Boulder Ironman

What an experience to say the least, almost a week later and my body is finally starting to feel normal. I can't believe that the race has already come and gone so much time, preparation, sweat, tears, and pain has gone into one day of glory. Mental toughness was the name of the game for Sunday, I feel like my brain is my most utilize tool in this triathlon game.

Athlete Check in

My bro Derek rolled up to Colorado on Tuesday, great to see that tall skinny cowboy! We waited for his friend, Ash Dragon, to meet up with us for a quick jog around the lake by my house. Ash is an Aussie that has transplanted to Cali, super cool chick and a hell of a triathlete. As we jogged around we all shared our insecurities about the race, what are expectations are, and questioned our sanity. After the super hot run we went out for some grub, the next day flew by and by Thursday we headed to packet pickup and hit the underwear run...awesome time running up and down Pearl street in my underroos. Friday, Derek and I went for a super easy spin and than it was all about feet up and chilling, after my final session with Mark http://musclerestoration.com/ and getting multiple pieces of KT tape on my back and sides. Crystal and I hit the movies. Southpaw, for a little last minute motivation for the weekend, pretty good flick but my god it was sad. Crystal was sniffling and sobbing throughout the entire movie, but so was I.

Underoos Run

Underoos Run

Saturday we dropped the bikes and our bags off and headed home, the nerves were wide open and I knew there would be little to no sleep. All my fears of the race were surfacing, what if I bonk, what if my nutrition is jacked up, what if I flat, what if I can't run that far...and so on and so on. If anybody had to spend some time in my brain I honestly think they would go to a psych ward. Thoughts race in and out faster than Usain Bolt, and that's on a normal day compound that with the massive pressure of my first Ironman and my head was about to explode. After a rather large meal, we laid down. I envisioned the whole race from start to finish, everything in my plan when and where I needed to execute it.

3:30am.....wow...today is the day, what am I made of, how much pain can I take, and will I cross the line. Derek and I rolled down dropped out special needs bags off and loaded up on the bus to head out to Boulder Reservoir. I threw my headphones in and jammed out to some intense motivational rap music. The bus was filled with nervous negative chatter and I wanted nothing to do with it, water temp was over 78, no wet suites, no worries I was mentally prepared for this and hadn't swam with one in over a month. Once we got to the res I felt like a rookie at my first ever tri, fumbling stuff in transition and feeling like I was running out of time. Found Crystal for my last kiss and hug, man I love those moments, then ran over to the starting line.

Crystal and I before the Race

6:24am...one minute before the gun goes off, I pull my goggles over my head and SNAP the strap breaks and I immediately panic....I turn to the large crowd of friends and families of the nearly 3,000 competitors and plea for anyone that has a spare set of goggles....BOOM....gun goes off and the race has started and I have yet to receive any goggles. Then a young girl walks up as she is digging through her bag, "I have a set"...instant relief...I gave her a huge hug and said thank you. As I put the goggles on I could tell they have seen better days, as I sinched the strap I could see light coming in under the bottom seals...oh well I'm at the waters edge and dive in. Water instantly fills both lens' and I am blinded I try to readjust but every time, BAM hammered by a fellow swimmer...looks like I'm swimming 2.4 miles in the dark. I had the strap so tight that it was digging into my tempels, I was able to let my mind relax and focus on breathing and trying to draft off of other swimmers, for me I could care less about the swim, and on a race this long it is only 10%. Just get through it and get on the bike, as I approached the swim exit I was for sure my time was going to be over 80 minutes. Looked at my Garmin and right at 70 minutes...score!!! I will take that all day long swimming with no eyeballs. Transition went relatively smooth and I jumped on my weapon to do some damage.

About 5 miles into the bike I began passing several groups of guys and they started yo-yoing back and forth and it was getting really annoying. Another 20 miles or so of this I had enough, I put my head down and started cranking and putting on a pace that they would not be able to maintain. My heart rate climbed higher than I wanted but I needed to make a move and get away from those idiots. I settled into a comfortable pace and began knocking miles out, my heart rate came back down and was able hammer down when I needed to. My race plan was simple, if I feel good I go for it. Nutrition was on point, 3 bottles of ensure plus, with my carb and electrolyte mixes, gu's and salt tabs. The last 25 miles on the bike, I was over it and was so ready to be off that thing, several climbs and we are back in Boulder. Cruising down Folsum Road, a sight for sore eyes and sore butt, Crystal was on the side of the road cheering me on! That was the perfect bit of energy I needed to get to T2 and get off this saddle that felt like a saw cutting me in half. Transition 2 was a joke for me...my god over 8 minutes WTF was I doing!!!! Well, for one the volunteer that was helping me packed up my sun glasses into my bag that was already taken away and I couldn't find them so I said "no shades for 26.2 miles....no problem." Second, I had to Spackle on loads of Vaseline in a bunch of fun places. Third, I had to hit the port-o-pottie to pee for the only time for the nearly 10 hour race. Finally hit the sunscreen station. The run was on after an embarrassing pathetic long T2.

Your'e Strong, Fit, Fast, let's Flow!

