Beth Hornak ~ 2016 IMLOU Race Report ~
Two words, Vinyasa Ironman!
Behind the Scenes
In the last year, I've had terrible knee pain, and finally had an MRI last September. The results were nothing conclusive - an aging knee with maybe a torn meniscus. Recommendation was to stop running. I also have Plantar Fibromatosis in my left foot, which continues to be a rehab in process for me. I let that diagnosis marinate for about 2 months and nearly resigned myself to becoming an aqua-bike athlete. My friend Amy wanted to get into the Kona Legacy program and had eyes on doing two Ironman races this year, with one at Louisville. She rang me up in hopes of convincing me to tell my doc to bugger off and sign up already. I let that marinate for about a week as I've had eyes on Ironman for about 5 years. After some serious soul-searching, I decided to embrace carpe diem and signed up on 11/13/15, not knowing how I would execute the run. I spent most of last winter in the pool, on the trainer and off my feet. I spoke with Patrick in December and he assured me that he could work with in my limits. In early Spring, I found a functional chiropractor who put me on the path to healing by teaching me about my body mechanics and how my knee was the good guy and I just needed turn on and turn off the right muscles. I started with a walk, and slowly progressed to running. As for my training, in May, I started with the beginner HIM plan and raced (ish) a July Aqua-bike HIM, with a twist. I used it as a long training day, doing the swim and bike, and running 8 miles off the bike (win!), After a week of down time, I switched to the beginner IM plan and it was go time.
The training plan worked so well for me - it was appropriate for my work schedule and my family, and attainable from a execution perspective. Patrick and I agreed that as my knee was still in recovery, my runs would be limited to any workouts that involved a bike / run or a run / bike. The Thursday long run would done in the pool or on the elliptical, saving it all for the race rehearsal and the IM. I pushed the boundary on the RR run, going for 3:30 instead of the 3:00, and when I finished, I ran 16 miles, and knew that after that, I could run the 26.2 - it was a huge confidence builder.
Going into race week, everything I wanted to do, like daily yoga, didn't happen, and the final days of the taper fell apart after we arrived in Louisville. We drove from Rochester, NY (my husband, Joe, did the race too and our two daughters, Emma (16) and Sara (14) came with us), and after 12 hours in the car, we were not keen on doing much driving on for my Thursday swim.
Thursday - Friday - served as admin days for us. Just getting settled into our hotel (we stayed across the river in Jeffersonville, IN) and getting ourselves unpacked and staged for Sunday. Thursday, we walked to the village, checked in and picked up the VIP badges for Emma, Sara, my sister Janine (who would arrive on Saturday) and Amy (the legacy hopeful athlete who bailed on the race in June, but drove in from Rochester to be my personal assistant). Lots of good energy in the village!! Thursday evening, Emma and Sara ran the 5K Fun Run and Emma cruised in 2nd female overall. During the time the girls were on the course, we had the opportunity to meet and speak with Dave, the announcer. Such a neat experience to get to know the voice behind the race and hear some of his race announcing stories.
On Friday morning, Joe and I drove out to recon the course. We brought the bikes to ride portions of Ballard School Road, Old Sligo, Winters Lane and Yager Lane. I was also panicked because I could not get my chain to seat on the last cog on the rear. I had a local bike shop (I did not have time to get to my preferred shop) look at it and they could not find anything wrong. When I shifted, it jumped back a cog (when I took it to "my" shop, they told me that the other shop overtightened a screw which would not allow the chain to seat correctly). At this point, there was nothing I could do and just hoped that nothing would blow up on race day. After our recon ride, Joe dropped me at the athlete village to attend the afternoon briefing. I walked back to the hotel, ate and went feet up until dinner. The team dinner was awesome. It was so great to meet everyone who had shared the many weeks of training. A huge thank you to David Wonn who gave me a lift back to my hotel after dinner, and Paul Curtin, who cross checked my Garmin rides to assure me that my rides were hill appropriate for the course. Amy arrived around 9 and stayed at the same hotel, and once we greeted her and visited a bit, it was lights out.
Saturday - Joe decided to do the practice swim, and I did not - I love to swim and did not want to put myself into the water until it was absolutely necessary. He stayed on after the swim and attended the Saturday morning athlete briefing. Amy and I went to the airport to collect my sister, Janine, who flew in from Albany, NY. We went back to the hotel and Janine took the girls out to tour Louisville, Churchill Downs, and the Muhammad Ali Museum. Amy and I started staging the race bags and by time Joe got back, we were ready to take the bikes for check-in. Nothing dramatic about that process other than the long line, and some people being special snowflakes. After check-in and doing some sighting (I met John Henault, who was racked near me), it was back to the hotel for dinner. Amy and Janine took the girls to Wild Rita's, an amazing Mexican restaurant downtown.
