My day began darn early, but I was so keyed up that I had no problem getting right out of bed at 2:45am. After a quick wake-up shower and breakfast, it was time to hit the road. But not before a very touching surprise was discovered...
The sight that greeted me when I went outside at 3:30am. I feel truly loved and blessed by my friends!
I wondered later how they got this sign up. I even thought they may have borrowed my ladder...
Or not....please don't drop Tiffany, Steve!
No problem for Team A+!!! The absolutely hilarious thing about this picture is, and what poor Steve and Tiff don't know, is that my extension ladder happens to be sitting along the side of the house, mere feet to Steve and Tiff's right. I am just glad no one got hurt!
Jessi adds some Tri Fusion love to my tree :)
Even though I didn't really get much solid sleep Saturday night, I never heard a thing from what was going on outside. Apparantly Steve even popped a balloon right in our driveway and I didn't hear anything!
We picked up Kirk at 3:45am and hit the road for CDA. After a stop for gas and our ritual stop at the last rest stop before CDA, we snagged a primo parking spot right in front of Oz Fitness. Mercifully, the winds were not blowing like a hurricane like last year. Yes! The first good sign of the day!!
Got my tires pumped up and bike loaded with food/fluids in short order, and headed back to the car to drop off my pump. Selfishly, I only had to deny one other athlete the use of my pump, because I didn't want to get stuck like last year waiting around for my pump to be freed up. Karma lesson #1: be nice to your fellow athletes. If you don't, it will come back on you. Keep reading for the "teaching" of this lesson.
After Kirk and I parted ways, Andy and I found a nice, quiet spot on Independence Point to get sunscreened and tattooed up. Gazing out at the water, there was very little wind and hardly any chop. Second good sign of the day!! Then I headed back into transition, and my legs unconsciously led me back to my bike. Not sure why I felt the need to check over my bike one last time, but I'm damn glad I did. I checked my front tire and it was completely flat. S*#t!!! One hour to race time, and my bike pump karma comes back to bite me in the ass. After 15 seconds of scrambling around and seeing how long the tech support line is, I realize that I have everything I need to solve this problem right here on my bike. With some calming words from my friends Joe and Matt, I succeed in changing my flat in about 2 minutes. Definitely a record. Amazing what adrenaline will do for you. The only problem was, now I only had 1 spare tube on my bike. Best not to tempt fate and dwell on this fact...so I somehow shut this episode out of my mind. I headed over to the Tri Fusion swim prep corner and proceeded to get ready. Once the flat episode adrenaline wore off, I returned to a sense of calm, as I was still in great shape time-wise.
Getting suited up and ready to go. Is it possible to be nervous and calm at the same time? The calmness I will attribute to Andy, Tiff, Jessi, Steve and the rest of the Tri Fusion supporters who were watching over us like super-protective parents.
I headed down to the beach with about 35 min to go, and made it thru the timing mat bottleneck relatively quickly. Another good sign! I found Andy and the rest of Team A+ and had a nice few minutes to chill out.Emma taunts me pre-race with her pumpkin scone. For some strange reason, the sight of Emma eating this tasty treat calms me down. It is our shared obsession, but she is smart enough to know that I shouldn't have a bite before my big race!
Me and "The Worlds Best Iron-Sherpa", pre-warm up (I think we both look nervous here)
What a great day for racing!!
After a quick warm up swim and a last "warm up" it was time to wait for the cannon.
Boom!! And we are off... look at those amazing water conditions!!
Well, everyone else is off...I'm still waiting :)
Now its my turn....off I go!
Moments later, the rest of Team A+ critiques my swim stroke. Jessi: "See, he's totally moving a ton of water with this stroke!" Tiffany: "That's awesome! He'll be out of the water in just a few minutes!" Emma: "I'm glad he didn't get any of my pumpkin scone!" Andy: "Oh boy, hope this swim is better than last year!"
Swim: Compared to last year, my swim was AWESOME! My time wasn't what I was hoping for, but I still felt great coming out of the water. Water temp at race time was 59.5, which felt darn near balmy compared to Thursday's 54. I am so glad that I toughed out that Thursday workout...I'm convinced that it paid off on race day. As planned, I stayed way out of trouble and very far to the right side of the course. Because it is a counter-clockwise swim, this meant that I probably swam a few tenths extra, but it didn't matter much to me. I stayed calm and confident the entire swim, which set up the rest of my day very nicely. I even managed to find some good drafts on occasion!
