I was trying to qualify for Kona at IMAZ in M55-59, but came in 4th, missing a slot by 3 min. So I thought I would give it another try at IM Texas, since I aged up at the start of the year. It looked like Texas would have 2 slots in M60-64, but there also looked like there were a fair number of strong competitors.
My race prep went well, and I felt strong and healthy going into the race. I did the practice swim the day before, and dropped off my transition bags and bike just after opening time at about 10:30 Friday AM. The race started uneventfully, with a 1:11:14 (5th place) swim followed by a 4:18 T1. Bike also went reasonably well, with a 5:18:43 (3rd place). HOWEVER, when I got to T2 and got my bag, the bag was still tied at the top, but there was a 4-5 inch hole about half way up the side of the bag, across but not along the seam. And one of my shoes with its sock and rolled up race belt with bib number were all gone. One of the Ironman people, Anthony, helped me look for the shoe among the transition bags and in the tent, but no shoe. Then Anthony asked me what size shoes I wear, I told him 11. He said I could use his shoes, but they were size 10.5. With no other options, I put them on with no socks (one of my socks was gone with the shoe). But then I had no race number. So Anthony borrowed a sheet of paper and wrote my number on it with a Sharpie and signed his name. And off I went T2, 10:04.
When I exited T2, I saw my wife and told her what happened. She said I was in 3rd, with the other guys pretty far ahead. Second place was 13 minutes ahead, and 1st place was 20 minutes ahead. I figured it was going to have to be a helluva run, so I took off. I knew immediately that my feet were going to be bruised and blistered by the end, and I probably should have emptied out the sand and gravel from that left shoe. A friend offered me his lightweight racing shoes, he had asked the Ironman folks who apparently said it was OK, but I was afraid to accept them due to concern that it would be outside assistance leading to a DQ. My wife kept updating me, I was catching up. I passed the second place guy after about 16-18 miles, and was catching up to the first place guy, but ran out of time, coming in second by about 7½ minutes. Run time 3:26:35. Race time 10:10:54. KQ.
I don’t know where my shoe went. It did not turn up in lost and found. It is hard for me to believe that it was missing by accident. The tear was not along the seam of the bag or the bottom. There was a bib number rolled up in the shoe, making it easily identifiable. I guess another competitor who came in earlier could have started to open the bag by accident and the shoe fell out, but it was a smallish hole in an odd place, and my bag had my name on it and an orange ribbon. If it was intentional, it is hard to accept that someone would do that. On the other hand, Anthony from Ironman, GAVE ME THE SHOES OFF HIS FEET so I could complete the race! In the process, I also had a PR Ironman run and a Kona slot. My feet are pretty torn up, but it was worth it.
Paul Bakerman
My race prep went well, and I felt strong and healthy going into the race. I did the practice swim the day before, and dropped off my transition bags and bike just after opening time at about 10:30 Friday AM. The race started uneventfully, with a 1:11:14 (5th place) swim followed by a 4:18 T1. Bike also went reasonably well, with a 5:18:43 (3rd place). HOWEVER, when I got to T2 and got my bag, the bag was still tied at the top, but there was a 4-5 inch hole about half way up the side of the bag, across but not along the seam. And one of my shoes with its sock and rolled up race belt with bib number were all gone. One of the Ironman people, Anthony, helped me look for the shoe among the transition bags and in the tent, but no shoe. Then Anthony asked me what size shoes I wear, I told him 11. He said I could use his shoes, but they were size 10.5. With no other options, I put them on with no socks (one of my socks was gone with the shoe). But then I had no race number. So Anthony borrowed a sheet of paper and wrote my number on it with a Sharpie and signed his name. And off I went T2, 10:04.
When I exited T2, I saw my wife and told her what happened. She said I was in 3rd, with the other guys pretty far ahead. Second place was 13 minutes ahead, and 1st place was 20 minutes ahead. I figured it was going to have to be a helluva run, so I took off. I knew immediately that my feet were going to be bruised and blistered by the end, and I probably should have emptied out the sand and gravel from that left shoe. A friend offered me his lightweight racing shoes, he had asked the Ironman folks who apparently said it was OK, but I was afraid to accept them due to concern that it would be outside assistance leading to a DQ. My wife kept updating me, I was catching up. I passed the second place guy after about 16-18 miles, and was catching up to the first place guy, but ran out of time, coming in second by about 7½ minutes. Run time 3:26:35. Race time 10:10:54. KQ.
I don’t know where my shoe went. It did not turn up in lost and found. It is hard for me to believe that it was missing by accident. The tear was not along the seam of the bag or the bottom. There was a bib number rolled up in the shoe, making it easily identifiable. I guess another competitor who came in earlier could have started to open the bag by accident and the shoe fell out, but it was a smallish hole in an odd place, and my bag had my name on it and an orange ribbon. If it was intentional, it is hard to accept that someone would do that. On the other hand, Anthony from Ironman, GAVE ME THE SHOES OFF HIS FEET so I could complete the race! In the process, I also had a PR Ironman run and a Kona slot. My feet are pretty torn up, but it was worth it.
Paul Bakerman