by Ashley » Sat Dec 05, 2009 1:25 am The days leading up to an Ironman can be stressful. Adding international travel and foreign language to the mix adds to the anxiety. I was more nervous about this race than my first Ironman. However, once my bike was back in my possession after our several flights and layovers, I felt some weight lifted off my shoulders. We arrived in Cozumel on Thursday to wind and rough waters. The official swim practice two days before the race was even canceled because of the rough waters. With less than one full year of swimming under my belt and no experience swimming in the ocean, I was a little freaked out. Knowing that jelly fish were in the water didn’t help matters. Deep down I knew I would rise to the challenge, but since race day was still days away I complained.
As the race neared, the weather conditions improved. The winds calmed, as did the ocean. With some short swim, bike, and run sessions under my belt in Cozumel with my friends Asher and Alex, who were also racing, the stress began to fade.
Saturday before the race we rode our bikes and gear bags down to the transition area at Chankanab Park. The park is beautiful and athletes were everywhere. The transition area was very secure. In fact, we had to have our photo taken as we entered. It was a very cool scene. We even got body marked that day with our race numbers and age group. I asked the body marker to draw a heart on my right shoulder. She did not speak English, so I had to draw a picture for her.
Race Morning
The alarm went off at 3:45 am and the day began. I ate my usual pre-race breakfast: banana nut cliff bar with peanut butter and a banana. I organized my bike nutrition, which I still needed to put on my bike, and got dressed for the race. We headed out just before 5:00 am and made our way by shuttle to the swim start. We arrived at Chankanab Park. I walked to my bike. It was still dark and there were very few lights, so it was difficult to fill my tires and organize my nutrition. Once I was finished with my bike, I walked toward Damon and saw my parents. Gayle, Katherine, Carlos, and the babies were there, too. Our cheering section.
Alex and I posed for some of the thousands of photos our cheering section would take that day and then we proceeded to the swim start. Before we knew it, the sun was up and athletes were lining up on the expansive formation of docks that sounded the dolphin pens and led to the one loop 2.4 mile ocean swim course. At Chankanab Park, you can swim with dolphins. We would be entering the water just past the dolphin pens. Alex and I walked over the timing mat and sat on the dock waiting for the race to begin. While we waited, the Mexican national anthem was played and the dolphin trainers had the dolphins jumping up out of the water on command. It was really awesome and unexpected. Alex said he had chills. I was a little emotional, because I was thinking of my grandma V who passed away 7 years ago on the day. I was dedicating my race to her.
Swim nutrition: 1 2x caffeine double latte gel 20 mins prior to race start.
The Swim:
The pro’s started their race at 6:45 am and soon the age group athletes were being let into the water for their 7:00 am start. Alex and I wished each other luck and we got into the water. The water didn’t taste as salty as it had two days prior when I first entered the ocean. This time I knew what to expect. I felt confident, but still a little uneasy about the swim. I picked a spot, as I had in Wisconsin, wide and pretty far back from the start to avoid the craziness of the faster swimmers in the front. I treaded water, but began moving closer to the start line, as I felt like I was farther back than I needed to be. It didn’t seem crowded at all. All of a sudden the gun went off and the race began.
I felt comfortable in the water and had no threats of getting kicked or knocked around, as having positioned myself where I had, I was essentially swimming by myself. I saw a ton of colorful fish as I swam along the one loop, rectangular shaped swim course. The clarity of the water was amazing, but the buoys were hard for me to see. The first stretch was against the current, but I made it to the first turns without incident. I was then on the longest part of the rectangle, which was well over a mile long. After the turn, I felt a scrape on my leg. I gathered it was a jelly fish sting. I felt several more as the race went on, including one on my face. It was a little startling, but wasn’t very painful. Each time I would swat at the location of the sting, but kept going.
On the long side of the swim, the buoys were not straight and I found that I was not navigating well. Several times I had to take my head out of the water and really look to see where I was supposed to be going. At races in the US, you can swim on the inside of the buoy line, except on the turns. That was not the case here and race officials were making athletes swim on the outside of the buoy line at all times. As a result, I had to make some sharp turns and angles from inside the buoy line to get to the outside. I was not swimming in a straight line and it was frustrating.
There were race volunteers in the water on jet skis and boats that were driving really close to us and making waves, which was not making it any easier. Every breath I took for a while was filled with the smell of gasoline. Around the same time I saw a huge stingray and a star fish on the bottom of the ocean. That was really cool and it temporarily distracted me. I made the final turns and was again swimming against the current. The swim seemed to be taking forever. I just wanted to be done. I couldn’t see exactly where I was supposed to be going, but continued swimming. Finally, I could see buoys near the dock where the swim exit was located.
I made it to the exit and climbed the wooden stairs back onto the dock. I ran along the long dock that was a couple hundred feet long and past the cheering crowds. I felt like I was the last one out of the water as there were no athletes in front of me and none behind me. I saw my cheering section and gave Damon a high-five. I ran under the freshwater showers, quickly rinsed off, and headed to T1. In T1 I heard an American announcer say “Ashley, Damon says he loves you. He loves you and he’ll see you on the bike!” I thought that was so cool! It made me laugh and smile big!
