IRONMAN WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP – KONA, HAWAII       - October 2010

THE LAST DANCE

(And what a great dance it was!)

This analogy indeed represents my racing in Kona a few Saturdays ago. The phrase ‘THE LAST DANCE’ is often used in sports journalism to signify the end of career for a competitor. Well, my career isn’t over - not by a long shot! -  but competing in the Ironman distance events capped off with the IM World Championship in Kona, Hawaii is.  It has been my dream for a few years now to have my proverbial LAST DANCE at the IM distance be having qualified for and racing in Kona. Fortunately and thankfully, this dream came true this season and my race report should provide you with some highlights I hope you find of interest.

Kona was my 7^th Ironman event in my amateur career. As much as I admire those who continue on and have bigger goals in their ‘IM life’, not the case for me., My family and I are quite candidly ready for a change in focus and time commitment. Let’s face it - I AM TIRED!!!  My wife, Teri, picked up a great t-shirt for me at an IM expo this season that uses the M-dot logo for IM and has the word ‘TIREDMAN’ across the front. The word itself makes out an abstract shape of a triathlete sleeping on his bed!  PERFECT! Anyways, the new journey hasn’t quite yet been determined but it will involve shorter distance triathlons and perhaps a spring marathon so I can continue running more in wintertime given how long the winters are here in Illinois, gets me outside whenever possible, then shifting more heavily to swim and bike come springtime.

KONA

As you may know, the Monday following race day I took some time to reflect on things - the road I took to get here, all the friends and training partners this sport has brought me along the way, the highs and lows shared in emails or during bike rides that are typical in a long, hard training season.  I just sat and stared for hours on a bench along the shore overlooking the Pacific Ocean and letting my mind wander  … a picture perfect day, no one around … just staring and listening to the ocean ‘breathe’ as waves came ashore.  Phenomenal way to end a week I had just experienced that touched so many senses and left me feeling so at peace with the world if not only for that moment I had to myself.

Some people have asked me about how I got to Kona in recent weeks upon returning, “What did it take? How did you train? How many IM races did you do before qualifying?” etc… so, for those who are curious, here’s my IM race history below going back to 2004.  I will preface this with the following strong comment - the gains I made particularly in the last few IMs only happened with the help of a coach. I already knew how to put in the time for training, just didn’t know how to improve and shave off an additional 20-30 minutes after some decent race results to qualify!

’04 IM Wisconsin           11:36    1:04 S   5:42 B   4:36 R

’05 IM Lake Placid         11:20    1:02 S   5:50 B   4:16 R

’06 IM Wisconsin           10:51    1:09 S   5:41 B   3:51 R

’08 IM Arizona               10:43    1:01 S   5:40 B   3:53 R

’09 IM Wisconsin           10:25    1:06 S   5:25 B   3:45 R

’10 IM Lake Placid         10:00    1:01 S   5:24 B   3:27 R

’10 IM Kona                   10:14    1:11 S  5:23 B   3:30 R

Providing the above merely to perhaps motivate and reinforce to one or more of you that sometimes it just takes more time than others to break through perceived barriers and put together the performance you have been training for all along – and it took me six tries!!   Thank you Coach Jay Druml!

RACE WEEK

Okay – let’s get into this before I lose your interest….

The family and I spent much of the week early on exploring the Big Island of Hawaii and acclimating to the temps and wind well known to the West side of the island. If you happen to go there and take the time to tour the island one day, you will experience many climate changes and varying terrains as you go around which is a bit surreal at times. We stayed away from downtown Kona up in a great resort area in a town called Waikoloa – rented a condo and needless to say we felt a bit removed from the downtown Kona excitement and energy common around a race site with so many athletes staying right there. I wanted to go to Kona when I had to be down there, get in some ocean swims to get used the waves and salt water, do some browsing and attend the outdoor expo, but I was also able to leave it there and head back to the condo away from things and actually enjoy vacation with the family during our first trip to Hawaii – this plan worked out very well in the end I can tell you. Waikoloa is about 25 mi North of Kona and we had access to the one-of-a-kind swimming pools and beach areas/inlets of the Hilton Waikoloa Resort Hotel which was one amazing place let me tell you! We shopped at the Queen’s Market up the street for groceries and made most of our own meals versus eating out. It can be expensive but more expensive to eat out all the time with a family of 6! We did have a Starbucks right up the road, but unlike here, this one did offer the notorious 100% Kona Coffee. Mmmmm…….

Jay Druml and I did manage to hook up a few times for training and shared some laughs and talk about the race. This was phenomenal and very much a highlight for me. The families also did manage to attend a luau together overlooking the swim start with the Delgados and Drumls - a great time and food, and even enjoyed a few Mai Tais!