Swim time: 1:18:23 (10:13 faster than 2007)
Don't I look happy? :)
T1: No problem getting my wetsuit and swim socks off, thanks to 2 of the 1000's of wonderful volunteers. Found my bag without too much trouble, and then it was into the chaos of the change tent. Fortunately, I was ready for this, and proceeded quickly past the 2 naked guys (come on guys, really?!?) and down to the far end of the tent. This is where I knew there would be open seats, and I set to work drying off and getting my jersey, arm warmers, socks, etc on. I knew from last year that taking the time to put arm warmers on a wet body would be frustratingly slow, but I would rather take a few extra minutes here to be comfortable on the first part of the bike. I ended up sitting next to Brian (who had a smokin' fast swim) and across from Frank, so it was nice to see some familiar faces in the craziness of the T1 tent. Out of the tent, I took a cup of Gatorade from the ever-inspiring Jay and Michelle from Tri Fusion. More friendly faces!
T1 time: 7:35 (1:21 faster than 2007)
Bike: What can I say...I had a PHENOMENAL bike, for me. I pretty much rode on feel, not trying to push too hard. But at the same time, I could feel almost from the first mile that I was moving along much better than the last 2 years. As usual, I passed a ton of people early on, and just felt great. I never even had the nagging "when is this going to go south?" doubts creep into my mind. I ditched my gloves early on (thanks to Kevin Best for catching them) and tossed my arm warmers to Steve at mile 40. There were even times during the first loop where I felt like I could have gone faster, but I had alot of good "self talk" and made myself take it easy and, most of all, keep a solid, consistent effort. Somewhere early on, while telling myself to take it easy, I ended up with the Tom Petty song "American Girl" in my head, particularly the line "take it easy, baby, make it last all night." Funny how an Ironman brain works, me thinks :)
At about the 30 mile mark, I saw the sight I had secretly been waiting for: the Tri Fusion "IronFan" crew. I didn't know what was in store for us, but it was, as promised, above and beyond. The highlight (which would morph into the "TF signature") was the bull horn. On the bike, I always feel bad for people who stand around for hours and wait for certain athletes to come by, because the athletes are gone in a flash. And so other than a moment of screaming and clapping, there's really not much you can do. It sort of is the same deal for the athlete: you get a quick boost when you see someone you know, but then, pretty quickly, its back to suffering in the saddle. Well, leave it to A+ to solve that one! With the bull horn amplifying their already crazy-mad cheering voices, I was serenaded to many extended well wishes, "keep pushings", "A+ you freaking rock(s)", etc from Jessi and Tiffany. It was, in a word, AMAZING!!! I literally couldn't wait to get back to the corner they were at, just so I could soak up the rock star feeling some more!
As you can see, the presense of the IronFan van made me VERY happy! :)
More of the crew!
More happiness coming thru the Tri Fusion "Miracle Corner". I'll note the presence of my friend Angie in this picture....she and I went back and forth MANY times on the bike, and it became a running (or would that be cycling?) joke whenever one of us would go by the other. It was a great mental break that kept my perspective in the right place.
Coming into town for the last time, I knew that I was going to come in under 6 hours, which had been one of my "ultimate" goals. So, lemme tell you, that last 5 miles of the bike was a major celebration, as I soaked up and reveled in my effort.Bike time: 5:53:00 (13:08 faster than 2007, average mph = 19.0....WHAT?!?!?)
T2: I always love the second time I get to the transition tent at Ironman, because its always less crowded than T1, and there is an air of "we can do this" floating around. I had a very kind volunteer helping me with my stuff, asking if he could get me anything. I somehow remembered to ask for some Vaseline for my eyes, since I always seem to chafe right at the corners of my eyes, so I knew that my mind wasn't totally gone (yet). I did have the mental focus to say out loud to this volunteer "well, now we'll see how much I have left in my legs" This question would prove to be quite prophetic. My buddy Joe sped by me in the tent with a few words of encouragement, and I remember thinking "good, he passed me in here where no one could see...now he'll kick my ass by an hour at least" :) I asked for some sunscreen and was promptly attacked by 5 more amazing volunteers who did their best to save my white skin. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!
T2 time: 4:14 (3 whole seconds faster than 2007...gotta love consistency!)
Run: The first half of the run went by incredibly well. Almost too good, in retrospect. I stayed with my plan of walking thru each aid station, but in between, I roughly estimated that I was running in the low 9s, with maybe even a few high 8s in the beginning. Again, I was going on feel. I did try to get a split around mile 4, but I wasn't able to do the math. Timmmaaayy!!! :) I think it was around 9:15, including the walk break at the aid station.
Heading up Lakeside for the first time....
Somewhere out along the lake, I was rewarded for my efforts up to this point by again entering the range of the Tri Fusion bull horn. I think the crazed voice on the other end saw me before I saw them, actually. Since running is a significantly slower deal than cycling, this trip thru the Miracle Mile was much more intense for me. But intense in a good way. When I saw Andy, I tried to stop and chat with her for a bit, but my (loving?) teammates wouldn't have any of that. SOMEHOW I found myself running again rather quickly. It was freaking awesome, and I couldn't wait to get back to them. I remember thinking "good positioning on their part, cause the turnaround isn't too much farther....I'll be back in no time....Woo hoo!!!!"
