I did the race, albeit in 13 hours so nothing to brag about. Its unfortunate to have a bad experience with a race, especially an Ironman so much time invested as well as lots of money. With that being said, I noticed a couple of things out there that made my jaw drop.

1. The bike. I was near the front of the swim and on the bike was being passed like I was standing still (which is kinda of the case). I witnessed people just mashing up the hills (rollers)! I also noticed a lot of overtaking back and fourth, not a big deal but a lot of wasted energy for such little real estate. Now all of these people could have blasted me in the race, but by lap 2 i was able to pass a lot of riders who were riding in the up position just barely pedaling back to transition.

2. They ran out of water on the bike course for a bit. For me that was huge. I was relying on water for my nutrition plan and it put me behind until the next aid station where i had to force ice cubes into the water bottle for water..lol and at mile 15 of the run I cramped up had to run walk to the finish.

I thought everyone involved in the race did an awesome job! All the volunteers were awesome from the guys at the tents to the little kids handing out ice cups. It was hot yesterday and I think the staff was doing their best. My opinion anways.

Are you sure they weren't handing out medals after midnight? Some friends and I were sitting outside a bar near with finish line when a guy came in around 12:20. The finish line and barricades were already gone, but he still got a medal and finisher shirt and hat.

As a racer yesterday, I think some things were a little off of a 'good' Ironman experience that we have grown to expect from a WTC event. The majority of the issues were people not taking the personal responsibility to keep themselves safe out there and not really the WTC's or the local medical folks fault. Honestly, if you are going to bike so hard to pass out how are you going to come close to running any of the marathon.

1. Powerbar Perform Ironman was the worst drink I have had to choke down. I am not a big fan off Gatoraid for other reasons but this stuff was the worst. The orange flavored stuff was not as bad but what ever lemon-lime stuff was on the bike was making me gag.

2. I don't think many people were prepared for that bike in that amount of heat. The aid stations were not evenly spread out they had one about five miles from the finish and a 20 ish mile gap. The 20 ish mile gap would have been fine had it not been a fairly strong headwind and a lightly staffed station handing out warm drinks before the gap.

3. After my race was done, I showered up and went for a massage. On the table next to me was the race director (or at least I thought that was she said) getting her own massage. I thought at about 10 pm she would have more important things to do than to take up a table that a participant could be using especially with a full medical area.

4. The web site issues for friends and family is just not acceptable.

Some things were awesome and completely well done. The run aid stations were the best I had ever seen with wonderful volunteers. If you run some stand alone marathons you could only hope for aid stations like these. I had the best finish catcher ever but that is another story...

scotty boy..if you gf at mile is 60 is having trouble, she didn't train right. She is weak, dump her.

Maybe your gf should take some accountability.

I went to watch my best friend race and she, too, said they ran out of water on the bike course. To me, that is absolutely unacceptable. She said some old couple was outside of their house at mile 88 was handing out water and trying to help fill bottles, and said she would have been in big trouble without them.

The biggest problem at the station without water is people threw their bottles at the bottle drop leading into the station, so while the station had ice, they had nothing for racers to put that ice in.

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Kathleen
http://kcwoodhead.blogspot.com/

So if I understand there were 2 of you helping 1 athlete get to her car. What did you need additional help for? Medical was still open when your friend finished. She could have gone there and waited for an ambulance to the hospital, but you got her there more quickly. When the weather is extremely hot the medical staff and all the volunteers are overwhelmed. You did the right thing by helping your friend and allowing the medical crew to focus on others.

I have worked at IMAZ every year and I have personally helped many athletes to their cars, gather their gear, get their bikes, etc. We make a point of going around the finish food area and look for people who are alone and check on them. We can't be everywhere at once so we have to prioritize. If I see someone who has 2 friends with them I move on to someone with none.

Having volunteered at more than 20 Ironmans I disagree that the late finishers are more in need of medical than earlier finishers. That has not been my experience. Late finishers are usually in pretty good shape. Its the second wave of finishers, those who may have pushed beyond their limits that need medical most often.

