General Discussion Iron Distance Race Groups » Ironman St. George - Utah : Official Thread Rss Feed  
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2010-05-03 1:40 PM
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Subject: RE: Ironman St. George - Utah : Official Thread
14:09 here

I had the race of my life. Awesome from start to finish. I am an experienced cold water swimmer so I had an easier time than many in the water. Struggled with asthma in the run, but played it smart.

AMAZING!!!!!

Will post a RR today.


2010-05-03 2:44 PM
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Subject: RE: Ironman St. George - Utah : Official Thread
So i tried to respond several hours ago, but got way too emotional and had to step away.  This was my first Ironman and I'm not sure that everything from signing up over a year ago to standing in line at 7am Sunday morning to get my finisher jacket had really sunk in yet.  I honestly still don't think it has.

The whole experience was incredible and from having had the opportunity to preview the course a few times it was exactly what I expected.  I finished in 12:18.  I did the swim in 1:06 and one of my favorite moments of the day was hearing Mike Reilly announce my name and home town as I headed up the ramp.  Very cool!

I had three goals going into the race:  1) Finish 2) Enjoy the day and finish the run strong 3) Do it in <12hrs.  It became apparent to me on the run course that 2 & 3 had become mutually exclusive and very counter to my normal tendencies I chose #2.  I'm still coming to terms with why I made that choice. . .and although I said I wouldn't do another one, that choice will probably be the reason why I take a crack at this in a few years.  In the end I'm happy that I went with #2.  Watching the race unfold, looking into the face of each competitor, chatting with my friends and family on the course as I passed by. . .it was totally worth it.

I think one of the best moments came this morning when I broke down crying like a baby in the kitchen and got a huge group hug from my wife and daughters.  One of us said this before, but we don't do this alone.  I am SO thankful for the support I've had and the gift of having the opportunity to compete at IMSG that my family gave me.
 

. . .and SERIOUSLY, I thought exercise was supposed to create testosterone. . .when does the crying stop. Congrats to everyone who took the start line Saturday!  I need to go get another tissue. 
2010-05-03 3:02 PM
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Subject: RE: Ironman St. George - Utah : Official Thread
First IM: 14:33.

Wow--what an amazing experience. I had no frame of reference for this at all (and no Garmin, either--read the RR), so my main goal was just to finish. Was really inspired by all those on the course and the great examples of courage and strength. Nice job to all who participated. I'll always feel proud I chose such a challenging course for my first IM, and now belong to a small cadre of people like those found on this site.

http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/discussion/forums/thread-view.asp...

2010-05-03 3:33 PM
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Subject: RE: Ironman St. George - Utah : Official Thread
Pretty sure this race will be one of the most popular IM's on the circuit very soon. Epic course, amazing volunteers, well organizes, and a very welcoming city.
It is a brutal course but very doable. My training kind of halted with injuries and laziness in March and I was more in shape for an oly rather than an IM coming into the race. Finished in 13 and a half hours. I really wasn't all that tired at the finish line and not too sore the day after. My hamstrings were just done come mile 13 on the run which really hurt my goal of breaking 13 hrs.
This race was much different for me than expected. My first 140.6 was Vineman and it meant a lot more to me. I got all emotional before, during, and after the race. This race I had more of a ho-hum attitude and although I am stoked to have completed it I am over it. Put my bike up on Craigslist the morning after...
As for all the DNF'ers ... on the bike I was amazed to see how hard some people were pushing. I was also surprised to see how little people were drinking and eating. My bike ride was more of a buffet on wheels with all you can eat oreos, fig newtons, and clif bars while guzzling gallons of Gatorade. This led to a clear head and no bonk for all 140.6 miles. It just took me 13 and a half hours because I am out of shape and lazy.
I think the DNF racers was due to either lack of hydration and nutrition on the bike or people shooting for a goal time and realizing after the bike or the first loop of the run that they were going to be coming in past dark so they called it quits. The course didn't cause the DNF's, the participants themselves did.
All said and done we got lucky. Get a hot day on that course or if the race was on Sunday in that crazy wind the course would be close to impossible for AG athletes. People who DNF on May 1st probably lost one of the easiest chances they will ever have to finish IMSG.
2010-05-03 4:10 PM
in reply to: #2834131

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Sensei
Sin City
Subject: RE: Ironman St. George - Utah : Official Thread
ARG!!!  I'm so jealous with everyone's times...  You guys rocked it.

