I've often read stories about the importance of failing, in that it's the best way to learn and move forward. Ahead of this race I was powering through Steve Jobs' biography - I still have about half of the book to complete. There's not much that I identify with Jobs. He was his own person. That said, his ability to focus was impressive. I could learn from that.
Executing on race day has challenged me. Still does in many ways. The more racing I do, the more aware of my weaknesses that I become.
Reaching 10 Ironmen wasn't something that I set out to do until 2010 when I dropped out for the first time in an Ironman - about 160k into the bike at Canada: dispirited, soaked and as cold as I've ever been. I climbed off my bike and into the back of an ambulance. There's nothing positive about finishing in the medical tent.
Even though I knew then and know now it was the right decision for me at that time, I was disappointed in not having finished in 2010. The DNF bothered me - I was so ready to race that year as I had been the previous one when I crashed at the 60k mark of the bike. I had huge expectations both years. I had trained hard for eight to 10 months each year. I was super motivated.
The disappointment from both of those two races led me to 'take a break' from Ironman in 2011 - which I filled by writing my book.
I returned to structured training - running - in January this year. I have run three half marathons, several 5ks, a 10k and then prepared for two half iron distance and one Olympic distance triathlons in addition to IMC this past weekend. I have been a bit less focused on finishing times this season but no less determined to finish as fast I can.
My objective for IMC was to be ready to race as hard as I could from start to finish. I can say that I was as fit as I ever have been and as lean/light as I have been in more than eight years. I put in one solid month of Iron training which was great but which I also know isn't enough to be the best I can be.
Still, Sunday's race restored my confidence in my ability to race this distance. It has renewed everything that I love about being able to say that I am an 'Ironman'. And it has refreshed all of my enthusiasm for wanting to go faster.
**
I will review some stats because, well, that is so often what I look at. I have started the last three Ironmans, each of them here in Canada, with one objective - to finish in less than 10 hours.
Sunday was no different though this time I realized a Sub 10 was far less likely. I simply hadn't done enough months of work to prepare. But I still had thought about that time - albeit fleetingly - this past week, as in, wouldn't it be cool to do it when I least expect it?
More realistically I was aiming for a 10:30 finish.
I set out for a sub 1:05 swim - I went 1:06. No hassles in the water, just a bit more chop than in the pool or Brohm Lake. I suppose it might be time to train a little bit in Howe Sound on a windy day, dodging the surfers.
I was aiming to ride sub 5:30. I rode 5:35. I rode the first 60k in about 1:35 and it seemed easy. I was riding with a cadence above 90 and cruising, aware of not pushing too hard, too early. My mantra was save my legs for a killer run split. My average cadence on the day was 88. Perfect.
From about 130-150k on the bike, I was hurting. First mistake - I had made my nutrition too concentrated. Just a bit too concentrated but enough that I wasn't taking in as much as I did on my long training spins. I came good though with about 30k remaining.
(After the race I saw that I had a flat rear tire; I have no idea whether I was riding on it or if it deflated as it sat in T2. I think the latter. At some point, the smallest piece of metal, the size of one side of a staple, had pierced the tire.)
As I started the run I had one key issue. My watch was dead. I hadn't noticed until that point. I wasn't excited at having no splits but I ran on feel, finding my cadence and for the first 15k it worked well. The rest of the way was another story. I had no idea of the overall time until I turned for the final 2k and heard there was 7 1/2 minutes left for a Sub 11 finish. I accelerated but I simply had too far to go and not enough time.
I set myself a 3:30 marathon target - aggressive but within my ability. I ran 4:13. No excuses. I never had the sense of urgency, the one I had in Malaysia in 2007 that kept me running hard through to the finishing chute.
Sunday was neither my best nor my worst race. It wasn't my A race for the season. Nor was it a training day. I take Ironman seriously and with the greatest of respect. I finished in 11:02. Two days later, and with some perspective, I think I should have easily been half an hour faster - all on the run. I'm more than capable of a 3:45 Ironman marathon given that I have run a standalone one in 3:10.
Three starts at Canada, two finishes in the medical tent. One bike crash, one case of hypothermia. One DNF. Long days not representative of my potential. Doubts. Struggles.
Ironman never gets easier. That is OK. I wouldn't want it to be easy as that would diminish it for me. I like that it hammers me a bit, that it pushes me and that it leaves me smashed.
Next year I will be in a new age group and I am already looking forward to that. My competitiveness has been renewed. My Sub 10 finish is out there and i will reach for it - yet again.
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