Ironman Brand (Page 3)

Chessieman was like that.  There was a point on the bike where I literally did not see another soul for over 30 minutes.  I was too far behind the fast swimmer/cyclists but I had crushed all the slower cyclists/average swimmers and was in no man's land.  I actually thought I may have made a wrong turn somewhere!  But there were officers directing us at all corners, so I was on course.  I can't imagine what it must have been like for the people doing the full (I was doing the iron distance aqua velo as a warm up for Florida) on the run when 1/2 the field was out from finishing the aqua velo!!

It was just weird going from that to 6 weeks later being in a race where there was never someone less than 50 yards or so away on the bike.

This can be disconcerting.  On two seperate occasions in IMKY I found myself all alone on the bike couse and thought I'd missed a turn.  I figured I'd just gotten lost in the vast wilderness of my mind and blew right by the turn.  On one of those occasions, when I finally did see another rider my first thought was "Oh good, another idiot like me missed the turn....I don't feel so bad now."  But w/i a few miles I saw other riders and knew I had not missed a turn.  

~Mike

I know what all I said yesterday and I do feel that way if you go the distance you are an ironman even if it is in your own back yard and pool, but I like larger races personally because they provide me with a different stimulus than the day to day run.  There are lots of people who hate the "crowded" big city marathons and the like but I love them so.  With their seeding systems I have been able to get sufficiently up front to where it really does not matter much - I would think most of us more devoted souls can get up front.  I like the crowd recognizing your accomplishment.  Mdot does not ensure this, but # of race participants correlates well with this. 

I love big city marathons because for one moment in time I feel like a rock star!  When I go long, I think I will go Mdot, the distance/personal accomplisment is the same regardless.  I just like the crowds.