Today's countdown race is the 2016 Ironman Chattanooga, where temperatures reach 104 during the bike and where I go dehydrated on the run. I've realized that the biggest challenge in Kona is staying hydrated. Really??!! This should come as no surprise, but my 10K on Saturday, and just walking around has brought me the realization that anything can happen on race day. Of course, it's an Ironman, so why not? With five days to Kona, this will be the most important thing for me to focus on. It will start with being hydrated going into the race, which I've been diligent about, except for my one foray into dehydration during the 10K. Effectively hydrating, however, is a challenge, because one wants to avoid "washing out" all of your electrolytes.
I've been developing a plan for Saturday, and that plan has a lot to do with being patient. Obviously, I won't be hydrating during the swim, but at least my swim won't be too long, based on yesterdays swim of 1 hour and 15 minutes on the course. My coach reminded me that I will be taking in sodium during the swim, one way or the other (although I hope I will avoid gulping or inhaling any large amount of salt water). Thus, only taking in plain water for the first half an hour of the bike will be my plan. It will also be my plan to keep my effort easy for that first half an hour. There are multiple reasons for this, not the least of which have to do with keeping my GI tract fully functioning for as long as is humanly possible.
There are athletes who have their sweat analyzed. This is probably useful data, but the one thing that this type of data won't tell you is how much your GI tract can absorb under tough conditions. In order to absorb electrolytes, you need carbohydrates and electrolytes. But your GI tract has to absorb them! I'm developing a plan on the bike to assure that this happens. That plan includes making sure I take in an adequate number of calories and electrolytes throughout the day, but it also has to do with keeping myself from overheating and riding safely. I normally ride through aid stations and grab a bottle of water form the volunteers. That can be tricky, especially if you're sweating and the volunteer isn't the best at handing off bottles. It can also be dangerous.
I realized yesterday, why not just stop briefly at each aid station. I'll have a bottle with about 1000 calories on my bike. Instead of replenishing my aero hydration system while cycling (which can be distracting in and of itself), it will take all of 10 seconds to do this when I stop. I can also replace my water bottle behind my seat at this time, and get an extra bottle of water to pour on myself. If I do this properly, it shouldn't take more than 30 seconds. That would be compared to slowing down and fumbling with all of these things, which loses time as well. If this strategy goes according to plan, the time that I save by effective hydration and cooling will easily outweigh any time lost by stopping.
The run, and hopefully, I'll be in a position to execute this if I come off the bike feeling good, will be a similar endeavor. Stop and drink, and replenish fluids, at each aid station. Grab as much ice as possible as well and stuff it wherever I can. I also have a small bag to put ice in that I can hold in the palm of my hand, which has its own cooling affect.
If you're interested in reading about how I dealt with 104 degree temperature at the 2016 IM Chattanooga, here's my blog on that race: http://wassdoc.blogspot.com/2016/09/ironman-chattanooga-2016-race-report.html
Monday, October 7, 2019
Sunday, October 6, 2019
Journey to Kona Day 243: Mental Commitment and IM Boulder 2016, #9
It's easy to say that 90% of racing an Ironman is mental, and while that's actually true, you still have to put in the physical training in order to make that happen! Rereading my 2016 blogs reminded me of the importance of mental preparation and commitment. My physical training had slacked off in 2015, which was ultimately necessary. As I started to ramp up my training in 2016 my coach put a thought in my head, "20 x 20." Twenty weeks of twenty mile runs. The first few were relatively hard. By the time I got to 15, my mindset had changed completely. In fact, I started playing with my intensity, and even pushed a couple of the runs to 21 miles, in one case laying down two consecutive 8:07 miles at the end!
Lucho's instruction to me for the 2016 Ironman Boulder was the same as the others, "swim easy, bike easy, run easy, until it gets hard." That's what I did! The training I'd done got me a decent swim, a very good bike, and then allowed me to take advantage of my training with an intense mental commitment on the run. It was another hot, challenging day in Boulder. Only six guys in my age group ran under 5 hours, and my 4:50:20 was the 4th fastest on a tough day. Remarkably, I started the run 17th in my age group, and by the time I hit the finish line, thoroughly spent, as you can see below, I had run my way into 6th! One place away from my first Ironman podium spot.
