JW's IM Cozumel Report
Ironman Cozumel was my 3rd Ironman in 3.5 months (7th total). I had signed up for it before IM Mont Tremblant with the thinking that if I didn't qualify for Kona at IMMT that I would roll my fitness forward and try to KQ at Cozumel. My wife had given me a ton of leeway to train like crazy this yr to do what I thought it would take to get to Kona. I had a great yr of training and was fit, sharpened, and fresh for IMMT and had an absolutely charmed race, winning the XC Division and qualifying for Kona. I would have 7 weeks before Kona and planned a 2 week recovery, a solid 3 week training block and the a 1.5-2 week taper. It took me a LOT longer to recover from IMMT than I thought it would. A few weeks after IMMT I also started interviewing for a job 1,500 miles away from home which I ultimately accepted, which meant finding a new house and prepping our house for sale. Needless to say, I ended up with a 4 week recovery from IMMT followed by 1 weekend of training and then a 2.5 week taper.
My wife (and others) tried to convince me to "Not go and race Cozumel". We simply had too much going on in our lives and I had already achieved my goal (obsession) of qualifying for and racing in Kona. But I was just too damn stubborn. For one, I had made a commitment to the guys at the Executive Challenge to race there and I had told a lot of people that I could do it. I honestly thought I could squeeze in a decent training block after Kona and rely on my incredible base fitness from the past yr and simply call upon my racing experience and hard headedness to will myself to another Kona Qualifying race. Oh and I almost forgot, I think I'm invincible.
After recovering from Kona (and quitting my job) I put in a quality 2 weeks of training. My fitness came back quickly and I really felt ready to take another crack at this. I had 2 goals for this race: 1) win my division and the Kona slot 2) have a 9-handle IM. I really thought I was capable of both of them. I knew I could not race conservatively since the other 3 guys in my division all had 10:15 or so IM PR's. I figured it would take a 9-handle on this "fast" course. But I was willing to go down in a ball of flames if that's what it took to have a shot at winning. I told a few people before the race that I was going to push hard enough to either win, or blow up spectacularly trying. I didn't really believe that latter was possible... But I certainly did not put added strain on my family to fly all the way to Cozumel by myself on the day after Thanksgiving just to "finish" another Ironman.
Swim: 1:04:xx
This was my favorite swim of any IM swim I have ever done. It was point to point in perfectly clear perfect temperature water with lots of fish down below. I had contact with exactly zero people during this swim. The currents were "supposed" to be in our favor but that was not the case today. We started into a head current, then with swam with the current for a while, then it was against us again. I think the swim was about 5 minutes or so faster than a "normal" swim, but it was just a REALLY awesome swim.
Bike: I glanced at my watch as I was running to the bike mount line and saw 1:08:xx. This was about 10 mins slower than hoped, but I knew there wasn't much of a current. I was hoping for a 4:55:xx or so bike split, so I figured my 9-handle was still "possible". I know you're not supposed to have time goals when you race IM, but I just can't help myself... In my 2 weeks of training, I had done three 100+ mile rides. I felt good after all of them and was able to hit ~230W for two of them and ~210W for my ride that was on day 2 of my back-to-back century rides. I hit a really conservative 219W at IMMT, and a really hard 190W in Kona which I chalked up as a fluke. I had Al Truscott's voice in my head as I started the bike to start conservatively and build into my day. So I did a JRA of ~190W for the first 30 min or so, then ~205-210W for the next 30 mins. I figured I'd push it up to 225-235W after that me let the average fall wherever it fell.
The Cozumel course is 3 loops around the island. 2/3 of the bike course is mostly shielded by the island and terrain (no wind or mild tailwind), but the 1/3 of the course (~13 miles) that goes north up the East side of the island is right along the ocean with strong winds blowing right across the road. Depending on the direction and speed of these winds, both of which are different every day, this stretch can be a minor inconvenience (crosswind) or can make for a very long day (strong headwind)... I figured I would be averaging ~20 mph or so on this section and between 24-27mph on the other 2/3 of the course averaging me out to 22.5 or 23 mph for the whole bike leg.
