2009 Whirlpool Ironman 70.3 Steelhead

I know this is more than a couple days overdue and I apologize. I really would have liked to have gotten it done Sunday upon returning home, but that was not to be. But it's here now. So, without further ado, I would like to present for your viewing and reading pleasure, my Ironman 70.3 Steelhead race report!

Pre-Race

Race weekend began on Friday as we needed to travel to Benton Harbor and pick up my race packet, get body marked, and put my bike into the transition area. I was looking forward to actually sleeping in Friday morning, but a persistent project at work required me to head in there for a couple early hours. Once back at home it was time to pack, load, and hit the road. We were underway by 1:30, which turned out to be a little too late for my comfort. I never actually checked how long the drive was going to take, and things got a bit tight that evening. Our GPS brought us right to Lake Michigan College, where packet pick-up was being held.

There was a decent expo with all things tri to look over. After getting my packet I found my new vacation hat: A 2009 Steelhead running cap. It's by HeadSweats, which is the same maker of my old vacation hat, except that it's nice and clean and new. Body marking followed. It was nice to get all this minor stuff out of the way the day before.

After body marking it was time to find my swim wave start. I was hoping to go early, thereby giving myself as much course time as possible. Remember, I was worried about making the time cutoffs for the swim and bike. 35 - 39 year old's went off in Wave 15. There were only 18 Waves. OK, I'll just need to swim faster. And that was the last I worried about it.

After finishing up with the Expo, it was time to find the park and get my bike into transition. Once again the GPS brought us right where we needed to be. Although we did drive through some very undesirable neighborhoods on the way. I wasn't expecting to find the whole urban blight thing happening here. Oh well. Jean Klock Park was PACKED. I was worried about finding a parking space within decent walking distance. But upon rounding a bend there were quite a few parking spaces available. My biggest trouble that day turned out to be deciding where to mount the bike number. Because I was carrying a seat bag with tire repair materials, it made mounting the number on the seat post awkward. I finally decided to leave the bag on overnight and have the number partially wrap around it.

With the number taken care of and my orange race participant bracelet on, we headed towards the transition area. Bikes needed to be in by 8:00 PM. We had plenty of time but it was getting late. We were very hungry and still needed to check into the hotel.

On our way to the transition area.

As I'm walking along the sidewalk, notice how calm and inviting the waters of Lake Michigan look.

The finish line: My target destination for the following day.

Again, notice how nice the water are, and remember that when you see the photos from Saturday morning!

The Transition Area was HUGE! You don't even want to try to imagine how much money is invested in all the bikes. Mine was one of the less expensive ones.

Still calm.

Here I am, done and making my way out. Will I have the same look on my face when I cross the line the following day?

Back at the Jeep we were ready to leave when we were temporarily blocked in by a classic car cruise. Who in there right mind scheduled two major events for the same time and place? I mean, really?

But there were some really nice cars, so we enjoyed the parade.

There were some restored oldies.

And lots of muscle!

Starsky and Hutch were even there!

And then there was this guy. Would someone please tell him there is a distinct a point when the rims get TOO large!

We eventually made it to the hotel, the Courtyard by Marriot which was about 15 minutes away. After checking in we went down the street to gas up at the Meijer's and stopped for dinner at an Applebee's. The restaurant turned out to be the worst major chain restaurant we've ever eaten in. The customers were a mix of locals and athletes in from out of town. The locals were loud, rude, and very disruptive. The service there was horrible, with some of the employees making an attempt at good service and others not caring, like our waitress. Don't eat there if you ever find yourself in Benton Harbor, MI. In fact, don't stay at the Courtyard either. For what they were charging per night, the condition of the room and location should have been much nicer. Having never stayed at a Courtyard before, I don't know if they're all this way or if it was just this particular location. We will not be staying there again.

Race Day

Race morning began with me waking up around 3:00 AM. To be honest, waking up was what I was doing all night. I didn't get a good night's sleep. But I didn't expect to, so I wasn't upset about it. Shuttle buses were running from an off site parking area to Jean Klock Park from 4:15 to 5:45. After finding the correct parking area, we climbed aboard a crowded shuttle for a short 1 mile ride. Upon unloading (and having the driver close the doors on me as I was stepping off the bus) I made my way to my bike in the transition area. Things on the to-do list included inflating the tires, loading water bottles, mounting and resetting the cyclometer, and arranging all my various transition area articles. That took maybe 20 minutes. Maybe longer because it was still very dark.

