Beginners and Beyond

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Ironman Mont-Tremblant - recap (Read 53 times)


delicate flower

    On Sunday August 21, I completed Ironman Mont-Tremblant.  My goal was to break 13 hours.  Also, just crossing the finish line in the 17 hour cutoff would have been fine too.

     

    Short recap:  In terrible weather, I had an awesome race.  I finished in 12:07:51.

     

    Longer recap:

     

    Background:  I was inspired to do this after DW did it last year and I was her support crew.  When she decided to do it again this year, I considered it for a few weeks before signing up.  If I was going to do this, I was going all in and I understood the level of commitment it would require.  I took some swim lessons, joined a masters swim group, bought a time trial bike, and hired a coach.

     

    Training:  Nine months of training started back in November.  My coach skews IM training towards the run.  The first six months focused on getting the run as strong as possible, and the last three months focused more on the bike.  I worked on the swim the entire time, as it needed the most work.  I trained 12-15 hours a week, peaking at 19 hours.  I think all the 12 hour weeks during the winter and early spring laid the foundation for a great training cycle.  I got stronger on the swim and bike than I thought I would.  I felt well trained and well prepared on race day.

     

    Race day:  As luck would have it, the weather was terrible.  Short of the race having to be shortened, the weather was about as bad as I had feared it could be in the days leading into the race.  Heavy rain and wind for almost the entire race.  The worst weather I have ever raced in.  Oh well, suck it up.  As I was in the starting corral, I was fully aware that I was in the starting corral of a frikkin Ironman.  I honestly felt a little over my head.

     

    Swim:  4200 yards (2.4 miles).  1:30:53.  Rank after swim:  1700/2480.

    The lousy weather started a little later in the morning, so the swim went off as scheduled and was the full distance.  That was really all I wanted.  The water was very rough though and I was in the biggest age group.  440 of us all dove in at the same time, and I was right in the middle of all the scrum.  I got knocked around a lot, by both the other swimmers and the rough water.  I just did my thing though.  I'd get hit or swam over, and I'd just keep swimming.  I even managed to pass some people.  I was able to spot the buoys (course markers) well and stay in a straight line.  The swimming was easy.  Dealing with all the contact was the trick.  It never got to me though.  I had a good swim.  2:03/100 yards over 4500 yards is a really solid swim for me, and I managed to beat 800 people.  I've come a long way in a short amount of time. Turns out the swim was the easiest part of the race.

     

    Transition 1:  Out of the water, out of the wetsuit, a pee stop, a .4 mile run to and through the transition tent to change clothes and put on the bike gear, and then grab the bike.  It took me 9:19, which I thought was pretty good.

     

    Bike:  112 miles (two 56 mile loops).  6:15:17 (17.9 mph).  5500' elevation gain.  Rank after bike:  1105.

    The rain started 20 miles into the bike ride and didn't let up.  It was pouring.  With all the water coming off the bikes in front of me, it felt like it was raining down and up.  I wore clear lens glasses which worked great.  It was also very windy.  20 mph winds with 35 mph gusts.  I took the first lap easy, per Coach's instructions.  I was passing people but I was keeping the effort "race easy."  I stayed right on top of my nutrition and felt good.  I reloaded my three bottles after one lap, right on schedule.  I was passing even more people in the second lap, which my coach said was going to happen if I stuck to the plan.  My legs felt great early in the second lap and I knew I was having a good ride.  The wind and rain never let up though, and I started to really feel that bike ride around mile 90.  I started to think about the run.  After passing so many people on the bike, I was wondering if they knew something I didn't.  These were seasoned Ironman finishers.  I was worried that I may have gone too hard on the bike.  My target was 6:30 and it took me 6:15.  That was the fastest century I have ever ridden without the benefit of drafting.  It's also my longest ride.  I saw DW twice on the bike going the opposite direction.      

     

    Transition 2: A smooth 4:36.  Out of the bike gear and into the run gear, including a change of shorts and socks.

     

    Run:  26.2 miles (two 13.1 mile loops).  4:07:46 (9:28 pace).   Final rank after run:  722.

