Disclaimer- this is another long post.....
IRONMAN WISCONSIN SEPTEMBER 9, 2012 (IMOOOOO)
2.4 MILE SWIM 112 MILE BIKE 26.2 MILE RUN
SWIM- 2:10:21
TI- 12:38
BIKE-7:49:25
T2- 4:49
RUN- 5:10:09
Finishing Time- 15:27:22
(For those interested in what exactly an Ironman is, distances, cutoffs, etc and those interested in hearing WHY I decided to sign up in the first place, and HOW I got involved, see my Ironman CDA post)
Well, when I started this blog, the intention was to document events and lessons learned from the time I signed for to the time I crossed the finish line for Ironman Wisconsin. It took longer than I anticipated and now if I'm not sure if I'm totally done with Ironman, so not sure if this will be my last post or not.
I do know that I'm taking a break. (So is my wallet- I've kept a spreadsheet of expenses the last two years for anybody interested) Not signed up for anything yet, would like to get my 70.3 time way faster so a destination half would be fun for next season?
One of the themes of this particular race for me, from leading up to race day, to the feelings after was "GRATITUDE"
I felt incredibly thankful and blessed to be at that starting line feeling healthy and happy, and for all those who helped get me there!
Thanks to family first and foremost. Saw me through the highs and lows and always gave relentless encouragement.
Vision Quest Teammates - Many times I wanted to quit and you all kept it real for me, and helped me to have fun along the way too. Thanks.
Friends who were there to cheer along the way and to see me to and through the finish line. Thanks.
DetermiNation. Team Familia. Thank you.
Jim Bruskewitz, endurance performance, wrote a plan that got me from CDA to IMMoo to and through the finish line. Thanks.
There are certain things that people say to you that will stick with you forever. You may not remember when you heard them, but they still stick. Here are some of the ones that resonated for this experience.
David Pittman, ACS Charity Dinner, 2008? 2009? I don't remember. He challenged us to "Be Better" that night
Kristin McQueen, ACS Personal Inspiration "Suck it Cancer"
Emily Phillips is just a badass.
Jennifer Eubanks, twin and bestie "You got this"
Marcia Cleveland, VQ Swim coach and a swimming super star. "Swim as fast as you can, for as long as you can" "Keep earning it" (from her book) and "You're doing good, but you can do better" (from her book) Buy it: http://www.amazon.com/Dover-Solo-Marcia-Cleveland/dp/0967209102/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1347680736&sr=8-1&keywords=dover+solo+marcia+cleveland
Melissa Li, physiolife studios, VQ teammate "Stay clean". Check her out. http://www.physiolifestudios.com/
Coach Kris Siudak "Don't let up, not even a smidge" "Be smart, swift and smile a lot"
If you haven't noticed already, there are a ton of references to the American Cancer Society DetermiNation program. (Again see previous post for more details)
They are the program that introduced us to endurance events so will also have a special place in our hearts.
I did not actively fundraise this year, but I do support the cause. I know there are several causes that you can raise funds for and support and nowadays you can run a 5K for anything really, but the DNation community is great. If you're looking for inspiration, check this out :http://main.acsevents.org/site/TR/DetermiNation/DNFY11IL?px=4563140&pg=personal&fr_id=42914
That weekend also was the 5 year anniversary of our father passing on. (September 10, 2007) I think being able to do this event (including the beer I had after the race) was a great way to honor his memory and remember his calm nature, work ethic and sense of humor. I proudly wore Team Familia and the sense of "familia" with friends, family, teammates, really rang true this day.
I felt happy and peaceful the whole day (as peaceful as you can be going 140.6miles) I thought I would get emotional going up observatory drive (one of my favorite spots on campus, and the location of the above picture) but again, just felt calm. I was looking forward to seeing Jenn at the bottom of the hill, and in true twin fashion, she knew exactly when I was coming and was waiting to give me illegal support by running with me for those few minutes :) (right on time for those both loops)
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Ok, race day. I felt nervous all week. But a different nervous and there were for sure low days in the weeks leading up to the race.The fact that I had done CDA a few months earlier helped, but still. I just wanted things to go well and that causes nerves that I think go along with anything that you work hard for. If you didn't get excited, nervous, then probably means you don't care that much, right?