The flash gives a better perspective.

Bailey might look wide awake, but he really wasn't.

I like this photo!

An overview of the beach and transition area. The giant water bottle and arch on the left is the swim exit. Transition is to the right where the street lights are. It's about a 75 meter run from the beach to the pavement through deep sand. That's going to be tough coming out of the water.

All done getting things ready. Now all we do is wait. The pro's went off at 7:00. My wave? Not until 8:28!

The rising sun gives a little extra definition to the scene. Bailey occupied himself playing in the sand.

Eventually it was time to stop relaxing and get back to work. Sunscreen would be necessary today. At least for part of the day.

Then it was time to don the wetsuit.

And begin to make our way 1.2 miles down the beach to the start. The sand was cold to bare feet, but the 68 degree water felt great.

Not the same calm lake as Friday. The flag at the hotel and those at the race site where all unfurled. The swim was canceled at last year's race due to rough surf. This wasn't that bad and I didn't want it to be canceled. But it was getting worse.

A really cool house on the beach and an even cooler driftwood fort.

Someone was kind enough to offer to take a photo of the three of us. Note that Heather has wrapped a towel around her waist for warmth.

Scenic? Yes. But I have NEVER swam in surf before. The other two tri's were held in much smaller bodies of water with no waves.

Time to head in for a warm-up and get a feel for the water.

It actually wasn't bad. The water here is much clearer than in Erie, was warm, and I was able to get a feel for the waves. There were the occasional rogue waves that let out an incredible crash when they broke on the beach, but they weren't bad for the most part.

A look at the swim starting area from behind. The green swim caps are the wave set to go.

And there they go!

These lighthouses sit on a wall where the St. Joseph River empties into Lake Michigan. The race used to start on that wall with a dive into the water. The beach start is what is used now.

Swim

The swim start came pretty quickly. I was able to get in two warm-up swims before lining up at the starting area. What caught me by surprise was how many other guys were edging toward the back of the field. That's a tactic to evade the jostling for position that happens up front. No one wants to get dunked or popped in the face unless they think they have a shot at winning the age group.

Pink caps. That must mean my wave. I'll be one of the one's towards the back.

At the gun, there was more hesitancy than I expected. I must not have been the only one worried about the distance.

There we go!

My best times for swimming a half mile in the pool are around 22 minutes. One of my last training sessions saw times of 23, 22, and 22 minutes back to back. I was hoping to do at least that and finish in around an hour. The buoys we needed to swim outside of were located pretty far from shore. I had no idea exactly how deep the water was, and tried not to think about it once I got out there. The race info stated 12 feet of water, but there were large boats anchored there on Friday closer to shore than we were swimming.

I started to the immediate left of the buoys but somehow managed to make my way further out towards the line of boats that formed the outer line of the course. After a while I began having real problems spotting where I was going. And I had NO clue how far I had gone. Out where I was swimming there were no white caps. But there were big rolling swells. The kind that if you tried to spot between swells you couldn't see over the top. So I would time my attempts to coincide with being on the crest of a wave. But then, the rising sun combined with my fogging goggles prevented me from seeing anything. I was swimming blind. But I wasn't panicked. I was feeling good. Every once in a while I would spot the outline of what looked like a boat and I would swim to the right of it. I would occaisionally see a buoy after I had passed it. I knew I was going straight so I just concentrated on keeping it up.

Eventually I spotted a yellow buoy. That was supposed to be the last one and mark the turn towards the beach. But it seemed like I had come upon it too soon. There was a young lady in a kayak there, so I asked if it was indeed the final one. It was! So I turned towards the shore. I'm really going to need to buy some good anti-fog goggles!

Here I am, having surfaced and trying to unzip my wetsuit.

I was a little tired.

Trying to get the top off while running through the surf.

This is a good one. Check out the expression on my face. My swim split from beach to beach was 50 minutes. Way faster than what I was expecting.

Here I am crossing the timing mat for a swim split of 51:47. That run up the beach was horrible! The sand was so deep. There was no footing to be had.

Bike

Transition went smoothly if not quickly. 5:12 to be exact. But I found myself ready to hit the road for 56 miles, back in one of my comfort zones.

