Ironman Wisconsin 2013 Race Report

September 8, Madison Wisconsin. This was my 3rd 140.6 mile triathlon. I arrived well trained, well fed, healthy, loved & mentally prepared. My bike was tuned & running smoothly thanks to my friends at East Ridge Bicycles; I was ready! Or so I thought.

IM Wisconsin has the reputation amongst triathletes as being the hardest IM in the USA. So, I spent a good 7 months getting ready after recovering from a nasty clavicle fracture & surgery in July 2012. Armed with a trusted coach & training plan, many, many hours were spent in the gym, pool, on the road cycling & running all the hills I could find.

My husband & I drove the 13 hours from Chattanooga, leaving my 2 daughters with family so they wouldn't have to miss school. We arrived on Thursday with plenty of time to check in, check out, spend $$ on IM swag, drive the course, swim parts of the swim course & soak in the vibe.

Inspirational surprise from my daughter

chaaaa-ching! sucka!

This ain't no Cozumel!

Athletes pre-race swimming

Having ridden the bike course during the summer of 2012 & having a really bad experience on it, a black cloud of dread foreshadowed my expectations of racing 112 miles during IMOO 2013. This was wasted negative energy, shame on me.

So, Sunday morning I awoke @ 3:20 am for a breakfast consisting of my homemade smoothie concoction, (heavy on the carbs, low on fiber) & a Kind bar, water, Chai Tea & mentally visualized my race a number of times.

Stephen (hubby) drove me to Monona Terrace @ 5, dropped me off to pump tires, fill bottles & drop off special needs bags. It was still dark out but the energy in the air was buzzing with all the 2500 athletes & their pre-race jitters.

The morning was windy & the sky was grey. It even looked stormy. Lake Monona looked angry with chop & 2 foot swells. The forecast called for 15-17 mph winds & temps in high 70's. It didn't sound too bad to me, I've raced in all types of weather. It doesn't always turn out well, but it can always be worse.

By 6, I was at the water's edge preparing to slip into my wetsuit. I wanted to be in the water by 6:30 to warm up & line up properly. I guess my mind was fuzzy because I found my Garmin 500 in my swim bag; it was supposed to be on my bike. Now there was no time to run back to transition & make it back to the swim in time. The crowds were suffocating, there was no option but to either swim with it or have Steve try to pass it to me during T-1. 

I was one of the first people into the water. Swam out & treaded water, hung onto an SUP & chatted it up with my fellow IMer's for apx 25 minutes waiting for the cannon to go off. It was amazing to watch >2000 athletes funnel through the gate during that time. Some people were still on dry ground when the cannon blasted, even though it's a deep water MASS swim start.

I lined up along the buoy line, plan to take she shortest path & prayed for clear water. When the BOOM sounded, we swam. It was instant madness. If you have never swam an Ironman mass swim start & if you have not witnessed one in person, there really is no way to describe it & do it justice. I know some people swear the "rolling" swim start is safer & better, but I personally would not participate in an Ironman if it wasn't mass swim start. I believe this is an integral part of the recipe that creates Ironman; because it is THAT EPIC. I guess everyone else had my same idea, because there was no "clear" water. People were slapping, grabbing, elbowing, pushing, clawing, Im sure there was some biting & kicking. It was similar to a mosh pit at a punk concert (luckily, I am well versed) but without the rock music :(. It's a love hate relationship, I love it but it hurts & it's scary, you think you might die, drown, get pushed down & never surface but you just keep pushing & breathing & when it's over...it was soo worth it.  The heavy swells on the back section made it hard to breathe without water pouring into your mouth. All that being said, I emerged from the water in 1:18; my slowest IM swim time but also the worst conditions.

Here is a video I pulled from youtube of the 2013 swim. Grey skies, grey water.

Transition was a good one, running through the cheering crowd, up the helix into the ballroom was fun. I was able to grab my Garmin from Stephen :). The volunteers were excellent! So helpful & was in & out of there in a jiffy & onto the bike. I carried my shoes to the mount line, it made the running easier.

Well, I wish I could say that it went perfectly. But... this is where it all started to unravel. I came to this race more prepared than any other race. I was stronger, leaner, meaner & with more purpose! But, my HR strap never picked up. Guess it died during the swim & I was left to pedal 112 of the hardest miles in IM on perceived effort. UGH!!! Realizing early on, that this was for all intensive purposes, this was a race buster for me, my only option was to persevere & do the best I could. So I had fun with it. Breaking the course down into 14 mile sections & focusing on averaging 19 mph during those sections was my back up game plan. 

