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IMKY Pre-race report (aka ramblings of a nervous triathlete)
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 2007-08-19 9:06 AM |
Champion  10154    Alabama |  Subject: IMKY Pre-race report (aka ramblings of a nervous triathlete)From my training log: July Totals: Swimming: 760 laps = 22 miles Running: 133 miles Biking 461 miles ~ 68 hrs of training x 31/7 = 15 hrs/week IM Training Total (since March 1) Swimming: 2,580 laps = 73 miles Running: 437 miles Biking 1,390 miles ~216 hrs = 10 hrs/wk And 19 days before the race I blow out my back! 13 days ago I was bucking hay for my wife and tried to throw a bail of hay too high and pulled or tore something in my lower back. After 49 consecutive days of at least one workout per day, I went 12 day w/o anything. I could barely walk or even stand up for very long. I went for an easy 4 miles this morning and it felt like I had a knife sticking in my back the whole time. I'm am still in near constant pain from my back even though it has been 12 days since I injured it. I've tried ice packs, a heating pad, back massages and ibuprophen with little or no effect. Yesterday I decided I needed to find out if I was gonna be able to ride my bike with my back hurting. I rode with discomfort for the first half hour or so but then I guess my back muscles warmed up and the pain stopped. I ended up riding 50 miles in a little under 3 hrs. I was hoping for a similar experience with the run this morning but I was hurting the whole time. I did not get my weight down to where I wanted to be for the race but I'm at 252 lbs this morning which is 23 lbs less than when I signed up for this race and 48 lbs under my max of 300 lbs 20 months ago when I bought my first triathlon bike. The ironman race will be next Sunday in Louisville, KY. I will take off work on Friday and drive up. I've had a room booked at the Galt House now since November. I plan to get there about noon and get settled in. There is a welcome banquet on Friday night that I will attend. Saturday morning I will go for a practice swim at 0800 hrs. After that I will just be hanging out till race time. I plan to meet up with an internet friend of mine that I've corresponded with for nearly 10 years but have never met. She is a crime scene analyst with the Louisville PD and shares my love of movies. The following is my mental think-thru of race day and is more for my benefit than yours. Swim: Race day will start with a 0500 wake-up. I recently learned that Louisville is on Eastern time so this will feel like 0400 hrs for me. The race starts at 0700 hrs in the Ohio River and will be a "mass start" with some 2,000 swimmers all vying for position in the river. I've heard the mass start can be pretty brutal with people swimming right over the top of you. I kinda doubt many people would attempt to swim over me but they might think I'm a manatee or something and try to hitch a ride! The swim will be 1.2 miles up the river and 1.2 miles back down. In the pool, 2.4 miles takes me about 95 minutes. With the chaotic mass-start, the river current, waves, and the lack of lane buoys to keep me on course, I'm not sure how long the river swim will take but I'm expecting a similar time. T1 and Bike: After getting out of my swim suit and getting into biking attire, I'll get on the bike. I'm expecting T1 to take about 5 minutes as I've got to down some fuel and I expect congestion and confusion in the changing tent. The bike course heads out of town and has been described as "rolling hills". This is a big unknown to me as one man's idea of 'rolling hills' might be my idea of grueling, leg-sapping, out-of-my-seat climbs. I don't know how much energy the swim will take out of me but I usually feel pretty good after my swims so I'm not expecting to start the bike 'worn out'. In training I've 112 miles has been taking me about 7 hrs. The hills, the wind, the weather and starting at 9 am after swimming 2.4 miles instead of starting at 6 am fresh out of the sack are the unknown factors. So in the best of all worlds, I will finish about 7 hrs with the worst case (windy, hilly, hot/humid course) of about 8 hrs. T2 and Run: After I get off the bike and convince my back that it needs to stand up straight again after being hunched over for 7+ hrs, I will transition to running gear. I expect they will