Heading out of T1.

Heading north on M-63. This route paralleled the coast and we would see many miles on it both going out and coming back in.

Still heading out of town.

What can I say about the bike? I'm not as big a fan of it as I used to be. It's uncomfortable and hurts my ass. It's long. It sucks to be passed by someone going MUCH faster than I am. The bike leg was OK. The roads were in good condition, except for one spot where someone trenched across the road and filled it in with gravel. At least they warned us about it. It was a rolling course that wouldn't have been too difficult except for the wind. That is what I will remember about this ride. There was a wind out of the southwest that was killer. It just sucked the energy and hope from your soul. A triathlon dementor of sorts. Going out you didn't notice it too much because it was kind of going in the same direction. But once we passed the point when we started heading back in, you noticed it. It was impossible not to. You could feel it pushing against you. You could hear it. And when the gusts came, the noise would get louder. And the resistance would increase. An all-out assault on the senses. But what amazed me was that guys were not riding in the aero position, but tall in the saddle. That just increases the area for the wind to hit. So I rode smart. Knowing the bike was not my strong event, I just tucked as low as I could and pedaled evenly, not over doing it. I didn't want to blow my legs out trying to gain a few seconds to minutes on the bike. My time would come later.

It was the low and easy recipe that brought me back to M-63 from the countryside. But the winds were worse closer to shore. And so were the hills. Ups and downs, no flat sections. But I was passing people. I really didn't understand what was going on. Then, I had a pain in my stomach. Not internal, but on my skin, like a hair had gotten caught in my shirt. Pulling my shirt away didn't relieve it, so I ran my hand across the area. I felt a lump. Something had flown down my shirt and was now biting or stinging me. Finding the lump again I squeezed it hard. I never did see what it was, but I had a welt forming and it hurt. I didn't see a stinger and it wasn't large enough to be a bee anyway. That thing hurt the rest of the day and into the next! Once the pain left it began to itch like a mosquito bite. In fact, the thing's still red tonight!

Not far from the bike finish.

So, the wind and the bite were the two most eventful things from the bike. I saw many an athlete repairing a flat tire and was glad to not have to do that. It was still sunny arriving back at transition, but the clouds were on the doorstep. And they didn't look too nice. Total time for the bike: 3:25:38, averaging 16.34 mph. I was hoping to ride better, but considering the wind, I'll take it.

Run

Heading out onto the run course, with a gel in hand, giving my best Forrest Gump wave.

Bailey fell asleep waiting for me. I guess I took too long on the bike.

Heather found our new summer home!

I guess he didn't sleep as well as I thought last night.

I wouldn't be lying to say the run went well. I didn't overdo the bike so I was in very good shape for the run. Much like the previous two triathlons, I was passing people. I was passing people like a madman! The aid stations were awesome. I was carrying Gatorade, water, and gels, but didn't need them. Everything was on the course. They had ice and sponges to cool off with. I was able to stay cool and loose for a good while. I drank a lot and took three of my four gels. There was only one guy who passed me, and he was a lap ahead of me on the two loop run course. I kept passing guys with wave 15 on their leg, and it made me push harder. There was only one spot where everyone was walking, including me. A hill that we needed to climb twice along the course. Learning from running the trails, it wasn't worth the effort to run up.

I had a really nice run. I was tired, but not in pain. Not yet, anyway. The pain hit around mile 11 when I tried to pick up the pace a little bit. The leg cramps set in. But they weren't as bad as the one's at Rite Aid so I just pushed through them.

Rounding the last corner and onto the home stretch.

Crossing the line! No, my expression isn't the same as the previous day.

Not glad it was over, just happy to be done!

My run time was 1:48:01 averaging 8:14 per mile for the half marathon. Not my best time, but certainly not my worst! I knew I was feeling better out there than 90% of the other athletes. My finish time was 6:13:58. I was happy.

The tiredness caught up with me later that afternoon.

We stopped by Notre Dame on the way home Sunday.

We found a swarm of angry bees while searching for the Grotto. Yes, all the little spots are bees and they were shooting all over the place!

We finally found the Grotto.

Thanks to Heather for taking just about all of these photos!

Now what? Are there more half Ironman's in my future? Yes, I think so. Would I like to go longer? I'm thinking yes about that as well. 2010 might be shaping up to be a very interesting year.