Well I did it…I successfully completed my 3rd Ironman before my big 3-0 birthday. I have to say this past Sunday Ironman Louisville experience was once again completely different than my previous 2 Ironman experiences. It is funny because my marathon experiences are starting to blend together. There is not a lot that separates them from each other but all 3 Ironman experiences were completely different and completely amazing. Here is my recap:
Pre-race
Leading into the race I was not experiencing my normal pre-race jitters. I think it helped I had a lot going on with work and that kept me distracted. On Monday, the week of the Ironman, I started feeling a tickle in my throat. I immediately began taking in as much green tea as I could get my hands on to fight whatever was coming on. When I woke up Thursday my nose was running. I haven’t had a cold in probably at least a year and of all timing to get one it had to be right before the Ironman. Sydney Thunderstruck and I packed up the car and headed down to Louisville Thursday morning. When I arrived I immediately went to athlete check-in and started to feel really excited to race on Sunday. All athletes received these amazing backpacks and I was given a pink swim cap for race day. Now there is no special meaning to a pink swim cap, I just always get excited when I am required to wear one for a triathlon. After athlete check-in I settled in my room for the night and was up all night with chills, coughing, and sneezing. I got barely any sleep that night and felt like garbage on Friday. I had no plans on Friday but to stay in my room and get some work done. I did do a short run and felt pretty good but still had a lot of congestion. Friday my family arrived and we had a wonderful steak dinner Friday night. Saturday I went for a short swim and again felt really good. The remainder of the day I stayed in my room, caught up on past episodes of True Blood and just took it easy. I was feeling better Saturday than I did on Friday but still not 100%. Saturday night my friends and husband arrived in Louisville and the party officially started.
Swim
Race day morning came and I didn’t sleep a wink Saturday night. Who can sleep the night before a race especially before an Ironman? I woke up early, made my 3 scrambled eggs and headed toward transition. Its amazing having to wake up that early and to see how energetic everyone is getting all their stuff ready for a very long day. The swim for Louisville was a time trial start. Traditionally in Ironman’s it is a mass swim start where everyone starts swimming at 7:00am. With Ironman Louisville taking place in the Ohio River and the beginning part of the race being pretty narrow, athletes were diving in 5-10 at a time. I have to say I loved the time trial start. I am fortunate to be a strong swimmer but many athletes have a lot of anxiety about the swim. I think this helped a lot of people not to feel as nervous since we were not swimming on top of each other. The first mile of the swim I felt great. I wore just a swimsuit and felt I was moving well in the water. After the first mile; however, I started having a lot of coughing fits in the water. Since I still had a cold I had to take quick breaks literally to clear my lungs. Not a good way to start an Ironman. I reached the swim finish, took a look at my watch, and felt a little disappointed with my time. I was hoping to go faster but still overall was a good swim. Swim time: 1:08:42
Bike
As soon as I got out of the water I spotted my family and friends immediately. I can’t even tell you how amazing it was having a support system out there. They were everywhere around transition and it was great seeing all their smiling faces. I hopped on the bike for the 112-mile ride. The first 40 miles I felt awesome. Legs felt loose and I was going at a good pace. I was still blowing my nose about every 5-10 minutes but the congestion in my lungs seem to have gone away. Right as I was starting the 1st lap of the loop I heard a car break squeal and a thump. About 5 people behind me a car hit someone. I immediately turned and asked the person riding next to me if they heard the same thing and they responded yes. We called out to some spectators to call 911. A good portion of the road was not closed to traffic. Sharing the road with cars is usually fine but this section of the road was a 2-lane road with no shoulder and cars were going 55mph. I don’t know if I can ever get that sound out of my head and it absolutely rattled me and I immediately started tensing up on the bike. About 10 minutes later another rider rode right in the back of a stopped car and fell off their bike. I don’t know what happened to these 2 people but I haven’t stopped thinking about them since and hope they are OK. Both these incidents happened within 5 miles of each other all before hitting the 50-mile marker. I was completely freaked out and I started riding very cautiously rather than aggressively to keep safe. I have never