Ironman is going to be hard. I know that, but I can do it. 4 summers ago, the Cowichan Challenge was hard too. For me, then, where I was, that was my Ironman! What is your Ironman? :)
--------- Race Report - Cowichan Challenge July, 2006 --------
Well it is official...I am a triathlete! It was an AMAZING DAY/EXPERIENCE/EVENT/RACE/EVERYTHING! I had to wait until the "official" race results were in to send you all the update. For all you stats dorks here is my race...for the rest of you...just play along because I AM SO EXCITED ABOUT THIS RACE!
Swim (1000m) - 24:37
Bike (34k-21miles including transition time) - 1:28:58
Run (9k - 5.5 miles) - 52:42
TOTAL - 2:46:17
I JUST EXERCISED FOR 2 HOURS, 46 MINUTES, AND 17 SECONDS STRAIT...TRAVELED 44 KILOMETERS/27 MILES....ON PURPOSE...AND LOVED IT!!
The race was incredible. It was a huge rush to wake up after very little sleep and know "this is the day." We got to the race site and I quickly realized these people are serious. There were a ton of really, REALLY nice bikes there. Expensive road bikes, not the hybrid commuter bike that I had (the people that passed me during the bike kept saying "Wow, nice job on a mountain bike!"...and I became known to those around me as "the guy on the mountain bike"...I don't know if that is a good thing or not, but I need lighter bike if I really want to do this...someday right?).
We got to the race site about 6:50 and it was already packed full of people. I spent the first 45 minutes getting my gear set up, getting my body marked (and no I haven't washed the parts of my body that my number was drawn on yet...I want that number to stay on me as long as possible!) and waiting in line for that last trip to the bathroom so you don't have to poop somewhere along the 44k trip. Before I knew it, it was time to head to the beach for the start. I got down there and looked out across the lake. All but about 10 of the 109 people that started were wearing wet suits...I started to second guess my choice there of not wearing one, but the water turned out to be pretty nice. Then as I looked out across the lake I saw the first buoy we had to swim around, the second one, and then there was this other one WAY down at the far end of the lake. I immediately thought "Oh that is just an extra one they pulled off to the side if they needed it." Nope. Wrong. This 1000 meter swim looked a hell of a lot longer from the beach than it did in my head. But, the 8:00 hour was drawing near and I wasn't going to back down at that point. Spit in your goggles so they don't fog up and get ready to go Nathan!
The horn sounded and the white water started to splash up from everyone dashing out in the swim. I stayed back a little and off to the side so I didn't have to fight for position or get kicked in the process. The start of these races is notorious for being very physical and it is not uncommon for swimmers to get knocked around a little. I was pretty much in the clear on the outside. I got into my groove and before I knew it I was around the the first buoy (one corner of the triangle). I laughed a bit under water once or twice as I said to myself "I am doing a triathlon" with a little disbelief. It was totally surreal to be swimming with 100 or so others and racing...I was in a race! The swim went really well and as far away as that far corner looked I was there in no time. Rounding the corner for home I felt really strong still and managed to swim along side a couple others, pacing myself off of them. My one goal for the swim was I didn't want to be the last out of the water. Well, not only did I pass 2 people in the last 300m, I was 86th out of the water...I beat 23 others! Plus doing it in 24 1/2 minutes was probably faster than I have swum before!
The transitions were a little crazy but after battling socks on wet feet and downing some water, "the guy on the mountain bike" was off. Jenn and our friends were on the shore cheering and taking pictures so it felt pretty good to have a fan club! I felt pretty good on the bike, but it was amazingly HILLY! No really.....AMAZINGLY HILLY!! They called it "undulating rural roads"....HILLY! The downs were fun but fast, the ups were steep and took a very long time! I befriended this older woman (in the female 50-54 yrs category) and we went back and forth the whole bike section. I would pass her on the hills and she would pass me....well, everywhere else. The great part about it was that no matter if you had some little 17 year old whizzing past you or someone much older (there was one woman in the middle distance race in the 70-99 years old category!! And she was bouncing after the race...no worries at all for her!), no matter who passed you they did it with a word of encouragement! Incredible people. I got to meet a lot of them...because I got passed A LOT! I was 101st off my bike out of 106 people still in the race but I did it with a smile on my face...I was having WAY TOO MUCH FUN. 1:28:58 and I was back to the transition area. Now...only 9k to go.
The running felt great. I thought I would be wobbly and all over the place like I had been a couple times in training, but my legs were still strong. I took the advice of some other runners and didn't want to compete in the "Swim, Bike, Walk" version of the triathlon, not having enough left in me to run. Now it was time to play. Somewhere between January and July I became a runner and feel really comfortable just going out there and pounding away. This was again a challenge though because of the hills! WHAT DID THEY DO...FIND THE HILLIEST PLACE NEAR A LAKE A SAY "Perfect spot for a triathlon!"? It was a bit crazy, but after awhile you just keep going. By this point I have already been going for almost 2 hours strait and I kept saying to myself "Your legs will keep going if you just think they will." Yes, I was talking out loud to myself, and maybe a couple four letter words were exclaimed through some of the FREAKISHLY STEEP HILLS, but I was still smiling! We had to run two laps of a looped course and on the first lap I had marked in my head the "give'r" zone, the place where I could just let it all go and run like hell for the finish. Leave nothing on the course! But, still smiling! I have to admit, one of the best parts was passing 3 people in the last kilometer. I may have been slow in the bike but my run time was 83rd or 106 which is pretty dang impressive if you ask me. To go from 101 in the bike to 83 in the run...too bad those weren't the total place in the race. Regardless, the last stretch felt incredible. Pushing the whole way but loving every minute of it. 6 months of incredible work and dedication..something I had personally never done before and here I was...crossing the finish line.
I guessed I would finish in 3:00:00 so when I finished with a time of 2:46:17 (yes I have that memorized already) was very impressive to me. I finished 95th overall but I came in fourth place in my age group! I got a ribbon and everything! Thank you to all of you who helped me, supported me, thought of me, sent me good energy, or offered to buy me a beer after wards (wow did that taste good by the way). Your support means the world to me and have this under my belt also is thanks to you all. I feel like a new person and I have a new energy about life....IT FEELS INCREDIBLE!!!!!
Thanks again to all of you who help, supported, cheered me on from the sidelines wherever you were. And I highly encourage any of you who have been waiting to do "that one thing" you have been meaning to do or have been putting off something until later on....go for it. A little extra work, hard work, whatever it takes...it feels so good to look back and see your progress. Sure it might be a lot of work, but if you just decide to do it, have the mental strength (thanks Kiku) to do it, it is amazing what you can accomplish!
Take care of you and thanks again!
The triathlete,
-Nathan
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