As for being race ready - the 10 weeks between IM Lake Placid and Kona I had successfully recovered and regained my fitness level in my mind. I felt trashed from the 2 peak training weeks before taper, some of the toughest long rides I had all year on some dark, cold and miserable mornings in the company of Jay (my coach and training partner that pushed me over the top this season!) and Andy Walsh (an avid cyclist and consummate wingman and training partner during the past 7 years). 

For the first time since qualifying I entertained the thought of racing Kona vs. simply participating. Several friends were pushing me to do so as well so that I had no regrets upon finishing, so I could ‘retire’ as I intended to from IM. Unlike other IM races, I candidly and honestly was pretty relaxed this time, for me anyways!  Unlike previous IMs, I was truly enjoying it and soaking up the experience! Just being here without many negative thoughts circling around my head about the race was GREAT!

RACE STRATEGY

NO REGRETS! This IM I pretty much found a phrase in my head that stuck with me throughout the day. Put there by friends of mine in this sport at previous IMs and I thank them for this because it is meaningful. FINISH WHAT YOU STARTED! Another phrase I have mentioned before, and having qualified already this still held true – I had to cross the finish line first and foremost! RACING THE SUN’A new one in my head I really liked and stuck with me during the day when pacing myself out on the bike course and run. Simple goal was to finish before sunset at 6 pm Hawaii time – which equated to 11 hours. I liked it and new it allowed much room for error – which relaxed me quite a bit. Ended up posting a 10:14 so I would say it all added up to a great race and finishing time well above my expectations going in!

SWIM - I had no intention to start my day stressed or working too hard, so my mantra for the swim was DO NOT RACE the swim, relax and enjoy, loosen up, stay wide on the outside of the pack, save all my energy for the bike and run given how tough the conditions can be in Hawaii. I would be happy with a 1:15 or better if it meant I felt fresh and good from there on – having hit a 1:01 in Lake Placid this may sound too conservative but I was ‘conserving’ energy after all and figured I would get the time back with a solid bike and being able to run the marathon. Probably the smartest thing I did in hindsight actually!

BIKE - stick with my targeted watts/power I used out in Lake Placid of 235 – should put me sub 5:30 on the bike.  When into the wind focus on watts only not speed, when sideways handle the bike and keep pedaling consistently, don’t press, don’t stress, just balance and anticipate the notorious Havi wind gusts that have thrown pro athletes off their bikes when it’s real bad up there. Respect the island and its conditions and my feeling was I would manage okay. Fueling was Infinit and water the first 2 hours, then rely on race course and maintain 300-350 calories roughly per hour and split liquids as evenly as possible between water and energy drink.   

RUN - run as close to the same IM pace I had in Lake Placid if I felt good, if not OH WELL! Walk and enjoy being in the middle of the IM World Championship best I could and interact with the fans and volunteers if it came down to it and I need to laugh.  My fueling was simple – 3-4 endurolytes an hour, alternate cola chased by water and energy drink chased by water, and take a gel every 3^rd or 4^th aid station, did throw in a half banana along the course as well.

FINISH TIME – 11 hours or better – 10:30 or better and I would have had a really good day!

RACE DAY

Spent the night at Danny’s condo – hadn’t seen much of one another during the week due to where I was staying and he was near downtown Kona. MAN! Was it good to spend some time with ya bro! We always goof around, make fun, keep each other loose and just basically are great buds.  3:30 am breakfast was no different, both of us were feeling relaxed and ready and this went just fine. PB&J on whole wheat bagel, 1 banana, 1 Ensure, and water to wash things down and begin hydrating.  I don’t begin hitting the Gatorade until about 1:30- 2 hours out, and water only once under 45 min to an hour to go with a couple of gels 15 min before race start chased with a swig of water. Left Danny’s condo at 4:30 and not 500 feet later we scored a free ride in a mustang convertible down Ali’i Drive to Kona Pier. How awesome was that to start the day!!

Dropped off Special Needs bags (for me I had no plan to hit either but had some spares items in there just in case – I do not spend time on bike nor run special needs). Got to transition and it was the most professional, top-notch check in and flow through of athletes from getting body marked with race numbers, to setting up the bike and having a person come up with a pump for tires that was a volunteer, to gaining access to T1 and T2 bags for last minute check and adding a few things I didn’t leave over night.  Last minute ‘stuff’ basically went as smooth as ever and it was the earliest I had ever been done setting up my bike and making sure my transition bags were set – things were going really well! And again, Danny and I had a way to keep one another loose and share a few laughs given all the intensity surrounding us at the race site. He even offered Craig Alexander a massage?? Or perhaps was telling him he couldn’t hook him up with a massage with some gal??

