Ironman Wisconsin - TriathlonFull Ironman

The swim was crazy with all the people. I did manage to find some open spaces to swim. The first turn was difficult to swim at all, I went wide but still got pounded by the people that were out wider trying to get in to the buoy. I just took the swim nice and easy and went with the flow. No need to waste energy and fight to pass people so I just relaxed and looked for gaps in the water.

I think I did the swim just as I wanted. Maybe go a little wider at the turns if possible.

Got out of the water and it was a zoo. Some lady grabbed me and pulled me aside to get stripped and when I laid down she disappeared and the lady next to me finally saw me and tried to help by herself. Then someone else finally helped her and got the suit off. I also got no help in the changing room. There were guys standing there just watching. I did get help pulling my shirt down, but I had to pack my back myself.

Hopefully find someone that knew what they were doing. Next time I will look for Dean.

The ride to Verona I took nice and easy and tried to stay out of trouble. Most of the first lap was the same nice and easy. I found the hills went pretty good and tried to spin up the best I could. I was feeling pretty good. I got back to Verona a lot faster than I thought I would averaging almost 20 mph. I decided to throttle back on the stretch to Mt. Horeb to save some for the hills once I got through Cross Plains. It was getting hotter and the stretch to Mt. Horeb was not as easy as I had hoped. It seemed the wind picked up and I was feeling a little suffering. I wasnt the only one as everyone around me seemed like they were standing still. The three hills were much harder the second time through. I remember getting to my 27 tooth gear very early in the climbs and some leg cramping was starting to occur. I got back to Verona and it seemed so dead. Where were all the people? I felt like I was one lf the last ones out on the course. I was starting to feel tired and the heat was starting to have some effects on me. I throttled back some more with the marathon in mind. Got back to John Nolen Drive and was pretty happy and feeling good, cruised up the helix and saw Leah and Jenny there to cheer me on.

I think I could have done some more long (over 100) rides especially with some heat. Otherwise it went pretty much according to plan. I was hoping for 6:00 so I was about right on with that one.

It felt good to be in the building with the A/C. I got some good help with my bag and relaxed for a few seconds before I went back outside. I opened the door on the port-a-jon and some guy was in there. I really wish he would have locked the door.I hesitantly opened the door on the next one and it was empty. Saw Leah and Jenny again and went out for the run.

I was hot and a little tired when I started but overall I felt pretty good. I ran past the finishing chute and the turnaround and it was empty. There was nobody around, I looked at my watch and realized nobody had finished yet. I was starting to feel pretty good that I was in a pretty good shape to smash my goal of 13:00 and be closer to my everything goes right dream race time of 12:30. All I had to do was run a 5:00 marathon. The first couple of miles I tried to take it easy and I walked the aid stations and the uphill parts. I was certainly not alone because just about everyone I saw looked like they were hurting. I could not believe how the the stadium was. I was happy to get out of there. I had been drinking one G-ade and one water at each aid station and was starting to feel terrible. At the turn around on state street I was walking quite a bit more and was also starting to feel pain on the outside of my foot. I struggled my way back to the turnaround at 13.1 miles and was feeling really bad and my foot was not any better. I grabbed my portable pepto and tums and ate the tums right away. I also grabbed some Ibuprofen for my foot. I saw Leah and Jenny again and stopped to ask for Jenny's advice on what to do. She said hang in there and take the Ibuprofen at the next aid station. I ran down to the tunnel and saw Andy. News spread fast that I was not feeling well and Heather B. called Andy to tell me to take the pepto. I did and I also switched to just water for a couple of aid stations. At the turnaround on State street I saw Leah and Scott and I was starting to feel a little better after that. Leah told me I had made up a lot of time on that split and that gave me a little confidence. I decided to try to run everything but the aid stations. Even if it was slow I would still be running. So off I went and about a minute later there was another aid station. Much sooner than I had thought, I forgot about that one. I then got to mile and 20 and realized I had 6.2 to go and 1:15 to make it before 13:00. (Math was difficult at this time.) It was starting to cool off a little and I was feeling better so I ran down the path along the lake and passed Jim on his first lap. I kept running as he told me to do and made it to the next aid station. I started with coke on the previous aid station and took chicken broth this time. Running through the Ford inspiration zone I was getting compliments on my pace and cadence and was getting more and more confident as I was passing a lot of people as most were walking. I was on a mission to get in before 13:00. I got passed by some girl who was running about my pace and tucked in behind her at the stadium and followed her all the way to the aid station at the Kohl center, she flew through that and I needed to walk and take in some more coke and water. I stopped to walk past the fire station and a guy walked up to me and said "just under a mile and 11 minutes to make it before 13:00" I responded by saying "I hope I make it" just then he said "I'm gonna make it" and he took off running. I walked for just a few more seconds and took off at a slow trot. I turned the corner on to State Street and saw the Capitol right there only a couple of blocks away and I think adrenaline took over. Tons of people cheering and I felt like I was flying, I passed probably 30 people in those few blocks and it felt really good to fly through that last aid station and declne by saying I am done. I walked for a few steps up the small hill on the square and got passed by a larger gentleman and decided that if he could run so could I. I turned the second last corner and passed him back and started to watch the crowd for people I knew. Things were getting a little blurry and I could not contain the smile on my face. Around the last corner and emotions took over and all I could remember was an uncontrollable smile as I found my wife (Leah) on the fence and I gave her a high five. I looked at the clock on the finish line and saw 12:55:xx and I knew I made it. As I got closer to the finish I heard the words everyone wants to hear "You are an Ironman" and then I saw my friend Dean there to catch me and he was jumping up and down yelling you made it.

I felt I was light on the run training all along and this has always been my weak event. I will be faster next for the run. I need to figure my run nutrition better but a lot of people had problems on the run. If I could have run my goal marathon of 5:00 I would have smashed my goals but I will get another crack at that another day. Overall I am happy with the way I felt in the beginning and the especially the end of the run.

I ate a lot the pizza was great except they ran out right away. The coke tasted good too.


Stomach distress on the run. If I did not have that I could have been 20-30 min. faster.


For my first Ironman I am very pleased with the experience and my performance. I know I am not an elite athlete so I did not have elit expectations. I very pleased yet still motivated to do better. Probably the best way to feel. Not sure when, but I will do this race again.