2011 IM St George Race Report - George Sadler
Apologies for taking so long to post this race report, but it's been a bit crazy since May 7th with a new role at work (which I started two weeks before the race) and end of school activities, etc.
This was my first full distance IM, following my first half IM last Oct. I joined EN in Nov last year after bumping into a friend, Shaughn Simmons at the Austin 70.3 who suggested that I check out EN (thanks Shaughn!) I did my first OS with the NOV OS crew, but didn't complete the 20 weeks as I had to drop into my IM schedule. Never the less, I had improved my bike FTP from 193 to 276 watts and upped my run Vdot from 42 to 47.
During my IM prep, I started suffering from cramps/knots in my calfs following speed work (which I hadn't done in years). Three weeks out from the race, I got them under control only to have my right achilles tendon flair up. So with 10 days left until race time, I decided to back down to swim only to let my achilles rest. I showed up in St George on Wed evening.
The race course is beautiful. This year the weather was great in the 90's with about 10% humidity (I'm from Austin, TX, so heat is no big deal). My swim was 1:27, just as I had planned (1:20-1:30 with easy form)...off to a good start. I had decided not to rush transitions but to try to keep them under 10 min. T1 was 7:48 with no rush but no wasted time.
Started the bike slow as I intended but for longer than I thought I should because I thought I heard Rich say "go easy for the first 30 miles" in his talk on Thu (I woiuld normally have gone easy for the first 30 min). Then I cranked it up to race watts for the first loop (about 40 miles) but wasn't able to hold the pace for the second loop. NP on the course was 20 watts lower than my anticipated pace, still working to figure out why. Bike time was 6:41 with about 10min of stops (was very hydrated so nature called every 90min or so).
I did learn one important lesson on the bike. At about the 3hr mark, I stopped at an aid station to use the facilities. As I dismounted, I asked for a bottle of water and began to top off my nutrition bottle (which contained 3hrs of Infinit...I had started with 6hrs of Infinit in that bottle and was used to cutting it with water after 3hrs). A volunteer offered to fill it for me while I used the portapotty. After considering for a moment (first clue!) I said "please fill this up with water" and left to do my business. When done, I jumped on my bike and was off. Shortly after, I realized that the volunteer had dumped out all of my nutrition and filled the bottle up with just water!!
After a primordial scream, I quickly said "these things happen...at least its not a flat" and began taking inventory of my options. The next three hours were spent calculating sodium and carbs for the gels and poweraids offered at the aid stations to get my proper ratios...
So done with the bike...I spin into T2 and feel pretty good. T2 is 8:48 (still within my 10min goal) with no rush or wasted efforts. I did chose to change into running shorts and get some more sunscreen. Then it was off for the first of two loops with an 8% grade at mile 3 or so if I recall. I never bothered to check the run profile before the race (like I had the bike) and so I had no idea that we would be running up (and down) 2200ft or so during what was to be my first ever marathon (at the end of an IM...call me sick). Try as I might to follow Rich's advice I just couldn't seem to keep myself running the entire way (I walked a couple of the big hills...and got a kick in the nuts on one occassion by Rich..thank you!) I did start off slower that I would have because of Rich's advice during his talk and my fear of not being able to complete the course if my achilles acted up (it had hurt on two occassions on the bike...almost to tears on one of the climbs). So I took it VERY SLOW...a jog. Still couldn't keep trucking up a few of those hills (all mental in hind sight). Since I had been holding back all day on the run because of a fear of injury, I decided to see what was left in the tank during the last mile or so. My kick felt great (closer to IM or MP pace) and very comfortable at the end. A few days later, this is what convinced me the hills were mental not physical. 12+ hrs is a long time to be concentrating on perfection and staying in the zone...something that I'm sure will come easier with practice!!
Also had some fueling issues on the run (perhaps due to the change in fueling strategies during the bike?) My stomach shut down after about 2hrs on the run and I was forced to water only. Glad I brought some emergency salt tabs (I had planned on geting everything from my Run Infinit mix...as I had in training). So for the last three hours of my run, water only as I couldn't stomach the thought of taking in anything else. In the last hour, I discovered that cola, especially cut 1/2-1/2 with water was tolerable (will pocket that one for the next time).
Finished the run in 5:14 for a total race time of 13:39. So my first full IM is in the books. I'm already looking forward to my next (a very good sign), but perhaps not IMSG. I think the next IM will be a flatter course...and a new PR for sure!
6/3 - Updating with links to my Garmin data:
Swim - http://connect.garmin.com/activity/85972591
Comments
George. Nice work. Would have liked to have spent more time with with you there. Very funny about the bike nutrition bottle (not funny at the moment of course). What was the aide station person thinking ??? Anyhow, one of the fun things about ironman: always unexpected things to deal with during the day.
Off to Regenburg next. Then maybe a 1-2 year retirement. If not, maybe see you in Idaho or Canada? best, Robin
thanks for the report; sounds like your hooked! Welcome to the club....How about Texas next year? Compared to SG, everything is flat. You're from Texas so any heat or humidity should be right up your alley.
I'd pick a race over OS any day! IM Texas is nearly a year a way and you have plenty of time to build fitness. I did the OS and cut it short too, but I still had plenty of high end interval work built in to the plans. Can't to Austin, all the OS and IM TX. I'd cut the OS short.
Looks like a local race for you too. even better!