I don’t know for sure – all I know is he managed to catch him in conversation and I was there!! I was the quiet friend of Danny’s that had no clue what to say so just sat there staring like an idiot.

By 6 am I had left Danny and hooked up Druml and his family as well as mine. Some last minute photo opps and hugs before the race and then it was off to the swim start to relax and wait. Entered the swim area just after 6:30 – most relaxed I have ever been at an IM swim start. My race strategy was simple today and my fitness was still very high so I knew my race could begin on the bike and I could afford to give up time in the swim leg, I reminded myself of this and executed on this after the gun sounded.

Funny moment happened while Jay and I were hanging out on some rocks along the wall surrounding the swim start. We hear the announcer, Mike Reilly, remind people,  paraphrasing here, “…Seed yourself based upon how fast you expect to swim. Get up front if you are fast, but if you plan to swim in 1 hour, or more, PLEASE – go to the back of the pack and let the others get out in front of you …” 

DID HE JUST SAY THAT?” I couldn’t help but look at Jay with astonishment about what I just heard, 1 HOUR is SLOW? I guess a subtle reminder of the company we were in … and perfectly happy to be considered one of the slow guys at this particular event!

Anyways, Jay and I headed out wide to the left along the swim start and awaited the cannon going off – and when it did the same rush of adrenaline surges and controlling your pace is tough to do, so focus for me is always on form, a certain rhythm and feel, and I think about how I am breathing and if it is forced or ‘normal’.  Seemed to take a very long time to get out to the big boat we had to swim around, very easy to judge yourself in the swim of an IM – seconds feel like minutes and minutes feel like 10 minutes – so just relax and trust your technique and breathing, you are going faster than you think! It at first annoyed me but then again I reminded myself ‘I am participating in KONA … don’t worry about it! Just swim and relax.’  The return trip felt easier despite no doubt feeling some fatigue in the shoulders. 

Came out of the water – no idea what my swim time was - based on transition area not being overly crowded I knew I was slower than normal and the mass of elite athletes was out on the bike already. Not too concerned, went thru transition and first mishap of the day was missing the sunscreen table after calling out for it and being misdirected by a volunteer – had to double back to get sunscreen which added a couple minutes. Again, not too concerned and was not hung up on how fast I managed the swim nor T1 today.  My race was now about to begin.

The Bike  - The Queen K and Winds of Havi

My bike began without much of a hitch, the loop around to an out and back in downtown Kona was sort of busy and I really don’t remember much other than it is where all the spectators are and you go up and down quite a bit on some smaller false flats and a few minor rises/hills through the local neighborhood. Would see my family for the first time on Palini Drive which is a steep climb straight up to the Queen K and it was at this moment I realized I did not have my race belt on me. I had a volunteer helping me in transition, he emptied my bag at my feet and the race number stayed in the bag without me noticing! Saw my family and called out to them “RACE BELT … TRANSITION AREA … TELL THEM PUT IN RUN BAG!”

Well, my family heard me alright as I went riding by, just did not hear what I said.

My wife heard “SALT TABS …. NUTRITION …. IN MY RUN BAG!”  so for the next 4-5 hours they spent in town talking about whether I would make it through the bike alright or would bonk. They went from euphoria that I was onto the bike course and they saw I was okay to picturing me having the worst ride of my IM career which was to be my last. GLAD I didn’t know this.

Came across Jay Druml about 25-30 miles into the ride. My mind was still on not having a race belt, thinking the worst, picturing a race official asking me to go to the penalty tent, or even being told to turnaround to go back and get it because at this IM there is no exceptions and rules are rules, or worse yet wondering if once discovered I would be pulled over and told I was DQ’d (okay … I admit there were some really evil-wishing mental demons that somehow got into my head!).  I did overcome this and in the end no penalty incurred. Jay and I ended up riding the rest of the IM bike together without drafting or anything like that (officials were everywhere by the way – the LAST thing I wanted was a penalty!). 

The worst part of the day for me was the bike as we headed up to Havi – that took some mental toughness for sure! The bikes in front of me were angling into the cross/headwinds like I had never seen before. It was not consistent, so you couldn’t easily hold your aero position or reach for nutrition at will due to the gusts. Felt like we had entered some sacred lair on the island North of Waikoloa, perhaps some deity or demi-god that was a bit pissed off that we were on his or her land.  So, needless to say, the turnaround in Havi was a welcome sight! I began to recover quickly, mentally and physically. My goal in an IM is at Mile 80 I want to feel like I can run the marathon. And I did – an awesome feeling! I was enjoying a tailwind and just had more time to enjoy riding on the Queen K despite the warmer temps. I continued to douse my arm coolers with water at aid stations (big fan of arm coolers – thank you Jay for this advice!). Came across Danny Delgado at about the 108 mark and the three of us rode into town together. I couldn’t believe this was happening! Two of my closest buds within this sport and all three of us were together heading into transition – T2?? Are you kidding me?? AWESOME!! My energy level went way up, my mood was at an absolute high for the day, and it was one of those great moments that happened during the day to be remembered for a long time.   