Once onto the loop, where the roads are extremely bumpy, it became apparent that my seat post was loose. Every bump, my seat fell a little lower! I did not have any tool to tighten it, so I just rode it to the finish & lost a few inches. So much for the importance of a GOOD bike fit ;) 

The course was AMAZING! The hills were no problem for me (maybe because I wasn't worried about HR?) I kept thinking "free speed!" & hammering the downhills, carrying my momentum into the next hill.

My tush never left the saddle, I spun easily up the rollers & when it came to Old Sauk Pass, all I can say is WOW! The crowd was inspirational, people were dressed in devil costumes, in drag, like cartoon characters, cowbells, cheerleaders, screaming, cheering; it was helpful & made the climbs go by quickly, even made it fun.

By the 2nd loop, I could tell my oomph was fading. Knowing this meant I probably overdid the first loop & made a conscious effort to ease off & eat more, but still hammered the descents. The course is unrelenting. It's just up & down, constant. The descents are not friendly either, there are hairpin turns & gravel, both loops I witnessed BIG guys go into the turns too hot & not make it out, crashing. The crowd support was there to help. The weather was perfect, if a little windy & I enjoyed the bike. When I got off the bike, I was frustrated at not having HR to gauge my race by & my tummy was unsettled, but I had had the ride of my life; meaning it was fun. My overall avg. was 17.9. Unable to hold 19 mph consistently, but it is what it is; there was a lot to be thankful for, no crashes, no flat tires, no cramping & still smiling.

Transition #2 was again, excellent because of all the wonderful volunteers. In & out quickly, changed shoes & socks & hats & was out the door. Immediately saw my husband & stopped briefly to hand off my worthless HR strap & have a quick kiss. At this point, it started to dawn on me that I wasn't feeling so hot.

exiting T-#2

The run was a sufferfest. I ran a focussed 10 min mile, purposely slow until mile 6, hoping to be able to pick up the pace after that. Didn't happen. From mile 9-18 I battled the IM  belly demons & actually walked quite a bit because my stomach was not having it. Never having to WALK in an IM before, I was devastated & wanted to cry. This is where the race gets real. The voices in my head!!! "why are you doing this? I'm NEVER doing another Ironman! Maybe I should just quit, what's the point?" Yeah, that was happening. I wasn't alone, it looked like the zombie apocalypse during my time on the run course. By mile 18, I was over my pity party & decided to get it done. Started hitting the chicken broth & cola at every aid station & found my purpose. Mile 19 I ran, told myself, "this mile I'm running for Alexa" (my oldest daughter) Mile 20, I ran for Emma (my youngest daughter) Mile 21 I ran for my Mom. Mile 22 I ran for my dad, mile 23 I ran for Steve & mile 24 I ran for myself & by mile 25 I was cruising for the finish line. This is what got me through, remembering all the people who loved & supported me to this point & letting their strength propel me to the line. My overall marathon pace equalled to 11 min mile (far from my goal pace) & my overall Ironman time was 12:35.

It wasn't the race I was hoping for. But it could have been much worse. It is doubtful I will ever put high expectations on myself or on a race result because the disappointment is more agonizing than the pain of the race itself. But I will race again. Now that IM Chattanooga exist, I must check that box & I have always wanted to do IMFL. My journey continues.

Biggest thanks of all to my biggest fan & supporter, my husband Stephen. None of this insanity would be possible without him.

(In the finishers chute I did slow down to allow the racers in front of me to clear so I wouldn't mess up their photo, but the guy in front of me decided at the last minute to give high fives to people on EITHER side of the finish line before crossing it!!! Whatever.)

Taper Time! Ironman Wisconsin, ready or not!

9 days until race day at Ironman Wisconsin, where I will attempt to swim 2.4 miles, bike 112 miles of hills & run 26.2 miles around Madison with 2500 other athletes. With the extra time due to tapering, though I'd reflect on the journey up to this point.

One of my favorite rides includes a 4 mile climb up Fort mountain; the view.

Ive been asked the question:"why do an Ironman?" Well, my answer is, I enjoy riding my bike long hours, its cathartic. I enjoy running & persistently trying to push the pace. Can't say I enjoy swimming, because I don't. It's a means to an end, so I do it. Every work out in the pool feels like a huge accomplishment, but that in itself is rewarding.

6 hours with you & your friend, a couple bikes & the open road, what's not to love?

