IRONMAN Arizona 11/18/2012

THE BIKE & T2

Team Drum: the greatest support crew EVER!!!
Carol, Melissa, Evan, Scott, Julia, Greg, Erin, Mitchell
Stacy, Melissa, Byron, Debby, Michelle, Marcia, Mark, Corina
(thank you Mama C for the photo!)

I think I expected to have to run with my bike for quite awhile but the mount line was immediately out of transition.  I was still dealing with a crazy thirst and started in on my aero bottle of Gatorade right away.  I knew that we were going to be dealing with a false flat for the first half and then things would really pick up on the way back.  Doing the course on the Computrainer I knew that the false flat was no joke.  I was hoping to average 15 mph on the way out and 19 on the way back and hope that my overall average was at least 17 mph. The weather man said that the winds were calm but once you got out of the city the winds were NOT calm.  Dealing with the false flat into a strong head wind was killing me.  And I was still dealing with trying to get my nutrition leveled out from the swim.  I knew I was going SO slow but I just kept telling myself, it's a long day, you only ever get stronger on the bike.  Just keep spinning your legs and everything will come around, you'll feel better. 

MIL, Husband, FIL <3
(thank you Mama C for the photo!)

The first 20 miles were so bad it's laughable.  I'm a factory of green snot rockets, I got a bloody nose, my throat is so dry and jacked up that I can't talk at all, I feel nauseous, and to top it all off I can't find any power in my legs.  Over and over in my head, "it's a long day, you'll come around, when have you ever felt good in the first 2 hours of a bike ride?"    

Brother, Mom, Dad :)
(thank you Mama C for the photo!)

About mile 18-19 Troy comes up behind me.  I wasn't shocked at all to see him so early!  His swimming has really come along the last month (he's been sandbagging) and I was struggling so much early on the bike that I knew he'd catch me.  I was so glad to see him and see that he was doing great.  I thought so much about Jason and Troy all day.  You want so bad for your friends to have good races and to be feeling strong! 

Jason heading out for another loop
(thank you Mama C for the photo!)

Finally, the turn around!!! And here's where my day changed. The next 20 miles were effortless, I had a ton of energy to eat and catch up on fluids, and the wind just pushed me right to my family to start the second loop.  My attitude had been this is great, but don't get too excited, you're going to have to go right back out there.  But then, I saw and HEARD 20 people wearing Team Drum shirts and screaming their heads off. I started tearing up and thought, I'M DOING THIS.  I'M DOING AN IRONMAN!!!! Those people are cheering for me because I'm doing a freaking IRONMAN!!!! From that moment on I had a real smile on my face, I wasn't faking it anymore.  I stopped worrying about my green snot and how much blood I had caked on my face and just pedaled and smiled. 

Blowing kisses!
(thank you Mama C for the photo!)

I loved the Arizona course and loved the loops.  I loved knowing what was coming and felt like I had rode 70 miles before I even knew what hit me.  It went so fast. I stopped right at the start of the second loop to take off the bolero (sleeves) I was wearing but that was the only time I stopped all day.  I knew I wasn't going fast enough to justify a bathroom break or a stretch.  Troy and I commented before the race about how excited we were to have smooth roads! We're so used to stupid chip-seal that the smooth roads were incredible to ride on. 

Troy finishing up loop 2
(thank you Mama C for the photo!)

Love this picture.  Holding on to their energy!
(thank you Mama C for the photo!)

I was taking a PowerBar Gel at the start of each loop and then the turn-around. So 2 gels a loop plus I would munch on PowerBar's during the loop.  Also, was drinking the Perform in my aero bottle and a bottle of water.  This is everything that I trained with and it worked great during the race.  I am VERY prone to cramping, see my Lean Horse blog, and with the dry heat I knew that I had to be on top of my nutrition.  

Spectating is HARD work!!!
(thank you Mama C for the photo!)

This summer was the first time I've ever used PowerBar products and I'm a convert. I didn't use any salt tablets all year.  Even on my 6+ hour 100 degree rides. I never cramped during Ironman.  Not once.  Last summer when I was training for Lean Horse and doing so many long runs I trained with Hammer and was a cramping disaster!  I'm not a small girl and don't typically do well in the heat, but this summer and I would say that I handled it just fine.  I never felt hot on the bike but sprayed myself down with water a few times just to make sure I was cool.  Also, I was wearing throw away gloves because I knew my hands would be cold coming out of the water.  I kept them on as snot rags until the third loop when I tossed them at an aide station.

Silly girls! :)
(thank you Mama C for the photo!)

Coming into town the last loop I could not take the smile off my face.  I was so excited to run and put all those Wednesday morning death runs with Nick to work.  I couldn't believe I had just biked 112 miles without ever getting off my bike.  I didn't know my average but I knew my total time was just 4 minutes slower than what I expected to be so I felt great about that.  The volunteer took my bike and I jogged with such ridiculous happiness, I must have been delirious! Stopped in the porta potty first to pee and then ran into the changing tent.  Changed out my shoes and socks, put a hat on, sprayed sunscreen and I was out of there.  

There was something so mentally exciting about starting the run, the last leg of an Ironman!  I'm on my own two feet, I can't have a mechanical issue, I can go as slow as I need to.  I love running so much and I couldn't wait to get started!

Bike: 6:35:17 (17.0 mph average) Secretly hoped for faster but happy with this!

T2: 5:05