I am smiling and have enough mental awareness to throw down our A+ sign...must be loop 1 :)
High fives from the A+ crew...heading back to town for the first time. I love this picture of Tiffany...I think she is doing some crazy new dance :) But her enthusiasm for little ole me is pretty cool
By the time I returned to the comfort of the Miracle Mile some 10 miles later, things got tough. I don't remember where it really started going down hill, but somewhere around mile 15 or 16, I noticed that wonderful "sloshing" feeling in my tummy. Was it possible to be overhydrated? I tried eating some pretzels and a cookie or two, but they sort of gave me some stomach cramps, so I gave up on that idea. Over time, Gatorade no longer tasted good (too sweet, I think) and I was forced to go on a water-only diet, with small bits of flat Coke thrown in for the sugar that I knew I needed to get down. Looking back, I wish I would have found the mental strength to get down a Gu or two, but in the heat of the battle, I just couldn't do it. Lesson for next time....
Also by this time, I was into the serious math phase. In other words, I was doing constant math trying to figure out how fast I needed to go to get under 12 hours. Somewhere along here, this sub-12 goal really came into focus, and every step forward made achieving this goal more and more of an absolute requirement. At the halfway point, I told myself I needed to do 10 minute miles. No problem, can do. In fact, I kept trying to put as much time in the bank as possible, knowing that I would need all those minutes later on. Mile 17, 9 to go, and I had just under 2 hours to that magical 12 hour mark. OK, 4 and a half miles an hour. I can do that. The clock was moving in the right direction, even if I might not have been......
My aid station walks got longer and longer the farther I went, and by the time I got to the bull horn again, I was desperately seeking out walking opportunities. In true teammate form, Steve walked a good ways with me, giving me encouraging words and damn near forcing me into running again. I think he ended up running over a mile with me, almost to the top of the hill. I sort of knew that technically he wasn't supposed to be doing this, but it was so nice to have someone familiar (and someone who I had suffered with many times over the course of the season) that I didn't protest or try and get him away from me. It took an official to do that :) Steve played the "dumb/sorry, I didn't know" card perfectly, so I didn't get a penalty. Sheer genius!!!
Walking with Steve...so we know it must be loop 2. This picture sums up my last 10 miles perfectly: lots of walking and lots of relying on my team
When I got back to the crew for the last time, I was in full-on crisis mode. Andy walked with me a little ways, until another official came up and told her to get away from me. I vaguely remember hearing the word "disqualification" and it actually sounded kind of good. I thought "really, if she like, touches me right now, you'll DQ me?!? sweet!! touch me right now, Andy!!!" I stopped to stretch for a bit, and then there was the most amazing ground-swell of energy and support I have ever experienced. As I started off again, the crew that had endured standing on the side of roads for the last 11 hours started yelling and going crazy for me. It was like I was Pre and they were "Pre's People" from Hayward Field, willing him/me to get to that finish line. Truly an amazing moment, one that I wish I could bottle up and experience again.
The IronFan Van then tracked alongside me with insane red and white clad people screaming at me for a few miles, until I hit mile 23. It was at this point that I knew I had it. Sub 12. It was going to be mine. Just a matter of somehow getting to Sherman Ave as quickly as possible, so I could soak in the glory.
Getting ready to turn off of Lake CDA Drive, heading for home.....
After not looking down Sherman Ave for at least 6 months, I took a brief moment to take it all in once I hit that corner. One last look at my watch, and I knew that I still had enough time in the bank to not have to sprint to the line. I tried to acknowledge as many congratulations as I could through eyes wanting to cry but just too tired. 
Finally, a block from the finish, I saw Jessi and Tiffany jumping up and down screaming their heads off, and I let myself celebrate for the first time all day. I felt like I had done A+ proud.
Amazing how a big inflatable arch can seem like a gateway to heaven after 11+ hours....
Total time: 11:46:59!!! 18:16 FASTER than last year!!!
As soon as I crossed the line, I was quickly attended to by a very nice volunteer in an Active Release Therapy (ART) shirt, who I will forver refer to as "The ART Guy" :) I have no idea if he was a volunteer, medical guy, or just some Ironman vendor/supporter, but I really didn't care, because he took a very keen interest in taking care of me. Thinking about it now, I'm betting that I looked a bit worse off at that moment than my previous two Ironmans, because this guy was pretty attentive and was asking me a bunch of questions, which has never happened before.