I guess it makes me want to come out of my IM "retirement" and race again.  (I declared my official "retirement" during the run portion of this last race).

Just call me Favre...
2010-05-03 6:14 PM
in reply to: #2833678

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Subject: RE: Ironman St. George - Utah : Official Thread
bctri21 - 2010-05-03 11:09 AM

chile7473 - 2010-05-03 12:36 PM
tcovert - 2010-05-03 10:05 AM
bctri21 - 2010-05-03 9:25 AM I don't want to sounds cynical, but I do have a thought or two about the course. It is unfortunate that there were so many that DNF; however, I think that this is not a result of a brutal course or epic hills.  The bike wasn't any worse than Silverman IMO.  I talked to a couple of people who came into the course with 8 weeks training, and there were those that signed up because "it was in my back yard and I have always wanted to do one". Those same people said they have never done a triathlon let alone an ironman.  I think that we are seeing the popularity of the sport coming about. 


You do sound a bit cynical, IMO.  And also a little disrespectful of some hard-working people who DNFed not because they weren't tough enough, but because they didn't want to end up hospitalized.

I don't think "the popularity" of triathlon had anything to do with the fact that there was a higher percentage of DNFs than at almost any other NA Ironman ever.  I guarantee you there were more "impulse" entrants at a race like IMAZ than there were at this one.  IMSG took forever to sell out...I'm pretty sure people approached with caution, between the course profile and the need to do winter training.  Only 700 athletes out of over 2000 supposedly were first-timers.  Personally, I trained harder and more specifically for this course than for my first IM and still finished a whole lot slower.

About Silverman:  People played the "Silverman" card a couple times over the weekend and I found that a little annoying, frankly.  I don't think anyone questions that Silverman's bike course is harder...but so what?  The swim there isn't as cold--which was a major source of DNFs and general struggles on Saturday--and the run has significantly less climbing compared to IMSG.  My Garmin showed about 3000' of total climbing (and almost no flats) on the IMSG run, but even discounting that for likely inaccuracy, there's an absolute minimum net altitude gain on each of the two loops of 500' from Town Square to the top of the course and 250' from the turnaround to the top, so there's unquestionably over 1500' of gain (not to say actual total climbing, which is more)...Silverman says their run course has less than 1300' of gain.

The bike course isn't the real challenge at IMSG and I didn't think it would be going in, honestly--people were mostly making the cutoff there from what I saw and heard.  But people were really struggling with the run.  In that respect, I think IMSG plays out like Wildflower:  Reputation for a tough ride, but really a tougher run.
Silverman Silverman Silverman.... Just saying since you are knocking a race you have never done and thus really don't have any business talking about. Silverman's run is 1300 per loop but is not as difficult as St. George. There are always more impulse registrants when the M-Dot logo is involved. Early in the year races don't sell out as fast because people up north and back east do not want to train for a IM during the winter. IMAZ in the spring took months to fill in the past but now sells out right away as a late fall race. Anyway, good job to you out there to you.


Sorry for the opinion Chile.  I happen to live in Henderson and have ridden the bike course dozens of times, in fact, I rode the entire Silverman course start to finish to prepare for this race.  Apparently you guys are offended at my opinion so I apologize.  You won't catch me posting to this race link again.  Cheers.


Actually, was replying to the "Silverman Card" thing. Didn't even read your part. LOL

Don't ever take things posted on a message board too seriously too as it is mostly just peoples opinions, etc.


