Trent Prough IMLP RR and Team EN thanks for help
Introduction:
To be very honest this was one time in which I (drillbit) did not think or at least was totally not sure if I would be able to toe the line and show up for the start of this race. I was really struggling with a lot of pains still one to two weeks out from the race and didn't know if it was really worth it to try and do this, but as the taper went along I started slowly feeling better and better. If would have not been for the fact that I had spent so much $$$$ (race entry = community slot, house rental = expensive in LP) etc... I still , even though being drillbit, would have called it a year and tried to heal up some more. But there was just no more time and I thought what a way to get a little redemption on the year and race a good race despite all the beaten and battered up body I got on the year.
After the day was done, I'm not going to lie, and say I wasn't a little disappointed. But looking back now, a week later, and seeing what I accomplished and suffered through with 3 horrific crashes, many injuries and sleepless nights, and a lot less workouts completed, and I still came close to a PR on a much tougher course and a problem in the race I would never have expected that slowed me down.
As many may know I had an eventful year leading up to the race and the week getting there also proved to provide challenges. Here is a little recap of the week getting to the race and days before and how Team EN was just awesome in helping me out in many ways since I came to the race alone without the family along for the 1st time.
Prerace:
Thursday was the day I flew in to Lake Placid. I had flights that should have gottin me into town before 2pm and plenty of time to settle in and then planned to go to the EN dinner that night at 6pm. Everything was OK until I got to Boston and the flight with Cape Air to LP was delayed. I thought oh crap i might miss dinner, but hey not the end of the world, at least I'll get there eventually. That's when they call my name to come up to the desk at airline. They say "are you the one that has the big bike box?" Right then and there I knew something was up. They say it won't fit in the plane because the planes are so small that fly and that maybe they can ship it. They ask how soon do I need it to be there. I say tomorrow, and they say "we might get it there by Saturday". I'm like "Uuuhhh that can't happen I'm racing in an Ironman". Next thing I know 2 or 3 of them are on the phones calling all over and finally this lady says she has worked her magic. And that she did!! I couldn't beleive it and they couldn't either but there was a guy flying in his private jet to LP and his plane was empty and he said he could take the bike box and my bags and they would actuallly arrive before I did and would be waiting for me at the airport there. Unbeleivable outcome to what could've easily been a disaster. All the while I'm texting Dave Halligan updates on my delay and so forth since he was to pick me up at the airport. Finally as they got our plane fixed we made it to LP with a 3 or 4 hour delay which made Dave and I a little late to the dinner that night. I owe Dave big time for all he did and sacrificed just to help me out and get into town etc... and not have to worry about getting transportation.
Here is a couple of pics of the adventure plane to LP. And yes it was an 8 passenger plane and 9 of us on flight so I got to sit co-pilot
Well after we made it to town and the Team dinner I was able to relax a little and meet many of the members and put the faces to the names which was very cool and so many nice people.
Made it to the Team EN cabin where i meet my roommates for the week: Coach P, his wife, and 2 beautiful daughters (my 2 new best friends) Megan and Emma. Also Kittima and hubby Kevin showed up later in the week and Allessandro C. and friend Tony along with Chris G. all who proved to be more valuable than I could've imagined as they helped with just all the little things that you take for granted when family is along to help. They took me to town so I didn't have to walk as much, helped with my bike setup, getting my bags to special needs, and the list goes on and on, not to mention just having ones to talk to and go out to eat with. Very cool group of people and individuals we have inside the Team.
But probably my highlight to the week, even though I think Coach P and M thought they were bugging me, was Megan and Emma. When I was at the house just chill'in they were right there to keep my mind off the stoopid things you worry about before an Ironman. They wanted to play games, or talk, or whatever (Sorry P about the Ipad games and there now wanting one) and it really put a calm effect on me the whole week. It made me realize how much this is just all a game and there are so many other things to put the mind to. I could go on and on about them but the picture below should say it all.
Ok on to the race:
In the morning got up and ate the normal prerace meal and headed down to transition with Chris G. who was volunteering with the kayak group so he was up early too. He helped keep me calm too on the way as his infinite wisdom kept me cracking up on the walk. The rest of the time I pretty much just chilled out by the lake and got the game face on and mental readiness the best I could with the unknown about the legs for the run.
