Da Iz Biz: Race Report: Ironman Florida

My very first Ironman. I haven't experienced any other feeling like crossing this finish line. The whole weekend was an amazing experience. The biggest bummer is that the entire race is on my watch, but something is corrupt with the file and I can't download it to Garmin Connect and do a proper race analysis. So all I have is the Ironman splits and what I remember about the race. So here goes nothing...

Race details:
Panama City Beach, Florida
Swim: 2.4 mi - open water, ocean swim, water temp too warm, non-wetsuit legal swim
Bike: 10 mi - road, 1 giant out and back loop, some light rain, plenty of headwinds, one tailwind
Run: 3.0 mi - run, 2 loops, out and back and out and back again

Course Recorded Finish: 12:37:38

Garmin Splits:
N/A - Garmin file not uploading :(

AG Finish: 31/92
OV Finish: 759/2980
AG Race Factor: 1.47
OV Race Factor: 1.36

Race Analysis:
Transitions:

My transitions were much slower than normal, but everyone recommended to take your time and get everything on dry and comfortable because you're about to be doing each discipline for A LONG TIME. So don't rush through it, but don't dilly dally. Additionally, a full Ironman is quite different in that you have to run to get your gear bag then run to a changing tent then run to the next event (either the bike or the run). So there's actually quite the amount of distance to overcome. Therefore, while slower than most races, I really didn't linger and wasn't disappointed with the amount of time in either transition.

Swim:

To start out, the water temperature was pretty warm (I wanna say around 77°) and so the race was declared to be non-wetsuit legal. What this meant was that anyone who opted to use a wetsuit would not be considered for Kona spots and you would not show up in the official Age Group results. You'd still get a time and a medal and everything that comes with being an Ironman, but lose out on those 2 things. To most people, it was a no brainer. You're not gonna win Kona, you probably didn't swim 2.4 miles without a wetsuit, so don't use it. But to me, it was also a no brainer. I had done the Pier-to-Pier swim without a wetsuit, I was comfortable in the ocean and there was no way I was not going to show up in the Age Group results even if I didn't have a shot at Kona!!!

This swim also had a rolling start. This means that your time starts when your chip crosses the start line. This allows people to start the race with any group they wanted. So they had designated sections for expected times and you just kind of slot in wherever you think you will perform. My guess was in the 1:30 hour range, so naturally I stood near the 1:25 hour sign so I could try to swim with faster swimmers in the hope of pacing a big quicker. This ended up not working out so well because I got kicked and pulled and passed left and right... So maybe next time I would just kind of start at the slower end and try to chase people down rather than trying to stay up ahead.

Generally, the swim went well. I was trying to pace myself and keep strong form since I didn't have a wetsuit to keep me buoyant. But upon seeing my time, I probably should have pushed just a little bit harder. 2:39/100m isn't a great time or a really terrible time, but it's not what I would have hoped for. I would have liked something a little bit closer to 2:00/100m. Next year's swim training should possibly include more open water swims and practice sighting. Maybe that's what slowed me down in addition to the crowds and such.

Bike:

While the swim was slow, the bike was probably my strongest leg and so ideally the better pacing on the swim kept me really fresh for the bike! And the good bike split was despite having to stop at the Special Needs Point and at miles 65 and 85 to poop! So maybe there was a chance I could've approached 18.5 mph and shaved even more time off my great 6 hour bike time!

Without the Garmin analysis, this one is quite difficult to dissect. And having the Garmin doesn't even help that much either because the road conditions make a huge difference. Basically there were 2 hills, several rolling hills and lots of headwinds with maybe 1 tailwind section. Other things I can say is that downshifting and just keeping a high cadence through headwinds was a great tip from the CTF volunteer coaches. I think if I would've tried to power through then I would've been gassed. Towards the end, I wasn't able to stay completely in aero. But trying to loosen up the back before the run was probably needed anyway.

As far as nutrition goes, I stuck with the motto of really taking in calories during that first hour on the bike. I went through a bottle and a half of CarboPro mixed with Nuun as well as a bottle or two of water and Gatorade. Throughout the rest of the race, my only other nutrition was my third bottle which had CarboPro, a packet at Special Needs with CarboPro, one Ginsting Gel and then water and Gatorade at every nutrition stand. The key as mentioned to me by Ian Murray was to throw out both bottles in the cages, rack a Gatorade, rack a water then sip or fill the aero bottle and continue on. That strategy worked really well. It was also clutch and a big time saver to have throw away bottles to start the race so I wasn't getting rid of any bottles that I liked.

As mentioned, the only real challenge or issue was having to go poop! I had to go twice. The first time got really bad as I approached the Special Needs section. I saw a PortaPotty and yelled out if there were more with a volunteer saying yes at the end. Well... he was wrong! So after I got my Special Needs stuff, I rolled forward to find that there were no potties. I very quickly made the decision to hold it and go at the next stop. Man that was rough. Rolling for another 15 miles waiting for a PortaPotty. It wasn't too bad because I didn't like HAVE to go. But I def was feeling some discomfort before getting it all out at mile 65ish. The crazy thing was that I suddenly needed to go again just 15 miles later! What the heck!?!?!?! So I think it was about mile 85ish when I made it to the next aid station with a PortaPotty to sit down for my second poop. I mean I would not have held it given the length of an Ironman, but damn I could've had a much better race if I didn't need to go hahaha.

All in all, I was very happy with my bike split!

Run:

And this is where the trouble began. I mean hitting my secret 12 hour goal was always going to be tough, but most of my splits were relatively close to expected and reining in 12 hours might have been a possibility with a sub-4 hour marathon. Everything would have to go right!!!

While I started my first 2ish miles going right on pace, I really started to slow down between miles 4 and 9 according to the IM split. But I was able to kind of pick it back up and give it a go towards the end of the first half. But early on in the second, I looked down at my watch and kind of knew it wasn't meant to be. I had gone too slow and not been able to push it hard enough. So I started to hang back and get comfortable for the rest of the second half of the marathon. Everything was going as planned to at least be right around 12 hours... Then something rough happened...

I really started to slow down around mile 21. The IM splits show that I came down to 12:32/mi around mile 22 and then slowed even further through the mile 24.5 marker. What it doesn't capture is the total meltdown that I had in that area. My body had basically failed me. Moving forward was rough, I could barely keep up any kind of pace. Walking had settled in. I even started to have stomach issues. So much so that I needed to poop. I sat down at a rest stop near mile 23 but nothing came out, just a little pee. So I kept on going ahead. Another mile, another fart, a little pee and no poop but plenty of stomach issues. So onward I went.

I had been walk jogging for several miles now. Struggling with the reality that I had officially been defeated. I had officially lost to pain and mental stability and had been broken. I had no more fight to push hard and barely had any will to push forward, if only for Ava. But the mile 25 marker was just up ahead. The end was near. I stopped at the aid station. I grabbed a water, a Coke and a water. And then I said to myself... LET'S DO THIS!!!

I "sprinted" the final 1.2 miles "running" through the roaring crowds, passing many competitors and running down the elusive chute and red carpet. It was amazing. The sudden high and lift was just amazing. And then crossing that finish line... WOW! No feeling like it! It's tough to even put into words. I mean I really just can't describe how amazing it was. Hopefully the pictures do it justice!

Pics:

Pre Race: