Ironman Lake Placid -2015
Just wanted to lay down my learnings and thoughts from this race while still fresh. It is it too long for a Facebook status!
So, here goes;
The Swim
Overall, the training for this race went well. As is my usual, the swimming has been very informal and laid back. Swimming comes easy to me. I just have to swim a 1500m couple times a week and increase this with a longer swim a week in the spring, up to 4000m more or less, a few times and this is sufficient to get me ready. So this is what I did and the result are extremely similar to all my Ironman swim times 1:18! I had anticipated 1:15-1:20.
Talking about anticipated times, this is always the question you are asked when preparing for something like this. Whether it's from someone who has a clue or none. Sometimes I humbly mention my times. I know my times are not impressive in a speed way. I get gratification from the distances I pull off. I'll never be a fast triathlete. The thing is, I believe these people are more impressed with the amount of time I spend out there! To them, longer times is more impressive than faster in a way. I always find that amusing.
I try to keep my anticipated times to myself just because it evolves and changes with small details. I like to leave room for easier expectations should I be having a rough day or to go faster if I feel good. That's a double edge sword as you want to stick to the plan as much as possible. This could be my problem, but more reflection is required on this. In this case, my predicted time was 14 to 15 hours brocken down as follow, 1:15 on the swim, 10min T1, 7-00 bike, 10 min T2, 5:30 run. 14:05! I swear, I wrote those down before my race by the way! That's on a close to perfect day!
The Bike
I feel I have done enough cycling to prepare for this. Last winter's spinning and fat biking got me ready for the spring. (Thank you Penelope for the spinning classes). Between Gatineau Tremblant, Rideau Lake Cycling Tour and the other long rides I did with Erica, Mel and Etienne and multiple Fridays riding the Lake placid course. I figure I had more kilometers than ever before. Knowing the course helps a lot by the way. It's psychological but knowing what is coming helps me stay calm and focus. Most of this training was injury free, to the exception of RLCT that made an achilles tendinitis surface on my left leg. I figure I did around 3,000 to 4,000km at this point this summer. The achilles issue came back to haunt me later in the run this year.
My expected time, 7:00, actual time it took me 6:52 I believe. First lap was in 3:15. Way too fast! Second was more like it, but with the heat starting to rise, I felt the fatigue on the last 20km of the bike. I'm not sure pacing myself would have done a big difference. Maybe an half hour longer in the bike would have allowed me to run better...forget better, just run!? Not sure.
The Run and Ugly
This is where it fell apart. As I started I still thought I was ok. After all I was very realistic! 5:30 marathon. 2:45 per half I kept thinking. 1:15 per 10km! But even that I couldn't keep. After 5k I felt the exhaustion. The heat was rising. I started running at 3:00 and I guess it must have been 30c by that time and very humid. Not sure if my mind was playing tricks on me but I was having a hard time breathing when I attempted running. I saw people drop to the ground and get picked up and IVed before getting brought to the med tent. As there was no way I wasn't finishing this, I had to avoid that faith! I then walked. I never gave up completely on trying to run but it wasn't until the second loop, and the sun downing, that I was able to pick it up a little. I tried everything to spark my self back up. I never stopped drinking as I have learned to be the worst thing to do, as well as just drink water which is also not good. I took, Gatorade, oranges, bananas, gels, grapes! I even tried Red Bull at the end! Nothing really worked. Only thing that worked a little was that I realised that 9:36 was my 15 hour point! I had told Erica to inform Nat that 10 o'clock was going to be it, but now I realised under 15 was possible! I gathered everything I had and plowed through. Pushed myself to run all I could. Walk when I couldn't run, but run as much as I could! I made it in by 9:34 I believe.
So that's it! 14:58. 53 minutes more than a near perfect day. Not that bad when you think about it. Over that long day, I had to do 53 minutes of overtime to get the job done! I can live with that! Beat my 2011, Ironman Lake Placid Time by 22 minutes I believe. So I PRed Lake Placid! Got to take the positive where you can!
Thank you:
Thank you Erica for being such a loyal friend! You are the definition of the word friend! I told you before, after your family, I'm your biggest fan!
Thanks Mel and Etienne for the time on the bikes, on the swim and for showing up on race day.
Thanks Running Room. I believe in your running program. It's made to bring you to the start line injury free and capable as possible. I'm not much of a runner to begin with but that works for me!
Thank you Full Cycle, best bike shop in Ottawa, as far as I'm concerned. They put a bike together over night for me when I broke down 2 weeks to my race!
Thanks to Nathalie, my girlfriend! I know I've been spending lots of time training! I so appreciate you coming with the kids to watch me finish! I know how much trouble and stress it's been for you to travel with 3 kids, blocked roads, trying to coordinate seeing me on the course. I love you!
