Ironman World Championship 2009 Race Report

Ironman World Championship Race Report 2009                                                                                        

A full night of sleep? Lights out at 7:30pm? What is going on---- the 7:30 bedtime has never happened before other Ironman races and the full night of sleep ,well I'll just say I rarely make it through a normal night without a wake -up. So,this was a very unique night of rest and made for an easy wake -up at 3:30am.  Or maybe the easy wake -up was related to my excitment for the QT2(http://www.qt2systems.com/) race day breakfast protocol -4.5 cups unsweetend apple sauce,scoop of whey,banana,and 1 full bottle of sports drink--Well maybe,but I don't think so! That will be tomorrow morning thinking about the giant Lava Java cinnamon roll-- I was out on Alii Drive hitching a ride at 5:45am sunday morning ! I have to admit--- not one ,but two GIANT CINNAMON ROLLS ! Really I think the great night of sleep was the result of two things--first -I was now staying on the water and my room had giant screen doors, all I could hear was the ocean ---second---given my pre -race condition(my leg injury) I no longer could be concerned with a podium finish in my age -group, being in the top 100 overall,or any other pre-injury Kona goals. It sounds strange ,but with the injury I didn't have the typical pressure I place on myself going in to a big race. All I hoped for going to sleep that night ,was being able to run/walk the marathon ---so I could get across the finish line! Funny how things work!

Race morning- body marked and over to the bike around 5:30am loaded the speed fill hydration system http://www.invisciddesign.com/  and my aerobar water bottle cage-this is a homemade rig. I mounted a cage on the stem with zip ties and electrical tape--it  works great and cost almost nothing. There are a few companys making cages designed for this use ,but I have not found one that works well and they are a little pricey. Anyway,as I mounted my Garmin to the bike ,I realized the screen was reading LOW BATTERY--impossible this thing has been charging for days. I rely on this device for bike speed,distance,time,heart rate and for pace on the run. So ,it's pretty important. A quick call to coach Jesse and I was in business.Thanks Jesse! Down to the water -Bang ! I'm off ---with 1800 others and it seemed like I was with all 1800 for the first mile . It was a slug fest , a complete mess, I didn't get any open water until the turn bouy, from there is wasn't great ,but much better than going out. The mistake was I positioned myself at the start where I was comfortable and not where coach Jesse told me to start  --this was my first mistake of the day and hopefully the only. It probably cost me 5-10min, but the really bad part was that it was brutal out there! Where did all my early morning aquatic friends go?  Now I was surrounded by a bunch of crazy humans,swinging their arms and kicking their legs --a total free for all! I couldn't wait to get on the bike. I moved through T2 slower than normal, taking caution as I ran from the changing room to my bike --the green carpeting was slick and my leg didn't feel great. As I began the ride I focused in on my hydration plan and my pacing strategy, as these two things will play a critical roll later on. These are key components to any race success ,but out here you don't have a prayer if you screw these up --I learned that harsh lesson out here in 2007. As you prepare for Kona ,you know it will be hot and probably windy ,but you never know how bad these elements will be ! Today it would soar to the mid 90's and the wind would rip after the turn in Hawi ( Northern point on the island)-it would be a very challenging day for all --even by Hawaii standards! Fortunately, I paced the first portion of the bike well and really hammered the fluids(3 bottles in 40mins),my fluid goals for the day on the bike -- 15-16 bottles .As other athletes went flying by, I wished the best for them, but could only wonder when I would see them again. This race - like Ironman Lake Placid -can take its toll on you early. Out here it's natures forces--wind and  heat ,Lake Placid it's terrain--mountains--they both deserve attention! If you over look these realities early in the race, they will more than likely haunt you later in the day. So ,out on the bike course the speedsters zoomed by---as I gradually moved through large groups of athletes that had exited the water in front of me. This is a common expierence for me, as an average swimmer and a strong cyclist ,but today there was a huge number of people in front of me, as the result of a very poor swim. As I moved along on the Queen K Highway I was trying to get dialed in and comfortable ,but my leg was not feeling great -it actually hurt. This was not common ,usually it only bothered me when running, so I was a bit concerned as the race had just really started . It remained this way for the first 20-30 miles, I thought-- if it's bad now ,how will I ever run? My hope was that it would loosen up with the heat and some adrenaline would take care of some discomfort--by mile 35 or so I was going along pretty well ---YES! The course heads north out to Hawi and  is mostly along the Queen K Highway along the edge of the ocean ,through the dried up lava flows from years of volcanic eruptions. It's sort of a barren landscape with very little vegetation and hardly any trees,there is really no shelter from the sun and heat. I dialed in my race fueling and hydration in the early stages and stuck to the plan throughout the ride and it payed off--big! As you approach the turnaround there is a long climb up to the village of Hawi,it's the only real climb on this course. But, along with the challenging climb it is here where the wind seems to always show its face and this day would be no different. As I approached the turn-around the lead pros began to zoom by on there way back to Kona and the winds seemed to intensify--oh boy!Fortunately, I was feeling very strong climbing up to Hawi and was looking forward to heading back ,hoping that our strategy would pay off. At this point I had managed 7-8 bottles of gatorade with no digestive issues,I have had problems in the past with abdominal discomfort during IM races ,but have been practicing this new race fueling plan all season with great results. It was now time to make up some serious ground -so I picked up the pace and sailed out of Hawi confident that my early pacing and hydration would begin to pay off. It did--I dialed in my cadence ,stayed in my aerobars ,monitored my heart rate and began to pass athletes in large numbers. I was having a great time and I felt incredible,but as I passed all these really fit guys and gals I could not help but wonder if I would explode.......... I was sailing back to Kona! I guess all the long hours of training were paying off and those really long weekend rides(5-7hrs) made this ride seem relatively easy---this was a good sign as there was still a marathon to run--I hoped! As I returned to Kona a stiff head wind had developed and you could see it taking it's toll on the athletes as they battled their way back to town. It made me think about race strategy,chances are a majority of these athletes pushed to hard early on and now were being beaten up by the wind--I felt there pain! As any cyclist knows -wind attacks from two fronts --the physical and the mental-- it can demoralize even the strongest athlete. It was also getting -- VERY HOT!  In 2007 , at mile 90 my poor hydration plan and undisciplined pacing were catching up with me,but on this day that was not the case. The Queen K can be a lonely expierence-- so returning to town was nice. Ok--time to run like an antelope!

