Many thoughts on the day
The few days before he race, much anxiety about the swim, turns out, with good reason.
I have wanted to be an Iron Man - well, today was not the day. I said to myself, give it your best effort no matter what happens - no regrets
Day day was brutal with wind - I was calm before the swim, the pros were off, we were starting 15 minutes later - the wind was mild, the waves were not too bad. We waded in the water, treaded water until the horn. Almost in cink with the horn the wind gods must have thought the horm meant to crank up the wind. As we swam south, the waves just got more intense, as I approached the first big read bouy, about a mile into the swim, the waves were crashing over my head, two or three feet high, swimmers were srarting to bail, I kept on trying to time my breath with the waves crashing over my head - I had had enough - signaled to be picked up. Me and three others loaded onto a jet ski - too much weight, the the ski started taking on water, we signaled the shore patrol boat, it paid no attention, I started looking for the closest shore line, thought I would be back in the water. The shore patrol picked us up just in time. My legs were beat from treading water, trying to sight the bouy, hard to see with the big waves.
We were dumped on the dock - a guy started taking off our timing chips and said we were done for the day - I said, that is not right, it is unsafe out there, you should cancel the swim - a young guy with me upon hearing we were done for the day wanted to go back out, I had a fleating though I would go back with him. Well, it was not worth drowning over. Come to find out later that several hundred were pulled out the water, a couple of bouys were blow off course. It was a mess.
It takes quite a bit to have me cry, I was crying along with another guy, tears were coming down. The race people did not care, take your bike and bag and leave was the message. I looked for Sylvie, could not find her. I loaded a bus, could not take the bike on the bus, a guy on the bus took my bag and said he would call me later to pick it up, nice of him. I hopped on the bike and started riding the course with other bikers who had finished the swim. The course went right by the parking area, I stopped and planned on waiting for Sylive - the only lucky part of the day, a lady who had done two Ironmans was the lot attention and had an Iphone - she said the race director hand announced that people pulled out of the water could continue the race, but would get no race time? What did that mean? The problem, may athletes has already left as the annoucement came so later, alost 90 minutes after we were pulled out of the water.
It took a few minutes to get back on the course, rode like heck to make the cutoff time at bluff street - kept pushing on, made he cutoff. It wax obvious from the number of bikers on the course that many did not continue and did not make the cutoff time for the bike. The wind on the bike was brutal, brutal and brutal again, same as the swim, It was slow going up HW91 around to Veyo, my legs started cramping, stopped and ate 4 bananas a couple of times, took salt tablets, plenty of liquids, fought on to make the cutoff times - I passed almost everyone on the hilss, glad to have done the hill work. On the second loop at gunlock aid station I stopped for fuel, two others also stopped, one guy said this is the first time he has stopped in 15 IMs, tough day, the other guy said we were ok on the cutoff of 5:30 for the run, I said well, not so fast we have to be to Veyo by 4:30, better get moving. It was hard on all the bikers dealing with the wind, the cutoff times, tough, tought day on a tough course.
I was off to the races, passed everyone to Veyo and made the cutoff, did not find out if the other two made it. After staring the run, did see a half dozen bikers I had been riding with, I think most of them made the cutoff. A couple of bikers said - wow, you are a climmer, nice comment.
The ride into town with all the spectators was great, cannot say enough about the crowds cheerng and the race volunteers, the other athletes were so supportive saying you can do it. With no credit to the race organizers, the atheletes, spectators and volunteers made the race.
I hit the run part 24 minutes before the cutoff time, I wondered how many did not make it because of the brutal swim and bike ride - the wind was the biggest winner.
My legs were dead, I knew this would be a tough tough leg - mile 19 my legs were done, my knee swelling up - I was done, Also not enought time to make it before midnight - darn, I was super bummed -but, given the day - gave it my best effort.
A big shout out goes to my coach Sylvie who stuck the whole thing out with me, could have not given the effort without her.
A big shout out to Mark who helped me at the bike transistion and run aid stations, it was great to have his support. Mark was shocked to see me, he thought I was done for the day after the swim debockle.
Thanks to all the good wishes for a great race from Mike, James, T NA NA, Devine Miss M, Cat on the move, QP, Dale G, Tom and his wife, and others I may have missed.
This is the first race I had not finished, I wonder if my 61 years is catching up to me. Talked to Mike on the phone for about an hour, hope to get into Arizona the next year, need to find a half Iron read soon to get me back in a good frame of mind.
The IronMan brand was tarnished this day - they were arrongant, were not ready for the weather and treated the athletes with disrespect. I hoped that learned something. The swim should have been stopped everyone given a 2:30 swim time or the swim time this finished if faster. The water was not safe, likely well over 400 DNFs.
There are many more details to the race - a couple of funny moments
Stopped an aid station to get sun screen, the lady was putting on the sun screen with such are, I told her the women kiss the athletes at Boston, we both laughed, did not get a kiss, but it was funny.
The coppers, the drafting cops were on the course taking numbers, maybe going to give us all a penalty, need to pass someone in 15 seconds and get 4 bike lengths ahead, almost impossible to do climing the hills .
Stay Kool, B of BS Rools out
By the way, I wish Sasha could do something for Tri Geeks blogging races.
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