have some sort of shower or water hoses set up in T2 to rise the sweat off. From previous triathlons I know that it takes a while to get your running legs back. I have never run a marathon after biking 112 miles so this is where the real challenge of the race will be. With say 1:50 on the swim, 5 for T1, 7:30 on the bike and 5 for T2, this put me at 9:30 into the race or about 4:30 pm. Heck of a time to start a marathon! Should be plenty warm by then. Hydration is gonna be a huge factor on this race. My first and best marathon was in 2002 and was just under 5 hrs. I was 20 lbs lighter back then and was running in cool of the morning. My worst marathon was about 6:30 I think. The big unknown for the run is 'fatigue'. Even if I manage to stay hydrated, your body can only process about 400 calories per hour. I will be expending about 700 calories per hour. Carb-loading before the race only takes you so far and the glycogen stored in the muscles is pretty much used up on the swim so after the next 7 hrs of biking under a calorie deficit, I just don't know what the run is gonna feel like. The good news is, the course is open for 17 hrs so if I perform close to my training times on the swim and bike, I will have 7:30 hrs to complete the marathon. I can walk at about 3 mph so walking a marathon would take me about 9 hrs. I say this to remind myself that 'walking' the marathon is NOT an option. If the swim and/or bike legs take me longer than expected, this cuts into my margin and reduce my chances of finishing the race w/i the allowable 17 hrs. There will be several professional triathletes on the course and you can look for them to finish in about 10 hrs. Then there will be many people trying to qualify for Kona, HI (the World Championships) and I figure they will be shooting for a sub-11 or 12 hr time. Then there will be the middle-packers who have jobs and families but are experience and in great shape. Finally, the first-timers like me who really need another 3 months of hard training before they are ready will come straggling in. Originally Casey and the kids were gonna drive up Saturday morning and watch the race on Sunday but turns out Nick's football jamboree is next Saturday so they won't be going up. This is just as well anyway as triathlons are not exactly spectator sports. You see your man for a couple of minutes at the start and then he disappears in a sea of swim caps for an hour and a half. Then you'd see him (maybe) on the way to the changing tent and then getting on the bike. Then you don't see them again for 7+ hrs! OK, you get the idea. My since running is my biggest challange, I plan to work as hard as I can on the bike to allow as much time as I can for the run. My goal is to finish under 17 hrs and avoid a humiliating DNF. ~Mike Edited by Rogillio 2007-08-19 9:08 AM |
| 2007-08-19 9:27 AM in reply to: #930815 |
Champion 5575 Butler | Subject: RE: IMKY Pre-race report (aka ramblings of a nervous triathlete) Good luck. HOpefully you back cooperates. |
| 2007-08-19 10:24 AM in reply to: #930815 |
Bob 2194 Binghamton, NY | Subject: RE: IMKY Pre-race report (aka ramblings of a nervous triathlete) I am sorry to hear about your back! I was just stacking 200 bales of hay last weekend and was thinking that I had better be careful with IMWI in a few weeks! I can sympathize with you. Have you tried any water jogging? It's a great way to get some run time in without the impact. If you have an orthopedic that you trust it might be good to see him to be sure there is nothing that is seriously wrong with your back. Massage is another option to try, sometimes that can do wonders. Good luck in next weekend. You have put the time in and can say you had a great 12 day taper. Do your thing and keep smiling!! Have a blast if you can!! Bob |
 2007-08-19 10:36 AM in reply to: #930815 |
| Subject: ... This user's post has been ignored. |
| 2007-08-19 11:29 AM in reply to: #930843 |
| Champion 10154 Alabama | Subject: RE: IMKY Pre-race report (aka ramblings of a nervous triathlete) JeepFleeb - 2007-08-19 10:36 AM Rogillio - 2007-08-19 9:06 AM I've never seen this before at an IM and certainly wouldn't expect it. You might want to put some wet wipes in your T2 bag or a bottle of water and a small towel in order to freshen up.I expect they will have some sort of shower or water hoses set up in T2 to rise the sweat off.