My plan on the run was also simple, break it into thirds: first 13, 13-20, and 20-26.2. The first 13 was easy, I have ran hundreds of half-marathons and never at this slow of a pace. The run felt comfy and smooth with a super low heart rate...perfect I thought. I knew during this race I would have extreme highs and extreme lows, for me the highs are where I would bank mental strength and the lows are where I would cash those mental strengths in. Six miles in and my pace has been consistent and heart rate low, by the time I hit mile 13 those fun little pains start to creep in my mind. Luckily I was ready and prepared for them, I read Chris McCormack's book "I'm Here to Win," and watched hundreds of videos on youtube about him. My favorite line is "embrace the suck." When the pain hits my legs and body, I have followed Macca's philosophy I welcome it, I feed off of it, I say "well here is the pain, this is what I wanted, this is why I do this, nobody in the world is as alive as I am right now." I will embrace the pain and push through it, giving up and walking is not an option!!!

Embracing the PAIN!

As the miles kept flying by I started passing hoards of people that seemed to be broken mentally and physically, I fed off that I kept pushing. I repeated this mantra in my head prob over 500+ times "Your'e STRONG, FIT, FAST, let's FLOW" over and over and over. If you were running by me I'm sure you heard me say it. The conversations I have with my head are epic and legendary. By the time I hit mile 18 I had to recall what my good friend, Anthony Lee, told me to do. With 8 miles left it is basically an hour..."you can do anything for an hour." Keep grinding relax my stride, focus, breath, push through...one hour is nothing. Before I knew it mile 20 had passed and with less than a 10K left a smile crept on my face, 6.2 miles to the finish, you've got this and my pace began to pick up. I started feeding off the energy in my head, the crowd, and the fellow triathletes I was passing. I honestly felt I wasn't in my body for the last several miles, just flowing out there. The pain of my legs were screaming but I couldn't hear them let alone feel them. The last 3 miles was a mile up hill with a 2 mile section to the finish line, I was able to run the fastest splits of my long painful day. I was passing people left and right zig zagging my way through the masses of zombie like shuffles. With a mile remaining I passed the lead woman and pulled ahead, as I made the turn onto the finish line chute emotions flowed in like a raging waterfall. Tears of joy, pain, and excitement came out as I hit the red and black carpet to the finish, the crowds brought me off the ground with there cheers and as I crossed the finish line 9:52:15...sub 10 my first go at this distance...unbelievable...is this real?

The Best part of me!!!

After...

Coming down the chute there she was my favorite person in the world, Crystal, tired and sweaty from tracking me outside all day, her day was just as hard as mine. A big hug filled with tears, salt and sweat as I embraced her. I am so grateful to have such an amazing supportive wife who puts up with my craziness. While getting checked out bu the medics and doctors I hear Crystal scream in excitement, "3rd in your division and 20th overall!!!!" Tears came rushing back...I'm going to KONA!!!!! HOLY S@#T, NO WAY, I can't hardly believe this. After heading to the massage tent, the feeling of accomplishment of what I just achieved didn't seem real. I am still in disbelief of everything that happened and how the day played out. My legs felt trashed and nothing sounded good to eat or drink. I got out of my kit and cleaned up a bit, Derek was a tad behind me and dealing with some painful hips. He came across the finish line and kissed the timing mat. Tears of pain as I met him in the chute for a bro hug. He was an Ironman!!! Proud of that guy for getting to the finish line in some series pain.

All I wanted to do was lay down, but when we got home and after a painful shower with all my chafe wounds ripping in pain, I could not find a comfortable spot to relax. Everything hurt, and hurt bad. I had a the chills but also had a temperature, my tongue was roasted from the salt tabs. So tired but unable to sleep, the alarm went off at 8 am to head back down to Boulder for awards, Derek and I could barely walk and looked like two old men shuffling to the award ceremony. The results had me 19th overall and 2nd in my division, apparently the guy that was in 2nd wore a wet suit and is therefore not eligible for awards or the Kona slot....WOW 2nd out of 278 athletes in the 30-34 division...HO LEE FUK!!!!

Awards

As I stood onstage getting my plaque I was the only athlete in the top 5 living in Colorado. A fast guy from Texas won, guy from Cali in 3rd, 4th Mexico, and 5th Italy, and me a hick kid from middle of nowhere Kansas in 2nd. HELL YEAH!!!! Shortly after the awards ceremony they had the Kona Slot allocation and for my divison only 4 slots were given. As my name was called I shuffled in pain to be given my lei by 3 time World Champion Miranda Carfrae, amazing experience, $901.00 later I was signed up for the holy grail of triathlon races.

Derek and I

What an experience this has been starting back in January with a plan and executing the plan to near perfection, besides my pathetic transition times. Unbelievable and extremely grateful to be able to do what I do. I would not be able to train and race like this without my beautiful wife who is hard on me but knows I feed off of it. Everyone who was tracking me, I can honestly say at some point during the run I could feel positive vibes and helped me push through. Can't thank Anthony and Derek enough for being there when I need them. Everyone who I trained with and pushed me to race hard, all the haters for not believing in me or believing in my plan I love it!!!! Fuels my fire and puts a chip on my shoulder that I feed on to keep getting better and grinding it out!!!!
GOING TO KONA BABY!!

Miranda Carfrae and I

Rachael Norfleet, Me, Ash Dragon