The Race

Since my first triathlon 4 years ago, I always thought I'd do an Ironman, but not anytime soon.  My first race was a 500 yard swim, 14 mile bike ride and a 3.1 mile run and took a little over an hour.  Fast forward to 2011 and my friend Derek Pollard convinced me and Dave Liniado to do an Ironman in 2012.  Believe it or not, as crazy as these races seem, they sell out within hours.  A lot of people from Atlanta choose Ironman Florida because it's easy to get to but it's in November which means training all summer.  So...we picked Ironman Coeur d'Alene in Idaho primarily because (1) we could get a spot and (2) it was early enough in the year to enjoy the rest of the summer with our families.

I started training specifically for this race in October.  I had three great months of training and in early January was feeling great.  On January 10th I ran 5 one mile intervals at the fastest pace I've ever gone and was feeling psyched.  Unfortunately, later that day out of nowhere, I developed a pain in my foot and couldn't walk by the afternoon.  Although I never received a conclusive diagnosis, I was told it was the early signs of a stress fracture and sprained ligaments.  This resulted in literally no substantive training for two months.  I could swim but had to use a buoy so I wouldn't kick, and I did no running or biking.  By late March, I wasn't even sure I would have enough time to train but was hoping my base fitness would pull me through.  I also threw out any time specific goals I had in favor of just showing up at the starting line.

Thanks to some rest and frequent sports massage, I was able to start training again in late March.  I had a removable aircast to wear when biking and running and although it was annoying, I felt no pain training while wearing it.  Dave and Derek were great training partners on my long rides and runs.  My days were filled with early wake up calls (sometimes 4 AM), swims during lunchtime and early bedtimes.  I did this so I could keep a (somewhat) normal routine at work and with the family at home after work and on weekends.

My training peaked in early June with over 18 hours of training in a week.  My last week included a 20 mile run and a 100 mile bike ride followed by a 8 mile run.  I seriously enjoy working out and look forward to all three triathlon disciplines but as the volume of training reached this peak, it became more of a chore fitting it in and moved past the fun stage.  I was happy to finish training and enter a two week taper before the race and let my body recover.

We flew to Idaho on Wednesday before the race.  I worked very hard and was confident in my ability to finish.  However, as we inched closer to race week, the water temperatures in Lake Coeur D'Alene weren't rising and hovered around 53 degrees.  Our lakes in Georgia were already near 80.  I lost plenty of sleep thinking of the cold swim.  I was also freaked out about my first mass swim start with 2500+ athletes entering the water at the same time.  So, as soon as our bags were unpacked, we hit the lake in our full wetsuits.  The outside temps were in the 80s but the water was ice cold.  5 minutes into the swim your face and hands go numb which is actually a good thing because you don't feel the cold after that point and it's not too bad.  After 15 minutes in the lake my confidence was back since the water wasn't as bad as I imagined...or so I thought.  The next morning, we decided to swim again at race time.  The outside temp was 30 degrees cooler and the water temps dropped 3 degrees.  Ouch.  On this swim, my feet were so cold I didn't think I would last the whole race.  I immediately bought some swim booties and didn't sleep that night worrying about not finishing the swim.  Fortunately, high afternoon temps raised the water temperature from around 53 when we arrived to almost 60 the day before the race.  Each practice swim was easier and I could go back to just worrying about the mass start.

                                                       RACE WEEK WATER TEMPS

For someone used to working out a lot, tapering is miserable.  You're resting your body and fueling it at the same time so you feel like you want to explode.  On a 5 minute jog you're tempted to sprint and a 30 minute easy spin on the bike does nothing to quench your thirst for a good sweat. 

After two days of getting settled, our wives arrived which was a needed distraction from the taper and race worries.  We rented a great house with a view of the lake and just happened to be right on the run course and blocks from the bike course.  

We had great meals and enjoyed each other's company. 

The day before the race, you have to check your bike into the transition area and drop all your gear off for the next day.  Although I had months to prepare, I panicked I was forgetting something or putting it in the wrong bag.  By 3:00 in the afternoon, this was over and nothing left to do but eat a good dinner and get some sleep (yeah right) before the race. 