Boy was I wrong. Ha! I could not get my power any higher in this headwind. I tried to constantly remind myself to be relaxed on my bike and not burn any extra energy. I took in a lot of fluids and felt okay from a nutrition perspective. After the windy section, I did "okay" on the other sections, but still couldn't get my power any higher. It was really frustrating to not be able to push much harder than the low 200’s, but I was riding very steady and felt good through 75 miles or so when my quads started to feel it. Another thing about this course is that the wind picks up throughout the day, so each lap is successively harder than the previous one. I was dreading the final headwind section. At the turn around the bottom of the island, my speed was a blistering 12 mph into the wind. I normally don't let negative thoughts creep into my head when I race (or ever for that matter), but this sucked. I remember thinking that this was the worst bike course I have ever been on an that I would never do another flat and windy course. I was reminded that there is no such thing as an "easy" Ironman. I don't know what it is about the wind, but my power is just lower into it. I can just put out more power when I'm going faster and I was starting to hate this course. So much for my 4-handle bike split. I was lucky to limp in with a 5:38:xx.
Run: I felt "okay" getting off the bike, but I knew I worked too hard even though my NP was a measly ~192W. I flew through T2 and was onto the run course. I saw when I grabbed my Run bag that all of the XC bags were still there so even with my slower swim and much slower bike, I was still in first place, but I had no idea by how much. This is where it went down hill quick. The second I got onto the run course I had stabbing pains in my quads. Like somebody was shoving a serrated steak knife into each quad on every single step and I was only on the first mile of my marathon. I tried to stretch them out quickly and loosen them up with some butt kickers and other goofy stride things, but nothing worked. I just hoped they would loosen up if I ran easy enough for the first few miles. So the miles started to tick off, but the stabbing pain never left my quads. Other than my quads I felt pretty good. I didn't stop at any aid stations, but was able to get all of the water, ice, and nutrition I needed on the fly. This was probably the best supported course of any of the 7 IM's I have done (especially the run). When I made the first turnaround at mile ~4 I checked my watch and saw the 2nd place guy after ~1:30 so I knew I had a 3 minute lead. I'm a runner now, right? If it wasn't for the damn knives in my legs... I decided I was going to just ignore the pain and keep running as fast as I could as long as I needed to. I could call on my mental toughness, right. The next turnaround is at mile ~8.5 and I checked my watch again and this time the second place guy was only a minute back. So he was gaining on me, but not by much. Another 4.5 miles to the next turnaround and I was still in first. My thoughts of a 9-handle race were well out the window, but I still believed I could outrun this guy and win this race. But this is when the negative thoughts started to creep back into my head. What would I do if he caught me? In some ways I wanted him to catch me because I knew he was close and I figured I'd rather chase him. He had to be pushing hard. I figured if I could hang with him until mile 18 or 20 then I could just out "will" him and blow him away in the last 6 miles. Just before the turnaround a volunteer yelled "way to go #99", and the immediately yelled "looking good #97". It was on! When I made the next turnaround, the 2nd place guy was coming out of the aid station I had just passed and he was walking. I figured he made up 4-5 mins in the first segment, then 2 mins in the next segment, then 30 seconds in the last segment. I was slowing, but he was slowing more. If we stayed at those rates of decay, I would fall behind for a bit but shortly be running faster than him and he would eventually come back to me.
It was about a mile or so later, I think it was mile 14 or 15 when he came past me. I had decided that if he passed me I would try to keep him in my sights and simply bide my time until I could reel him back in. He pulled a classic race trick and passed me like I was standing still. Honestly, it was like he was shot out of a cannon. I knew he was just running faster to look strong, but when I tried to increase my pace by just a few seconds per mile it was like somebody twisted the knives that were jammed down in my quads. I tried to keep my pace, but within 30 seconds I could no longer see the guy who was now in first place.
