IMLP Race Report- Claire
Pre-race: I was strangely calm upon arrival Thursday afternoon through Sunday morning. Got out on my bike for 15 miles Thursday to make sure everything was working and my legs still felt a bit sluggish. Friday morning I did a 1 loop swim and that felt good while I was in the water; it was good to swim it the opposite direction. Went to the 4 keys talk, watched the tri video (which I enjoyed, though most folks didn’t stay). Nothing on Saturday except a big breakfast and lunch, bike check in a relaxing in my cottage.I was mildly concerned my legs still felt a bit stiff, but I rolled a couple times a day and didn't let it get to me.
Race morning: I woke up about 2 minutes before my alarm went off feeling completely awake and refreshed; my legs honestly didn’t feel sluggish for the first time in months. I began thinking that things couldn’t just fall into place this easily all day and mentally prepared myself for the shit to hit the fan at some point. I ate breakfast as normal and got to transition by 5am, in and out quickly. Headed over to the grassy area with family and found out it was athletes only in that area this year. Used the port a potty once when the line wasn’t so long. Waited around for about 15 min, then needed to go again…this time the line I was in was long. Apparently people started making their own lines which caused mine to move very slowly. I mention this because I didn’t have a watch, but I could see all the caps lining up in the chute and I hadn’t taken in my chews, nor did I have my wetsuit on at this point! It was almost 6:15 by the time I got back to my family. This is the only part of the day that I freaked out! I needed to seed myself with the front of the pack swimmers!
Swim: Total: 1:10:34; lap 1 34:02, lap 2 36:34.
At first I seeded myself at the back of the 1:01-1:10 group/front of the 1:11 group and heard folks around me talking about the large group of people who were going to swim 1:20s! I quickly scooted out to the side of the chute and just moved up, not paying attention to the signs. I really didn’t want to be swimming over people the whole first lap. Ultimately, I was a little bit anyway, but it wasn’t as bad a bit off the tow rope. I could have had a better 2nd split, but I swam way out by the kayaks on the return of the second lap. I just wanted some clean water and I’m sure I added some distance. My only complaint was that the turn back to the beach is so sharp and as wide as I tried to go, I got squished both times. Exited the water, wet suit stripped and ran to transition.
T1: 7:38.
Run to transition was not as long (or seemingly so) as Rev3 OOB last year, so I was content. I grabbed my bag and headed to the tent. Word to the wise, even if you see other people tying off their bags during gear drop off, don’t do it; it probably added 1-2 minutes to my transition because the volunteer and I couldn’t get it open! I did put on my makeshift cut-up-sock arm warmers and headed out in the rain. The mount line was a bit crazier than I anticipated. It was nice to have RnP there, though I’m not sure why I was able to get to the line and get on my bike and others seemed to be standing at the line.
Bike: Total: 7:00:47. Splits: 1:36:02, 1:50:38,1:37:16, 1:56:51.
The ride out of transition was steep and fast, particularly in the rain. I was upright and on the brakes. Settled into the aerobars once I was on 73. I was passed by many EN folks who were all encouraging with reminders of patience and discipline. I pushed on the down hills and people pushed past me on the rollers out of town. Once I hit the descent to Keene, I was comfortable and the rain had stopped, but there still seemed to be a number of people around me and I felt like I kept getting pushed wider and wider. My goal in this section was to ride safe and comfortable. I achieved that both loops, though my splits could have been faster.
I felt great on the flats all the way through the out and back in Ausable Forks on the first loop. I kept my watts steady (though I don’t have that data available to prove at the moment) and it felt comfortable. I had to stop at the aid station just before the right onto 86 and had a terrible time getting over far enough to stop for the port a potties! All that talk about getting your bottles, etc, I wasn’t prepared for a quick stop! The 3 hills through Jay were slow and I had a hard time keeping my watts where I wanted, but I was steady. I was prepared for pain from Wilmington back into town, but that never really came, on either loop. For the first time I saw the fast sections Coach P had talked about in that section. I can’t say I was fast, but the hills just didn’t seem that bad. I was in my box, watching my watts and I was going to keep pedaling at those watts until I hit 112 miles.
I never ended up making a stop on the second loop, mostly because I felt good. The only rough patch I had on the course was the second loop on the out and back to Ausable Forks. I could feel the heat and I had been drinking so much as to stay hydrated (peed 6 times on the bike plus that port a potty stop!) that I was feeling a bit nauseous. I pulled back a little on my watts there and felt better once I headed back into the clouds in Wilmington. By the top of Papa Bear the second loop, I was ready to be off the bike, but I was still doing ok.
