You can break my bike but not my spirit! IMFL report
November 1 2014
IMFL Goal 14:06:57
Swim: Cancel due to high riptides Bike: Crash, T2, DNF,
Weather: 40 degrees and ended at 60 degrees with 20 and 30 mile hour winds.
I did both my RR in cold, high winds and rain. I love to run when the weather is 45 degrees. I was ready for the weather!
2 A.M. have liquid nutrition to drink Muscle Milk 3 bottles then back to sleep.
4:30 A.M. Wake
Drank one bottle of Muscle Milk
Shower, dress, vitamins.(change of plans-wore winter leg covers and wind breaker jacket with gloves- was perfect)
Breakfast: omelet with mushrooms
Prepare EFS bottles x 3, Gather Special needs bags, pack for T1 morning fill
5:00 5:15A.M Special Needs bags take down
5:15 A.M. -5:45 Transition
Body markings
Fill tires/two people wanted to use my pump
Place bento box (put on bike the night before) Had 3 bags of efs, salt tabs, power bar inside.
Tape 6 gels to bike –tape two cartridges to front of bike
Check edge 910 for power and readings
Check stages crank arm, uncover.(used a paper towel and then plastic bag)
Check power to Di2 shifters(covered with plastic bag and tape)
5:15 Back in Room, pick up swim items.
Put on Wet suit- over– sports bra and shorts
Goggles
Defogger
Hair tie
Sea bands
Swim cap
10 MAP pills
1-power gel (calories 110,200 sodium), and two salt tabs 425 sodium).
5:45 A.M Walk to Bike out
Take photos with team.(Did not find anyone, so I took a photo alone) (at home if we set a meeting time there is no waiting, just move on)
6:15 -6:30 A.M. No warm up in water, they were not letting anyone in.
1 Goal: Swim only fast as your ability to maintain form. Count your strokes stay in my box, site every 6 strokes, look at last buoy. Be mindful of the current direction to site correctly.
7:00 A.M. Swim Start /Cancel due to high tides. First there was shock, disbelief, feeling of loss, extreme disappointing …Wow! Then acceptance, safety first, respect the powers of the ocean. Decided to have fun with it. My entourage was at my side, husband Mike, son Michael and Christina. Michael was my photographer so I decide to get a photo at the swim finish. 
Picked up bike bag went back to room and changed. There was going to be a time trial start, Pros then age groupers. I was number 1640 and it was going to be a while. So, I decided to have fun with it and take some photos while waiting.
8:42 A.M. Get bike, walk to mount line
8:45 A.M. Start bike
First 10 miles, or 45 minutes go easy. 65-69% of FTP extremely windy
60 minutes @ 67%
Next 4 hours @ 75%
Last 45 minutes @ 70% eat extra
Bike nutrition: 254 calories per hour, sodium 650
EFS. Power 1.5 scoops
Power gel w/caffeine
Took two salt tabs every hour/was feeling the sensation to pee because I was not drinking enough. I then remembered to force myself to stay hydrated.
Bike plan was going well considering the strong winds. I stayed focused with power and nutrition. Was holding back for the first 10 miles and having fun. I was amazed how many bikers were extremely rude. I always tell them passing on the left, Hi, have a good ride and thank you! The majority were very friendly and great about communicating. Thank volunteers for being here and so on.
Crossed the 56 mile mark and was feeling very strong considering the high winds. Was happy with my time and excited to have the winds at my back.
Special needs bag: trail mix, power bar, spare tube, cartridge bag of efs.