I still felt "okay" other than the searing pain in my quads. I decided to take extra calcium/magnesium pills and a caffeinated salt stick as well as an extra gel. I started walking the aid stations and continued to move forward as best I could. This is when my mind started to wander into some really nasty thoughts. I kept telling myself that if I just kept it close that this suffering would be worth it. But when I was approaching the next turnaround I saw the guy in first and glanced at my watch. He had put at least 5 minutes into me in 4.5 miles. I started walking 30 steps, then running a bit, then walking 60 steps, then running a bit. My race was officially over. I was literally stopped in my tracks. I was near the finish line and had to make the decision if I was going to continue for my last loop. Every step hurt, BAD. And I no longer had a reason to "race". Race goals: 1) 9-handle, fail! 2) qualify for Kona, fail! This is the closest I have ever come to a DNF. I just don't have it in me to DNF. I decided then and there that I would not run another step on this course. I was simply not willing to suffer more for no reason. I may have given up, but I would not be a quitter. Not on this day, not ever. I would walk the remainder of the race and think about life. A couple of times I thought I could at least start jogging again, but my mind said no. I didn't want to have a "respectable" time. I didn't want to beat some new concocted mini goal. Nope. I came here to win and my legs had other plans. I was stubborn to have thought that I was in fact invincible and could "race" an Ironman with exactly 2 weeks of training in the prior 3.5 months since IMMT. My wife tried to convince me that all of the stuff we had going on in our lives was more important than some race, especially since I had already reached my goal. I wanted to be reminded of these things forever when I looked at my time for this race. I wanted to be able to remember that feeling of hopelessness when my body finally showed me that it had in fact had enough. I have asked a lot of my legs in the past yr and they have largely delivered. This was probably the first time that my mind also followed suit and just said no more. This was just hard to accept.
Most people that walk large parts of an ironman muster the energy to at least run down the finishing chute. Not me. This was my 7th Ironman and prior to this one I have never walked more than the aid stations or a few strategic hills. I certainly had the energy to run a couple hundred yards at that point. But I wanted to "own" my walking. I wanted the thousands of screaming fans in the chute to know I was walking. I needed the shame of that. I needed to own that feeling.
I don't want to seem disrespectful of my day. I loved the swim. I had a tough day on the bike, and even walking for 8+ miles of the marathon still ended up with an 11:49 or so race which was 2nd in the XC Division. That's still faster than my first ever Ironman and I realize it's a time that many people would (and should) be very very happy and proud of. It's just hard to explain. It's less about the actual race time and more about the fact that this race forced me to admit that some times being stubborn is just plain stubborn. I have gone through my life being stubborn and thinking that if I just kept trying harder and not listening when people said I couldn't do things that I could usually prove them wrong. It just stings a little to admit that they were right.
I've always prided myself on being mentally tough. Others can't understand how I could go, go, go for so many months/years with no breaks and so much focus on training and nutrition, etc. Frankly, I just liked training and crushing myself and being disciplined. I had a big goal and wanted to improve. But I think I've finally had enough. I'm going to take a break and not train for a while. I'll probably get fat and regret it later, but I'll deal with those consequences later. I'll probably still do fun things with my fitness, but hopefully they will revolve around my family or being a more supportive husband.
Takeaways:
1) I'm a stubborn prick who should have listened to his wife.
2) I never want to to "race" another Ironman without optimal training.
3) The Ironman distance must be respected. It's simply too long to be taken lightly regardless of how many of them you have done in the past.
My wife (and others) tried to convince me to "Not go and race Cozumel". We simply had too much going on in our lives and I had already achieved my goal (obsession) of qualifying for and racing in Kona. But I was just too damn stubborn. For one, I had made a commitment to the guys at the Executive Challenge to race there and I had told a lot of people that I could do it. I honestly thought I could squeeze in a decent training block after Kona and rely on my incredible base fitness from the past yr and simply call upon my racing experience and hard headedness to will myself to another Kona Qualifying race. Oh and I almost forgot, I think I'm invincible.
After recovering from Kona (and quitting my job) I put in a quality 2 weeks of training. My fitness came back quickly and I really felt ready to take another crack at this. I had 2 goals for this race: 1) win my division and the Kona slot 2) have a 9-handle IM. I really thought I was capable of both of them. I knew I could not race conservatively since the other 3 guys in my division all had 10:15 or so IM PR's. I figured it would take a 9-handle on this "fast" course. But I was willing to go down in a ball of flames if that's what it took to have a shot at winning. I told a few people before the race that I was going to push hard enough to either win, or blow up spectacularly trying. I didn't really believe that latter was possible... But I certainly did not put added strain on my family to fly all the way to Cozumel by myself on the day after Thanksgiving just to "finish" another Ironman.
Swim: 1:04:xx
This was my favorite swim of any IM swim I have ever done. It was point to point in perfectly clear perfect temperature water with lots of fish down below. I had contact with exactly zero people during this swim. The currents were "supposed" to be in our favor but that was not the case today. We started into a head current, then with swam with the current for a while, then it was against us again. I think the swim was about 5 minutes or so faster than a "normal" swim, but it was just a REALLY awesome swim.