Yesterday morning I ran the PATH 10K in Kona. I allowed myself to increase my effort over the course of the run, and definitely went high into my red zone over the last two miles. I sweated a ton, and learned an important lesson in advance of the race in one week. Staying in the moment and managing my hydration and nutrition, all the while, staying positive and moving forward at a reasonable effort, is going to be critical in Kona. Today's reflection, as well as tomorrow's are good reminders of this!
http://wassdoc.blogspot.com/2016/03/commitment.html
http://wassdoc.blogspot.com/2016/08/ironman-boulder-2016-race-report.html
Lucho's instruction to me for the 2016 Ironman Boulder was the same as the others, "swim easy, bike easy, run easy, until it gets hard." That's what I did! The training I'd done got me a decent swim, a very good bike, and then allowed me to take advantage of my training with an intense mental commitment on the run. It was another hot, challenging day in Boulder. Only six guys in my age group ran under 5 hours, and my 4:50:20 was the 4th fastest on a tough day. Remarkably, I started the run 17th in my age group, and by the time I hit the finish line, thoroughly spent, as you can see below, I had run my way into 6th! One place away from my first Ironman podium spot.
Yesterday morning I ran the PATH 10K in Kona. I allowed myself to increase my effort over the course of the run, and definitely went high into my red zone over the last two miles. I sweated a ton, and learned an important lesson in advance of the race in one week. Staying in the moment and managing my hydration and nutrition, all the while, staying positive and moving forward at a reasonable effort, is going to be critical in Kona. Today's reflection, as well as tomorrow's are good reminders of this!
http://wassdoc.blogspot.com/2016/03/commitment.html
http://wassdoc.blogspot.com/2016/08/ironman-boulder-2016-race-report.html
Saturday, October 5, 2019
Journey to Kona Day 242: Listening to Our Body, 2015 and IM #8
As I sit here in Kona and reflect on 2015, I'm struck by the difference in how I approached this year and this race. A year ago, I was a workaholic. I was under tremendous stress and pressure. I wasn't training. This year has been all about getting to Kona and giving it everything I have. It's also been about listening to my body in other ways. I started the year recovering from my last job. I definitely had PTSD and some degree of depression. I'm here in Kona feeling at greater peace than I've felt in a long time, maybe ever. A good part of getting to this point has to do with listening to the signals, and staying in the moment.
In reviewing my race report for my 8th Ironman, 2015 Ironman Boulder, it all began to come back to me. 2015 did not work out as planned! Nothing in life ever does. I had signed up for three Ironman races, as that had worked in 2014. I wasn't "working" when the year started, though I was dealing with some highly stressful investments. I could focus on my training. The first reality was that 2014 had probably left me in a state of adrenal fatigue. Was it the training? The racing? The life stresses? All of the above? I started the year in great run shape. On January 25th, everything changed. I'd done a 5.5 mile run two days earlier at 8:14 pace in preparation for a local half marathon. I felt great! I ran the 2 1/2 miles to the race as a warmup and as I turned the corner I tripped on a crack in the road and wham! I went down, landing on my side. It turned out that I'd popped a rib out of place and probably tore my anterior serratus. Needless to say, my training over the next couple of months was compromised, but I forged ahead anyway. I did the St. George 70.3 in May, but during T2 my back seized up on me, making the run a living hell. I was supposed to do Ironman Coure d' Lane in June, but was still feeling lousy, so I didn't do it.
That brings me to Ironman Boulder, 2015 version. I went in with less training than usual, but figured that I could still manage. I was wrong. By Mile 80 of the bike, I had hit the doldrums. By Mile 2 of the run, I was wondering why I did this crazy sport. I could have walked, but instead, I wanted to get it over with as soon as I could, so I focused on nutrition and rest. I even stopped, early in the run, sat on the grass for a few minutes, and ate and drank. Due to the challenge of the Boulder run course, everyone suffered, so I actually maintained my placement throughout the run. The full race report is here: http://wassdoc.blogspot.com/2015/08/ironman-boulder-perseverence.html.
