IMLP RR - Pete J
Summary:
FTP: 274 / vDot: 43/44 / Weight: 195 / Age 45
Swim: 01:13:13 (wetsuit)
T1: 9:06
Bike: 6:24:37
T2: 8:36
Run: Jogged/walked approx. 10 miles - DNF - head to medical.
WARNING: This is long - but probably served to helped me reconcile the day.
This day was obviously very disappointing - after all the training, planning etc. - for so many months - to end without experiencing the job around the finishing oval tought to take. But it was the right decision.
Medical Background: After my first year of doing running races (10 yrs ago), I had minor surgery to remove a cyst around the bellybutton area. The cyst (for you docters in the Haus here is a link to the wikipedia definition http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urachal_cyst) - there since I was born disrupted the normal flow of liguids to the bladder (discovered after 7 months of awful testing). I had noticed the issue ever since graduating college but became more ponounced once I started running in my mid-30s - especially when I drank a lot of fluids after a hot race. After one race I couldn't even sit down to drive home. After the surgery doc said he may not have got it all and it could grow back. It acts sort of like a fluid regulator - I can't chug fluids especially if I'm gonna be sitting down for awhile (wonder why it didn't present itself during those college drinking days??)
Since the surgery I have done 8 marathons, hundreds of shorter road races, 35+ triathlons, swim races, lots of hot days playing tennis and basketball plus one full (B2B) without this issue toally bringing me down like it did at IMLP. It also never occurred during and RR or long training ride this year. So it did come as a surprise to me at IMLP.
SWIM: Struggled initially with decision of whether or not to wear sleeveless wetsuit. Not because I'm fast, but just for the "purity of the race" kind of thing. I never did a 1.2 w/o a wetsuit but that distance wouldn't bother me. 2.4 miles with alot of contact...well... I think I decided correctly to go with the wetsuit.
Floated at start about 20 yds from pier about 5 yds from start line. Talked to K. Wick a bit prior to gun. Like the experience for most everyone, the 1st leg of the swim had a lot of contact. Took an elbow to the head and had to fix goggles on the fly but managed to not lose my contacts. I tried to stay 20 yds off cable line but eventually got pushed left about halfway to the turn. Turn was jammed but just kept swimming (realy glad I had wetsuit now) and made wide turn. Swim back in was smooth and I surprisingly didn't drift to the left. Saw 34:xx at beach, was happy w/that. Took gel I kept in swimcap while wading back in and took off. Some additional contact on 2nd lap. Surprised 2nd lap that much slower. Think I drifted around too much heading out trying to stay off the cable line. Followed two non-wetsuiters back in the whole way on the cable line. Probably could've pushed it a little harder - I've got to be more confident in my swimming especially in my favorite sleeveless wetsuit. If I do race again - I would start same place - just move right to the front.
T1: Wetsuit strippers went smooth. Jogged to oval, saw folks, grabbed bag and walked quickly to tent (too crowded to jog, and cememt was tough on bare feet). Surprinsgly found a chair, dumped out bag. Decided to go w/no socks (good decision), no chagne of clothes (good decision), no arm warmers (good decision), but couldn't find sunscreen dude. Bike was at very end of row and I had to go get it. Two other guys jogging in bumped into my bike knocking off my water bottles. Bike mount area was a cluster.....k so I just walked bike down ramp instead of riding down the narrow ramp risking an early fall. Was expecting 5-6 minutes not sure why this was so long....oh well.
Bike: IDIOT!!!! / BONEHEAD / MORON - yes I forgot to put my bike computer on da bike!!! Heck, it was in my pocket that morning when I added my nutrition. What a DUFUS!!!! All that training w/a PM and now, the biggest day for the PM, I forget it....Yes I cursed myself all the way to the ski jumps !!! Athletes were looking at me strangely...
Well fortunately I've ridden the course about 6 times and know how to ride "EN Style", but just had no real-time proof or post-race file to analyze. UGH. Caught to Nate Parady adn the rookie IMer assurred me I knew how to ride the course and sure enough we watched guys/gals standing on the early hills. SOmehow I dropped my chain at one piont as well (wtf?). I just made sure I rode the hills easy enough that I could always put out the effort on the downhills, tailswinds and flats. Loved the big descent into Keen, kept my speed on 9N and settled into what I felt was 185-189 watts.
