Ironman Texas

Summary:

• 7 pros had a DNF that's 28%
• Swim 59:48 (goal 58)
• Bike 5:02:21 (goal 5:10)
• Run 3:39:42 (goal 3:00)
• So So So hot!

Emi and I arrived in Houston on Tuesday and met my mom who flew in from Utah and my home stay and one of her sons. Thanks to Container and Packaging Supply for the help getting there! After a sad goodbye to Emi, Amie and Callen and I went off to their house. It was so much fun to stay with a family with kids and to have that humor and fun love to take your mind off any stress.

Emi loves climbing on the seats and trying to say "Hi" to the people all around us.

Wednesday I went and checked in and went around the expo. I talked with the owner of Base Salt and was sold on the idea of this newer electrolyte. I also got to meet one of my Trigger Point teammates Gloria Summers! I dropped my bike off at Race Day Wheels to get my 404/808 Zipp rentals put on my bike. Thanks so much for that awesome combo!

She invented a new game where she twirls and wraps her blanket around her.

Thursday was my Pro race briefing. I always feel like the outsider in this “cool” kids club. Many of the pros stay after the race and chat but I really don’t know anyone so I just sulk away with my tail between my legs. One day I’ll be part of the “cool” kids club.

On my ride out on awesome Texas roads!

Friday I did the practice swim at the lake and Meredith went and picked Scott up at the airport. I keep making him come earlier and earlier to my races since he slept in past his alarm for one race and the other race a huge snow storm came through and made it so he had to jump on an earlier flight to get out of Cincinnati before it came through. He just worked from “home” that day. Friday night we played some board games and had some awesome laughs with Apples to Apples. I ended up asleep around 8:30.

Emi loved being at Nana and Papi's house. 

Saturday morning I didn’t want any risk of eating my breakfast too late so I woke up at 4:00am and had my yummy pancakes with “butter.” I woke Scott up with some snuggles and then we were off getting everything in the car packed up. They were nice and let us check our bike in on race day as well as our gear bags. I double/triple checked my brakes and pumped my tires to 105-110. I left my shoes on my bike for the first time! I dropped my gear bags off and met up with Coach Meredith. She went above and beyond coaching responsibilities and went and bought rubber bands to put on my shoes/bike to keep my shoes upright for ease and throw away water bottles. I didn’t end up using either one of them but I was nice to know I had them just in case for back up. She also brought her bike down so I could ride it to the swim start instead of walking there (1 mile). THANKS!!!!

She loves the pool and water however she can play.

Ran into Mike when I was going for my practice swim on Friday morning. Loving our Blueseventy speed suits!

Bike all tuned up ready to go! Thanks Reser Bicycle Outfitters!

Thanks to my parents for watching Emi!

I'll never get over the awesome feeling it is to walk up to my spot in transition and to represent this amazing country!

I have "P" on my leg! So punny!

Swim start from the bridge. I wore my mirrored goggles which I later regretted. 

More boring stuff happened and then I got my speed suit on and was saying my goodbyes! The guys started 5 minutes before us and then we got into warm up. There were several cameras and video cameras in our faces. It’s always so fun to have those crazy “this is for real” moments. We lined up and they called out 1 minute to go and then 30 seconds to go. There is a “line” between a buoy and a dock that we are supposed to stay behind but that never seems to happen. After they said 30 seconds to go everyone just keeps inching forward more and more. It was the most I’ve ever seen them let us “inch.” Usually they have paddle boarders or kayakers that sit in front to make it so we can’t go forward. Then the cannon went off and we were off. I’ve had many mix ups the last few races with my Garmin so I even took a second to make sure it started before I started swimming like crazy.

Scott and Meredith found me swimming when I entered the canal. I loved seeing them the whole last 1/3 of the swim. 

