every station to drink, wizz and put drops in the eye. I wanted to avoid blindness again at all costs. I stopped a total of 10 times during the bike. 4 of the times were not at aid stations per se but at pee-pee stops. Being the environmentalist that I am I stopped at the same trees on each loop! Yhe hydration was good and the eyes were solid all ride. The second loop was very windy and hot...the sun started to really wear on me in the last half of the second loop. I stuck to my plan and kept saying hold back u have never run a marathon let people go. That was tough but smart and I think it is the right thing for me. The climb on Papa bear was crazy and a great time.

I need to get better at descending the Keene hill. That scares the heck out of me. All the others were fine. I felt my pace was fine considering how much I stopped had to be a good 15-20 minutes of added time getting off the bike on the bike and waiting for a porta potty at some places.

Jeez, hot stinky sweaty naked men on the same plastic chairs need I say more.

HOLD MY BREATH

As I left t-2 I noticed that my new fuel belt pouch was bouncing around on my waist like Tigger..boing..boing. It was making me nuts and there was no way I was gonna make it 5 miles let alone 26.2 with that thing. At the first aid staion I take out my eye drops contact lens and throw it away with my nutrition. I figure I will eat what is on the course. I get to the 5 mile mark and I am cruising at 47 minutes my legs feel amazing and my heart rate is in zone 1. I start to see the whole plan of going easy on the bike coming together for a great run. Just before the turn around on river road it starts.I get very severe GI pain that it doubles me over on the side of the road. This was not good and I was not a happy camper. I realized that my dream of a 13 hour finish was in serious doubt if this was gonna persist. I am unable to run so resort to walking which really hacks me off cause the legs are good. I finally jog a little and catch up to May we walk/jog a little and then it hits again. I tell her to go ahead ( thanks for the kind words, MAY..U r ok in my book) I struggle with some really bad pain. I am reasonably tough for an old guy but this is hurting so bad I am getting a little worried. I also think I am really bloated from all the fuilds and the elastic on my short are digging into my gut. My HR is also bothering me. I walk a few miles and then see a sign from my kids and deiced to run again. I run for a while and walk. I finally get to special needs dithc the HR monitor and take a few gels. I see the family at the boathouse which was SOOOOOOOO nice. I trundle around Mirror lake and tell them I will see them in a while if this persists it aint gonna be pretty. Well, pretty it wasnt I walk/jog till mile 22. At that point I say Fk it..this pain is not going to take my finish from me. I have worked too hard and this is mine! I start to run and fast too..I was running 9 min mile pace again.People on the side of the road kept saying nice cadence go way to finish.Then I hit the big hill into town and lean into it with everything I have and throw up my arms to get some help from the crowd and WOW it was amazing all the cheers!!! I see the CT BT gang on the road first Mark and then polly, chris and the smile grows cause this is the part that I have been waiting for all year. I am in the home stretch as I enter the Oval I htink I see Tom ( hello Tom) and now I slow a bit to let the woman in front of me have her time. I gave run along the barricade high fiving everyone whooping it up getting the crowd into it and boy did they ever. I take a flying leap over the line and it is done! Afterward, my my daughter tells me that a few minutes ago mom was asking who was that crazy person going wild down the finishers chute and my daughter says ..thats my dad!

Two things, I am considering Lazik to fix the eye thing cause it is a drag not being able to see clear and having to make all those stops cost me a lot of time. Second, I need to research the GI stuff cause that is a problem that I would like to avoid next time.

NO PIZZA...that was a huge bummer!! Went to the hotel took a bath in Epsom salts and placed bags of ice on the legs. Got a massage from the kids. Had some real food.


As I said the eye issue and GI both of which I hope to correct prior to my return in 2009. This time it is gonna be personal.


I think this is a fair course but if you slip it WILL break you. The second time around this course should be better cause now I know what I need to do.

The Volunteers were unbelievable so great and helpful...The spectators were also amazing those two groups make the race. I have never experienced anything like it before.

Despite never wanting to do an IM again on Sunday night I realize I have some unfinished business in LP and will return in 2009 to exact my revenge. This time I am finishing in the day light with time to spare! I have 2 years to prepare and that is my plan so look out LP the return of the Riff Raff is coming.

Thanks for reading