    As I started the run, my legs felt surprisingly good!  Much better than I expected.  No worse than any other brick run I've had to do.  The big difference here was that I had to run 26.2 miles.  It was still dumping rain, which felt good on the body but I did not like having soaked socks and shoes.  I took this run one mile at a time.  I told myself to run a mile, then walk if I needed a break.  I treated this as 26 one mile laps, not a 26 mile run.  I started a little fast but settled into a "comfortable" 9:15-9:30 pace, knowing it'd get hard.  I figured I'd run anywhere from 3:45 to 4:15, so I just tried to keep each mile under 10:00.  I started to get pretty tired around mile 10 or so but I managed to hold my pace.  I got through 14 miles before I needed a walk break.  I ended up walking fast up the steeper hills, and took a couple of extra walk breaks late in the race.  I was too tired to run uphill.  I probably walked a quarter mile total, but ran the rest.  I felt like I was passing everyone in lap two.  Lots of people were walking.  I didn't expect to see so much of that.  I was running, but I was also hurting.  I saw DW around mile 18 of my race.  She was around mile 8.  I stopped and gave her a hug and some encouragement.  She was hurting but I had no doubt she'd finish.  The last 10K was very, very tiring and it was a grind.  I was just completely exhausted.  Everything hurt.  Mentally though I was still battling and locked in and was not giving in to fatigue.  I knew that as tired as I was, I was having a great day.  The rain finally stopped with about three miles to go.  It got warm and humid, and didn't envy those people that still had 3-5 hours to go.  With about 200 yards to the finish line at the last water station, I caught up to DW and she was finishing her first lap.  I walked with her for a bit until she told me to go.  I was completely spent, but I enjoyed that run down the finish chute.  I heard my name, my race time, and "You are an Ironman!"  I had the finish line to myself.  I walked across it, stopped under the clock, and let out a "WHOOOOO!" with my fists raised.

     

    A finish line volunteer stayed by my side for a couple of minutes to make sure I was ok.  They do this for every athlete.  I was exhausted but otherwise felt fine.  We parted ways and I plopped down on a chair in the finishers tent.  I hung my head and everything sort of hit me at once...the commitment, the early mornings, the long training days, and the awesome race that I had.  I got a little choked up (sappy, I know).  I hadn't gotten emotional since my first marathon.  Once I got over that, I immediately grabbed a huge plate of food and housed it.  That doesn't happen after my marathons.   I then took a hot shower at the hotel and went back to see DW finish.

     

    Coach said I could break 13 hours if I had a good day.  He said I could break 12 hours if the stars aligned.  I could not be happier with a 12:07 finish.  In these conditions, I knocked this race out of the park.

     

    The race results don't break down my placement for each discipline, which kind of stinks.  I'll have to wait for Athlinks to load the data to see that.  Looks like I was near the top 65% on the swim, top 40% on the bike, and top 13% on the run.  I know I can improve a lot on the first two.  I am already looking forward to doing another one of these.

     

    Thanks for reading and for putting up with all the Ironman talk the past year.  

    <3

    Half Crazy K 2.0


      I'm tired just reading this. Great job. So I am curious. Do the elites/pros change clothes in the transition & it's just edited out of TV coverage?

       

      The conditions sound brutal--did it have a significant impact on the bike part (crashes, skidding out, etc)?


      delicate flower

        Pics may or may not appear but I will try....

         

        My lonely bike in transition after bike drop off Saturday.

         

         

        Done with the swim!

         

        Free pic from Ironman!  Early in the ride.  No rain yet...

         

        50 miles into the bike, getting dumped on.

         

         

        And done!

         

         

        Definitely the largest medal I own.

         

         

        I ordered the pro pics because I am hoar.  I should have those tomorrow.

        <3


        delicate flower

          I'm tired just reading this. Great job. So I am curious. Do the elites/pros change clothes in the transition & it's just edited out of TV coverage?

           

          The conditions sound brutal--did it have a significant impact on the bike part (crashes, skidding out, etc)?

