Rant

Yeah, I may draw some haters after this one, but I've ranted about this to two different people this week and I think it would be better served to throw it out on the blog-o-sphere and see what comes out of it.
I want to talk about the large number of people who decide to tackle the Ironman without being properly trained and prepared. This most recently came to mind while watching footage of IM Wisconsin and seeing the large # of people that weren't able to finish the 2.4 mile swim in 2 hours and 20 minutes. I don't think we should address abilities here, because all people have different speeds and abilities due to age, genetics, what have you. What I want to focus on is that when you decide to tackle the IM you need to decide ahead of time "am I healthy enough to attempt this" and "am I going to put in the required training to complete the race?" If you've answered these two questions, we won't see the mass of people still in the water after nearly 2.5 hours. Nor will we see the last guy they let finish the swim stumbling through T1 like a zombie. First and foremost, you have an obligation to your family and loved ones not to put yourself at risk of becoming the next statistic. It was scary to think that these people who had trouble walking were about to attempt to ride 112 miles and run a marathon.
Secondly, the WTC sanctioned IM races typically have anywhere from 1500 to 2500 slots and they all fill up within hours of opening up for registration. To race IMFL, you have to be there on race day to sign up for next year's race or there is a ZERO chance of getting a slot. (This will be fuel for the fire in a future post "Top Ten Reasons to Compete in Non-WTC Races") I have to get a little mad when I see all of these people who have taken one of these coveted slots waste their opportunity by being irresponsible in their training and assessing their abilities.
The typical athlete can spend anywhere from $3000-$5000 in training and travel expenses for an IM. (this includes all the supplements, tires, tubes, clothing airfare, hotel, rental car etc) Why would you want to waste that kind of money on an event that you haven't properly trained for or one that due to your abilities can't finish? I do believe that the IM is for everyone, not just for the elite, but I do think that with the opportunity comes a responsibility.
With that, I would suggest that all IM races, WTC and our beloved independent races, request that all applicants submit a Half IM result for proof that 1. they are healthy enough to compete and 2. they stand a good chance of finishing the race. I doubt this will ever happen since the race directors get their money whether you finish or not, but I think it would go a long way in making the races a little safer but also more accessible to others.

Plymouth Iron Distance Tri - The Run

Seeing the finish for the bike was heaven. I was an angry man coming in those last few miles on the bike, but I gotta tell you, it all went away as soon as I hit T2. I made a quickly changed into some clothes that I hadn't been peeing in for the last 5+ hours and put on my running shoes. I chose to run in the same tri shorts and top that I'd run all of my long runs in. For the most part all of my long runs in training were enjoyable so I was hoping mentally there would be a connection.

I was able to see two of my buddies waiting for in T2. My only words to them were, "well, I've swam 2.4 miles, biked 112, it only makes since now to run a marathon. Sounds like a great idea!" I was jesting a little, but I was forcing myself not to concentrate on the distance that lay ahead of me. I wanted to treat the run as just another training day. Slow and easy.

It took my garmin .8 miles before it linked up. I made the mistake of not turning it on while I was changing. Once I was able to check my pace I discovered I'd run the first mile in 7:48. Too fast. I slowed myself down to my planned 9 minute pace and started chugging along. Nutrition wise, I couldn't imagine having to consume any more gatorade or gels. The aid stations had plenty of both, but they also had bananas, coke, and water. I passed on the coke for moment and started throwing down the bananas and water. This tasted great.

The first 1/2 Mary was a breeze. My pace was dead on. Legs felt good, but I could tell that I was going to need to start taking in a gel or two. My energy was starting to drop and the bananas weren't tasting so good anymore. Around mile 18 I hit a gel and started implementing a run walk protocol. Run .75 and walk .25. This worked really well, but as with most participants it's the last 10K that gets you. This was where my run walk ratios kinda did a flip and my pace dropped considerably. I was still in good spirits and overall felt great. I was just bonking. I had started hitting coke, gels, and water at the aid stations, but couldn't replenish my energy. No worse for wear though, I hit mile 24 with a renewed sense of drive and decided that I would run the last two miles. I made the call to my legs, but no one was home. I called again and got a busy signal. I decided just to do what I could. I managed to run the majority of the last mile, but made sure that I slowed down enough to give everyone lining the finish line a high 5 and to thank God for the opportunity to race. Marathon time was 4:23. With a total IM time of 11:37.

The sense of accomplishment raised my energy level to a point that made it look like I might have dogged it during the race, but it was all adrenaline. I have to say that I gave it my all. I can't wait to give it a go again and see if I can improve. If not, so be it. I had the best time of my life during the race. I couldn't imagine a better way to end the year.

(the time on the clock shows the total time since the first wave start, not my time)

The Bike Portion - Sorry late post.

