Antoinette's IMLP Race Report
WARNING: This is a long race report!
(8/1/14) Now 6 days post race, 6 doctor visits later I can finally see well enough to write my race report. My vision is still a bit blurry but no pain and I am patch-free. I hope you don't tire of me mentioning my eye, but that completely consumed me all day, and sadly, took any enjoyment out of what was supposed to be a celebration of my journey to Ironman. It was all I could focus on. There was a race going on around me, tons of people, cheering fans, but my box was so small and I was in my own little world - not by my design, but because I literally could not pay attention to anything other than being able to see and doing what I practiced to get to the line.
Race morning: EN Team picture, good luck hugs and high fives all around - seeing Coach P before the start - perfect way to start the day. I had a plan, I had practiced my plan, and was ready for a great day. I Hhugged my family members before entering the chute. I lined up at 1:11-1:20 group, planning for a 1:12-1:15 swim. My plan was to get on the cable and stay in my box. I found cable by 3rd buoy. During first leg out, around 4th buoy, I felt a few drops of water enter my goggles and my eye began to sting. I accidentally got just inside the cable and found it to be less crowded so I stayed there. Focused on hip rotation and stroke/breathing count to get into rhythm, despite being kicked and hit and crowded. I will never get used to or be comfortable swimming in crowds like that, but I tried to stay in my box and keep my own space.
Return leg felt good but my eye was stinging and blurry so I just tried to concentrate on form. I couldn't tell if my goggles were fogged, the sky being so dark the rain or what, but I could barely see. Walked to start of 2nd loop kind of in a fog. This is not how the swim was supposed to be. I rinsed my goggles and took my time getting back in to start 2nd loop. Eye hurting terribly, stinging, watering and felt like a shard of glass in my eye. Delayed longer than I had planned but couldn't see anything for a few seconds and had to wait. I heard a voice, opened my eyes, it was John Bayone - first time I saw a team member and that was nice to see a familiar encouraging face. Headed out toward 2nd buoy, got back inside cable and kept going. At last yellow buoy I just couldn't stand it so decided it was time to try to clear my goggles again. I went towards the center to grab a raft, removed my goggles, rubbed my eyes and started swimming again towards a red turn buoy. I saw lightning on a left breath, immediately heard thunder following and thought I could actually "feel" it. Turns out it was a kayaker tapping me with her paddle telling me I was off course and pointing me to go the direction of the T1 buoy. I quickly figured out I was headed towards the T2 buoy so I corrected my course and kept swimming. Rounding the dock it was so crowded and slow. I tried to swim until I could touch the bottom with my fingers, but too many people were in the way. I waited in the line to make my way through Swim Out arch and cross the timing mat. I lifted my goggles, left my cap on head, removed the top half of my wetsuit and found a stripper. Back on my feet, I headed up the mats towards the oval. I heard my husband's voice and followed it.
Planned: 1:15, Actual: 1:21 (distance 2.65)
I spotted the whole family and stopped briefly for hugs, kisses and high fives. I could barely see but was preoccupied with getting through the next series of steps. I walked through it in my head: getting to transition, locating the right row, right rack, get my bag... Just as during my walk through, I found the right aisle, safely navigated first set of racks. Found third row, got bike gear bag and headed to changing tent. I went to the chair closest to exit, sat down and started pulling things out of bag. A super nice Volunteer came to help. She was awesome. Talked me through, kept calm and helped me move slowly and smoothly. Changed to dry tri shorts as planned, didn't bother with dry sports bra because it was still pouring rain. Put on EN tri top and vest, bike shoes and helmet. Told her I couldn't see and she had someone bring a cup of water and tried to flush it out twice. It stung like hell. Grabbed sunglasses and headed out. Exit of change tent was close to my bike rack so started yelling out my number and volunteer grabbed my bike off rack and brought to center aisle. Had rolled up arm warmers already on aero bars. I headed towards Bike Out in a slow jog on the grass, walking as soon as I hit the cement of the oval to the Bike Mount line. Hopped on and started moving very slowly (already set in easy gear) carefully navigating the little hills and sharp turns right away with 2 other bikes right in front of me. Waited til I got on Main Street and in aero to pull on the arm warmers which were already drenched before I got them completely unrolled up my arms. I was glad I had them, although by the first aid station was wishing I had the whole jacket instead of going with the vest option. During the climb out of town, I contemplated taking off my sunglasses. I rode with my left eye closed most of the time. Seconds later I saw a nice pair on the ground already run over. I decided to keep mine on at least until the bottom of the decent for eye protection. Watched the time to see when it was time to start eating/drinking. Sipped on Perform up the climb when I could.