I was supposed to do Ironman Maryland in September. I persevered with my training, albeit from a minimalist perspective. I flew to Baltimore, and as we landed, found out the race was being cancelled due to an upcoming hurricane! I got on the next flight and flew home. I wasn't disappointed, I was relieved. That was when I knew that I needed to rest. I'd also started a new job and was putting in some significant hours (I don't know how not to work too much). I spent the rest of the year recovering, and recalibrated my Legacy program plan. 2016 would be a pivotal year. But that's for tomorrow's blog!
In reviewing my race report for my 8th Ironman, 2015 Ironman Boulder, it all began to come back to me. 2015 did not work out as planned! Nothing in life ever does. I had signed up for three Ironman races, as that had worked in 2014. I wasn't "working" when the year started, though I was dealing with some highly stressful investments. I could focus on my training. The first reality was that 2014 had probably left me in a state of adrenal fatigue. Was it the training? The racing? The life stresses? All of the above? I started the year in great run shape. On January 25th, everything changed. I'd done a 5.5 mile run two days earlier at 8:14 pace in preparation for a local half marathon. I felt great! I ran the 2 1/2 miles to the race as a warmup and as I turned the corner I tripped on a crack in the road and wham! I went down, landing on my side. It turned out that I'd popped a rib out of place and probably tore my anterior serratus. Needless to say, my training over the next couple of months was compromised, but I forged ahead anyway. I did the St. George 70.3 in May, but during T2 my back seized up on me, making the run a living hell. I was supposed to do Ironman Coure d' Lane in June, but was still feeling lousy, so I didn't do it.
That brings me to Ironman Boulder, 2015 version. I went in with less training than usual, but figured that I could still manage. I was wrong. By Mile 80 of the bike, I had hit the doldrums. By Mile 2 of the run, I was wondering why I did this crazy sport. I could have walked, but instead, I wanted to get it over with as soon as I could, so I focused on nutrition and rest. I even stopped, early in the run, sat on the grass for a few minutes, and ate and drank. Due to the challenge of the Boulder run course, everyone suffered, so I actually maintained my placement throughout the run. The full race report is here: http://wassdoc.blogspot.com/2015/08/ironman-boulder-perseverence.html.
I was supposed to do Ironman Maryland in September. I persevered with my training, albeit from a minimalist perspective. I flew to Baltimore, and as we landed, found out the race was being cancelled due to an upcoming hurricane! I got on the next flight and flew home. I wasn't disappointed, I was relieved. That was when I knew that I needed to rest. I'd also started a new job and was putting in some significant hours (I don't know how not to work too much). I spent the rest of the year recovering, and recalibrated my Legacy program plan. 2016 would be a pivotal year. But that's for tomorrow's blog!
Friday, October 4, 2019
Journey to Kona Day 241: My “Defining Moment”, IM #7 Chattanooga 2014
I’m reading Julie Moss’s book, “Crawl of Fame,” as I fly to Kona. It’s eight days prior to the big day. Julie talks about having a defining moment in ones life. While I’ll ponder various defining moments in my life another day, the one that came to mind from an Ironman perspective happens to be the race I’m writing about today. The inaugural Ironman Chattanooga in 2014 was not a race that I’d signed up for. In fact, my toes were in the water for my third Ironman of 2014 in Lake Tahoe when they cancelled the race due to smoke and nearby fires. I made an incredibly quick ‘transition’, getting on the first bus back to the Ironman village, driving back to transition to get my bike, and then driving 8 hours home. The whole time, I was thinking, I want to do my third Ironman this year, I wonder which one I can get into? My immediate thought was, based on the fact that I was tapered and ready, what Ironman is coming up next weekend. Sure enough, it was Ironman Chattanooga. When WTC announced that they had opened up slots for the race, I was online first thing the next morning, and I got in!