SWIM: (1:05:21) PR by 5:00 minutes
I told myself going in that I would just get on the inside line by the dock about 5 rows off the front and play my cards there knowing that it would be mayheim for a while, but I figured this would help me get into the thick of things and off with the fast guys and hopefully catch as much draft as possible. I needed all the help I could get as I virtually had no swim training going in from all the crashes and injuries. I think I counted I swam 1 time before ToC camp, then crash so no swimming for 4 weeks with seperated shoulder, then 2 swims in and crash in RR so went another 4 weeks no swim, and finally the 2 weeks before the race in the taper I got in like 5 swims I think. Well as many have stated already it was a slug fest. I got the goggles knocked off I think 4 or 5 times in the first 500 meters and it was bumpy and body to body the entire first lap. I really thought I was hardly going anywhere and with the energy I was exserting getting through the crowd my time would suck but to my surprise 1st lap time showed 32:34 when I went around. The 2nd lap cleared a little but still had many people around me all the time. Only stupid thing I did was grabbed the feet of someone for awhile that couldn't swim straight and when I finally looked up we are off the buoy line by a lot. Got back straight and just cruised in and out of the water in 1:05:21 and a big PR swim on no training. I'll remember this for future if I don't feel like going to the pool some days.
T1: 5:22
Ran at a pretty good clip, grabbed bags, and into tent. Totally packed house in the tent and saw no chairs so plopped down on the grass and went through my bag myself and got on shoes, helmet, and nutrition. Shoved wet suit and goggles into bag and finally saw a volunteer finishing helping someone else and give him bag, then off to grab bike and head out.
Bike: (5:27:51) 20.5mph ave.
As I headed out on the bike from T1 got a big shout out from Coach P. That got me pumped and ready to go for the bike, thanks P. After the bigger than expected climb out of town was the big decent. I was a little nervous as the traffic was pretty crowded, it had just rained and the roads were all wet, and it was a light misting rain on the decent. With my record this year in the rain and on decents I took no chances and road the brakes the whole way down but still hit high 30's on speed. The remainder of the 1st loop was just stay in my own box and execute the way EN does and put my nose on top of the PM and not let the crazies hammer up the climbs get to me. Saw Chris G. on the way up Pappa bear i think and give a shout out. 2nd loop it had dried up and I was with little traffic so the decent this time I didn't touch the brakes and hammered any spots that I could pedal. I saw 52mph 1 time but when I got home and looked at file I had a top speed of 56mph on the decent. It was totally exhilerating to let it fly. After the decent I had what felt like a lot of time to just reflect on a lot of things like the family who was glued to the computer screen watching for my splits etc... but that all ended shortly as I flatted on the new out and back section of the course. This time though luck was on my side as race support guys showed up like 1 minute after and before I could say anything they had my wheel from me and was changing the tube before I knew it. Really cool how quick it seemed although the PM showed i was road side for about 5 minutes. I got a little fired up after that and pushed the watts until white face which this time seemed like it went on and on forever. By the end of the bike I was so ready to get off.
T2: 1:44
I have no idea how this was so quick. I was even told that I think top 5 in the whole race. I really didn't think about it . I just ran to the tent, put on shoes, grabbed pill bottle, and volunteer took the other stuff and put in bag, so out I went to the run.
Run: 3:55:50 (9:00/mile)
This was the part of the race I didn't know how it would go since so many injuries from crashes in the hips, IT band, and RR, but I though I'll just go out what I think my EP plus 30sec. should be and see how it goes. If I only knew none of these injury issues would determine my day.
As I headed out on the run I felt way out of rythem and as I ran by the Team EN tent they even told me to loosen up a bit and that I looked really tight. Well I felt tight, but tried to just relax as much as I could. By mile 2 I felt a lot better and much more relaxed and so at that aid station I decided to take my 3 ibuprofen as preventative for my leg injuries that may spring up. If I only knew this would later come to haunt me for the rest of my run later. I stupidly tood them on an empty stumach and with just water and by mile 5 to 6 the stomach revolted anything I tried to put down. I help my EP plus 30 seconds to perfection till then at an 8:07 pace then the puking began. Every aid station I'd try something and 50 yards past I would upchuck it back out. This really got into my head and I was wandering how in the world would I run another 20 miles on no nutrition and feeling this nauseous. It slowed me up quite a bit but at mile 11 back in town up the big hill and the EN tent saw the gang and told Coach P about what was happening. He told me to switch to coke and only coke from now on and see if that will stay down. That, in my opinion saved my race from walking the 2nd half, and it allowed me to keep running and get something in that stayed in. Delt with the nausea for about the entire race but the coke stayed down. If it had not been for the EN guys on the course (Dave, Jed, Derek, Joe, etc...) and the EN fans I knew were looking for me I'm not sure I would have pushed myself through that kind of agony.
By far the hardest Ironman to push through and was something I was not expecting it to be at all. At some point you have to decide what drove you to get to a certain level (or your one thing), and then have to re-figure out a formula from there. But you never really figure it out because the racd is different. Your body is different, the competition is different, the conditions are different. Every year you have to go through the whole formulation process over again to find out what is going to work for you.
Conclusion:
Although dissapointed only in my finish time, I realize it is all to circumstances of the day, and my day was not a perfect one, but I did push through and finished one of the greatest endurance events out there and in the top 5% to 7%. I am very glad I decided to toe the line and do this race. It taught me so much about how much I miss my family and also how great of human beings this team has and will help an aging old dad come have a little fun at this big game we all play.