The race started at 7:00 AM but we needed to be there around 5:00 for final setup.  I maybe slept an hour that night and the fireworks outside didn't help!

I was out of bed at 3:30 AM.  I ate close to 1000 calories for breakfast to give my body time to digest.  The transition area on race morning is intense - especially at an Ironman.  2500 mostly super fit athletes prepping bikes and gear. 

I know most were as nervous as me but they sure didn't show it.  Especially the guy wearing nothing but a speedo with no wetsuit, booties, etc. He must have been one of those guys we met earlier in the week from Canada saying the water felt like a bathtub.  At 6:30 we were on the beach waiting for the canon.  One quick gel and Perform (Ironman's version of Gatorade) and time for goggles and swim caps.  Oh yeah, this is a mass swim start!!! 

I seeded myself towards the outside of the masses figuring I had an escape route if it got crazy.  The canon went off and I counted to 20 before entering the water.  I figured 20 extra seconds wouldn't matter at the end of the day and it would save me a lot of kicks and swallowed water.  The water was a cozy 58 degrees and the cold never bothered me.  I moved from one person's feet to another's as I learned for the first time how much energy you can save by drafting (legal on the swim but not the bike in a Ironman). 

When I was behind someone going the same speed as me, I could really conserve energy and let them break the water for me.  The 2.4 mile swim was 2 loops and as I exited loop one, I saw 35 minutes on the time clock - a full 5 minutes ahead of my goal.  How did that happen??  I had a long day ahead so I dialed it back a bit and finished the second lap in 37 minutes.  It was a little unnerving being in the water with so many people but as much as I heard people complaining after the race about the awful swim and water conditions, I must have worked myself up with so much worry that the swim was never an issue for me.

On the way out of the water, you lay on the ground and "wetsuit strippers" yank off your suit for you as you enter the changing tent.  Into the bike clothes.  It was cool outside so I wore arm warmers and a cheap long sleeve shirt over my sleeveless tri top.  No matter how many times you practice transition or think it through, something goes wrong.  For me, it was putting on my ankle brace before my socks and all my shirts before sunscreen.  Fixing these added several minutes to my transition but I was so pumped about my swim time I never had any worries. 

The bike course was two loops of 56 miles.  The first 20 or so miles was out and back to Higgins Point and a scenic route along the lake.  It was in the low 50's outside and I was happy to have the long sleeves on.

There were lots of cold riders on that first stretch.  I saw Tracey, Jill (Derek's wife),  Mira (Dave’s wife) and Scott (Dave’s brother) around mile 15 holding the first of many signs and had to pedal faster!  Although you burn lots of calories riding, I've been told your body can't replace more than 200-400 calories per hour through what you eat on the bike.  So, my plan was right in the middle with a target of 300 with 1/3 through solids, mostly Gu Comps, and 2/3 from liquids on the course. 

The remaining 35 miles out and back involved a fair amount of climbing.  There were a couple of 2-3 mile hills with a 5-6% grade which is similar in grade but slightly shorter than Neels Gap in north Georgia.  There were still clouds and it was cool which was ideal for climbing.  So many friends who have done Ironmans told me not to go too hard on the bike and who am I to think I'm smarter.  I rode the hills cautiously and I won't lie about the competitor in me wanting to chase all of the people passing me but I let them go.  Once we reached the turnaround, it was a net downhill towards town and a big psychological boost.  I saw riders with flat tires, broken chains, etc. and was hoping my bike wouldn't let me down.  On the way to the second lap, I saw Tracey and the crew again. The second lap was more challenging as the miles racked up and the temps rose.  People still passed me on the hills but not as many.  My nutrition plan seemed to be working.  I mixed in a Cliff Bar and a peanut butter and honey sandwich at the 2 and 4 hour marks just to have a break from the Gu.  The climbs weren't fun but after mile 90 we turned around and headed back down towards the lake.  This time, I let my legs rest on the downhills realizing the run was less than an hour away.  I crossed mile marker 110 and was now on the longest bike ride of my life.  2 more miles and the ride was over.  Ironman bike transitions have valet service and a volunteer grabbed my bike so I could head right to the run change tent.

