Even the same age as me.
Railton
---------------------------------------------------------------
IRONMAN FLORIDA RACE REPORT
My Florida race report starts with my Ironman Canada experience. IMC was my 13th Ironman race, and I planned to make it lucky #13! My training had been consistent, and my race results at Rev 3 Quassy and 70.3 Rhode Island had been solid despite training through those events. I had worked hard to improve my swimming even though I sometimes doubted if an old guy could still improve after so many years of trying. My goal for the race was to improve on my result at Lake Placid in 2010, where I had finished 12th in my AG. To make a long story short, I had a solid swim, but just didn’t feel as strong as I should have. The first 40 miles of the bike went fairly well, but then people started passing me, and my legs were unable to respond. I had no energy. After a year of preparation, I had inexplicably come up flat on race day. I soldiered on, and eventually finished, but with a personal worst time by almost 2 hours. On a bright note, I had experienced a different side of I
ronman racing that day. I met some people that were less competitive or just out to enjoy the day, and others who had higher expectations but were also suffering through longer days than expected. I found it especially fun how people shared the contents of their run special needs bags with others. Walking along Skaha Lake watching the sun set and eating Pringles was almost enjoyable, although it’s something I’d prefer to avoid in the future. I also had more time to appreciate the work of the volunteers, who work tirelessly into the evening long after the faster athletes have finished. At the end of the day, I got my 13th Ironman medal – appropriately perhaps the least impressive Ironman medal I had ever seen, but that’s another story.
I felt sorry for myself for a few days after that race, and contemplated withdrawing from Ironman Florida. While I was fine physically, I just wasn’t sure that I had the mental strength and intestinal fortitude to do another Ironman in 2 months. Luckily, Leslie kicked my butt out the door and encouraged me to get back on the program and train again. I listened, and I started working hard to prepare. Luckily the weather cooperated for the most part, and I managed to avoid too much trainer time. I planned solo point-to-point rides into the wind, with Leslie meeting me at pre-determined destinations to drive me home, and I went for long lonely runs. My “mojo” was lost out there somewhere, and I was going to do my best to find it!
Finally, race week came, and I arrived in Panama City Beach on Tuesday. I had fun playing in the waves the days leading up to the race, but must admit I was hoping for a little less surf on race day! I went for a couple of easy bike rides, although riding at any speed into the wind seemed hard, but my last couple of runs felt great. The most important thing I did on race week was to put my IMC race behind me and start focusing my energy positively for the task at hand. I had no expectations on race day. I simply wanted to do my best, and redeem myself somewhat after my sub-par performance at IMC. On race morning I felt reasonably calm, although like everyone else, I was a tad nervous waiting for the start. The cannon sounded, and I ran into the calm gulf waters. I tried to settle into a strong but smooth pace as quickly as possible, and found that the traffic wasn’t too bad. It was still an Ironman swim, so there were the inevitable punches in the back of the head an
d hands grabbing onto my legs, but I focused and tried not to let those little issues bother me. I was thrilled to see 30:30 on the clock when I completed my first loop, and I pushed a little more on my second loop. Unfortunately the only feet that I managed to find seemed to be tacking back and forth, and I was more interested in taking the shortest distance than getting a draft, so I swam pretty much on my own. The last stretch towards shore felt effortless with a little push from the waves, and I finished the swim in 1:03, a 2-minute improvement over Ironman Canada, and a huge improvement over previous races in Panama City, so I was definitely pumped as I raced through transition.
The forecast for the day in Panama City was for fairly strong winds from the northeast, which meant a headwind for most of the first half of the bike, and, as long as the wind didn’t shift, a tailwind for most of the second half. My strategy was to work very hard into the wind, and then relax a little more on the second half to try to save my legs. The long training rides into the wind back home paid off, and I felt comfortable and strong despite the headwinds. Luckily, the weather forecast was right on, and I benefited from a very nice tailwind most of the second half, although the last 6 miles or so were into a headwind and I was definitely very happy to get off my bike when I arrived at T-2 with a bike split just under 5:15.
I exited T-2 onto the run and my legs responded quickly. Leslie was watching in front of Spinnakers and screamed positive encouragement to me as I ran by, although I’m sure I didn’t look quite as good as she said. I took a quick look at my watch at the 1-mile mark, and was surprised that I had run the first mile in just over 7:30. That was very encouraging, but at the same time I knew I had to tone down the pace a little because I’m definitely not capable of running 7:30 pace for an Ironman marathon… at least not yet! I slowed down to a little over 8-minute pace, and while it seemed easy at the time, I knew it would get a lot harder as the miles went by, and I didn’t plan on being a one-loop wonder and slowing on the second half. I had no idea where I stood in my age group, and frankly, wasn’t even thinking about that. Into the second loop, I started feeling tightness in my calf. I was taking electrolyte tablets, water and coke at each aid station, and gels at regular
intervals to try and fend off the cramps, but as the tightness increased, I knew I had to slow down a little or risk the calf seizing completely. It was frustrating knowing I had to run slower to manage the cramping, because other than that I felt great. I got into the rhythm of going slow enough for a few minutes for the cramping to subside, and then picking it up gradually until it got worse again. With about 4 miles left, I saw Leslie again. This time she was screaming “You’re in 4th place – go hard!” I was quite shocked, and the sudden rush of adrenaline helped me to push the pace. That lasted about a mile, and then the reality of the calf issues returned, and I had to slow down again. With a mile left, I continued to push as hard as I could, but then the inevitable happened, and someone in my age group passed me. I responded immediately, and was definitely up for a race to the finish line, but reality bit me in the butt and I had to let him go. I wasn’t sure ho
w many Kona spots there were in my age group, but I knew that dropping from 4th to 5th place could see me left out in the cold next October.
I crossed the line in 10:13, thrilled to have established a new personal best at the ripe old age of 53, but disappointed that I had perhaps let a chance to race in Kona slip away. At the finish line, I met the athlete that had passed me. We congratulated each other on great races. Turns out he was racing his 28th Ironman – double my 14, and had just run a 3:27 marathon to my 3:45 run split. At least it had taken a great performance for him to pass me! He then told me not to worry, even if there were only 4 Kona spots, he wasn’t planning to take his. Really! So that meant as long as there were 4 spots, I was in. That night I suffered a roller-coaster of emotions. Ecstatic about a PB and my first podium finish at an Ironman, but disappointment that perhaps my best on the day was close, but not quite good enough. I was afraid there might only be 3 spots available. At 9 the next morning I was able to confirm that there were 4 spots. I then had to wait an agonizing 2
hours until the roll-down to claim my spot. In one of the classiest moves I’ve ever seen at Ironman, Mark, the 4th place finisher, came to the roll-down to congratulate me when I claimed the spot. It was a surreal moment for me to finally get in after being “close but not quite” in the past.
