SS IMCOZ 2019 Race Report
Items to consider if planning a Caribbean IM in Cozumel:
1. Best options for bike to/from Mexico?
a. TBT - $450, 11 day lead time but no disassembly, just pick up and handoff. I like any option that keeps things simple.
b. Many racers traveled with bike in bike bag(s) to/from Mexico with no issues.
c. Rent a bike – not recommended
2. Fly into Cancun or direct to COZ?
a. I chose direct into COZ, again, much easier and simpler, however, it will cost more money for this option, but let’s face it, an IM is hard enough, I don’t mind paying to keep things simple.
b. Fly into Cancun, take transfer to Ferry, take Ferry to COZ, take transfer to Hotel and, lug your bike bags along with you if you did not opt for TBT. I did this way in 2012, not fun but definitely an option.
3. Which hotel is recommended?
a. Cozumel Palace is directly across the street from the Run finish and a decent place to stay which also offers ALL Inclusive. I stayed there during 2012.
b. 2019 this time around, we stayed at an Adults all inclusive resort called “Secrets” which happened to be 8.4 miles from run finish. Probably the best place overall in terms of food/quality in Cozumel. I had the taxi drop me off at the TBT tent on the way from the airport to the hotel and I simply rode the bike to the hotel after packet pickup. The hotel provided free transportation on Saturday for bike racking and Sunday during the morning of the race to T1, which about 2.5-3.0 miles from the hotel. The only taxi we paid for was the return trip back to hotel after the race.
For IMCOZ 2019, I did many things right which included:
· Quality training, following the plan, putting the time in the aero bars and logging time on the run consistently.
· Followed a quality taper into race morning.
· Carb loaded effectively 48 hours prior to race morning including hydration and sodium.
· Slept relatively well two nights in a row before race morning.
· Arrived at race morning with no injuries and a good head space.
I went into IMCOZ with no time goals and concern regarding cumulative effect of heat on my 50+ year old body and the relative impact of that on my inflexibility and high sweat rate.
Race morning:
Alarm sounded at 4:30. Wake up and all positive thoughts focusing on the blessing of arriving to race day healthy, breathing and grateful to have the resources to do this kind of thing. I ate oatmeal, applesauce, protein powder, sports drink and banana. We were out the door and on the bus to T1 at 5:30 a.m. Bike set up was dark, calm, quiet, serious and efficient. Transition closed at 6:45 a.m. We were back on bus to Swim start at 6:30 a.m.
No wetsuit swim: (no time goals)
Swim is a rolling start that begins with the Pros at 7:15 am. Followed by the AG’s in stalls by estimated swim time taking off at 7:30 a.m. I picked the 1:10:00 – 1:20:00 stall and waited until about 7:40 a.m. watching the 5 drones overhead filming, absorbing the music, taking in my Caf gel and we were off!
The IMCOZ swim is a less common, point to point swim which begins at a Marina, jumping off the dock, and ends 3.8KM south at a local park. The swim is well managed, buoys are clearly visible, and the water is some of the clearest in the world you will encounter in an IM swim. Ocean currents are stronger the further out you go from the beach and always changing. My sole goal was to swim straight buoy to buoy and reset form at each buoy.
During the 1st 200-300 yds my left goggle would not stop leaking so, I stopped, rolled over on my back and made the adjustments about 4 different times until it finally sealed. Surprisingly, I found we were swimming against the current during the 1st 1,000 yds and thereafter with the current. I saw one Jellyfish and never had any sting whatsoever. No sharks thankfully. The last 150 yds all swimmers must make a turn to their left and head into the outgoing surf to the swim exit. You are swimming directly into the current pushing out and I had to swim like a mofo to make inches of progress on the way into the swim exit.
You can note the lap times from beginning to end and see both the goggle fiasco and ocean current impact on those lap times.
Upon exiting the water, IMCOZ has a ~quarter mile stretch from ramp to T1 tent. I grab my bike bag along the way, walk directly through the tent and out the other side, then walk another .15 miles directly to bike while stripping my skin suit off along the way and placing helmet on head. I jog on the carpet in bare feet all the way to the bike, no time lost in the tent, no time lost trying to jog in bike shoes.
