IMFL Race Report
IMFL- 2 Nov 2013
Attached .doc w/ picts
This was my very first Ironman and only my fourth triathlon since starting the sport in November 2012. I can definitely say that it has been quite the year.
Swim: 1:33:14
T1: 12:00
Bike: 7:05:33
T2: 9:18
Run: 5:30:21
Overall: 14:30:26
Training: My season was planned out with an “A” race (Sprint) on 11 Aug 2013, “B” race (Augusta 70.3) on 30 Sept 2013, and then the BIG “A” race being IMFL. I transitioned from a short course plan right after the sprint race to the long course plan about 16 weeks out. I was dealing with bursitis in my hip and the short course volume allowed me to get through the injury and build basic durability for the FL. I tried my best to get all the biking and running workouts completed as prescribed, but struggled with swimming. I had a tough time swimming more than 100 yards at a time and it took significant discipline to force myself into the pool. After reading the EN swim guide and some technique coaching by a fellow EN athlete I was able to solve my technique issues and overnight swam 4000 yards. I jumped into Augusta 70.3 with renewed confidence and when I entered the water the wetsuit felt tight across the chest, I started hyperventilating and the wheels came off the bus. I was able to finish the race but knew that this would not work for the full. I talked with Joe Matchette and he suggested the 2-piece DeSoto suit….it was a miracle!!!! 4 weeks before the race I went to a local lake and swam 1.4 miles with no issue. The next week I did it again. Confidence was back.
The first race rehearsal showed that my nutrition plan was off and I entered the run woefully dehydrated. This was remedied on the second rehearsal.
I use HR and focused on staying below 130 for the bike and 150 for the run.
Pre Race: I left for Panama City Beach Wednesday after work and pulled in around 2100. I was able to completely unpack the vehicle and get the family settled. I already had a swim plan for 0700 Thursday morning, followed by athlete check in, 4 Keys Talk, and bike scouting ride.
0700 swim was daunting with large waves crashing on the shore. A fellow athlete and I planned to swim 15 minutes out and then 15 minutes back in. We swam out and then met up to discuss changing it up with a swim back, a small run down the beach and then a re-entry to simulate the race. I discovered the water felt great and I was incredibly buoyant. Confidence was again high!
Athlete check in went quickly and I was able to meet the timeline for the rest of the day.
On Friday I woke up and looked outside to see huge waves, around 3-5 feet! I dropped off my bike and 2 bags at 1000. There was a storm rolling in and I doubled bagged everything.
Friday was a down day that started with a large breakfast at 0800, turkey sub at 1200, and grilled chicken with plain pasta at 1700. Went to bed around 2130 with a great night’s sleep.
Race Day: I woke up at 0330 and had 4 cups of applesauce with 2 scoops of protein powder. My wife helped with the carrying of bags and we headed to transition. It was a bit confusing with people everywhere. I set my bike up with the first half of my nutrition and 3 20 oz bottles of mixed Perform. After turning in my morning bag I headed to the beach and started the nervous waiting. I was able to get in the water to help get the feel for it and settle the nerves. Confidence was high again. The waves were down to about 2-3 feet and looked manageable after seeing Friday’s display. I seeded myself in the 1:30-1:45 group. Watching the pros start I saw that they had trouble with the waves during the entry, but once in they made a quick line down the buoys. At 0700 the cannon went off and it was pure mayhem. It took me a full 2 minutes to get through the bodies and into the water. I felt like I was in a washing machine for the entire first lap. I sighted poorly and ended too far out and had to make a huge correction back to the buoy line. I was kicked square in the face upon exiting the first lap. I was able to find clear water and sighted much better on the second lap. During the swim I concentrated on staying within my box and was humming Blurred Lines by Robin Thicke. Quite odd! At one point I remember thinking…holy cow…I am in the middle of an Ironman swim and I may just pull this off. I came out of the water feeling great and headed to the wetsuit strippers. All I saw was fellow athletes in the sand with people tugging at their clothes. I looked at a group of strippers and told them I was not getting into the sand. They stripped off my wetsuit while I was standing up. Bonus for me!
