Going into my 4th Iron distance triathlon, I had a range of thoughts and plans. I had mirrored my training from my very successful race in 2008 and felt well prepared. I thought that I could better my 11:29 from 2008.
But I also wasn’t quite as excited or devoted to that goal. For me, some of the magic of the Ironman had worn off – now that I had firmly established that I could do this, and do it well, it felt like just another race and not like I was trying to do something impossible. While fighting these feelings of iron fatigue, I reminded myself of how important it is to respect the distances and the challenges. Without this proper respect, the race would eat me up. So, I did my best to summon some resolve and get to the s
tart line in the right frame of mind.
Carey and I had a beautiful drive up the coast on Thursday. Highway 1 was gorgeous all the way through Big Sur and Carmel into Monterey.
But I also wasn’t quite as excited or devoted to that goal. For me, some of the magic of the Ironman had worn off – now that I had firmly established that I could do this, and do it well, it felt like just another race and not like I was trying to do something impossible. While fighting these feelings of iron fatigue, I reminded myself of how important it is to respect the distances and the challenges. Without this proper respect, the race would eat me up. So, I did my best to summon some resolve and get to the s
tart line in the right frame of mind.Carey and I had a beautiful drive up the coast on Thursday. Highway 1 was gorgeous all the way through Big Sur and Carmel into Monterey.
In Monterey, we enjoyed the Aquarium and the 17 mile drive along the peninsula to Carmel. This truly is one of the most spectacular parts of the world, and it felt like a blessing to be there with Carey. I felt relaxed and well-rested. We had a nice seafood dinner in the harbor, which included watching the local seals and pelicans goof around on the water. In the morning, we had a fun breakfast in beautiful Carmel, and then continued north to Sonoma County.
In Sonoma, we were able to check in to the hotel early, and Carey was able to relax while I dealt with race registration and other formalities. Then we drove out to the Russian Rive
r Valley to see the swim and get a feel for the bike course. My overwhelming feeling was awe – the venues were just breathtakingly beautiful. A lush river valley to swim in, miles of rolling vineyards and golden California hills to cycle through, and vistas stretching out the horizon in every direction.
Friday night dinner was great in Santa Rosa with my brother and his girlfriend Kerri, who had just arrived after their own drive up the coast. I was able to get to bed early enough and get enough sleep before the 4:00 am wake up call came. Breakfast was spot on and I was able to drag Carey with me out to the River so that she could watch and help with my gear. What a trooper she is!
The swim start was rather simple, with a wave of only 100 competitors or so, rather than a mass start of 2500. I got moving quickly and had smooth sailing for each of the two loops. I was swimming easily, and I was never above an easy, aerobic pace. With each breath, I was enjoying the views of the Russian River Valley and feeling very relaxed. It was a little odd to feel the bottom of th
e River a few times with my hands when I ventured through the shallow sections; certainly different than being out in the open ocean or a deep lake. I finished the 2.4 mile swim in just over 1:05, and while this was a hair slower than I had hoped, the ease of the effort left me confident in anticipation of what remained in front of me.
The beginning of the 112 mile bike leg is always one of the best parts of an iron distance race; you feel rested, powerful, and ready for the challenges ahead. I began the bike leg down River Road feeling this way and reminded myself how important it is to keep this confident attitude under control and not ride too hard too early. The first section of the bike course took us along the Russian River, past several famous vineyards, and up Dry Creek Canyon. I kept a solid, sustainable pace through the first 40 miles of the race. Just after passing 40 miles, I came to the hilliest sections of the course along Chalk Hill Road. The first time climbing through here was easy, and I made my way past the transition and towards the second loop
Usually, the real battles of iron distance race begin about 80 miles into the bike, when the fatigue starts to mount and one’s thoughts linger towards how far there is to go. For me, I reached this point at mile 100 of the bike, when I came to the climbs of Chalk Hill for the second time. As I struggled up this climb, I had the first few doubts about where my legs would be and
how far they could take me. But the long descent following the climb made me feel better, and, before long, I arrived at the second transition feeling good. The 112 mile bike took me just over 5 hours and 51 minutes. That’s a new personal best, and my legs felt fresh and ready to knock out the marathon.