I was with a good group and felt like I was swimming hard but it was manageable. Then I spotted and saw that I had swum to the left. I tried for a second to get back on their feet but they were gone. I was swimming hard to stay on the feet so it was just too hard to get back on them. I swam by myself for most of the rest of the way down the lake (1/3 of the swim). I then saw to my left a group of 2-3 swimmers. I just went over there and jumped in the back of the swim train. Now this pace felt really easy and I was worried about the pace but thought it was better to have the draft than try to go it alone so I just sat with my happy little pace behind someone’s feet. We entered the canal (last 1/3 of the swim) and after a little I saw Scott and Meredith. It was so awesome to see them along the canal and they kept running and walking and cheering me on. I kept trying to make sure I had a big grin on my face when I looked their way to breath. I stumbled on the last step getting out of the swim but ended up recovering instead of face planting like I thought I was going to. I was hoping for a 58 swim and ended up with still a sub hour and only 6:30 back from the leaders.

I kept giving them a big smile when I turned and breathed to their side. 

I'm the last one in that nice long draft line. 

I was shocked when I was only 6:30 back from the leaders and was excited to hear that! Transition wasn’t as awesome as it was in New Zealand but the volunteers were still great. I grabbed my bike and dunked my feet in the baby pool of water they had to clean them off and was off on my bike. I got my shoes on with out a problem and just started focusing on my HR. I tend to be super excited off the swim and bike with a slightly higher HR. I calmed myself down pretty fast and nailed it down to a HR of 153-158. I did see 140’s twice but those were both either going down a hill or because of passing/staying draft legal. Around mile 10 I was looking down and staying aero when I decided to glance up the road and saw a cop waving traffic across an intersection I was about to cross! I yelled up and fortunately he was able to stop the massive van that was about to pummel me and end my race and break my body. I was feeling good and just focused on nutrition and hydration. There was another incident at mile 25ish. We were on a 2-lane road and a car had pulled all the way to the right and wanted to make a U-turn. I couldn’t safely pass on the right so I went to the left. The car decided that moment was a great moment to start executing the U-turn and would have ended my race except for divine intervention. I saw the trajectory of the car and my bike and I have no idea how it didn’t end up with a crash.

Scott got a couple good shots of me on the bike.

Around mile 40 my back started really killing me and it made me worry that it already hurt less than half way through! I've been working on getting it under control with both my PT Beyond Exercise and Chiropractor TJ Lonergan at Impact Health and Wellness. I just told myself to stop over thinking and concentrating on what was wrong and to concentrate on what was right. John Book told me in a message to “keep your head down and don’t think too much.” I think that’s part of the break through on the bike I had… I didn’t think too much. Another reason is because I finally took the advice of Bryan and didn’t have anyone tell me what place I was in out of the water or anywhere on the bike. I focused completely on my race on the bike. I knew I was going to be able to see Emi and my parents around mile 50-55. I had already seen Scott and was just so excited to be able to see Emi too! Seeing them made me refocus and forget about my back for a little bit. I got to see them a few more time before my parents headed back to the house for Emi to be able to nap. This race is the first race that I planned to get special needs. This race is the first race that the volunteers did not get my bag to me. I called out my number and said that I wanted my bag. I came up on the bags and saw a guy in the middle holding a bag out. I was confused since his position wasn’t close to where my bag was but he was holding a bag out so I thought it was for me. Well just as I went to get it he grabbed it away and I saw a 1XXX on it. Great… there goes nutrition. I do jelly beans at the end of the bike and I didn’t have them with me now. A little before half way through I had an official start following me and I got a personal back wheel baby sitter the REST of the bike course. I’m used to the officials looping around and watching several people but I guess today I got my own personal official so all will know I was completely legal that whole ride! I looked down at my watch at half way and saw that my split would put me at faster than a 5hr bike! CRAZY! I knew there was some strong wind in many directions so I figured it would be not as fun on the way back. I said a little prayer that the front moving through would make the wind change direction so we would have a tail wind on the way home or at least not a strong head wind. Well, I never felt like the wind was unbearable and know that it was answer to prayers. I felt like I was just cutting through it so fast. Hearing Scott and Meredith cheer I knew I was doing well and I kept having a smile on my face.