I wasn't all that thristy or hungry through 1st 40 miles, but did force myself to drink. Realy spun up the hill on Rt 86 heading to Wilmington, watched the world pass me by - flew down the descents. I finally stopped to pee at mile 50 near WHiteface. No problem here - but this would be the last time I peed until I got to the hospital (over 7 hours later)! Stopped at BSN for about a minute, got new bottles, realized I wasn't eating my cliff shots but that didn't bother me since I drink more than eat in warmer weather. Saw alot of ENers at Mirror Lake, heard Brenda Ross yelling away...Heading thru town is great. Reminded myself to get off bike earlier on 2nd loop. Spun up hills out of town, felt great. Followed fellow ENer Brandon (and great rookie race) down the descent (amazing how many people just coast here). The flats seemed a little harder the 2nd time around. I stopped at aid station just before the AF out/back and spent 3-4 minutes trying to pee - no go. Stopped again for 4-5 minutes at aid station just before the Rt 86 hill and couldn't pee. This was worrying me now. Move on. Saw Jim Daley and a bunch of other ENers heading up the hill. SInce Jim and I weigh almost the same and have almost the same FTP it would have been cool to just follow him all day on the bike. But I guess since we were together now w/20 miles to go, I must in the right ballpark with my EN execution. Mentally I felt recharged once I eclipsed that first long hill, flew down the descent and thru Hazelton out/back. Got hot on climb past Whiteface. Drinking more water now and pouring some on me. I stopped at the Xmas aid station and again spent 3-4 minutes triying to pee. No go. The ride back into town did seem to take forever. Wish I had some power data to see what I was pushing. I stayed aero probably 90% of the ride. I love my bike.
I was hoping for a 6:15ish rid and so I can't really complain. 10 minutes off isn't bad w/o my PM and the extra time trying to pee. So I was about where I thought I'd pee at this point. A 4:25ish marathon would get me to the finish about where I expected.
T2: Getting off the bike I the legs felt fine - ready to run. Took off bike shoes and jogged into tent w/bag. Found chair and turned on Garmin right away (shout out to Henry Sacco for supplying me with wrist band - I forgot mine - DUH!). Got lenty of sun lotion since I was preety red on arms and back. Once again spend 4 minutes trying to pee. No Luck. Figure I keep going and it will just work itself out. But pretty concerned. Think my time here would've been fine w/o the bathroom attempt.
Run: Felt the heat of the pavement immediately but legs wanted to go. Got to 2nd aid station and tried again to pee because the running motion was making my stomach feel strange. No go. Jogged slowly down to River Road with guy who new Coach R (his CO in navy). Once RR - things really went south. I wanted to drink -cause it was hot - but the more fluids I put in - the worse I felt. And no there was no sloshing going on in my bladder/stomach. The RR out/back was the longest worse part of my day. Everyone ran by me - people I knew were wondering what was going on. I wasn't sure what to do. I've only DNF in one other race (at mile 3 of an 18 mile run due to achilles issue). I walked. I stopped walking. I tried to sit on a guard rail. I tried sips of every fluid offered. IT was really tough to walk this early in the run. Maybe I should've tried a quick sprint ?!?! I jogged w/a nonEN friend for a while but told him to take off. i waled the hill by the ski jumps and then tried to run - ouch - couldn't go more than 50 yds. It was getting very painful - a tight restriciting feeling.
The hardest part was hearing all the ahtletes and spectators giving you their honest encouragement but who didn't understand why you were walking - it was kind've tough to explain this one. On the walk back to town I knew what I had to do. So when I saw my folks and B. Ross in front of Art Devlin's Motel where I was staying, we gathered for a conference and I decided I needed to go to the med tent. I handed in my chip and called it a day. I didn't want to walk a 6+ marathon without drinking. I didn't need to walk a 6+ marathon to prove anything to myself in this condition. And I knew from the past, what this issue was likely attributable to.
Med Tent/ Hospital: Wow - some people with some serious issues in the med tent. People weren't sure what was wrong w/me cause at first glance I wasn't exhausted nor limping. But I couldn't sit down or bend over.I explained the situation about 6 times to 6 different people - most giving me a confusing funny look. Finally Doc said what I already knew - I need a catheter. Couldn't do that at med tent so had to go to hospital. Getting tot hte hospital was a bit of an ordeal. I didn't want to pay for theambulance (which was busy with a more serious situation) and we couldn't drive ourslves cause the police wouldn't let our car onto the run course. So Mr. Art Devlin Jr. called a tax to pick us up behind the race course (great guy).