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Gary Mc
Did I mention I did Kona

Redman registration closes 8/31 at midnite

My take from "A Bronx Tale"

ajet: If she doesn't make it through the bike leg: dump her.
scottusmc: Just like that?
ajet: Listen to me, kid. If she cant make it through the bike leg, that means she's a selfish broad and all you're seeing is the tip of the iceberg. You dump her and you dump her fast.

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@brooksdoughtie
USAT-L2,Y&J; USAC-L2
http://www.aomultisport.com

I can't add much but the one thing I was surprised about and I'm sure this was a very acute problem, but I was in no-mans land on the bike with nobody behind me for about 5 mins and maybe #2/#3 women pros a couple minutes ahead. On the solo ride back to Louisville all I could think was these lazy police. Every single one who was supposed to be controlling the intersection, but every single one was sitting in the car with the AC on. Of the 15-20 I passed on the way back in, only one of the officers showed any urgency in trying to get out of the car to stop an oncoming car. The volunteers were amazing, every single one I met. As for the IM organization, the event does have a cheesy-type feel. They are starting to coming off as very non-genuine IMO. I know there have been some shake-ups in the organization - I'm not sure if it is general moral with that or just a bit of jadedness over the years. Getting back on tangent though, I would be curious to find out if the original poster's GF was drinking fluids.

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Visit The Chipotle Calorie Calculator

I understand that using volunteers whenever possible enhances profit margin but for the med tent, really? And if so, are they at least vetted to make sure their qualification isn't fabrication?

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Nor do I use punctuation in the way a child sprinkles glitter over a ribbon of glue on construction paper - Trash Talk

Yes. A friend that is an RN volunteered the med tent at IMCDA. She was from out of town, her credentials needed to be verified and it was all organized by Kootenai Medical Center in CDA.

I was just surprised by the 12 PM closing time no mater what. She clearly needed help (IV fluids). She could not stand or walk and would not drink ANY fluids cause she said she was too nauseous. We were told to take her to the hospital cause they were closing at 12. It wasn't even 12 yet. Just was surprised that they close so early. At the hospital they gave her IV fluids just like she could have had at the tent...

And it was VERY difficult getting her to the car with TWO women carrying her.

I think that's the general past-the-time-cut-off policy at med tents at many of the larger marathons/triathlons...

sounds like a lot of people are learning that ironman is serious, and requires preparation.

I can crush a lot of people that do ironmans and I know I am not ready for one. I'd have been passed out in t2 on a day that hot, maybe 3 miles later. =)

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Kat Hunter reports on the San Dimas Stage Race from inside the GC winning team
Aeroweenie.com -Compendium of Aero Data and Knowledge
Freelance sports & outdoors writer Kathryn Hunter

I talked with a bike station volunteer the day after the race. He was amazed at the waste from the athletes. He said people would ride up to the aid stations and grab two water bottles at a time. Take a sip or two from each and throw them on the ground and then grab a third on the way out. As they were cleaning up the discarded water bottles, he was disappointed at the number of full or half full bottles on the ground. Not trying to give an excuse for running out of water on the course but this sounds like a lot of folks are very wasteful.

We have a local tri series here that has an Iron Distance race this coming weekend that I believe isn't anywhere close to $300 to enter - I might be wrong, just tried to check the price and registration is closed because it is this weekend. If anyone is from Ottawa and has done it let me know. Plus, my reference was inferring that I've been to local weekends where they hold 5-6 events (tri-a-tri's, sprints, olympics plus duathlons and sometimes even kayaking/canoeing races) with over 2000 total participants over the entire weekend for $75. I can understand that they need more people, have more expensive permits for the roads, need things like race marshals and expensive equipment for timing but like people say there are a TON of volunteers to do a lot of the stuff.

As for atmosphere, I'll take $550 and fly to Mexico for a week this winter. I like that atmosphere better.

