Race Morning
My alarm clock went off at 3:45am. I got up, took a shower to wake up, and got dressed in my swim trunks. I drank some Pepsi, and ate a 6” sub that I had in the cooler. I filled my bike bottles with Pepsi, and placed a couple 24 oz. sized bottles of Pepsi in my bike special needs bag.
I wore some sweats and a long sleeve shirt over my jammers. I put my bike bottles into my morning bag, along with my goggles, ear plugs, and swim cap.
I also remembered I would need my room key after the race. I wasn’t sure when I would get my morning bag back, so I stuck my second room key into my run special needs bag. I would have to remember to grab it during the run. Since I would be wearing a cycling jersey with pockets, I would have a place to put it.
I grabbed my bags, and started my long walk to the transition area. It was still dark out. While it wasn’t cold out, it wasn’t warm either. On my way I struck up a conversation with a guy walking that way. I saw he was wearing a sparkly gold colored wrist band meaning he was VIP. It turned out he was one of the announcers. It was nice talking with him. He asked my name. I told him. I had remembered reading in one of my books how the author had met the race announcer in a bar the day before the race, and the announcer made sure to say “…you are an Ironman” for him, which they really don’t do for everybody. Maybe he would say it for me. Couldn’t hurt.
When I got to transition I put my bike bottles on my bike, and turned in my special needs bags. I would have liked to pump up my tires. But I didn’t bring my pump. You are not allowed to put anything that wont fit completely in your check in bag. I could have brought a pump and handed it off to someone, but I didn’t have someone to hand it off to. So the air that was in my tired from the day before would have to do. I probably could have borrowed a pump from someone there.
I made my way to the swim start. As I said before, the swim start it probably about a mile walk from the transition area. There was a quiet excitement in the air among all the racers walking to the start. I found the start of the line, and start walking back, and back and back. I finally found the end of the line. There were a lot of people there already. I staked out my spot, and made a quick stop to the porta potty. No line! I tried to sleep a bit laying on the concrete sidewalk and using my bag as a pillow, but was not able to. I talked a little with other people in line. They were suggesting that maybe we weren’t as far back as we might think. There were some family members there with the racers. So they probably made it seem like there were more people than there were. After a while, I decided to hit the porta potty again, but now there was a line. I got into line. It moved very slowly. People kept walking passed going to the back of the swim start line. As I was getting close, the all the people in the start line starting standing up and moving forward. Not wanting to lose my place in that line, and ran back and got into line. I guess I would have to hold it. Maybe I could pee in the river.
Volunteers were wandering back and forth collecting the morning bags. There were still about 30 minutes to go, and it was cold enough that I didn’t want to give up my warmer clothes just yet. The line compressed forward. I could see the pros down in the water swimming back and forth to warm up. There was some music playing, the national anthem, some of the Kentucky Derby horn things. Is that a bugle? I have no idea. At about 6:45, the start was sound for the pros. I think it was a cannon, but maybe it was a horn. Those memories are a bit scrambled now. I was pretty nervous and excited.
I stripped off my shirt, and sweats and shoved them into the bag. I gave the bag to a volunteer. Then she pointed out I was still wearing shoes. Crap. She gave me back the bag. I shoved the shoes into it and gave it to another volunteer. I was moving forward, and now on a ramp leading down to the boat docks. I put my ear plugs in, and swim cap and goggles on. Oh my god, I was going to be starting the frigging Ironman in 15 minutes! WTF was I thinking?
At 7am, the age groupers were started, and were diving off of a couple different docks. I made my way forward. I crossed the mat, and started my watch. I jumped into the water at about 7:05. I wasn’t nearly as far back as I had thought. I was in it now.
The Day Before The Race
I got up early and started organizing my race gear. They gave me five plastic bags. Two red ones, two blue ones, and a green one. The blue ones were for the bike gear and bike special needs, the red ones were for the run gear and run special needs, and the green one was to stick my morning gear into before I jump into the river. I laid out the bags, and started sorting my gear as to which bag it would go into. I did this for a while, then I took my bike to the expo to get the free pre-race tune up. I wanted to be there when they opened. When I go there, I was second in line to get in, and the line grew quickly. The doors opened at 9am, and I was first to get my bike in to the mechanics. I dropped my bike off, and wandered around shopping. I bought some reflective tape to stick onto my shirt. There was a lot less stuff in the Ironman store. But I learned that the day after the race there would be new Ironman Finisher stuff. I spun a SUV and won a cheap little Ford Ironman backpack. Lots of free stuff! Then my bike was done. I took it back to the room, and worked on packing my gear. I was double and triple checking everything!
