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Hawaii Ironman 2012 - Race Report by Mitch West

Prior to this year’s race, several people asked me how I hope/expected to do on the Big Island.  They asked me what I thought my finishing time would be.  My answer was always the same “it depends on what the day brings me.”  While you know it is going to be hot, humid, and windy; one does not know just how bad it will get.  This being my 3^rd year racing, I certainly had some idea what to expect.  My Tuesday/Thursday early a.m. crew had been teasing me (and rightly so) about my “acclimatization efforts” prior to this year’s race.  You see, in my mind, this race is primarily about one thing—your ability to “handle” the elements.  You may be the best athlete in the world, but if you don’t manage the elements, it won’t matter.  Since it begins to cool off in the Northeast in September, I needed to do all I could to simulate hot and awful.  That meant biking and running in and outdoors dressed like Nanuk of the North.

I am very pleased to report that my swim in one of the most beautiful places on earth was largely uneventful.  Physical?  Yes.  Choppy?  Yes.  But I did not get kicked in the head and I found many different wonderful pairs of feet to draft off.  In fact, I never found a buoy in the first 1.2 miles and I rarely ever lifted my head out of the water to sight.  Feet were in front of me, so I followed (and drafted) them.  We hit the half way at around 30 minutes and change so I knew I was on course for a one hour (ish) swim.  More of the same on the way back to the pier as things spaced out some and the crowd thinned out.  I came out of the water in 1:03:41 (62^nd in my AG), slower than the previous 2 years, but not by much, and it was certainly choppy so I was feeling good.

In T2 I took an extra couple seconds to put on what I consider a critical piece of equipment for this particular race.  My beautiful Hincapie race kit is comfy, breathable, and feels fast.  What it does not do, is protect my shoulders, upper back, and arms from sunburn.  For that, I wear a product called DeSoto Cool Wings, which is white and covers  my arms, shoulders, and upper back.  For the next 128.2 miles, I made it my job to keep my entire body, arms and shoulders included, wet in order to facilitate cooling and keep my core temperature down.  On the bike, I stayed well “within myself” for the first 40-50 miles, keeping my HR in check and letting lots of folks buzz right on by me.  Ironman and ego do not go well together.

Once I banged the right and began the 18 mile climb to Hawi, I began to pick it up ever so slightly, but remained under control.  Thank goodness, because as we got higher up the wind started to absolutely howl.  Not a straight headwind, but at about 45 degrees to our right, coming down off the volcano.  At one point I began to laugh as I SLOWLY moved buy a guy and told him “this is what we came here for!”  These strong winds made the descent from Hawi nice and fast and a good place to pick off some folks.  I’m heavy enough and comfortable enough at high speeds that I need to take advantage of some of this free time.  Then, a right back onto the Queen K, more wind, and keep battling to T2.  My bike split was 5:16:13 (21.25 mph), and I had now moved up FOUR whole spots on the bike for 58^th place.  6 minutes slower on the bike than 2012, but a tougher day in my estimation.

Into T2 to put on my Newton’s, and it’s time to put up or shut up.  In my opinion, the next 10 miles were, by far, the most important of my race.  The run begins with an out and back on the famed Ali’i Drive.  The best Ironman athletes in the world are ready to go-- and they GO.  Once again, I must have been passed by another 50 people in the first 10 miles.  My plan— run 7:30-7:40 pace for the ENTIRE race.  My buddy Chris Giordano rode alongside me (on a girls cruiser) and gave me splits and distracted me as we maintained a conversation.  Those that were BLOWING by me were “on pace” to run a 3 hour marathon, or better.  If you can do that, I don’t belong in the same race as you!  I had a sneaky suspicion-- most, if not all of them, would blow up.  Sure enough. Once we climb Palani Rd., take the left turn, and are left for dead out on the Queen K, the race would drastically change.  No breeze, no relief, no crowd—just internal dialogue and it’s time to tell the truth.  Did you hydrate?  Did you keep your temp. down?  Did you go too hard?  Did you get enough salt?  Calories?  Reckoning time.  Over the next 16 miles, I managed to pick off 27 guys in my AG (and 125 people overall).  I ran to the half-way point at mile 13.1 in roughly 1:40, and returned in 1:42.  That’s about as even a split as you will find in an Ironman marathon.  While I certainly hurt like hell and had to dig very deep, I definitely saved something for the final 10K.  Walkers and plodders litter the road at this point, and so a 7:45-8:00/mile pace feels blistering!  Psychologically, passing others is a HUGE boost and confidence builder.  Finally, right turn on Palani where I am out-kicked in the finishing chute by a tiny woman named Danielle (the entire crowd was cheering her to wax me—and she did!).  No matter, euphoria always follows this finish line.  Run split, 3:23:04, 7:45/mile pace.  Final time, 9:51:14—31^st in my AG (my highest ever), and 271^st overall (my highest ever).  I finished a whopping 8 seconds slower than in 2010, but given this year’s conditions, I definitely consider it my Kona PR.