Key action here: I drank a full, 24 ounce, bottle of sports drink, put on my shoes and head to the mount line. I refocus on sodium, calories, and hydration before I get on the bike.
Bike:
IMCOZ is 3 loops around the island. Each loop is wind at back heading south and wind in face heading north. 2019 was a relatively better bike year with mild winds of 7-10 mph.
I drank every 15 minutes and hit my sodium / hydration / calories. 2 bottles of pre-mixed drink and one extra bottle of water hourly was the goal.
I stayed aero 90%+ of the time and only had to stop the bike one time in order to wait for a water bottle hand up.
I peed at mile 38, but, as the heat rose, I was not able to hydrate enough such that I peed a second time on the bike and, this is where the beginning of the ugly started.
If I had a redo, I would have stopped again at an aid station around hour 4 of the bike and forced my self to drink more to keep up with the hydration needs.
During the bike, Coach P and I had agreed I would push through the first two loops at or slightly above goal watts and then, as the heat rose, I would take the 1st half of the 3rd loop, with the wind at my back as a Just ride along effort to allow HR to recover during the warmer part of the ride. I believe this is a great strategy for all racing IMCOZ. See HR graph below for the HR recovery on 3rd loop then back to work once the turn into the wind was made for the final stretch:
NP ~190 target overall met (which does consider heat) Avg HR was 139, right in the money with the NP.
Upon dismount, the Wahoo Element registered 100 degrees F on the asphalt, but I believe the heat index was somewhere between 90-95 degrees F. The ride is a bit mind numbing in that there is not a change in the terrain, it’s just flat with or without wind. Its all about staying sharp, staying glued to your PM, staying aero, staying true and disciplined to you fueling strategy.
My bike time was 15 minutes faster than my 2012 split aided by milder winds and better strategy.
However, my hydration deficit had already begun not having peed twice on the bike, commencing a very warm run with no cloud cover.
Run:
I was concerned about the IMCOZ bike/run course providing regular Gatorade only combined with my high sweat rate, warm temps and sodium deficiency. I covered that base on the bike by using my own concentrate mix along with water hand ups. I practiced my fueling during 5 -6 long rides with no issues, but this was in 75 degree temps and with no swim up front. 90+ temps and long ocean swim up front require a renewed focus (3 bottles/hour of liquid vs. 2 – 2.5)
My strategy on the run was to go with a concentrated mix in my Camel back that would be enough for 3 hours of running and add water as needed going through each aid station. If I had to do it over again, I would fall back to the EN strategy of taking in a 4 oz cup of Gatorade and every aid station and supplementing with water/sodium as needed.
I held HR to 140 bpm but immediately struggled off the bike, in the heat.
My issue was two fold:
1. I cramped twice in the first 1.5 miles off the bike as I began running under hydrated in that heat and direct sunlight. I would have to stop, bend over, stretch and wait for the hamstring cramp to subside. This happened repeatedly throughout the day as I could not catch up and became worse as I dug my hydration hole deeper and stayed out there longer that planned.
2. I could not keep track of how much I was getting from the Camel Back. At the 3 hour point, just over half of the Camel back was gone…..now I was in more trouble given I needed to have taken all of if by the end of hour 3.
It was at top of the 3rd hour when I realized how much trouble I was in. At the top of the 4th hour I began taking in Gatorade and water from the aid stations. I remember thinking, “there is no fu@%$k!ng way EN or KMF is going to get a DNF on this one unless there is broken bone sticking out of my leg!” I was visibly pissed and in trouble, low on calories, cramping more often and trying to figure a way out.
During the second half of the run, cramps moved from hamstring to ever more painful inner thy cramps. Below, note the 4 blue dips in the back half of the marathon.
By the 4.5 hour mark on the run, I went to small amounts of water/Gatorade combo and caffeine occasionally. At some point, my stomach stopped processing anything, but I was within 4-5 miles, so I pulled up my big boy pants and had a spiritual experience the rest of the way in.
