Ironman Wisconsin 2012 - Race Report

Summary:
Swim: 57:55
Bike: 5:19
Run: 3:17
Total: 9:43
5th in M35-39 / 30th Overall

Goals: Going in, and as was highly publicized here, I wanted to get back to Kona. As my race goals further evolved leading up to the race I wanted to get on the podium and figured I’d need at least a 9:45. My time predictions from my training and race simulations were sub 1 swim x 5:20 bike x 3:15 run, so a 9:45 was within reason.
 

Pre-race
2 days out, I always start by cutting my toe nails just a little too short and removing all of my nose hair. Just kidding, it’s really 4 days out for the nails. Race morning 4am rise for breakfast, coffee and pre-race evacuation. My staple pre-race breakfast is a .....

 

peanut butter and jelly sandwich and a banana. Ala Jordan Rapp, I also chased 4 Optygen caps and 3 Mulit-Vs with a ½ bottle of Ultragen. Only half a bottle because I was still feeling really full from my 48hr carbo load and just couldn't stomach any more. At registration I weighed in at 149 but on race morning I’d guess it was more like 155.  Lucky for me, this time around, I had my dad and sister to help with race logistics and to cheer me along the way!

My Super Race Day Sherpas!



Swim I started about a dozen guys off the main buoy line, one row back from a bunch of really intense looking, and likely former swimmers. I’m notorious for taking the swim out way too fast and this time promised myself not to do that. Within the first 150 yards, I was really surprised to have clean water and a pair of feet no one else was contending for.

 

After the first turn, it felt like the effort was a little too light, so I sighted a pair a feet up ahead, increased the pace, closed the gap and held on/recovered until repeating when I was feeling good. I personally didn’t care for the 1 loop swim. There was nothing to break it up, the back 1700m took forever and I had no gauge what so ever on what kind of pace I was on. I was pleasantly surprised to see the clock on the swim exit. I put in more work in the pool this year and my 3min ironman swim PR was validation of that. Time: 57:55

T1
The Helix was awesome. I ran up slowly enough to really take in the faces of all the spectators that were lining one of the signature features of IMWI. The T1 volunteers were first class and were all very eager to help whisk me away on my bike.
 
Bike
I’ve spent a lot of time and money in the past 2 years to bring my bike fitness inline with my swim and run. I got a Quarq two years ago and this past Fall upgraded the bike. With the help of some Slowtwitch user inputs, I estimated that I could ride a 5:20 on 200W. I wasn’t willing to chase a time but knowing what I thought would be required to get on the podium, optimistically I was hoping I could dial back the power to still ride a 5:20 and then smash the run.

The course is by far my new favorite on the ironman circuit. It’s not nearly as scenic as LP but it’s much more challenging. It rewards discipline and benefits technical riders. Endless rollers, slow grinding granny gear climbs, 40 mph descents and technical turns. 10-15min can easily be given up by coasting down hills and braking into corners. Also it was by far the most spectated course I have ever been on! 5:20 has never passed so quickly and I thank the insane spectators and selfless volunteers for that.

I am very happy to report that there were moto refs all over the course. I must have been passed a dozen times. I was only passed by 1 group of 3 guys that may have been pushing the 4 bike length draft zone a tad as we climbed a hill but knowing the number of refs that passed me, I’m going to give them the benefit of the doubt as I didn’t see anyone in a penalty tent all day. So that raises a question: what’s worse; overzealous refs or empty tents? From my standpoint I saw a really clean race, so in this case I’d say overzealous refs would have been way worse!

I had a few time checks that I knew would keep me on pace for a 5:20. (end of the Stick (mile 16) and at the end of Loops 1 and 2). Much to my pleasure, I was riding ahead of prediction on 200W and beginning the descent back into Verona, I began to shut it down a little, which was a welcome thought as I was fatiguing a bit.

Time: 5:19, 21.1 mph, 202W norm. 

Bike Nutrition: I broke my nutrition plan up by course features and as simple as I kept it, I still tape reminders on my bike so the plan is always right in front of my face!

Stick: 1 bottle perform, ¼ bonkbar
Loop1: 2 bottles perform, ¾ bonk bar, ½ EFS flask
Loop2: 2 bottles perform, 1 EFS flask
Stick: 1: 1 bottle perform, ½ EFS flask
(*I added 1 scoop of Pre-Race to each of the 2 flasks I carried)
Total cals: 2135
Cals/Hr: 400

T2
I thought the way the bike course ended sucked. 2-ish miles slowly weaving through narrow bike paths, deserted parking lots and numerous tight 90 degree turns. Speed and power averages went to shit here but I guess it was nice to end fresh for the run. Nothing major in T2, a ton of chairs to pick from and volunteers to assist. I changed shoes and was off.

Run

I was pretty sure that I had a 3:15 in my legs and that was before I backed off by 20W in the final stretch. I started off at 7min/miles and was feeling great. At mile 3 my antiquated Polar HRM completely crapped out on me. My good friend had given me shit about a month prior about relying on such an out dated piece of equipment. He was right and I was stupid. For some reason I didn’t really panic and passing through the next aide station, I got several very odd looks as I slammed dunked both the watch and chest strap in to a garbage can! Luckily all my run training has been based on HR and perceived effort. I used my best judgment to set an appropriate pace.

 

At mile 6, my sister let me know I was 5th off the bike. I was happy to hear that but quickly slipped in to a mild depression when I got passed by 2 guys in my AG in the back stretch along the lake. I'm supposed to get passed on the bike, not the run! I was in a bad place for miles 10 through 20. All that training, all the sacrifices and I was going to come up short again (failed qualifying attempt at IMLP last year). Walking every aid stations and taking part in the on course buffet was all that I could do to keep running. Passing 1st lappers on my second time around helped encourage me and despite how slow I felt, I was still moving at a decent clip. It wasn’t until mile 20 when I realized all hell was breaking loose around me. My senses were blurred by masses of runners, hordes of volunteers and the aid station carnage that surrounded me. I was delusional, questioning whether each guy I passed was on his second lap or not. I didn’t quit. It would have been much easier to just walk back to the capital rather than run but I refused to. It’s a known fact that these races are won and lost in the final 6 miles and I had no way to know what was happening on the road ahead. The next thing I knew, a few guys that looked really strong earlier in the day were blowing up and in the final miles I began to emerge from my mental swamp of despair.

I still wasn’t moving very fast but it was still faster than all of those around me. And then somewhere in the last 2 miles, I made a pass or two and as I rounded Capital Square, I looked back and I was all alone. Grateful that a sprint finish wouldn’t be required, I coasted my way to the finish. Crossing the line, I nearly panicked again when I saw 9:53 on the clock…no way that would be fast enough, and then one of my catchers told me that they hadn’t rolled the clock back yet from the Pro finish, so it was really 9:43. There was hope and as I shook hands and extended congrats to the guys that really smashed it, I took a head count and had determined that I had finished in 5th. Time: 3:17

Run Nutrition: Alternating aid stations: perform/ice, coke/ice, water/gel/endurolytes (x2)

Wrap Up:
Wow, that was really long. Sorry. Hopefully the pics helped.

I beat each my pre-race estimates, PR’d in each of the 3 disciplines, made the podium and am going back to Kona! This summer, with a working spouse and three young boys, life was too busy, I almost quit. On Sunday my legs were screaming but I refused to give up! My wife says I’m stubborn, she’s absolutely right!

In the end, 6th place was only 2 min back. Don’t tell my boys but Daddy went pee-pee in his pants twice on the bike and didn’t stop for special needs all day. There’s 2 minutes.

Piss myself and all over my beautiful new bike for Kona?…you'd better believe it!