Huge thanks to Rick and everybody at TargeTraining.  Huge thanks to my Tuesday/Thursday crew at TT Greenwich that inspired me with their own accomplishments all season long.  I am blessed to have incredible friends to train and race with and a loving family that puts up with all my BS so I can continue to act like a kid well into my forties.  And now… first guy to gain 20 lbs. wins!!

Life at the End of my Comfort Zone - By Lois Duke

Three years ago when I came to Targetraining, I had become significantly overweight, was sedentary and I was starting to feel the effects of this in my back and in my knees.  I started personal training to try to lose some weight and get in shape. While I had a bike and had ridden for pleasure on my own, I was out of shape and light years away from the level of skill and talent of cyclists in the classes and feeling intimidated by this, I avoided them at all cost. Suzie Snyder was my trainer at the time and at her pleading, I forced myself to come to Targetraining to cycle. She had made a work out for me to do on my own and so I plugged in my I Pod and pushed myself through it.   Ultimately, I decided I would bring in my bike, which had been left outside for quite a while and have it tuned up and try to come more regularly. Max and the rest of the crew in the bike shop remember me the day I brought in my green Greg Le Monde bike which sadly had Ivy vines growing around it and probably weighed more than all the bikes at Targetraining put together.  

I kept coming and doing workouts on my own, without much thought or knowledge about power zones, watts or anything else for that matter.   I was completely intimidated by the talented athletes I saw and just tried to get through each session and run away as fast as I could.  I felt I looked silly and clumsy but for some reason, I couldn’t give up.   I really liked cycling and deep inside of me was a secret desire to compete in a race, or an event.   However, this was not something I had done—ever.   It was completely out of my comfort zone and I was plagued with a great deal of self-doubt and a very low self esteem regarding my potential and abilities.  

Then Eneas became my coach.   I made the mistake of telling him I wanted to be a better cyclist and my life forever changed. I bought a new bike and put a power tap on it.  Eneas then quickly set out to do a power test—which I hated and still dislike immensely to this day.   I made the investment of many one on one cycling sessions -- twice a week with Eneas and with Carlos.   I was being pushed hard—but I was improving. It wasn’t long before watts, cadence, TSS scores became a part of my lingo.   I soon discovered that Eneas enjoys power testing a great deal and it seemed I had them quite frequently.   Each time I seemed to be improving (I still hated doing them though).   Despite my improvement, I continued to have the desire to compete in something but knowing that running was no longer a possibility for me and I had never swum with the exception of basic swimming lessons as a kid, I wasn’t really sure what I could do. 

Enter Kristin Budden.   I had befriended her in the bike shop and that’s when the swimming began.    I would go into the bike shop and both she and Chris Kinney would not let up.   “You should swim—you’ll love it”, they would say.   The last thing I wanted to do was voluntarily get into a bathing suit, much less in front of a bunch of Targetraining athletes.  But the two of them are persistent and it soon became obvious that I was either going to start swimming on my own or the two of them were going to hold a gun to my head until I was in the water.   And so, with the help of Dom and many one on one swimming sessions, I learned to swim as a sport.  He taught me everything—pretty much from the ground up—and he has been a wonderful teacher and coach—never once making me feel uncomfortable or that I couldn’t do it.   