I crossed the finish line, passed the med tent, went out the other side and laid down on the sidewalk. The trees began spinning. I knew I was going to have to back into the med tent but the nice volunteer said I could not return, to which I replied, “I going to the f@!#$k&!ng” med tent. I was stumbling to the tent when someone caught me, put me in a chair, took me to the tent, put me in a bed and took my bpm….. an IV came next, then……………..well,…..I vomited all over the poor guy in the bed beside me…..all the beds were full. The nurses ran over to me, and………….I vomited all over them next………where did all this come from? My gut had shut down at some point after the 5-hour mark and all that stuff accumulated obviously. Heat over an extended period can take you down if you get off track from your plan.
After about 40 minutes with a full IV in me and an empty stomach I was ready to find Araceli and make the journey back to the hotel. It was ugly and unnecessary, but it was also a painful reminder that extreme conditions require extreme focus and detailed planning with discipline execution.
Analyzing 2019 Male AG50-54 vs. 2009-2018 avg median run split time, I see an almost ~30 min increase in 2019 median run splits…..somewhat significant though I am not sure why. (2019 5:41:23 vs. 2009-2018 avg 05:15:26) I know it was a warm day, but I did not perceive it to be warmer than prior years. The favorable ocean currents and milder winds during the bike leg allowed the pros to finish in just under 8 hours and thereby avoid hours in the warmest part of the day, but the slower AGroupers had to slug it out.
I welcome any and all comments, guidance, suggestions. I recommend IMCOZ as well-managed, beautiful place to race an Ironman, however, do not underestimate the toll of spending hours in the heat along with the planning and execution needed to pull this day off.
I am grateful for the EN organization and the huge support I receive from Coach P on down.
Once last note, I had a great Sherpa the entire trip. No way I would pull a DNF in front of this woman. I am truly blessed and grateful.
Comments
Way to KMF on a tough day... thx for taking the time to address the Q I had about COZ. congrats again for hanging on when it would have been EZ to pull the plug.
My 2cents: I'm from a hot and humid place, Ive learned that u can be dehydrated from the days leading to the race so I make sure I hydrate plenty the week before with High sodium/magnesium/bicar water we have here..
plus I drink a sip every 10' on bike and/or run... training or racing (I walk 10 to 20 steps every 10' on run to drink, making sure it goes down EZ )
@Shaughn Simmons Nice race and report. Interesting comments about the currents on the swim, I thought that was eliminated with the point to point? Looks like still a few small segments into those currents/tides? Well done on the bike, sounds like a great strategy for power on that course, power graph looks like you followed it and netted a nice 15' course PR for you. Wow that run sounded like a serious sufferfest. Lesson learned on the camelback but dont think that would have changed anything for you. Congrats on getting that run done and more importantly knowing what you needed (med tent) afterwards. Kudo's to Araceli !
@Shaughn Simmons Way to persevere in difficult race conditions. You had a strong and impressive build into the race and no doubt all those sessions helped you KMF when your day was becoming more difficult by the minute. Congrats on a well-executed bike and resultant PR -- credit to the work you put in this year. You're a big inspiration to the team with your strength and positive attitude.
Question on the Camelbak -- had you trained with that and observed how much you'd drink in your longer training runs? I ran with a hand held water bottle most of this year with GE in it so I could see how many ounces I would drink and then compare oz. drank to how my gut felt.
I appreciate the helpful travel and on-locations points here as well -- good insights for those that elect to race in COZ one day.
One more question -- did you get the name of the person you puked on? No doubt he/ she will be killing it on Strava now that they've been anointed with some KMF juice 🤮
Congratulations on another Ironman finish!
@Shaughn Simmons I'm not sure there are many racers out there with the laser focus you have in training and racing. Great reminder of how a little slip here or there in the nutrition/hydration plan can add up at IM.
Way to get it done in the heat. I don't think you will have that issue at STG. Look forward to meeting you in AZ.
One of the great things about you guys, that I admire, is that there is no judgement, only support and a true desire to help and solve puzzles/problems. I appreciate it!
@DAVID RICHMOND - I appear to be losing water faster as I age than before in my 30s and 40s. I don't think the cells retain liquid as well as they used to with age. I did drink a gallon+ of water the day before including sports drink. I agree that drinking every 10' vs. 15' is an opportunity for the next one. Training wise, I set up bottle stops every 3-4-5 miles due to logistics. I think dialing in the stop per mile and take a drink habits would help more for the next round. Thanks for you support and advice. Nice work and congratulations on IMAZ!
