Sometimes it’s better to start a report from the end. I think this video post from Facebook gives the best overview of the day for those of us that finished in over 9 hours.
https://www.facebook.com/kris1351/videos/10154161363294719/
Results:
Swim 1:24:09 32/130
Bike 4:05:35 2/130*
Run 3:36:31 2/130
T1/T2 4:13/3:35
Total 9:14:03
*95 miles
Swim data: http://tpks.ws/DiTXY HR avg 116
Bike data: http://tpks.ws/YihDo HR avg.127
Run data: http://tpks.ws/xKk5f HR avg 135 (It's only the first 20 miles - forgot to completely charge up my Garmin and it died - rookie mistake!)
Summary 2nd AG. Kona Qualifier for the second time.
This was my 15th IM experience and 6th time in Texas. I like Texas! I finished 5th in 2011 for my 1st KQ, 7th missing Kona by a few minutes, 7th missing Kona by a long shot and a couple just outside the top 10 area.
Coming into this race, starting in January I decided to sign up with Kevin and his TriForce team who made a bunch of changes to my training, trying to see if there were any improvements in me or whether settling for a top 10 finish was the best of my abilities. I like the triathlon lifestyle and I’m always happy to do the best that I can, regardless of the fitness levels of those around me and particularly those that show up to compete against me on race day.
1. I stopped obsessing about nutrition and race weight. I typically weigh in the mid 160s and spend a lot of effort in the last month or so getting into the mid 150s. This year my race weight was close to 165. I don’t consider myself a bad eater, but typically try and clean up some of the junk in my diet as I get closer to the race. I typically give up alcohol for a month or two. This go around I stuck to my usual food routine and about a glass of wine or a beer a day right up to the day before race day. Just didn’t seem to bother me.
2. I updated my race day nutrition, practicing every long bike and long run day for several months. This year I went 100% liquid and carried everything with me. My bike had 4 bottles. Two contained water and 1 scoop of PowerBar Perform. The other two contained 1K liquid calories each using the PowerBar HydroGels. In the 4-hour bike ride, I consumed about 2200 calories. On the run I had a bottle of PowerBar Perform in T2 and when I finished that I stopped at an aid station and filled it with Coke. I went through a bottle every 45 minutes or so. The benefits were everywhere. My T1 was the fastest ever. Helmet, socks, shoes. All the food was already on the bike. I’m typically stuffing things in pockets, dropping them and wasting time. No stopping at special needs, bike or run. The aid stations were all at high speed, grabbing water to replace the empty PowerBar Perform. Same thing on the run. Only stopped moving at a couple of aid stations to completely fill the Coke. Otherwise, full speed run grabbing water and ice.
3. Stronger race tires. Thanks to Kevin, I opted for the Continental 4000s as a sturdier choice. I was glad I did. I hit a couple of cracks and potholes and immediately thought I cracked my forks I hit them so hard and then thought a spoke must have ruptured the tubes. No issues at all.
4. More aero equipment. Better helmet and aero top (LG). Same P5 with aero disk jacket. I swam, biked and ran with the LG top. The advantage of a no pocket top is no messing around trying to stuff things into them. They hold ice very well. I also wore my same swim skin as in previous years.
5. I trained slower and my recovery effort was much easier. Little to no days off in the last 12 weeks. Many of my long rides and runs were close to IM pace. A typical long run would be 30 minutes at IM pace, flip it and then 30 minutes back at the same pace. Refuel then repeat the 30-minute blocks but run slightly faster. No track work in the last 12 weeks. For the bike, I spent a lot more time outdoors. In previous years, I spent a ton of time on the trainer. This year, runs after almost every long bike; previous years, not so much.
6. More focus on swim technique, paying attention to Swim Smooth videos and advice from wherever I could get it. Getting better, but loads of room for improvement. I have just joined an excellent local master’s program that I’m thrilled with.
7. I practiced bike cornering a lot when I heard the course change announcement. I have terrible bike handling skills, but the practice paid off. Nobody passed me in the corners.Pre-Race week.
I arrived on Wednesday early afternoon, registered and picked up my bike from TB Transport. Great to get that out of the way so quickly.
I stayed at the new Westin Hotel next door to the Marriott and very close to the race finish. Very nice place and I would stay there again. Kids loved the pool.
I spent much of the weekend hanging out with good friend and TriForce athlete Dora Jih who was also racing IM TX. Whenever ever we travel to races together, my family adopts her and she becomes Dora Glynn. My 11-year-old was her personal Sherpa all weekend!
Wednesday short easy run. Thursday short easy bike. Friday short easy run and bike. I decided against the optional swim on Friday after they announced the swim course change due to heavy pollution in the canal.
Race Day.