Bike: I glanced at my watch as I was running to the bike mount line and saw 1:08:xx. This was about 10 mins slower than hoped, but I knew there wasn't much of a current. I was hoping for a 4:55:xx or so bike split, so I figured my 9-handle was still "possible". I know you're not supposed to have time goals when you race IM, but I just can't help myself... In my 2 weeks of training, I had done three 100+ mile rides. I felt good after all of them and was able to hit ~230W for two of them and ~210W for my ride that was on day 2 of my back-to-back century rides. I hit a really conservative 219W at IMMT, and a really hard 190W in Kona which I chalked up as a fluke. I had Al Truscott's voice in my head as I started the bike to start conservatively and build into my day. So I did a JRA of ~190W for the first 30 min or so, then ~205-210W for the next 30 mins. I figured I'd push it up to 225-235W after that me let the average fall wherever it fell.
The Cozumel course is 3 loops around the island. 2/3 of the bike course is mostly shielded by the island and terrain (no wind or mild tailwind), but the 1/3 of the course (~13 miles) that goes north up the East side of the island is right along the ocean with strong winds blowing right across the road. Depending on the direction and speed of these winds, both of which are different every day, this stretch can be a minor inconvenience (crosswind) or can make for a very long day (strong headwind)... I figured I would be averaging ~20 mph or so on this section and between 24-27mph on the other 2/3 of the course averaging me out to 22.5 or 23 mph for the whole bike leg.
Boy was I wrong. Ha! I could not get my power any higher in this headwind. I tried to constantly remind myself to be relaxed on my bike and not burn any extra energy. I took in a lot of fluids and felt okay from a nutrition perspective. After the windy section, I did "okay" on the other sections, but still couldn't get my power any higher. It was really frustrating to not be able to push much harder than the low 200’s, but I was riding very steady and felt good through 75 miles or so when my quads started to feel it. Another thing about this course is that the wind picks up throughout the day, so each lap is successively harder than the previous one. I was dreading the final headwind section. At the turn around the bottom of the island, my speed was a blistering 12 mph into the wind. I normally don't let negative thoughts creep into my head when I race (or ever for that matter), but this sucked. I remember thinking that this was the worst bike course I have ever been on an that I would never do another flat and windy course. I was reminded that there is no such thing as an "easy" Ironman. I don't know what it is about the wind, but my power is just lower into it. I can just put out more power when I'm going faster and I was starting to hate this course. So much for my 4-handle bike split. I was lucky to limp in with a 5:38:xx.
Run: I felt "okay" getting off the bike, but I knew I worked too hard even though my NP was a measly ~192W. I flew through T2 and was onto the run course. I saw when I grabbed my Run bag that all of the XC bags were still there so even with my slower swim and much slower bike, I was still in first place, but I had no idea by how much. This is where it went down hill quick. The second I got onto the run course I had stabbing pains in my quads. Like somebody was shoving a serrated steak knife into each quad on every single step and I was only on the first mile of my marathon. I tried to stretch them out quickly and loosen them up with some butt kickers and other goofy stride things, but nothing worked. I just hoped they would loosen up if I ran easy enough for the first few miles. So the miles started to tick off, but the stabbing pain never left my quads. Other than my quads I felt pretty good. I didn't stop at any aid stations, but was able to get all of the water, ice, and nutrition I needed on the fly. This was probably the best supported course of any of the 7 IM's I have done (especially the run). When I made the first turnaround at mile ~4 I checked my watch and saw the 2nd place guy after ~1:30 so I knew I had a 3 minute lead. I'm a runner now, right? If it wasn't for the damn knives in my legs... I decided I was going to just ignore the pain and keep running as fast as I could as long as I needed to. I could call on my mental toughness, right. The next turnaround is at mile ~8.5 and I checked my watch again and this time the second place guy was only a minute back. So he was gaining on me, but not by much. Another 4.5 miles to the next turnaround and I was still in first. My thoughts of a 9-handle race were well out the window, but I still believed I could outrun this guy and win this race. But this is when the negative thoughts started to creep back into my head. What would I do if he caught me? In some ways I wanted him to catch me because I knew he was close and I figured I'd rather chase him. He had to be pushing hard. I figured if I could hang with him until mile 18 or 20 then I could just out "will" him and blow him away in the last 6 miles. Just before the turnaround a volunteer yelled "way to go #99", and the immediately yelled "looking good #97". It was on! When I made the next turnaround, the 2nd place guy was coming out of the aid station I had just passed and he was walking. I figured he made up 4-5 mins in the first segment, then 2 mins in the next segment, then 30 seconds in the last segment. I was slowing, but he was slowing more. If we stayed at those rates of decay, I would fall behind for a bit but shortly be running faster than him and he would eventually come back to me.