There are so many ironies regarding this race. I’ll start with the first one. The whole week in Lake Tahoe, as I rested and tapered, I never felt good. In fact, on race morning, I had to tell myself to feel good. I would have, and could have, raced that day, but I have a feeling it would have been tough, especially with the conditions. The extra week of rest prior to Chattanooga was a godsend, and it’s something I’ve been channelling this past week. Yesterday, I really was feeling lousy, which is not uncommon while tapering. I had a flashback to two days before Lake Tahoe, and am certain that I felt the same way. I did very little training the week before Chattanooga, a long VASA swim trainer session 5 days before race day, along with a five mile run, and a couple of very short runs and bikes.
I flew to Atlanta, rented a car, and drove to Chattanooga, lugging my bike with me. Three days before the race, while putting on my bike shoes for a short ride, I got a severe muscle spasm in my low back. Shit! I spent the next two days doing everything I could to work out the spasm. Foam rolling, ointments, electrical stimulation. On race morning, the soreness was mostly gone. However, I was definitely well rested, which is an important take home lesson for the upcoming week.
Why was the 2014 Ironman Chattanooga a “defining moment” for me? Because I truly hit my stride as an Ironman athlete. Starting with the swim, which was in a river with a current. I’d been advised to swim towards the middle of the river to catch the fastest part of the current, which I did, and was then blessed when another athlete swam past me about 400 yards into the race. Over the years, I’ve struggle to draft consistently during the swim. I’ve also struggled to find the right sustainable continuous effort. I know that I can swim super easy forever, albeit, somewhat slowly. I also know that I can swim solidly for 2.4 miles. I’d done this in New Zealand, but even then, wondered if I had another gear that was possible? As the athlete in front of me pushed forward, I worked hard to stay on his feet. Somehow, I forgot about going easily, and every time he created any gap, I revved it up a notch and got back on his feet. I kept this up for the rest of the swim! I even have a shot of the video showing me coming into the swim finish and up the steps. You can see me patting the other athlete, Mike Pierson (#1782), on the shoulder, thanking him for pulling me through!
As I came up the steps, in a remarkable time of 52:50, (the top male pros swam 40-42 minutes), I experienced something else, I felt great! I didn’t feel the need to walk to transition, I jogged. I had a solid transition, 6 minutes (always a strength of mine), and I was off on the bike.
While the swim in Chattanooga is “downhill,” they make up for that with a 116 mile bike, making this Ironman course officially a 144.6. Immediately into the bike, I looked at my power meter and the battery was dead. I needed to go by “feel,” which is fine. The visor on my aero helmet kept fogging up from the humidity, and I took it off and stuck it in my jersey. I discarded it at the first aid station (expensive discard)f. My bike was uneventful, the hardest portion being getting a gel “unstuck” from under my seat during the only climb on the course. The climb was fine, my arms hurt from getting the gel out! I hit the 100 mile mark in under 5 hours! When I came into transition, my legs felt good, and I was heartened by my first sub 6 hour bike split, 5:51:06. After another quick transition, 6 minutes despite a stop in the port-a-potty, I was off on the run.
This was where I had the first inkling that something special was happening. As I ran out of transition, I noticed the spectators along the course. For the first time in my Ironman journey, I found myself raising my arms encouraging them to cheer for this old guy with wild wavy white hair! That’s how good I felt. I actually continued to do that throughout the entire run, whenever there were a good number of spectators around. What an adrenaline rush as well!
I felt good for the first half of the run. My coach, Lucho, always talks about racing an Ironman “easy, until it gets hard.” The run course at IM Chattanooga is pretty challenging, with a significant amount of climbing. At the special needs station, I took out my Lake Tahoe “Finisher’s shirt” and put it on. I was proud of the fact that I was doing this race just six days removed from having Lake Tahoe cancelled. I wanted that in my Finishing photo! I wasn’t quite done, however. I still had the last miles to complete, and things definitely got harder! I continued to increased my effort, and managed to maintain a solid pace. I went into met “Jimmy Connors” grunting mode, where I grunt loudly with every breath. It can sound kind of scary, and occasionally I’ll ask the person I’m passing if they know CPR. But, it helps keep away side stitches! I was super focused during the last mile, giving it everything I had, and managing a sub-10 minute pace. When I hit the finish line, I was done! My run was 4:36:36, my third fastest run time, on a very challenging course.