Really? I guess I got this idea the other day when they rebroadcast the 2006 HI ironman. They had some area that had like hoses hanging down and people would douse off with it. But now that I think about it, that was in T1 not T2. I guess a bottle of water over the head will just have to do. Thanks! ~Mike |
| 2007-08-19 12:58 PM in reply to: #930815 |
| Regular 109 Denton TX. | Subject: RE: IMKY Pre-race report (aka ramblings of a nervous triathlete) Your report should have ended at "My goal is to finish under 17 hrs". Don't even think about a DNF. I will be one of many BT'ers following you online, and pulling for you to finish!!! |
| 2007-08-19 1:29 PM in reply to: #930815 |
| Bob 2194 Binghamton, NY | Subject: RE: IMKY Pre-race report (aka ramblings of a nervous triathlete) |
| 2007-08-19 1:46 PM in reply to: #930928 |
| Champion 5615 | Subject: RE: IMKY Pre-race report (aka ramblings of a nervous triathlete) That's an awesome pre-race report Mike. I can't wait to see the post-race report and see how it links up. Target your goal for something sooner than 17 hours and use 17 hours as your fallback point if you start to have problems on race day. Of course, you might not want to take my advice. I'm 2 weeks behind you with my first IM in 3 weeks. Great training and can't wait to watch you cross the finish line. |
| 2007-08-19 2:17 PM in reply to: #930875 |
| Subject: ... This user's post has been ignored. |
| 2007-08-19 2:45 PM in reply to: #930815 |
| Veteran 163 NYC | Subject: RE: IMKY Pre-race report (aka ramblings of a nervous triathlete) Rogillio, how come it doesn't show your post count next to your name? awesome job on your weight loss...  I'm also staying at the Galt and will be attending the practice swim on Sat as well. I have very similar goals... come in under 17 hours and avoid a DNF.... also feeling somewhat undertrained but trying to approach this as a "let's go out there and eat a lot of food on the course and have a fun day" mindset. in reality, I am doing it all for a beer at the finish try and not get to worried... see you there!! courtney |
| 2007-08-19 3:34 PM in reply to: #930815 |
| Veteran 202 Broad Brook | Subject: RE: IMKY Pre-race report (aka ramblings of a nervous triathlete) Mike, good luck and dont worry you will finish the IM you have put the training and time in. This will give your body a well deserved rest before the race I will be out there on the race course and looking for you what is your bib # so I can give you a kick in the shorts. Dave bib #412 |
| 2007-08-19 7:02 PM in reply to: #930815 |
| Member 51 Hartland, Wisconsin | Subject: RE: IMKY Pre-race report (aka ramblings of a nervous triathlete) ICE & IBUPROFEN HEAT & Massage I read your report this morning and then slipped and fell on the steps at the gym as I was hurrying to get the last open lane in the pool. No permanent injuries though. Keep the faith and muscle through it. I think we are all going to be in pain at the end, your just getting a jump start. |
| 2007-08-19 9:14 PM in reply to: #930815 |
| Veteran 217 | Subject: RE: IMKY Pre-race report (aka ramblings of a nervous triathlete) I hoping for a similar finish and will be back there with the strugglers. In the pool I have about a 2 hour swim for 2.4 so that is where the anxieties settle in. But hey like everyone is saying lets go for it. Let's have fun. Hope to see everyone there I am leaving tommorow to stay with my parents who live there. I want to get away so that i can get mentally focused. Being a minister if I stay here anymore days I will never get focused. Praying for everyone to have a great week. And praying that al linjuries will be healed. God bless and God speed |
| 2007-08-20 6:16 AM in reply to: #930815 |
| Champion 10154 Alabama | Subject: RE: IMKY Pre-race report (aka ramblings of a nervous triathlete) Thanks for al the encouragment! I will be # 1669 so when you pass me on the course, say "Go BT" or something of the sort.
I went to bed with back pain and woke up this monring and it felt like someone stuck a sharp dagger in my lower back. Evidenlty those 4 miles yesterday aggravated whatever is wrong in my back. I'm gonna try to get in to see an ortho doc today (if I can find someone to see me) and make sure this is just a muscle thing and not a ruptured disc or something serious. I can deal with the pain as long as I know I'm not gonna permanantly damage something.
~Mike |
| 2007-08-20 6:33 AM in reply to: #930815 |
| Champion 19812 MA | Subject: RE: IMKY Pre-race report (aka ramblings of a nervous triathlete) Mike, Good luck trying to get someone to see you this week very smart move. I love your report of all you have done to prepare, lost weight, trained smart, and your hopes and expectations come race day. As someone in similar situation looking forward to my first IM next July just to finish, I love reading about regular folks who are doing something huge...gives me hope/motivation and inspiration. Congrats on the weight loss, smart training, get your back checked out and hope it responds well to the next week's tapering. I had back surgery about 10 years ago and last year before each A race it acts up which is super rare...annoying to say the least. I found someone who did ART on it and it seemed to help. We will be cheering for you from our computer mointors!