It was about a mile or so later, I think it was mile 14 or 15 when he came past me. I had decided that if he passed me I would try to keep him in my sights and simply bide my time until I could reel him back in. He pulled a classic race trick and passed me like I was standing still. Honestly, it was like he was shot out of a cannon. I knew he was just running faster to look strong, but when I tried to increase my pace by just a few seconds per mile it was like somebody twisted the knives that were jammed down in my quads. I tried to keep my pace, but within 30 seconds I could no longer see the guy who was now in first place.
I still felt "okay" other than the searing pain in my quads. I decided to take extra calcium/magnesium pills and a caffeinated salt stick as well as an extra gel. I started walking the aid stations and continued to move forward as best I could. This is when my mind started to wander into some really nasty thoughts. I kept telling myself that if I just kept it close that this suffering would be worth it. But when I was approaching the next turnaround I saw the guy in first and glanced at my watch. He had put at least 5 minutes into me in 4.5 miles. I started walking 30 steps, then running a bit, then walking 60 steps, then running a bit. My race was officially over. I was literally stopped in my tracks. I was near the finish line and had to make the decision if I was going to continue for my last loop. Every step hurt, BAD. And I no longer had a reason to "race". Race goals: 1) 9-handle, fail! 2) qualify for Kona, fail! This is the closest I have ever come to a DNF. I just don't have it in me to DNF. I decided then and there that I would not run another step on this course. I was simply not willing to suffer more for no reason. I may have given up, but I would not be a quitter. Not on this day, not ever. I would walk the remainder of the race and think about life. A couple of times I thought I could at least start jogging again, but my mind said no. I didn't want to have a "respectable" time. I didn't want to beat some new concocted mini goal. Nope. I came here to win and my legs had other plans. I was stubborn to have thought that I was in fact invincible and could "race" an Ironman with exactly 2 weeks of training in the prior 3.5 months since IMMT. My wife tried to convince me that all of the stuff we had going on in our lives was more important than some race, especially since I had already reached my goal. I wanted to be reminded of these things forever when I looked at my time for this race. I wanted to be able to remember that feeling of hopelessness when my body finally showed me that it had in fact had enough. I have asked a lot of my legs in the past yr and they have largely delivered. This was probably the first time that my mind also followed suit and just said no more. This was just hard to accept.
Most people that walk large parts of an ironman muster the energy to at least run down the finishing chute. Not me. This was my 7th Ironman and prior to this one I have never walked more than the aid stations or a few strategic hills. I certainly had the energy to run a couple hundred yards at that point. But I wanted to "own" my walking. I wanted the thousands of screaming fans in the chute to know I was walking. I needed the shame of that. I needed to own that feeling.
I don't want to seem disrespectful of my day. I loved the swim. I had a tough day on the bike, and even walking for 8+ miles of the marathon still ended up with an 11:49 or so race which was 2nd in the XC Division. That's still faster than my first ever Ironman and I realize it's a time that many people would (and should) be very very happy and proud of. It's just hard to explain. It's less about the actual race time and more about the fact that this race forced me to admit that some times being stubborn is just plain stubborn. I have gone through my life being stubborn and thinking that if I just kept trying harder and not listening when people said I couldn't do things that I could usually prove them wrong. It just stings a little to admit that they were right.
I've always prided myself on being mentally tough. Others can't understand how I could go, go, go for so many months/years with no breaks and so much focus on training and nutrition, etc. Frankly, I just liked training and crushing myself and being disciplined. I had a big goal and wanted to improve. But I think I've finally had enough. I'm going to take a break and not train for a while. I'll probably get fat and regret it later, but I'll deal with those consequences later. I'll probably still do fun things with my fitness, but hopefully they will revolve around my family or being a more supportive husband.
Takeaways:
1) I'm a stubborn prick who should have listened to his wife.
2) I never want to to "race" another Ironman without optimal training.
3) The Ironman distance must be respected. It's simply too long to be taken lightly regardless of how many of them you have done in the past.
