2008 Ironman Louisville Race Report

I woke up for a 4:00am breakfast consisting of 2 bagels, 2 bananas, 1 Clif Bar and a bottle of Gatorade, about 800 calories in total. All chased down of course with the first caffeinated I had in a couple of months. We had only a small, relatively useless 2 cup coffee maker in our room, so a couple of days before I had bought a real coffee maker from Walmart. I had brought some Tim Horton’s coffee with me, both with and without caffeine. Definitely the way to go, that coffee maker will be henceforth considered a required piece of equipment for all future Ironman trips!
I sat in the dark and quiet hotel room and tried not to make too much noise while I ate. We planned on leaving the hotel for the transition area at 5:00am so the girls could sleep a little longer.

As I ate, I reflected on my 45 weeks of training, the sacrifices that my family has made for me to do this and the value of their love, encouragement and support. I For me race day has become a day to celebrate the hard work, effort and sacrifice. I remind myself to enjoy the day and take the time to live in the moment and enjoy it.

I think of Barb and how much I wish she was here beside me enjoying this day as a competitor and how important that we do what we can to help find a cure for MS.

I think of Holmes and I remember what he told me last year a couple of days before the race.

Jake,

Best of luck to you man.
And don't forget the most important thing... have fun! If that is possible, doing what you do !!
Just tell yourself that Louisville has had an outbreak of the plague and you have to escape as fast as possible, on your bike.

Take care, Love to all, Holmes


Transition Area 5:00am
We left the hotel on schedule at 5:00am and started the walk to the transition area. It was still pitch black and as we walked we were joined by many others making the same walk. As we got closer to the transition area we could hear the music playing and the announcer welcoming everyone to the race. The transition area didn’t seem too crowded, only later would we realize it was because most people had already been there and left for the swim start. The transition area is set up on what is called the Great Lawn in Louisville. It’s a huge grass park and was well lit up by several towers of lights. Tim and I passed through the security gate to find and check our bikes. Thankfully all of our tires were still inflated. The last thing you want is to arrive first thing in the morning to find that you have a flat before the race has even started. I carry an extra tube, CO2 cartridge and a flash light just in case. If I do have a flat, I don’t want to have to open the spares package that is already on the bike and have to take anything out of there that may be needed later in the day.

We loaded up the bikes with the Gatorade, water and gel flasks that we didn’t want to leave our overnight. I decided to check the air pressure in the tires and pump them up to the proper 120psi pressure. Always a tricky procedure, you have to be careful not to damage the valve and not to over inflate them. Once that was done we were ready to make our way to the swim start.

Swim 4000m

The walk to the swim start takes about 20 minutes. We walk down to the Tumbleweed restaurant along the road that runs parallel to the river. It’s a quiet walk. Most people seem to be deep in thought or concentrating on their race. Once we arrived at the start, the first thing we saw was the body markers. There must have been at least 50 or more of them all holding their sharpies high in the air to signify that they were ready for an athlete. I always like to scope them out a bit and make sure I’m getting one that’s doing a good job. I chose a women, asked her name and thanked her for volunteering. I asked if she was warmed up, she laughed and said she would be sure to do a perfect job. She was very careful and made sure my numbers were perfect. It is all about how you look remember!

Ironman Louisville has a unique swim start. All other Ironman races are a mass swim start, with all 2000+ athletes starting at the same time. It can be messy and you can expect to get kicked and elbowed plenty until you are able to find some clear space to swim in. Because of the current last year, Louisville changed to a single file, time trial start, which means that everyone lines up single file and enters the water. As each athlete enters the water, their individual timing chip is activated and their clock starts. They maintained the same format for this year’s race.

I thought that we were going to be early enough to up close to the start of the line. Wrong! We couldn’t believe it, there were at least 1500 people already in the line. We were so far back that we couldn’t even hear the announcer, music or the starting gun. We were in line by 6:00am and there’s nothing left to do but make sure you have everything for the swim and sit down on the side walk to wait our turn to get in the water. Steph made the walk down with us and was able to take our pre-race clothes and shoes back with her to the transition area. If you didn’t have anyone with you, you were supplied with a green bad with your name and number on it. Volunteers were going up and down the line collecting bags from people. They would be transported to the finish line where you could pick them up later.

We eventually started to move, initially perhaps more from the family and friends moving out of the line than anything else and by 7:20am were moving right along. The closer we got to the start the faster the line moved until we were right there. The final stretch is along a dock right on the river, it was littered with water and Gatorade bottles and a volunteer was at the end of the dock re-applying people’s numbers as they had already begun to fade on some people because of the sweat and sunscreen. Tim and I shook hands and wished each other luck while we pulled on our swim caps and goggles. People were jumping into the water 2 or 3 at a time, as soon as the way was clear, off you go. We ran across the timing mat and jumped into the water.

We had gone to one of the practice swims on Friday morning so I knew the water was warm. They said it was 83 degrees and it felt a little cooler than it did last year. I wore a Zoot Speed Suit that I bought at the expo over my bike shorts. It is a neoprene/lycra suit that starts as a tank top and goes to just below the knees. It provides no buoyancy, but provides a very slippery surface for the water to travel over. I felt great swimming, it seemed almost effortless. Although we swim up the channel into the current between Towhead Island and the mainland and then beyond for about one third of the total 4000m distance, I really didn’t feel that I was swimming into a current.