As for my future plans, I'm not totally sure yet if this will be my retirement race from IM but I willl be giving the body and mind a rest for the next year.
PS. Special thanks again to the crew who helped me around Lake Placid in so many different ways: Coach P and family, Kittima and Keven, Allesandro, Tony, Mike Allen, Chris G. , Dave Halligan, The Boyles (thanks for supper and beer after the race)
Comments
That is a great conclusion to the long, strange trip you endured getting there.
Enjoy the healing.
Doooooode! Retirement from IM? Damn, you could buy that home in Hawaii once you sell all you IM bike bling.
Seriously, you had one of the most tumultuous years of anyone I know and you were still able to show up, have just as tough a race as you did a year and training and still lay down an eye popping time. For a guy that wrecked a few times, was ridden off the road by a car while running, then to have all the forces of evil delay your flight, then a flat, then nausea on most of the run, I think you deserve the 1st Annual EN Perseverance Award.
Heal, rest, recover, and enjoy your family. You and they deserve it
You may not have qualified for Kona, but you had an amazing day, nonetheless.
Dave
P
I had no idea you were puking that much---you looked really strong and steady on the run. No wonder that chili cheese burger and Guiness disappeared so fast after the race!
A big congratulatory hug to you, Trent! You threw down on helluva race despite everything that was thrown at you this season.
Trent,
Great meeting you! You demonstrated perseverance ... determination ... CLASS! Kickass time on a difficult course!!
Enjoy your sabbatical from IM. Hope you'll be back in the near future. Until then, cheers!
Vince
Copilot Drillbit,
That was an amazing effort on your IM with all the adversity you faced over the season and through you race. Well if you don't do an IM next year I hope you are planning a 1/2 or two. You were one of the key motivators in the OS.
Gordon
Hey Trent you could have fooled me you were having problems out there. I rode the course in reverse on Sunday and yelled out to you on both loops, you looked strong. I saw you several times on the run, you were so focused, had that look of intensity and I thought you were running very well. I guess that look of intensity was actually pain, but you hid it well and perservered to the very end.
You deserve a tremendous amount of credit for your tenacity, your strength and obvious drive to never, never give up and fight to the end.
Your time was impressive. Congratulations on getting the absolute most of what your body was able to give on that day !!!
Be proud and very happy with this accomplishment and take a lot of time to relax, recover and enjoy that beautiful family of yours.
Enjoy some time with your family and let that broken body of yours get some serious TLC recovery. You deserve it!
PS- what is it about the magic powers of coke anyway?
Co-pilot? Bike getting its own private plane to Placid? Serious EN Sherpage? You do race in style, Trent!
Good job dealing with a hard day. And you totally can't retire yet!
Like you said, take some time off and enjoy your family and other things in life. If and when you are ready to race again, I know you will just continue to improve. Even if you are not racing next year, come join me for the OS so we can race to break 300 watt and 5 w/kg!
I gotta agree with everyone else. After what you went through this year and all that happened on race day you were a superstar out there. 1:05 with little to no swim training, 5:27 bike with a flat. Damn! I knew you were hurting on the run but really didnt know how bad until reading this. Great job of pushing through it. Enjoy the year off from IM racing, was great to meet you and hang out in the recovery area with you and Dave.
Hey Trent, I can't really add anything that hasn't been said already. I admire you greatly as an athlete and a person not just for overcoming this years obstacles but other even larger ones you've had in your life. I know you have Kona dreams and as Carrie Chavez once said, "You've got the goods, my dear". There is no doubt about it! Ironman will always be there if and when you want it.
Congratulations on a great race.
Outstanding, and I'm sticking to it. You can say this-and- that went wrong or could have been better, but given the complete package, that was one flippin' outstanding day. I hope you can soak it in and take great pride what you accomplished and overcame--currently and in the past--to feel immensely satisfied and proud. I know we're all feeling very happy for you. Congratulations!
Now get the dog!
Quitting IM? If you did not quit after your 3rd or 4th crash or however many there is no reason to quit now. I think that you need to race an IM when you have not spent the better part of the year in self destruction mode. I bet that helps. Sorry that I did not get to hang out after the race, I was beat. Next time.
Hey Trent, great race and great race report. We all learn something, especially from the bad days
Continue to keep the shiny side up!
Trent, congrats and thanks for leading and pulling this team the entire season!
When I grow up I want to be just like Drillbit.
SS
Trent - I love good IM stories, and yours is one of the best, adding the cigar flight into LP, 5 min swim PR, the 5:27 with a flat bike, and the sub 4 run on a sick stomach and ruptured training to your already legendary adventures getting to the race. One for the books, and I hope you try again to find out what you are REALLY capable of.
Your "Coke and coke only" vignette just confirms the genius of Coach P - knows just what to say to make things work.