Stanbaugh - IM Los Cabos 2017 Race Report
This is simultaneously the easiest and the hardest race report that I have ever written.
Short Version
I caught a bug in the days before the race, couldn’t stop vomiting during the race and turned my chip in after 4 hours.
Longer Version
I had an 11-week build from IMMT to IMLC. I am extremely happy that I signed up for this race and put in the work to get to the starting line. 2017 has been an odd year health wise and I was not able to get to IMMT with the fitness that I had hoped to have. That changed on the way to IMLC. I finished the year with more bike & run miles, more swim (Vasa) hours, and both FTP and VO2 higher than I have ever achieved.
I was concerned that my stamina may have suffered because of being on the trainer the last few weeks before the race. I was also concerned about the heat, but had done some pretty extensive training in south Florida and had spent a lot of time in the Bikram yoga studio. After arriving in Cabo, the heat was everything that I had expected, but during the runs and bike session leading into the race I felt phenomenal. The cold-weather-forced-taper had left me feeling ready to race.
Saturday Before the Race
Coach P and I had a massive breakfast of pancakes, French toast, waffles, …
We dropped our bags, racked our bikes and then went for a second drive around the course to help learn the course a little better. IMLC does not have many steep sections (2 short 8% climbs) and it is not technical; no sharp turns and little in the way of momentum rollers. Most of the hills are 3-4% and long enough that you end up climbing a little and are followed by long descents where you can go fast. But there are some dodgy sections of road, especially on the shoulder and there was a section of construction to check out.
Pasta and chicken for dinner. Time for bed. This was the first sign of stomach issues. I thought “OK – it’s Mexico – nothing I can’t control with Imodium.”
Race Morning
I’d had more stomach issues during the night, so I slightly modified my breakfast by skipping the all but a sip of coffee and I reduced the calories from 800 planned to 600 from oatmeal, a banana and a couple honey stingers.
In T1, I barely got my bike setup before being called to the porta-john. I was surprised here, because I vomited. I thought “OK – no problem, now that stomach is cleared, the cramps will probably stop.” I continued to sip GE to get some calories back and to stay hydrated.
The Swim
It was a super easy, rolling start. No contact, warm water … nothing like the Tsunami the swim practice had been. It was perfect. I wasn’t. The GI pains (waves) were still there and I don’t know how many times I vomited… 3-4 at least, maybe more. Thank goodness, I was so slow that no one was drafting off me!
At this point I started to be concerned about hydration, because I had lost everything I had taken in pre-race. My thoughts were “Get on the bike and fix it.”
T1
I don’t remember a ton except that it was super sandy and that I saw Anna. May have told her I was in trouble… not sure.
Bike
At this point – all plans were out the window. My only priority was hydration. I lowered my bike watts from planned 185w to ≈170w in order to get my HR down and keep it down.
Every time I took a drink, it boomeranged. I tried GE. I tried water. I tried Tums. I tried a Gatorlyte. I cooled myself with ice water and tried again. My stomach had that sloshing feeling that is normally reserved for the last miles of the IM run. Within about 10 miles, I knew the answer. The sun was incredibly intense and the heat index was already well over 100º
At 46.8 miles and 4:05, I got of the bike, figured out how to turn my chip in and went to the medical tent. They gave me an injection to stop the nausea, 2.5 liters of fluid form and IV (and some other things they injected into the IV bag for the other symptoms) and I felt improved.
Aftermath
This race is in Mexico; I believe that I respected that and was careful what I ate and drank. There were five of us (including Coach P) that shared nearly every meal together leading up to the race. Three of us (including Anna) got very nauseous. Two of us didn’t have any symptoms. We have not been able to isolate any food that was unique to the sick ones. Bad luck I guess.
Next
I needed to write this plan to close the chapter so that I can start working on the plan for what it next. I’m pretty excited to set some goals and make some changes in the Out season.
Post Script on Quitting
I’m adding this last section in the spirit of sharing, in case someone finds themselves in the same spot one day. Quitting is hard. It sucks on every level. Logically, I am fine with my decision-making Sunday. I am happy that I tried to work it out and I accept that one cannot go all day without hydration.
There was an emotional side to this that I wasn’t expecting. None of these words apply to how I feel: angry, sad, frustrated… not really even disappointed. It happened, move on. I don't feel these things. BUT – every time I thought, wrote or said the word “quit” my eyes would fill up with tears. I don’t know why; I’m not a crier. The best that I can figure is that all those endurance-induced-happy-hormones that we build during training and release during a race had nowhere to go except my eyes. I still cannot put a word to the feeling, but can tell you that it is a strong feeling that is fading as each day passes. Emotions are new for me :-)
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Comments
That sucks and I'm sure was tough to suffer through much less write up. No doubt you made the right call though. I had an episode of this at 2016 Chatt full in 103 heat index. Didn't feel bad being carted off to the hospital in an ambulance at mile 93 of the bike, but your last paragraph definitely still sticks with me to this day. Thanks for sharing this.
Really sucks that your day turned out for you that way. I know how much effort you had taken in the build up to the race. I was following along your threads of training as well as trying to follow you via IM Tracker on race day.
I've been to Mexico lots of times and only got sick once. I think we attributed it to a soda fountain at a restaurant that we ate at. Just curious if you had soda from a fountain machine and not a bottle/can.
At the end of the day, it just takes someone not washing a tomato, or something similar. I did drink the green juice... but so did others that didn't get sick. If you forced me to bet... I would bet on the green juice though, just because it is the only food that I had that I get a funny feeling when I think about it.
Can't say how much fortitude you displayed in this dose of bad luck you were dealt, truly inspiring in that regard.
I was very eager for you to crush this race, and while we are friends & competitors, I know you went all the way to LC to grab a big prize, and I was truly hoping you'd have it.
You've got some great fitness, you know how your body responds to the training you were so focused on in this build, Have a few beers, ski a few runs, and let's see what next year brings...
soooo, what's on the calendar?
I was also very sad to see this unfold. When you do this many of these, its bound to happen at some point. A lot of us learned a lot from your posts leading up to this race. I know I did, and I really appreciate you doing that. It was very good to read your words "That changed on the way to IMLC. I finished the year with more bike & run miles, more swim (Vasa) hours, and both FTP and VO2 higher than I have ever achieved." and "After arriving in Cabo, the heat was everything that I had expected, but during the runs and bike session leading into the race I felt phenomenal. The cold-weather-forced-taper had left me feeling ready to race."
I look forward to having a beer with you in the near future and seeing what the season brings in 2018!
Thanks for sharing Rich!
Food in Mexico or like countries- since we are all paranoid and drink bottled water etc its usually is a vegetable washed in bad water, think all salsa ingredients or lettuce, or even the plates/utensils, or even better yet something no one ever thinks about something as simple as Ice Cubes...
When I saw the post in groupme, I was so sad for you knowing the work you had put into this. I am sure you took the best decision for your body, I dont think that running would have been good for you.
You didnt quit, you took care of yourself before... I know its easy for us to say this as we were not in your shoes.
Well that sucks. THANK YOU so very much for sharing, especially how you felt / are feeling mentally. This game seems to be 99% between the ears and your mental six-pack is STRONG.
I hope you can build from the strong lead-up and get the word "quit" out of your head. You could change it to "chuck" but that has other intonations (hope it's funny - apologies if not) so maybe something like "renounce" because it was the right call, whether you had to make it or a third party. You did the right thing!
All the best and looking forward to seeing what's next!
Cheers! - Jenn