I now had two sports.   And while I wasn’t the best or strongest, I felt I really wanted to try an event.    Chris Kinney had mentioned that I should try aquabikes. What?   There is such a thing?    I could compete and not have to run?  Wow!   So with the help of Dom, I found my first aquabike event last year –the Rev 3 Olympic distance aquabike.   I trained for it—doing everything Eneas and Dom told me to do until the day finally came.   I had never had such fear and anxiety in my life.  I was terrified to be in the same crowd as these athletes and found myself in the transition area wondering what on earth I was doing there.    The event was a disaster.   I suffered tremendous anxiety on the swim and was on my back the whole time.  I barely made the cut off and finished off with a very weak ride.   I couldn’t imagine doing this again but I had already signed up for another aquabike in less than three weeks.   I was so scared I would fail again.  I will never forget the ride I had with Eneas, just before this second event where he said to me,  “Lois, have you decided what to do?”  And as much as I was so terrified to put myself out there again, so afraid of what I was not accustomed to, I couldn’t quit – I couldn’t quit myself.  That just seemed worse.   And so I did it.   And I cut my swim time by 30 minutes and my bike time by even more.    No anxiety, no hyperventilating.  Just a good swim and bike.   I proceeded to then do a ½ ironman distance aquabike later that summer and had a great race.

Over the next year, I continued to push myself harder than ever before.    Eneas has planned all my cycling workouts to each day and Dom faithfully provided me with swim workouts for the week along with input at swim class.  Eneas continued to power test me constantly (ugh!)  And I continued to grow strong on the bike and although I am still a slow swimmer, I have improved a great deal from when I first started.   In February, I decided that I wanted to try a full ironman distance aquabike.   My coaches supported me and training became intense and heavy-I was working hard and I began losing weight rather steadily.   As the season began, it seemed I had quite a few races/events on my schedule.   Kristin had drafted me into climbing Mt. Mohonk at the American Zofingen time trial (she didn’t tell me it was a mountain!)  And as the summer continued I completed an Olympic and ½ Ironman distance aquabike, two separate 100-mile century rides, a 3-mile open water swim race, and the Targetraining time trial series.   With all of these completed, I had only one left—the full ironman aquabike I had been in training for since February.

Last Saturday was the biggest race and one of the most significant in terms of what I have overcome while at Targetraining.  Last weekend, I finished that ironman aquabike.   I pushed my way through choppy waters in the Choptank river in Maryland and a 112 mile ride with headwinds at me most of the way.   It was hard, and there were times I wasn’t sure my body would make it, but I did it. During that race,  I felt that I fought through the years of self-doubt and saying “I can’t do it” and I won.     It is still completely out of my comfort zone—all of these races are—but I am a better person for it.   Kristin gave me a birthday card earlier this year that said, “Life begins at the end of your comfort zone”.  And it’s really true.  Not only have I lost 65 lbs. and increased my fitness level several times over, I have also gained self confidence and become more willing to take chances. I am no longer afraid to put myself in new and scary situations and this has made me a stronger, happier and better person.

I am grateful for so many people at Targetraining who have given so much support so generously.   Kristin Budden for listening to me and believing I could climb mountains; Chris Kinney for always being so supportive and upbeat.  But particularly, my wonderful entourage of coaches for all they have done for me.   Carlos with his constant encouragement and enthusiasm, Dom for his many swim workouts, being such a great teacher and constant support (as well as paying for my parking ticket when I beat my swim time at the Rev 3 this year).    But especially for Eneas who has not only tortured me on a regular basis on the bike, written all my training plans and made me power test on what seems a weekly basis but who has always believed in me from day one, has been there to encourage me when I felt like giving it all up and for the e mail he sent me last year after finishing my first ½ ironman aquabike that simply said,  “you’re a champion.”

Columbus Day Store and Class Schedule

GREENWICH LOCATION:

Training - Open from 6 AM till 7:30 PM. Max will be leading a special 8am outdoor blue ride.

Store - Open from 10 AM to 6 PM

WESTPORT LOCATION:

Training - Open from 6 AM to 7:30 PM. Special outdoor Blue ride led by Evan and Green ride led by Eduardo at 8 AM.

Store - Open from 10 AM to 6 PM.