5k to IM Wisconsin
I know race reports can be annoying or braggadocios but I really wanted to write this to gather my thoughts on the greatest journey of my life.
About a year ago my mom lovingly told me that I dream to big and I don’t follow through. Touché I thought. I talk a big talk and am a dreamer. When I get inspired I feel unstoppable, but as days turn to weeks my motivation is often overshadowed by a lack of discipline and habit.
But for whatever reason, I took her motherly critique as a challenge. I’m a student at University here in Madison, WI and watched the IM every year. Last September, I decided it would be the perfect test to set my sights on and follow through. I paid entry which meant I couldn’t turn back.
Physically I had a lot of work to do. I was 6’1 207lbs. Had no swimming experience but a decent aptitude on the bike (a Lemond Sartre) and run.
I turned to my roommate, a similarly crazy fella who swam laps for cardio from time to time. He loved the idea of being my “swim coach” and took it more seriously than I did. We went to the pool for the first time some night in September and swam 32 lengths. Freestyle there, breaststroke back. A mile we optimistically thought at the time. Half way there I was huffing and puffing so loud the lifeguards started inching closer. But I finished in 48 minutes. I laid down on the poolside to catch my breath and realized I was miles from where I’d need to be.
Over the winter, I was working the tax busy season in Chicago and training at night in my apartment gym. I biked on a stationary bike, learned what bricks were and did hundreds of laps in our 12 yard pool. I started to develop my discipline. Wake up at 7, work until 6, then train.
One night as spring approached, I went to a run club lead by a director of IM races in the Midwest. It was here I learned about tri bikes, zone 2, and that I should really think about a coach for training and nutrition. But I told him I had no room in my budget and would continue winging it with the knowledge from google and this subreddit.
Winter turned to Summer, and I accepted a new internship in Chicago. However, I was living in Milwaukee and would commute to and from 3 days a week. These were my most trying days. Up at 5 home at 7:30 and training as much as I could. I bought a $1000 tri bike off Facebook and my buddies dad (an experienced IM) gave me a wetsuit. I saw my swim times drop significantly with the help of neoprene. I was in Lake Michigan 3 times a week, biking 50 miles in my new aero position 3 times a week, and running as many miles as I could. I said to myself that training fatigued after those long workdays would be worth it.
This subreddit really helped me learn what proper IM training was. Not that I was properly training, but I tried to get as close as possible. As peak training commenced, I went for as much volume I could handle while also balancing time with my family, friends, and girlfriend. I biked my first century, ran 20 miles, swam for 2 hours and started doing close to half distance bricks.
A week out and people asked me if I was ready. The truth was I didn’t know. I had hip issues on the bike and got a fitting 5 days prior to the race. It could have been detrimental to my race. I had no concrete nutrition plan other than a bottle of Gatorade chased with tailwind and a gel per hour. I knew I hadn’t done my full due diligence but given where I started I felt I had put in so much.
The day before the race I walked through the village in awe. The volunteers and athletes made a community I felt so lucky to be in. I had family and friends in town and knew id race my heart out and be proud of whatever happened.
The day of the race I put on my wetsuit at 188lbs. The fittest and happiest I’ve ever been. My life had changed in all aspects. I felt like a more loving and appreciative son, brother, friend, and boyfriend. The journey had shown me how good my life is and how supported I am.
I jumped in the water with 1398 more people than I’d ever swam with. No watch as I didn’t train with one and would go with a comfortable pace as my only thought. As the swim progressed I learned how to navigate the crowd and not get kicked in the face too much. I was feeling great and absolutely loving it. Out of the water in what I estimated was 1:20 which just so happened to be a PR.
On the bike at 1:30 and ready to crush my longest bike ever. Once again my focus was a steady pace without a computer as I had never done a bike race. It was weird to know if I should pass someone or if they were setting a good tone early on. I just stuck to my feel and did what felt best. The highlight for me was grabbing a Gatorade from a volunteer. A smooth grab and she cheered with her friends as I figured it was her first successful assist. I cheered just as hard as it was my first aid station pick up ever!
My family and friends were on Midtown Rd, the longest hill on the course. I smiled from ear to ear seeing them. They ran me up the hill and let me go as I rode over the chalk figure which said “GO 871”! I bonked after the first loop for 10 miles or so as my stomach turned on me. I took it easy and came back to life feeding off the energy of some familiar faces from the starting line and I cruised home. No hip issues, only a minimal cramp as I climbed off the saddle in 6:11. Way better than I bargained for.
