Subject: RE: BT IM Wisconsin thread Hey gang. Well, it took me 47.75 years, but I finally got my first ambulance ride and first ever DNF in any type of race today. Swim was slower than I wanted...right shoulder gave me trouble on the 2nd lap and had a cramp in my right calf. 1:14 is still recoverable in the big picture. Bike was only 5 minutes slower than I wanted 5:35ish. Wind picked up on the second loop. Thought I hydrated well but guess not. Had side stitches the first 4 miles of the run but managed to work them out. But..the left hamstring absolutely was not going to let me run today. Got to the point where I couldn't pick it up with much strength, especially on any type of incline. Started walking at about mile 6 and interspersed some running but I figured it was doing more damage than good. Walked the rest of the way in to the turnaround. Saw Whizz and dumpster just before the turn to the turnaround and got a big hug from Whizz. She offered her knee to loan me but I needed a hamstring Got to the turnaround and chatted with the volunteer stationed at the cones. She urged me to cross the timing mat just to get a split (after about 3 minutes of chatting). Crossed the mat and stopped to chat again. There was still about 7 hours left and she said I could easily finish since there were people still getting off the bike and I already had one lap of the run done. The crowd saw my first name on my race number and started yelling "Finish it Jim!!!!" - that was so frickin' awesome. So I started to walk again for lap 2 and they went nuts cheering. So cool. I had every intention of walking all 13.1 miles of lap 2 cuz there was no way the running was gonna happen. Tammy (tripletmom1) stopped alongside me when she saw me and we walked together for a 100 yds before she continued on - she looked strong but said she didn't feel so great. Got to mile 15 and drank some and thats when the puking started. I kept walking and then at mile 16 I saw A volunteer on a bike and asked him where the nearest medical tent was. He rode alongside me for the next mile to the ambulance stationed at mile 17 - thanks whoever you are! Chatted with the ambulance crew as I was sipping on some fluid and then started puking like crazy again. After last year's debacle on loop 2 I didn't want to go thru that again so they convinced me to take a ride back to the main med tent at the finish area. They brought me in and gave me 3 IV bags (only 2 last year - but I finished 2007). They even went to get me pizza and actually got all my transition bags for me. Saw a bunch of BTers: firstnet911, AJ on the bike, mndiver (he was walking on his first lap), mutri, jamesG a couple times, jtopin (also saw him later since he was volunteering as a doctor in the med tent), PeterAK spectating on the bike hills, and his wife (volunteering), and others I can't think of right now (sorry). Finally, saw Rob (pseudoyams) and he looked very fit and tough. Also saw Larry Davidson (Lar Dog) several times on the bike and we came out of T2 together. I saw him when he was about to get to mile 24 and he looked strong. He should have gone sub 11 which should easily get him another Kona qualification for his AG. Not as disappointed as much as pissed right now. Need to figure out what factor I'm not nailing in the IM. Oh well, there's IM CDA and IM WI 2009 to get ready for. Not sure I want to do Clearwater in November - need to get this leg healed up and start some ski season prep. Thanks for following us today! |