Another transition, a couple more mistakes.  Again, I put on my aircast before my socks and I also forgot my sunglasses on my bike helmet.  Oh well, the swim went fine, the bike had no issues and there was nothing between me and the finish line but my own body's ability.  I was off the bike in under 8 hours from the start of the race.  Given my interrupted training, my goal was to break 13 hours.  I knew I could run a 5 hour marathon and didn't want to do anything stupid - like run too fast on the first mile...which I did!  I was just thrilled to be off the bike!

Our house was between miles 1 and 2  where Tracey and the crew were going crazy.  I could finally slow down for a couple seconds to say hi and it was another boost of motivation to keep going.  Their signs were fantastic and brought smiles to many.

 

The run was 6 miles out along the lake on the same route as the bike start and then back.  The first 3 miles were relatively flat with a little bit of a climb after that before another couple flat miles.  However, as you approached the turnaround, there was a steep 8% climb which was rough.  The turnaround was actually a little over the crest of the hill which meant you had a short uphill right after turning around.  While running downhill seems easier, it can actually hurt just as much.  I saw Tracey again around mile 12 before hitting the halfway point.  The turnaround at mile 13 was a big mental challenge.  You were literally running parallel to the finish line and could hear the announcer yelling to the top age group finishers “you are an Ironman.”  But I still had a lap to go.

I passed our house and Tracey again at mile 15 this time telling her I’d see her again at the finish line.  I promised myself some treats on the last lap as motivation.  Lots of other runners swore by cola on the run as an immediate sugar rush.  The key is having soda left out for a while so the carbonation is gone.  I tried my first cup around mile 16 and it was a big disappointment.  Lots of fizz and my stomach didn’t like it.  So much for the cola.  I wasn’t hungry or thirsty but others told me I would feel this way and needed to force the calories and liquids in.  I went back to water and sports drink. 

By this point, over 75% of the athletes on the course were walking and it would have been easy to join them but I didn’t want to stop.  As we approached mile 19, the beast of a hill, I may have seen one other person running.  Keep in mind, my run pace was very slow but at least I wasn’t walking!  I turned around after the hill with 6 miles to go and no more hills. 

I have a regular running route from my house which is 6-7 miles.  At this point in the race, I told myself I was just out for that regular run.  At mile 20, I was at Spalding and Glenridge.  At mile 23 I was at the Perimeter LA Fitness and so on, visualizing getting closer to home.  By mile 24 I was back in the neighborhoods and the crowds were unbelievable.  I passed our house at mile 25 and started to realize this was going to happen and well within my goal time of 13 hours.  You reach Sherman Ave at mile 25.9 and have .3 miles running downhill between thousands of screaming spectators and volunteers.  I can’t describe the feeling of running down this road.  I high fived every person I could see and pumped my fists approaching the end. 

When I heard Mike Riley announce “Sammy Grant, you are an Ironman”, I had a huge smile on my face.

There are volunteer “catchers” at the finish line to keep you on your feet.  Get your medal, a shirt and hat, a quick picture and off to the food.  I tried to eat but wasn’t hungry.  The line for a massage was long so I soaked my legs in the cold lake for 10 minutes which felt great.  We hung around the finish line for a little while and then went home to shower.  I don’t remember much about that night or when I fell asleep but I woke up at 3 AM starving.  By 11 that morning, I had eaten three breakfasts and by the time the day ended, I easily ate more than 4000 calories.  I won’t bore you with the details of gathering my gear and heading home but will just mention I didn’t feel too bad other than a couple of blisters and sore quads. 

It’s always fun to have a goal and accomplish it.  It’s even more fun to do so with great friends like Dave and Derek.  Our families and colleagues were a big part in allowing us to reach these goals and the accomplishment wouldn’t have been possible without them.  The race organizers, 3000 volunteers and the entire town of Coeur d’Alene were unbelievable and made each athlete feel like a rock star the entire week. What a day.