The ART Guy made sure I didn't fall down, and when I said I felt a bit cold (a bad sign), he rushed off to get me a space blanket. Then he asked me a very curious question. He wanted to know when was the last time I had gone to the bathroom. Again, in hindsight, this is a very logical question, but at the time it seemed weird. I had to think about it for a while (another bad sign, apparantly) and finally remembered that I had not gone since bike special needs. What??? I just did almost 12 hours of racing and had gone to the bathroom ONCE? Uh oh...definitely not a good sign. ART Guy quickly got me 3 more cups of fluid, since it was pretty likely that I was dehydrated.
He also made sure that someone I knew was coming to take care of me, and wouldn't leave until Andy and the rest of the IronFan crew fought thru the crowds to get to me. Once I was safely in the care of my fans, The ART Guy felt comfortable in leaving me. I really regret not getting his name or thanking him properly. He probably saved me from more long-term distress by taking care of me in those critical few minutes after I finished.
As I was coming down from my "Sherman Ave high", the gravity of what I had just done started hitting me. It was about the same time that Andy and Team A+ were giving me congratulatory hugs, and that's when the tears began flowing. Even though I didn't look too good, I can confirm that those tears were most certainly tears of joy, relief, and accomplishment. Somewhere out on the course, breaking the 12 hour barrier had become an all-consuming goal, and I had done it.
Unfortunately, this was the only celebration I could muster at this point....
After a few minutes of celebrating, sitting down started to sound really appealing, so Andy, the super IronSherpa led my weary body over to the recovery area.
I think this picture captures Andy's amazing support for me perfectly.
I sat in the recovery area for quite awhile, and managed to get my RecoverEase and chocolate milk down. After a half hour or so, I tried to make my way over to get my massage, but my body wasn't ready. I got really cold in a hurry, so I wandered over near the medical tent to get a few more space blankets. More very nice volunteers noticed my distress and took care of me for another half hour, until I decided that maybe it would be best if I got some dry clothes on. Duh! Andy and Steve were nice enough to go get my bags and bike out of transition, and Jessi and Emma took me over to the grass to sit in the sun to try and warm up. It was so nice of them to stay with me, and I even got my own little super fan, Emma to help keep me warm!
From pumpkin scone to "human baked potato" in just over 12 hours! :)
OK, time to put a bow on my day.....Was my Ironman 2008 a success? HECK YEAH!!! I am still over the moon with excitement about how my day went. I really don't think I could have gone much faster, and I am so happy that I achieved my goal. I think that when you achieve a goal, it is much sweeter when you really have to work to get it. And that would certainly qualify with my Ironman this year. I don't think I have ever fought harder in my life for something. I really wanted a sub-12, and so I went out there and took it. The last 10 miles of the run were super-tough, but I just couldn't let myself give in. And every time I wanted to, my team made sure I wouldn't. I guess its a good thing that I can say I really did leave everything I had out on the course (which would explain why I crashed so hard and fast once I finished, and why it took me almost a full week to finally feel back to 100%)
I'll wrap up this epic tale with some "thank yous".
First, to Andy, my inspiration, my biggest fan, best supporter, champion IronSherpa, and all-around awesome wife. Thank you for putting up with everything that goes along with this Ironman thing. I couldn't have done it without you, and I thought about how fortunate I am to have you alot while I was out there on the course. Even though we didn't get to run across the line together this year (and even though I totally missed you in the stands), you really were right there next to me when I hit the tape.
To my incredible A+ Team, Jessi and Tiffany: I tried to say something like this on the beach, but I was too nervous to form a coherent sentence :) I really owe you two a ton for the shape I was in on race day, both physically and mentally. More than you will ever know and more than I could ever say. You two have pushed me in so many ways that have taken me to heights I never thought I could achieve, and I am so grateful. What started with some weekly suffering in the pool turned out to be way more support and motivation than I deserve. You both have shown me what it means to be TOUGH (like an entire day on your feet cheering with a nasty injury, Jessi?!?), and I relied on that fact to get me one step further many times during the day.
To Steve, my training partner: Man, I'm really glad that we connected up to train so much together this year. When I train alone, I totally mail it in, but you would never let me slack off, and it means alot to me. My only regret is that our race schedules are off by a year! Cause it'd be so much fun to race with you. Thanks for the competitiveness, the respect, and the healthy perspective.
To Roger: Thanks for the text message on race morning. Your words were exactly what I needed at exactly the right time. I relied on that advice many times during the day, and it really helped me have a great "overall" day.
To the Tri Fusion family: I felt blessed (as I do each day) to be part of such a great team of supporters and athletes today. It was amazing to see so many red shirts out there, and every cheer helped me along the way. Even if I wasn't able to return your enthusiasm in kind, your words definitely made a difference.
To everyone else who sent well wishes, texts, e-mails, positive thoughts: THANKS a million! I value your support more than you will ever know.
So now, I get a year off from Ironman. I am really looking forward to the mental and physical break, and I am happy that I get to enjoy it in peace, having gotten what I wanted!