With the staggered start, it was easy for everyone to stay clear of each other and swim their own pace. Eventually we made the turn down river and started the home stretch. I was trying to keep a little further out into the middle of the river. The current is stronger out there and I wanted to make the most of whatever was there. The swim went by quickly and before I knew it we were at the swim exit. They bolt a large set of metal stairs onto to the concrete river wall and volunteers stand, some right in the water, on the stairs to help pull the athletes up and onto the stairs. Once out of the water I jogged up the ramp, across the small bridge and down the other side into the transition area. I saw Lizzie and Alex at the fence waving to me, I tossed my swim cap to Lizzie on the way by and said hi.

I felt a little dizzy, it’s hard not to after anywhere from 3000 to 3500 freestyle swim strokes and you’re a bit water logged. As they see you coming into the transition area, volunteers are calling out your number ahead so that they have your swim to bike transition bag ready for you to grab as you run by them. I grabbed my bag and ran into the changing tent. It’s a large tent, would probably hold a 100 + people and it is lined with chairs and it was full of athletes and volunteers when I arrived. I got a chair, opened my bag and dumped everything out onto the grass in front of me.

As I started to get my Zoot Suit off and get all my cycling gear on a volunteer arrived immediately. “What can I do to help?” he asked as he started to gather up my goggles and swim suit to put back into the empty bag. He helped me pull my tri top down, not an easy task when you’re all wet and when I was ready to go he told me he’d make sure all my swim gear got back into the bag and would take the bag for me. He pointed me in the right direction, reminded me to stop at the sunscreen station and have a great race!

Outside the other end of the tent there were three people with a can of spray sunscreen in each hand spraying down the athletes as they ran out of the tent. Next step is to get your bike. I had memorized the row that mine was in and approximately how far down the line it was. I’ve actually seen people running all over the place looking for their bike. Their wife or friends on the other side of the fence yelling, ‘it’s over there”. Not a pretty site! I found my bike, squeezed the front and rear tires to make sure they were still inflated, grabbed my bike off the rack and stated running for the bike exit. Once past the safety line painted on the road, you can mount your bike and off you go.

Bike 180km

The first 12 miles of the bike course is flat as it runs along the Ohio River. It’s a chance to settle down after the swim, get dried off and ready for the rest of the day. My goal was to average 27.7 kph which would give me a bike time of XXXXX. I knew that because of the nature of then course, I probably wouldn’t hit that until the last 20 miles. Again it was easy to ride as the field was so spread out by the staggered start. The first hill comes at about the 12 mile mark and reminds everyone that it will be like this for the rest of the way.

I rode conservatively and kept my heart rate under 140 as much as I could. We hit the out and back section and I really enjoyed the almost 1 mile downhill part. Last year I saw an accident at the bottom of the hill and it was no different this year. There was an ambulance there and they were attending to a female athlete who had crashed close to the bottom of the hill. It was first of many ambulances we were to see that day! At the bottom of that hill we start a 1 mile climb to the turn around and then back down the hill again. Sure enough, another crash and another ambulance. This one looked like it involved 4 or 5 cyclists.

After completing the out and back we join the30 mile LeGrange loop, so named for the town of LeGrange it passes though. This loop is completed twice and contains most of the hills on the course. There are aid stations every 10 to 12 miles and I was determined not to stop this year as I had last year. I was drinking plenty of Gatorade and water. My strategy was to drink 2 bottles of Gatorade between each aid station, about half a bottle of water and one power bar each hour. I was taking one electrolyte capsule each hour and switched to gels and bananas for hours 3 to 6. I wanted to get the power bars in and digested while my digestive system was still functioning well. In addition I took 2 eight hour Tylenols and a caffeine pill at mile 60. The Bike was hot and windy and I had forgotten how hilly it was. Last year I rode with a 27 gear and decided this year to try it with a 25 gear as my biggest gear. It worked out well, I didn’t miss the 27 and was able to keep my heart rate in check with the 25. Essentially I was going faster with the same effort, a result of an additional year of training.

I was taking in a lot of fluid and started to feel the need to pee. Last year I stopped 4 times to use the facilities and this year I was determined to pee on the bike to save time. When I had to go, I checked behind me and made sure no one was close to me, and let it go. Most of it seemed to trail off behind me but each time some was travelling down my legs and ending up in my shoe. I was dumping at least one or two bottles of water over myself every 45 minutes or so, so it was all washed away, but some of that water was also making its way into my shoes.

I was really glad to finally get to the end of my second loop and be able to make the turn for home, instead of turning to start another loop. The wind was at our back for the final 20 miles and it is mostly downhill. I felt really strong and I was riding at 35kph plus on most of that stretch. I watched my average speed climb from the 27’s to 28 and finally to 28.5. At the 110 mile marker I checked my pace sheet and saw that I was 6 minutes ahead of where I planned to be at that time. We arrived back at the transition area and I handed my bike off to one of the bike catchers to put back into its spot. The bike performed flawlessly. I had been a little concerned about the rear derailleur and early on Saturday morning I had taken it to the bike technicians at Inside Out Sports for an adjustment. Best thing I could have done. I must have made thousands of gear changes on that course and everyone was perfect.

