A day that started out bad turned out OK and I posted my best finish here to date and my best time ever in an Ironman; 8:47
I thought about just copying and pasting the first part of my race report from last year’s race since the result of my swim was the same; disappointing. The difference this year is that I am not sure what I did wrong. Last year I started in the wrong crowd and didn’t get the good floating start ahead of the start line that I should have. This year I had a dream start. I was beside Cam Brown, Thomas Hellreigel and Michael Lovato. I was stroke for stroke with Cam Brown for a couple hundred meters and then dropped back to sit on the feet of one of the other guys. I felt OK and then we merged with the group to the right of us and I don’t know if the pace picked up or if I got lazy but I was gapped. Before I knew it I was looking at open water in front of me. I should have put my head down and worked my ass off to get back on, but for whatever reason I didn’t. At the turn around I was in amidst the third pack. Last year I led this group all the way from the turn around to the pier. This year I was stuck in the middle, getting punched and kicked all the way back to shore. I spent more time and energy fending off the punches and kicks from some of the lead women than I did swimming. I couldn’t believe how rough it was. Swimming with the lead guys is never like that. When I hit shore in 58:11 I noticed that Rutger Beke was right beside me so I thought maybe it was just another slow year. I was wrong, he just had a bad swim as well. Oh well, at least I had someone to key off of for the early part of the ride.
Once onto the bike I felt good right away. I lost very little time to the leaders on the “in town” section of the course and I kept Beke in sight for a good long while. When I hit the Queen K I had already found a rhythm and was passing a number of riders quickly. I wasn’t using a computer, heart rate monitor or anything I was just going by feel and I was feeling good. One of the great things about doing the camp here a month ago is that I have the entire ride broken down into sections and I know approximately how long it should take me to get to each marker. I was hitting those marks easily on this day so I knew it was going to be a pretty good ride. The weather this year was ideal. Sunny and hot, but with very little wind. The only wind we really had to contend with was on the final few miles up to Hawi where I had to drop it into the small chain ring and just spin it out to the turn around. Luckily one of my HPR team mate loaned me his 54 tooth chain ring for the race and that made a huge difference for the return trip from Hawi. I was able to keep the pressure on the pedals all the way back to the Queen K and managed to pick up a number of riders who were spinning out in their 53/ 11’s. (Thanks Rhodes).
The final 30 miles were pretty lonely. I picked up one rider on the way back, but that was about it all the way to T2. I could see nothing but open road from Scenic Point. When I came into transition I heard that I was in the mid 30’s off the bike. If I could run like I normally do I would be sure to pick up a few spots. I hit the run and it was HOT! The first 10 mile section of the run is the out and back along Alii Drive. This to me is one of the toughest sections of the course, there is little to no breeze and very little shade at the time I was running. When I started out I was hoping to run 7 minute/miles and then pick it up when I got up to the Queen K. When I hit the first mile my watch read 6:24. I figured that the first mile marker must have been off a bit because it didn’t seem that fast. I checked the next mile; 6:23. At the turn around on Alii I could see the race coming other way. I was still a long way back from the lead, but a number of guys were definitely looking bad and I figured if I hung in there I would definitely come back on a lot of them. I kept the pace between 6:20 to 6:30 for the first 10 miles and then I hit Palani and the short climb up to the Highway and the Lava Fields. I was caught off guard by how hot it was up there this year. Usually you get a good breeze along this stretch but this year, it was an extremely hot breeze. I made sure to dump ice in my race suit every single aid station and I think this was the key to a good marathon on this day. The ability to keep your core temperature cool and stay hydrated is key. Every aid station went like this; cold sponges, ice, water, gatorade, more ice, water, more sponges. Every 2 to 3 aid stations I would take a PowerGel and a salt pill and then finally at mile 11 I started adding Coke to the mix. By the time I was out at the Energy Lab I was into full on survival mode. My pace was slipping to the low 6:50’s, but the guys in front of me were faltering as well. I passed about 7 or 8 guys in the last 10 miles and with each pass I would get a surge of energy.
When I finally got to within 5km of the finish I was doing the math and figuring that I would definitely make it in under 8:50. The question was by how much and what place had I moved myself up to? I had lost track of how many guys I had passed out on course, but I knew that it had been quite a few. the last couple of miles were great. I knew there was nobody behind me and I couldn’t really make out anyone in front of me so I was able to enjoy the moment, go as fast I could and take in the atmosphere. Seeing Rach at the bottom of Palani brought a huge smile to my face. I gave her a high five and ran the final km to the finish and all the noise that goes with it. When I saw the clock it read 8:47 and change and the position read 21st. My best finish here to date, but it would have been nice to say top 20.
One thing that I have really learned and been able to practice over the last year is the ability to stay in the moment and not let myself be ruled by emotion and judgment. I have been racing well because I have really let go of the outcome. Sure I want to win, but I want to be happy more than anything and this only happens by the choices we make every moment in our lives. You can be happy and content with what you can achieve while still being happy or you can want more and do anything to get it. From what I have seen in my life people often sacrifice those things that make them happy for the latter. I am lucky to be surrounded by people that seem to understand this and appreciate it. If you do, you are a champion no matter where you finish in a race.
Again, I must really thank everybody out there for their support leading up to the race. Those around me really give me my space and keep me relaxed and I truly appreciate it.
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