Lights out by 10.
Race Morning - Up at 3:40 to take Synthroid. I went back to bed until 4:15, then ate oatmeal and a banana with almond milk, and a Sun Warrior Chocolate Protein Shake. Joe, Amy and I left for transition at 5:15, and arrived at about 5:30. The one thing I did not account well for (despite being from the polar vortex of Rochester, was dressing warmly up top. I had yoga pants and just a sweatshirt, but at least thought of a hat and gloves, but I could have done better by wearing a jacket. After putting my water bottles and food on my bike (BONUS! Julie Hupp was racked next to me!), and pumping my tires, it was off the land of the swim line. I lost Joe and Amy and ended up hiking around with my morning clothes bag and bike pump, hopefully I would find one of them. Joe did not realize that I was in the swim line and frantically had Dave, the announcer, on the PA system paging me with "Beth Hornak, your man is looking for you." At some point, he found me and we settled into line. At one point, the pace began to pick up, Amy found us, and the sun started to rise. We began to see more volunteers who began to brief us that the swim was close to starting and once it did, we needed to be prepared to move quickly. Clothes came off, wetsuits went on, gels were chugged, and water was sipped as we inched closer to the water. I kept my shoes on as long as possible, knowing I was in a sea of pee. Close to the swim start, I gave the shoes to Amy, but kept my socks on until the point of no return. As we entered the swim corral, our volunteer instructed us that it was time for a last kiss, and just like that, I was in the water.
Swim - I love to swim, and had no worries at all. I just wanted to stay in my zone, set up a personal lane, get the work done, and move on to the bike. I had very little contact with the other athletes and focused on my stokes and breath. Upon the turn past the island, I felt good and strong. The water was murky at best, so it would have been useless to use Garmin for time. I remember swimming under the first bridge and looking up at the sheer magnificence of it. I probably lost a minute there, but it was such a beautiful experience, that I wanted to soak it in. I did the same thing for the second bridge and lost another minute, but how many times in my life (unless I go back) will I have that opportunity?
Swim Exit - a little wobbly - I had the privilege of exiting with a challenged athlete and watched in awe as he was lowered into his wheels to begin his Ironman journey. After the wetsuit stripper helped me take off the wetsuit, it was a gingerly run to get the swim to bike bag and head into the great unknown, otherwise known as the changing tent.
T1 - By EN standards, my T1 time was a cocktail party. With morning temperatures in the middle 40's, I made the decision not to swim in my tri kit and wear a swimsuit. It was a struggle to get dry clothes onto sticky skin and then add a technical shrug, but I knew I had to be warm - I am low thyroid and tend to be cold unless it is in the high 70's. It was 6:00 slower than I would have liked, but warmth was key for me.
Bike - The first 10 miles are flat and I knew I needed to stay in my HR zone (Patrick made me get, and wear a HR monitor), settle in, and do the opposite of everyone else. Honestly, I should have worn gloves. My hands were so cold, I had trouble shifting, getting my water bottle, and picking up my food (honey stinger waffles, nearly cut into bit size pieces). I think I finally thawed out by mile 20. I focused on my HR, and eating and drinking every 15', so that by the end of the hour I had taken in all my calories. I got on the bike at around 9:20, and did not feel warm until 2:00 when the shrug came off. Overall, I was pleased with the way the bike went. I cog still would not sit, so I stayed out of that gear and hoped nothing else would crop up. At mile 40, my stomach hit a gooshy stage, so I used my mantra, improvise, adapt and overcome, and only ate half a honey stinger waffle and took in the majority of calories from fluid, which was Crank Sports, Tropical Blast. I also added in salt tabs beginning around noon. The biggest challenges for me were that I am not a ninja level rider and although I am able to pee in a wet suit and under some circumstances pee on the run, I have not mastered peeing off the bike. My bike computer time was 7:03, while official IM time about about 7:32, which means I lost a lot of time at rest stops. I did stop at special needs to pick up more food and hydration, despite trying to stuff all my nutrition into spi-belts on Saturday. It just did not work, so I took the loss on time, and went to Plan B, which was the special needs bag. I also have very sensitive skin, and have some many birthmarks, it is like organic art, so I need to re-apply sunscreen. Around mile 70, it became a mind game (insert stronger word). I began a mental game of pretending I was at home, and where would I be on those roads. At mile 80, my feet ignited and I had a base case of hot feet. I shifted around in my shoes, stood up, inverted and everted and tried to do anything to avoid stopping - until I had to pee, and there were no rest stops to found. I passed a few guys who had pulled over and were peeing by the side of the road - that was Plan Z for me. I would pee of the bike, before I peed by the side of the road. At mile 90, I started peeing off the bike, at mile 100, it was the holy grail of rest stops. Fresh water, tapped out my feet, used the rest room and I was off for the last 12 miles. I felt really good and spun it out on the final stretch.