@tim cronk - most of the current issues have been eliminated with this point to point swim fairly close to the beach. However, the currents are always changing and you could actually have a day when the current is against you the entire swim depending on that day. If current is against you, stay as close to the beach as possible to lessen the effect and vice versa is you are swimming with a favorable current. Thanks for reading and you support and input. Let me know if you decide to go back to IMCOZ down the road and congratulations on a strong race at IMAZ!
@Jeff Phillips - do what I say, not what I do and I always say train like you race and race like you train .....you're right, I made a last minute decision outside of the way I trained and paid for it. Hoping all can be reminded by my example! Appreciated you reading and commenting! Any chance we can talk you into IMSG in May? Again, Congrats on IMAZ!
@Gary Lewis - appreciate your support and comments bro. Can't wait to train another cycle with you and get it done together at IMSG! KMF my friend! Congratulations back at you on IMAZ!
No advice, just respect for a gritty finish.
I am hopeful you can find rejuvenation on the run this weekend...
@Shaughn Simmons
way to gut it out. I probably would have called it a day. glad medically you were ok. you are someone that could probably hurt yourself, seriously, by force of will.
did you see your shaman on the run ???
cozumel on on my radar. i have only had one fairly successful hot race. though that was a hot texas, not a hot hot texas. i have yet to put my big boy watts onto a flat flat course like florida or cozumel or latest texas.
thanks for all you do for us. and thanks for all the energy specifically directed my way. much appreciated.
i need to get my butt in gear because I have you to answer to in St. George.
@Shaughn Simmons Dang you are tough! I read your report several times to see what may have caused this. There is a condition called endotoxemia. Basically it is when the gut permeability increases and a toxin LPS - lipopolyscchrides escape. These particles cause nausea and the gut to "shutdown". It's very common when racing in the heat. There isn't a straight forward treatment approach other than to have a healthy gut with lots of diverse bacteria, limiting NSAIDS, controlling stress, all the healthy microbiome stuff.
Congratulations on not giving up! Inspiring. 😎
Great report @Shaughn Simmons. I love Cozumel and have spent some time there. I've remarked each time how tough it would be to race there. Things may not have fallen your way, but you did what you do and gutted it for a dang good finish. Because of how relentlessly you prepare you were able to get it done with your ugly on. That in itself is a huge victory. Many would have cashed it in. Like your team mates have said you have way of providing motivation to the rest of rest of us. Thank you for that. Really looking forward to meeting you at the volume camp and racing with you in STG. Keep on doing what you do!
@Sheila Leard - first, thank you so much for taking the time to both read my report and provide such a detailed guide of advice. Yes, the heat toll on the gut is the issue as you explain well above. The bigger the body, the more heat generated, the higher the HR/effort the more heat generated. Smaller bodies and more fit individuals will handle the heat more efficiently. Old farts have to just deal with it the best they can.....
This was my bike nutrition which I hit spot on with the exception of one waffle (lost on the bike) which was replaced with an extra gel I had:
This was my planned run nutrition which fell apart: as the heat took its toll:
I know I can do a better job managing nutrition on the run. Second chance will be May IMSG.
@Sid Wavrin - thanks for the bump and thanks for making EN stronger! We will have a great time training and racing for the IMSG cycle! Putting a face to a virtual bad ass will be nice! Keep moving forward!
SS
Strong Work @Shaughn Simmons and a brave finish!
Congratulations!
@Shaughn Simmons I'm not surprised by your grit to keep moving while suffering through that run. I think the way you train and the high level of training you do every week prepared you well to endure this race. Congratulations on getting it done! Great info on the venue. It sounds very nice but I'm not convinced to race there, yet. 😊
@Shaughn Simmons - you are my KMF hero!! Although I won't be doing anymore Ironman races I home to summon that inner motivation on my new challenges. Best of luck at St George!!
@robin sarner - yes, I believe I did see my shaman a few times in last 5K, he is much better looking than myself...... :-) Excited to follow you into the IMSG battle brotha.
@Rich Stanbaugh - thanks for reading and again, damn strong work at IMAZ!
@Derrek Sanks - thanks for reading - IMCOZ is a deceptionally tough place to race. On one hand it seems like a sexy idea to race in the Caribbean and bike/run on flat terrain, on the other, hours in that kind of heat is a tough puzzle to figure out.
