Inspirational moment #1: Waiting for the start, treading water, looking out at the crowd on the lake shore, Monnona Terrace, and the two Helix's, what a site!
Inspirational moment #2: The RD shouts out over the PA, "Who is going to be a Ironman at the end of the day?" and 2,200 some swimmers shout out I am!
Inspirational moment #3: The RD shouts out over the PA, "Spectators give the racers a big yell (something like that?)! and I could feel the shouts from the 4,000 plus people watching the start.

This was my best swim of the year! It all went as planned. Met Oipillio (Mike) while waiting to start, we inspired each other, and decided to start near the end of the group to avoid being run over or kicked. About halfway to the 1st turn around bouy I was getting crossed over by the swimmers who started on the far right, who were sweeping left to get near the bouy line. I have never swam with so many people around me, two years ago I would have panicked, but I just relaxed, kept swimming, found someone to draft and stayed on there feet the whole race! I was very happy to hear the loud music on the second lap. Once out of the water it was a 100 yard run to the suit stripper's, then up the Helix (lined with chearing spectators to the T1 bag pickup room, then to the mens changing area, and off to the bike area!

Gee I don't know this was fun!

Not like you local TRI circuit T1, very big area to cover, lots of running!

Once in the T1 bag room my bag was handed to me, then off to the changing tent, once changed a volunteer bagged my stuff and I was on my way to get sun screened and pee, finally run around (next time I will leave my bike shoes off) to have my bike handed to me and off I go!

Remember my sun glasses and leave my bike shoes off till the bike mount area.

Inspirational moment #1: On the two big hills crowds of spectators lined both sides of the road with signs, drums, horns, bells, and loud speakers. Some would actually run up next to you. Reminder me of the Tour De France!

Funniest Momment: At mile 65 this girl with a nice rear view was riding in front of me, all of a sudden she raised off her seat and pee started to flow, wow I quickly veered left and she noticed me , turned as my bike and said sorry, I said thats O.K. thats why they have the 4 bikes behind rule! I tried to pee while riding once and couldn't go!

The bike course was what I expected, long slow hills, flats to keep a rhythm, and two rather large hills around the 40 and 80 mile marks (for those in the Overland Park,KS area like Renner road south off Holiday Drive by Lake Quivira, except steeper and longer). Lost two of my spare tubes near mile 33, had one more so kept going. Managed to lose the big cluster of bikers around mile 55. Started to get a headache at mile 60. Other than one goof ball who stopped in front of me at a aid station while I was looking right to grab a powerbar (had to brake with my left hand, raised my rear tire 6" off the ground, balanced it to the right, released brake, and missed the guy! Felt like Tom Cruise in MI 2! It was fricken to close for me!) and the headache the bike went as planned.

Suz and Mikes wife hunked down at two areas of the bike route to cheer us on! Thanks Gal's!

Perfect temp for me on the bike, I think the temp was around 55*F to start and 65*F at the finish.



1. Secure my tubes better.
2. When my headache started my initial thought was I am dehydated, so I started drinking lots of water. I didn't sweat the entire bike ride! More on this later.

Went great, rode up the Helix, jumped off the bike, they took my bike, off to the T2 area I went, reapplied Body Glide to feet and arm pits, new socks, shoes on, saw Lisac957 standing outside the womens change tent as a volunteer (thanks Lisa), more sun screen, a quick pee, and off I went.



Sun Glasses

Inspirational moment #1: The cheers from family, friends, fellow BT'ers and spectators. It was like running the Chicago Marathon!

This was the low of my IM experience I really had to DIG DEEP to finish this! From the start I had a headache and it only got worse as the run went. I mostly ran the 1st 13 miles but basically walked the last 13, except for the last 1/4 mile to the finish line. I wanted to drop many times, but once I realized I could still make the cutoff by walking I kept pushing on, digging, digging, digging just to walk was tough. It started raining around mile twenty and since I wasn't running it was a bit chilly. I was planning to walk through the finish saw Ben Schoegel (local pro) yelling "come on Monty run it in finish proud!", so I did.

My ego was really bruised having to walk that much and I was a bit PO'd, but I finished!

Thanks to BT'ers MNDIVER and GOALIE for inspiring me to keep going!


Bring some Avil for a possible bad headache, running with a headache is not a pleasant thing.

Ended up in the Med tent as directed by Mrs Zooma, I was 10 lbs heavier than my pre-race weight, and my sodium level was low. When I 1st started getting my headache, my initial thought was oh shoot I am getting dedydrated because I am not drinking, so I guess I drank to much. I also took E-Tabs so I don't know what went wrong?


Headache


This event ROCKED! Just a really super time!