Well, let’s start with T1 first. Once I exited the water, there was a quarter mile (no lie) run to transition. Once there I actually took the time to sit down and carefully put my socks and shoes on. I tore my feet up in the last race that I did, and I wanted to make sure I would be comfortable for the next 112 miles. Transition time was a slow 3:30.
Once you leave transition, you head straight up a short hill and wind your way through downtown Plymouth. Within a mile or so, you take a quick turn off on to a country road that takes you out to Miles Standish State Park. The course itself includes a 6 mile section from transition to the park. Once inside the park, you complete a 25 mile loop four times. I had driven the course the day before so I knew that I would have my work cut out for me. The biggest issue, which I will continue to gripe about, was the condition of the roads. I guess it’s the New England winters that wreak havoc on the asphalt, but there were so many cracks/bumps and pot holes that it made staying in aero near impossible. Secondly, the wind that I mentioned before was still a force and would play a huge role in demoralizing everyone on the bike throughout the day. Everyone I came in contact with was just “blown away” with how hard they were having to work to go 15mph on a flat.
My goal for the ride was to average 19.5-20.0 mph. I did my best not to push it just because I felt good, but I did allow myself to go faster if I could keep my RPE down. This would prove beneficial when I had the wind at my back, but believe me it didn’t negate the wind’s effects. I started nutrition as planned within the first 10 miles and as prescribed starting eating ½ of a Cliff Bar every 10 miles after that. Although I had really done well with Cliff Bars in the past, they just didn’t sit right nor did they taste right. After a bar and a half, I decided to switch to gels which of course after a while I would get to where I couldn’t stand the taste of those either.
One thing of note, as I mentioned the road conditions were horrendous, and during the first lap I started noticing the flash of yellow that would indicate that a triathlon was in town. Yup, that’s right. I started seeing everyone’s aero drink sponges on the ground. The bumps were causing everyone to lose their sponges. I laughed to myself as I had decided against using one opting for the X-lab wing system. It was no longer than a few hundred yards after this that the bumps would have their way with my bottles too. That’s what I get for laughing. Luckily, I had a full bottle mounted to my frame. I could use it and grab more bottles as needed through the aid stations.
The first two laps of the course were fine. I was on track with my pace and I still felt relatively good. I started passing a few more people through some of the tougher sections. As the ride went on, I could tell I was going to be in trouble nutrition wise. I still had a gel to use, but didn’t want to take it. I took it in regardless as well as some salt tabs. I was never happier than when I started my fourth and final lap. I was so sick of the bumps and the wind. This fourth and final lap was miserable as well as the slowest. My mood was dropping along with my energy level. I wanted off the bike asap. At the beginning of the loop my avg was 19.6. When I left the park it was down to 19.3. I was bonking bad. Supposedly I only had 6 miles until the transition area, but my odometer read 108. This only made me madder and more disgruntled as I saw my mileage creep over the 112 mark. Was the course long??? Back in transition finally, I looked at my odometer, it read 114 plus some. I didn’t dwell on it. I’d completed the bike and it was under 6 hours. Race site gave me a split of 5:55, a 18.9 mph pace. Not what I wanted at all, but given the course I’ll take it. Just give me my shoes and let me run!

Plymouth Rock IDT - The Swim

The morning started at 3:30 am. I started off with 3 packs of Oatmeal and an Ensure Plus drink for a good source of calories. The drive in was dark and peaceful. The temp was high 50's/low 60's. This didn't feel cool at all until I arrived at the race site to discover a big wind blowing in from the harbor. I heard some say they expected 15 mph winds all day. That didn't sound like much, but I can tell you it felt like a lot. I actually looked forward to putting on my wetsuit so I could warm up.

They bused us half a mile up the road to the start of the swim. The swim started along beside a jetty which protects the boats in the harbor and as I would find, it protects triathletes as well. As non-chalently as I could imagine, the race director counted down from ten and said "go." I was expecting a bit more, but didn't sit and ponder it as I had an ironman in front of me.

The water closest to the jetty was a bit shallow, and I could see some guys off to my left actually walking. I found my rhythm fairly quickly and easily and sat in the middle of the pack. I had no idea of my pace, rather I just went with what felt right. Fifteen minutes later I would come to the end of the jetty and what began as a calm swim would become a tumultuous battle through the ups and downs of heavy waves pushing through. It almost felt like I was going backwards, but I made the turn around in just over 17 minutes. I headed back for the protection of the jetties being 1/4 of the way done. I hit the 1/2 way point in 35 minutes being spot on for my normal IM pace. I started feeling the effects and getting tired through the next section which was really evident when I passed the end of the jetty, but then it was time to head toward the finish which was the Mayflower II. I hit my watch as I crossed the mat and it read 1:08. Official results show 1:13, so who knows. Doesn't matter. I was finished with the swim, and it was time to ride.

Finished! I am an Ironman!

Short post today. Full race report to follow over the next couple of days. For now the biggest news is that I finished the Plymouth Rock Iron Distance Triathlon yesterday in time of 11:37:42. It was a great experience and one that I will cherish for a long time. Going to enjoy the next couple of days and work on recovery.

Tailwinds...

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