While the beginning of the bike leg is one of the best parts of the race, the beginning of the run leg is usually one of the worst. As expected, my lower back hurt when I started running. This is typical for me, and it just one of the challenges of the race. I found myself confident enough to just keep running through it, and, before long, I was able to ease into a more comfortable pace and run more easily.
The first of the three 8.7 mile loops went well and I was on pace for improving on last year’s time. The course went out through a few farms and up three tough climbs to the turnaround. It was rather lonely out on the run, and I was elated to see Carey, Rob, and Kerri amongst the crowd when I came back towards Windsor High School. After that boost, I begin the second lap feeling better.
At about mile 10 of the run, I still felt strong when I had an immediate and painful jolt from my left ankle. This forced me to a limp, and I was even afraid I might have suffered a stress fracture. The pain persisted as I limped along. At times, it forced me to a walk and even the rare doubt about finishing. But, like most iron distance races, the doubts came and went, and I was able to shuffle along. My pace slowed and my goals shifted towards comfortably making the finish.
So, the remaining 16 miles turned into a rather uneventful shuffle and limp with a few more walk breaks than I had anticipated. Throughout this long stretch, the pain in my ankle came and went. I was relieved that it appeared I hadn’t done any serious damage. Rather it just seemed like a tweak or slight sprain.
Dealing with this pain caused me to reflect on a number of things. For one, how lucky I have been to avoid any serious injuries through the last 5 years of long course triathlon racing. I also remembered that while I might miss out on my time goals, even competing, much less finishing, an iron distance race is a remarkable achievement. I’ve had the courage to train for and start four of these races, and that is well worth some pride. So, the rest of the race, while not fast, turned into a celebration of a remarkable run of iron distance racing for me. And, perhaps, given the bout of iron fatigue I had headed into the race, this lesson in perspective is what I needed.
Of course, despite the pain and slower pace, the last mile and approach to the finish chute was an awesome experience. After 11 hours and 42 minutes, I approached the finish line with a wide smile and immense pride. The finish is always worth it.
After the race, it was great to relax and enjoy a meal with Carey, Rob, and Kerri. The restaurant Rob had selected even went out of the way to provide us with complementary deserts after hearing that I had finished the race. What a nice treat. The food, the company, and the conversation were all fantastic.
On Sunday, I was able to sleep later than I usually do after a big event. The long drive home went quickly, mostly thanks to Carey’s patient spirit and driving. I spent some time reflecting on the race and how I was able to tough out a good result despite the pain. There’s definitely some pride in that mental toughness and spirit.
This reflective period also helped me confirm what I had suspected throughout the build to this race – my body and mind need a breather form the stress and grind of iron distance racing. After four of these events in the last 40 months, it is time to step back, refresh myself, and improve on other aspects of my health, my fitness, my happiness, and my life. I intend to continue racing triathlons at shorter distances while also getting into some aspects of health and fitness that I have sacrificed in pursuit of endurance, such as yoga and core strength. I believe that this approach will contribute positively to my overall life, my strength, and my body. I am really looking forward to what lies ahead!
In Sonoma, we were able to check in to the hotel early, and Carey was able to relax while I dealt with race registration and other formalities. Then we drove out to the Russian Rive
r Valley to see the swim and get a feel for the bike course. My overwhelming feeling was awe – the venues were just breathtakingly beautiful. A lush river valley to swim in, miles of rolling vineyards and golden California hills to cycle through, and vistas stretching out the horizon in every direction.Friday night dinner was great in Santa Rosa with my brother and his girlfriend Kerri, who had just arrived after their own drive up the coast. I was able to get to bed early enough and get enough sleep before the 4:00 am wake up call came. Breakfast was spot on and I was able to drag Carey with me out to the River so that she could watch and help with my gear. What a trooper she is!
