Yeah, I was one of the 5% that DNF’d at IMFL. It was my first Ironman. All I can say is I needed a lot more cowbell. And the minor cold I came down with two days before didn’t help.
The swim started out ok with only minimal water ingested on the first loop. The second however was a different story. “The Perfect Storm” swells I like to call them. This loop, I swallow much more water and gagged a few times. I almost wish I would have vomited up the salt water, because once on the bike I was in a world of digestive hurt. All I can say is the bike speed was slower than a snail’s pace. The life was sucked out of me from the swim the cold and the headwind. 8 1/2 hours later I made it to the transition area and didn’t make the cut off.
I have not given up hope on completing an Ironman. But I’m really depressed that things didn’t work out as hoped. Can I get a group hug? And tell me things will get better.
Don’t give up. That was a rough swim, especially the second lap out toward the turns. When 2-man kayaks are getting swamped, you know it’s rough. I keep hearing that the swell was 3 feet. Maybe so for the 50 min swimmers. But on the far side of the second lap, I’d say more like 6 foot.
hey, don’t feel like the lone ranger. the guy who stayed next to me didn’t get to finish either. he was obviously a great athlete based on his muscle mass and definition. he said he was afraid of the swim and thought it might take him 2 hours. he said he has done several marathons, and his bike is his strongest leg. i told him to just make it through the swim and get out there and do your thing. i felt sure he could do the whole thing in 11 hrs if he could make the swim in 2. he didn’t make the swim cutoff. when he told me that, it was like a punch in the gut because i was so disappointed for him. but hey, at least he can still have completing his first IM for a goal if he wants it. i don’t have a goal anymore.
Bummer about the swim. I feel ya, I was quite worried the same sorta thing might happen to me in my first IM ocean swim.
Things well get better. From the Silver Lining Department: On the semi-bright side, you have a helluva lot less stress to recover from now. You know what to expect from an IM swim and bike, and if’n ya hit Register Now again at some point in the future, you’ll know what you need to work on so it won’t go this way next time. And it won’t.
things will definitely get better! It’s not doing the ironman that makes you fit it’s the training. You have all this training under your belt. I think Dan said that it takes years of trainign to be able to TRAIN for an ironman.
You’re a better person b/c of it and you’ll bounce back stronger than ever.
Do not worry, I DNF at my 1st IM in 05 Arizona, and the following week got a charity spot for IM FL 05 and got the job done. Not the best time in the world but finished. You can not win them all, just keep trying… good luck
I’m really sorry about your DNF. I’ve gone into races expecting to DNF and I ended up DNF’ing and I felt horrible. I can’t imagine DNF’ing at a race where I did expect to finish, especially as something as monumental as your first IM. You have my sympathies. All that I can say is to learn from this and come back with greater focus and discipline and you’ll get it.
I just want to know what kind of training did you put into before you did the Ironman.
I don’t want to sound harsh, but from what you described it seems like you were severly undertrained.
I am not a super fast athlete by any stretch of the imagination. However, before partaking in such an extreme endurance event such as an Ironman, one should at least be confident that one can finish it prior to toeing the line at race day.
Open water swimming, long bike rides, and runs are IMO prerequisites, and shouldn’t be experienced for the first time during the Ironman race itself.
It took me four attempts to finish a half ironman after recovering from cancer. I’m about half of the man I used to be physically (the rest was removed surgically…), but finishing was so much sweeter than before.
You turned up on the start line, that much shows you want this. Turn up again and watch how you will not accept less than before. Embrace the pain, enjoy the blue carpet.
I was trying to remember one of those philosophical quotes about we learn more when we fail than when we succeed, but it’s true. Consider it a learning experience and take it into your next IM and you WILL DO IT! Don’t dwell on the DNF. Think about how to overcome it and live to race again!
No worries, I DNF’d FL for my first IM for almost exactly the same reasons. I didn’t even make it onto the bike. Came back and finished CdA 2 years later, with a 50 min swim PR. Take it as a learning experience. You will do it next time!
DFL-Lots of muscle and definition do not an Ironman make.
Sorry to hear about your DNF, way to tough it out on the bike though. Looks like lots of time in the pool in prep for the next one. Good luck and keep at it, I hope that the seas are not as angry next year when I will be there for my first.
/I just want to know what kind of training did you put into before you did the Ironman.
First of all my body is not cut out for huge swells, I get major motion sickness. I don’t think one can train for that.
I was working with a coach for the past 9 months, I even took 4 months off from work to train for the IM. The last month before the taper month, I was swimming 6K, biking 190 miles and running about 40 miles a week.
/I don’t want to sound harsh, but from what you described it seems like you were severly undertrained.
Open water swimming, long bike rides, and runs are IMO prerequisites, and shouldn’t be experienced for the first time during the Ironman race itself.
Do you really think I just jumped into this without training? Dude I had a cold, I don’t expect to finish with blazing speed. What do you take me for, that is pretty harsh, IMO.
