Ironman Wisconsin is held in Madison which is about
5 hrs from where I live so planning a whole day of travel to the race was not
needed like last year going to St. George, UT.
We left Friday morning in a convoy fashion with my parents following.
(Friday) Arrival to Madison: I figured stopping at the race site to check in prior to getting to the hotel
would be the best option for some reason. Originally I planned to get the family
settled in at the hotel then head over to the expo. After waiting in line for an hour and a half,
I was finally checked in with the race so glad we stopped there first. We got
checked in to the hotel, made supper (spaghetti) and settled in for a good
nights sleep.
(Friday) Arrival to Madison: I figured stopping at the race site to check in prior to getting to the hotel
Line for Check in Friday |
(Saturday) The
weather forecast was calling for temps in the 90s today so I figured the sooner
I got my workouts in and equipment turned in the better. I met up with Jason
who was doing his first Ironman (and rocked it by the way) to do quick bike,
swim and run. We met at the hotel, rode out on the course for a few miles then
rode back into town and to the swim start.
My dad was at the swim start; he had our bags since I planned to drop
off my bikes and bags after finishing our workouts. I got into to the wet suit and swam out to the
start line, to the first bouy and back to the start area. Out of swim gear and into run gear then we
headed out on an easy 2-mile run. Pretty
much nailing the pace I was planning for the next day (8:00/mi).
I packed up my T1 (bike gear) and T2 (run gear) bags and we head up to Transition area. I was able to walk right through to get my bike checked in to T1. I did a quick check of landmarks to look for so I knew where my bike was the next day. Headed back inside to drop off my bags at the two transition areas. This race the transition area is in the same place T1/T2 (change area for both) are inside the Monona Terrace and the bike rack taking up a complete level of the parking ramp. In 2012, my buddy Matt and I worked in T1 so I had a good idea how to navigate through the transition areas and where the change room was. After that it was time to head back to the hotel for lunch.
The rest of the day I mostly chilled out in the room, continued to hydrate and took a nap. We had some family come to visit that included some swimming/play time for the kids; we picked up dinner to eat in the room. I was able to get my special needs bags together and to bed at a decent time to get some zzzzz before the 4:00 am alarm went off.
(Race Morning)
That 4:00am alarm seemed like it was never going to go off. I laid awake for the last 30
minutes just thinking about
the day. Finally the alarm went off I got up starting making my breakfast:
bagel, PB, banana, yogurt, chocolate milk and coffee (of course). I got all my nutrition for the day together
to load on my bike in the morning and double-checked my special needs bags. I
met my Dad down in the hotel lobby prior to heading over to the Alliant Energy
Center where the shuttle buses were. We hopped on a shuttle, which drops you
about 2 blocks from the race finish and the Monona Terrace. We walked over to drop off my special needs
bags then over to transition to prep the bike. Put all my nutrition on the bike which was only 2 bottles of UCAN and 2 cliff bars. In line for body marking and then we headed over to
the swim start area. Final prep time,
butterflies were going, drank my pre-race UCAN started to get my wetsuit on and
before long it was time to head to the water.
That 4:00am alarm seemed like it was never going to go off. I laid awake for the last 30
Swim Start (Calm before the storm) |
Swim- 1:11:33
Division Rank 48/264
In the water I
attempted to be on the furthest side of the ski jump. Before long the pros were on their
way. Soon the other 2500+ athletes and I were
awaiting the count down. Soon silence
fell among us and the cannon…BOOM! We were off; I planned to stay with a
similar paced pack trying to swim around 1:10 or faster. The swim course was one big loop were we swimming
down the shore line along Monona Terrace to the bridge then back to the swim
exit. I assumed by the time we got down
to the first left turn it would clear up. Man, was I mistaken it seemed as if I
was swimming in chaos the whole way. I couldn’t move around mostly suck in the
middle of a pack of all the other average IM swimmers (1:05-1:15). As we made
out last turn to the shore it finally began to open up and I was able to not
worry about catching an elbow or foot to the face. Finally I was able to swim
hard (kicking to get the blood back to the legs) for the last 300-400 yards to
the swim exit. Out of the water I saw the clock just over my goal time but
nothing I can’t make up later in the race.
Shortly after the swim start |
T1- 6:47
Once out of the
water came the task of running over up to Monona Terrace 3 levels up. Wet suit strippers were right there as we got
out of the water. Then up the helix, it
seemed like we ran in circles forever to finally get to T1. I ran into the T1 area straight to my bag and
over to the change area. Out came the helmet, shoes and sunglasses in went the
wetsuit goggles and swim cap. Ran out of the change area and out to the parking
level with the bike racks. I was two light poles on the right, headed straight
to my bike and then over to the bike mount line. Then it was down the helix out on the bike
course.
