Ironman CDA 2009

[Tom]

Well, let me start be saying I have the greatest wife on the planet. Without her continued love and support, none of this would ever happen. I would also like to thank everyone in the club for being there during the dark cold days in February and the long days in April and May. A very special shout out to my partners in crime Matt and JW, without them workouts wouldn't have been as successful, fun and entertaining. I would also like to thank all the people who made the journey north for no other reason then to cheer us on...to that I can put no words. Forgive me if I leave you out but hear is a role call to those that carried me throughout the day...My beautiful wife, my kid bother Christopher, Meagan, Gar, Noreen, Rod, Marni, Laurie, Mark, Debbie, Erin, Casey, Joe, Harold, Julie, Justine, Kenny and of course Matt and JW!

Nuts and bolts report:
Swim: Knew it was going to be slow because of the previous days swims in the lake with the same type of wind and rollers so, figured that I would find some feet that were comfortable and sit on them, anything between 1:00 and 1:05 was going to get the job done on this day. So, I am swimming along, maybe 250 meters in and who do I see out of the 2200 people in the water with me but, Josh Saak, a local guy that I swim Masters with! I say to myself, now there are a pair of feet that I can sit on and so I do. Unfortunately for me, Josh only wears the Expo's hat on the run and sometime early in the second loop I lose his feet and have to settle for some unknown guy to sit on. 1:03 and change very comfortable, long way to go!

Bike: I am notorious for being an idiot on the bike so, this year I said go easy until your heart rate settles then at no time allow your HR to go above 155 beats. Kinda a good plan, felt fantastic all day but, probably should have gone a little faster. 5:14 not bad but something around 5:10 probably would have felt the same. Windy, windy, windy but, hey, no rain:)

Run: I really wanted to run to my potential this year, hence the conservative bike. I felt great immediately and told myself to hold back that I would need that mojo on the second loop. Well, bad plan, there is no mojo on the second loop, why do I always try to convince myself that there will be, go figure 7:55 into the race and my legs are screaming. I come through the first loop right at 1:35 and figure the Liby Shuffle is coming, I just don't know when. That question is answered shortly thereafter, at about mile 15, wheels come off and I struggle to maintain any type of running...shuffle home in 3:24.

I truly don't remember ever being sore after an Ironman but, I am. Maybe my memories are 10 years old or I am 10 years older, either case, stairs are not my friend.

I did accomplish my goal of return to Kona 10 years later...though it took a visit to the coffee shop and my best friend that is no longer with us to convince me that I needed to go back! I can't tell ya how much I miss Gar but, I know that he truly carried me those last 4 miles and gave me the nudge at Java 6AM the next morning!

That is the whole story...

Peace, TL

[Kevin]

Kona bound...sweet. Another journey complete with several months of moving your body all over southern Idaho. It's been great training with you and we look forward to lots more!

rest well...

[Doc Rob]

Thanks for the race update Tom. Congrats on Kona, it will be fun to watch you and Dan get after it.

[joereed]

Tom,

It was truly inspiring to watch you guys race. All your hard work, dedication and determination has paid off, and I am really glad you decided to do Kona! You, without a doubt, earned it. You guys made me want to do an Ironman.....in the distant, distant future :D

It was a privilege to watch you, Matt, and Big J gut it out. Congratulations on a great day. And as suspected, the Liby shuffle was definitely faster than what I was led to believe. :)

Joe

[J-Wallace]

Well let me start with saying that I sought out the club after signing up for the CDA Ironman in 2008. It has been a long journey getting me to this point, but a great one at that. I would like to start with thanking Harold for being such a great mentor and teacher along the way. I want to thank the club for its support, and especially thank those who came north to watch the race, and cheer us on.


Swim:
I knew it would be slow b/c I am slow, many of you have had the pleasure of seeing me swim I figured choppy, smooth, whatever, I am only fast if I can touch. If you plan on swimming this lake plan on chop.

I had the unique opertunity to actually have Harold help me pick my starting spot on Saturday he even swam with me that morning, I can't thank you enought for that H. What a way to calm you nerves, come Sunday morning I looked over the water with a calm confidence Boom! went the gun! I was wide right at the start and got some great drafting early, I was feeling very little pressure from other swimmers and was very happy with my starting spot. I was even drafting,...then about 500yrds in off came the googles and I struggled to get them to seal again, I must of stopped 10 times. I even considered swimming with them full of water. I settled on half-full and laughed when I couldn't see booeys what a yard sale I am I thought. My worst mistake was following people too wide at the second red booey, when I could see that they were going the wrong way. I couldn't decide if I was the stupid one or they were, turns out both, lesson learned...site for yourself...lost my draft and slowwwwwed downnnnnn.


I remember thinking as I got out of the water "I wonder what knowing how to swim feels like?"


Bike: Hilly, with wind


I hade a feeling that the wind was coming from all directions at times, but was was prepared that the wind would push you out to Hayden Lake, and be at your face coming back to town(it was). It was nothing compared to the winds you feel out on the 70.3 while training. When riding the course I couldn't help but think I needed more hill training. The good news was that roughly 1,000 people needed even more hill work then me. I chose caution like Tom mentioned, and I was often holding myself back worried that an indian name "Hammering-Hills" would lead to an indian name of "Walks-the-Marathon". It was sure nice to have the Club support when coming through town wow what a lift...I think I hit the nutrition right b/c I always had to pee, I took that as a good sign.
.
Oh yah...for those of you who can pee on the bike I solute you...


