Notes
Got off the bike with the realization that I only had to do a 3:30 to crack 10 hours. I saw a lot of really good triathletes out there on the run - Chris Jolly, Phil Spencer, Tom Lamphier, Sam Piccici, and my favorite bad ass, Conrad Band. Started out and settled into a 7:30 pace. The first lap was hard, but steady. Finished the first lap and realized the guys behind me, Phil, Tom and Sam, were not gaining at all and I was in fact putting time on them. Finished the first lap at about 1:39, slightly over a 7:30 pace. Started the second lap and thought - as we always say in training - the Ironman is all about the run and the run, and therefore the race, does not start until the beginning of the second half of the marathon. Heading up Lakeside I found Chris Jolly. I sat right on his heals and we were doing about a 7:35-7:40 pace. Passed Michael Bergquist finishing his first lap in a defeated walk. I decided to stay right behind Chris Jolly and thought I can pull an Eve Nelson and out sprint him at the end. I stayed right there until about mile 18 when we caught Conrad. He looked great but explained that he was suffering from leg cramps. I told him to be brave, as if he needed to hear that from me. After that I got frustrated with Jolly's pace and passed. For the first mile I was afraid I made my move too early, but I never turned around to look. At the turn around at mile 20, I realized that I had put some good time on him and kept running like I'd stolen something. At the turn, Conrad said I was only 2 minutes behind Ben Greenfield. Talk about a reason to keep running as hard as I could!! I saw Ben at mile 24 and held back a bit before executing a pass. I wanted to pass him before getting to Sherman so it didn't end up being a sprint. I passed him at mile 25 and said "good job, Ben." He said "good job, Troy." At that point I started running as hard as I could. As we turned onto Sherman, I turned to look back and there was no one there. I kept up the pace and finished the race with a 9:45:40 and a marathon split of 3:19:16, a pace of 7:37, just a bit faster that my goal pace of 7:40. Best race of my life. Perhaps the best part of the day was seeing Eve, Mom, Conrad and Sam after the finish. Also it was petty cool coming home and telling Tate that we're going to Kona!