IRONMAN 70.3 Hawaii

Kohala Coast, Hawaii

Swim

I buy these cheap flip flops for $2 for the specific reason of being able to just wear them to protect my feet and then leave them at the swim start. I knew I would be coming back to Hapuna beach soon so I decided to try to save $2 and hid my flip flops in the bushes. Stupid! Stupid! The whole reason I buy and wear the flip flops was to avoid exactly what happened to me. I got a thorn in my foot. The swim start was minutes away and I couldn’t dig the thorn out. There I was sitting in the shore getting knocked around by the surf trying to keep enough sand off my feet to see the dumb thing. I knew I probably wouldn’t feel it until the run up to T1 or the actual run itself. What a stupid thing to do. As it turned out, the thorn would be the least of my worries.

With race just minutes away a guy told me I couldn’t wear my compression socks. I tried to hide them in the lava rocks. The canon went off unexpectedly like usual and we were off. This was one of the roughest swims I have ever completed. Sure the water was choppy and windy, but I am talking about the other bodies. I just couldn’t seem to find open water in this swim. I took a few shots, but the one that really hurt was when some guy swimming next to me sliced my under arm open with his watch. There was blood in the water now. It burned during the swim, but I was more concerned for the run when it would get rubbed several thousand times. To add to the rough swim, the wind broke loose one of the buoys the lead pack and I chased it out to sea adding to our swim distance. My time was a few seconds slower than last year, but I actually think I was swimming faster considering we probably swam 1.4 or 1.5 miles as opposed to the 1.2 of last year. Last year I took a few seconds to rinse off in the shower hoses. This year I didn’t see the point. I would remember when I got to T1.

T1

I also struggled in T1 with several problems including my race belt and forgetting to take off my skin suit before getting my shoes on. The reason for the few seconds in the shower, is because it saves you lots of seconds when you are covered in sand trying to get you gear on and off. Miles later on the bike I was still trying to get the sand off my arms so it didn’t rub in my aero bar pads. Lesson learned.

Bike

The past few days have been windy, but nothing compared to today. The island decided to test our metal today. The Mumuku winds would be their fiercest today. After the race the Island would calm and we would not see any wind for the next 7 days that we remained on the island. The island chose to test everyone who was here this year. The wind affected the swim, the bike and even surprisingly the run.

Reported gusts of wind up to 60 mph actually blew people off their bikes. I had a few scares myself and I weighed in at 235 for this race. It was a crosswind most of the time. We were all doing the same thing to fight the wind . . . Leaning into it. It was and incredible sight out there on the Queen Kaahumanu Highway. You would look ahead of you and see everyone on their bike leaning like they were about to take a corner, but they were traveling straight. It was like the world had tilted. I have never seen anything like it. I drew on this picture below in pink so you can get an idea of the angle of the bike wheels on the bikes in front of me. This is no exaggeration. Ask anyone who was there. I drew on this picture about 15 times before I got the angle accurate enough. It is not easy drawing with a mouse.

It was still very hot and there was one aid station where I desperately wanted water, but I was afraid to let go of my handle bars even with just one hand for fear of losing control in the wind. On the way up to Hawi we were pelted with rain for some time as we climbed. You would think that would cool you off, but the climbing caused me to heat up and sweat. I couldn’t tell the sweat from the rain.

To give an idea of the winds we are talking about take a look at this picture below taken of Lance Armstrong during the race. Pay attention to the trees in the background. Just so you know that I am not exaggerating, here are some quotes by some of the writers who covered the race:

But boy, you should’a been here last Saturday. They’re going to be talking about this one for years, and not just about the extremes, but the contrasts. The winds were so strong that people were looking skyward half-expecting to see Dorothy and Auntie Em whirling around overhead. Top age group finisher Chris Hauth told the finish line crowd that at times he was pumping away with all he had and barely moving. You hear that kind of thing all the time in heavy wind conditions, but Chris was talking about the run, not the bike. Here’s what the start area at Hapuna Beach looked like the day before the race:

Best-selling author Lee Gruenfeld recaps the amazing day of racing at Honu.

One after one they came in and told us they’d never seen race conditions like this. “I had to stop to put water in my water bottle at the aid stations,” Ironman World Champion and Kona veteran Laura Sophiea said. ”I’ve done over 300 races and this was by far the toughest conditions I’ve ever experienced.”

“I’ve never raced in conditions like this … With this wind there were points where you were running on the spot,” said runner-up finisher, Australia’s Greg Bennett. “It was, without a doubt, the most brutal thing I’ve ever done.”