Over the last 7 months, my training has been solid. Managed to dodge potential injuries so far, which is a full time job in itself. The Isagenix foods definitely played a part in injury prevention, as I could feel how my body recovered better than before I started eating the foods. Too bad it can't do anything to prevent my toenails from falling off or the blisters & saddle sores!

Now, looking back on all the fun, its been a great ride.

Sometimes, when I didn't feel like riding by myself, I tagged along with the boys.

But most of the time, I ride alone. (with Eminem)

Have been blessed with an excellent swimming facility, never crowded.

Toenails are overrated.

One of my favorite things, seeing the sunrise. Beautiful

The Argon, Kask & Giro, all a part of me now.

A day in my life. Strength,swim, bike, run, recover

Yeah!

Lime cucumber Gatorade, Yum!!! I train hard for this stuff.

One of the best training days spent around Chattanooga

Some great running partners, Sunday Runday!! So thankful for these girls.

My daughters encouraging me all the way.

Rev3 Williamsburg Half (70.3 triathlon)

Training race on the road to Ironman Wisconson 2013.

The swim gave me pause at first glance, it looked too long.

 

Setting up for 70.3 miles of fun

Ok, so race morning my cousin, who was racing the Olympic distance race, & I dropped off our T-2 race bags into T-2 at the William & Mary race venue. The RD had organized busses to transport racers to T-1 & the race start, 5 miles away. I noticed, as we walked to our awaiting vehicle in the rain, that the line of racers waiting to get on the buses wrapped around 3 sides of the block. Not ideal, especially in the rain. I was thankful my husband had offered to drive us to T-2 & the start.
Race #323.

The race start was delayed due to the buses not arriving in time. Which gave me more time to warm up. The water was warm, but the RD said still wet suit legal. I think that was a good call, considering this was the worst swim course in HISTORY!!! They had us swimming against the current in the James River; nuff said.

I thought I would never get to the first bouy, the current was sooo strong, when I finally did get to it & tried to swim around it, it moved over my head & I had a hard time getting passed it, got caught up in the ropes. Seemed to me the anchor wasn't holding it in place. The swim was tough & I'm a fairly strong swimmer. The whole time, I thought "someone's going to die today". Thankfully no one died, but over 50 people did get pulled from the swim.

The race needed more spotters in the water. What should have taken 30-35 minutes ended up taking 46. That is all I will say about that disaster. (came out 6/40 AG)

Did notice several half distance swimmers cutting the swim short. 

Next: the run to T-1.

Ridiculous. But, whatever.We got it done. They reversed the flow of traffic into & out of transition area at the last minute. So, there was some confusion for a lot of people, luckily not for me.

the run from swim to bike

The bike course was pretty straight forward. The weather wasn't too bad, cloudy, no rain.  It seemed like the difficult swim elevated my HR & it never really recovered fully. This played into my race, unfortunately. Ave 20.5 for the 56 mile course. The bike worked well & my new ENVE wheels were amazing. So smooth & rolled so well.
Nutrition on the bike: water in front, bottle of Isagenix WME mixed with maltodextrin to equal 240 cal per hour, Metasalt tabs & Hammer gel for when the intensity goes up. Seemed to work fine, good energy levels & no GI upset.
The last few miles of the bike course were funneled into a main road with lots of traffic. The  cars seemed gridlocked from the race & it made it very difficult to pass.
The Run:

I was really looking forward to running on what was sold as a "beautiful run course through William & Mary College Campus". But, was disappointed, it was not scenic & we ran behind the college, through some parking lots & between some dumpsters. My goal was to practice IM pacing, but because of the heat, I chose to walk the aid stations & hydrate & dowse my head with water. This slowed my overall pace down from 8:30 to a 9. By the 2nd loop, my HR was way too high, so I took off my HR strap & just ran on PE. Again, I blame the swim for messing up the rest of the race. During the last 2 miles I suffered greatly, & got passed by 2 girls running together, both in my AG. I had nothing left to give & crossed the finish line in 4th place AG with a time of 5:36.

Overall, it was a good training race. I would not recommend racing any race during it's inaugural year, there were a lot of problems that the race promoters need to work on. But it's not meant to be easy, that's why it's a race & survival of the fittest. I gave it everything I had. Still got some work to do. 10 weeks till IM.

I want a pair of these!

I had a great support team, both daughters were there to cheer, my mom & dad traveled with us & were there & of course my biggest fan, my husband was there as well. Christy, my cousin had a good race too & she cheered me on during the run, that helped a lot.

We spent the rest of the week touring Williamsburg, Busch Gardens & the Outer Banks.

