I have ran Rim2Rim2Rim in the Grand Canyon with my love. I have lost my job and then started my
own business. I have raced Ironman Arizona (where I blew up at mile 22 of the run) costing me my trip to Hawaii in 2013. I have also completed Ironman Texas for the first time in May of 2013 in a very hot and humid day. Last weekend I completed one of the toughest Ironman races anywhere, when we traveled to Lake Tahoe.
Unfortunately, since last May (see Rim2Rim2Rim) adventure, I haven't actually been able to run
properly. Seems that when running 48 miles across the Canyon in the dark two weeks after racing the 2nd hardest Ironman course I have ever done (IM ST. GEORGE), is not a great idea.
I suffered an Achilles injury back in May of 2012 and thought I could suffer through it, keep training
and it will just go away! Well by the time It got REALLY bad it was too late.
I have done every type of therapy and rehab know to man outside of actual surgery (absolute last option). I have even taken up to 6+ weeks totally off from running. Still no good.
Fast forward to last weekend.
IM Tahoe:
Going into this race I was certain there would be no miracles. I have hardly been able to run, and it has been very ugly, with zero speed work, and very low mileage. So I easily placed this race into my
"C" race category.
I had a meeting with the doctor/surgeon several weeks ago and we (I) have decided that I would get
through Tahoe and IMAZ in Nov., and then have a procedure done 2 days later Nov. 19th to try to fix this thing and get me back to me. (RUNNER)!!!!!!
We headed to Tahoe with very little pressure on my shoulders to perform. This would be my first trip to Tahoe and it would be a great training day and I would not push the running at all. Get through the 3rd leg of the day without making myself worse than I already was.
You see I still have some ridiculous delusion that I still could pull that miracle out for IMAZ.
Saturday, the day before the race it started to get crazy as far as the weather was concerned.
It started raining at 8am and the temps started dropping quickly, then I looked out of our window and it was snowing. This is going to be epic!
It then became what are we going to wear tomorrow craziness.
Race morning dawned, kind of. The sun wasn't actually up, and it was nice and chilly.
before leaving our hotel I checked my phone that said it was 28 degrees and was supposed to drop to 27 at 7am, about the time we would just be getting going in the swim.
The Swim:(1:08ish)
What can I say, the water was 57-58 degrees, and we where about to jump in a swim 2.4 miles.
Mostly the thought of getting out and on the bike sounded even worse.
Mary and I ran out of time and before we knew it we where hurrying to the water with less than 5 minutes to the cannon. We lined up towards the front and i just followed her as far as I could (not far)
and then it was all me, no way to see where we are swimming because of the fog coming off the lake, you couldn't even see from one buoy to the other. I was all over the place, left, then right, then left over and over. To make things more interesting one of the turn buoys actually broke loose and starting floating away, thus making everyone follow it, then all of a sudden the jet ski grabs it and head back the other way and everyone had to change direction again!
As I finally exited the water I was instantly hit with the freaking cold ass sand on my feet. The sand had to be 20 degrees and by the time I reached the change tent I could not feel my feet at all, actually that's a lie, I could feel the extreme pain coming from them from being so cold!
T1 (14:00)
This was a very interesting part of the day, transition #1.
When I reached the changing tent it was absolutely a scene out of a movie. no room what so ever to move and no lights to see. I decided that this would be a complete wardrobe change, as I was NOT getting on that bike in wet clothing. Due to the congestion I decided to change outside of the tent.
(sorry to those that may have witnessed my nakedness).
trying to use my frozen fingers to get my wet stuff on and dry stuff on was very entertaining for those watching. My clothing of choice for the ride was as follows: tuke under my helmet, base layer shirt, jersey, vest, long sleeve shirt over top of that, along with arm warmers and three pairs of gloves, and knee warmers and shorts. This was 10 minutes longer than any T1 I have ever had :)
Bike (6:20ish)
Forgot to mention, due to the craziness in the morning, I never had my Garmin set and turned on before the cannon sounded, so I was screwing with it throughout the swim and bike. I also didn't have the auto-pause setting turned off, so when I stopped it stopped. URGH!!!