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Part of the Slowtwitch Strength Training Association. Picking up something heavier than a bike makes me happy.

This was a big event and a very very tough day. I do know someone else who ended up in the hospital who's race contact did not get informed. I guess they missed instructing the volunteers on that detail (or the EMTs and Hospitals). As far as the water on the bike, it was always there for me in excess. I travel with 4 bottle carriers and try to keep them full, because stuff happens. Since the average station is every 10 mi, I should always have 2 extra. If for some reason one does not work out, I have enough to make it to the next station. I drink a lot, target is 4 per hour. I really have few complaints, lots and lots of volunteers. Yes, it is getting pricey for Mdot, but the events must be exceptionally difficult to pull off.

OK, let's run this through one at a time...I have an ultramarathon background where there is potentially scant medical assistance on the course, so you should know where I cam coming from.

First of all, it is ultimately up to the individual for his/her own safety. Even in an organized race such as this, you NEED to ADOPT THIS PHILOSOPHY that YOU ARE ULTIMATELY YOUR OWN CARETAKER in every race you do. This is huge because even if Ironman officials have medical contingencies for a lot of the areas on the course, it's simply impossible to cover every inch of the course. Sounds like your girlfriend chose a spot between aid stations to lie down, which is a no-no. About 99% of adverse symptoms come with warning signs, and since every bike aid station is only 5 miles apart (I did this course in 2008), she should have stopped at the last bike aid station if she felt out of it. The response at an aid station would have been much faster since the people there have direct communication to medical personel.

Secondly, about the bike being temporarily lost...remember that the volunteers there face multiple tasks out there to keep the race going smoothly and that it was not a priority to get your gf's bike to the transition as fast as possible. Once their duties took them to that area, that was when they unloaded the bike. And this might take 6 or more hours. Just the fact that the bike eventually wound up at transition is a testament to organization in a race of over 2000 athletes over a long distance course.

But what do I know...if you really think you were wronged, you and your gf have that choice of not doing the race again. It's simply voting with your wallet, a powerful gesture that, if enough people were to have the same angst as you, would give the organizers some notice.

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Coach Pete from Joe Gold Endurance
coachjoegold@gmail.com
2010 Vermont 100 Ultramarathon: 28:09:15

Ok here is an update on my end.
1st she has done 6 Ironman's and was properly trained she completed this race last year in 11:06 and it was ran much better then than now
2nd I was contacted by the race director yesterday afternoon after my post and this is what he told me were sorry we had 15 vans to pick up people and there bikes ( 7 P's again) once it got hot it was crazy and we had to find several more vans and leave bikes on the side of the road, then we rented a U Haul to drive the course to get the bikes. I hope she is ok
well I guess Chicago Marathon didn't teach anyone a thing about heat related injuries, and I guess they missed the section in USA Today which stated Louisville was the HOTTEST city in the US this year
7 P's

I am not sure that the people that finished after midnight did not get medals. I was one of the few people that is posting about Louisville that was actually there. I personally medaled 5-10 people that finished after midnight. We also got them a hat, shirt, water and asked if the needed any assistance. Most of the staff and vols that stay until 2 or 3 in the morning cheer on the after midnight finishers and give them what ever assistance we can. The folks that finish after midnight are amazing to me. I have been at most of the full IM's in the US for the last 6 years. We have always made every effort to make every athlete know they are an Ironman.

I think this is the event that you are referring to:

http://www.active.com/...hlon-and-relays-2010

$320! Add travel, hotel, bike transport, meals and basically the total difference in cost between it and a WTC event is in the noise. The physical challenge is absolutely the same, but the experience is not.

Hey, I feel for your girlfriend, however ALL of US who race put ourselves in the situation we create for ourselves.

