IT WAS EPIC …
“Epic” seems to be the best word to describe this year - there really is no other way to put it. Without going into too many details let’s say this year has thrown me one life curveball after another of personal, health, family, technical bike failure and BEARS.... I covered it all.
This year has been an Ironman in its self of a personal journey that I feel is only just beginning.
This is a race report so I will stick to the basics because most of you reading this probably want to know more about the ins and outs of the course and how race day went down for me.
Quick note about the days leading up to the race: I drove up north on Wednesday morning before the race. Got to the house we rented just before dark and settled right in - quick dinner - quick session in the Normatec’s (now known as Norma) and bed. Thursday morning I got up had a quick breakfast, packed up and headed into town which was about a 40 minute drive away; a little longer than I was hoping for but “everything happens for a reason” words that have gotten me through so much this year. The house ended up being the safe place away from the madness that comes with so many type A personalities in one place. After a quick ride and run on the course I went to check-in, got tagged, weighed and numbered. Then after a quick stop at the store to stock up on food it was back home - lunch, Norma and nap time. Later that evening my friends Lisa and Lissie arrived who were also racing. We had a nice dinner together and I introduced them to Norma before getting an early night.
Friday was more of the same - quick trip into town, check-in for Lisa and Lissie after a super easy and quick spin and jog; then a quick drive of the course and home again to just relax. Friday night Tara and Dave arrived - I can honestly say that I’m not sure how I would have ever made it to the start line of this race without all of Tara’s support throughout the year. She has had to put on so many hats this year from coach to friend and push me when it was time... she wore each and every one perfectly. Thank you will never be enough.
Saturday morning started with one of my favorite parts about race day - the pancake breakfast. This was not a key race for QT2 so there was no organized breakfast. Tara and Dave - amazing as they are - put on their chefs hats and whipped up the best pancakes I think I have ever had…I didn’t think I could do it but I actually ate all 5 of mine. After breakfast we looked over our bags one more time then off to bike check in and bag drop. We tried to make this process the fastest possible in and out but for some reason these things always end up taking so much longer than you think they will. Then home for some more napping and one last session with Norma before an early dinner.
Just before bed it was time to sit down with Tara to talk about the plan for race day. QT2 race plans are pretty simple because they follow the rule of race how you train and train how you race; so I had a pretty good idea what race day was going to look like and my only surprise was the predicted times Tara had in mind. I brushed them off as her just being a little crazy and grabbed our race day plan to put it under my pillow for the night. I slept surprisingly well that night, at least a solid 6 hours and generally speaking I was super calm. I embraced lessons I have learned this year: “Surrender to what is, to let go of what was and to have faith in what will be” and “Control what you can and don’t waste worry and energy on what you can’t.”
Race day…
Ok now finally for the good part...
Up at 3:45 - Breakfast, shower then grab last couple of bits and pieces and we were in the car by 4:45 - thanks to our super Sherpa’s - Tara and Dave - it was super easy because they dropped us off and took care of parking and met us down at the swim start.
There really is nothing more magical than a cool Ironman race morning - the slight nervous feeling, the focusing and getting into your zone - I love nothing more.
The swim was a wave start. My AG was the very last wave; which at first I was not super happy about but actually it was not as bad as I had imagined it to be. I found some girls right at the start that were aiming for the same swim time and I’m pretty sure we managed to hang together pretty much the entire swim. It got a bit busy towards the end and I had to do some bobbing and weaving around some older gentlemen but I came out of the water right on pace @ 1:08
Heading into T1 I saw Tara and got my confirmation of “great swim” which was an extra added boost heading out onto the bike. I have to say the transitions for this Ironman were amazing - the red carpet heading from the swim to bike were wonderful to run on. I can honestly say I have not come across more helpful volunteers anywhere, at any race. They were helpful, fast and efficient. They were pro’s andI was in and out of T1 in no time and on to the bike.The IMMT bike course is probably the best course I’ve ever ridden. Freshly paved, steady up-hills that were rewarded by huge down-hills where you can really fly and ample spectators in the sections through two areas of town. Aid stations were well placed on the slower sections of the course. It was a double out and back with a few side sections.