Swim time: 1:32:12
T1: 4:31
Bike Nutrition: I started my liquid nutrition after 20 minutes on the bike. I changed my nutrition plan slightly, from Wisconsin. In the first two hours I consumed a double serving bottle of Infinit (230 calories per serving), in the third hour I consumed a banana nut cliff bar that I had broken up into bite sized pieces prior to the start of the race, in the fourth and fifth hour I consumed another double serving bottle of Infinit. I also had one pack of honey stinger gummy chews. I ate one gummy whenever I felt like having something other than liquid. I finished those up in hour 6.
The Bike:
I came out of T1 without sun block! I was concerned about that, as I knew that after 6+ hours on the bike in the hot Coz sun, I would be feeling some pain if I didn’t get lathered up. I also heard a clicking on my bike. I stopped and realized that my bike computer sensor was hitting against my spokes. I quickly readjusted it and was on my way through a 112 mile adventure. The bike course is a 3 loop course that is shaped a little like an uppercase letter D on the main paved road around the island. The road was closed to traffic, so that was one less worry. The roads were mostly smooth with no potholes, although some were ridged, a little bumpy, and others were made of lots of little rocks that serve to slow you down.
After an hour, my neck was already really sore from being in aero position. I still had over 5 hours left on the bike. Had I had access to ibuprofen at that time, I would have taken it to relive the discomfort. I didn’t have any. I also stopped at two early aid stations to get sun block, but no one knew what I was asking for. I motioned like I was putting lotion on and was told they didn’t have any.
I saw both Alex and Asher on the course. At that time Alex was doing well, though Asher spoke of stomach cramps. I felt helpless that I couldn’t do anything for him. I only saw them one time on the bike course.
The ride was pretty uneventful until I made the turn to the part of the course along the ocean. The view was absolutely beautiful, but I immediately felt the wind. Oh, the wind! I’d heard about the strong winds prior the race, but riding them was the real deal. The best way to describe it is riding a 10 mile long hill! After the race, a man bigger than me told me he got blown over on his bike on that stretch! Now that’s wind!
I first thought that with the flat course that I’d have no problem having a 6 hour or less bike split. To my surprise, after the first lap, I was not moving at a pace that would get me to the finish in that time frame. I was okay with that. I was doing my best.
Because the bike course road was closed to traffic, there was very little spectator support anywhere but in the downtown area of the course. It gave me something to look forward to. Once making the turn away from the ocean and toward downtown, the winds were gone and you could easily get up to speeds in the 20+ mph range. The downtown area was exciting, but also a little nerve wrecking. The locals were lining the streets and some kids darted out in my path! It was scary and you had to be on guard. People were cheering for me in Spanish. It was pretty cool, although once in a while I would hear “You go girl!” The familiar language made me smile.
About halfway through town on each lap, I saw my cheering section! I waved so they would see me. Damon ran along side of me each time, which was cool. I slowed down, but he was still running really fast! After the first time I saw him, I rode off realizing that I didn’t tell him I love him. That bothered me and I was sure to say it on the next lap.
As I finished the first lap, I heard what I thought was an ambulance siren. I though “uh oh.” But soon I saw that it was a motorcycle with a siren. Behind the motorcycle was the race leader! I thought it was so cool that I was riding along side a pro triathlete who was leading the race! Very cool. I was starting my second lap as he was finishing up his third!
I continued around and finally got some sun block about 3 hours into the ride. I stopped at the bike special needs station and asked around. One nice woman athlete asked me what I needed and then shouted out my request in Spanish to the other athletes. Another athlete came over to me with a pill container. I said “no, no” thinking that something had been lost in translation, but then he said “put finger in.” I put my finger into the bottle and it was filled with sun block! Yeah! I lathered it on and said “Gracias!”
I hit a low point on the second lap along the ocean side of the course. It was brutal back there and I needed to vent my discomfort. I cried a bit, as most people do at one point or several during an ironman race.
That was my time. I then thought of my grandma. I composed myself and continued on my way. I soon started the last lap and thought “let’s make this one count” and got back into aero position. The pain in my neck, and now back, quickly took over and I was sitting back up and stretching. It was so hard to stay in aero position for that length of time and I didn’t. I sat up probably half the time on the course, which I knew wasn’t going to aid in aerodynamics, but it did help a bit with comfort so I did it.
In last 8 miles of the 112 mile bike course a woman passed me saying “You’re a really strong rider.” It made me smile. I was surprised to see her coming up from behind as I thought she’d passed me a long time ago after playing cat and mouse for a while. I thought that was really cool of her to say and it gave me the pep I needed to bring my bike home for a strong finish. Into town and off the bike! Yeah! I handed my bike off to a volunteer. Yeah! My legs were feeling really wobbly as I headed into T2.