Run

I fought hard to get off the bike in decent time and hit the run with a chance of breaking 6 hours. Despite the wind, I actually got off the bike with a shot. I quickly figured that I would have to run 9 minute miles to accomplish that. It seemed pretty ambitious given the beating I has just taken on the bike but I ticked off the first 3 miles on pace. What I didn’t realize, is that pace was in part due to enjoying a tailwind. Things changed when I turn and headed into the wind for the first time. I was stunned, the wind picked up and we were running in place! It was unbelievable. I actually found it humorous at first. I mean 235 lbs of runner being held in place by wind. It didn’t seem possible. You know how some people walk hills. In this race people were walking the head winds. As it turned out, the island was kind to us, or at least to me. Although it blew reported gusts of up to 60 mph in my face making it difficult to run forward, each time I encountered the worst headwinds on a long stretch into the wind I was running downhill. Each time was also on an out and back of which the Hawaii run course has many. It was a strange turn of events to be running on the downside of an out and back looking over to the uphill return and longing to be on the other side. Usually you run the downhill looking at everyone running up the other side with dread. I knew that if I could get down that hill, I would enjoy the welcome push of a strong tailwind on the way up. In a strange flip flop of normal racing, the up hills segments of this race were easier than the downhill segments. Although the island winds were cruel, they could have been crueler. This was odd occurrence was a welcomed blessing.

I ran strong mile after mile. It was strange for me to be passing so many people. I know I am not a better runner or faster than these people on most days, they were just reaching their limits. It did feel good to be the passer as opposed to the passed, as is usually the case on this 13.1 mile pain fest. I headed down the road to nowhere still feeling relatively good. After about mile 7 I was having trouble eating anything anymore. Even perform at the aid stations was not sitting well with me. I did not use the bottles I was carrying in my fuel belt. I had filled one, but ended up pouring it out when I hit the road to nowhere. I turned around at the bottom of the road to nowhere still feeling relatively strong and headed back up still passing people. I knew the finish was just about 3 miles off now and I was also looking forward to seeing that last 2 miles of this course since last year, my memory blacks out after the road to nowhere. Climbing out of the road to nowhere is at least a 1.5 mile climb. It may seem much longer than that to many given the point it hits you in the race. It is not super steep and at another time in another climate would not be remarkable. However, make no mistake, in Hawaii after a taxing 67 or so miles, this stretch of the run should not be underestimated. I climbed out of the road to nowhere and began to feel a little strange as I go to the top. A few of the people I had recently passed, now passed me despite no perceived change in my pace. By the time I was up the road to nowhere and finished with what they call “hell’s kitchen,” I only had two miles to go. This is the 2 miles that I cannot remember from last year. I began to struggle. My pace was dropping and my form was deteriorating at an alarming rate. I thought I must be burning up from the climb, so when I hit the last aid station at about mile 12, I actually stopped at the sponge trash can. They fill these trash cans with ice water and sponges. I grabbed sponge after sponge, drenching myself until I actually felt a chill. I started off to run again, but felt no better. I felt nauseous, dizzy and incredibly weak. I must have looked it, because a few fellow triathletes slowed for a moment or two to pat me on the back and offer words of encouragement. Each time I came to the slightest incline I was reduced to walking. The wheels were falling off. I was in trouble. Serious trouble! Thank goodness there was only a mile to go. If it had been 2 or 3 miles this story might have gone differently. At ½ mile to go I told myself I would start running and would not stop until I reached the finish line. Walking at this point was not making me feel any better or making things easier. So I ran and was never happier to reach the finish. I jumped in the ocean after handing Christian my medal. I had a real tough time climbing down the lava rocks since my body was no longer listening to me. The water felt good. I tried to look under my arm where it had been slice during the swim. Just the slight strain of looking caused my neck to cramp. I clenched my jaw in pain and my jaw cramped. Something was chemically off in me. I got out and immediately sat down in a chair. I couldn’t get up for about a half an hour. The walk back to the room seemed and awful long way, although it was only about 200 to 300 yards. Standing in line to get food was too much for me, so once I reached the room Christian took my ticket and went back down to get me the free hamburger. That helped a lot, so I gave him some money and sent him for another one. Then I crashed and when I woke up I felt a lot better. My best guess is that I didn’t eat enough during the race and bonked from lack of calories.

Here is an actual picture of me that accurately portrays just how hot it can be running in the Hawiian heat:

Ok, this is an actual picture, but it sure feels like the one above is more accurate.