Around 10:30am, I wandered back down to the waterfront for the Underpants Run. It was a run to raise money for the family of a triathlete that had been killed a few months earlier. I donated $10 and ran the two miles easy along with maybe a hundred other people all in their underwear. I wore the Elvis boxer shorts I wore at my wedding. I actually made them along with three more pairs for my groomsmen.
Following the run, I got dressed and walked over a mile to the swim start. I met a girl along the way who was also going to check out the swim start. So we walked together chatting. At the swim start I wanted to check out the current. I saw a stick in the water, and it wasn’t moving at all. Good. I felt the water, and it felt comfortable. I had already learned that wetsuits would not be allowed. The water was like 83 degrees.
We walked back towards the hotel, and parted ways. I had spent a little more time out in the sun than I had planned. And without sunblock. Ack! Fortunately I only got a little pink on the back of my neck.
I called Donna and Shannon, and found they were in town and riding the out and back. We arranged to meet at the expo at the Ceepo booth.
I headed back to my room. I finished packing my gear bags. I took my bike out for a short ride to the McDonalds down the street. I wanted to check it out following the tuneup and before dropping it off. It worked fine, and I got lunch. One of the local guys in the restaurant asked if I was Lance Armstrong. I laughed and said not even close.
I went back to my room, got my gear bags, and walked my bike to transition.
At the entrance of the transition there were lines of volunteers. One peeled of just for me, and took my gear bags. He walked me to where my bike would be racked. I racked my bike. I thought I was done, but no. He walked me to where my gear bags would be located and dropped them off there. Then he walked me through transition showing me where I would come from the swim, and where I would leave with the bike, and where I would come back, and where I would leave for the run. He was there to answer any other questions I had. A lot of one on one attention here!
I walked back to my hotel to rest for a bit. Then I walked to Fourth Street Live to hit the Subway. I bought a foot long sub, part of which would be my breakfast in the morning. Then I went back to my hotel room.
A little before 4pm, I walked back to the expo to meet up with Shannon and Donna. They showed up shortly. They shopped in the Ironman store, and then we went to the Ceepo booth to chat with Oaks. After a bit, things were closing down, and the bunch of us went to find dinner. We stopped at one place, but they were pretty high priced. So we continued on to Fourth Street Live and found a restaurant there. It was cool seeing the finish line set up down there. It was so close, but for me it was 140.6 miles away.
At the restaurant, we sat and relaxed. I would have loved a juicy cheeseburger, but Coach Shannon guilted me into having pasta. So I had some pasta with some steak chunks in it. It was good. We had a lot of fun. Shannon and Donna volunteers to pick up my bike and gear bags following the race. But I needed to get them a little card that would give them access. So after I ate, Coach Shannon was telling me I needed to get to bed. I said I would go up to my room to get the card, and be right back. Then Coach Shannon instructed me not to run. So I walked to my hotel which was only a block away, and up to my room. I got the card and headed back to the give it to Shannon. I got the waiter to get a group picture of us. It was great to spend some time with my friends! I am very grateful to Donna and Shannon for coming down to support me! Thank you guys! Then I headed up to my room. I went to bed, watched TV for a bit. I had two alarm clocks set for 3:45am. Then I tried to sleep. I slept poorly as you can imagine. I did get an hour or two block of sleep in before the alarm clock woke me.
Getting To Lousiville
Earlier this year my wife graduated with her master’s degree in education. She was in the process of applying for every applicable teaching job she could find. But with the school year starting in September, schools don’t start the hiring process until August. And much of that is in the week or two before school starts. Leading up to the Ironman, she had gotten a single call. Plans were changing. Instead of coming down to Louisville with me, she might have to stay home, just in case she got a call for a job interview. The plan was to leave Thursday morning. The Tuesday before the race, she had her first interview. But she wouldn’t know until Thursday or Friday. So that was it. She would have to stay home. I was a little nervous about being that far from home doing a serious race like this. What if something should happen? Ack!
Good news however were my LVM21 friends Donna and Shannon would be coming down to Louisville to cheer me on. It would be nice to have some friends there, especially since my wife wouldn’t be there.
