Vineman Race Report

August 7th, 2008 by mccarthm

I am an Ironman! Those are words I’ve been waiting to say since I began this journey back about a year ago. Here is how it all went down:

Taper was good. I experienced some soreness, but kept stretching, hydrating and getting as much rest as I could. Early in the week, I used the time I’d been spending training getting my stuff together for the trip/race. I made my gear list and checked it twice, but still managed to forget a key piece of equipment for that darn front bottle (the straw). Luckily, Alden has seen me this a couple of times and rectified the situation while everything was still in piles on the floor of our townhouse. Molly sent an incredible CD of psych up/down songs which became my soundtrack for the race prep.

I went through several bouts of supernervousness and the first happened on Thursday morning. After packing up my stuff to go, I still had about an hour before we needed to take off for the airport. How’s that saying go? “Idle hands are the devil’s tools.” Right. Well, even though I don’t believe in the devil (that could be the subject of a whole other post later), I managed to think too, too much. Alden got tired of watching me try to distract myself with crocheting and breathing deeply so we eventually headed out to get some coffee at Caffe Ladro on our way to the airport. Leaving the house helped and I’d really settled by the time we sat down in our first class Virgin America seats.

We made it out to the house by 6 pm (yucky SF traffic), but managed to hear from friends and family along the way sending good luck wishes. Cory and John were at the house (huge, amazing, pictures to follow) and hung out while Alden reassembled my bike. We headed out to Santa Rosa for dinner and back home for an early bedtime.

The rest of the DC crew arrived later in the evening on Thursday and we got to meet them in the morning on Friday. Cory, John and I went out for a quick spin to put our bikes through their paces. All was good and Alden and I headed out to drive the bike course. It was full of rollers and one big hill as expected. The pavement quality wasn’t great in spots, but it was reassuring to see the course and feel good about it. We swung by the house for lunch when the course went within a half mile or so of it. I also gathered my T2 supplies and run special needs bag. It was a bit daunting for me to pack this stuff up as I’ve never done a two transition race, but pack I did. We met up with Cory and John at packet pick-up and dropped our stuff off.

Then it was back to the house for dinner and an early bedtime. My parents and Molly showed up briefly on their way to the hotel for good luck wishes. Alden and I were moving towards bed by 8 pm. Alden read my race plan out loud and we made some last minute adjustments as I remembered things (inhaler placement, etc.) Our lights were out by 9 pm as planned. However, this is where that second bout of nervousness reared its ugly head. Any little sound woke me up/ kept me up. When I did sleep, I had a nightmare about missing the race. When the alarm went off at 4 am I was feeling awfully sick to my stomach. I forwent my tea and pb/honey breakfast plan and had real trouble even choking down a Clif bar. Yuck. Some deep breathing and visualization on the 35-minute drive to the start brought me back a bit. I thought about all the training and preparation I’d done and saw that transformed into an incredible performance. By the time I arrived, I felt better. I was still nervous, but didn’t feel like I was going to hurl at any moment.

Participated in the chit chat in the transition area. This was much easier than normal as half of my stuff was already set up at the high school. The race was so small that I saw many of the women out on the course later on which was great. Mom, Dad and Molly arrived in plenty of time for my swim start. Briefly chatted with Cory and John as they set up their respective areas.

The swim was just barely wetsuit legal so the water was warm when I went in. The atmosphere was super relaxed, which I really appreciated since I was already so internally amped up. Our wave went off at 6:54 am by my watch. There was a bit of mist on the river which lent a nice glow to the swim. As most of you know, the swim is my strongest leg and so my biggest concern was avoiding chaffing. Molly and Alden had helped get me into my wetsuit and did a great job as I didn’t feel any stinging starting. I thought about Molly while I was out there and how amazing she’ll be in her first oly at the end of the month. The course was two loops so I got the opportunity to hear the cheering crowd (Molly especially) as I went around the buoy for my second lap. We fought the current a bit on the way out and were pulled gently back in. It was fairly easy to sight and to see swimmers in front of me. I was surprised a couple of times to see folks standing up before remembering that the river never really got too deep. I fought my way out of the water with a pro guy who was peeved I think because he was getting his ass kicked by a age-grouper woman.

Swim: 56:00.9
HR: 152

Although tempted for a moment, I forewent the wetsuit strippers and made my way to my rack. I could hear my family yelling as I made my way out. Although I was in my smallest chain ring, the hill out of transition still proved daunting so I quickly made a call to run up the hill. This was the first of many places during the day where Molly’s words helped to keep me on track. She yelled: “All the guys behind you are doing- no worries!” Good stuff.