Bike- 5:50:59 (19.15
mph) Division Rank 46/264
Once on the bike
the same crowd I had during the swim was still around me. It was congested but
I wasn’t going to try to go hard right away, I will wait until we get out of
town. There were a number of turns and bike paths before we got to that point
so I just stated with pack. The bike
course when right by the hotel we stayed at so that was my first chance to see
my support crew. On our way out of town I started to make some passes and got
set in with my power and pace.
Approaching a section of
some rolling hills I noticed no one on a bike in front of me so I got the TT bike tunnel vision (only looking at the pavement 3-4 feet in front of my front tire). Before I knew it I am looking at a guy trying to move off the roadway. He made it out of the way but not with his chair. I went straight in to his chair over the handlebars and in the ditch. It was one of the photographers taking pictures sitting on the roadway. My first thought was “what the hell what that” then it was concern my bike was damaged. I jumped over to my bike picked it up checked it over the camera guy asked if I was ok. I said I was fine; the bike seemed to be fine and ride able. I checked to make sure I didn’t lose any water bottles or gear off my bike then I started back out. I looked down at my watch 8 miles in, man lot of bike leg left. I was pretty upset but I knew I needed to curb that and start focusing on the bike. As I made my way to the loops on the course, I noticed my power meter was not synced with my watch anymore after the dive in the ditch. Eventually I stopped and let it sync since it seemed every one else around me had a power meter. Finally after 21 miles in on the bike all the fall out from the mishap seemed to be remedied.
some rolling hills I noticed no one on a bike in front of me so I got the TT bike tunnel vision (only looking at the pavement 3-4 feet in front of my front tire). Before I knew it I am looking at a guy trying to move off the roadway. He made it out of the way but not with his chair. I went straight in to his chair over the handlebars and in the ditch. It was one of the photographers taking pictures sitting on the roadway. My first thought was “what the hell what that” then it was concern my bike was damaged. I jumped over to my bike picked it up checked it over the camera guy asked if I was ok. I said I was fine; the bike seemed to be fine and ride able. I checked to make sure I didn’t lose any water bottles or gear off my bike then I started back out. I looked down at my watch 8 miles in, man lot of bike leg left. I was pretty upset but I knew I needed to curb that and start focusing on the bike. As I made my way to the loops on the course, I noticed my power meter was not synced with my watch anymore after the dive in the ditch. Eventually I stopped and let it sync since it seemed every one else around me had a power meter. Finally after 21 miles in on the bike all the fall out from the mishap seemed to be remedied.
The loops on the
bike course were new terrain to me so I planned to take the first loop
conservatively. I had a few attempts to ride the loops of the course but never
got the opportunity. There was a good amount of uphill but also some fun
downhill sections. There were a few tough climbs where the
riders got to experience something similar to the Tour de France, while riding
up the hill and having spectators run up the hill with you dressed in an array
of costumes. As I finished the first loop I came into Verona where most of the
spectators were and caught a glimpse of my support crew and later on some friends
from Mankato. With the first loop complete, I was feeling good so I figured I
was just going to similar keep power/pace for the second loop. Then on the way back in to town I spent the
last 15 miles just getting myself ready for the run. Again I came by the hotel
got a wave from my parents (it was nap time for the boys). As I headed back to
the Monona Terrace I pulled my feet out of my shoes and started to pedal up
the ramp and on the helix. Once to the dismount line and I ran my bike to a handler
and in to the building for T2.
T2 4:18
Again running to
my bag in T2 and straight over to the change area to put on my socks/shoes and
visor. I had a volunteer helping this time since the first time I had about 200
other dudes in the change area. He
grabbed my helmet put it in my bag and I was on my way out. I started to run
out and realized I left my sunglasses in my helmet so I ran back to find my
bag. In hindsight the sun stayed behind
the clouds and most of the time my sunglasses were on my head anyway so I probably
could have saved the 2 minutes by leaving them but it is what it is. Ran out of
the building off the parking ramp and on the streets for the 26.2-mile run.
Run 3:40:04
(8:23/miles) Division Rank 25/264
Mostly likely
you have read something on my blog to know this is my strength. I had a great
season with my run as my anchor. I set a
goal to run a faster marathon in this race then I had run a year prior in an
open marathon. So the plan was to keep
my pace around 8:00/miles not to worry to much about overall pace but real pace
so I can walk the aid stations as needed. This course was a 2-loop course with the
highlights being the University of Wisconsin stadium, State Street and running
along the
shore of the lake. I felt great, glad to be off the bike with road
rash on my elbows and hip to help motivate me. I knew a number of athletes
competing today and with the design of the course with a number of out and back
sections I was sure to see some of them during the run. The first loop I kept
pace very well, I was mostly taking water at the aid stations and began to take
some fruit here and there during the first 13.1 miles. There were a few hills,
which I slowed to jog/walk, but there were downhills where I used it to my
advantage.
Though the Stadium |
Finish! |
Under the finish line with my boys! |