Anyway, onto the bike I go, feet are screaming they hurt so bad, I keep telling myself that they will warm up if I just keep pedaling. I was correct, it just took 40 miles for this to happen.
The first 30 plus miles of the bike is pretty fast, and totally in the shade. We have one climb through this area and it is only 1.5 miles at 7%.
As we are just entering Martis Camp (the special private neighborhood) we go past a round about and then through the guard station, this is where we start to get into the first REAL climbs, as I am making myself past the guard house I find 3 guys in front of me side x side going about 2 mph, the only place for me to go was around them to the right, and BAM! my first ever penalty in a race of any kind, lady on motorbike gives me a yellow card for passing on the right. All I could actually do was laugh out loud. This was a horrible penalty with these 3 blocking me, but considering the ridiculousness of this day the thought of a 5 second break made me laugh. Seriously, I will happily stop for 5 seconds at the next Penalty Tent!!!
So with this little gem happening I decide it is time to strip all of these clothes before I start the climbs just ahead. So I pull off the road and take everything off and then re-dress with just my jersey and vest and of course 3 layers of gloves. This takes me approximately 5 minutes, so what!
This next section features a roughly 3 mile climb of between 8-10%,(we do this twice) I tell myself not to push it AT ALL on the first loop of this ride, do not stand up at anytime, and just spin in out in your saddle.
I was passing quite a few people now, and then as slow as we went up we have a screaming descent, I hit high 40 mph here, would have been even faster if not for all the sharp turns. At the bottom of this we make a 90 degree turn at said 40+ mph and you are staring at the famous Brockway Summit climb for the first time. This is just over 2.5 miles, but we do this twice and it is between 9-12%.
Again I spin by lots of riders even though I am only going 5mph!!!
This seems to last much longer than 2.5 miles, but finally the top comes into view and before I know it the descent of 2 miles back to the start of the 2nd loop. This is a welcomed section, I am hitting 50+mph but it goes by to fast. Then we turn west and do it again. Back over that little 7% climb that now feels like 20% (we end up doing this climb 3 times). My quads are feeling the work now, but we have a LONG way to go so just suck it up and keep moving.
Finally I arrive at the Penalty Tent and am very happy to just step off of my bike for a very small break. Then I decide what the hell, I might as well use the opportunity to pee as well. After about a 3 or so minute break i am back on my bike. I have now lost everyone that was within sight and am totally alone on the road for the next 12 miles. Ouch!, but as we get close to the 2nd time through Martis Camp I find lots of people. My conservative approach the first time through has paid off as I am passing lots of people here and only got passed by one guy. I still was feeling this effort but kept it pretty close to the pace that I went through the first time. As I made one of the crazy descending turns where it says "Slow" I don't go slow and come literally 1 inch for going right of the side of the road as my front end starts shaking uncontrollably. PHEW, that was close!!!!
The next trip up Brockway climb was even more carnage, with many people walking their bikes up and there are two different ambulances helping people as well. Don't know why?
Finally making myself to Squaw Valley where T2 is waiting.
T2 : (8ish minutes)
Very happy to be off my bike. I hobble through the changing tent and again do an entire wardrobe change. I then step out of the tent and two ladies are standing there that are do A.R.T. (Active Release Therapy) I figure what the heck and lay down on their table and have them work on my left hip that has been a major problem because of my compensating for my injured Achilles. So about 5 minutes later I am on my way.
The Run (4:50ish)
Normally this is what I wait for all day long, to use my strong run and catch all of those cyclist. As i said coming into this race though, I knew there wouldn't be this special run coming out of me today. I have been only able to run 3 days a week a best and only did one long run over 15 miles since May.