Into T2. I changed into a new pair of shorts, which were not easy to pull on over my sticky skin. I must have looked pretty funny wiggling into them. Put on socks, my pink Newtons, visor, sunglasses, handheld water bottle, and I was on the run!
Bike Time: 6:22:11
T2: 3:42
Run Nutrition: 2x caffeine double latte gels (yum! My fav gel flavor!), juice of one orange piece, two banana pieces, one salt tablet. I decided to limit my food intake to gels on the run, which was different than the cornucopia of foods I had at Wisconsin on the run. The gels were also easier to eat and more appetizing than the orange pieces just sitting on the wooden table at the aid stations.
The Run:
It felt good to be off the bike and onto the run, the last part of the race. The course was a 3 loop out and back course, so we were essentially running out 4.5 miles and running back the same way 4.5 miles. The course lent itself to great spectator support and aid stations every 1 km, although it was a little disheartening to see mile 18 and 26 when I was only on my first lap.
I knew I would make it there in time, so no worries. I was feeling real good. My timing chip strap was really bothering me on my ankle early on in the run. My ankle was all scraped up. I eventually stopped to tighten the strap and that felt better. I only stopped in a port-o-john one time, which was a record. I was happy about that.
I saw Alex and Asher several times along the course, which was cool. Asher told me of some mechanical issues he had on the bike. I couldn’t believe he even made it to the run. Had I encountered the same issues on the bike, I think my race would have been over. I was really proud of him.
I saw my cheering section on each lap, which was really cool. Damon ran along side of me for a bit on each lap. It was great to have him and my parents there.
Mosquitoes were a problem at the far ends of laps 2 and 3. I figured if I just kept running, I’d lessen my chances of getting bitten. I did get covered with bug spray by random spectators who were nice enough to spray us down. Not sure what kind of spray it was, but I’m guessing it was toxic.
Several times I saw people running with the same pink Newton shoes I was wearing. I said “nice shoes” to them as I passed by going in the other direction. Not sure if they spoke English, but some smiled. One time, an athlete running along side of me said in a Spanish accent “only woman thinks of fashion during race.” hehe
I also saw a guy running in the opposite direction wearing a B.D.’s Mongolian BBQ jersey. I shouted “Go B.D’s!” figuring he was from Michigan or at least from the U.S. The second time I saw him he yelled to an athlete running next to me. He said “Go Bree!” I thought perhaps she was friends with him and I asked her “Are you from Michigan?” She said no, and then something about originally being … from … at which point I realized that others were saying “Go Bree!” to her as well and that she was pro triathlete Bree Wee! Whoops! I stopped chit chatting with her and let her go on her way!
Pretty cool that I was running with her for a bit.The run went by pretty fast. Damon said I was finishing the laps faster than he expected. On my last lap, Damon said that he had a projected finish time for me. At that point, I didn’t have one for myself until I looked at my watch at mile 20. I saw that I could easily finish the race in under 13 hours if I ran a 10 min mile pace. At that point, I decided to put myself on cruise control and run the rest of the race at a good pace. I chucked my last gel with 4 miles to go. It always feels so good to drop that last bit of nutrition and just run, knowing that you’re so close to the finish.
An American woman was running just ahead of me who I had been chatting with a bit. I kept the same pace as her just behind her, as it felt comfortable. I was okay with her finishing ahead of me, but the finish line came up really fast and without any thought I suddenly bolted past her. I charged to the finish with energy I did not know I had. I saw Damon and my parents cheering me on and I crossed the finish line of Ironman Cozumel! I did it! I did it for the second time this year. I am an Ironman!
Run Time: 4:51:26
Overall Time: 12:54:02
Conclusion:
I realized that starting where I had in the swim, so far back from the start line, worked against me in this race. I lost the draft affect from the other swimmers and I was not able to use the swimmers in front of me to help with navigation. I chalk that up to inexperience. The swim that most people described as a really fast swim, was only one minute faster than my swim at Wisconsin. Notwithstanding, I felt that my swim stroke was much more consistent and efficient in this race. In the swim, I finished 52nd in my age group.
Given the conditions, I felt like I rode at a good pace on the bike. I didn’t feel like I was necessarily holding back at all in anticipation of the run. I just rode. I was feeling quite a bit of discomfort from being in aero for so long. I wonder if that pain was gone, whether I would have been able to push harder. On the bike, I climbed from 52nd to 18th in my age group. I’m guessing I had one of the fastest bike splits in my age group.
I was most proud of my run. I was able to run through aid stations and didn’t walk as much as I did in Wisconsin. I pushed myself a little more, but not out of my comfort zone. I think I need to work on doing more quick bike to run transitions, as it took me a little while to get my “running” legs after the bike. In the run I went from 18th after the bike to 14th in my age group. In Wisconsin, I dropped quite a few places on the run. Here, I climbed a few spots.
Ironman is an extraordinary event. There’s nothing like your first, but I’m still hooked and can’t wait to do Wisconsin 2010! I wish I was doing more than one Ironman next year, but I will make up for it with a couple half ironman races. After all, I’ve never done a half ironman race so that’ll be another first!