All vital signs normal, normal given what I did this day. Was dehydrated - cause I couldn't drink enough fluids on the run/walk. Now you would think that I would just "let it go like a waterfall" once the catheter was put in. But no. And this proved to me that this was the same old cyst issue. Stayed at hospital for about 4 hours, recieved 3 IV bags, and some free sandwiches for me and my folks. Doc let me go once he felt everything was working fine. taxi back to main street. Folks got my gear for me. The volunteers thought my mom (wearing my EN jacket) did the race - she like that - especially at age 73!!).
Aftermath: I didn't want to spoil anyone's race day with my story (tired of explaining it) so stayed away from brewpub post race and didn't make it to the midnight finish. Got pizza & mussels w/Dad instead.
Next day msucles/legs, arms,back all felt fine. On Tuesday I ddi an easy run around Lake Mirror, swam a half mile, played some tennis on Wednesday. No problems. Ran 5.5 miles easy on Saturday and 2x 3miles at Z4 on Sunday after a round of golf. So I am okay. As I right this RR - the only remmants of IMLP is the sens that my sotmach has gone thru some trauma. The best way I can explpain it - if feels like there is a small inner tube or sponge insidie my body holding fulids and slowly "dripping" it into my bladder. That's the sensation. Not looking forward to all the doc visits that will surely follow (starting the 8th). My instinct is that I will need to have additioanl surgery to reove more o the cyst in the near future. But I plan to first sneak in an OLY in Vermont w/friends on the 7th (Lake Dunmore).
I am okay with pulling out of IMLP. I finished B2B last fall and I was in much better shape going into IMLP w/EN. I am not going to ponder this forver. Yes, it leaves an emplty hole where some satisfaction should be - thats only human. I'd like to finally resolve this medical issue - but the human body is a pretty complex thing. peoople have had worse thing happen (i.e., Coach P's and Al's bike crashes for one). I will simply move on. I am signed up for IM Trembalnt so it will be here sooner than you think.
It was great to have a "team" at the race. Ton of support out there. Talked for abit on bike with a nonEN'er who was probably gonna join (out of MA) and was trying to execute the EN way. He had alot of questions for me. I love Lake Placid and will likely get up there next year multiple times to train. Hope the race remains there so I can come back and get my revenge some day.
Congrats to all the finishers. Thanks for ready this.
Pete J.
Comments
You will be crossing that finish line at Tremblant in no time...
Sorry to hear about the result as I know how consistent you worked and prepared you were (i can't believe you forgot your PM too!! You had your numbers dialed!). But you are in this sport for the long haul and this will only make you stronger. It was great training with you and meeting your folks up in Placid. See you at the races!
Pete,
That is one tough day. Nice job on staying positive and getting things out in a race report. I never did one after my problems at IMC last year and it took a mental toll on me.
Gordon
Now it's time to make sure you get your med issue resolved. But thinking that if you have to have surgery, maybe do it in mid-Oct and then that way could sneak in the Pocono's 70.3 Confident your issue won't come up on a shorter race. Let's grab a beer soon...
e
Anyhow - as a followup. I did do an Oly last Sunday (2 wks after IMLP) and it went fine. Had 1st Doc visit and now setting up specialists appointments. Figure it will be 4-7 weeks before I have game plan on the medical issue (surgury, no surgery, just deal w/it). I can still train and race - just nothing tooo long...
In thinking about IMLP some more and as to why this issue decided to arise on race day vs prior training day, prior races, etc..... I believe it is probably due to overhydrating (for me) the 3-4 days leading into race day combined w/heat on race day. I have to be very careful about the rate at which I drink fluids especially prior to the bike and while on the bike - given this medical issue and the crunching effect of the aero position. Thus my "filter" was full early in the day and I probably clogged it up too quickly on the bike. Normal training day ride I wouldn't do any "extra" hydrating pre-race. Anyway - it would be nice to simply not have to plan for this issue everytime I do a long bike event. We'll see....