2010-05-03 9:50 PM
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Subject: RE: Ironman St. George - Utah : Official Thread
bctri21 - 2010-05-03 9:25 AM I don't want to sounds cynical, but I do have a thought or two about the course. It is unfortunate that there were so many that DNF; however, I think that this is not a result of a brutal course or epic hills.  The bike wasn't any worse than Silverman IMO.  I talked to a couple of people who came into the course with 8 weeks training, and there were those that signed up because "it was in my back yard and I have always wanted to do one". Those same people said they have never done a triathlon let alone an ironman.  I think that we are seeing the popularity of the sport coming about.  Much like marathons were so popular 2-3 years ago, the ironman is the new marathon.  Speaking of marathons, I talked to a guy that hadn't even attempted a 20 mile run in his life, yet he said he was ready for the ironman.  Please don't get me wrong, the course was super tough and I considered walking off the run course a dozen times, but becoming an ironman takes a lot of sacrifice and determination.  I know that folks had issues and for that I am sorry, but I believe that is what an ironman is all about........suffering.  Now I know that being pulled off is different than quitting.  I was held by the medical folks because I was shivering on the run.  I can and do sympathize with those of you that DNF.  Of those that DNF (for the entire field, not the BT folks), I would like to see how many quit verse how many were medically pulled off the course verse how many didn't make the time cut offs.  I mean Macca didn't finish in Kona a few years back because "of a broken brake cable", so what were the reasons for people not finishing??  For those that didn't finish, I hope you have bounced back a bit and let us know what is next on the race schedule for you.  I for one tip my hat to you for being out on the course.  It certainly took me to my limits and beyond.


A few points:

I think your argument has some merit, west coast IM's sell out the next day and SG had roughly 750 first timers; while you may be right there were alot of people who dnf'ed that had finished other ironmans.  I heard more than one IM veteran complaining that Ironmans shouldn't be this hard. 

There's going to be a year when we aren't so lucky as IMSG, the conditions were perfect that day and its going to be interesting to see what happens when the winds show up on race day.

I don't see the Ironman getting any popular; its growing but its still isn't close to a fad.  I work at a place with 5,000 people and I only know 2 other triathletes there.  If your buddies do tri's and if you are in a club that would be the assumption, since you surround yourself with triathletes.  Around here, MMA seems to be the cool sport that's growing.  Alot of younger guys with normal jobs are training for fights, and older guys are in MMA gyms.  Odd, but I can see the appeal in it.

I'll admit that I didn't train enough for this.  I only had roughly 12 weeks of solid training due to an achilles tear.  I posted about this many times on this very thread.  I had a decision to dns or go undertrained and I really saw a dns as an easy cop out and toed the line.  Although I new I was undertrained, not finishing never crossed my mind.  It really only occured to me at about 8:00 pm on the course when I had to run 10:00 min/mi to make the 13.1 cutoff.  While I would have liked to finish it I don't regret it one bit.  I had a blast until I the run portion.  

Since you asked, my race schedule is a follows:

- June 27, Tinman Sprint Tri (this is the local race for bragging rights)
- September 6, Run to Mt. Baldy
- October 6, Lake Perris Olympic Distance
- November 2010, Ironman Arizona

I will fit a marathon in there and do a century a month.  Either Orange County, LA, or Long Beach.


2010-05-03 10:01 PM
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Subject: RE: Ironman St. George - Utah : Official Thread
Here's my RR.  First time IM and first time RR so it is pretty much just stream of consciousness as I remember it.
http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/discussion/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=206429 
2010-05-03 11:24 PM
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Subject: RE: Ironman St. George - Utah : Official Thread
Another DNF here.

My first Ironman, and I failed. Was it nutrition? No. I ate plenty. Was it dehydration? No. I drank a lot. Was it mechanical problems? Not at all. For me, it was the hills and the wind. Those are the only things left. I trained (on whatever hills I could find out here) for 36 weeks, so I don't want to hear some crap about people DNF'ing because they didn't train properly. As hard as I trained, I'm just not as fast as others. My swim was 1:39, I spent almost 14 minutes in T1 changing into dry cycling gear so I wouldn't freeze to death, and then I missed the 5:30 cut-off time by just a few minutes. IMO, the course was just too difficult for me. Should I have trained harder? Of course, but I can only do so much when I work 2 jobs (F/T and P/T).

