Ironman Arizona : Official Thread (Page 6)

Couldn't resist jumping in..  Recognize a few names in here from 2009 thread as I did this race last year for my first and only IM..  I was just as excited as all you first-timers... It's going to be a wonderful journey through your training, as the finish line your ultimate destination... Relish it and remember it as you will be impressed on how far you can go...  I was...  I was amazed at the athlete I turned into...  The self-confidence will blossom and the belief in yourself will be overwhelming.  I know this sounds mushy but almost 6 months after hi-fiving Mike Reilly and crossing the finish line to "YMCA", it hasn't worn off.  16:20:05.... It was an amazing day....

To help with a few words of advice..  Watch that last step at the bottom of the ladder during practice.. I am not a strong swimmer so I stayed at the back..  I wore a full wetsuit as the water was about 60 deg and that was very hard for me...  Stay relaxed and in your pace and you will finish just fine.  The wetsuit strippers were great as I was not sure-footed when I came up the ladder from the cold water...  They were very hands-on...  Remember to point yer toes!  T1 and T2 helpers were excellent too... The bike course was solid and I have to admit, I really was talking to myself on that 3rd loop..  Passing Rudy was an inspiration on the start of the 3rd trip up Beeline..  It was deceiving for me as that incline doesn't seem like much, but I was down to about 10 MPH just before the dip to the turnaround before heading for home.  No problems clearing the bike time cutoffs and averaged 15 MPH for the 112 miles..  Having a cold didn't hit me until the run and by about mile 7, the wheels came off my tricycle..  I was more frustrated than tired, because I was having breathing trouble I had to walk more than I wanted to. 

Yes my quads hurt because I didn't realize there was so much concrete on the run..  I didn't stop; I kept moving forward.. I did all my run-training on asphalt, but never on concrete so the suggestion to do that by another blog-poster may help for that.. 6:26 for my run was ugly, but........... I never once during the whole 16+ hours, ever doubted I would finish in a legal time..  That was my goal...  Never during the 8 months of training did I ever doubt myself.  I guess you can say it had become an obsession to be successful at that point.  The only person I was doing this race for, was me..  I had friends and family who didn't believe I could do it, but that was okay..  I knew I could..  And you all can too..  You made the commitment to become an Ironman when you signed up for the race.. 

It's been non-stop for me now.  Just did my first ultra, a 50K, this past April.  It was just about 3 weeks after doing the LA 26.2 so I knew I had the fitness base.. Really struggled in LA and was trashed after posting a 5:12, but getting the demon off my back from that 6:26 at IMAZ was a must.  During the 50K I set a PR at the 26.2 distance, and took my age group.. I never thought about a 50K before, but after completing the Ironman, I knew I could do it..  6:14 was fine for me for 31 miles....   Next is my first trail 26.2 as I have never done a trail marathon...  After that, who knows....  The training and involvement in triathlon has changed me from a 165 pound couch potato in 2004 to a 134 pound Ironman in 2009...

I will have fun checking in and following along up to race-day...  Good luck to all of you, veterans and newbies alike... So, train hard.. Train smart... Accept the pain and look fear in the eyes and stare it down.. If I can do it 5 weeks before my 50th birthday, you all can do it..

Lori....

"Lest we forget, part of the joy in any sport is the attempt to do it well.  To succeed in endurance sports and in life, all you need is a big heart, and that has nothing to do with size.."  Scott Tinley..

I had much the same on each loop... My goal was to do the bike in 7:30 for a 15 MPH average... The temps were mild I do not think it ever got above about 70-73 the whole ride that day.  I would not gauge the winds and weather now though..  I did a pre-ride last year on the Wednesday of race week and since I didn't train on an open road, the trucks scared the crap out of me.. From Wednesday to race-day there was a slight wind directin change but it was not bad on race day..  The third loop started to get to me a bit and I had more than one taking-to with my evil twin but I got thru it.. Headed back into town on the third loop I had a bit of a head wind and didn't get that "WOO HOO" feeling like I did during training, but it wasn't that bad.. Came into T2 in 7:25 and for a 50 year old fart, you can do just as good or better....

Lori..... "Crying? Are you crying?! There's no crying in Triathlon?!?" 

sorry... the "old fart" comment was directed to me!  This IM was my 50th Bday present to myself...  If this is your first IM, you picked a great race to lose yer virginity on... The key point for me in this 16 hour 20 min day, was to really focus on each event and not the day as a whole.. "Get thru the swim.... reach, pull... reach, pull... Stay consistent on the bike.... pedal, pedal, pedal... keep moving... Survive the run cause I am sick...keep moving forward... don't stop... keep moving...eat something...drink something....keep moving....Dang, Rudy ran by me fast..  "2766 to finish line, over....finish line, go ahead 2766... permission to cross the finish line... permission granted...2766.... 2766, you are an IRONMAN!"  See, you can do it too...

Lori