Brenda Ross - Sometimes your the Bug and Sometimes your the windshield IMMT report
IMMT 2014 – Sometimes you’re the bug and sometimes you’re the windshield
Short Version – DNF due to mild hypothermia
Long Version:
2014 was to be the year of Half Ironman’s. I had three on the plan with a marathon to finish off the year, but I guess the Ironman gods had something else in mind. Just after Rev3 Quassy I was contacted by team mate John Withrow who offered up a spot to race for Team Reserve Aid. A slight shift in focus from Half Ironman’s and a download of the last 9 weeks of our Ironman program and I was on task. Some of the long rides revealed some diaphragm cramping issues, so a shift in the upward direction of my sodium, and my 2 race rehearsals went very well. No injuries to speak of and I was feeling good, until……
Race week – Monday night after our swim I noticed that my throat was sore. Thought maybe it was just the water we swam in, so thought nothing of it. Nope. Woke up Tuesday morning it was still there and had gotten worse. I decided to not do my assigned workout and just rest for the day. Wednesday – throat still sore. Was debating whether to go to the doctors, but I had no fever or aches, so decided that it was either allergies or a cold, so I would let it take its course. Surely it would not be around for IM. I self-treated with lozenges and oil of oregano etc…, but it did not seem to be getting better. I spoke to my coach and decided to just rest up for the week, hydrate and get plenty of sleep. I found the sleep part hard because every time I swallowed my throat hurt, but I thought that I saw a light at the end of the tunnel when I woke up on Friday and my throat no longer hurting, but…..I now had a cough and laryngitis Ugh – really???? Cough drops controlled the cough so I could get rest at night. I slept well on both Friday and Saturday night and decided that I would race on Sunday.
Race Day
Swim – I was in the 7am last swim wave of the morning. It was a physical and choppy swim. Thankfully, almost all my swims this year have been in choppy water, so I was comfortable. I did, however feel cold. The swim is the slowest part of the Ironman for me, but I did have an idea of what I would do based on the 4 beach to beach swims I did at Meech. I had predicted a 1:35 best case scenario and a 1:45 worst case scenario – 1:43 was when I came out of the water
As soon as the wetsuit was stripped off I began to shiver. Thankfully I had to run a distance to get to the change tent which warmed me up a bit. I wondered where the red carpet was as the pavement was wet and cold. Due to the wave start system I was in the tent with a lot of ladies. I had to look around for a seat. Everyone was shivering and having difficulty getting dressed. I had decided, based on the weather that I was going to wear my tri top on the swim and then put my cycling jersey on top with arm warmers.
Fueling plan:
Self Supported
1 – 750ml bottle of Gatorade per hour (drinking every 10 minutes)
1 – salt tab per hour
1 – gel every 30 minutes
Power goals:
JRA (Just Ride All Day Pace for 1hr30minutes as per the EN way)
135watts (based on race rehearsals and long rides)
First 1hr45min of bike was going okay. I knew at the turn around on 117 that I was not on top form because in my practice rides, at the prescribed wattage, I usually made it there in 1hr5min, so when I arrived at 1hr15min, I knew the 6:30 bike I thought I was going to do, was not going to come, but I was just happy to be out on the course, so on I went, but……at 1hr45minute I started to have severe cramping up in my diaphragm all the way up into my back. I was not sure what to do, so I decided that I was going to keep on with my fueling plan in the hopes that it was go away. This is when my watts dropped from 135 down to 120. As the ride progressed I was able to hold the 120 watts but the cramping would get really bad everytime I took a gel, so the last 1hr30min of the bike I just took in Gatorade and salt tabs. Not ideal, but the cramping would be manageable if I would do that. I knew this would not set me up for a good run, but I could do a walk/job for the 26miles if I had to.
160km into the bike ride my left arm rest broke, so no aerobar time from that point on, and then the last 5km on the way back from Lac Superior the skies opened and we got soaked.
Projected bike split: 6:30 – actual bike split 7:03
T2 – handed my bike off to volunteer and worked my way toward the change tent. Heard my name called and it was Deb Livernois (Greg Livernois’s wife) She said I had blue lips and to get inside to warm up. I also saw Robin McLean from Ottawa and said to take my time and get warm, so that was what I was going to do. I went into the tent, sat down and started to get dressed for the run. I had no clothes in my bag but my shoes, a dry pair of socks, running cap, bib and fuel belt. I took my wet cycling jersey off and realized that was not a good idea and then put it back on. I was up ready to run, when a volunteer saw my blue lips and asked me to see a medical person.