It's the first DNF I've ever had, and it was really upsetting to be told that I couldn't continue. Especially after all that training I put into it. I was fine on loop 1, but after that the wind picked up and the 2nd loop destroyed me. It is what it is. I'll just have to sweat it out all summer and train for IMAZ in 2011.

Good job to all of you out there, finishers and DNF'ers. It really was a tough course.
2010-05-03 11:51 PM
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Subject: RE: Ironman St. George - Utah : Official Thread
Someone once told me that it is never a failure if you learn something. Focus on what you can learn from the situation, allow yourself a little pity party to grieve your race a bit, and then start applying what you learned to the next race.

As soon as my stomach settles from ODing on ibuprofin, I am going to take my pity party to In and Out and get a milk shake. Then I am going to write my plan for the rest of the summer and dig in.
2010-05-03 11:55 PM
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Subject: RE: Ironman St. George - Utah : Official Thread
dieathlon - 2010-05-03 9:24 PM Another DNF here. My first Ironman, and I failed. Was it nutrition? No. I ate plenty. Was it dehydration? No. I drank a lot. Was it mechanical problems? Not at all. For me, it was the hills and the wind. Those are the only things left. I trained (on whatever hills I could find out here) for 36 weeks, so I don't want to hear some crap about people DNF'ing because they didn't train properly. As hard as I trained, I'm just not as fast as others. My swim was 1:39, I spent almost 14 minutes in T1 changing into dry cycling gear so I wouldn't freeze to death, and then I missed the 5:30 cut-off time by just a few minutes. IMO, the course was just too difficult for me. Should I have trained harder? Of course, but I can only do so much when I work 2 jobs (F/T and P/T). It's the first DNF I've ever had, and it was really upsetting to be told that I couldn't continue. Especially after all that training I put into it. I was fine on loop 1, but after that the wind picked up and the 2nd loop destroyed me. It is what it is. I'll just have to sweat it out all summer and train for IMAZ in 2011. Good job to all of you out there, finishers and DNF'ers. It really was a tough course.


Sorry to hear about that, I know what you mean about the wind, it got alot worse after 3:00.  I had a gust literally almost blow me off the road going roughly 50 mph.  I know it hurts, and I'll see you in Arizona in 2011!


2010-05-03 11:59 PM
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Subject: RE: Ironman St. George - Utah : Official Thread
Yeah, that happened to me too! I made some good time on that downhill on the first loop. I tried the same method again after the 2nd loop and almost went flying off my bike because of that wind. I had a choice of: hit the brakes and possibly not meet the cut-off time, or keep up the speed and risk crashing, which would definitely result in a DNF. I would at least like to DNF with all my bones intact.
2010-05-04 12:57 AM
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Subject: RE: Ironman St. George - Utah : Official Thread
RR up: http://www.beginnertriathlete.com/discussion/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=206456

Great race and big fun for me. I am not as wiped out as I thought I would be. My goal was to finish and I did. I had time goals too, but those were just bonuses for me. I came into this hitting about 60% of my training and I felt that would get me to finishing and it did.

This race was tough, even on an almost perfect day for the location. I am one of those that jumped at a chance to actually get in to a race that I could drive to and not have to be on site or lucky when trying to sign up. Having it be in a beautiful location and the first running of it also was a reason. When I signed up I had only been a spectator at triathlons. I was already into my Vineman 70.3 training though and knew I could plan it out and get the training done.
2010-05-04 9:35 AM
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Subject: RE: Ironman St. George - Utah : Official Thread
Race pictures are posted: http://www.asiorders.com/view_event.asp?EVENTID=60045



Edited by bwiens 2010-05-04 9:40 AM
2010-05-04 2:51 PM
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Subject: RE: Ironman St. George - Utah : Official Thread
chile7473 - 2010-05-03 10:36 AM  Silverman Silverman Silverman.... Just saying since you are knocking a race you have never done and thus really don't have any business talking about. Silverman's run is 1300 per loop but is not as difficult as St. George. There are always more impulse registrants when the M-Dot logo is involved. Early in the year races don't sell out as fast because people up north and back east do not want to train for a IM during the winter. IMAZ in the spring took months to fill in the past but now sells out right away as a late fall race. Anyway, good job to you out there to you.