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Comments
It takes a really, REALLY big man to lay all of that out there like that. Doesn't surprise me one bit that you did, though. You've always been very vocal about and appreciative of the toll that training and racing at the level you have in the past year takes on your family life. What everyone inside the haus needs to know is how well you handled that - waking at 4a.m. to train, rarely (RARELY) training in the evening hours (I can probably count those training sessions on one hand) and instead spending time with me and the kids... never, EVER complaining about how tired you were, but instead playing with the kids... and really LISTENING when I told you what I needed from you before we headed down this road.
I see the, "I'm running low on SAU's!" posts every now and then, and folks, it's true that you need to sit down and genuinely talk this over with your significant other - whether you're trying to KQ or simply make it across the finish line of your first IM - make this conversation about THEM and what THEY need - NOT about you and your training. JW never told me, "I want to KQ and I'm going to need 'X' amount of training time," or "'X' amount of recovery time," - he told me to make him a list (he LOVES lists) of the things that were most important to me and HE figured out a way to train without sacrificing those things. Don't say, "I'll try, "... Say "I will." And then make it happen.
It definitely wasn't all rainbows and unicorns, that's for sure.... but you did what you set out to do and I'm continuously inspired by you and grateful to have you in my life!
To everyone in the haus who is either saying, "awwwwwww..... " or totally gagging right now.... That is all. :-)
@Jess - Thanks really putting things into real life perspective!
@John, as you probably know, Sebastian Keinle said after his Hawaii Ironman win: "Never judge your life by one bad day, judge it by the best day." Amazing and fantastic only begin to describe your year of training for IMMT and your Ironman race that day. When you think back on 2014, I hope you first remember those 8 1/2 months.
I would add that your kids are very fortunate to have you two as parents. Good luck in the Midwest.
Of course the spectrum from "all in" to "all out" as it relates to endurance sports is multi-dimensional. You may be "all out" on IM but you can be "all in" on something else that exacts a smaller and more acceptable toll. Start a different thread on that or email me...I have ideas for you...at your age, the 9-handle IM could still be within your reach even after a few years off...if you use those "off years" productively...
Win or Go Home! I love it! You were simply being you to a T, there at the end of the run once you saw your KQ fly past you. I'm sure you learned many things, once of which is: it is way too boring (to say nothing of how freaking long it takes) to walk the last 8 + miles of an IM to ever want to do that again, no?
But, finally, you had a great two-three years at this, and squeezed every last drop out of yourself over the past 3 months, to take full advantage of everything you put into this project. Full sails onward, JW. Try not to freak out the Minnesotans too much. And swim across that lake on July 4th.
JW....I'm no expert, having only completed one IM. But I've been lurking and learning via this incredible team and resource for two years now, soaking up everything possible, and I therefore KNOW that your first sentence is an amazing one to read....and the outcome is not surprising. You are human....just stronger and more courageous (and stubborn!) than 99% of people in this world. How many professional long course triathletes would try this, expecting to win/podium in the last of the three? THIRD IM in 3.5 months? Seriously? Of course your legs refused to cooperate. This was not a failure, or a "weak showing" or any of that nonsense. If I tried to do this, I would have died or at least spent some time in the ICU....seriously.
I've never met you in person, but have followed you via Strava and EN and you have inspired me (and many others I'm sure) to try things that my brain says are not possible for Jeff Leslie, the 42y/o father of 5 that's never won anything athletic in his life....like completing a first IM in <12hrs. Like a 110mi bike with 13K feet of climbing in 40 degree rain. Like trying to take KOMs on descents! You ARE part crazy.....but that's who you are! It's great. </p>
To have the first post/response from your wife with such adoration and support is just priceless. You have a gem there for sure.
I have a couple of "race report" type questions to ask, if you don't mind, although I think the cards were stacked heavily against you for the obvious reason stated earlier:
1. Did you hydrate the day prior, like you did for Kona and MT (although the conditions are certainly different for MT and the island courses)?
2. Did you pee on the bike? Sounds like you cramped (quad pain)? Are you prone to cramping? Sounds like you tried "anti cramp" things on the run, but it was probably already too late. I'm sure you did all of this stuff, as an experienced IM racer, but just clarifying....
3. Nutrition same as your prior races? Or did you try something different this time?
4. Were you staying as aero as usual? You mentioned the wind just sucking the life out of you, but I recall you saying Kona winds actually scared you a few times (which is hard for me to fathom with your bike descending/handling prowess)? Was this worse really, or it just seemed that way? Just curious.