Rev3 Williamsburg Video

Rev 3 Knoxville half-iron distance triathlon race report. 70.3 in the rain!

Wet & muddy race venue

The race took place at World's Fair Park, Knoxville, TN, May 5, 2013. Unfortunately, a low pressure system hovered over the area for a few days dumping 7 inches of rain in 48 hours, during which participants struggled to swim 1.2 miles, bike 56 miles & run 13.1. This was my first race in almost a year, & the first race since recovering from my crash & clavicle fracture. As a training race for IM Wisconsin, I had 3 goals for this race: practice IM pacing, practice IM nutrition & have a negative split on the run. 

I will preface this report by saying, this was my first Rev3 event & it was top notch! I have nothing bad to say about the event. It was great! Even though the sky was grey & the ground was wet & sloppy, the race people kept it positive & made it seem like we were still having fun :)

The day before the race

Besides the rain, my race did not start out perfectly. First, I arrived to find my front 404 flat & knew something was wrong, it's never flat & found that I had brought 2 extra REAR wheels & no front! Also, I could not find the wristband for my Garmin 310 that I was planning on using for the entire half ironman race to keep track of my heart rate, pace & time. Also, my Rudy's were at home! (my favorite accesory)
Attended the pre-race athletes meeting, in the pouring rain the day before to hear what their plans were, if the nasty weather continued on race morning. It would take the apocalypse to alter the race plans. I talked with some co-participants who were discussing wussing out. But my mind kept saying, "what if it rains during Ironman? You gotta do this! This is your training race!"  So, after checking in my bike to transition, I went to warm up at the hotel. Not much sleep that night since it was prom night & the halls were filled with the sounds of rowdy teens all night long.

Race morning

3:30 am, I awoke to 53 degrees & still pouring down rain. The weather reports were not encouraging, the were predicting record amounts of rainfall today. Yay :/.
 My pre-race breakfast included a peanutbutter & honey uncrustable sandwich, beet juice, banana, Isalean shake & water. Arrived to the G10 parking garage at Neyland Stadium where transition was set up @ 5:15. Kudos to the race directors, this was excellent! Covered T-1 & T-2 & parking made a huge difference on such a horrible weather day.

Again, my front tire was flat. Exhausting all my options, I finally decided to use my only can or Pit Stop, inflate the tire & hope for the best. If the tire didn't hold or if I got another flat during the race, my race would be over. 

Lesson #1, always have extra pit stop & extra wheels, both rear & front :).

After setting my transition area up, the big question on everyone's mind was; "what to wear on the bike?". I heard it over & over. Someone even mentioned wearing clear goggles on the bike! (you know who you are, LOL)
 My plan was to wear my Gore Bike Wear windstopper tank, under my race kit. There was a vest, winter jacket, arm & leg warmers all laid out in T-1. I would decide what was needed depending on how cold I felt after the swim. I downed an Isagenix Eshot energy drink & walked the .25 mile to the waterfront, in the rain.

The Swim

79 women lined up to swim @ 7am in my wave, in front of Calhoun's in Knoxville. The water temp was 61, a few degrees warmer than the air, making this a wetsuit legal swim. Thank God! (seriously) The water was so cold, it took my breath away. The race did not allow athletes to enter the water prior to their wave start, so my hopes of getting a good warm up were disappointed. (I'm old & rusty, it takes a good 20 minutes for me to feel good) I did what I could on dry land & looked like a waving idiot, but hey, my muscles were warm & loose when the gun went off!
The swim began against the current. We swam 1/2 mile to the turn buoy & continued the swim downstream. I had a good swim. I was never able to catch a draft, guess because I was very near the front & had lots of clear water. Found a good strong rhythm & settled in for a 37 min 1.2 mile swim. Thankfully, there was a strong man available to pull me out of the water at the dock. Came out of the water 4th in my division. A good swim for me, since swimming is not my strength. 

Athletes had to run back to T-1, 1/4 mile & this was hard because my feet were frozen & numb & the ground felt extremely harsh. My T-1 time was relatively slow, as my hands were also frozen & numb, making it difficult to get changed & loaded up, but eventually I made it & was excited to see my husband on the sidelines with my Rudy's in hand :) I grabbed em on my way out of T-1 & they made all the difference in how my ride went!