RACE WEEKEND
I stayed at the Inn at the Park (thanks Rhonda for transferring reservation. I convinced myself that the Lowell had bad juju because I stayed there last year) I have these weird little things. Now I buy something Ironman and make sure to use it before the race for good luck. It's turned out good for the last two IM events. The first IM I didn't buy anything and that didn't go well, so now it's good luck to buy some race branded item and use it before the race.
We all have our little things right?
ANYWAYS- The Best Western turned out VERY well. (A big thanks to DA for the surprise welcome package- got the weekend to a good start!)
I was near everything and there was a great energy among the racers.
The weekend was just checking in, prepping, warming up (with a few laps around the farmers market, in addition to light swimming, biking and running) and then "relaxing". Staying positive.
RACE MORNING and the day of executing piece by piece began. It's been "baby steps" all summer, and this morning was no different.
Piece by piece, following nutrition plan, then getting to transition area, then getting to the start. I was grateful to have found Juliette, Lynn and Anne and we all walked down together. I ran into several other VQers, Danny, Brian that morning and the energy was great. Anne and I remembered to do a little dancing at the start :)
SWIM
Getting into the water I thought I was calm then started to get annoyingly nervous. I couldn't find "my" spot. There were more people than I remembered, and they were all in my spot. I wanted to be on the buoy line as best I could but then for some reason thought I was on the outside line by mistake, so was trying to see where the buoy line was. I remembered to try to sight off the bridges but tried to just take a deep breath before everything started. Then the cannon went off, and we went.
Tried to focus on pulling, reaching and sighting the best I could but was kind of a mess. I heard Jim in my head shouting "V!!!" "Stay straight!!!" Jim B also gave me a sighting lesson in early June so tried to keep him in my head as he reminded me sighting could be the difference in my race. I tried to do everything that Marcia had taught me but couldn't find a rhythm, but remembered to not slow my arms down. The last few weeks I had been obsessing over which wetsuit to wear as CDA was 59 degrees so 74 was way too warm in my head. The suit in the end I guess didn't matter as much. I convinced myself that I would make the cut off in a bikini if I had to, so the long sleeved, hot or not, would help with buoyancy and make me faster, but I for sure started to feel the difference halfway in.
(pictures courtesy Neil Eubanks! Thanks Neil)
The 1050 yards out felt ok, then the 300 turn into the sun made it impossible to see, but I quickly made the turn and it was a long 1700 back. The turn and last diagonal were confusing and I felt myself trying to sight way too much just trying to make sure I was going the right way.The last 600 the kayakers started to narrow in again, setting off panic again. I remember the very first open water sprint triathlon race I did, I held onto the boats in a panic to catch my breath and get myself together. This race, the boats near me felt like I was cutting it close to the cutoff and made me panic to move my arms and get away from the boats (I was cutting it close) At one point I heard a kayaker yell something along the lines of 2, 10- I thought she said it was 2:10- I had calculated at least 400m left so really started to get nervous about the clock. When , out of breath, I swam right to the mat and start pawing at the volunteers to help me out of the water, I see the clock, the relief and joy set in. 2:10:21. HELL. YEAH. Not my 2 hour goal, but I told myself I'd be happy and reminded myself to look for my friends (Neil later told me that the kayakers were saying to stay "2 and 10" so that they positioned themselves to help swimmers swim straight into the finish line.
I got assigned the best volunteer ever and I was impressed with how quickly I got out of there (once I got my stuff I was pretty fast out). My friends were up the helix again and I rushed over for some last minute high fives. As I get my bike, the volunteers had it ready for me and commented on my tape that said "blessed" on my handlebars. I don't remember the exact words but basically joyful expressions of high fives and "Praise Him!" and "blessed to be here, and wonderful family, and beautiful day" I probably sounded a little looney tunes leaving that transition area but was happy to get on that bike. BIKE Once on the bike, it was pretty quiet. I passed a few other riders right off the bat, then started to slowly catch up to see more riders. It was a truly gorgeous day and the wind reminded me that I still had to keep working. I knew the course very well, having ridden it several dozen times so it was actually a little hard to try not to go all out and hammer it, but. I was trying to be smart (slow pace is no problemo for me) but I have come a long way from when I first started. I had Dan in my head remembering to stay on top of my cadence and Kris to keep the pressure consistent on the pedals. The energy of the spectators was amazing. (The second loop was for sure quieter as people started to head back to town) but so fun seeing other VQers, Blanca, Rico, Jenny and Marty and CTCer, Henry running around in a Speedo, and the always awesome Mike Norman from CES (Chicago Endurance Sports got me through my first few tris and they are an awesome group)
It was still about executing piece by piece. I felt great getting on the bike and was thankful I could start my nutrition plan right away. (It worked out very well, thanks Melissa!) and just focused on the next cutoff in front of me. Luckily I didn't have mechanical issues as it probably would have meant the end of my day because I wouldn't have made the cutoffs.
