After a restless night spent tossing & turning, I got up at 3:30am to consume my pre-race breakfast:
- 3 Cups of Unsweetened Apple Sauce
- 1 Banana
- 1 Protein Shake
- 1 Bottle of Ironman Perform
I got up, showered, and put on my Timex race kit (which I would be wearing for the next 16 hours, through various conditions) and headed up to the Transition area. Volunteers applied my race number to my arms & legs and I triple-checked my bike & gear bags. I hit up the porta-potty (apple sauce) and proceeded to Mirror Lake for the swim start.
Tension mounted, as 2,700 people prepared for an all-day battle against the course & the clock. I entered the water at 6:40am and warmed-up for about 10 minutes. I secured my position in the 2nd row & proceeded to tread water for the final 10 minutes before the start (which seemed like an eternity). BOOM goes the cannon & off we went! Craziest 10 minutes of my life...it felt like I was in a washing machine - people elbowing, kicking, swimming over one another. It felt like I wasn't going forward, but rather just trying to keep my head above water. Finally, I had enough & starting doling out some punishment to anyone in my path...I managed to find some open water & charged hard into the space. At the 1st turn-around, the congestion reappeared and it was a battle once more. Once we got past the turn-around, things opened-up & it was a pretty smooth finish for Lap 1 (33:36). Onto the beach & back in the water for the 2nd lap - things were much better this time around, I was able to get into an easy rhythm and swim in open space, Lap 2 (37:07). Total Swim Time: 1:10:43
Out of the water, I pulled off the top half of my wetsuit & jumped down to the ground so a Volunteer could rip the wetsuit off my legs. Wetsuit now in hand, I made the 1/4 mile run from the lake to the Transition area, grabbed my bike gear bag & was directed into the changing tent. I was greeted by the horrific smell & sight of hundreds of naked men changing into their bike gear and applying lube. Head down, eyes down, I just focused on executing my transition. I ran out of the tent, grabbed my bike off the rack and off I went. Total T1 Time: 08:36
Once on the bike, I really focused on executing the game plan developed by my triathlon coaches at QT2 Systems: go super-easy over the first 5-6 miles of each loop, take in race fuels, & stay in my heart-rate zone. It was humbling to allow literally hundreds of people to pass me during those early miles, but I trusted the game plan and knew I would see those people suffering later in the race. I treated the bike as a "mobile fueling station" and took in my nutrition every 30min. Over the course of the bike ride, I consumed 6 Powerbars, 4 Gels, 6 Salt Sticks, and 14 bottles of Ironman Perform.
I hit mile 56 at 3:15:21, my goal was 3:15, so I was right on track. Back out for a second loop - I felt strong in the early miles and conducted mini self-evaluations at miles 60, 70, 80, & 90...I still felt great! However, once I hit mile 96, I started to feel some minor cramping & fatigue in my legs. The challenge was that I had 16 miles to go on the bike, and 12 of those miles were up-hill. "Just keep turning the crank," I told myself and was spurred on by the amazing spectators on-course. I was shouting "get me off this bike," which humored the spectators & completed Lap 2 in 3:22:11. Total Bike Time: 6:37:32
The question everyone always asks is "how did you go to the bathroom?" Fine, I'll just say it: I peed my pants (4x) while riding the bike. No one stops to go to the bathroom & if you do, you're sacrificing valuable time. Moving on.
I grabbed my Run Gear bags & headed back into the changing tent for T2 - is it possible that this place smells worse than this morning? Yes, I think it does. Being careful to avoid blisters on the run, I decided to wash/dry my feet, apply Gold Bond powder, put on compression socks, put powder in my shoes, tie up my shoes & head out. I had bypassed the Sunscreen Appliers in T1, due to a lengthy line; however, I was getting pretty cooked out there and could not make the same mistake again, so I waited & waited & finally got to the front of the line. "You're pretty toasty" suggested the Volunteer and liberally applied sunscreen to my burnt skin, which hurt like a mo-fo. Just a slow-ass transition. Total T2 Time: 09:04
Out on the run course I went...I saw my friends & family on the 1st mile of the marathon course & high-fived them all. Around mile 2, I was overcome with emotion (got some dust in my eyes): In my training, I always said to myself "just get through the swim & bike, once you do that, it's all yours." With the concerns of a rough swim & potential for bike crashes/mechanical issues behind me, it was now up to me to close the deal.
I went out a bit too quickly, clicking off an 8:45 min/mile pace for the 1st three miles. "Whoa Nelly, let's slow this down a bit," so I settled into my planned race pace and ended up averaging 9:34 min/mile over the first 16.1 miles. At the half-way point of the marathon, I felt fantastic & shouted to my dad "Tell Mike Reilly (Voice of Ironman), I'll be back in 2 hours!" Running through aid stations, I was grabbing sponges & ice & shoving it down my shirt to keep cool...I was still on-point with my nutrition, but the cramps were a comin'...I was popping Salt Stick Caps like candy, trying to fight off the cramps. Quads/Hamstrings/Groin/Calves were all screaming "Enough of this you sick bastard!" But I wouldn't listen...I kept forcing them to move forward.
Over the last 10.1 miles, I alternated between running and walking (11:17 min/mile pace). There was carnage everywhere all over the Run Course: people wobbling, falling down, laying on the side of the road receiving medical attention...But I was in tunnel vision mode: "Go Get It, Go Get It," I kept saying to myself. I made my way back up into town & could hear the excitement of the finish line - I finished the last out & back and reached an intersection with 2 signs: One sign pointed left & said "2nd Loop," the other sign pointed right & said "Finish." I smiled, went right & was filled with energy from the crowd as I entered the Olympic Speed Skating Oval. I made the turn toward the finish & saw my family & friends along the finish chute. I high-fived my dad and let out a primal scream as I crossed the finish line, with Mike Reilly proclaiming: "Chuck Rodrigues...You are an IRONMAN!"
Total Marathon Time: 4:27:10
Total Ironman Race Time: 12:33:05
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