2009 IMWS Race Report     

                          

I must begin with sharing my state of mind all summer. I had decided early in the year that this would be my last IM. I was looking forward to going back to short course, qualifying for Nationals and hopefully making it to Worlds. As early as June, the long hours of IM training was beginning to take its toll on my personal and professional life.  

I know that this may sound hokey to some of you, but oh well…

 

I believe it was last winter I read the book The Secret (and purchased the audio version) and started implementing their theories about “Sending positive vibes, thoughts, wishes, laws of attraction, etc” into the universe.  Primarily, I practiced this in my professional career and soon starting seeing some results. I recently started listening to it on my way to and from the office.  Wednesday before the race I had a track workout with Sue Dzuiban. We started talking about IM and my race goals. Knowing that she too has read the book and subscribes to that way of thinking, I said “ Sue, I’ve seen it work professionally, why can’t it work with my IM this weekend?”  Sue agreed.  “That’s it!” I said. “Let see if it works (in a joking manor)…I’m sending out into the universe a 1 hour swim, a 5:30 bike and a 3:30 marathon!” That’s a 10 hour IM-I forgot to include transition times…oh well.  

 

Race weekend -  My roommates-Dan Rogers and Dr. Ted.  What a great time! Nothing but laughs and guys being guys. Knowing that this was my last IM, I was the most relaxed I’ve ever been before taking on such an event.  If someone asked how I was feeling I said GREAT!  If someone asked if I was nervous, I answered NOT AT ALL. IT’S GOING TO BE A GREAT DAY.

 

Swim - The hardest swim of all IM’s. The first loop was horrible.  I feel that I’m an aggressive swimmer; well I got my ass handed to me. I had zero open water for 1.2 miles of swim. The second loop- a much different story. I had opened water; I found my stroke and took off. I breathed every third stoke and it seemed to straighten out my direction and soon felt like I was swimming sub 1:20 pace (per 100’s). Exiting the swim I looked at the clock and saw 1:08. WHAT? HOW THE F^%$ COULD THAT BE? I SWAM MY ASS OFF! Thinking that I had 8 minutes to make up somewhere, I sprinted up the helix as fast as I could. Not once did I look up. I was pissed. It was on the bike that if figured out that the clock included the PROS 10 minute head start…IDIOT!!!! Sweet, I’m 2 minutes up after all.

 

Bike – Not much to report. Mile 2 my entire bottle cage which had my spare attached to it fell off. So I rode with only one bottle and prayed for 5 hours not to have a flat. The bright side…I had the lightest bike on the fieldJ. I had to be very careful to take full advantage of all aid stations so I didn’t fall behind on nutrition.  Mile 50 both quads seized.  I took massive salt, squirted quads with ice water and ate bananas at the next 2 aid stations. Cramping subsided and was able to settle back into pace. The MSM fans rocked.

 

Run - My Garmin took 10 miles to find satellite!  Damn!  This left me to go by feel.  My goal was to run the first 5 miles at 8:15 pace then to lower it to 7:50’s for the next 20.  If it wasn’t for live updates by my coach I would have slowed down because the heat was starting to take its toll. On the first loop he yelled out “You’re 10^th in your AG keep your pace! Take your salt and drink lots of water! Everyone is hurting right now.” At the run special needs I was able to grab my saving grace…RED BULL!!!  It took a mile to kick in but boy when it did I found myself doing 7:40 pace for the next 7 miles. I starting coming down from my sugar high at mile 23. This is where my race got really tough. My form went to hell.  I started leaning too far forward which is why my back is really messed up today.  

 

There is something to be said about wearing an MSM jersey.  I may not have known everyone cheering but the “Go Madness” was good enough to get me to the finish line.  Oh…and the State Street MSM’ers were amazing!  

 

My final splits- 58:59, 5:27, 3:32… Go buy the book! Kona, here I come!!!

 

Peace-

Danny