I'd had the best ironman of my life, with a PR of 11:31:59, forty five minutes faster than my previous best at New Zealand. I was only 37 seconds out of 10th place, and 9 minutes out of 6th. 45 minutes faster and I’d have been going to Kona. I was "only" 64 minutes out of 1st in my age group.
The 2014 Ironman Chattanooga was definitely my “defining moment” in triathlon. Everything came together, and I “learned” how to be my best as an Ironman athlete. I think one of the things that I’m proudest of is my placement in the All World Athlete rankings in my age group in 2014. Because of solid efforts and consistency, I was 11th in the entire world, and third in the United States! I will always treasure that achievement.
Here I am, five years later, living my dream. Twenty seven years after running my first mile and completing my first triathlon, and ten years after finishing my first Ironman. I’ve come a long way from being an asthmatic kid who got picked last in gym class for any team sport. I’ve had many different experiences along the way, met a bunch of amazing people, and often use Ironman as a metaphor for life. I’m going to soak up everything over the next 8 days, and promise myself to enjoy every moment of this ultimate Ironman experience!
Thursday, October 3, 2019
Journey to Kona Day 240: IM #6 Ironman Boulder, Altitude and Heat and Rest
With nine days to Kona, I continue to look back on all the Ironman's that I've done to bring me to this point. Today I reflect on the second race of 2014. I'd finished Ironman New Zealand in March, and next up was the first Ironman ever held in Boulder, Colorado, a triathlon mecca. I had lived in Colorado for 18 years, but they didn't have an Ironman during that time. I wasn't going to let this opportunity pass me by. Plus, after they cancelled St. George, I wanted to start a new "streak" with an inaugural Ironman.
I came off my race in New Zealand feeling pretty good, and really focused on my training in the subsequent couple of months. As I read my blog, I'd forgotten that I had truly immersed myself in Ironman training in 2014, though as I look back, I never dove in as deeply as I have for my trip to Kona. Nevertheless, my focus and my efforts in 2014 definitely paid off, with improving results with each successive race.
The main story from the 2014 Ironman Boulder was the heat. It was hot on the bike and hotter on the run. I'll always remember the carnage that was the run. With over 2000 people in the race, less than 100 completed the marathon in under 4 hours! I ran the marathon in 4:55. I started the run in 818th place overall, and finished the race in 580th. I moved up a few places on the run in my age group, which was a first for me, and finished 15th in the 55-59 year old age group. This was an improvement from New Zealand, and my best placement in an Ironman. I nailed each transition and was really getting into the swing of doing an Ironman. My full race report is here: http://wassdoc.blogspot.com/2014/08/ironman-boulder-race-report.html
As I look ahead to Kona, a few things stand out from my race in Boulder. First, I tolerated the heat better than most, albeit Boulder heat is a dry heat, not the humidity of Kona. Second, I did a ton of visualization going into the race, which will be one of my goals over the next week. I'm familiar enough with the course in Kona, but I will fill in the blanks over my first few days there.
I've also noticed that I typically develop back tightness during most of my Ironman races. I realize that my back has been doing better since I got my new triathlon bike this spring. While my previous bike was fast, I'm now not sure if my position on the bike was doing me any favors on the run. I've been training with my new bike for over five months, so I'll really have an opportunity to see if this holds up.
Finally, rest. That is the most important thing to learn in this journey. The week before Ironman Boulder I was diligent about staying off my feet. My coach has already warned me about not getting too caught up in the Kona excitement. I'll take this to heart and be judicious in how I spend my time on my feet. Rest and recovery is still the key to having my best rest at this point in time. There's no more training to be done that will make a difference!