T1: 3:07.5

The first lap of the bike was fairly uneventful. I ate and drank as planned. I kept my cadence around 90 and watched my heart rate. Three separate guys went by me on the bike and commented in various ways that I must have had an incredible swim to be so far up. Great for the confidence-building. John passed me although I didn’t know it at the time. His comment of “Nice bike” helped me focus on his (a Cervelo) and not on him, so I was confused and missed his DC Tri Club jersey and other identifying factors. I was surprised and appreciative to hear Molly on the downside of Chalk Hill. Saw Alden and Stephanie from run club in their running clothes by the house. The DC crew was just up the way and screaming as I went around the corner. Saw Mom, Dad and Molly as I made the turn to start lap twp. Later learned they’d made it with only a minute to spare! Good timing.

I had in my head that the special needs area for the bike was just past Windsor High School so got concerned when things thinned out without any sign of the bags/volunteers. I was worried I’d missed it when basking in the support of my family near the high school. This potential miss was important as I’d learned at packet pick-up that both the water and the gatorade bottles at the bottle exchanges would be too big to fit in the cages on my frame. Why is is that this is all planned around big boys with big bikes? My bike is too small for those behemoth bottles. My strategy was to refill my front bottle in the aid station and toss the bottle right there. On my second lap, I had two normal-sized water bottles in my special needs bag which I wanted to supplement the front bottle. I was starting to come up with Plan B solutions when I asked a volunteer who said that there was an aid station ahead. Special needs was just beyond the aid station and I was so discombobulated that I asked for the 386 bag (my number was 385). The volunteer was kind enough to correct me as well as re-apply sunscreen to my back and shoulders. I got the bottles along with more food and was on my way!

Lap two was tougher than lap one. The rough road bouncing hurt more and the hills were bigger (stay with me here- it’s my race report so I get to create the truth with a capital T). The worst part was how freakin’ hot and windy it was getting. I mean hot, hot, hot. There was a stretch on Dry Creek Road where the headwind and sun were darn near unbearable. The turn onto Canyon Road was welcome relief and I stopped to stretch my cramping feet. People were super kind when they went by- asking if I was OK or needed help. I think this was the first spot I encountered Summer, who will become a major player in this race report later on after T2. Stayed tuned! Molly, Mom and Dad surprised me on the second lap out in Geyserville. Molly asked how I was doing and I said: “It’s hot!” She shouted back to me to remember what a great time I had out on STP (mentioned in my race plan and a fabulous reminder for me). That second lap was just tough, tough. A vineyard employee Molly encountered at one spot told her his thermometer read 103. Yikes! I stopped again to stretch before Chalk Hill: Take 2. Molly and Dad were on the downslope cheering. As one participant said to Molly: “You are everywhere!” I concur and the support was amazing! I came around nearby the house and saw Alden and Steph (now in different clothes, but in the same spot). I knew I was on the slower side of my expected time, but knew that between the heat and the wind that I was doing alright. I stayed focused on keeping my cadence up, getting my nutrition in and watching my heart rate. Even though I knew I had a marathon in front of me, I was so glad to get off the bike when I got to the high school!

Bike: 7:18:43.5
Cadence: 81
Speed: 15.52
HR: 131

Apparently my growing discomfort was showing as the fam was worried about how I looked in T2. They did misread some cues like applying Friction Zone to my belly where my shorts’ tie rubbed as grabbing my stomach, but they were right on that I wasn’t grinning and blowing kisses anymore- it was hot! I hit the port-a-potty on the way out and stashed my special needs back just past the aid station. I heard Molly shout to me to be careful as it was 97 degrees.

T2: 4:41.8

I started out on a run/walk pattern as planned, but my walk segments were certainly longer than expected. I remembered that my goal was finishing strong so didn’t push too much. I saw John around mile 1.5 under a tree. He got up and walked with me, but shared that he was dizzy and throwing up- not so good. He quickly sat back down and sent me on my way. I hoped that he’d be OK. The run course was hillier than I’d expected and the heat was oppressive. I kept plowing and applied some Friction Zone to my lats/arms as I’d forgotten to do so in T2. I stopped at one point to take off my shoes and apply more to the bottom of one foot that was feeling not so happy. Summer made an appearance here as well, asking if I was OK. We chatted a bit as I went by a few minutes later.

I passed by the finish line for the first time and instead of crossing got myself a bracelet (think Live Strong in grape vine tones). I now knew what it would take to get this thing done- a full lap wearing two bracelets like this one. It was fun to see where other people were in relation to me, both those who were almost done and those who had a long way to go. Mom was back at the hotel, but Dad, Alden and Stephanie were all there cheering. I learned from Molly out at about mile 1.5 (again, everywhere!) that John was doing OK, but was getting IV fluids in the medical tent.

