Tim, the winds seemed stronger this year than last, but it was cooler. Cloud cover the first loop of the bike. Rain on the run would have been nice if I were able to run, but I could only go so far before hacking. Here was my warm up for the day: had a fig newton at 4pm Saturday and went to bed. No dinner. Another night of alternating chills and fever and soaking the sheets. Alarm went off a 2am and my wife hand fed me my applesauce and protein shake. Yes, I owe her big-time! Got up at 4:15 feeling like I could sleep another 12 hours. Hacked up a lung, took a hot shower then threw up three times. I threw all goals out the window and just took it all easy knowing it was going to be a survival fest. During the run/walk, I just wanted to fall over in the grass and go to sleep. Biggest fear was passing out and making my wife an nervous wreck. I now have a profound respect for the folks who walk these things. Need to see a doc when I get back, but I have the medal and the shirt, and I earned it the hard way.
Thanks for being with us all race day. Here's the short version of my day. Swim - awesome, 3.1. Km in 44mins, T1 - awesome 3: n change, bike held IF .73 up until mile 85. Had a train drafting me for almost 20 miles, passed a ref and pointed behind me, he hammered on his scooter to the front of the train, literally 10 seconds before that the guy on my wheel must of heard and he passed me and veered back right, ref comes up and gives me a red card... Complete BS, I was behind his wheel for 10 seconds if that. Went to penalty tent, noticed there was no stop watch so I timed myself, after 4 mins I said I'm done, ref yells at me and tells me he'll tell me when I'm done... I was in there for for 7:38. I fueled and stretched... Mistake... Blood pooled in my legs and I was cramping big time then every 3-4 miles, popped salt tabs and that lead to vomiting. Up until that point I averaged 23.2 miles/hr, therefore a sub 5 hr bike split. IF went down to .58 for last 25 miles with vomit breaks and dry heaves every 3-4 miles. Actual split - 5:09! Not bad considering the wheels had fallen off. The run... Cramps persisted in my inner thighs, each time it happened I had to stop. Started at 7:25 min/miles... Cramps, so I figured it doesn't matter how fast I run, cramps are going to show up every several minutes, and they did... I ran my goal pace of 6:50-6:54 min/miles gritting it out, until the cramps stopped me in my tracks... I'd fall to the ground, massage/punch for 30-40 seconds repeat..... For 3.5 hrs... A freakin tough day... Run split: 3:27 Very proud to have finished and with a 9:34! Full RR this week! Thanks for all the support.
Suk. Glad for you that you were able to get to a high mental level. You were handed a tough situation beyond your control. Sounds like, without the ref crap. Kona might have been possible. Way to move it on the run despite the cramps.
Comments
great to see everyone finished
some great rankings. some valiant finishes. solid work all.
Went to penalty tent, noticed there was no stop watch so I timed myself, after 4 mins I said I'm done, ref yells at me and tells me he'll tell me when I'm done... I was in there for for 7:38. I fueled and stretched... Mistake... Blood pooled in my legs and I was cramping big time then every 3-4 miles, popped salt tabs and that lead to vomiting. Up until that point I averaged 23.2 miles/hr, therefore a sub 5 hr bike split. IF went down to .58 for last 25 miles with vomit breaks and dry heaves every 3-4 miles.
Actual split - 5:09! Not bad considering the wheels had fallen off.
The run... Cramps persisted in my inner thighs, each time it happened I had to stop. Started at 7:25 min/miles... Cramps, so I figured it doesn't matter how fast I run, cramps are going to show up every several minutes, and they did... I ran my goal pace of 6:50-6:54 min/miles gritting it out, until the cramps stopped me in my tracks... I'd fall to the ground, massage/punch for 30-40 seconds repeat..... For 3.5 hrs...
A freakin tough day... Run split: 3:27
Very proud to have finished and with a 9:34!
Full RR this week! Thanks for all the support.
Suk. Glad for you that you were able to get to a high mental level. You were handed a tough situation beyond your control. Sounds like, without the ref crap. Kona might have been possible. Way to move it on the run despite the cramps.