This is the second part of my husband John’s experience at the Ironman World Championships in Kailua-Kona, on October 13, 2013. Part 1 can be found here.
Into T2, and it was time to flip the switch and go do what has always been my best event of the three.
My target heart rate for the run was 145 beats per minute (bpm). At the first aid station, I was way through the ceiling at 165.
On the bike I was able to offset the heat with the wind and by consuming over 12 water bottles. No, I’m not kidding. I lost count of how many times I peed, maybe 8-10 times.
The run is another case.
Seeing the high heart rate was not immediately alarming, as I knew my body had to adjust to the hotter conditions.
The first part of the run course is a 5 mile out and back section on Ali’i Drive, though town and along the ocean. There is not much wind here and there is a gradual climb on the way out, and then a slight decent until you reach the Palani hill, which takes you out to the Queen K.
In my previous Ironman races, I have always been able to run without shooting through my heart rate ceiling. I would run between 7:15 and 7:40, no problem. Kona is clearly different. It was living up to the hype.
By the time I was 5 miles into the run, I realized that I was starting to decouple. To offset this, I decided I would walk the aid stations, taking about 30 seconds or so to cool down, and slow my heart rate.
As I implemented this strategy, my heart instantly started to come down and I was able to run closer to my projected target pace, which was based on my training numbers. Albeit, training done in significantly cooler temperatures.
No matter what: there is no magic on race day. The training data is an accurate predictor of your race day numbers. I’m not saying you won’t go a little faster on race day, but you won’t have a magical 2:45 marathon if your training data has been in the 3:30 range.
Even as I was able to stablize my heart rate, I began to worry. For the first time in an ironman, the thought flickered that I may have to walk some of this thing to finish.
What? I cannot believe I’m having thoughts like this at mile 8.
Alright. That’s enough of that. It was time to adjust my thoughts. Be in the moment. Look around. Smile at people. Be Positive. Change my thinking.
I did just that and was able to work out of the negative avalanche.
To be safe, I continued to walk the aid stations to make sure I got ice in my hat, ice in my shorts, water over my head, and Perform. I also made sure to hold ice in my hands, which is a trick someone told me about before the race. This helped.
My heart rate continued to stay at the top end of my range, but I was managing. I found myself at the Energy lab. As I ran, I wondered what all the hype was about this section. I found it to be hot, but I didn’t think it was any hotter than any other section.
As I exited the Energy Lab, I thought: This is it. You have this race beat. Only 8 miles and your dream will be completed. One off the bucket list.
I dug deep and made the turn off the Queen K onto Palani. This is all downhill to Ali’i Drive. I let it eat and was just flying down, sucking in the vibe. I could taste the finish it was almost in my reach. I could hear Mike Reilly calling people home.
Less than 1 mile to go.
My plan was to get to Ali’i Drive, slow down, suck it all in, and absorb the experience. I did just that.
The feeling of running down Ali’i was the best moment in my athletic life. It’s hard for me to put it into words.
If you get there, take the time and suck it up. It’s amazing.
I crossed the finish line and my dream was reality. What an amazing journey, what an amazing day.
I wish this experience, this feeling for everyone.
Keys to my personal success
- I stopped drinking alcohol. Yep, that’s right.
- I had a solid training plan with proper recovery and training intensity that was appropriate for the distance.
- I ate clean, which allowed me to reach not only an optimal weight, but an optimal body composition, more lean muscle, less body fat.
- I got a minimum of 8 hours of sleep every night. Sleep = speed.
- I had a great support crew: Maria, my mom and dad, and friends.
- I built my mental fitness. I stayed in the moment, and did not worry about the results.
- I enjoyed the climb and the hard parts of the journey. This is where you learn the most about you and your response when things get tough.
- Most importantly, consistently doing the work and making all of the little sacrifices add up to a better, faster, stronger you.
Since Kona, I’ve returned to ultra running. I’m on to the next adventure: training for my first 100 mile ultramarathon. I’m going to do my best to stay healthy and get to the finish line of my next dream. I’m looking forward to digging deep and then digging a little deeper. It will test my body in mind in new ways.
I look forward to the unknown. It’s strange but the thing I enjoy most about this stuff is getting comfortable with being uncomfortable. I enjoy climbing the mountain, instead of going around it. It’s time to chase a new dream.
Thanks to everyone for your help and support along the way.
Want to continue the conversation with John? Follow him on Twitter – @saltyrunr.