been a strong cyclist and definitely not a confident one so to witness this I knew it was going to be a long time until getting back to transition. As if the bike couldn’t get any worse, toward the end of the 1st loop I spotted 15 riders on the side of the road dealing with flat tires. I thought to myself, “Wow what bad luck all those people are having.” I found out at the special needs section of the bike someone threw tacks on the road to sabotage the race. Are you kidding me?!? Who would do such a thing? If I wasn’t rattled before I was not completely out of my mind nervous and I still had over 40 miles to go. Oh and I haven’t mentioned the temperature. My bike computer was telling me it was 99°. Now that is probably a couple degrees off but it gives you an idea on how hot it was. Plus there was a pretty big headwind at the end of each loop. Hot humid headwind. The 2nd All About 75 Hardst loop. I guess the good thing about being a slow cyclist is the road starts to empty and it isn’t as nerve racking. I finally made it transition where once again my entire crew was there waiting for me and cheering me on. They were out in LaGrange, Kentucky as well and I saw them on both loops. Again so grateful for them. Bike time: 7:44:37
Run
This was the part I was looking forward to the entire time on the bike. All I kept saying to myself was I can’t wait to get my running shoes on and take off. I arrived at transition layered on yet another round of sunscreen (4th layer of the day), threw on my running shoes, waived to my amazing family and friends, and took off. First 4 miles I felt amazing. Legs actually were feeling really good and I didn’t feel that dehydrated. I thought OK everything is cooperating this is a very good thing. Then right around mile 5 it hit me like a ton of bricks (well probably more like 4 tons of bricks) the hot, heavy, dehydrated feeling all runners dread. I immediately stopped and started to walk. I looked around me and EVERYONE on the run was walking. If someone was running they were the odd person out. I have never been in a marathon where everyone is walking. Every participant out there was struggling dealing with the conditions and I immediately felt less ashamed that I was walking. I even saw 2 pro women walk so if they were walking you know it was bad. I decided I was going to do a 4-minute run/1 minute walk. I did this for a bit but felt tired even bringing my arm up to look at my watch to see if I should be running or walking so I stopped that idea. I just told myself just take it easy and get to the finish line. At mile 12.5 I saw my husband, Sydney Thunderstruck, and my brother. It was so great to be able to talk with them as they walked with me. They encouraged me on and I was still trying to burry my shame that I was run/walking a marathon. I am not downplaying anyone who run/walks a marathon. For my own personal goals this was not how I envisioned my run would go. I hit the turn around and started to feel a little better. Again I was trying to run/walk but I had nothing in the tank so I just continued on clipping off the miles. As I inched closer and closer to the finish line I was reflecting on my Ironman journey and all the miles, hours, and calories I put in leading up to this race. I was feeling very disappointed that I didn’t have that amazing Ironman race but then the fact that I was dealing with a cold, in hot humid heat, with bike crashes and tacks I was still out there working toward the finish line. That alone is an accomplishment in itself. I round the corner and headed toward 4th street Live finish line. A huge rush of emotion filled me when I heard the race announcer call out my name and then I finally crossed the finish line. My family was right there at the finish cheering for me and I couldn’t have felt prouder. My marathon was a personal worst for me but really didn’t matter after all that I endured that day. Run time: 5:12:56 Ironman Finish time 14:20:33
Post Race
Nutrition - Weight Lossth marathon state all before turning the big 3-0. I have a new set of tan lines, still stuffy with a cold, and can’t stop eating but I have another Ironman memory in the books. I absolutely could not have gotten through the day without the support of my family and friends. They kept me going throughout the day and that I am forever grateful. Also on a side note 14% of registered athletes did not show on race day and 14% did not finish (DNF). That is the largest DNF I have ever seen.
Next up is the Berlin Marathon on Sunday, September 30. I am taking a full week off from all training and will start swimming early next week. Running will probably start up in a week and a half from now. And for biking, well my tri bike that I have had since 2006 I am hanging it my parents garage until the next challenge. I am fine with having a mega break from sitting on that saddle.
Thank you for all your good luck wishes and support. I am so blessed to have so many amazing people in my life.
Happy Running!