A quick dismount and a hobble over to the run gear bags---oh no--my Garmin was still on the bike ! Hold on I need that thing--or maybe I wouldn't. I finally made it over to the changing tent and was greeted by Josh,this guy worked on my naging injury all week at the ART tent (Active Release Technique-I explained this service and technique in my Race Week blog) and now he was volunteering --this dude rocks! As I exited the tent I wished my buddy Paul Fronhofer a good day --and I-- well --I started running down Alii Drive --Holy sh..... really ,no way --I coulnd't believe it! I was actually running --YES! Not only was I running ,but I was running pretty well and the pain wasn't too bad. This moment -- I wil never forget! As I moved down Alii I could see coach Jesse ," How's it feel?" " It hurts,but it's not to bad" I thought if it gets no worse I will survive. It's was great having my coach and QT2 friends on the sideline cheering--Thank You. Over the course of the first several miles I payed close attention to my condition, at times the leg would sort of give out --this concerned me,but the pain was not overwhelming.  I guess the 400mgs of anti-inflams were helping,something was? My pace was off from the goal Jesse laid out,but the pace I was maintaning was comfortable ,I was afraid to go any harder.The run down Alii Drive is great ,there are crowds of spectators ,people with hoses spraying down athletes and really awesome aid stations with incredible volunteers. Oh ---- the view! Unfortunatly, this all ends as you climb up Palani Drive-ouch! and out on to the Queen K Highway-- again ----only this time running! Out on the Queen I made sure to hit each aid station taking gulps of gatorade and cups of ice. As I moved along the Queen K my condition remained the same and for the first time I thought about the finish line,but first I had to get through the Energy Lab --Oh no! This place nearly destroyed me in 2007! There is nothing nice about the lab, it is downhill going in ,but getting out is uphill and the air is so dead.Well--the view down there is great ,but all I could focus on was getting out--really. As I began the climb out,a doomed dark feeling came over me,a moment of PANIC, focus,just get to the aid station at the top,the suffering had started. The lab comes at the 16-18 mile point, as I said to the aid station volunteers as I exited the lab---"this place is wrong!"They chuckeled and I smiled --I knew I was on my way out .Holy smokes,it's brutal down there. I'm out--WOW--man is it @#%& HOT down there! I was back out on the Queen and releived that I had hurdled the depths of the Energy Lab.It's interesting how things changed as I went from being concerned with whether or not I would be able to run ,to reaching the point at about mile 12-13 where I believed that my leg would be ok,to the point in the Ironman where your just" fightin for survival ." Man I love this game! When people ask me why I do the Ironman ,I always say --"I love the unknown",this race is so long and grueling ,even more so in Hawaii, you  really never know what the day will bring -it's long and a lot can happen .Certainly , a lot can go wrong. It's a humbling expierence! I was now heading home,back to town,but it would be a grueling....... 5-6 miles.I walked through the remaining aid stations ,dumping ice down my jersey ,gulping gatorade,squeezing sponges over my face,dumping water over my head and just praying I could start running as I exited each station. I was still moving along pretty well, to my suprise and was now within 5 miles of the finish,a few quick- well not really quick- calculations --and I realized that my run time was really not bad--I could stay under 10 hrs overall even with this peg leg --push it! Yeah right --I am already going as hard as I can. Just hold on! As I reach this point in the race my legs are still moving somehow ,but it's like my body has seperated from my mind--it's weird. A few guys passed me around mile 23-24 , I tried to stay with them ,but thought if I push any harder I could be part of the Queen K carnage-- Ummm,no thanks--I backed off! I battled my way up the hill to the top of Palani Drive--oh my good lord.....will this hill ever end--- it did as I rounded the corner and started the downhill towards the finish line. I was within a mile. I really couldn't believe it , I just ran 26 miles, I haven't been able to run on land for the last 5 weeks --How did this happen? I crossed the line at 9hrs46min,totally amazed!

A special thanks to my entire family,my parents,brothers, my sister and her husband, for their support.They have helped me in so many ways.My friend Marc Ginsburg for his wisdom and guidance. Also, a very special thanks to Dan,Brendan,Renee,Cat and all the Perfect Blend customers,friends and employees.--Thank You So Much -- Thanks Coach Jesse and my QT2 Team and friends, thanks Pat and Courtney,Don and Paul for the rides in Hawaii ---- Mahalo!