laxdef69
Messed with Texas...
- Joined
- Mar 11, 2008
- Messages
- 850
I started down the same hill that I began on (still in hammer gear), dismounted at the orange line, ran into transition 2, dropped my bike gear, pulled on my shoes (gotta love elastic laces…pull em on and go) strapped on my Amphipod with the bottle of Cytomax and 2 gels and started out of my rack.
I heard my name being shouted, and looked 50 yards across the T2 area, and saw my wife and 2 little guys yelling and clapping for me…talk about a big lift!
I ran the 100 yards north or so to the exit for T2,and came back around the trail…they had paralleled me, so they were also on the same trail, so I exchanged high fives with my little guys, told them I loved them, and set off to catch TP.
As I started my run, I heard the announcer greeting the first place finisher…sweet baby Jesus, the leader is finishing now? He’ll have time to take and wake up from a nap before I finish this thing!
The run started out north, up two inclines and then wound through town. Great spectator support during the run… I actually saw the same older Marine in a wheelchair with something like 7-10 cowbells on a rack (I don’t know how else to describe it) at several places on the bike and run course…as I passed him the first time on the run, I gave him a big OOH-RAH, which he smiled at.
Speaking of older, there was a guy with ears the size of Yoda’s, wearing a Iron Man Hawaii 25th anniversary jersey who blew by me with no apparent effort….that was very humbling; I suspect he earned that jersey, not purchased it!
At one point, there was another obvious Clydesdale qualifier going at about the same pace I was. We ran together for a couple of miles, and he confided that if he could keep the same pace, he would blow away his time from the previous year. I was still wondering why you would do something like this twice, but told him that I didn’t have it to maintain this pace, and don’t let me slow ya down. I slowed down to conserve some strength, and he disappeared.
At what I now know is about the 3.5 mile mark, I saw TP coming toward me before the first turn around, but didn’t know how far ahead of me he was…we exchanged fist bumps and then we continued in our opposite directions. It was getting pretty warm in the sun, and there were several locations where the homeowners had generously set up sprinklers, or were sitting outside with hoses spraying those who asked/begged/pleaded to be wet down.
Made the turn around and started back on what I figure was my third 5k of the day. I saw DW and kidlets again, tossed them my now empty amphipod and started hitting the great aid stations that were set up every mile, (with HEED, water, ice, some with bananas, watermelon, and pretzels (which were like manna from heaven)), lots of spectators cheering. I took a bit of water at almost every stop, and would pour the rest over my head…I’d also try for a cup of ice, and put it in my hat to keep my head cool. I felt really good for the first 6 ½ miles (first lap). They had mats at both turn arounds to keep unscrupulous triathletes from turning around shorter and shaving a couple of miles off their trip.
The turn around for the second lap was about 50 yards short of the finish line, so at the point where I was coming in for the turn, people were very supportive and congratulatory…I told one young lady thank you very much for your support, and that I would see her in another hour or so…kinda funny.
I did see DW and DS-6 and 4, for another lift…also saw TP’s DW and DS/DW kidlets, also cheering me on, which was really nice!
At this point, my legs were starting to get pretty fatigued, and I made it up the two hills that made up the start of both laps, and walked for a couple of minutes…That was pretty much the beginning of the end as far as a good time for the ½ went.
I wound up alternating running and walking pretty much the entire last lap. I spotted TP (thanks to his neon yellow jersey) about ½ a mile ahead of me at mile 9. We were both walk/running, but I was able to run longer and walk shorter…he was pretty gassed.
A note about run/walking…it was painful to run, painful to slow to a walk, and excruciatingly painful to start running again. I never outran my wind i.e. I was never out of breath on the run, but my legs were really heavy.
Anyway, I caught TP about mile 11.5. His only comment was “You are a maniac…you just made up 12 minutes” I hung with him for a few minutes, but he encouraged me to finish strong, and make my number. I would have stayed with him, but he insisted that I go.
As I started in, determined to maintain pace until the end, I felt a real sense of anticipation of crossing the finish line, and having my kids see me doing something healthy for myself.
Unfortunately, I couldn’t maintain the pace/run until the end, and had to walk for a minute or two during the last ¾ mile. As I started to run (yet again!) I groaned from the agony in my legs, and had one of my fellow racers encourage me with “Hey, only another mile, you can do it!” That really pumped me up, and then I saw the fellow Clydesdale who needed to maintain pace to beat his PR. I called out to him, and encouraged him; he was able to run a few steps, but he too was completely spent.
I started down the final incline to the finish line, and could hear the music, the cheering, and again saw DW and kidlets and TP’s wife and kids applauding and screaming. I started sprinting, adn I started to get pretty emotional as I approached the finish line, thinking about some people that I have known who would have loved nothing better than to be able to push themselves the way I just had, others who have lost children, who have fought cancer, people who have truly shown bravery and poise during the most difficult times.
