Race Day

Sorry for the delay with the report. I was going to post it a couple of days ago, but didn't finish it. Yesterday, we were scheduled to fly to Maui at 10am. However, United failed to send our reservation (and about 50 others) to it's airline partner, Island Air of Hawaii. So, we didn't have a flight. After 8 or so hours at the Kona airport and completely getting the run around, we chartered a Cesna w/another couple (no I'm not that rich!), that flew us to Maui last night. It was actually a very cool trip. And, our pilot was a retired General.

Anyway, here's the belated race report:

It's over! It was an extremely tough day. The heat from the lava fields kicked up the winds, which have been relatively calm all week. I finished in 10:03:54. Prior to the race, I had thought that I could come in somewhere between 9:30-10:00 witha good race, on a good day (w/good conditions). And, although I was really trying to crack the 10 hour mark at the end of the race, it just wasn't to be, and I'm happy with my result....especially on my first attempt at this course. My day, however, wasn't without its hiccups.

My day started as usual for a race like this. The alarm went off at 3:30am. I immediately started to take in my pre-race calories (not always easy this early in the morning). I showered, got dressed, and my dad drove me and Jenn as far down towards the start as he could (there were some road closures). We dropped off the bike and run special needs bags and headed to "body marking". To my surprise, some officials from NBC were waiting to follow me through body marking. I wasn't really expecting this. However, this would be the last time I saw the cameras all day (except through transition). Since you have to pre-pack your transition bags and your bike is already in transition, there isn't much to do but pump up the tires and then sit around and wait. I saw some other friends in transtion...Tim and Cait Snow...and my teammate, Regina O'Toole. I sat w/Regina for a bit and she was definitely nervous. For some reason, I wasn't. Finally, it was time to start getting ready for the swim start. This meant changing into my Xterra Velocity Skin suit and dropping off my "pre race" bag to the officials. I realized as I was dropping off my bag that I forgot my Bodyglide (a lubricant). I borrowed someone's in line, but I just didn't get enough on me....and I knew that I was going to get chaffed pretty badly in the swim (and I did).

I finally made it to the swim start. It's a floating start....meaning you have to tread water for a while. After the pros went off at 6:45, I headed out to the end of the pier (and treaded water for 10 minutes). I saw my buddy, the sea turtle, on the way out (this surely had to be a sign of good luck..right?). I was directly under the starting cannon (literally...a cannon). I thought I was in good position, but when it fired, I just had a tough time getting through the field. I was on the far inside and kept getting pushed further in. I felt great all week during my swims, but during the race, I just could get up to my top speed due to the fact that I was boxed in. It was very frustrating (although this seems to be my MO this year). I got out of the water and ran up the ramp. I looked at my watch, but it hadn't started. So, I just proceeded through transition. I figured, what the heck...what's done is done...I can't let it affect my race. I could see my friend Jesse in front of me running to the bikes.

As I got on my bike I was amazed at the crowds. Kona makes you feel like a celebrity while your racing. The crowds were 5-6 deep. I quickly caught up to Jesse to say hello. He gave me the bad news about the swim time (1:05). Oh well. He also made a comment that he thought the winds wouldn't be a factor....THANKS FOR JINXING US JESSE!!!!! Once we finished the out and back, we headed out on the Queen K for the 50 mile ride to Hawi. My plan was to take the bike out easy....which I did. However, during the first 10 miles on the Queen K, we were flying...riding 25, 26, 27 mph. However, that would be the end of the "wind at our backs". I realized quickly too that I had screwed up my nutrition timing. I should have taken nutrition every 30 minutes...but I started to take it every 15. I quicky realized my mistake and got back on track. However, my stomach was pretty full within the first hour. First, I had doubled my nutrition intake and I had gone through close to 3 bottles of fluids (I was trying to get ahead). I finally caught my friend Jen around 30 miles. I was surprised when she told me that my other teammate, Matt, was just in front of her. Matt beat me in the swim, which I wasn't expecting. However, I knew he was in front of me because I saw him on the short out and back at the beginning of the race, and figured that I may not see (catch) him until the run...if at all. So, I rode up and said hello to Matt. We then proceeded to play cat and mouse for the next 60 or so miles. I'd pass him, then 10 minutes later, he'd pass me. We hit the first bad winds around mile 35. We were riding around 15mph....it was tough. Matt commented on the winds as I passed him. I told him that Hawi was going to be worse....and it was. When we started riding up towards Hawi, we had a ridiculous cross wind blowing toward the ocean. Although we were only riding between 12-14 mph up and into the wind, I was holding on to my bike for dear life. Mat was riding behind me and commented after the race how I was leaning into the wind. The winds were so bad up there that we could see the white caps on the ocean, which was close to 2 miles away. The ride down from Hawi was no treat either. Yes, you go faster (up to 40 mph), but I was so scared that one of the 50mph gusts would get me that I couldn't really open it up. After Hawi, the winds must have switched, because we basically had a headwind the entire way back. Mat was joking afterwards how we were going downhill, doing 17 mph (pedaling). Fortunately for me, I had playing it conservatively during the ride. So, I passed a lot of guys during the last 20 miles of the bike...and felt very good. One thing to note....I went through approximately 8-9 bottles of fluids on the bike....and didn't use the bathroom until I was running through the transition area!!! (also, post note....the lava fields completely cooked my back and arms. I have what are probably 3rd degree burns on me).

After my pit stop, I put on my racing shoes and headed out onto the course. I felt really good....so I was really trying to hold back. I went through the first mile in around 6:10....and was like "whoooaaa....slow down"! I realized that I would need to hold back a little more! I got into a good rythm...but my stomach started giving me some issues around 7-8 miles in. Stomach issues have been my downfall at other ironman races...so I was very concerned. I dialed back my run pace a bit in hopes to settle the stomach. I went through waves of feeling the stomach for the next 10-12 miles. It was the worst when I hit the Natural Energy Lab (which is approximately 1.5 miles down and 1.5 miles back up). I thought I was going to need to stop to use the bathroom for sure....but then the stomach would settle a bit. Finally around mile 23, as I was running though an aide station, I said "screw it....only 3 miles to go"....and stopped. Once I got back on the course, I felt fantastic. I was thinking, "why didn't I do this sooner?" I dropped my pace to under 6:30 miles for the last 3 and was just blowing by people. I finished fairly strong and felt fine afterwards. That's my one regret....because I felt good finishing (too good)...I feel like I didn't leave it all on the course. That, and I would have like to crack the 10 hour mark. But, as I said, all in all, it was a solid day...so no complaints. It is, after all, the world championships....and by far, the most difficult course (w/the conditions) that I've done.

Now, I get to relax on Maui....which is where I'm finishing up this race report. I told Jenn that I just wanted to chill out after the race (easier said than done for me). I'm already thinking about going for a run!