Jonathan Brown's IMCHOO race report
Hey all,
So lets start off saying i finished. There was many times during the "run" that i did not think that i would finish. So lets give some stats before i get into the nitty gritty:
| RACE SUMMARY | |
| Swim: | 1:16:18 |
| Bike | 7:34:54 |
| Run | 7:03:26 |
| Overall | 16:06:56 |
The swim:
The swim was everything expected and more. 
So i was not expecting to kill it in the swim. The swim was down river and yet i still hit the same time I swam in the pool a week before the race. Between sighting and getting kicked a few times, i was on par. I really enjoyed the swim, it was very relaxing and enjoyable. 1, 2, 3 breath, 4, 5,6 breath, 7, 8, 9 breath and sight. At no time during the swim did i float, do breast stroke, or sight too long. I did notice that the first 2000 yards was much faster than the last 2000 yards. I think it had to do with the island and cutting of the current. Just be aware of that for the future.
Bike:
Ok, so the bike was a fun time. I maintained my nutrition on the bike as two bottles of gatorade and two gels an hour. I was eating my fried chicken for the first 22 miles or so (until i made it to Cove road). I lets people be stupid and fly by me. Huffing and puffing over the hills.
Everything was going great. When i took a left onto Hog Jowl Road, i was ready to get into my ninja stage. So i did… i rocked the down hills and up hills keeping my power the same the whole time. I was flying by folks and did not see them again on the up hills because i was maintaining. Then i started to notice a little wobble in my back wheel. HMMM, thats odd… so stopped to notice that my back wheel was very very low in pressure (i.e. flat). So i changed the flat without a problem. OK, flats happen, i can deal with this. So, i got back on the road and ready to go… then 3 to 4 miles later, i felt the wobble again. FOOOK. OK, checked the tire and noticed it was low… not flat but losing air. and pretty fast. Between us all, i had NO clue why my tire was flat again. So i was on the side of the road with another racer because he broke a spoke and shredded his tire (not sure how that happened). We waited for the bike guy that could help us. (time was clicking down and clicking down fast&hellip
by the time he got there and fixed the tire (thorn in the tire that kept giving me flats) it added about 45 minutes to my time. BLAST!!! i ended up averaging 12 MPH during that section (when later i averaged over 18 MPH in the same section).
After the flat problem. i had an enjoyable bike ride… nothing caused me concern or worry. I just kept to my plan and enjoyed the bike ride.
I noticed that many people started to drag and lose speed and cadence later in the bike. Me, i was rocking it. The only two things that i ran into problem with besides the tire during the bike… I had to go #2 twice on the bike. That cause some comfort issues with the under carriage during the ride. The other issue is that my back/shoulders were really starting to bother me. But i expected this.
T2: Simple, only reason it was slower was body glide being added to my feet. But i kept it moving.
Run:
HMMM, so the first mile was fun (i could not feel my legs… hehehe). But i kept moving forward eating my bucket of chicken pace. I was doing pretty well for the first 6 to 7 miles. I had a good pace (between a 11:30 and 12:00 pace each mile) Then it happened. I became short of breath. My back started to hurt bad and i had issues breathing. My hands were swollen, my fingers where numb, my hands went numb, and my nose start to go numb. This happened from mile 6 to 7. I tried to stretch my shoulders but every time i did this, i started to get a sharp pain. If i moved my arms above my waist then my arms went numb. The blood flow was being cut off some how. Stretching did nothing for me. So i started to walk. OH, i walked and walked…. So what i tried to do during this walking time was to cut my salt, increase my salt, and take in fluids and nutrition. While doing this i was walking. Things got better and things got worse then better.. then worse. About mile 11, i started to get into a really really really dark place.
My darkest place hit the hardest around mile 12 when i saw my father. I started to cry to him saying there is no way i was going to finish this race. My back was in so much pain that there was no way it was going to happen. His comment helped me move forward "Keep walking… you will finish. I am so proud of you". At this point i realized i just needed to walk as fast as i can. I saw my mother and my friend (Danette) a quarter mile later… i was moving and they told me to keep moving. Then i saw my friend shawn at mile 12.5 and he walk the pedestrian bridge with me. This conversation with shawn got me through the next 8 miles. During the next 8 miles i tried to run a few times but that did not happen… the back issues cause pain and shortness of breath. (BTW, when i say shortness of breath, i could not breath.) I saw my friends at mile 20 to 21… So i walked and walked. Up and down there evil hills. but i walked.
Keep in mind, i was not dehydrated because i peed like 5 times during the marathon. I also went #2 twice (again, not sure why).
The finish, i finished 10 minutes before mid-night. What an amazing experience and i could not ask for a better finishing experience. The crowd was crazy and i got to see Mariah at the finish holding my medal for me. She took care of me with water, finisher stuff, and food. THank you Mariah. I really appreciate it.
Lessons learned:
I did not train for this race like i did my first. I was not in the right shape both physical and mental for this race. My back has been an issue for a while, yet i have not fixed it. I believe it is because of my aero bars are too narrow and not the right fit. Since they do not adjust i need to replace the whole setup or get a new bike. (i would love a new bike, but i see this as needed when i do another ironman).
i need to improve my bike. My bike is not good and i need to improve it like no ones business. My average watts are lower than they should be for a person my age and my weight. Thus i need to focus 100% on the bike.
OH, and i need to focus on the run. My run has been BLAH for the last two years. I just have slacked and i have not done the right things when it comes to increasing my pacing.
SO over all, my swim is ok and everything else needs to improve… Outseason here i come.
Comments
That is along time to be out there fighting the fight bro! Congratulations on staying with it and getting the job done Ironman!
Honestly, I don't know if I could keep up that fight that long.
Rest and Heal!
SS
I'm so sorry about your issues on the run. I'm with Rachel...you need to figure out the numbness issues, then work on the bike/run. I've no doubt you'll come back stronger at your next IM.
And if you're even in town and want to hit Somerset, let me know!!!!
It was really fun meeting you at camp and then spending time together again for the race. Keep working hard and good things will continue to happen to you!
Now go drink an IPA as a recovery drink!
Character building, for sure. The run problems sound like a bike fit issue to me, messing with your spinal cord or nerves. Do not do another long bike ride with that bike in the aero position!
Second IM? I learned the hard way that it doesn't matter how many IM's were done in the past, they never get easier. Staying humble with that perspective will get us out the door training more often than if we tell ourselves that ''we've done this before. I know what to expect.''
you were pretty hard on yourself at the end of that report. chalk it up to a gut check. you toughed it out when so many others would've mailed it in. And, yes, your family noticed that. I promise!