DW said later that she didn't think it was me since I looked so strong coming to the finish.
I crossed the finish line nearly in tears, and the volunteer asked me if I was in pain (of course) or needed medical attention (I didn’t). She took off my timing chip, and I heard my name announced as a finisher.
I heard TPs name announced 14 minutes later, but it seemed like a moment. I congratulated him and then we SLOWLY walked to the post race meal.
I was actually a bit nauseous as I got some food; I took a couple of bites of each thing, and feeling guilty threw out the rest of the plate.
We hobbled to the lake, and I slowly waded in (remember, its 54 degrees) to my thighs to cool down my muscles…TP couldn’t stand the water, so he got out. Met up with DW and kidlets on the beach; both boys ran up for hugs, and DW got a little smooch. We made the plans to get cars/bikes/gear, and went and packed up the transition area. I saw the other Clydesdale who needed to maintain pace to beat his PR, and he looked completely spent. I asked him if he got it done...he smiled weakly and said, oh yeah, and thanks for the encouragement; that was really nice to hear!
We got packed up, drove about ½ way home, and stopped at a Chili’s restaurant for late lunch/early dinner. Had a double steak fajita plate to share with DW (shocked at how good it was!) and made the trip home.
After we got home, I filled the bathtub from the cold tap, and dropped in 40 lbs of ice. Just for grins, before I got in, I put in a lab thermometer to see how cold (it was 15 degrees Centigrade.)
I very slowly and gingerly lowered myself into the tub (with a winter hat on…go ahead and snicker, I don’t care) for about 20 minutes.
When I got out, dripping and sore, I went to the PC to look up what temperature 15 degrees C is…59 degrees…5 degrees warmer than the lake was during the swim leg
As a side note/observation from 48 hours later, I'm not convinced that training with an I-pod has done me any favors. You're not allowed to wear them in Tri's, so I didn't have that distraction during the run portion...anyone else want to chime in?
Final times were as follows:
1.2 Mile Swim: 33:37
Transition 1 3:10
56 Mile Bike 2:49:50 (19.8 MPH average)
Transition 2 1:50
13.1 Mile Run 2:21:49 (10:50 Pace)
Total: 5:50:16
This was an awesome experience that pushed me physically, mentally and emotionally...I can only imagine what a full Iron Man is like as far as tapping your deepest reserves.
Thank you WISHers for your support during training and actually (for those of you still) reading all of this!
Mike
I heard my name being shouted, and looked 50 yards across the T2 area, and saw my wife and 2 little guys yelling and clapping for me…talk about a big lift!
I ran the 100 yards north or so to the exit for T2,and came back around the trail…they had paralleled me, so they were also on the same trail, so I exchanged high fives with my little guys, told them I loved them, and set off to catch TP.
As I started my run, I heard the announcer greeting the first place finisher…sweet baby Jesus, the leader is finishing now? He’ll have time to take and wake up from a nap before I finish this thing!
The run started out north, up two inclines and then wound through town. Great spectator support during the run… I actually saw the same older Marine in a wheelchair with something like 7-10 cowbells on a rack (I don’t know how else to describe it) at several places on the bike and run course…as I passed him the first time on the run, I gave him a big OOH-RAH, which he smiled at.
Speaking of older, there was a guy with ears the size of Yoda’s, wearing a Iron Man Hawaii 25th anniversary jersey who blew by me with no apparent effort….that was very humbling; I suspect he earned that jersey, not purchased it!
At one point, there was another obvious Clydesdale qualifier going at about the same pace I was. We ran together for a couple of miles, and he confided that if he could keep the same pace, he would blow away his time from the previous year. I was still wondering why you would do something like this twice, but told him that I didn’t have it to maintain this pace, and don’t let me slow ya down. I slowed down to conserve some strength, and he disappeared.
At what I now know is about the 3.5 mile mark, I saw TP coming toward me before the first turn around, but didn’t know how far ahead of me he was…we exchanged fist bumps and then we continued in our opposite directions. It was getting pretty warm in the sun, and there were several locations where the homeowners had generously set up sprinklers, or were sitting outside with hoses spraying those who asked/begged/pleaded to be wet down.
Made the turn around and started back on what I figure was my third 5k of the day. I saw DW and kidlets again, tossed them my now empty amphipod and started hitting the great aid stations that were set up every mile, (with HEED, water, ice, some with bananas, watermelon, and pretzels (which were like manna from heaven)), lots of spectators cheering. I took a bit of water at almost every stop, and would pour the rest over my head…I’d also try for a cup of ice, and put it in my hat to keep my head cool. I felt really good for the first 6 ½ miles (first lap). They had mats at both turn arounds to keep unscrupulous triathletes from turning around shorter and shaving a couple of miles off their trip.