The Run

Jay, Danny and I headed out on the run course together much to the surprise and relief of our families, and man was my family glad I didn’t bonk!

All three of us agreed that if any one of us felt good to just go, race your race.

Jay dropped off soon after we began the run unfortunately – not surprising to him or us as 5 weeks earlier he had qualified at IM Louisville and 10 weeks before that he raced Lake Placid – so 3 IMs in as many months was his breaking point I suppose!

Danny and I ran together the next 5-6 miles. He was trying to find his groove and settle in but his Achilles was acting up and nutrition on the bike had not gone well.

He did signal me to continue on, so at this point I focused on holding a solid pace the rest of the way to finish off what was turning into a solid race and perfect end to the season. I was now holding some really decent split times after taking the first few miles easier – best I felt all day in fact and didn’t really care if I lost my legs later on. 

I had saved up enough energy to run the last 16 I felt till I have nothing left in the tank. Arm coolers were back on - doused in water every aid station as I did on the bike to stay cool – and I was now in race mode for the duration.

Palini is a nasty, ½ mile climb out of downtown Kona, and my goal was to run up this after Adam Zucco mentioned many come to Palini, walk the hill, and then fail to run again from there on and the day is pretty much over for them. Well, I ran up Palini, saw my family once again, and I felt phenomenal still with 16 miles to go and a visit to the Natural Energy Lab.  I became focused on picking off every aid station one at a time to the finish to refuel, so the mental game was beginning for me out on the Queen K on some of those uphills that can feel a bit long. When turning left and going down a hill into the Energy Lab I was expecting the wind to die down to nil and the heat and humidity to go up.  Perhaps the most fortunate part of the run occurred right around this time as some cloud cover rolled in over the run course so despite the temps and humidity it was manageable. Years past I have heard you basically do a 4 mile out and back on an iron skillet over a fire with no breeze. Yuck. Well, call me lucky I guess! Climbed back up the hill to exit the Energy Lab and this was when my legs began to cry a bit and I started to battle that onset of cramping feeling in my legs,  many of you reading this feeling all too well. Form is key to survival for me, short stride, less knee bend, avoid heel striking at all costs, and focus on mental checkpoints ahead to get your mind off of it – and walk the aid stations to stretch things out a bit but no more than 20-30 seconds.    

Somewhere around this time I hit mile 20 and admittedly emotions were creeping in a bit. I have a tradition of counting down the last 6 miles thinking about a member of my family and the memories shared. Well, this time my mind shifted gears to talking with each of them - making a promise to each that I would uphold after I finish. Each of my kids then my father (who made the trip out to Hawaii with my step-mom just to watch me race and vacation after). At about mile 25 on the nose my legs fell off pretty much, really was running out of gas and I was shuffling fast more than running, probably looked more like I had to go to the bathroom while jogging as I was trying to avoid cramping in my hamstrings. I refused to walk the last mile, anything but walk. My pace slowed considerably and was the slowest mile for sure but not terrible, and I was passed by several competitors so I congratulated them on a great finish when I could get my mind off of the onset of cramps.

Mile 26 … Mile 26 I always have dedicated to my mother who passed back in 2001. This year, I saved mile 26 for my wife, Teri and I’m sure my mother would understand. I began thanking her for the 7 years of living with me and picking up the slack during the peak training months, passionately pursuing a dream. I thanked her for being with me the whole way and not getting off the band wagon despite at times really testing her patience and commitment to this life we share today, cheering for my success at the races she has attended, and keeping the kids positive and pre-occupied during the long, LONG IM days as a spectator. It is NOT easy for any spouse to understand the method to our madness at times, nor is it for anyone on the outside of the IM life looking in! WE ARE CRAZY! (Not that there’s anything wrong with that! It’s a good kind of crazy!)  And my promise to her was after crossing the line is grab her and confirm to her that I had done what I came to do and am officially retired from IM, with a smile on my face, and with no regrets. 

Well, I did manage to run across the line somehow as adrenaline took over down the finishing chute, was even able to get down and kiss the finish line (a last minute thought I just had to entertain and sort of say good bye I suppose!), and then went and found my wife … okay, okay I went to the food tent, grabbed some pizza and cola …. and then I found my wife and simply told her ‘I am retired. No regrets.’