Run 26mi

I felt great and I ran down the hill toward the transition bags, again volunteers were calling out number and someone had my bag in hand as I ran by. Back into the tent I found a chair and dumped out my run gear in front of me. A volunteer was there instantly with a cup of water and a cup of Gatorade. “Hey Chris, how was your ride?” he asked. Good, good I said as I got my helmet and bike shoes off. I pulled on my running shoes, moved my race number to the front and ran off.
We ran across the bridge to Indiana before starting the out and back section of the run. For the first few miles I felt like I had a rock in my stomach. Too much undigested food and Gatorade I suspected, so I decide to take in only water for the first few miles. Gradually I started to feel better and was able to run in a reasonably good fashion.

At mile 6 I thought I felt a pebble in my shoe. By mile 8, it hurt and I had to stop and look. I pulled off my shoe and sock and couldn’t find anything. I put it all back on and starting running again. At mile 10 I couldn’t take it, so I stopped again and took them off and look. A volunteer came over to me, I think she saw that I was a bit unsteady on my feet and didn’t want to see me fall over. She asked me if she could help and I told her the problem. She grabbed my sock out of my hand, I told her ‘you don’t want to touch that!’. Oh don’t worry she said, I’m a nurse, believe me I’ve touched a lot worse things. She felt through my sock and couldn’t find anything. Again I put it all back on and started running again. The problem was because I was running in wet socks, I was developing a blister on the bottom of my foot. Over the course of the next 3 miles I started getting blisters in multiple places on both feet.

By mile 15 it hurt too much to run and I was walking. Over the next 11 miles the best I could do was a run/walk combination that included more walk than run each mile. Otherwise I felt great. I was so disappointed. Had I been able to maintain even a slow pace I could have beaten my last year’s time of 13:02. Eventually I made it back and to see the crowds and hear the noise at 4th Street was incredible. No matter what I was going to run down the final 100 meters and through the finish line. It truly has to be one of greatest finish lines in ironman racing. Once through the finish line a volunteer places the medal around your neck and asks a few simple questions to make sure you’re alright. They get you a bottle of Gatorade, a space blanket and a bag containing your finishers shirt and hat. Everyone met me at the exit and once the volunteer knows someone is there to take you, they release you.

Lesson learned, wet socks cause blisters. I knew that and should have been prepared for it. An oversight on my part, pure and simple. Afterwards I thought of several things I could have done had I realized what was going to happen. I could have gone with no socks for the run, I probably would have blistered , but not to the extent I did and probably could have run through the marathon. I could have asked in the T2 tent if anyone had an extra pair of socks they weren’t going to use. I’m sure they would have come flying through the air in my direction. I could have gone 50 meters to the Inside Out Sports booth and they would have given me a pair. I could have used body glide, blister pads, or even duct tape to keep the blisters from forming as fast as they did.

I ended up finishing at 13:15, :13 minutes behind last year. I have registered for next year and will be back to get that 12:30 finish I know I have in me. All in all we had a great time and it was a great experience.

To my beautiful girls, Steph, Katie and Lizzie, I can’t thank you enough for putting up with me, your love, support and encouragement fuel my endurance and I could never do this without you. To everyone that supported my MS fundraising, thank you so much. Each donation, no matter the amount, gave me a renewed sense of purpose and a well needed boost. In 2 years we’ve now raised close to $20,000. To my partner Tim, you rock dude, training with you and watching your progress was inspirational and you should be proud to have completed your first Ironman in such a great time.

Happy Birthday Holmes, We Love You

To My Brother by John Keats

Small, busy flames play through the fresh-laid coals,
And their faint cracklings o'er our silence creep
Like whispers of the household gods that keep
A gentle empire o'er fraternal souls.

And while for rhymes I search around the poles,
Your eyes are fixed, as in poetic sleep,
Upon the lore so voluble and deep,
That aye at fall of night our care condoles.

This is your birthday, Tim, and we rejoice
That thus it passes smoothly, quietly:
Many such eves of gently whispering noise
May we together pass, and calmly try
What are this world's true joys,—ere the great Voice
From its fair face shall bid our spirits fly.

Back Home!!

Hi Everyone,

We arrived back home last night at 10pm after leaving Louisville at 10am. Other than a 1 hour delay on 75, we had an easy trip home. Especially for me, since Steph was driving most of the way!

We had an awesome time in Louisville! The race went very well for both Tim and I. Tim finished his first Ironman in just over 14 hours, in tough conditions. Good job Buddy! It was a hot day, 93 degress and windy on the bike course. I got in at 13:15. I didn't beat my time from last year of 13:02, but more on that and the race and later.

Thanks to everyone who supported my MS fundraising efforts this year. Together we raised a total of $11,230. That's amazing. Our combined 2 year total is now just under $20,000.