Run: I would consider this Marathon course to be easy(flat mainly) it runs through town in a manner that you see many spectators, there is only a small shot that sends you out along the lake on your own. And as my ol ball coach used to say "perfect day for a run...had the rain to keep you cool, and the wind to dry your clothes"...


I was very happy to be off the bike, and I was supprised how easy the first miles were. I remember H saying "run like you stole something" I opted not to hold back much early I ran how I felt. My stomach felt a little bloated, maybe 4,500 calories on a bike could do that to ya. So I settled into the idea of coke and gu for 26 miles. I had my first Tom sighting at mile 5 he had the stern look of killer; I thought to myself that this is the focus it takes to get to "The Show". I blurted out at him like a school girl.."go Tom" ...or something stupid. I started feeling some cramping as I looped through town but nothing that seeing the Club could not fix...thanks again guys/girls.

I had to roll a T3 at mile 15 and this hurt my run time severely, but not nearly as bad as going on without it, good thing I practiced these at track workouts.


Just passed mile 18 heading out to the lake again feeling my spirits slumping I remember seeing Matt on his way in, he gave me a huge grin "Hey Jeremy, at the next aide station they have hot dogs!"...Hot dogs? I thought the Ironman had claimed his mind and I laughed for the next mile thinking that dude is going crazy...he should slow down on the Coke...like my stomach could eat one of those dogs...or could it?

I ran on from 18 wondering were the wall would come, and it never did. Granted I didn't have lightening splits but my paced actually decreased 25,26 something I have never had in a marathon before.


I thought back to all the time spent and price paid, I reflected on the many comments and words of encouragement shared with me from the group...thanks to everyone

One more shout out to the crew who rolled north, I wouldn't have beet 11 hrs without ya

Yours in swimming:)

Big J

[Kevin]

Haha 'hammer hills'. Very impressive debut Ironman. Did people eat hot dogs?

[Erin]

There is a rumor goin' around that Matt may have eaten one, just sayin' ;)

You guys were great out there. I got some great pics of you 3 and need to post.

Preview of the pics:

Tom: focused and intense
Matt: Relaxed and makin it look easy
Jeremy: Hamming it up for the cameras. I think I even remember a bicep flex pose or something mid stride.
And all looked super fast.

Congrats again to you all.

E

[Marni]

This was a GREAT day!

[matt]

What an amazing day... we had some great people cheering for us.

Swim -- rough swim. went out a little too hard, got elbowed in the nose. Stopped to check for blood, and yelled a few choice words at the guy (like it was on purpose!). Found some clean water on the 2nd lap and settled into a groove.

Bike -- windy, hilly, more wind, more hills.... tough bike course. Felt good on the bike, legs never got fatigued. All the long bike rides w/ Tom and Jeremy paid off. Stayed in heart rate zones and got all my nutrition down w/ 15 miles to go. Tom put it on cruise and rode 5:14... amazing!

Run -- felt great coming off the bike. Made it to the first aide station, grabbed some Coke and Gu... my stomach started to rumble. After this, there was no way I could take in anymore endurance nutrition. This got worse over the course of the run. Ditched my nutrition plan and hit 13 porta potties. Made it to mile 19 and BONKED. Figured I would walk the rest of the way in. At mile 21, I could smell BBQ coming from a volunteer tent. I poked my head inside and begged for a hot dog. I walked away w/ a hot dog (no bun) and a big bag of Lay's potato chips. After 5 minutes, I was able to start running again. Hobbled to the finish line.
Such a long day, I was in survival mode.. still managed to beat my previous year's time by 20 minutes.

Thanks to Harold and the club for all the great workouts. Must not have suffered enough on Sunday, I signed up for 2010.
Tom and J are rock stars.

matt

[J-Wallace]

Matt, I like how you can bonk, and still beat me by 30 minutes:)...oh and I have to agree; when I saw Tom's bike time I was like... it must not have been windy or hilly were he was riding...I am in awe

[Doc Rob]

Hot dog and chips? And then you felt great and able to run?

Apparently Harold has been keeping some nutrition secerets from
us. And to think, if I would have had this info 2 weeks ago I could have broken 5 hrs in the 70.3. If only I would have known to stop at the picnic shelter in Ann Morrison and grab a dog and some chips from the people with the BBQ. WOW!

Thanks a lot Harold! Only give the important info to your prize pupils.
Is that why Dan is so fast? He gets on the bike and fires up the old
George Forman Grill, throws on a few dogs and at mile 30 on the bike
takes in his nutrition. Get to the run portion and the dogs kick in and he
runs the 1/2 as though it was a 5K. Thanks for sharing.

Hey Casey, any ideas on how to make hot dogs stick to the bike frame?

Ill try to bring a grill and some dogs to next weeks Wed. bric's and we can
hammer some dogs down between each bric. Remember "do in training as you would in the race".

Great race guys!

[Rachel]

Heck, if the dogs work so well, no reason why a margarita or two wouldn't too! Salt-rimmed, of course, to keep those sodium levels up and avoid the dreaded hyponatremia. Margaritas and hot dogs combined w/ the pre-race dark chocolate....I am seriously liking these races more and more....:D

[Harold]

OK Dan, the secrets out about 'the dogs', let's move on to plan B and see how long we can get away with it before these guys to catch on.......:confused:

[Casey]

I hear they will stick with a little Nacho cheese from 7eleven :D

[Taytay]

I have actually tried that. Its kinda good!!!!!!

[Dan]

Damn, the secret is out. I have to dump the George Foreman:D It is on to plan B.

Great job in CdA guys!! You guys are amazing. I am looking forward to the next training cycle.