Brian Hagan's 2016 IM Texas RR
First and foremost, I want to say that my first Ironman with Endurance Nation was completely awesome. This was my third overall, but nothing will ever come close to what I experienced on this journey to the finish line at Ironman Texas.
I was a podcast listener for a couple of years, but decided to give it a go last October 2015, and I am happy I made the decision to join. The plans are great, but it’s the people in the group that not only kept me so motivated, but also taught me so much along the way. Also, thanks again to everyone who commented on my race plan, I incorporated a little bit from everyone.
As for my results, except for my swim I could not be happier.
IM Mont-Tremblant in 2014 I finished 242 out of 325 finishers in my AG (74 Percentile).
IM Muskoka in 2015 I finished 96 out of 166 finishers (58 percentile).
IM Texas 2016 I finished 79 out of 285 finishers (27 percentile)
Swim - 1:27:21
T1: 5:11
Bike - 4:45:24
T2: 6:51
Run - 4:41:19
Total - 11:06:06
Race Morning –
Woke up at 3:00 and had an almond butter sandwich, Naked fruit smoothie, VEGA One smoothie, Vega One Bar and coffee over about 1.5 hours. I also had to load my luggage in the car, because I checked out.
I left my room at 5:00ish and walked down to T1 (1 mile).
This was all as planned
Morning Set-up
I borrowed a pump from the guy next to me.
I used latex tubes, so I pumped the front at 100, and the rear at 105.
Filled aero bottle with Gatorade Endurance and placed one bottle of Gatorade Endurance on the down tube and one behind seat.
Attached spare tire kit under my seat.
Attached X-Lab bento box with 1 full gel flask and 5 salt tabs
Placed Amphipod belt on handle bars with 2 gel flasks.
Placed 3 Amrita bars so they were sticking out of the belt.
Grabbed cap and goggles and went to drop off bags.
Posed for EN group picture.
Went to swim start with Tom Box.
Ate Gatorade Endurance Chews
Zipped up swim skin. Put on goggles. Put on cap.
Lined up in front of 1:10 starter and waited.
Swim: 1:27:21
My swim was horrible. Per my Garmin file, I swam 4642 yards. The course was in a zig zag shape out and back. I was trying to stay with the crowd, but people were all over. Some we following the zig zag, some made a straight shot. I just tried to stay with people, near me.
Previously, I have several open water swims and short distance triathlons under my belt prior to an IM, but for this one, it was my first open water swim of the year. I felt like my stroke was my normal stroke most of the time, but it was crowded all the way to the end and there was a lot of bumping into each other. I did the swim in 1:09 at Muskoka last year (wetsuit legal), so without a wetsuit I was expecting a 1:15 or so.
T1 - 5:11
I opted to have my arm coolers and helmet in my transition bag.
Took off swim cap and goggles while getting out of the water
Took the 920 off the wrist band.
I took off my swim skin.
Took my helmet and arm coolers out of the transition bag and handed bag, swim skin, cap and goggles to a volunteer.
Put on my helmet.
Went to my bike while putting on the arm coolers. I’d like to say I ran, but I cannot run on concrete with bare feet. I have arthritis in my left ankle.
Put an Amrita bar in my speed suit in my left leg and other in my right leg.
Put the 920 on the aero bottle mount.
Put third amrita bar in hand.
Placed Amphipod belt around my waist.
Grabbed bike and headed out.
Already had shoes on pedals, so I just got on my bike and left.
I passed a lot of people in T1, so I am pleased, I could have saved a minute or two if I ran, but I just did a quick walk.
Bike: 4:45:24
NP: 154
IF: .58
VI: 1.05
Avg Speed: 19.7
I was pretty conservative on the bike. My goal for the race was to run the marathon, so I was riding pretty conservative. Also, I was getting 20 mph hour splits, and I felt like I was moving. My plan was to start at 170 watts and work my way up to 190, but I just kept it down to save for the run. Most of my long training rides were 170-180 NP, but were a little slower. Also, my 2.63 mile swim took a lot out of me.
The course had a lot of opportunities to go fast despite all the turns. Also, I got better and better at the turns as time went by. I tried to stay aero where I could, brake before the turn and shift before the turn. I sat up whenever the turn was really sharp or crowded.