I loaded my car Wednesday night, and left Thursday morning. I planned to take it easy, and stop a lot since I would be making the long drive from Rochester, NY to Louisville, KY by myself. I managed to squeeze my bike into the back of my Honda Civic. It was nice to have it not on the bike rack. I still get nervous that I might look back and see the bike had fallen off on the freeway. Also I would worry about it if I stopped at rest area to use the restrooms, etc. This way it would be locked in the car with a sheet covering it.
It was a long drive. I stopped often, and even took an hour long nap parked at a convenience store/gas station. I stopped in Cincinnati for the night and stayed at a Motel 6 where I had reserved a room. I had debated about going all the way to Louisville, but had decided it would be nice to break up the long drive, and the Motel 6 was cheaper than the hotel in Louisville. This Motel 6 also had free wi-fi. While staying at the Motel 6, I managed to get in a 3 mile training run around the area. It felt good. I also hit the Walmart here and bought some food for the race: snickers bars, fig newtons, and some plastic bags to put then in.
Friday morning, I got up, reloaded my car, and drove to Louisville. I parked in the garage attached to the Hyatt Regency hotel where I would staying. I wouldn’t need my car until I was ready to go home.
It was too early to check in to the hotel, so I walked down to the Galt House to check in for the race. I stopped and said hi to Oaks who was working the Ceepo booth, and talked to him for a bit/ Check in was smooth. I filled out and signed a waiver, and got into line. The line moved quickly. I chatted with a couple other guys. Then it was my turn to sit down with a volunteer who gave me bag and walked me through everything. When asked if I had any questions, I said yes. Is it legal to stop at a store long the bike segment and buy some food/drink, and can I wear a metronome during the run segment. She didn’t know. She asked her supervisor, and he said he didn’t think I could do either but sent me to another table. I went to that table, and the girl there thought I could, but she wasn’t sure either. She suggested I asked at the race meeting that night.
I headed to the Ironman store. Lots of stuff here. Lots of expensive stuff. I had seen a video on you tube with a girl wearing what looked like a fleece jack with Ironman Finisher on back. But I didn’t see anything like that here. I did find a jacket that said Ironman on the front, and had an M Dot on the back. There was only one in my size. I grabbed it and got in the check out line. The jacket was $130. But the more I thought about it, I decided I really didn’t need the jacket. It was too warm to wear in summer, and not warm enough for winter. It also didn’t look like it was designed to workout in. And it was kind of generic. I put it back. I bought a Ironman Lousiville cycling jersey instead. I would get more use out of it. And it was only $85. Stuff was flying off the racks here. If you want something, buy it quick, as the stuff sells quickly, and you might not be able to find you size, or even item later.
With my booty in hand, I made my way back to the hotel. I grabbed some luggage out of my car, and checked into hotel. It took several trips, but I got all the stuff from my car up to my hotel room.
I got a little bit of a rest, and then headed down to Fourth Street Live where a group from IAmTri.com was getting together. I hung out here for a couple hours eating appetizers and chatting with other racers. I even won a door prize drawing, and got some IMKY socks, some water bottles, some chocolate covered granola, and a free pre-race bike tuneup. Cool!
I headed back to my room, and dropped my stuff off. Now I headed to the Galt House for the race dinner. It was a buffet style thing with some pretty good food. I sat next to a couple who were doing the race. The woman was wearing a Western States 100 shirt. I asked about that. The guy said to ask her about Badwater. I said you did Badwater, and she nodded, and my jaw dropped. Here I was in my wimpy Wakely Dam Ultra shirt. A wussy little 32.6 mile trail race in comparison. There were speeches and videos.
After dinner was the mandatory athletes meeting. Following the meeting I asked the bike course director about stopping at a store along the way. He said no problem. Just get back on the course where I left it. Then I asked the run course director about wearing a metronome on the run course. He said no problem, and with a wicked smile seemed to be encouraging me to annoy the runners around me.
After this, I went back to the hotel. I went down to the tiny pool and swam some laps. There were only a couple kids in there. When more showed up, I went back up to my room. I called my wife, but she hadn’t heard anything about the job that she had interviewed for.
