Ironman Lake Tahoe Recap 9.28.13

 

I would like to start with a big Thank You to my family for their tireless support and encouragement and to Bill and Anne Wilson at Camelback Coaching for having me ready for this race.  The training tools they provided; Tahoe Training Camp, training weekends in Flagstaff, and expert training plans instilled the confidence I needed to execute an effective race strategy from start to the finish.  I would also like to thank my friends, ONE Multisport teammates, and fellow Camelback athletes for their training  companionship and support during this journey.
 

 

I am now a 7-time IM finisher and 1-time IM Tahoe survivor. LOL…sounds funny but between the altitude, terrain, weather and course unknowns??…this race required due respect.  The weather was a major factor as a cold front moved through the day before the race causing temps to drop below freezing, and it rained for hours while the mountain peaks got there first dusting of the season. An epic day is brewing…

My race strategy seemed simple; race hard, maintain a sense of urgency, but no pressure. Leverage my  training & experience to avoid any major miscues or melt-downs. Did it work?

Swim 2.4-miles:  Kings Beach:  Estimates have the lake ranging from 55 to 57 degrees at the start. The air temperature reading at the bank just outside the swim exit was 29 degrees. Besides the cold water and air temps the fog and steam were the biggest hindrance making buoy sighting nearly impossible. I managed to stay close enough on course, and my race time decision to switch from sleeveless to full sleeve wetsuit was very wise. 2.4-mile swim: 1:20 (11-mins slower than my IM best swim)

Transition-1 (T1)….lasted an eternity -- it’s hard to change clothes when you’re freezing in a jam packed changing tent full of naked guys. T1: 18-mins.

Bike 112-miles:  A 2-loop course that meanders through some of the most beautiful and challenging terrain the Tahoe area has to offer. It was a very cold the first 20-30 miles, but my body heat finally rose to the point of bearable.  My Valdora Cycles PHX2 performed wonderfully throughout -- even on the steepest climbs and fast descents. The most challenging section called Martis Camp is a residential area within the Northstar Ski Resort consisting of steep back-to-back switchback climbs, with grades as high as 15%. This section accounts for more than 1000-feet of the courses 7,500-ft of total climbing in just a 3-4 miles.  After Martis Camp comes the longest climb up Brockway Summit to the highest point on course at nearly 7200-ft. During the first loop my mind raced as I went up and down out of the saddle, wondering just how my legs would feel on loop two.  Common sense says be patient there is still another loop. Patience is a virtue – especially on race day.  Loop 2 clearly proves to be a more difficult, especially through Martis and up Brockway as spectators lined the highway, screaming, banging drums and running alongside me – I liken it to a Tour rider climbing Alpe d'Huez!  Common sense prevailed as I came off the bike legs fatigued, feeling good and excited to run. 112-mile bike: 6:45 (1-hr, 25-mins slower than my IM best bike)

 Transition-2 (T2)…again an eternity – similar to T1 it’s hard to change clothes when you’re shivering, numb, and trying to give your legs a quick rest.  I had difficulty even getting my T2 bag untied because my hands were frozen. T2: 11-mins.

 Run 26.2 miles:  A 2-loop course along the Truckee River bike path. The temps warmed slightly in the afternoon sun and I got off to a good start out of transition, holding a steady pace throughout the 18-miles of loop one. I heard spectator comments such as “good pace”, “looking sprite” and “bounce in your step” keeping me going. Then came loop two.  Much shorter than the first loop at 8-miles, this is where the marathon really begins -- gradual inclines become small hills, small hills become big hills, and as the sunset -- temps dropped quickly reminding us mother nature was still hanging around. I started seeing fellow ONE teammates and Camelback athletes on the course in various stages; some looking good and others in distress. This is when a smile, high five and words of encouragement can go a long way. I told myself to just keep moving. The cold air and spectators on the course, combined with thoughts of seeing my family and Racer 5 on tap (one of my favorite beers) at the finish line was good motivation to finish strong. Run time: 4:27 (13-mins slower than my IM best run)

This race proved to be the challenge everyone expected and then some. The tough course along with help from mother nature resulted in a 24% DNF rate. My finish time was 13:04, nearly 2-hrs slower than my best IM finish, but on a course like this on a day like this..I earned it!  Congratulations to all my fellow IMLT athletes -- you did too.  The average finish time of 14:06. 

Although pleased with my overall effort and result there is always room for improvement – I’ll see how this plays out at IM Boulder next August. Stay tuned..

By the way..I got my Racer 5 J  Thanks for reading.