The Ride

The 56 mile bike leg began out of Neyland Stadium parking garage, took several turns around downtown Knoxville & ventured out into south Knoxville country. It was a very scenic & enjoyable course with it's own set of challenges, some steep hills, winding & WET descents & a few fast & flat sections where one could haul a$$. My personal ride was overshadowed by a cyclist fatality that occurred the day before at 3State3Mountain century in Chattanooga where a motorist & cyclist collided head on, on the notorious Och's Hwy. So, I rode very conservatively with this person's death on my mind. With wet roads, the danger factor is so high... I know what my bike fitness is, so this was not the place to test it. Bike nutrition consisted of a 600 calorie bottle of maltodextrin & Isagenix Want More Energy electrolyte mix, salt tablets (in case it hadn't been raining & cold) & water, LOTS of water. Eventually, even though it was pouring rain the whole time, I kinda forgot about the rain & just enjoyed the ride. The cold on the other hand, was unforgettable. My fingers & feet were frozen & numb. I had to shift, using my wrists, because my hands were cramping & my fingers were useless. This made trying to handle anything (salt capsules, gels) impossible & dangerous.
 Concerned about my front tire going flat, I rode even more carefully & stopped to check it half way through the ride. It held!! Feeling a huge relief, I was able to ride more confidently, knowing my tire wasn't going flat. Even though the rain continued to pour down & we were all soaked,  I stayed hydrated, even justified that since it was raining, that it was ok to pee on the bike (a first for me), so I did! & laughed out loud at myself, making sure there was no one around. Figured, I was already soaked & the rain would rinse it away :). No worries.
Passed a lot of cyclist on my way back into town, so guess my nutrition worked. No GI upset, no cramping (except for my hands b/c of the cold), this nutrition plan is what I hope to use for IM, glad to have success with it during this trial ride. What I learned later, was that the event police were having to pull people out of the race left & right for hypothermia. I had chosen to wear my winter riding jacket & that kept my core temperature fairly warm.  I spent half of the ride in a continuous prayer for safety & half of the ride I sang the chorus to Annie, "the sun will come out, Tomorrow!" :) It was enough to keep my mind off how miserable I really felt. I know my guardian angel was there & God does answer prayers.

End bike split was 3:09 & avg of just over 17 mph. Not fast, I know, but careful & steady & in control. Still 4th in my division after the 3 hour ride & happy; because there was lot's left in the tank.

The Run

Again, with the frozen feet! T-2: shed the dripping & soaked coat & grabbed dry arm warmers, put on socks & shoes, donned the race belt & headed out into the rain. My family was waiting outside T-2, encouraging me to run fast. It was so wonderful to see them! Not exactly a great day for them either, standing in the rain for hours to cheer on old Mom...
The trouble was, I could not feel my feet! 

Normally I would use my Garmin to pace myself, but that didn't happen today. No HR info, I just ran on PE & hit the lap button on my watch at every mile marker. My plan was to practice IM pacing for most of the run & then finish with a fast pace if I had anything left & hope for a negative split. So, that is what I did. One fast girl did pass me during the run & I didn't even try to keep her pace. I kept telling myself to stick with my plan, that this is just a training race....stay focused & don't worry about what anybody else is doing. The rain caused flooding & we had to run through lots of water. I gave up trying to dodge puddles & just ran through it. One creek crossing was knee high! Reminded me of IM COZ 2011. It was a challenging course with lot's of hills, but there were many great volunteers out at the aid stations & police were managing traffic well. At the half way mark, I picked up my pace just a touch because I still felt good. No cramping, no stomach upset (another first for me), no blisters...everything was running right on target, despite mother natures attempts to derail the race. By mile 8, I could finally feel my feet again. At the 10 mile marker, elated that I felt so good, my pace picked up & I finished the last 3 lonely miles in the rain with a good 7:37 min mile giving me a negative split! (running is my weakness). I finished with a total time of 5:47 for 70.3 miles & moved into 5th place in my AG. The top 2 girls in my AG were overall winners, so that left me in 3rd place, & happy :)

some pretty hardware

It's encouraging when a plan comes together. All the dedication, sacrifice & hard work seem to be paying off & Ive got to stay positive about upcoming IMMOO. Today's race definitely helps.

wet, but happy to be done

East Ridge Triathlon Teammates

 I'm thankful to my husband for his unending support & encouragement. Also a shout out to East Ridge Bicycle for always being there to keep my rig running fast & smooth. Also thankful for my coach, Steven Bentley for introducing me to Isagenix. I truly believe it has helped me recover from workouts & increased my strength through proper nutrition.
4 months until Ironman Wisconsin! I sure hope it doesn't rain.

You can find all the race results here:
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