So Aero :)

I came up to two women pros and passed one and then came up to a legal distance to the other. I saw the number and blinked a couple times and thought, “wow that’s 40, Kelly Williamson, she WON last year! I am on the back of Kelly Williamson, she must be having a bad day, there’s NO WAY I’m riding with her!” I stayed close to her the rest of the bike. My back was starting to hurt a lot a lot more the last 15-20 miles and I was looking forward to ditching my bike. I also had to pee really badly but that blasted official was still with us! In New Zealand they told us that public urination was a penalty so I didn’t want to appear to pee on my bike incase that was a penalty. I looked back and tried to get the attention of the official but didn’t. I finally decided to use some water and pretend to squirt it on me while I went so I would look like I was just pouring water on me. So I wasted some precious water, which I didn’t realize was going to be such a problem. The final aid station I didn’t get the water I needed/wanted. I dropped two water bottles and was so frustrated that I wasn’t going to have any more water. There were definitely fewer spectators along the course this year as a pro than last year as an age grouper. I’m sure it was because I was coming in a lot earlier than I did last time I raced. I wasn’t sure of the course exactly so the dismount snuck up on me. I got my feet out of my shoes in time and slammed on my brakes right at the dismount bike line.

They had a slide show of pictures of all the pros and I loved this one they had of me.

Off to T2! I went into the tent and dumped my gear bag on the floor. I didn’t bike with socks on for the first time so I had to get my socks, shoes etc. on. I was leaving the tent and heard a volunteer say “wow, she was the calmest one who has come through!” Then I had to stop since I realized my shoes were still not tied and as I bend down to tie them I saw my hat and Sword (electrolyte drink) on the floor. I asked them for them and then started running off. I made sure to stop at the sun screeners for a little rub down which they did an awesome job of.

The run… This is usually my strong suit, it’s usually what I am the best at by far… There’s always a first. Thanks to Buckeye Running Company for the new Saucony Kinvaras to race in. My first mile was right under 7min pace. I told myself I could go 7 min pace for the first mile or two and then pick it up from there. Well, I did that but then slowed down from there… a lot. I felt awful from not being hydrated enough on the bike and not having enough calories on the bike as well. I started to tell myself that I was last or second to last in the pro field and I might as well just run walk the rest of the race. There was no point in finishing that fast at all. I could write a novel on all the negative thoughts that went through my head during that run. I didn't realize that I actually wasn't doing as horribly as I thought. My Garmin kept cutting in and out and I had no idea of the total race time since my Garmin had messed that up as well. I carry a water bottle on the run and make more electrolyte drink as I go. I couldn't get the top off the water bottle at all so I went without drinking much the whole run. Looking back I should have thought to stop and ask a volunteer to open the bottle. I had to use the bathroom SO bad the last 3 miles so pulled over and used the port-a-potty, first time for that to happen!

Changed to Base Salt for IMTX. I accidentally washed it but found out their container is water proof so I still had my salt. Also, best idea ever to change to this electrolyte replacement. 

Thanks so much to EVERYONE who got me to this starting line! This has been such a learning experience! Thanks to my whole Cincinnati crew! Thank you Tiffany for the wonderful send off party! It was so fun! Thanks to Rich Adams for helping with my speedplay shoes! Thanks to Bryan for all the good talks/advice and rides! Thanks so much to Cole and Scott for the fun rides together! Thanks to Allison for the amazing friendship and best training partner EVER :)! Thanks to Meredith for the amazing coaching and best sherpaing- getting everything I needed the night before, doing the last minute bike maintenance on my bike and cheering so loud she lost her voice! Last and never least thanks to Scott, best most patient husband EVER! Thanks for all the times you've helped me get my training in and what not!