T2 - Another cocktail party, but I changed shorts and socks, grabbed my spi-belt of food, tried to pee and walked out into the second great unknown - the run.
Run - Here is where it would all come together and here is where I would learn what my mind and body were capable of. I made a pact with myself to walk the first mile. Get my legs back, shake out the hamstrings and not do anything foolish. I declined the invitation of several athletes exiting with me to run and my husband caught up with me on the first mile. I let him go too, keeping in mind, this was my race, my day and I needed to do what was right for me. At mile 2, I felt strong enough to run and run I did, for 25.2 miles. A feat that was unthinkable a year ago. To be told I couldn't, and then I did, was an incredible experience. At mile 4 or 7, I can't remember which, I felt a bit nauseous, so I took some salt and that settle things down. My nutrition protocol was water, water, gel, and I followed that through until mile 19 or 20, and then I was done. I stopped at special needs for a jacket and the rest of my gels, so I lost a little time there. Truthfully, I expected to get cold when the sunset, but I did not and ditched the jacket at mile 21 or 22 when I saw my sister and Amy. The line for me was mile 23. My left quad was getting shaky, as was my left achilles. At mile 24-ish there was a superstar cheerleader who gave me some good mojo to get to the final stretch. The last two miles seems interminable. When I finally made the turn onto 4th Street, it was a feeling that defies an adjective. Crossing the finish, under the lights, and amongst a cheering crowd that was almost defining, was just overwhelming.
Final thoughts - This race was not only a journey for me physically, but mentally as well. My one thing, that I held so close to my heart on the run, was my friend Heather Boyum. She was killed four years ago while on a training ride by two drunk drivers. Her kids where 4 and 7. The emotional devastation from her death has sometimes prompted my husband to tell me to stay in the land of the living. When she was killed, I was supposed to be on that ride with her - so in a sense, I have survivor's guilt and a friend says I have PTSD. She had a goal of completing LP in '18 and as she would never miss the opportunity to race, I believe with my heart that she was very present and carried me through those last difficult miles. When I finished I kissed my hands and lifted them to the sky - to honor her goal,thank her for being my friend and for being with me.
Early Sunday morning, I thought "one and done." Now, not so much. I am sure Coach Rich would tag this as the George Clooney phase of Ironman, but I had such a smooth training cycle and extraordinary race, that yes, I would do it again. I know I am capable of going under 15:00 comfortably and will use this IM as a stepping stone to another successful race.
Emma took an emotional video of me at the finish, and to hear her voice yelling go mom go, juxtaposed with Dave announcing my finish is what finally brought me to tears on Tuesday morning when I finally saw my FB feed. It's too large to upload here, but I think I successfully attached a picture.
Comments
Given where you were a year ago - looking at never running again - this is a remarkable performance. For one thing, it's a testament to the value of warming up properly (walking that first mile). More important, it speaks volumes about persistence, commitment, consistency, and, most of all, enduring friendship.
@Gordon and Al ~ gratitude. I know you guys are EN rockstars, and your posts mean so much.
@Gordon,
I am thrilled to be in the 1XIM club, and AG win = rock star!
As to whether to race IM again; personally I’ve given it considerable thought since Louisville. For me there are now more reasons “why” than “why not”, so IM Lou is on my 2017 season roadmap. It would be cool to race with you there again. I don’t know which races you plan for 2017, but it seems certain which one you’ll select for 2018.
Hi Danielle,
Thank you so much.
If I remember correctly you are recovering from an injury as well and did the race SB? How are you doing?
Cheers,
Beth
Hi Paul,
Appreciate the kind words!! It was so great to meet and THANK YOU for all the time you took to stalk my Garmin rides! I was very nervous about riding that course mostly blind, and to have the confirmation that my training was appropriate for the course really helped me psychologically.
I would love to go back for '17 - I am not sure how that will set up at this point. My niece is getting married in Montana in July, which will be mostly food and booze with a wee bit of running or swimming, so that would impact my bike training. Also, my eldest daughter will be a senior in high school, and the race date does not coincide with columbus weekend. I told her that she did not need to be there, but if you saw the video she posted of my finish, you probably can understand why she wants to be there again.
I am considering the REV3 HIM in the Poconos - 8/13.
Cheers!