The first loop of the bike was a bit crowded and I was having some issues getting boxed in by a pack of guys that forced some power spikes that I could have done without but by the second loop there were large sections were it felt like I was pretty much riding on my own. The last couple miles of the bike are a bit mean - you pretty much ride right through town and then they make you climb what I would almost describe as stairs away from transitions. This was the first time ever that I changed my Garmin to show me the mileage - tricky part was that the mileage display came along with time and I was shocked. I never look at time in a race because I don’t ever want to be held hostage by my time. I like to just stick to my plan, follow it the best I can and see what that brings at the end of the day. But to my surprise I was just over 5:15 and after doing some quick math I realized I could actually get off the bike under 5:30 if I just stayed strong these last couple miles and I did 5:29:05… barley but I did it.
Coming into T2 I noticed that there were not too many bikes... ummm I thought this must be going pretty well for me. As soon as I handed off my bike to the volunteer and my feet hit the ground I knew the day was just about to get better - my legs were right there for me. I flew through transition - again with the aid of the most amazing volunteers.
Heading out of T2 I saw Tara and Dave. Tara seemed very excited and was making gestures but I could not quite tell what they were supposed to mean so I just kept running. First mile out of T2 was uphill so perfect to get the HR right to where it needed to be and let me settle right in. The temps could have not been more perfect rising but still in the mid 70’s when I started the run. There were plenty of aid stations with ice and sponges. I grabbed two sponges at the first aid station and then it was all about keeping the core temp down - ice on top of the sponges at every aid station.
The run course was just perfect. A couple of hills in and out of town, an 8 mile stretch along a dirt road and then a loop through town to get that adrenaline pumping - it gave you just enough taste of the most amazing finish line to come.
In town I also saw my teammate Rudy, his brother Steve was also racing. It’s amazing how the cheers can add to your fire - Rudy popped up in 3 different places in a 2 mile section like magic. Heading back out of town I saw Tara and Dave again … I didn’t think it was possible but they seemed even more excited than the first time I saw them. This time I was pretty sure Tara was holding up 3 or 4 fingers. Ok time to dig deep… pretty sure there would only be 3 slots for the big Island in my AG and I assumed what Tara was trying to tell me is that I was running in 3or 4 place in my AG. To be honest I still don’t know where I was at that point - it was hard to tell with some on their first loop others on their second - I just kept telling myself this is your chance, your one opportunity.
I was feeling good - all up until mile 20. However I was prepared - race morning Tara had warned me. “The last 10K are all going to come down to how much heart you have - it’s going to hurt” and that it did. I kept thinking just one more mile, you can do anything for one more mile - just make sure no one passes you and keep moving forward.
The crowds were increasing now as we passed the spectators on the lake and finally made it into town. The finish shoot of this Ironman is just mind blowing leading us right through the center of town. A Tour d’France feeling with spectators just stacked deep on either side cheering like their lives depended on it. There were so many emotions running through me as I crossed that line that it was almost an out of body experience.
Just after I crossed the line my friend Darbi came up to me. She was the first OA amateur to cross the line in a blazing 9:33 - no wonder I did not see her all day. She asked me how I did and what my times were and I had to honestly tell her I didn’t know. Not until that moment looking at my watch did I realize I had just run a 3:20 marathon at the end of an Ironman. Doing the best I could with my math - Ironman makes you stupid - I figure out with Darbi’s help that I must have gone just over 10 hours.
Words will never be enough to express my gratitude to my coach Tara and the rest of the QT2 family for helping me realize this dream. I could have not gotten through this year without their unconditional support, understanding and love from my friends.
It’s all still sinking in but I have exceeded all of my expectations of what I ever thought was possible.
10:04:06 - good enough for 2nd OA amateur, 1st in my AG and YES a ticket to KONA !!!!
THANK YOU. NEXT STOP KONA BABY !!!!!!