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| 2007-08-20 8:10 AM in reply to: #930815 |
| New user 29 Cincinnati, OH | Subject: RE: IMKY Pre-race report (aka ramblings of a nervous triathlete) Mike, Sorry to hear about your injury but it sounds like you've done the right thing by laying off the training. You put in the time and the miles, so don't worry about the time off. For what it's worth (and believe me, I know it may not be much), do your best to not think about or think positively about your back. One thing that I suffer from prior to bigger races is psychosomatic injuries. It never fails for me that a couple injuries miraculously pop up in the days leading to a race despite doing nothing to injure myself and usually wake up race morning feeling fine. I know your case is different because you did something to hurt yourself. However, I seem to make it worse by focusing and obsessing about it. Just do your best to be positive and concentrate on how good you feel physically otherwise. It's amazing how much your brain can fool your body. I hope your visit to the doctor goes well. Good luck and have a great race! |
| 2007-08-20 9:03 AM in reply to: #930815 |
| Champion 10471 Dallas, TX | Subject: RE: IMKY Pre-race report (aka ramblings of a nervous triathlete) Mike, you have a plan! Stick to it! You can do it. It sounds like if you can keep your swim and bike times where you want them... you can walk your marathon and still finish on time. GOOD LUCK! |
| 2007-08-20 10:27 AM in reply to: #930815 |
| Champion 10154 Alabama | Subject: RE: IMKY Pre-race report (aka ramblings of a nervous triathlete) I just had to share with you guys an email exchange I had with my wife this morning:
Subject: RE: IRONY RE: IRONY A lot of people have been giving me encouraging words about the IM and saying "I know you can do it!" And now I really feel pressure to not let everyone down! I laid in bed last night in tremendous pain and almost in tears thinking about DNFing or DNSing and trying to figure out which was worse.
I signed up for this race on 10/25….10 months ago! You know better than anyone is the world how much time and effort I've spent preparing for this. All those "I've got to make the donuts" mornings. All those lunchtime runs when I really felt like going to Pizza Hut. All those long bike rides on Sat spending 7 hrs on a bike (by myself).
Oh well…it's not like I'm storming the beach at Normandy. If I can race w/o risking permanent injury, I will. And if I race, I will leave it all on the field…and if that is just not good enough, I will try again next year.
And her response:
Subject: RE: IRONY RE: IRONYRE: IRONY No, you should not feel pressure from people to not let them down. YOU know YOU will indeed leave it all on the field. I've seen you do that before. If you DNF or DNS it will not be because you quit, but rather some other force, circumstance or event that prevented you from achieving your goal.
We will all be proud of you because of the effort you've put into this. You set an impossible goal, then set about putting things in place to attain it as much as you are able. You can't devote 5 hrs a day to training, you work. You can't change the physique you were born with. You changed the weight you carried. Even if it's not as low as you'd like it to be, you've done an awesome job of losing weight and continuing to build your strength and endurance so that you have the opportunity to attempt your goal. And maybe that's how you need to look at it. It's a goal, not the be-all or end-all. If you don't achieve your goal you can always, ALWAYS, try try again. Or should that be tri tri again?!