We flew home pretty late on Sunday night and Emi started getting a little crazy and spun laying down on the floor.

Learning:

• I think I want to try butter and pasta next time instead of tomato sauce. The tomato sauce gives me a little heart burn/upset stomach that could be avoided with butter.
• Make sure when I swim to only site every 12 strokes (thanks coach). I tend to be more concerned about staying right on someone’s feet when I swim with people and so I site way too often making the swim far harder than it needs to be. 
• Shut my brain off! Have something to focus on for the whole ride/run/swim. IE site ever 12 strokes. On the bike I focused on my HR 155 I’m staying alive. Sometimes I would count my peddle stokes and eat a jelly bean every X strokes. I was supposed to focus on 6:52 that’s all I got to do for the run. Once it wasn’t panning out and I was so hot etc., I focused on how bad my pace was. I think I need to have a back up thing to focus on in case one isn’t going well so I don’t get too negative. 
• Even if you aren’t planning on using race nutrition make sure you know what your options are on the course especially if you have dietary restrictions.
• The difference between a really low, low during an ironman and just a “I’m not feeling good time,” is what you are focused on. Are you focused on the things going right in the race or are you focused on all the things that hurt and are not going right.
• I told my support crew to not tell me the place I was in ever during the race until the last 10K. Well, I learned that I should know what my place is after the bike so I don't get so negative and I know how many people to run down to get into top X place. I can still run my own race but I think it would help on the mental aspect of my race. 

Anger is the Seed for War, Forgiveness is the Seed for Peace

We were able to go listen to a Holocaust Survivor speak on Monday. We went as our Family Home Evening activity (every Monday night we do a family night with an activity, treat, and spiritual message).

Eva at Auschwitz 2014

Eva Kor is a twin who was a survivor from Auschwitz and the angel of death experiments. She told her story survival and the horrible things that happened to them. In the end she talked about 3 life lessons she wanted to share.

1. Never give up on yourself or your dreams. She said that when they first entered the barracks her first image in her mind was of her and her sister walking out of the camp together, alive. The power of the human brain is amazing. If we can envision the goals we have in life and the successes that we want to make happen, we can live them out in our life.

Both Eva and her sister, Miriam walking at Auschwitz hand in hand, right before being set free

2. Everyone has prejudices, we need to know them and understand them. She talked about the 5 reasons she thought Hitler rose to power and the Holocaust happened. She also talked about her prejudices of people who dress like slobs etc. She said the world would be a much better place if every child grew up with a loving mother and father. I think we need to just keep the fact that we are all children of God in our minds so we will treat everyone that way.

The twins at age 9 just before they were put in the concentration camp.

3. Forgiveness... This woman is amazing to be able to forgive these people who literally ripped her away from her mom, dad, and older sister on the sorting platform. She never saw them again. She was demoralized and brought to near death, yet she has forgiven all her perpetrators.

The gates of Auschwitz, "work will set you free."

She told a story about going to visit one of the "angel of death's" partners in Germany. She said she wanted to bring him a gift and a card so she went to the Hallmark store. She spent hours reading all the cards and couldn't find one that would fit the occasion. One of the workers came up to her and asked if she could help her find the right car. Eva said, "No, I don't think so." Eva decided that the best gift she could give him would be a note of forgiveness. She then also decided to write "the angel of death," a letter of forgiveness. She read it out loud and forgave him on the other side of the grave. She said "forgiveness is the best revenge because then the perpetrators don't have any power over you."

People ask her if the doctors etc were put on trial. She said that she hates that question and that "if we paid more attention to healing the victims than punishing the perpetrators, than it would be much better for the victims. She went back to Germany and to Auschwitz with 300 other survivors and most of them were still bitter and unforgiving and had passed that sentiment to their children.

The twins

There was so much to be learned from this amazing example of forgiveness. She walked out alive with her sister, but after 3 kids her sister passed away from complications from the experiments preformed on them at Auschwitz.