@Paul Hough - thanks for reading and reaching out! I will miss following your IM training/racing cycles! Hope all is well! I have very found memories of our IMCOZ 2012 race together, meeting you and learning about you the day or two leading up to the race then watching you get it done on race day!
@Shaughn Simmons Tough as nails and congrats on getting to the finish line.
My comments
Hey @Shaughn Simmons
Sorry so slow to read this. I followed your race a little bit while halfway around the globe. I knew you were having a tough day when I went to bed well into your bike leg and woke up to find you still running. My issue with Coz is the heat. It's like Kona, but six weeks later. I just checked, and the the dew point hit 72 on your race day. That's too much. Just too hard to cool yourself down and keep the systems functioning. Anything above 70 and all but the super-fit and super-acclimated are screwed. In TX and in the SE, it can still be hot and humid into late September, allowing most Kona athletes to go to the Big Island 7-10 days early (some go 2-3 weeks early) and acclimate relatively easily. Plus, those athletes tend to be fit as hell, lean as hell and on the smaller size.
For Coz, you probably had two full months of cool, dry training in Oct and Nov. Not sure when you landed in Coz (Tues or Wed?), but you probably spent 18-21 hours per day in A/C. Plus, you're a bigger guy. Throw all that into a 72-dew-point day, and this wasn't a shocking development. I'm not saying that IS what got you, but I wouldn't rule it out.
Solutions? It's hard to take a week+ off from work around Thanksgiving. You can try to arrive the Saturday before and work remotely for 3-4 days if possible. You could also implement Al's sauna routine, which I've used (and liked) before TX, FL, and Kona.
As I learn my strengths and weaknesses in different environments, it steers me towards and away from certain races. I absolutely love the AZ race site, but hate the cold water and predictably struggle on the first 1/3 of the bike course. I've always avoided Coz for the heat issues above. I can ski at Vail, but if I go to the upper parts of Breckenridge, I get altitude sickness. So, no Boulder. Of course, having said this, I'm signed up for IMSG where I'll get freezing water, heat and altitude.
Way to persevere and finish a brutal race. So looking forward to sharing the week and the course with you in Utah.
MR
@Gordon Cherwoniak thanks for reading and commenting bro. Key point in your message is right on.....In those conditions you do have to slow down more than you think if you are not experienced racing that distance in those conditions......this might translate into setting a more conservative HR ceiling and staying myopically focused on nutrition!
@Mike Roberts your analysis is reassuring.....agree with your assessment.....it was an ass whipping I learned from and there are many things I can improve upon regardless. I am comforted going into IMSG knowing you will be along for that battle. KMF Ironman!
@Shaughn Simmons : Tremendous effort. Performing at your best through difficulty is KMF, and I appreciate that you stayed true to yourself. You are endurance. I am going to IMCOZ in 2020, and appreciate everyone’s comments. I’ve read multiple sources, and as an old(er) Big Unit, my focus will be H2O. I’ll use the “sauna protocol” and try to be as fit as possible, but in my case, I know that this race demands getting the CHO/electrolytes/water ratio right... and we all know that things don’t always go as planned on race day. Heat Index/Sun stress at IMTX required me to throw-down an extra 40oz of water prior to halfway on the bike when I noticed my HR/Power ratio rising. I also watch my HR early in the run, taking short walk breaks to keep things where they need to be. Again, the cure is water. Kona and COZ have nearly identical tropical latitudes. Keeping the high sun off exposed skin, and using external water for cooling may lower water loss a bit.
@John Culberson thanks for reading and commenting!
One note to remember is that only Gatorade is served as hand ups on bike/run....not GE. Factor that into your sodium requirement plan.
If at all logistically possible, execute RR1 or RR2 with the full swim upfront to better feel your HR and nutrition requirements both out of T1 and off the bike out of T2...........these will be very different without the full swim up front. NOTE, you will also have the oppressive Heat index factoring into the HR as well.
I will say, having raced both IMTX and IMCOZ (twice), IMCOZ takes the heat index to the next level.
Knowing your HR ceilings, your sweat rate, sodium loss rate and ability to process calories in those conditions will set you up well ahead of the average competitor.