Intro

Follow my training and fundraising progress towards Ironman Boulder. Help me raise $4,000 for Ironman Foundation's Community Fund to enhance the well-being of the Boulder community through charitable support.

Wednesday, August 20, 2014

Race Report - IRONMAN Boulder (8/3/2014)

My first reaction to "writing a race report" as I sit down is to begin in January when I made the decision to spend the better half of 2014 training for IRONMAN Boulder and continue paragraph after paragraph on to the demands that ensued.  Finishing an IRONMAN is more about the hard work and dedication you put in.  This includes the highs, the lows of training day in and day out for almost 8 months.  The support required from your family, weekday and weekend.  All of this, before even getting to the actual race report.  I'll spare you that level of verbosity and leave you with a few photos, my support and a brief recap of the race itself.

SUPPORT

I can't say it enough.  You can't get through all of this without them.

The biggest thanks goes out to Christine, my lovely wife, the mother of my 2 precious kids and the most supportive IRONWIFE I could ever have.  She is not only the wife that supported this effort and cause but also was my nutritionist, my coach and my friend.

My coach Nicole Clark for helping me figure out how to get through this year -- her 9 month journey during this time period while giving birth to her little Lucas.  All the while, answering my late night texts of my complaining, whining or worrying.

I also give thanks to the medical professionals that helped me get through a knee injury and subsequent surgery in 2013 to the end of the this race.  Dr. Stephen Paul at Boulder Orthopedics, Dr. Jason Glowney at Boulder Center for Sports Medicine, Carole Thiele my Physical Therapist.

I thank other medical professionals for injury prevention and recovery.  Kat Hearty the best sports massage therapist in the world and Dr. Kevin Reichlin at the Colorado Athletic Club.

My new triathlon friends at Lifetime and with the IRONMAN-Foundation Newton Running Ambassador Triathlon Team--it puts a smile on my face knowing that many of you will be lifelong friends.

Other friends and family for believing in me, thank you.

DONORS

Together, we raised $4,500.  Thanks to all of you, a total of $100,000 in grants will given to local nonprofit organizations from the Ironman Foundation (IMF).
http://www.dailycamera.com/boulder-ironman-events/ci_26228568/ironman-giving-back-boulder-100-000-grants

I can't thank each and everyone of you enough; our $4,500 was one of the largest single fundraisers for this event and cause in 2014.  This also gave our team the ability to volunteer with great organizations such as Environmental Learning for Kids (http://www.elkkids.org/).

I thank you, the IRONMAN Foundation thanks you and the youth and other non-profits in the Denver/Boulder area thank you.


THE RACE

Days leading up to the race, my anxiety levels were extremely high.  While I was confident in my ability to get through the race and I had no specific worries or nerves, the stress was high.  This continued as it always does until my head first bows below the surface of the water on race morning.  As my head pops back up, my first breath of open swim fresh air and sun shining in my face leads to a sudden rush of adrenaline, happiness and freedom.

Backing up, the race morning all began with a 3:30AM alarm clock, shoveling food and drink down my mouth and racing off to the Boulder High School (Christine dropped me off at 4AM).  Once I arrived to the Reservoir, the standard transition routines begin.  Check your tires, put air in your tires, stretch, use the bathroom, continue sipping on electrolytes and begin clearing your head.  My teammate and friend David Tolbert hands me a bracelet, "HARDEN THE FUCK UP!" - I laugh but little do I know how many times I will glance down and this during the day when I am feeling low.  THANK YOU DAVID!


THE SWIM.  2.4m.  This was the most enjoyable part of the day.  The adrenaline, the excitement, the cool body temperature,  the sun on the back of your neck with the cool rush of water, and to be honest the easiest part of the entire day.  It would last only 1 hour 22 minutes.  I exited the water with so much energy and excitement.  No panic, stress or anxiety the entire swim.  I avoided all serious face kicks, took on no water in my goggles, felt strong the entire way.  

I also learned that I could push myself, even over 2.4 miles, a lot harder than I did in this race.  I finished 3 minutes quicker than the fastest time I was expecting and not only left a lot in the tank but felt GREAT.


THE CENTURY.  112m.  I felt strong for the first 56 miles of this course.  I also received a penalty on the first half for drafting that I would not serve out until after mile 90--constantly thinking about that 4 minute stop and not knowing where the tent was.  This was a horrible feeling!  Note:  This was NOT intentional drafting!

I began to realize how many great people I have met throughout this journey.  With thousands of people in the field, you do not expect to bump into many.  BUT I DID.  Steven, Nick, Joe, Molly, Dianne, and everyone else--this is one of the first great feelings of the long day.  Seeing your friends begin their struggle or endure as we get to the end of the bike.

The second half would begin at special needs.  A quick bathroom break and nausea sets in hard.  I would not eat my sandwich here.  I still attempt to maintain as much nutrition as possible through my gels, bonk breakers, salt stick and power bar fruit as possible.  I maintain my water schedule and dump as much cold water over my head, neck, back and legs as is possible.  At some point I meet a woman that had just attempted IRONMAN Switzerland and DNF'd due to nausea -- we exchange conversation off and on for at least 20 miles and she tells me that she told NO ONE about entering IRONMAN Boulder.  She did not want to let anyone down this time so she planned on surprising them after she crossed the finish line.

This nausea would last until I began the run slowing me down 25% over the course of the last 56 miles on the bike.  I would need to dig deep and fight from puking as I try to maintain cadence over the false flats.  I would get to a point where I wondered if I would even finish the bike, even though I had less than 15 miles left.  I knew I would, but the question still came up.  I wondered if I would DNF like the lady I met earlier.  I wanted nothing but to stand on my feet and run.


THE MARATHON.  26.2m.  BUT it turns out, I would not run.  At least, not for a large portion of this leg. While I was nothing short of ecstatic about being off my bike and beginning to throw one foot after the other, it became very clear right away that the second half of the bike had physically wrecked me.  The remainder of this race would become a balance between running 9:30-:10:30 minute miles to walking 13:00-14:00 minute miles.  Although when I saw how fast my friend Jennifer was power walking, I implemented her moves and easily improved my walk pace!

The course was a 2 loop including 3 separate out and backs.  Brutal mentally.  However, this layout also means TOP CLASS SPECTATING.  I've never seen this number of spectators in the past.  It also means that you get to see your teammates and friends over and over and over again.  I would get rushes of adrenaline each time I saw everyone.  When I cheered for them and when they cheered for me.

Seeing my wife Christine, sons Ethan and Noah, my mother and father more than once during the run would lift my spirits again and remind me that they know I will see them at the finish line one way or another.  The echo of Ethan yelling "GOOOOO DADDD" rings through my head until the end.

I would run half of this course exchanging positions with my friends Orrick and Jennifer and/or running alongside them.  The three of us would finish this race within 10 minutes of each other.  Knowing they were so close to me through to the end was like a gravity to the finish line.


RESULTS

Estimate:  11:59-13:55 hrs
Actual:  13:26:13 hrs

Based on my paces and how I was feeling the week leading up to the race--I printed some estimates for my family to help plan their spectating the day of the race.  I expected something under 14 hours.  I'd have a shot at a sub-12 hour race.  You might be wondering how there is a 2+ hour differential between these.  If you have ever done an IRONMAN or a race that takes more than 8 hours you will know that there are so many things that can go right or wrong.  You'll also know that there are even more unexpected eventualities. 


Overall, I enjoyed my experience and started the year with the intention of nothing more than finishing.  I'm happy to report I suffered no injuries and my knee held up through all the rigors of IRONMAN Boulder.