I may have misinterpreted your final thoughts, but it sounded like you are stepping away from IM for a while? Did I misunderstand? You may not know at this point, or may not be ready to share. You probably need more than 1 day to decompress....I sure would. Not prying....just curious and hoping you are not going to disappear!
Thanks for sharing a very honest, introspective report, that was probably both painful and cathartic to write. Watching/reading/following you and some of the other "not human" fast folks in the haus, and hearing of days like you had actually helps a MOP/"regular" guy like me (that is NOT to say that I enjoy seeing anyone have a "bad day"). Congratulations on an unbelievable year. You accomplished your goal, have a family that loves and supports you and is proud of you, and that is more important than one race in my opinion. JL
Congrats on a great year regardless.
I will be using aspects of your training in mine.
So is you wife ramping up iron training now.?
JW,
I enjoy following your Strava posts and all of your race reports. Your participation and input on this team is greatly admired and appreciated.
I know IMCoz was a grueling experience, but there is value there which may be difficult to see this close after the race.
It is a stepping stone to the next phase for you.
Taking some time off and away will give you much needed perspective and allow you to come back smarter, wiser and stronger than before. You can hold me to that.
Hug your family.......life is good......... and sincere congratulations IM on a great year!
SS
@Al-- You're right, I did learn a lot. And I never want to walk the last 8+ miles of an Ironman again. No guarantees about not freaking out the Minnesotans... I'll be swimming in/across my new lake a lot.
@Robin-- Thanks. Jess is just starting to get back into it right now, doing some bikes and runs to build a bit of durability. She's hoping to get herself into a position to actually start "training" for IM Chattanooga within the next couple of months. I plan to actually do a bunch of runs with her and even some rides in the spring. We'll see if I can keep up with her on her P3 while I'm on a fat bike!
@SS- Thanks man!
@Jeff-- Thanks you for the really nice post! Here are answers to your questions:
1) Yes, I hydrated heavily the day before. I also followed my normal routine of taking in a lot of Calcium and Magnesium and Salt Sticks the day before at as well as some "MAP" Amino Acid pills.
2) Yes, but less than at IMMT. I think I peed 3 times that were really big ones (and a couple of little mini ones). My first one was a little smaller and I really focused on hydrating the whole ride. I had a REALLY REALLY long pee at like mile 108 so I know I was fully hydrated coming off the bike. Contrast this with IMMT where I literally peed every time I took a sip of water, but it was cool and overcast for IMMT so I likely wasn't sweating much there. This was not a cramp. Well I guess it was kind of a cramp, but this was not the type of cramp that would go away If you've ever asked someone how their quads felt near the end of a 100 mile ultra trail run with lots of elevation, that's how my legs felt during mile 1. So this wasn't something that pickle juice would fix. This has happened to me a couple of times int he past and it has been a multi-yr quest to try to solve the puzzle. The 2 other worst times were in IMFL and the Challenge AC bike leg. Both were flat and windy. My finish line photo for IMFL was dubbed Quadzilla because my quads were so swollen. The difference between IMFL 2012 and COZ 2014 was that at COZ, I still needed to run 8:45 miles on those legs. For the bike, I had strips of KT tape that I put on my quads before the race to try to hold this off (I have the sunburn lines to prove it). I also took Calcium/Magnesium pills, salt sticks, and MAP Amino Acid pills on the bike as per my normal routine to try to keep my quads in check. In hindsight, I took less of these than in past races, but my stomach wasn't quite feeling it. I probably took these 3 times in the 5.5 hours as opposed to IMMT when I took them 5 times in ~5.5 hrs. Maybe I should have done more, but again, this feels like muscle tearing, not cramping. It's 2 days later and I can barely walk. I'm currently typing this with 2 ice packs on each quad inside my Normatec boots that are running through a compression cycle.
3) Nutrition was "similar". I started with a ~1.5 hr bottle of my normal Infinit in my Speedfil A2 and another behind my seat. I went through these in ~3 hrs and was supplementing heavily with water. The course had Gatorade (not Perform) which I switched to after I went through my Infinit. My stomach was ever so slightly "gurgly" which is why I had more water and less of the salt. I also soaked myself at every aid station. My nutrition is not a science and I modify it slightly during every race depending on feel. I also had 2 of my Accel Recover bars, 1 Larabar, 1 Kind Bar, and a package of Hone Stinger chomps. My guess is ~350-400 calories per hour which is pretty normal for me.