The ride was very crowded. There was drafting everywhere and hard to avoid. People were riding side by side and on the right side of the lane.
I stuck with my nutrition plan mostly.
I ate all three amrita bars in the first 3 hours.
The first was right away, and the other two were at the one hour and 2 hour mark.
I took a salt tablet every hour (4 total).
I took a shot from a gel flask every 15 minute interval that I did not eat an amrita bar.
I was able to drink 2 bottles of Gatorade an hour for about 3 hours, but after a while it was very hard to keep drinking Gatorade. I kept burping it up and my stomach felt really full. I started grabbing waters at mile 70 and pouring some on me and drinking the rest. It was getting really hot at that point.
I never peed (TMI). I know the goal was to pee twice, but I think my body was sweating everything I was taking in. I also think I may have eaten too much. I kept burping and feeling bloated, but I did not want to stop eating and drinking.
It got really hot and I remember struggling a little at the end. It’s easy to say now, that I wish I would have ridden harder, but I know at the time I was only thinking to save energy for the run.
I am happy I drove the second half of the course on the prior Thursday (missed a turn and missed most of the first half) and rode my bike for a portion of it. It made everything look familiar and helped give me target landmarks to look for and break up the monotony.
T2: 6:51
I got out of shoes less than a quarter mile before transition.
Dismounted and took 920 off of the aero bottle and placed it on my wrist
Handed bike to volunteer.
Tried to run on grass to T2 bag, but eventually had to walk fast on concrete
Yelled out bag number to volunteers
Found bag. Put on socks and shoes.
Took off amphipod belt and placed in bag.
Grabbed go bag and banana and headed to tent.
Handed bag to volunteer.
Peeled banana and took 2 bites and threw the rest away an started running
Put on hat.
Stopped for sun screen ladies
Put on belt with race bib and water bottle on the run.
Run 4:41:19
Loop #1
Started slow and kept heart rate down
Filled go bag with ice at the first aid station and ate a caffeinated gel
I stuffed the ice bag in the back of my speed suit.
I peed in a porta john at North Shore Park
It was really hot and humid. I kept to the plan of running from aid station to aid station and walking each aid station. I tried not to think of how far I had left, just mile by mile.
Food was not looking good. I only had 2 gels for the first 6 miles and water.
The ice from the go bag melted and dripped into my socks. They were now soaking wet.
I threw the bag away after 2 fills.
I could not even think of drinking Gatorade.
I was taking a salt tablet or 2 I can’t remember.
I threw ice water over myself at every aid satiation and put ice cubes in my hat.
I put the ice sponges by my neck in the back of my speed suit.
I was struggling to keep any pace as I was trying to keep my heartrate at 135.
I saw my wife and mother in law the end of the first loop and that really gave me a lift.
Loop #2
It started with the heat and humidity as bad as loop #1
I stopped at special needs and changed socks and ate 3 tums (Thanks Rich Stanbaugh!)
The tums started to make my stomach feel a lot better.
My body felt so hot and I was really starting to struggle.
May pace was getting to 11+
The thunder started and the temperature started to drop at mile 12 just before the McMansions.
I felt a few sprinkles. Somewhere in the McMansions it started to poor.
All of the sudden I felt awesome!! My pace went to 8:25.
I made it to the canal and the crowd was awesome!
I saw my wife and Mother-in-Law in a tunnel and that gave me more energy.
I started high fiving people everywhere, it was so fun.
My pace settled in the 9’s
Then I got pulled into a parking garage for (I am guessing) 7 minutes.
I am not sure if we were supposed to, but all the sudden everyone started running again and I took off. I looked down at my watch and I was running 7:40, so I pulled back. At that point I knew I was going to run the whole marathon.
Loop#3
The rain stopped and it heated up a little. Things slowed down to the upper 9’s and low 10’s, but I was still running. I was passing runners and walkers everywhere. I just wanted to keep going and only walk for aid stations. I started hitting the Red Bull every few aid stations. I could not stomach Coke for some reason, but the Red Bull went down easy and it felt like it gave a short jolt of energy. I started eating bananas, oranges and watermelon at the aid stations. I tried a gel, but spit it out. The crowds thinned out this time around because of the rain.
I consider the run a success, since my goal was to run the whole marathon and walk the aid stations. I will never forget running in the storm and feeding off of the energy from the crowds.