About halfway through my second lap, Summer and I passed each other yet again. As you all now know, an Ironman is a long and steady affair. At least where I was in the pack, fellow Ironpeople were incredible supportive of each other. This was especially true of folks with whom I regularly played leapfrog. After passing back and forth several times, Summer and I decided to run/walk together a bit. Talking to her about where she was from, what got her into this crazy endeavor, etc. took my mind off the nearly constant pain in my legs and the searing heat. We stuck together for the duration of the run.

The rest of the race goes like this: pass the for-sale mini goats, exchange life stories, wave at my Dad, talk some more, see Summer’s Mom, run down the hills, pass the white mailbox with the skunk smell, walk a bit with Molly way on the other side of the road, eat potato chips, drink yet more Gatorade until the sun goes down. It was six fourish mile runs past the same scenery, but each time was a bit different. People got faster, slower, less delirious, better stretched out and more hobbly. Two braceleters left and others took their places, braceletless. The four food stops were like mini cocktail parties where we stopped, took a few things and then moved back out in two directions, each towards our shared goal- finish this thing!

The guy out at the turn-around noticed how far each of us was along and made sure to tell the last lappers to enjoy the last four miles of their Ironman experience. My Dad says that he knew that I would finish when I came in off my first lap, but I have to say that I always knew that I would do it. That being said, it became really real as Summer and I said goodbye to the turn-around guy and thanked the food stoppers one last time. By now, some of them had taken down their tents and were sipping on wine. The sun had gone down and the darkness was closing in as I went past the final food stop. Forgoing food and fluids for the first time in the race, we told them we wouldn’t be back. One of the volunteers said: “In a mile, you’ll be an Ironman. Welcome to the club.” The celebratory tears started there. I floated the last mile. Those atrophied fast twitch muscles woke up for a short contribution to the incredible day as we sprinted across the finish line- I am an Ironman!

Run: 5:59:47.4
HR: 124 (plus 25 minutes after the race)
Finish: 14:22:21.1

I found my parents, sister, husband and Steph just outside the finisher’s chute. Ironically, they’d been standing next to Summer’s Mom at the finish line. Earlier, she politely asked Alden if he wouldn’t mind not giving full cow bell and clown horn as her daughter crossed the finish line so she could record a video. Little did they know that we’d come in together!

The volunteers asked me if I was OK and I was able to say “Yes” and mean it. Alden had already gathered my stuff from the beach and T2 and taken it back to the house so all that was left to do was revel a bit. We settled onto a picnic bench and I had some chicken noodle soup while we debriefed. I realized my watch was still running and Molly had the wherewithal to figure out how to turn off the keylock and get the thing to stop running (hence my lowered hr average for that leg of the race). I learned that Cory had won the Athena division of Barb’s Race- woo hoo! There were texts and calls (all handled by my communications team) to get the news out about my triumph!

Then it was back to the ranch (literally) for some rest, stretching and recovery. It took a few days for my body to ramp down. I didn’t sleep well, feel good and hungry or walk normally for a while. However, I did manage to partake of an incredible BBQ thrown by Cory and John’s friends and catch up with Cami, Menko and Mattie on Sunday. On Monday, it was down to Southern California to go, of course, to Disneyland! My Dad won a lifetime achievement award at a conference in Anaheim and I was honored to be there along with my Mom and sister. It was a great way to end the trip!

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I made this journey in the company of amazing folks who pushed me and reminded me I could do this awesome thing. My coach, Cheryl; my nutrition guru, Emily; and my massage therapist, Angela; got my body and mind ready. Mom, Dad and Molly provided amazing support from afar and in-person. Alden was an incredible bike valet, training partner and constant supporter. Run clubbers, Husky Masters, the Fauntleroy Y spin class regulars and Cheryl’s bike training group provided camaraderie along the way. The Ironmamas, Jen and Meg, inspired me with their awesome athletic abilities and thoughtful reflections. The 35 & dry crew (especially Cory and Nate) kept me honest and on track. My extended family, Alden’s family and non-tri folks at work and from other places in my life were encouraging and excited even as they thought me a bit crazy for taking this on. Summer and the other incredible Iron and Half Iron athletes out on the course kept me strong and focused. The volunteers nourished my body & spirit and kept me safe out there. What an amazing circle of support- thanks to you all for getting me here!

I’m back at home in Seattle now, looking less like a Weeble Wobble and more like myself. However, if you look closely you can see the internal glow of an Ironman- Iron McKroll!

Posted in past posts