Now let’s get back to talking about me being a dreamer. Unwarranted as it was I had a dream of sub 12 in my head. And I was set on chasing it if it killed me. I figured 9:40 miles would get me there and I was off running 9 flats for the first 5 miles.
Then came observatory hill. It killed me. My heart rate shot way too high and cramps came to say hello. I felt like I was gonna pass out and couldn’t stomach anything. I started walking and couldn’t get myself to run. I walked and walked and watched as my sub 12 dream flew out the window. I was defeated and meeting demons I’d never seen before. I was doing the math to see if I could finish in time walking 20 miles.
Around mile 8 I saw my girlfriend. She was standing in the woods where no other spectators were. And she walked with me for miles. Not urging me to run or asking me how I felt. She knew, and I could see the tears in her eyes. She just kept telling me how proud she was and I started crying too. I felt validated and realized it was never about the time. It was about doing this, committing to something bigger than myself, having such great support along the way and the growth that came with it. I started feeling better which meant walking a little faster.
I still couldn’t stomach a thing and walked up state street to the halfway mark. It was here a random spectator met my eyes and yelled “YOU MIGHT BE WALKING NOW, BUT YOUR STRENGTH IS COMING BUDDY!” I nodded my head but sort of wrote it off as something he just didn’t know.
I sat down at my special needs bag was able to stomach a few bites of a banana, drink some electrolytes and got advice from a volunteer I desperately needed. She urged me walk a minute, run a minute. Just keep building she said. 13.1 time 3:08.
I got up and started walking the second loop. My dad came looking for me as I sat by the capitol for 10 minutes and caught me as I was walking down. He was sensitive and gave me nothing but encouragement and telling me how proud he was. I told him I was ready to start running and I knew everyone was standing on state waiting to cheer me on. I told him I needed their cheers as much as I figured they wanted to see me feeling better. Slowly I started jogging, ignoring the mini shots of cramps and got the loudest roar from my people I’ve ever heard. There’s no feeling I’ve ever felt like it.
I kept running, walking as cramps foreshadowed but running for them. Running because I came to give it my all and I was back alive using their tailwind this time. I started moving better and better and cried miles 15 and 16 from a feeling of overwhelming love.
This is when I ran into Jimmy. The father of 7 kids who were all waiting for him at the finish line. We shot the shit for miles of chicken broth fueled battle. We were going 9 flat and we both agreed it felt like 10:30s. I wasn’t sure if he was real or a guardian angel but we just kept on chugging. Run a mile, 2 shots of chicken broth, repeat. Jimmy taught me the value of salt that night as well as much more priceless wisdom.
There was no more clock in my head. I didn’t care when I finished, just that I did finish. But then I looked at the clock and saw I was 32 minutes from 13 hours and only 4.2 miles from the red carpet. I told Jimmy I didn’t come not to try and he told me to go fly. So I did, knowing I might crash and burn. I realized it was when I stopped thinking of the result that the result I wanted found me.
8 flat, 7:30, 8:30 I knew I’d be close. I kept with the chicken broth but eventually ignored the last two aid stations. I was going to empty the tank. The racers and volunteers were nothing but encouraging and I felt so full.
I ran up state street as fast as I could. And I saw someone point at me. It was him, the man that told me I’d come back up this street a new man. He exclaimed “THATS WHAT I CALL A FUCKING COMEBACK.” He cheered for me like we were friends. I’ll never forget it. A man whose name I don’t know, but a face and spirit I’ll always remember. A friend.
I sprinted down the carpet. A feeling of pure euphoria and saw everyone I loved. Something I still don’t have the words to describe and probably never will. I crossed in 13:01:10. A 2:07 half marathon and felt blessed beyond my worth.
I gave a million sweaty hugs, the best smooch of my life, and expressed more gratitude than I ever have. And in that moment I knew what Ironman really is. It’s no race, it’s a journey that nobody does alone!!!!
If you read this far thank you. You deserve every right to roast me, shower your advice on me or ask me any question. I love you all and look forward to seeing you on the open road one day.
Next year, I’ll be cheering on my sister who decided to take on the half Ironman while she was out on Midtown Rd. I’ll be screaming my heart out and working much more on my nutrition and zone 2 discipline before I’m back out there again.
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