Ironman Lake Placid Report

IM Lake Placid 2010

After completing my first ever Ironman in Roth Germany 2009, I returned to my wife asking me if I wish to do another IM.  It did not take long till I was looking to see where to go and with making it a family holiday as well I let Nicola choose where.  Training was a lot clearer this time round as I knew what I needed to do and the “game plan” for an IM what it was all about.

7hr flight to JFK and then a very easy 6hr drive to Lake Placid, northern New York State.  On route beautiful scenery and then on the approach to Lake Placid town we started to drive on the bike course which was getting me excited for the route as it was beautiful.  Enough of the soppy talk from me and start talking hard Ironman stuff.  We arrived late Wednesday afternoon to showers and lightning,  was it going to be a repeat 2008 race day.  Thursday morning swim in the lake and run in the afternoon, Friday swim AM and bike the run course PM and Sat AM swim and bike drop off PM.

RACE DAY

The weather, you could not ask for a better day the rain stayed off avg 25C, slight cloud cover.

SWIM; 

                The elites had a no wetsuit swim as water was warm, thankfully we were ok for wetsuits.  2600 on the start line, my first ever mass swim start of the kind.  I found myself at the front just 5 back and maybe I entered the water a bit too early as I found myself treading water for 15 min to the sound of “Stars spangled banner”.  BANG we were off and for the 3 guys just in front of me, they should have not been there, sorry guys for swimming over the top of you.  If you have never experienced drafting in the swim this was the time to get dragged round the first lap, exited the first 1900m in just under 27min, finishing the SWIM 1:01HR.  Slower 2^nd lap but hey very happy with it considering my lack of pool and lake time for training.

BIKE;

                “save something for the run”  this was the phrase going through my head through-out the bike.  In the first 5 miles you  go from flat to steady climb to the 2219ft (677m) then descending to 587ft(200m) in 5miles hitting max speed of 45mph.  On my 1^st lap as approached the top of the descent I heard a tapping noise from front wheel, look down and saw a yellow mark going round with my wheel.  I ran my gloved hand on the tyre and it was stuck fast.  Decided to carry on to the bottom of the descent and then I stopped and only then realised it was a drawing pin, oops PHEWWW.  I pulled the pin and obviously had to then change my tyre, not bad I think it took me 6-7min.  The rest of the lap is an undulating with a out and back then head home to Lake Placid.  For the last 20miles is a steady climb totalling 350m, this course can blow some people to bits if you go too hard on 1^st lap you will suffer the 2^nd time coming home. 1^st lap 2:50hr 2^nd lap 3:00hr 5:50hr BIKE

RUN;

26.6miles the last time I ran this distance I walked most of it, so I was determined to do better.  My target was 4hrs for the marathon.  I felt good relaxed and ready for the run, I had to hold myself back for the early stages, so focused on no quicker than 8:30/mile, by 10miles I was on 8:49/mile and ran the first lap ½ marathon in 1:57:15 hr (8:56/mile).  My moto for the run of an ironman is that if you are going to walk, walk the feed stations, but walk fast.  As soon as you start walking it is difficult to motivate and get going, not any sort of encouragement will get you going again if you walk too slow.  Pump the arms and drive the legs take on the fluid and food, easier to do walking than running.  I walked feeding stations, I admit it but I finished the RUN 4:07hr and I was very happy with that.  Coming Home in TOTAL 11:10:23HR

BIB   AGE   STATE/COUNTRY   PROFESSION
354   31   NORWICH SEY   Fire Fighter

SWIM         BIKE       RUN       OVERALL                  RANK   DIV.POS.
1:01:07   5:50:40   4:07:22   11:10:23                        382       70
LEG                        DISTANCE                       PACE      RANK   DIV.POS.
TOTAL SWIM               2.4 mi.   (1:01:07)  1:36/100m     229       36

BIKE SPLIT 1: 30 mi.   30 mi. (1:22:25)      21.84 mph
BIKE SPLIT 2: 56 mi.   26 mi. (1:27:39)      17.80 mph
BIKE SPLIT 3: 86 mi.   30 mi. (1:19:47)      22.56 mph
BIKE SPLIT 4: 112 mi.   26 mi. (1:40:49)    15.47 mph
TOTAL BIKE                 112 mi. (5:50:40)   19.16 mph     350        59

RUN SPLIT 1: 5.7             5.7 mi. (49:48)      8:44/mile
RUN SPLIT 2: 11.9 mi       6.2 mi. (1:00:47)   9:48/mile
RUN SPLIT 3: 26.2 mi     14.3 mi. (2:16:47)   9:33/mile
TOTAL RUN                    26.2 mi. (4:07:22)   9:26/mile    382       70
    
TRANSITION   TIME
T1: SWIM-TO-BIKE   6:55
T2: BIKE-TO-RUN   4:19