For training a total of 10,000 meters before race day....not a bad swim. Really stayed in my zone and just swim. I wish others would learn to swim in a straight line though as I constantly had to adjust pace, etc. for the dumbasses who swam more than they should have.

Walked the first 100meters waiting for the swim area to clear out so I could swim without fighting the crowds.

Got felt up once from chest to groin. Did not get the chance to feel someone else up.

Train more but will it really help? I don't know. I can swim this pace well trained or not trained at all. It is just my pace and I feel so comfortable in the water. Does it make a difference?

AFTER RACE INPUT: Body glide my neck. The chaffing I received is brutal and has made turning my neck almost impossible. This makes for hard bike commutes where I rely on my head moving on a swivel to see cars, etc.

Wetsuit strippers ROCK MY WORLD

Nothing...well maybe not taling so much to everyone else who avoided the changing tents.

Peed prior to grabbing my bike.

Beautiful Ironman St. George Course. I loved this bike course. Challenging but very scenic. I could have done without the scary Hwy 18 descents with a crosswind on the second loop but hey who is picky. I wish I had this loop to ride every weekend. BEAUTIFUL and I LOVED IT! Probably because I intentionally road very slow to save myself for the run.

Slow bike ride and purposefully so. I wanted to actually run the marathon so I kept it really slow. A lot of people were putting themselves into the red zone early. I wanted to tell them to relax but didn't. After seeing all the DNFs maybe I should have been more proactive in helping others pace themselves.

First 22 miles: Fought the crowds coming out of T1 for a while. Some people do not know the meaning of ride on the right side of the road. Overall safe and a good ride. Flew down Telegrath hill at over 45 mph. Took it really easy and ate, drank, etc. HAPPY!

First loop: Not much wind yet. Still took the ride very easy and never hit the red zone. Climbed "the wall" with ease as well as the other hills. I had to pee twice on this loop--each time taking 2.5 minutes (off bike, wait for toilet, pee, back on bike). I do not break rules so I did not pee on the side of the road like everyone else--even saw one woman heding off behind a dirt mound. Flew down the hills on Hwy 18 at over 45 mph. Passed people with aero-wheels (deep dish Zipp 404's to complete disks) on the downhills. I'll bet they were wishing they left those wheels at home since most of the course was uphill and too slow to gain any benefit from the wheels.

Lap 2: WInd picked up. I kept my effort the same (intentionally slow) so my average mph went down. Had lower back issues most of the loop. I think this may have been from riding slow and having to really work to support myself in the aerobars. When I push the pace, my abs are contracted more which in turns supports my back. My back had to do the work at the pace I was riding. Peed twice again each time costing me 2.5 minutes. Never bonked or got any cramps. Hit the nutrition perfectly except for all the peeing which comes from not sweating as much as a harder effort. I did not enjoy the crosswind gusts on HWY 18 coming back to town or the gratuitous masochistic hill after the short no pass zone on the bike path (this hill was silly and poorly placed). I did enjoy watching a pair of golden eagles come screaming out of the sky, take a quick hover into the wind, and land on a rabbit which squealed as they grabbed it. If I hadn't been racing I would have stopped and watched them share their meal.

Ride the course harder. This is after the fact but if I had known I was going to get sick on the run, I could have used the bike to make up time. a 6.5 hour bike was possible for me but I choose to ride much slower. Next time...ride the 6.5 hours and then find out how I can run.

Had bike catchers so above does not really apply.

I had a great transition but had to pee again. Drank a 5 hour energy. When I left T2 I heard myself saying that this was the best I ever felt leaving T2 to my volunteer (yes, I had a voluteer who helped me the entire time and even packed my bag with my bike gear and stowed it for me--thanks dude!). My bike strategy worked!!!!

The sunscreen volunteers rocked. 3 of them caressed me and made sure I was covered...even my legs which never get sunscreen. I didn't mind except on my neck where my wetsuit chaffing was starting to hurt.

Nothing different for T2.

I came off the bike and told myself to run slow. My goal was to average under 11min/mile pace. First 7 imles: perfect! I got passed by some woman on the big hill at the start of Red Hills Parkway. I was walking (had calve issues) and she almost got me going. She was right that the run would be easier in pairs. She just caught me at a time when I had to walk to get my calves straightened out. I made eye contact with her as she headed back up the hill after the turn. We smiled knowing that if I could have jumped to her pace we would have pushed each other and finished an awesome marathon! Too bad...next time and if you are reading this somewhere out there in cyberland: thanks for trying. You are right, it is easier to run with a partner. I hope you found one and made your goals.

Mile 7 is where my gut started turning on me. I wa drinking and eating at the aid stations but I did not take enough water with my electrolite pills. My stomach bloated instead of absorbing the salts and liquid. BOOM...just like that my run was crushed. My brother who had an incredible marathon in his first IM (4:10) passed me around mile 10. At the time I was dry heaving at the side of the road praying that a race official would not see me. I knew I would finish if they didn't try to pull me for vomiting. My brother can run! I really need to work on this discipline. This is the 3rd of 5 triathlons we have gone head-to-head in that he has passed me on the run. He can't swim or bike but he can run!

I saw my family at mile 13. I stopped to chat and tell them I might be a long time since I was sick as could be. I was still trying to run so I knew I would finish. Heather took a classic picture of me leaning on the barricade looking pained.

At mile 19, I looked at my watch. I had 65 minutes to finish in under 14 hours. I was still sick but something clicked in my brain. I had to run. I started running but still walked the hills and aid stations. At mile 22 I stopped walking all together and stopped going to aid stations. I remember saying to myself that I was already hurting and dehydrated since I hadn't eaten or had a drink since about mile 5. Adreneline kicked in at mile 24 and I practically ran 5k pace to the finish. I passed a guy who said that if I kept up my pace I could break 14 hours. He was doing the math for himself. I told him to run with me and break 14 hours too. I am not sure if he did but I hope I inspired him to push past the mental barrier of the ironman marathon and run his heart out to finish under 14 hours. If you are reading this and remember our interaction and finished under 14 hours...LET ME KNOW!

The finish was awesome although I don't remember much. I was delerious and completely toast. This is the way an ironman finish is supposed to feel. I gave it my all to finish under 14 hours despite my stomach issues. My catcher got me my medal, hat, and shirt. She then took me straight to the medical triache tent when a short second break for me to stagger over to my family and smile to them (photo below). In the medical tent things went from bad to worse. I started dry-heaving again, my heart rate would not come down, my body temp dropped to 96 degrees, and I was sweating profusely. This went on for roughly 25 minutes. I do remember looking up at my brother as I was on all fours trying to puke and seeing his face. He looked scared. My brother is 10 years older than me and has always been able to help when help is needed. He wasn't scared for my life or anything as I was in the medical tent (the best place to be in my position) but had a look of helplessness that he has never had with me before. Touching moment for me.

The folks in the medical tent were about to take me to an IV drip but gave me one last chance to drink half of a gatorade bottle and if I kept that down I could leave. I managed it because I did not want to get caught in the med tent for who knows how long if I get an IV. Plus I am sure there is paperwork and my name would be flagged for future races. I was not going there!

Drink MORE WATER with the electrolite supplements!

Beer at the condo.


My brain. I should have ridden faster and then pushed through my stomach issues earlier in the run.


Awesome Race if you want something to kick your ass with lots of support!