Rain, cold, more rain, lightning, freezing but I couldn't focus on anything other than trying to see where I was going only being able to see out of one eye. I did get out of my box and was laughing to myself just starting the decent. I couldn't help but find humor in the fact that we didn't ride in the rain during the training camp. Nothing out of the ordinary to speak of on the decent except TONS of people blocking or riding 3-4 abreast. At 2nd aid station I stopped for the PortAPotty and while getting back on my bike, watched a woman give her bike to a volunteer, shivering uncontrollably saying she couldn't go on because she was too cold. I was so thankful I had decided PreRace to include my vest in my Bike Gear bag. I knew I was cold but all I could think about was keeping one eye open. So, on the flats I watched my HR zone and speed as practiced. Legs felt strong. About halfway out, my eyes suddenly teared up and I couldn't see. Now I was riding with my eyes closed and worried I was going to cause a crash. I had to stop until I could see again and was hoping whatever was in my eye would wash out and things would get better. After turn around at Ausable Forks, same thing happened again. Sudden sharp pain and I couldn't see. Had to stop again until I could open my eyes and finally get moving again. At 4th aid station, I stopped and asked if there was a medical tent. They told me no so I carried on. Made it to 5th aid station at the Haselton Fire House and asked the firefighters if they had an eye wash station. They rinsed my eye with saline multiple times, checked for debris and said there was nothing there. One girl saw my hands shaking as I tried to clean my glasses. She felt my hands and suggested I was too cold to continue. I told her there was no way I was staying there and as soon as I got back on my bike I'd warm up and be fine. Then, just before the Bears, I caught up to a friend who asked if I got pulled out of the swim. I had no idea what he was talking about. He explained what had happened. I carried on up the hill thankful I was in my box to be so oblivious to what had happened. When I reached Bike Special Needs, a friend came to help, called Optometrist who was also volunteering at BSN. She looked in my eye, didn't see anything and said I must have scratched the cornea. I gave up on my eye getting any better and headed out. I had a little catching up to do with nutrition and just rode as I had planned but this time with no stops. Completing the 2nd loop, I heard Mike Reilly announcing Kyle Buckingham as the winner as I turned down the hill in front of the high school towards transition.
Planned: 6:30, Actual: 6:51
Run:
My eye was feeling a bit better and I knew I could run without being unsafe, even if I couldn't see. I spent much of the first loop running with my eyes closed. It was kind of peaceful. I focused on staying slow and steady for the first 3-5 miles. I had given up on trying to spot people because frankly I couldn't see them unless I was on the same side of the road. Often I heard my name called out and could find a familiar face. At aid station 3, I realized I had used 3 PAPs in a row - I knew this was not a good sign. Approaching the turn onto River Road, I started feeling a cramp in my stomach. I reached for my S!Caps but no luck. I realized I had left them in the pocket of my vest which I removed in T2 and would have to wait til Special Needs for my back up tube. At that point I knew I was in trouble. I had my gels - 1 oz every 25 minutes. Despite being concerned about the Orange-Mango Perform on the run, this became the least of my problems. On the return portion on River Rd I spotted a girl in front of me with a tube of something in her fuel belt and asked if she could spare a salt pill. Moka became my favorite person in the world at that moment - she even made me promise I wouldn't take it until I got a cup of water!!! Within minutes of the next aid station I was feeling better. I walked about 30 steps at each aid station. Seeing my family on the turn to Mirror Lake Drive gave me a good boost. I got up to RSN and discovered no spare S!Caps. I had mistakenly put them in my BSN bag. Now what? Two more times I was lucky enough to find kind athletes who had salt pills to spare. I sure would have felt better if I had my own and could use them on my schedule rather than begging like a salt junkie. I kept looking for the Mile 18 marker. I could hear Patrick's voice in my head...once I got there, despite my patience, there was no racing for me at that point. I could barely hold a 10 min mile pace but pushed to stay between 9-10mm while moving, as I knew I would continue to walk each aid station. I got a hug from Evan approaching the turn onto Mirror Lake Drive. That's when it hit me that I was really nearly there. I started crying and he told me to remain calm and that I was ALMOST an Ironman! The out and back on Mirror Lake Drive went by quickly and I was turning onto Main Street to enter the Oval. Rounding the turn, I jumped both feet into a puddle to make a splash, then spotted one of my best friends, walked over giving high fives, crossed to the bleacher side, hugged or kissed every member of my family fan club and enjoyed walking the final 50 yds to the finish line, my eyes filled with tears of joy.
Planned: 4:34; Actual: 4:42
T1: 10:16
T2: 6:35
The finish line volunteers were awesome. I felt great, wanted to walk on my own, didn't feel tired, but they wouldn't let me go. They brought me right to Coach P! That's all I wanted; to see my coach at the finish line; to know that he knew I trusted him and listened to what he told me to do, and that it worked!
A few photos, locate the family and then... off to the medical tent. My eye was like a giant fun sponge. It sucked any fun out of my day. I didn't get to see my friends cross the finish line, I didn't get to enjoy a post race beer. That was my plan and it had all gone by the wayside.
Regardless, I have no score to settle and nothing to prove. My day did not go as planned and of course I wish my time was better. I had a plan, I stuck to it, and I'm sure I will return to IMLP to enjoy another Ironman day, my way!
Eye report:
Post race medical tent eval: corneal abrasion 8mm round in left eye. (the average cornea is 12mm round). Daily follow ups with eye doc showed progress every day. A contact lens patch to protect the cornea allowing it to heal, steroid drops for pain and antibiotic drops to prevent infection that could cause permanent vision impairment. I am patch free, the scratch is so small it is immeasurable and my vision is blurry enough that I would have complained about it any day before this happened. The IMLP Optometrist, trying to make me feel better, told me he's done IMLP 5 times. He's seen plenty of eye injuries, corneal abrasions, even suffered a stress fracture to his femur during one race and NO WAY he would have endured the day with the pain, swelling, and vision impairment I suffered. I'm not sure if that makes us dumb or determined...maybe both. 
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Comments
Antoinette,
You. are. unstoppable!!!
Congrats Ironman, on a great race in incredibly harsh conditions.
Antoniette, Great report. The ride was hard enough to mess most people up. The fact that you rode through it with an eye injury is remarkable. You had a great report and it was great watching you cross the line.