Ironman Louisville - TriathlonFull Ironman


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Louisville, Kentucky
United States
World Triathlon Corporation
93F / 34C
Sunny
Total Time = 13h 55m 32s
Overall Rank = 990/1975
Age Group = M25-29
Age Group Rank = 98/166
Pre-race routine:

2AM wake up to chug down 4 ensures, and then back to sleep. Up at 440 again to get dressed grab my bike bottles, eat an oatmeal bar, and head for transition. Got the bike loaded up, dropped of my special needs bags and made the march to Tumbleweed for the swim start. Was body marked and ready to go. But, then I had to wait for my fiance to come down at 630. So, I just chilled out for 30 minutes or so.
Event warmup:

None really. Shuffled in line for 23 minutes before I got into the water and chatted up a guy from Wisconsin who did IMWI last year. Got minimal air on my jump off the dock b/c I'm 100% slow twitch fibers now and can't jump over a phonebook.
Swim
  • 1h 35m 45s
  • 4224 yards
  • 02m 16s / 100 yards
Comments:

Felt alright for most of it. Mixed between unilateral and bilateral breathing. Did unilateral on the first third to the turnaround buoy and then settled in to my normal bilateral breathing on the way back home. Could a few kicks and elbows, but it wasn't too rough. With about 10 min to go in the swim, I started to feel some abdominal and diaphragm cramping. Nothing too severe yet, but it had me worried. Was shooting for between 90-100 minutes, so I split the difference perfectly.
What would you do differently?:

Learn how to swim faster (goal for next year) and figure out a way to not cramp up.
Transition 1
  • 04m 53s
Comments:

Put on helmet and shades in tent and put my bike tool in my back pocket. Ran to bike with socks and shoes before I put them on. Got sprayed with sunscreen on the way.
What would you do differently?:

Nothing. It went just fine.
Bike
  • 7h 03m 50s
  • 112 miles
  • 15.86 mile/hr
Comments:

You can call me molasses. I cramped for the first 80 miles of the bike, and then they just mysteriously went away. I basically just rode easy most of the day. Leisurely 112 mile bike ride. I got off twice during the ride. Once b/c I lost my chain going up a small hill, and the 2nd time at the special needs area to hit the porty potty and have a 100 cal bag of Chips Ahoy. Other than the cramps I felt great. I had a half/half water/gatorade mixture in my aero bottle for the first hour before switching to my Infinit for the last 6. Took 2-3 Endurolytes every hour and had some shot blocks as well. I did throw up a couple of times in my mouth from the cramping, but kept it down mostly. I also think I mastered the snot rocket without getting it on my bike shorts. I sat up for the hills and just spun up them, but did pass quite a few folks on the hills though. They were actually nothing compared to the hills I rode for a century about 3 weeks ago. Once the cramping went away, I started to get on it a bit more and passed probably 50-60 folks on the way in and I was feeling great. Got to transition feeling fresh and ready to roll.
What would you do differently?:

I would like to have pushed harder, but my cramps wouldn't allow it. I feel like I could easily shave 45 min to an hour off of this though.
Transition 2
  • 09m 13s
Comments:

They bike catcher took my bike and I grabbed my Endurolytes out of there and then jog/walked to my run bag. Got in the tent and put Aquaphor on my feet, got the shoes on, took some tylenol and dumped the rest so I could have a place for my Endurolytes. Used the porta-potty, got some sunscreen and was off jogging.
What would you do differently?:

Maybe go a little faster, but it was nice to sit down in the tent for a minute.
Run
  • 5h 01m 51s
  • 26.2 miles
  • 11m 31s  min/mile
Comments:

Really happy with my first marathon. I ran aid station to aid station and didn't walk in between. I used the sponges at every station for the first half, but my feet were sloshing pretty bad at the special needs bag at mile 13, so I changed my socks, and didn't use any more sponges. I felt pretty good for the first half. Had no blisters on my feet, but I started to chaffe terribly under my arms at about mile 17. Have some pretty bad abrasions in that area now (Aquaphor in the pits dummy). Feet and knees stated to hurt pretty bad after mile 16 (which happened to be my longest run up to that point). But the fact that UK was wearng out UL kept me going on the run. I just kept plugging along and "The Line" never really came. I just told myself I wasn't going to walk unless it was at an aid station and I wasn't going to stop for anything else, and I kept trucking. Took 2 bathroom breaks on the run. Finished strong by running with good form and pace down the chute. Broke my goal time by 5 minutes.
What would you do differently?:

Aquaphor under the arms. Lots of it. Or BodyGlide. Or both.
Post race
Warm down:

Uhhh.....none. I did get a less than stellar massage and tried to eat something, but I felt pretty nauseous. Walked a mile to bike up my bike from transition and then walked back to the hotel, does that count?

What limited your ability to perform faster:

Cramps on the bike. Not a big enough base. A single century and 1 16 mile run were my 2 long efforts.

Event comments:

Great race. I'm from KY so I'm used to the heat and humidity, but it can be a shocker for some folks. I'm glad it was hot and nasty that day. I was ready for it and I just wanted to conquer the course at its hardest.




Last updated: 2007-08-28 12:00 AM
Swimming
01:35:45 | 4224 yards | 02m 16s / 100yards
Age Group: 137/166
Overall: 1588/1975
Performance: Average
Suit: Pearl Izumi Race Suit
Course: .8 mile swim up a channel around an island. Made a U-turn up past the island and then headed back downstream to Waterfront Park and the transition area.
Start type: Plus:
Water temp: 84F / 29C Current: Low
200M Perf. Average Remainder: Average
Breathing: Good Drafting: Below average
Waves: Navigation: Average
Rounding: Good
T1
Time: 04:53
Performance: Good
Cap removal: Good Helmet on/
Suit off:
Wetsuit stuck? Run with bike: Yes
Jump on bike: Yes
Getting up to speed:
Biking
07:03:50 | 112 miles | 15.86 mile/hr
Age Group: 129/166
Overall: 1420/1975
Performance: Average
Seg 1 22.5 miles/15.69 miles/hr Seg 2 21.4 miles/14.60 mil/hr Seg 3 30.5 miles/15.03 mil/hr Seg 4 37 miles/17.33 mil/hr
Wind: Some with gusts
Course: First and last 10 miles were flat. Had a rough out and back with curvy downhill and then right back up again and then another uphill before the turnaround, but I had done this before during a HIM last month, so I knew what to expect. The there was a two loop route that passed by LaGrange. Had some decent hills, but nothing severe. Mostly just rolling as advertised. Some rough road in areas, but I didn't lose any bottles or anything.
Road: Smooth Dry Cadence:
Turns: Average Cornering: Average
Gear changes: Average Hills: Good
Race pace: Comfortable Drinks: Just right
T2
Time: 09:13
Overall: Good
Riding w/ feet on shoes
Jumping off bike
Running with bike Good
Racking bike
Shoe and helmet removal Good
Running
05:01:51 | 26.2 miles | 11m 31s  min/mile
Age Group: 98/166
Overall: 990/1975
Performance: Good
Seg 1 4 mi:9:54/miles Seg 2 4.3 mi:10:41/mile Seg 3 4.15 mi:11:57/mile Seg 4 3.5 mi:12:04/mile Seg 5 4.3 mi:11:49/mile Seg 6 4.15 mi:12:37/mile Seg 7 1.8 mi:11:45/mile
Course: Fairly flat and shady run out third street. Couple of really mild incline/declines, but nothing major. 2 loop course.
Keeping cool Good Drinking Just right
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall: Good
Mental exertion [1-5] 4
Physical exertion [1-5] 4
Good race? Yes
Evaluation
Course challenge Just right
Organized? Yes
Events on-time? Yes
Lots of volunteers? Yes
Plenty of drinks? Yes
Post race activities: Good
Race evaluation [1-5] 4