I came off my race in New Zealand feeling pretty good, and really focused on my training in the subsequent couple of months. As I read my blog, I'd forgotten that I had truly immersed myself in Ironman training in 2014, though as I look back, I never dove in as deeply as I have for my trip to Kona. Nevertheless, my focus and my efforts in 2014 definitely paid off, with improving results with each successive race.
The main story from the 2014 Ironman Boulder was the heat. It was hot on the bike and hotter on the run. I'll always remember the carnage that was the run. With over 2000 people in the race, less than 100 completed the marathon in under 4 hours! I ran the marathon in 4:55. I started the run in 818th place overall, and finished the race in 580th. I moved up a few places on the run in my age group, which was a first for me, and finished 15th in the 55-59 year old age group. This was an improvement from New Zealand, and my best placement in an Ironman. I nailed each transition and was really getting into the swing of doing an Ironman. My full race report is here: http://wassdoc.blogspot.com/2014/08/ironman-boulder-race-report.html
As I look ahead to Kona, a few things stand out from my race in Boulder. First, I tolerated the heat better than most, albeit Boulder heat is a dry heat, not the humidity of Kona. Second, I did a ton of visualization going into the race, which will be one of my goals over the next week. I'm familiar enough with the course in Kona, but I will fill in the blanks over my first few days there.
I've also noticed that I typically develop back tightness during most of my Ironman races. I realize that my back has been doing better since I got my new triathlon bike this spring. While my previous bike was fast, I'm now not sure if my position on the bike was doing me any favors on the run. I've been training with my new bike for over five months, so I'll really have an opportunity to see if this holds up.
Finally, rest. That is the most important thing to learn in this journey. The week before Ironman Boulder I was diligent about staying off my feet. My coach has already warned me about not getting too caught up in the Kona excitement. I'll take this to heart and be judicious in how I spend my time on my feet. Rest and recovery is still the key to having my best rest at this point in time. There's no more training to be done that will make a difference!
Wednesday, October 2, 2019
Journey to Kona Day 239: 10 Days to Kona & IMNZ #5
I started the "Legacy Program" journey in 2014. With 10 days to go, I'm reflecting on Ironman New Zealand, in 2014. It was the first of three Ironman races I did that year. In many ways it turned out to be my most successful year doing Ironman. Since IMNZ was in March, and I had a solid result, I started the year with a pretty good "All World Athlete" ranking. But, I'm getting ahead of myself. Looking back on 2014 is a great mental exercise with 10 days left. I leave for Kona in three days, and while I'm excited, I have achieved some semblance of understanding the importance of living in the moment, so I just want to enjoy each day as it comes.
If you'd like to read my full race report, here it is: http://wassdoc.blogspot.com/2014/03/ironman-new-zealand-giving-it.html. Since New Zealand was my 5th Ironman, I felt that I should be able to utilize everything that I'd learned in my first four. My swim was the first indication that I'd done that, coming out of the water in what is still my Ironman swim PR (without a current, of course), 1:08:55. The most remarkable, and exciting, part of my swim was the fact that I went out hard and didn't let anyone swim over me. I remember that like it was yesterday. In fact, there was a point that I had swimmers on both sides of me trying to swim over me, and I put my hands on their respective shoulders and used them as leverage to push myself forward!
The bike was on chip seal, and there were more headwinds than I'd expected, but I had a solid bike that resulted in my bike PR at the time of 6:15. I didn't realize for a couple of days the impact of the chip seal on my low back, which might have ultimately impacted my run. With that said, to date, the run is still my 2nd fastest run for an Ironman, 4:34. When I hit the finish line, I felt like I'd given it everything that I had. It was also my best placement in my age group for an Ironman at the time. Little did I realize that would keep improving throughout the year!
Completing Ironman New Zealand invigorated me in many ways, although my race report notes that I suffered enough during the run to have second thoughts about doing more! I suppose that you really can't have it both ways. If you push yourself to your limits, you're probably going to have momentary doubts creep into your mind. Nevertheless, I'd already signed up for Boulder and Lake Tahoe, so I didn't really have any choice. The effort I put forth in this race and the others in 2014 is the effort I will call upon in ten days. I'm not going to Kona to just finish, I'm going to give it everything I have!