           

          Pros don't change clothes.  They wear a one piece outfit and don't wear socks.  They dress for speed and time.  I dress for comfort.

           

          Yeah, there were lots of mechanical issues.  I rode past a horrible crash just after the first responders arrived.  A guy going fast on a wet, curvy downhill lost control and took out three people going uphill.  Two guys ended up in the hospital with one in ICU.  When I rode by, it looked like bikes and bodies were everywhere.  I was surprised to hear only four people were involved.

          <3

          workinprogress11


            I am in awe of the commitment it took to not only do the training but to do it so faithfully that you executed an outstanding first race. Many congratulations to you.  You are an Ironman!!

            Docket_Rocket


              Amazing job on your first IM!  Congratulations!  It was a pleasure to stalk you that day!

              Damaris

               

              As part of the 2024 London Marathon, I am fundraising for VICTA, a charity that helps blind and visually impaired children. My mentor while in law school, Jim K (a blind attorney), has been a huge inspiration and an example of courage and perseverance. Please consider donating.

              Fundraising Page


              No more marathons

                Amazing job on your first IM!  Congratulations!  It was a pleasure to stalk you that day!

                yep.

                Boston 2014 - a 33 year journey

                Lordy,  I hope there are tapes. 

                He's a leaker!

                Ric-G


                  I've never read a full ironman account until now...and it was excellent. Great job of taking us thru the day. Amazing stuff and huge congrats to you and your wife. Recover well and it will be interesting to see how it goes next time. Enjoy this!

                  marathon pr - 3:16

                  Zelanie


                    Thank you for writing this up.  It is a really incredible achievement.  Congratulations!


                    delicate flower

                      Thanks, guys!

                       

                      Btw, when we finally got home Tuesday night and pulled into our driveway, we were greeted by some Oski handiwork.  This was pretty awesome to come home to.  Smile

                       

                       

                       

                       

                      <3

                      Cyberic


                        I was never interested in triathlons before, but all year, reading about all your training, it kinda crept on me a little. So your tri talk did not bug me at all, on the contrary.

                         

                        Dude, I'm really impressed. And I'm very happy for you. You put in the work, and you got the result. You aced it, ffs! Huge congrats!

                         

                        I was so curious to see how a serious runner like yourself would do in an Iron Man with all the dedication you put into training. I was wondering how the fatigue from the swim and the bike would affect your running. I was wondering many things and through your experience and your report, I can now project what a guy like myself could probably do, ball park figure. Because before your experience, I had no idea whatsoever. Again, your tri talk did not bug me at all, on the contrary.

                        PleasantRidge


                        Warm&fuzzy

                          Crazy as hell. Awe inspiring even.  You are much tougher than the average bear.  If you tried to fight me, I would run away.

                          Runner with a riding problem.

                          workinprogress11


                            Where's Oski's decorating report?

                            LRB


                              "I knew that as tired as I was, I was having a great day."

                               

                              That's how you do it, grab onto whatever you can and use that shit!

                               

                              That medal looks really nice, did you take it to work?

                               

                              Congrats on racing your arse off! You did yourself and your family and friends proud. I was telling people at work I know an Ironman. 


                              delicate flower

                                I was never interested in triathlons before, but all year, reading about all your training, it kinda crept on me a little. So your tri talk did not bug me at all, on the contrary.

                                 

                                Dude, I'm really impressed. And I'm very happy for you. You put in the work, and you got the result. You aced it, ffs! Huge congrats!

                                 

                                I was so curious to see how a serious runner like yourself would do in an Iron Man with all the dedication you put into training. I was wondering how the fatigue from the swim and the bike would affect your running. I was wondering many things and through your experience and your report, I can now project what a guy like myself could probably do, ball park figure. Because before your experience, I had no idea whatsoever. Again, your tri talk did not bug me at all, on the contrary.

                                 

                                My coach always says the Ironman is a runner's race.  Having that running background is a big advantage.  I was also a cyclist before I was a runner so I just had to rebuild that bike fitness.  As far as the swim goes, I didn't start quite at square one, but I was pretty darn close.  It's taken me 18 months to get where I am.

                                <3

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