The special need area was extremely unorganized. Bikers were stopping everywhere no direction from volunteers. Volunteers were very frustrated couldn't’t get bags to bikers in a systematic fashion. Very dangerous area. Once they handed me my bag I decided to move down the road a little bit and eat my power bar. I saw how hectic it was and decided to finish my power bar, refill my bento box with efs and stash my extra tube in my jersey and leave. I looked back to see I anyone was coming by on the bike, waited until it cleared then started out. I decided to pass a slow biker, called out on your left and started to past. When I was parallel with him I heard another biker yell look out, when I looked left he was trying to pass me as well. (Who double passes?) He startled me and I jerked my front wheel to the right so I would not hit him. It was too sharp of a right and all I remember is seeing the wheel jerk right, pavement and “CRASH”. I looked up and was seeing cross eyed for quite some time. Wow, never had that happen. I heard someone say get her off the road, they moved my bike and said can you move. “I think so, can’t see well, everything is cross eyed” I remember two bikers and then a volunteer came up and the bikers left. The volunteer asked if I was ok. I had to sit a while because I could not focus. After a few (not sure how long) he put out both hands and said hang on, can you get up? “I think so” Good let’s take it slow. I asked how my bike was and started to check it out. The Di2 shifters were hanging from a wire off the tip of the aero bars. When I hit the button it shifted J I was so excited they worked, hanging from a wire. The volunteer said well let’s just take your bike over here and you come sit down on back of my golf cart. He gave me a bottle of water to wash off my road rash knee and knuckles. He had some gauze and duct tape. Perfect! Taped up my knee and was good to go. He helped me duct tape my shifters back together. Little did I know the back detailer was damaged? It attaches to the carbon frame at the base. Can you see where this is going?
The Ambulance arrived and the medics wanted to know if I needed treatment. “If you treat me then I can’t finish the race.” “I want to finish the race”, they asked twice and I said “no treatment I’m finishing the race”.
I started out slow and my head was killing me. Maybe this is not a good idea after all but I was already gone. I decided to take it easy and eat as planned. I started feeling better and then there was a slight uphill as I started to shift the chain came off. I stopped to put it back on and realized the detailer was bent into the spokes of my new race wheels. I put the chain back on and bent the detailer back away from the spokes. This should have been my first clue! I continued on and at the next out and back I saw my family. It was so great to have support. I stopped to say hello and tell them what happened. They were concern because they couldn't’t find me at the 56 mile mark. I was ahead of schedule and they missed me. I finished the out and back relatively fast and was so excited to have the wind at my back and only 12 miles to go. I reached the bottom of the bridge and didn’t think to walk up the bridge with my bike. So the rear derailleur snapped off completely. No, I only have 12 miles to go. Yes, this hard headed girl decides to run with my bike. Made it 4 miles then the sag truck showed up. They were so great! He said no machine was going to be the cause of a DNF. My kind of Knight in Shining Armor. He took the rear derailleur off and fixed the chain in one gear. Why didn’t I think of that? By then it was the sweeper car that drove up. Now I stand with three cars and a broken bike and lots of support trying to figure out how to let me finish the race. They said to ride one gear and they would follow me in, I had 55 minutes to ride 8 miles. They asked if I could do it…. Oh yes I can!
I tried three times and the chain just wouldn’t stay on. At that point he came out of the truck and gave me the hands across the throat sign…cut your out!
My Knight in Shining Armor said “come over her and give me a hug!” “Thanks I needed that”.
They drove me back to the start and my family was standing there waiting. My son said there was a couple of riders ahead of me and told him there was a lady running with her bike. LOL! He said that’s my Mom I know it.
We took a group photo “The agony of defeat”. You can break my bike but not my spirit. I will be an Ironman on time if it kills me. IMChoo 2015
I'm thankful no bones were broken. I am going to take a few weeks off my body is starting to hurt. I look good in black and blue along with road rash! LOL.
My new bike is trashed, the rear derailleur snapped off the carbon frame, not sure if they can fix it, Thankfully I paid for insurance on my new race wheels.
Was able to record my 10 bike splits until 100 miles then the battery died.( I had the light on all day)
Comments
Your amazing! Heal well and what a story.
You may want to check with your LBS. I believe some bike manufacturers have programs for replacing new(er) bikes when people crash them. (don't take my word on that).
That's funny that you mention special needs being a disaster. I thought it was well organized in 2013 and compared to IMCHOO this year, it was VERY WELL organized and spaced out.
With Respect,
Jim
You have an amazing attitude and are in inspiration. That said, I hope I have better weather when I do IMFL this year!!