I entered T1 on a high…grabbed my bag and headed into the changing room. It was quite festive in there and everyone was joking around and passing around the nipple tape. I ate a bonk breaker while changing to get the nutrition cycle started. I really spent entirely too much time socializing. I left the building and was pleasantly surprise to see my wife in a blue volunteer shirt handing me my bike. Bonus for me X2!
I ran about 10-15 yards past the mount line to get on my bike. It was crazy with folks almost hitting each other. After getting on and settled I immediately downed 20 oz of Perform and dialed in times to eat. I was on plan for the entire ride. It took me 30-45 minutes to get my heart rate down.
The out back right before special needs was everything everyone said it was….bumpy and gear everywhere. I really struggled with getting comfortable and felt like the wind was in my face for the entire day. At mile 70 I was all done with being on my bike and really just wanted to pull over and sit down for a while. On the last out and back the rider in front of me jackknifed her forks in the turn and abruptly stopped which caused me to almost crash into her. The last 10 miles felt like and eternity. I handed my bike to the volunteer and told him he could have the darn thing. I grabbed my bag and quickly changed. I was able to meet my wife again and I asked about my 3 training partners and how they were doing. I was relieved to hear that all were doing great. Whew!!!
|
Time Interval |
Food Source |
Serving |
Carbs |
Calories |
Sodium |
|
0-60 mins |
Ironman Perform |
2 bottles |
86 g |
350 cal |
950 mg |
|
:10 min mark |
Powerbar Gel |
1 packet |
27 g |
110 cal |
200 mg |
|
:40 min mark |
Powerbar |
1/2 bar |
22 g |
120 cal |
100 mg |
|
Hourly Total |
|
|
135 g |
580 cal |
1250 mg |
The run started off rocky…it was warm but I felt great. After a mile I had a pounding head ache and pulled into the first aid station to figure out what the problem was. I downed 600 mg Motrin, 2 salt stick tabs, and a Powerbar Gel. After about 10 minutes I felt great again and kept on going. The rest of the run was on plan and I felt great until mile 20. At that point my stomach was queasy and I started on cola. At mile 22 I decided to just get it done and not stop anymore.
|
Time Interval |
Food Source |
Serving |
Carbs |
Calories |
Sodium |
|
0-60 mins |
Ironman Perform |
6 x 4oz cups |
52 g |
207 cal |
570 mg |
|
:45 min mark |
Powerbar Gel |
1 packet |
27 g |
110 cal |
200 mg |
|
Hourly Total |
|
|
79 g |
317 cal |
770 mg |
The feeling was incredible upon entering the chute. I will never forget what I heard….Jerry Barnett….Warner Robins, GA….United States Air Force…You are an Ironman. My wife was the volunteer that put my finishers medal around my neck. Bonus for me X3!
I had a great race! I was well trained and felt fantastic up until mile 20. I couldn’t ask for a much better first time race for myself.
My training partners…and new lifelong friends.
Comments
I love in race reflective moments like this! I get them a lot.
Great job, Jerry. I know you had some anxiety with this swim leading up to the race, but you faced tough swim conditions (from waves and crowds of people) and had a great swim. Then you managed the rest of your day extremely well, staying positive and working through the dark patches. great stuff.
I love in race reflective moments like this! I get them a lot.
Great job, Jerry. I know you had some anxiety with this swim leading up to the race, but you faced tough swim conditions (from waves and crowds of people) and had a great swim. Then you managed the rest of your day extremely well, staying positive and working through the dark patches. great stuff.
Great job Jerry. You stayed within yourself and your limits the entire race. Result = You are an Ironman. Well done by you and your wife. Seems like she popped up at just the right moments.
And thanks for serving our country!!