Up at 4 for a shower and typical breakfast of bagel & almond butter, yogurt, banana, coffee and a bottle of PB Perform to sip on.
I walked from the hotel to the swim start. No stopping at T2 and I didn’t have any special needs bags.
The swim was a rolling start, which I love. The old mass starts were washing machines, and to a poor swimmer, it was nerve wracking. I lined up with those expecting a 1:15-1:20:xx swim. Previous best swims for me were around 1:30. It took about 8 minutes to get in the water and I just swam close to the shore and in a straight line as possible to the end of the lake. I never touched anyone and had the best “social” experience of any IM. I hit the turn buoys, swung wide and then headed back, sticking to the outside again. There was no contact with anyone the whole way back. The Garmin showed 4400 yards, so not too bad swimming in a straight line. I was hoping for a 1:15 or so, but the Lake was very sludgy from the rain runoff and I think it affected a lot of people’s time, mine included. It stained by white top badly. I typically finish in the bottom 1/3 of my AG, but for the first time ever, I was in the top third. Happy enough with the results.
https://youtu.be/VUxK3g35dnA
T1 was my fastest ever. Bike helmet, shoes, socks and out the door.
The bike.
I had a great day on the bike. The road surfaces were mostly good. The corners didn’t slow me down nearly as much as expected. I started off strong and just held on. I held 200 watts NP for the first 85 miles and then eased off, ending up at 195 NP and 2nd fastest bike of my AG. I was in aero bars almost the whole time. No special needs, and I grabbed water at aid stations without much slowing at all. VI of 1.04, so smooth pedaling on a flat course, IF of 0.70, so strong for me, but not stupid. I just felt really aero and fast all day. Average speed 23.0 mph.
Running Scared. I know a lot of great triathletes, both fast and slow. I am always humbled by the super elites that are always winning, but still have time to teach, answer questions and make us better athletes. Of course, nothing ever good comes of it when they sign up for the same race as you and are in your age group. This year one of my very good friends, Steve Chavez decided to enter Texas for the first time. 26 Ironmans, 12 Kona slots, and a super-fast runner that can easily run down 10 people in his AG in a given triathlon. In my AG.
You can’t imagine my shock when I blew by him on the bike at about mile 55, knowing I started about 5 minutes after him on the swim. I put in as much time on him as I could on the bike. As soon as I started running, the math forecasting started. How much time did I have on Steve? If I could hold an 8:00-minute mile, I may be able to hold him off, otherwise, he would surely catch me on lap 3. I motored on, holding just over an 8:00 min/mile for the first half. At about mile 15 some guy comes up to me on a bike commenting on my run speed. We chat and when he finds out I’m on lap 2 he states that I’m in contention and wants to know if I would like more data. He stops his bike, pulls out his phone and rides back to me in a few minutes announcing I’m 2nd in my AG. My heart jumps and I pick up the pace. I go another mile and see my huge family support crew, including Steve’s wife Carrie, screaming at me that I’m in 2nd place. 10 miles to go is a long way, in any event, more so in an IM, but there was no way I was going to slow down now. With about 2 miles to go the rain started up and I was grateful, hoping to cool down a bit as I was getting tired. The rain quickly turned to a massive downpour and then driving hail and very high-speed winds. Within 10 minutes the weather had gone completely out of control and I was thankful to be turning off the final loop and heading to the finish. Out of nowhere a policeman starts yelling at everyone to stop, the race was on hold, telling us to get to the nearby garage for shelter. Mass pandemonium breaks out as close to 100 people are now in the group, with most heading out for another loop. No one dares go forward as the policeman was very forceful and in control. No one was to move. All of a sudden, about 10 minutes later he announces the race is back on and I bolt for the finish 2 minutes away looking for ages on everyone’s calves around me. I didn’t see any once else and was confident my 2nd place would stick.
https://youtu.be/TV__EUw_sOI
I finished up and headed to the hotel to shower and get details. I found out not everyone around the course had stopped, some groups were held up for 10 minutes, some close to an hour.
Morning came. Ironman had to make a lot of decisions that night, and in the end, I believe, did the best they could do under the circumstances. I agree they should have halted the race; safety is paramount and it was dangerous outside. The decision to decide AG and Kona slots based upon times on the most relevant timing mat just before the storm seemed the fairest outcome. My 2nd place held up. Unfortunately for my friend Steve, he ran a bunch of people down, but because they stopped early, he could only run himself into 4th place, missing Kona by one person.
Super crazy event this year with the shortened bike course, the washed away roads, the swim course change, and the weather. Certainly one for the books and it puts the inaugural St. George IM to shame!
Time for a little recovery, a family vacation when school gets out, then on to Kona training.
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