Overall 11:06:06– My swim sucked, but I am happy with the bike and the run. My goal was to run the marathon and only walk the aid stations. My run time said 4:41, but was closer to a 4:30 without the stop. My watch battery died at around mile 23 and it was at 4 hours (I paused it for the stop). I had a target in mind of 11:00 and I came in at 11:06. It was probably like 10:56 if I did not get stopped.
Comments
Great fought battle on a tough day Brian!
That TX swim is always crowded and just weird as you described. Its like chaos in a bathtub coming down the canal leg. Nice work there.
Honestly, I think you played it smart on the bike going out conservative, not knowing what the cumulative effects of the heat/humidity were going to offer later. You left a little on the table there with a .58 IF but better to do it that way than pay the price of burning too many matches later on the run.
I think you handled the run better than I would have given all the temp changes and the stops they made you do. I was tracking you the whole way while simultaneously watching the weather changes and biting my nails!
27 percentile and a HUGE improvement from the prior two IMs under those crazy conditions kind of says it all!!
Congratulations IM!
Brian,
Congrats on the finish. Nice report too. In addition to all the great memories of race day, hopefully you'll also take away some lessons-learned that you can apply to the next one. Now that you know you can run well off the bike, you can be a bit bolder and push an higher IF on the bike next time. The bloating on the bike was almost certainly over-eating or consuming too many calories, probably coupled with a little dehydration. You simply can't over-estimate the effects of doing a high-HR swim for 90 minutes in very high heat/humidity and zero drinking to offset the dehydration. I wouldn't be surprised if you lost 5-6 pounds during the swim - not kidding. Making that up requires very focused, consistent drinking (and salting) for the first two hours of the bike. Even though I got a cup of Gatorade between the two loops, I had a crap swim at Florida and knew I was starting the (very hot/humid) bike in serious need of re-hydration. So, the first two hours involved a lot of binge drinking, especially after I puked. But by the end of the bike I had peed 7 times and started the run quite hydrated (at least for me in an IM) and was able to pass hundreds on their death marches. To me, that ride nutrition and hydration probably presents the biggest opportunity for you. Well, other than the swim, which is just tough. Especially in that lake. But sub-11 (or right at 11) in those conditions is a great accomplishment.
Congrats again. Looking forward to following your next adventure.
MR
Interesting on the bike power vs speed thing. I experienced the same situation. Power was way lower than in RR's but the speed was still there. I think that you are right in that this swim really must have taken it out of us. I too took the long way around that lake. Nasty water. Cant imagine how bad the section that they decided to close was!
Rest up. Hope to see you again soon.
I did notice that I spelled my name wrong in the title and posted this in the wrong folder..... I would love to be able to fix both.
Thanks for the feedback! @ Tim - No water bottles on the belt. It just a belt with a storage are to put gels. I think next time, I am going to get it all in a water bottle. Also, I love the advice on the bike computer!
@ Jimmy - It was a pleasure meeting you. I read your race report as well. Everyone told me there would be heat, but I you never know what it feels like until your in it. Your posts in the forum during the IM Prep phase really helped motivate me. It was a pleasure doing the race with you!
@Mike Roberts - Lessons learned list is in process, both for training and race. I have read your forum on how you improved your IM swim several times. This will be my next project! Lets see how it goes. Yeah I did the EN food calculator and added even more to it. I believe liquids only will work better for me, so I am going to practice that this summer. I have never had stomach issues, but I've never done races in hot and humid conditions. Thanks for the advice!
@SS - Thanks for all your comments and leading by example!
Otherwise, incredible race. Your positivity and focus are two big reasons you continue to improve!
Enjoy the rest...
Rest well now IM!
What can i say, Brian! So much fun hanging out with you at camp and during the days leading up to this race. GREAT race! I think you have a TON of positives you can take away from this race. Most importantly, you proved to yourself that you are capable of running the entire IM marathon and that was on a hot day with what sounds like some dehydration carry over from the swim and the bike. Your AG placement percentile shows you are moving in the right direction. Be patient, do the work and the sky's the limit, brother! Beers are on me come October!
nice work. nice improvement across the races. nice running.
yes maybe work on reducing the moving pieces. do more bike set-up the day before. simplify the timing devices. etc.
have a good rest.