The turn around for the second lap was about 50 yards short of the finish line, so at the point where I was coming in for the turn, people were very supportive and congratulatory…I told one young lady thank you very much for your support, and that I would see her in another hour or so…kinda funny.
I did see DW and DS-6 and 4, for another lift…also saw TP’s DW and DS/DW kidlets, also cheering me on, which was really nice!
At this point, my legs were starting to get pretty fatigued, and I made it up the two hills that made up the start of both laps, and walked for a couple of minutes…That was pretty much the beginning of the end as far as a good time for the ½ went.
I wound up alternating running and walking pretty much the entire last lap. I spotted TP (thanks to his neon yellow jersey) about ½ a mile ahead of me at mile 9. We were both walk/running, but I was able to run longer and walk shorter…he was pretty gassed.
A note about run/walking…it was painful to run, painful to slow to a walk, and excruciatingly painful to start running again. I never outran my wind i.e. I was never out of breath on the run, but my legs were really heavy.
Anyway, I caught TP about mile 11.5. His only comment was “You are a maniac…you just made up 12 minutes” I hung with him for a few minutes, but he encouraged me to finish strong, and make my number. I would have stayed with him, but he insisted that I go.
As I started in, determined to maintain pace until the end, I felt a real sense of anticipation of crossing the finish line, and having my kids see me doing something healthy for myself.
Unfortunately, I couldn’t maintain the pace/run until the end, and had to walk for a minute or two during the last ¾ mile. As I started to run (yet again!) I groaned from the agony in my legs, and had one of my fellow racers encourage me with “Hey, only another mile, you can do it!” That really pumped me up, and then I saw the fellow Clydesdale who needed to maintain pace to beat his PR. I called out to him, and encouraged him; he was able to run a few steps, but he too was completely spent.
I started down the final incline to the finish line, and could hear the music, the cheering, and again saw DW and kidlets and TP’s wife and kids applauding and screaming. I started sprinting, adn I started to get pretty emotional as I approached the finish line, thinking about some people that I have known who would have loved nothing better than to be able to push themselves the way I just had, others who have lost children, who have fought cancer, people who have truly shown bravery and poise during the most difficult times.
DW said later that she didn't think it was me since I looked so strong coming to the finish.
I crossed the finish line nearly in tears, and the volunteer asked me if I was in pain (of course) or needed medical attention (I didn’t). She took off my timing chip, and I heard my name announced as a finisher.
I heard TPs name announced 14 minutes later, but it seemed like a moment. I congratulated him and then we SLOWLY walked to the post race meal.
I was actually a bit nauseous as I got some food; I took a couple of bites of each thing, and feeling guilty threw out the rest of the plate.
We hobbled to the lake, and I slowly waded in (remember, its 54 degrees) to my thighs to cool down my muscles…TP couldn’t stand the water, so he got out. Met up with DW and kidlets on the beach; both boys ran up for hugs, and DW got a little smooch. We made the plans to get cars/bikes/gear, and went and packed up the transition area. I saw the other Clydesdale who needed to maintain pace to beat his PR, and he looked completely spent. I asked him if he got it done...he smiled weakly and said, oh yeah, and thanks for the encouragement; that was really nice to hear!
We got packed up, drove about ½ way home, and stopped at a Chili’s restaurant for late lunch/early dinner. Had a double steak fajita plate to share with DW (shocked at how good it was!) and made the trip home.
After we got home, I filled the bathtub from the cold tap, and dropped in 40 lbs of ice. Just for grins, before I got in, I put in a lab thermometer to see how cold (it was 15 degrees Centigrade.)
I very slowly and gingerly lowered myself into the tub (with a winter hat on…go ahead and snicker, I don’t care) for about 20 minutes.
When I got out, dripping and sore, I went to the PC to look up what temperature 15 degrees C is…59 degrees…5 degrees warmer than the lake was during the swim leg
As a side note/observation from 48 hours later, I'm not convinced that training with an I-pod has done me any favors. You're not allowed to wear them in Tri's, so I didn't have that distraction during the run portion...anyone else want to chime in?
Final times were as follows:
1.2 Mile Swim: 33:37
Transition 1 3:10
56 Mile Bike 2:49:50 (19.8 MPH average)
Transition 2 1:50
13.1 Mile Run 2:21:49 (10:50 Pace)
Total: 5:50:16
This was an awesome experience that pushed me physically, mentally and emotionally...I can only imagine what a full Iron Man is like as far as tapping your deepest reserves.
Thank you WISHers for your support during training and actually (for those of you still) reading all of this!
Mike