(Shout out to DA's Ironwill and attitude for finishing strong after an unfortunate mechanical issue on the bike)
On the way back into town, again happy to be out there and thankful for the day and experience.
Fun to see Porta shouting at me from the Helix as I came back into transition. This time, I was much faster through transition, and happy that I didn't feel terrible.
I was able to take in nutrition and stayed on top of it the best I could
RUN This is what I had been looking forward to. A run around my campus on a beautiful night. I was happy that I didn't feel like barfing or passing out so tried to ease into a decent pace. I kept up with staying at a good pace (a good pace was about 2min slower than my ideal marathon pace) then slowing down through the aid stations, but picking it right back up as a I left.
I was trying to think of form, and cadence, and "running" (more like jogging) and breathing, but couldn't help but take it all in and let my mind go with it.
A few days later Jenn reminded me of the first crazylegs race I did in Madison, I didn't pay for it, but took the free beer at the end anyways (stop judging me) that race I had my CD player tucked into the back of my sports bra so that I could have music on the race. Made me think of Dan telling me to stop fussing with my iPod on a bike testing day (he's totally right) and just made me smile to think of how much I've learned in all of these years. (this was a post race reflection) One of my first organized race experience was finishing in Camp Randall for Crazylegs so running that lap in Camp Randall during this Ironman is something I'll keep with me forever and nobody can take that experience away from me.
It was great to see friends both running and cheering on the course, giving Heath a hug on the run, highfiving McQueen and all my VQ peeps on the course. Juliette, Anne, Shannon, DA, Brian, Randy, Danny, Doug, Melissa, Ken, Rhonda. Off the course I knew that my family was waiting for me at different spots (again, twin thing- she knew when I was coming, and I knew when I would see her) and seeing mom happy and cheering with Lilly also made me feel grateful for the moment.
Finishing up the first loop I loved knowing that VQ would be at state street and was getting ready to see them. Rounding the corner I see DA with a Team Familia shirt, (yes he was all showered at this point) and gave him a big bear hug. For sure a highlight of the night. I round the corner and earlier I had told Dave that I was looking forward to high-fiving him and Robbie-it was some of the best high fives, ever.
It truly was a beautiful night and I felt the positive energy of family and friends who were there in spirit but were cheering from home or from beyond. (I know Michelle was cheering loudly from home) I had kept a decent pace and I started to realize that I could potentially come in within my 15:30 goal.
(I sang fight songs the whole lap around Camp Randall, again, probably looking like a looney tune)
Right about mile 23 my Garmin died. Oh well. I was trying to not look at it much anyways and trying for perceived effort as best I could, so didn't really care at this point. I even spent a few seconds with extra high fives at the end. Coming into the finish line, no Mike Riley on the floor waving a towel. (he was shouting from the stands) Just music, highfives, lights and fun. I don't remember the songs playing that day, but I'm sure they were anthemy pump you up songs. That day I had everything from Whitney Houston's "I wanna dance with somebody" to Tool's "Aenima" pop in my head. But overall actually did ok with thinking about the task at hand. I put my Bucky hat on and tried to dance through that finish line the best way I could.I got to high five friends into the shoot and then hug them after. Thank you to those who stayed to see me finish.
No giant relief like I felt in CDA. Just happy, and grateful, and peaceful. YAY. I started with flippers on my first day in the pool at NSCP with Renee and Max Multisport and many, many, many, many training days, ups and downs, laughs and stories, and races later, I made it across the FINISH LINE.
Again, not sure what's next. If this will be my last post or not, probably not. I want to get faster! But, I'm grateful for all the learning experiences along the way. They can take away timing chips but they can't take away what you learn or what you take away from the experience.
Thanks again to all who have been part of this journey!