There was a guy coming into transition in front of me who was trying to take his feet out of his shoes and I don’t think he factored in the slight up hill, resulting in my trying to ride to the dismount line and him coming within a couple inches from hitting me. So about 3 yards from the dismount line, I dismounted from my haphazardly stopped bike and ran into transition.
T2: 4:20.
I didn’t realize how sharp the oval ground would be when I allowed someone to take my shoes off me. Needless to say I survived, grabbed my bag and headed to the tent for a quick shorts and shoes change. (Whoever mentioned changing shorts after the bike, I was thanking you on the first few miles of the run!)
Run: 4:23:40. Pacing Splits: 9:20, 9:49, 10:30, 9:15, 10:21, 11:03, 9:50.
I thought I was going out nice and slow and then Rich popped up in the course a couple tenths into the run and told me to slow down. I was happy to! I found out after the first shot blok that chewing was really not that appealing to me and my stomach was a bit off. I decided then to take in two cups of Perform at every aid station for the next few miles and see how that went. I can’t say I counted 30 steps at each aid station; I started walking when I got the Perform and started running again when I had tossed the cups, usually at the can before the “last chance trash”.
I kept my heart rate in check out to the turnaround and then started to pick it up, keeping it around 150bpm. It wasn’t all that hot out, but it was definitely humid. I knew I could stay around that number but not up to 155 from my long training runs. This led me to walking up the second half of the ski jump hill and the whole townie hill both loops. Honestly I was walking almost as fast as some folks were running up those hills. From my splits, I didn’t lose much time. Sponges and ice under my hat helped.
I kept waiting for the line…I say I first noticed it approaching around 17.5 miles, though my family said I looked like crap at the start of the second loop. From about 18-22 I was losing mojo and stopped taking in Perform and just had chicken broth (probably not the best idea ever). My pinky and ring finger on both hands had been numb on and off through the run, but this section is when I really noticed that it was sticking. I kept plugging away though, passing people talking about the rest of their race season, waving at EN folks.
Mile 22 hit and my legs felt heavy, I contemplated walking more than the aid station at every one, but it wasn’t a serious contemplation; I was going to run the marathon, so I kept running. Brenda and Steve Ross were at the EN Tent on the out and back on Mirror Lake Drive and they got me to smile. It was a welcome sight as I was approaching the point of feeling like I couldn’t keep running anymore. I wouldn’t say it was pain, but more a lack of energy, just having nothing left to go on…though my legs certainly didn’t have another gear in them.
The run back down Mirror Lake Drive always seems shorter than the out trip and before I knew it I was in the oval with all these little kids sticking their hands out to be slapped. As I didn’t have any time goals, I started high-fiving and made my way towards the finish line.
Race Time: 12:46:59
Post Race: I got a blanket, my shirt, hat and some chocolate milk. The numbness in my hands had not gone away, but I wasn’t exactly thinking clearly. I hadn’t seen my family at the finish line so I just wondered aimlessly. No one tells you what to do after you cross the finish line; all the focus is before that! I wondered over to the gear bags and found my bike gear bag pretty heavy, heavier than I was willing to lift. I stood there a moment and decided I was having a hard time moving my fingers and was feeling pretty light headed and went to the medical tent. Long story short, my hands, feet and around my mouth went completely tingly and I had a hard time seeing for a bit. They didn’t do much for me in the medical tent (my sodium was normal and I might have been a bit dehydrated, but not really). Based on the research I’ve done, I’ve come up with “hyperventilation syndrome” which seems to be consistent with the symptoms I had. I have yet to find out if it can occur post-endurance event, though I don’t see why not.
Overall, I was having fun until mile 22. Biking is not my strong suit and I was still having fun through the second time up Papa Bear. I wasn’t sure what to expect, particularly because the training (esp. biking) has been tough for me to get in and feel like it was a good workout and not just digging myself into a hole. I was surprised to get to the finish line and think, “that was fun!” There will likely be another Ironman in my future, just not next year. Thanks to the coaches and everyone who was out there supporting the team! Great morale boosters on the run!
Comments
Congrats Claire. When you get a chance check the CORE Diet Webinar, I think they mentioned a link between low potassium levels and tingling in the fingers.