She's an experienced and fast racer and from former times knows how to race. Shit happens on the course. I've done the walking zombie thing to the finish line and put myself in danger and spent 4 hours in the medical tent with 4 IV's...DUMB DUMB DUMB. We all know the signs of dehydration, low blood sugar, low sodium and sometimes in the heat of battle push through and put ourselves in a hole. We'd never do that in training ride, yet we feel we can do it in racing. In a training ride, we know there is no one there to bail us out, so better not go there. In racing, WE THINK we can push harder because there is support. The reality is that the RD's do what they can. We all have the option to back off the pace, regroup, and do the race slower....but in general we don't and then when shit happens we blame the Race organization rather than ourselves.

No one puts us in a situation where we need medical support (barring a crash, and even that is debateable, because we control our bikes) other than ourselves....better to accept the situation we put ourselves into than blame the race organization. Shit happens, it is 90 something degrees and athletes are just as stupid as anyone else and no wants to listen to their body...they got the powermeters and GPS's and pre set "pace times" they are trying to hit.

When it gets hot, time for plan B, C, D. It becomes a race of "who is going to slow down the least" not "how close can I get to my PB". But most of us don't want to accept it and don't adjust our pacing, hydration and nutrition strategies accordingly. Your girlfriend's blood sugar got low cause SHE MADE her blood sugar go low. No one else created that situation for her.

The rest you can blame on WTC, but she's the prime culprit behind this situation. What could she have done better to prevent even going there?

It was a tough day for everyone out there. Yes, WTC could have been better prepared for this one.

A couple of aid stations did run out of water. There were LOTS of people parked on the side of the road--laying down in the shade. It was hard to tell who was really f'd and who was just taking a break.

I became one of those lucky individuals around mile 75. Nausea... puked. Couldn't keep anything down and soldiered on for another couple of miles before my body and mind put up a very compelling argument to stop. I sat in the shade for about 10 minutes and was lucky to have one of the race workers pick me up (he was driving a pickup and delivering water to aid stations). He took me to the aid station around mile 77.5-ish. There were about a half-dozen folks with me who were in a similar condition and done for the day. While lying under the aid station tent, I went from being nauseated to the verge of unconsciousness. I waited with the others for well over an hour for a SAG wagon to pick us up. Fortunately, another woman who had issues was able to contact her husband, so a few of us were able to hitch a ride.

The story that I heard was that people were dropping out in 'droves'. Well more than expected and the SAG wagons, etc. could not keep up. All I know is I saw a lot of people on the side of the road during the bike and I heard a lot of ambulance sirens during the day. I am not at all surprised to hear about people being 'left for dead' for 20+ minutes.

I'm going to guess that your girlfriend passed out somewhere between Ballard school road and L'Esprit Parkway? I overheard some discussion and radios at the aid station about a woman who passed out and needed medical attention. Seemed like it took a long time for that ambulance to respond... there was one parked right in front of the aid station around mile 78. They just finished giving an IV bag to another competitor around that time...

So, it will be interesting to see the attrition rate for the bike. I'm guessing it was way higher than normal for an IM? If not, shame on WTC for not planning better. On the other hand, there is zero excuse for running out of water at aid stations!!! Captain obvious will tell you that you need shit-ton of water for an ironman when the temp is mid-90's. I wasn't happy when I hit an aid station and was told they didn't have any water. The aid station volunteers were very apologetic. I actually felt sorry for them... can't say enough good things about these volunteers. i could tell they were frustrated with the situation. Luckily for me, I had just enough left to bloat my stomach until I puked :-)

Kind of a crappy day for me. I went out easy and DNF'd. I put in the training, rode the course many times in the heat, honored the taper, etc... heart rate was way high for comparable training days.... but I'm sitting at home now with a mild sore throat and a bit of a stuffy nose so maybe I had other issues on Sunday.

I hope your girlfriend is recovering well.

Everyone knew it was going to be 95 degrees. You race to the conditions, not your pre-conceived 'best race ever' scenario. Personally, I put together my best swim/bike ever, but knew I would be lying in the gutter if I didn't slow down and drink the soup on the marathon. So I did.

My wife was a bit peeved that I was an hour late to the finish, but I was able to walk back to the hotel with her and the kids.

John