The swim start was rather simple, with a wave of only 100 competitors or so, rather than a mass start of 2500. I got moving quickly and had smooth sailing for each of the two loops. I was swimming easily, and I was never above an easy, aerobic pace. With each breath, I was enjoying the views of the Russian River Valley and feeling very relaxed. It was a little odd to feel the bottom of th
e River a few times with my hands when I ventured through the shallow sections; certainly different than being out in the open ocean or a deep lake. I finished the 2.4 mile swim in just over 1:05, and while this was a hair slower than I had hoped, the ease of the effort left me confident in anticipation of what remained in front of me.The beginning of the 112 mile bike leg is always one of the best parts of an iron distance race; you feel rested, powerful, and ready for the challenges ahead. I began the bike leg down River Road feeling this way and reminded myself how important it is to keep this confident attitude under control and not ride too hard too early. The first section of the bike course took us along the Russian River, past several famous vineyards, and up Dry Creek Canyon. I kept a solid, sustainable pace through the first 40 miles of the race. Just after passing 40 miles, I came to the hilliest sections of the course along Chalk Hill Road. The first time climbing through here was easy, and I made my way past the transition and towards the second loop
Usually, the real battles of iron distance race begin about 80 miles into the bike, when the fatigue starts to mount and one’s thoughts linger towards how far there is to go. For me, I reached this point at mile 100 of the bike, when I came to the climbs of Chalk Hill for the second time. As I struggled up this climb, I had the first few doubts about where my legs would be and
how far they could take me. But the long descent following the climb made me feel better, and, before long, I arrived at the second transition feeling good. The 112 mile bike took me just over 5 hours and 51 minutes. That’s a new personal best, and my legs felt fresh and ready to knock out the marathon.While the beginning of the bike leg is one of the best parts of the race, the beginning of the run leg is usually one of the worst. As expected, my lower back hurt when I started running. This is typical for me, and it just one of the challenges of the race. I found myself confident enough to just keep running through it, and, before long, I was able to ease into a more comfortable pace and run more easily.
The first of the three 8.7 mile loops went well and I was on pace for improving on last year’s time. The course went out through a few farms and up three tough climbs to the turnaround. It was rather lonely out on the run, and I was elated to see Carey, Rob, and Kerri amongst the crowd when I came back towards Windsor High School. After that boost, I begin the second lap feeling better.
At about mile 10 of the run, I still felt strong when I had an immediate and painful jolt from my left ankle. This forced me to a limp, and I was even afraid I might have suffered a stress fracture. The pain persisted as I limped along. At times, it forced me to a walk and even the rare doubt about finishing. But, like most iron distance races, the doubts came and went, and I was able to shuffle along. My pace slowed and my goals shifted towards comfortably making the finish.
So, the remaining 16 miles turned into a rather uneventful shuffle and limp with a few more walk breaks than I had anticipated. Throughout this long stretch, the pain in my ankle came and went. I was relieved that it appeared I hadn’t done any serious damage. Rather it just seemed like a tweak or slight sprain.
Dealing with this pain caused me to reflect on a number of things. For one, how lucky I have been to avoid any serious injuries through the last 5 years of long course triathlon racing. I also remembered that while I might miss out on my time goals, even competing, much less finishing, an iron distance race is a remarkable achievement. I’ve had the courage to train for and start four of these races, and that is well worth some pride. So, the rest of the race, while not fast, turned into a celebration of a remarkable run of iron distance racing for me. And, perhaps, given the bout of iron fatigue I had headed into the race, this lesson in perspective is what I needed.
Of course, despite the pain and slower pace, the last mile and approach to the finish chute was an awesome experience. After 11 hours and 42 minutes, I approached the finish line with a wide smile and immense pride. The finish is always worth it.
After the race, it was great to relax and enjoy a meal with Carey, Rob, and Kerri. The restaurant Rob had selected even went out of the way to provide us with complementary deserts after hearing that I had finished the race. What a nice treat. The food, the company, and the conversation were all fantastic.
On Sunday, I was able to sleep later than I usually do after a big event. The long drive home went quickly, mostly thanks to Carey’s patient spirit and driving. I spent some time reflecting on the race and how I was able to tough out a good result despite the pain. There’s definitely some pride in that mental toughness and spirit.
This reflective period also helped me confirm what I had suspected throughout the build to this race – my body and mind need a breather form the stress and grind of iron distance racing. After four of these events in the last 40 months, it is time to step back, refresh myself, and improve on other aspects of my health, my fitness, my happiness, and my life. I intend to continue racing triathlons at shorter distances while also getting into some aspects of health and fitness that I have sacrificed in pursuit of endurance, such as yoga and core strength. I believe that this approach will contribute positively to my overall life, my strength, and my body. I am really looking forward to what lies ahead!
1 comment:
Congrats on your race. You are incredibly tough and I so appreciated your attitude and outlook in this post. In my book, that makes you just as much of a champion as finishing the race itself. You exemplify the true meaning of IRONMAN!
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