If you'd like to read my full race report, here it is: http://wassdoc.blogspot.com/2014/03/ironman-new-zealand-giving-it.html. Since New Zealand was my 5th Ironman, I felt that I should be able to utilize everything that I'd learned in my first four. My swim was the first indication that I'd done that, coming out of the water in what is still my Ironman swim PR (without a current, of course), 1:08:55. The most remarkable, and exciting, part of my swim was the fact that I went out hard and didn't let anyone swim over me. I remember that like it was yesterday. In fact, there was a point that I had swimmers on both sides of me trying to swim over me, and I put my hands on their respective shoulders and used them as leverage to push myself forward!
Tuesday, October 1, 2019
Journey to Kona Day 238: Boy, Do I Know How to Pick IM's! IM Lake Tahoe 2013
After I completed the 2013 Ironman in Lake Tahoe, I began to wonder if I was jinxed. The Ironman races that I'd done had gotten progressively more difficult. In many ways, IM Lake Tahoe 2013 easily ranked up there when it came to difficult and challenging Ironman races. It was 28 degrees when I arrived to the start, and I had to scrape ice off my bike! The water itself wasn't as cold as some other races, but coming out of the water to find a temperature of 34 degrees, by the time I got to the transition tent I couldn't feel my feet. Lake Tahoe had the highest altitude of any Ironman, and the bike had more climbing than any other bike course. I made things more difficult by having my socks and gloves get wet in my gear bag. Riding with no gloves in 34 degrees, meant a wind-chill under 20 degrees. It was painful! Only two male pros rode under 5 hours and most of the female pros rode around 6 hours, so my 7 hour and 15 minute bike split was actually decent! When I got to the run I knew that it was going to be mostly walking. The title of my blog for the race was: "To achieve a good time, or to have a good time." I decided to enjoy the experience and focus on finishing my 4th Ironman. My race report is super long, but so was the race itself, so if you're interested you can find it here: http://wassdoc.blogspot.com/2013/09/to-achieve-good-time-or-to-have-good.html
The thing I remember the most about Ironman Lake Tahoe was the camaraderie of the people I met. Ironman is its own family. Most of the people who do Ironman aren't trying to beat anyone, or compete with anyone. Most of us are competing with ourselves. We do want to do the best that we can do. Over the years I've met many nice and interesting people during the run. Lake Tahoe was more of the rule in regards to that. We were truly a "band of brothers" out on an incredibly challenging course on a difficult day. The other highlight of the race was that my friend Rudy drove out from Denver to cheer me on. He also saved my race by bringing me ski gloves to put on 1 1/2 hours into the race. I'd ridden the first hour and a half without gloves. Honestly, the only reason that my fingers didn't hurt was that I wouldn't allow them to! Riding without gloves with a 20 degree windchill was one of the hardest things I've ever done in my life!
Rudy took a video of me starting the run. In the spirit of positive thinking, I certainly sounded and acted positive. It took me about a mile into the run to realize that I wanted to enjoy the experience rather than suffer any more than I already had.
Rudy took a video of me starting the run. In the spirit of positive thinking, I certainly sounded and acted positive. It took me about a mile into the run to realize that I wanted to enjoy the experience rather than suffer any more than I already had.
When I did Lake Tahoe, I'd already signed up for Ironman New Zealand and Ironman Boulder for 2014. I'd recognized that the Legacy Program existed and figured that I'd start cranking out races. Remarkably, I ultimately signed up to do Lake Tahoe again in 2014! I'm clearly a glutton for punishment. I was a little concerned about erupting volcanoes or earthquakes impacting the New Zealand race, and was wondering what weather conditions might make the high altitude of Boulder more challenging. Ironically, I also wondered why anyone would complain about a "difficult" Ironman. Why pick an easy one? We do Ironman for the challenge. Why not pick the most challenging ones? Anyway, I certainly do know how to pick them!
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