Core temp: 35 – borderline hypothermic. We decided that I would sit in front of the heating lamps with a wool blanket and get my temp up and then I would run. I had plenty of time. It was only 4pm. That gave me 8 hours to finish the marathon. After 45 minutes my core temp had still not rises, so it was off to the big medical tent I went. It took 2 hours to get my core temp back up.
First DNF.
Looked at the EN Tracker and I went from 98 on the swim to 56 on the bike. I was moving in the right direction despite my issues. Wish I could of seen what would of happened if I went out on the run. That is usually where I make up some serious time.
I will now look at the overall race and see what the takeaways are. I find the races that are the toughest are the ones you learn the most from. Thankfully I am not jaded and I will be doing IMChatanooga next year.
Am I disappointed, sure I am, but you can only play the deck of cards you are dealt and on this day this is what I was dealt. I probably had no business racing while still sick anyway.
Thank you to all who asked about me and sent me good wishes, but please do not feel sorry or upset for me as that takes away from the amazing results that our team mates and friends had this weekend racing at the various events.
Comments
Your class always shines through. Great Race Report love- onward upward like you said! See you at CHOO!
I felt your pain a few weeks ago, in Lake Placid - not identical, but similar circumstances - and it sucked! It is painful to pull the old race number off - regardless of the reason.
You have handled this with tremendous grace and poise > one of the MANY reason why you are so highly thought of, loved and respected throughout the triathlon community - especially to members of Endurance Nation!!
Thank you SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO much for all that you do - the day-to-day logistics, the little "nuts & bolts" and the tremendous support, dedication and love you have for the sport and EN.
You are right - some days your the bug... and some days you are the windshield. If it is determined that you are the windshield, it is a windshield from a Rolls Royce :-)
I look forward to seeing you and Steve soon!
Cheers!
As others have said, your attitude is fantastic!
I am so glad you chose wisely — it is only a game.
Do the autopsy, get something out of it, and move on.
You are THE Rock Star!
There will be other races!
I do the jersey over the tri-top in T1 too. I like the sun protection, pockets and added warmth and takes mere seconds to put on. I dressed that way for both Timberman races and was glad I did.
Seems like the day conspired against you, starting by being chilled in T1, the cramping causing diminished fueling and lower output, the mechanical forcing you to an upright position, then the rain. I think I would have become hypothermic too. Remember how quickly I got cold at IMLP in the rain?
Tough day overall. Just not the day you had planned.
Thank you for all you do for others!
So you were the Bug - we've all been there - and being the bug is so much better than not trying at all - so I want you to be a proud bug! Keep smiling because this is all about having fune and like everyone else, thanks for all your hard work for the team!
I am glad you decided to start. and great effort. Can be hard to tell, if one gets sick shortly before a race, whether it is safe to race or not. hope your are recovering quickly.
sounds like it would have been fun to stay with your group. maybe at future races EN can do mega blocks of rooms at certain places so we are all near each other? sorry I did not get to see the Rosses much this trip.
maybe you needed some Poutine in t2. I am still not exactly sure what it is - fries with gravy? is this French-French, French Canadian, or Canadian-Canadian?
hopefully the bug is becoming a chrysalis. you will be butterflying away soon.
maybe you east Canadians will make a trip out to the Canada on this side sometime? Whistler..
thanks Brenda.
I'm so excited to be racing with you at IMCHOO next year! We will have great days, both of us!!! But most of all, I'm so glad to have your friendship! Even though you try and hog all the cute guys in EN!!! ;-)
Sorry to hear about your rough go in Tremblant. I am impressed by your grit and toughness to make it as far as you did, knowing your illness heading in, and now in retrospect your prolonged viral suffering after the event. Hang in there. You will have your revenge!
I'm excited to see what a healthy B brings to the race table next year in IMCHOO!!!
Enjoy the rest of your season, and good luck in Chicago!!!
Unfortunately, for me, that hypothermia has altered me. I now get colder much easier than I did before that experience. So take note and take care!