Not "knocking" it.  Not passing judgment on it at all, actually.

Just not real interested in seeing it used as some sort of shining beacon of absolute toughness to denigrate the St George course as the previous poster clearly was.

I thought his post was basically a slap in the face to people who worked hard and still DNFed and a pat on his own back for finishing Silverman...which is apparently an actually tough course, unlike St. George, which--so we're to conclude, I guess--just punished people who weren't tough enough and shouldn't have signed up.  Felt that way when I read his post...still feel that way re-reading it.  Thought most of it was the sort of B.S. "HTFU" tough-guy post that makes me avoid certain triathlon website and leaves a sour taste in my mouth.  What's the point of opening up a post with a put-down of people who've just come off a major disappointment after months of training.  Just my opinion.

The numbers don't lie, though...either about the water temp or the run profile...or about the finishing times and DNF % at SG compared to other M-Dot races.
2010-05-04 3:29 PM
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Subject: RE: Ironman St. George - Utah : Official Thread


2010-05-04 4:02 PM
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Subject: RE: Ironman St. George - Utah : Official Thread
SO - anyone signing up again?
2010-05-04 4:19 PM
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Sin City
Subject: RE: Ironman St. George - Utah : Official Thread
I wish I could thank the person who made the poster on the run course that said "pain is temporary, pride is forever". 

It helped.
2010-05-04 5:05 PM
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Subject: RE: Ironman St. George - Utah : Official Thread
Kido - 2010-05-04 3:19 PM I wish I could thank the person who made the poster on the run course that said "pain is temporary, pride is forever". 

It helped.


Kido-That was my wife.  She also had the "There is no spoon." poster.  I'll pass it along!
2010-05-04 5:15 PM
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Subject: RE: Ironman St. George - Utah : Official Thread
sportyj - 2010-05-04 4:02 PM SO - anyone signing up again?


If it is around in 2-3 years then hell yes I will do that again in a heart beat.  This is coming from a person who finished in 16:50 and alot of pain.  I had the time of my life and loved every minute of it.
2010-05-04 5:31 PM
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Subject: RE: Ironman St. George - Utah : Official Thread
Sully_Joe - 2010-05-04 3:15 PM
sportyj - 2010-05-04 4:02 PM SO - anyone signing up again?


If it is around in 2-3 years then hell yes I will do that again in a heart beat.  This is coming from a person who finished in 16:50 and alot of pain.  I had the time of my life and loved every minute of it.


Sully - I am right with you!  I finished right behind you in 16:52 in pain and had one of the best days of my life.  Will do it again in a couple years.


2010-05-04 6:06 PM
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Subject: RE: Ironman St. George - Utah : Official Thread
"Pain is temporary, pride is forever"

Yeah, tell her thanks for me as well! That really helped...

Edited by mwillder 2010-05-04 6:07 PM
2010-05-04 6:35 PM
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Subject: RE: Ironman St. George - Utah : Official Thread
there where many great signs but the one that got me was...

"Chuck Norris never did an Ironman"

Congrats to all who joined us on this journey, whether you completed the goal you set or not, be proud that you had enough self worth to set it and strive for what many simply can't even comprehend. Keep up the inspiration for your friends, family and most importantly your children who need to see you continuing to attempt great things!! 
2010-05-04 7:24 PM
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Subject: RE: Ironman St. George - Utah : Official Thread
2010-05-04 8:35 PM
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Subject: RE: Ironman St. George - Utah : Official Thread
Dude,

I've had major issues in the past with my neck getting ripped wide open by my wet suit.  My wife suggested that  I use a large waterproof band aid on my neck at IM St. George.  Not having done this in training, I took a big leap of faith and gave it a shot.  it worked like a charm!  The band aids (2) made it through the swim and prevented any chaffing.  That was a huge relief as I'm well aware that a raw neck out in the sun all day equals a bloody mess.
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