IM WC (aka Kona): AT
My longest race, I'll try to make this my shortest report.
First, a note on how I race. I make goals for most races a long time in advance, and then think about that goal periodically over time. Come race day, I really don't pay conscious attention to motivation; I allow the deeply ingrained goal to run the show. E.g., I can think of at least ten times in the past 7-8 years when I have announced long before race day, to myself and anyone I can get to listen (my wife, the cleaning lady, this forum, etc), "I'm going to win *that* race", and the majority of the time, I pull it off. I think there is a limit to the number of times one can haul out an all out effort, so other races get different goals.
Here's what I said in a Jan, 2012 journal entry on the coming year's goals, about *this* race:
"October 1, I’m on the Big Island, the capstone of my year. My goal there is to have fun on race day. Fun means I feel strong, ride well, and don’t walk outside of the aid stations on the marathon. I’d like to see the sun set while I’m in the energy lab, then soak it all up the final 1/4 mile of Ali’i Drive under the lights, me beaming right back at them."
I said nothing to myself about speed, time place, etc in the 9+ month long build up. Deep down, I felt that my being back at the IM World Championships was a miracle, so I wanted to honor that above all else. My race here was *all* about getting BACK here and FINISHING. I was not racing, simply participating with grace and gratitude.The conditions make the "grace" part a little hard though.
So I didn't start my watch when the cannon went off, and never looked at my time or speed. Things I remember from my race:
- Feeling as fit as I ever have in my life in the 2-3 days leading up to race day
- A pleasant, but very slow swim.
- Epic riding the last five miles into Hawi, into a 24 mph headwind and biting rainstorm. The wind never left my face from that point on, it seemed.
- Chrissie Wellington walking her bike back to her condo about mile 9 of the run, giving me a huge personal smile and high five as I went by.
- Watching the sun set as I ran the final mile into the E lab - not quite meeting my target.
- At mile 18, the turnaround in the Energy Lab, someone shouted out my name and number, then as I started going the other way, added "Remember where you were two years ago!" That did get to me a little. Actually, more than a little; I lost it for a couple of minutes at that point. Turns out that was Lynn Johnson, an ENer who lives in HI, volunteering at the turnaround.
- Suffering a nutritional breakdown (i.e., throwing up twice - just like @ IM Canada 7 weeks earlier) and going the last 7 miles on only 6 sips of water, making a few of those aid stations a bit "longer" than anticipated. (I will be switching back to my tried and true IM nutrition plan next time, instead of the new one I adopted this year, which clearly doesn't work).
- Hugging my wife, Cheryl (who worked as a finish line catcher) for about two minutes just after I came across.
From 2004-2012, I've trained for 16 IMs, started 14 and finished 13. In those 8 years, I was more or less focused full time from a triathlon and sporting standpoint on getting to and finishing at Kona. On the way, I won my AG 5 times @ IM CDA and AZ, qualified for Kona 7 times, getting to go 4 times, with one DNF and one DNS. I sense that this race is the closing of a major segment in my triathlon career.
One of the songs on my pre-race playlist since 2001 has been U2's "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For." I don't know what it is that I've actually *found*, but I'm more at peace now than at any time during that whole adventure.
I also know that I am chomping at the bit to get going on the OS on October 29th, and have at least 3 races in mind for next year: St George, American Zofingen, and IM Tahoe. I haven't yet decided which one is going to get the full on race to the hilt treatment, but I guarantee at least one will.
Comments
@ Al -- the conditions may not have given you much grace, but you are one of the most graceful person I know. You have so much to give and you do to the team. I am very grateful for what you bring to the team, very proud of your accomplishment and comeback, and honered to be your teammate.
Good on you a great year in the books, a nice job all around !
Way to complete this phase. Neat story about the 18 mile encounter. See you in Kona some day.
Al - Thanks for the insightful summary. I'm glad you were able to appricate the journey. Well done.
Also, I can't believe it but that U2 song is one of my all-time favorites....listen to it all the time. I wonder what that says about IM triathletes and our life quest.
Al — thoughtful and inspiring as always.
You rock !
x3 on that U2 song
My advice on your event for next yr to "give the full on race to the hilt treatment", don't make it AmZof. I can't wait to meet you at AmZof and that race is actually the only race on my list of "I want to do this race every yr forever" races. But it is a super laid back race with zero fan fair and zero pomp and circumstance. It's a really fun and extremely challenging race, but more of a cordial hangout of great friends all destroying themselves in communal fun and fitness kind of race. Don't get me wrong, people race hard, but it's the only race I will do next yr without a time goal.
Hello Zen!
In....The....Moment!
No before, no after, just now.
Congrats on getting back to Kona!!!!
2x what John said about Am Zof race...it is a very hard course, but a fun time. Race for the joy ot it, not for a time goal..
I have no doubt that if Chrissie Wellington knew your full recovery journey story and how much you have meant to all of us here she would have asked for YOUR autograph
I sense that this race is the closing of a major segment in my triathlon career.
By using the word "sense" I assume there is something you can't put your finger on. But really, what is it? You're "chomping at the bit" for the OS only a few weeks after Knoa and have 3 big races on the 2013 schedule. Given your competitiveness I just know you're not doing the races for the hell of it..."to the hilt" indeed! So what is this era that has ended? How will it impact you? And most importantly, what (if anything) can your fans in EN come to expect that will be different?
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Thanks to everyone for all of the good thoughts. A big part of what's kept me going the past two years is knowing I'm accountable to you all!
@ Matt Aronson - I used to have a much broader focus within triathlon. E.g,, I raced all the distances about equally, worked at improving in each of them, even had success in things like Xterra (2nd @ WC in 2004), and ITU (All-American USAT and on National team). But I started getting monomanically obsessed with getting to and being at Kona. That consumed most of my mental space for YEARS, and now I feel free of that. Closure and completeness was delayed for two years, but I've at last passed thru that portal.
You're right. I have been competitive (highly driven/ambitious) all my life - I call myself a frustrated underachiever. But I'm hoping that drive will branch out into a few more areas, specifically other endurance/fitness related fun things to do, like the Ragnar relay I did last month, and tough multi-day bike events. And, within triathlon, I want to attempt the harder long-distance races. On my list right now: St. George 70.3, Tahoe, Cozumel, Lanzarote, France, Wales. I wonder what Norseman is like, and if there's an opportunity to the the oldest finisher? If I happen to get a KQ during that journey, I suspect I'll take the opportunity, but that's no longer the big goal. When I age up in 2014, I will do 1 or 2 IMs where winning is my primary goal, so a springtime race like IM NZ or CDA, as well as IM AZ are probably set for that year.
I value the discipline and evolution imposed on training here at EN, as well as the opportunity to learn and share with civilized people of all ages and speeds. So I know I won't be leaving this community anytime soon.
Regardless of what you put your mind / heart into next, I can't wait to watch...and learn...and cheer you on.
Regardless of what you put your mind / heart into next, I can't wait to watch...and learn...and cheer you on.
I'm glad that you're more at peace now... in the end I feel that's what everyone on this planet is after, we just take different routes to get there.
THanks for being ALL that you are. We are blessed!