I figured just run as long as i could until the pain got so bad and then I would just figure out a way to get to the finish line. Even though I am limping I am feeling ok for a while, I was clocking a few 7:15 miles until about mile 6-7 and then just like that the hip/leg/Achilles said that is it for you. Then it began a 19+ mile run a few steps, walk a bunch. I went to those dark places in my mind a few times where I block everything out completely, but then snapped myself out of it. What are you doing, do NOT dig yourself into that hole. I might have gotten through the marathon a bit faster, but a what cost? I needed to be able to recover from this day asap and hope to be able to save that one last Special run effort for IRONMAN Arizona in 8 weeks. Just be as smart as you can with your effort here, you aren't going to win any prizes today. Just get that medal.
As I was heading out onto the long section of the run I saw Mary finishing up the bike and I knew I was about 7 miles ahead of her and that she would be running faster than I and may actually catch me. I was totally cool with this idea. As I hit mile 12 I decided I should see Mary within the next mile and that I Had to run until I saw her. Just after passing mile 13for me and mile 6 for her, I see her coming the other way. Yes, now i can walk again, my hip is KILLING me. We stop and talk for a few seconds and then she takes back off and I continue to walk . Throughout this first section of the run I keep seeing Elizabeth Rich and I keep encouraging her, I know she has to be somewhere near the front of her age group. Finally she passes me for good while I am on the side of the road at an aid station trying to stretch my hip out. Eventually I make it back to the Squaw Valley Village, and the turn around for lap number two. I am normally finishing at this point and I still have 9 miles to get through on this leg. Crap!!!!
As the night falls and I finally find out what it feels like to be out on course this late and this dark. The only other time I have finished in the dark of the night was my first trip to Kona, and I found that I have a strange issue with getting dizzy if I take my sun glasses off after wearing them all day, even if it is dark. The 2nd loop was a lot of the same as the first, just trying to suck up the pain and get through it. This is getting really old, so at mile 24 I just decide no matter what I am just going to run this thing in and be done already. As I am running through the forest like bike trail, in the total darkness with my sunglasses on, I seriously could not see a thing except for the little blinky lights on the people going the other way. I eventually hit mile 25, but couldn't see the sign for it and I made the final turn towards the finishing area (the Squaw Village), with about half a mile I see Becky and she runs along side of me for a few seconds and chats with me, then it is the last 800 meters or so through the Village and the last turn to the finish line. The finish of an Ironman is always a special thing not matter how good or bad the day has gone, and this is no different. I am so happy to be able to stop and just finally sit down. I get that hard earned medal, my finishers hat and shirt and head to the massage tent.
Post Race:
I finally sit down and take a deep breath and reflect on what a epic day I had just endured. Then is need my clothes, as it is 40 degrees and now I am freezing. Thank you to the awesome volunteer that went all the way to transition and got my warm clothes!!! As I hung out waiting for Mary to finish up wonders Elizabeth who is looking pretty cold and I try to warm her for a few minutes. after about 40-45 minutes her come my beautiful bride with her medal and a warming blanket. She has done it again. Ironman finish #3 for the year for her!!!
So freaking proud of her and amazed by her toughness!!!!
Tahoe was an Epic day. It had the 2nd largest "Did Not Finish" rate ever, and the only reason it wasn't first was because almost 600 people decided to not even start due to the conditions. If you received a medal on this day, you are tops on my list and you should be very proud of yourself.
Great work to you all!!!
*Thank you so much to all of our friends that cheered for us from near and far, and all of the awesome texts, emails and calls we received from you all.
*Thank you do everyone that helps make this possible for us to chase this crazy Ironman life, namely
Triscottsdale, Endurance Rehab (Nathan Snell), Maximum Mobility (John Ball), Matt Tonkin for taking care of Cadence Running Company like it was is own, and everyone else that had even just a small hand in helping us out.
*Thank you most importantly to my true love, best friend, fellow crazy, and wife Mary for being there to support me and share this trip with. You make me a better person!!! I love you xoxoxox
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