{{{{HUGS}}}}
FYI - I have a 1:30 appt with an ortho Doc...I'll post tonight what he says. ~Mike |
| 2007-08-20 1:22 PM in reply to: #930815 |
| Champion 10471 Dallas, TX | Subject: RE: IMKY Pre-race report (aka ramblings of a nervous triathlete) Hey Mike... you won't let us down. If we encourage you, it's simply to give you some positive encouragement. You are injured... and it does sound like finishing might be a challenge. But it also sounds doable. Now, it may not be the terms you had orginally wanted it to be... but you should be able to finish. Hey, it's worth a shot... right? You paid the entry fee. You trained for it. Of course, you should only race, if you do not do yourself permanent damange in doing so. So, have you been to the Dr. before this? Or is this your first time? |
| 2007-08-20 2:35 PM in reply to: #930815 |
| Extreme Veteran 400 | Subject: RE: IMKY Pre-race report (aka ramblings of a nervous triathlete) Mike, each of us is doing this race for ourself, and you are doing it for yourself, first and foremost. It's not about letting anyone down, it's about you and the course, you and weight, fitness, habits, training. My own view is that a lot of the really important stuff has already happened before you even get to the line on raceday. That can't be taken away or lost, no matter what happens in the race itself. I do want to encourage you, but I don't want to encourage you to hurt yourself. Race within yourself. Think about not only this year, but next year and the nest, because you have embarked on a wonderful lifestyle that isn't based on short-term goals or on what happens on one particular day. Push yourself, sure, but don't risk permanent or serious injury in order not to DNF or DNS. A lot of the great legends have had a DNF or a DNS. It's all part of it. Don't stress. You have already proven the important part to yourself, and that's all that really counts. I'll be there participating Sunday, doing my race, but no one can guarantee they will finish an Ironman on any given day, even without an injury. We are all pulling for you, because that's how triathletes are. Any of us who don't finish will still get hugged and backslapped. ( Ok, maybe you shouldn't get backslapped.) |
| 2007-08-20 3:21 PM in reply to: #930815 |
| Champion 10154 Alabama | Subject: RE: IMKY Pre-race report (aka ramblings of a nervous triathlete) Just got back from the doc and have good news. He said there is nothing wrong with my spine and I've likely just pulled a muscle that attaches to my backbone. I told him I had been training for an IM and in the days leading up to the injury I had swum 3 mile on Friday, biked 116 miles on Saturday, ran 18 miles on Sunday and bucked hay Monday night. He asked about the distances in an ironman and I told him. He then asked "In the same day?!" "Uh, yeah, same day." He prescribed a steroid pack and some mild pain meds. He said the steroids should be out of my system by Friday and said I should be ok for the race on Sunday. We then had this dialogue: Doc: "Of course, if you're still hurting don't do the race." Me: "Why not." Doc: (surprised) "Because you won't be able to finish." Me: "Yes I will." Doc: (laughing) "OK" ~Mike |
| 2007-08-20 3:31 PM in reply to: #930815 |
| Champion 10471 Dallas, TX | Subject: RE: IMKY Pre-race report (aka ramblings of a nervous triathlete) Doc: "Of course, if you're still hurting don't do the race." Me: "Why not." Doc: (surprised) "Because you won't be able to finish." Me: "Yes I will." Doc: (laughing) "OK" ~Mik That's the spirit Mike! LOL- "All in the SAME day?" |
| 2007-08-20 4:14 PM in reply to: #930815 |
| Veteran 163 NYC | Subject: RE: IMKY Pre-race report (aka ramblings of a nervous triathlete) |
| 2007-08-20 6:53 PM in reply to: #930815 |
| Expert 839 Portland, OR | Subject: RE: IMKY Pre-race report (aka ramblings of a nervous triathlete) Hang in there Mike! I remember when you first started posting back in the late winter/early spring while I was training for CDA. Don't worry about letting anyone down. You're doing this for you and once you're out there most everything that happens is out of your control. Here are a few sage words of wisdom we got from Paula Newby Fraser at my Ironman camp: #1 - Think about why you are doing the Ironman. #2 - Manage your expectations! #3 - Focus on what you can control. #4 - Stay Present I thought about what she meant by those 4 statements and then I followed them on race day. Anything can happen on IM day but holy mackeral dude you're doing the freaking IM. That's amazing and awesome and like your wife said no matter what happens you have put yourself out there to get to where you are today. For me the goal was just to start the race. Once I got to that it was all about having the most fun I possibly good. Enjoy it, laugh, smile, thank everyone and celebrate the awesome journey you've been on |
| 2007-08-20 7:04 PM in reply to: #930815 |
| Expert 749 | Subject: RE: IMKY Pre-race report (aka ramblings of a nervous triathlete) I'm on the 'roids with you! I came down w/ a raging sinus infection this week and luckily have an endurance athlete for a doctor who gave me some good antibotics along with a pack of steroids (which will also be done on Friday)! We can look back and laugh that we did an ironman on steroids! You have to laugh at all this or you'll end up cry'n! You will do your very best and that will be enough! |
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