4) I stayed aero A LOT. This wind was NOT scary. It was NOT gusty like Kona and no where near as strong. It was just 13 mies into a steady head/cross wind. I made a point to stand and pedal every 20-30 mins or so after switching to a big gear (even if I was in the wind). I gave this advice to Juan for IMFL and tried to follow it myself. I also sat up through all aid stations. In Kona, I was clutching my aerobars or bullhorns tightly a lot. In Coz, if I noticed I was clutching, I reminded myself not to and tried to just be relaxed. I simply rested my hands in an aero position to cut through the wind. I have nowhere to train on long flat stretches... My flattest course in NJ has several thousand feet of elevation change.
My training rides did not cause this type of quad pain and they were ridden at a much higher NP than this race. So it was either the flat course, or the wind, or maybe swim fitness. I was swimming A LOT before IMMT and wasn't swimming much before Kona and barely at all before Coz. My swim time did not seem to be effected as I placed about where I normally do in my AG and it didn't "seem" like it took a lot out of me. My HR was ~115 when I got onto my bike. I noticed that my HR was ~5 beats higher than normal for the first several hours on the bike, but it was still right between 139-142, so it wasn't crazy. But I do wonder if an hour swim takes more out of me than I think it does before a bike. Grasping at straws here though. After 7 IM's, why can I crush a couple back to back 100 mile rides in training 2.5 weeks prior to a race, then shell my legs on much lower power during the race. I must have read what I just typed hundreds of times in other race reports...
This is just a damn hard sport. Especially when we're each trying to push our limits and go as fast as we can. I'm sure I could have raced conservatively and done a ~20 min slower bike and a ~1hr faster run. That would have guaranteed me to have also come in 2nd place in the XC division (which is not why I went there)... There's another teaching moment there for anyone doing their first or second or even 3rd Ironman who might be reading this. The highest probability of having a successful race is to race smart and conservative. I didn't want the highest probability of a smooth race though, I wanted a chance to win. So I accepted the lower probability of my fastest "possible" race, which ended up, well, with an 8+ mile walk.
Thanks for the clarifications. Sure sounds like you prepared, hydrated and "nutritionized" adequately, based on what's worked for you in the past. I will try to remember this experience when I'm tempted to push outside of my little box. "Those who do not know history are doomed to repeat it...."
I've seen pictures of your quads.....I guess one of the advantages of the chicken legs I have (probably the only one) is that I have less to worry about swelling/hurting/burning/etc!
I think your lack of swim training was a definite factor. Swim training may not have a high ROI in terms of the time saved on the swim leg itself, but it has a big impact on how much the swim takes out of the downstream events. And I've heard it said a number of times that swim training is RUN training. I notice that when my swim volume is up, I feel so much better starting the bike leg and assume it carries throughout the rest of the day. No doubt, IM is a hard sport, but I suspect you'll be looking for another race sooner than you think.
X2 what Paul says about the swim below......
In 2012, when Paul, myself and Carl N. were there, we had a hellacious current the last 1,000M and they had to pull 250+ out of the water because they simply could not get back in......
SS
JW, thanks for allowing us to learn from your Cozumel experience. I will use part of Jess's words and say ... "you did what you set out to do ... we are all continuously inspired by you and grateful to have you in our team"
Best of luck with your move and enjoy some time to recover physically and mentally.
@ the Withrows...John and Jess thanks so much to both of your for sharing your experiences, thoughts and feelings with the team. You both provide great insights into IM racing but more importantly into life and relationships.
It was an honor and pleasure to share 2 IMs this year both of you. Lots of fun, and I hope to see you at future races.
JW...I can relate so much to your thoughts on the run. You describe just how I felt at Kona this year.
So now take some well-earned rest time, get settled into your new home, & have a great holiday season. There will always be another race to do when you are ready and it is right for your family.
Looking forward to seeing u guys at IMChoo!!
JW,
While this was not want you wanted you had a great year. It's great that you put it all out there for the win and a great race report.
Gordon
Great to have dinner with you. I will, however, never forgive you for putting the XC bug in my wifes ear.
If this was your last go round for a while then I am doubly glad that I was there for it. Congrats on the new job and the great year.
Now, please PM me what you are shorting.