Training For Ironman
I have several books with Ironman training schedules. Some are more complicated than others. My main goal was to finish, but I wanted to finish in a reasonable time. What’s a reasonable time? I have no idea. But I decided to go with an intermediate schedule instead of a basic Just Finish schedule. I also wanted to something not too complicated. I kind of liked the schedules in the book Be IronFit by Don Fink. But I like the FIRST marathon schedule. So what I did was to modify the Ironman schedule, and replaced the running parts with the FIRST marathon schedule. I ran as if I planned to run a 3:30 marathon, even though I had no plans to even try to run that fast. I was thinking more along the lines of a 4:00-4:30 marathon.
My weekly workout schedule looked like this:
Monday: run intervals
Tuesday: bike/run brick & karate
Wednesday: swimming & biking
Thursday: tempo run
Friday: swimming & karate
Saturday: long run
Sunday: long bike & karate
Most of the running was done on a treadmill. A lot of the biking was done on a fluid trainer due to really crappy weather. The swim portion was simplified. Instead of doing the drills in the book, I just swam laps for the equivalent distance, usually swimming a mixture of freestyle and backstroke.
I also got involved on the website IAmTri.com where there was a message forum dedicated to the 2009 Louisville Ironman. It was nice getting to know other people who were going to be doing or have done the race.
Basically my life revolved around Ironman training in the months leading up to the race.
The Road To Ironman
An Ironman triathlon is such an extreme and crazy thing that you never seriously consider doing one. I mean you don’t even think about doing it. The thought never even enters your mind. Swim 2.4 miles? Bike 112 miles? And then run 26.2 miles? That’s frigging crazy. It seems so far removed from being doable as to be impossible.
I had run marathons. I had ridden a century ride on a bike (100 miles). But I couldn’t swim. I had so many ear problems when I was kid that most times I wasn’t allowed to go swimming.
After I qualified for the Boston Marathon, I kind of floundered. I didn’t know what to do next. I could run more marathons, but I had been there and done that. I didn’t have another goal. I targeted a few marathons. But there was nothing exciting.
I signed up for a 30 mile mountain bike race. It just seemed like something interesting. I also wanted the get the 25 Active Health points that I would get at work for doing a bike race over 15 miles. The race was fun and challenging. A lot of ups and downs on rough dirt roads suited for 4×4 vehicles. As I was pushing my bike up yet another hill steep enough that it was easier the push than ride, I saw the guy in front of me had a 140.6 tattoo on his calve. I asked him if he had done an Ironman. He replied back that he had, and that it had been easier than this ride. I was incredulous. There was no way that an Ironman could be easier than this mountain bike race. I finished that race in just under 2.5 hours.
The guy’s comment had planted a seed in my head. I had had friends complete Ironman triathlons. My fitness was already good, and I knew that I could easily complete the bike and run portions of a half Ironman race (56 mile bike, 13.1 mile run) on any given day. These were training distances. But there was that whole pesky swimming thing.
I decided to do an Ironman. I told only a couple people about it, other people seemed to guess where I was heading.
I signed up for 4 weeks of adult swim lessons at the local community center. The class (usually just me) was taught by a high school aged life guard. He asked me if I could swim across the pool. I said I’d give it a shot. I started to swim front crawl and by about halfway I scrambling frantically to get to the far wall where I could breathe. He asked if I could swim back. I said I would try. Pretty much the same thing happened. He tried to get me to float. But I don’t float. I sink. My body is just too dense. With his help to get me started, and watching some Total Immersion videos I got to where I could swim across the pool, catch my breath, swim back, and catch my breath. I went to the pool two and three times a week to swim laps, one length at a time. I increased the number of laps. Gradually I became more and more comfortable in the water. I was able to relax more. The more comfortable I got, the easier it got. I bought an underwater mp3 player, and that helped the laps go by.
I was going to try to sign up for the Lake Placid Ironman. It was the closest to where I live. But it sold out on site, and never went online. I looked at other Ironman triathlons. The next nearest Ironman was the Louisville Ironman. I wanted to find one close enough to drive to, so I wouldn’t have to deal with shipping my bike. When registration opened, I signed up in the first 5 minutes. After one easy payment for $575, I was committed.
I continued training, and preparing. I worked my way up to where I had swam 2.4 miles in the pool doing part freestyle, and part backstroke. I bought a tri bike online on clearance. I bought various other gear that would hopefully improve my chances of finish the race.
My first triathlon to help me get my feet wet was an indoor triathlon at the local YMCA. Then I did the Tupper Lake Tinman which is a half-iron distance race. It was my first open water swim. I was able to wear my wetsuit. I swam most of it doing the back stroke.