Just got back from IMLP. Interesting experience. I had not planned on signing up for next year. Even if I did, by the time I got to the fair ground at 11:00, onsite was sold out (700 spots) and I was told online was also closed out.
First off it was great to meet lots of slowtwitchers. I did not have any family or friends travelling to the race with me, so it was very nice to see many familiar faces and meet some new ones. It can actually get pretty lonely the few days leading up the race if you are by yourself. Dev called me several times during the week to check up on me and make sure I was doing okay and ready to race. Appreciated that.
Thursday: Dev and I went for an easy swim. Also ran into the Kaiser (kus) and Spinndogg. Went out to watch the tour on the big screen at Wise Guy’s that night and ran into Runsum??? (Rich) who I had met at Tupper lake a few weeks earlier and swordfish came out as well. I called kus, but he was going to bed (Note: if you want to go sub 10:00 in an IM don’t stay up late drinking on Thursday).
Friday: 8:00 am meet up at the swim. No swimming for me, but I saw Record10 and promptly told him I had called the sheriff to get his dog off the beach. Since I played it straight and he didn’t know who I was I had him going for a minute. Also met trukweaz and Collosal Quads. Went for a great breakfast at the Black Bear with rich, Record, swordfish, rroof and Dan from Chicago (forget his slowtwitch name).
Later that day I ran into Murphy’s Law at Placid Planet bikes. He busted his fork on the ride up, but I didn’t seem to affect his race.
Went to the dinner with Dev, Jean, Peter and the Kona Express. The whole thing was a little freaky, kind of like a cult meeting or revival. A bunch of sponsor talk and how great it is to be an IM. They recognized some guy from the crowd who lost the most weigth training for the IM. I assumed they meant this year’s race, but this guy had his own ideas. He apparently lost 106 pounds over several years and raced last year. He wasn’t even sure if he lost any weight since last year. This was kind of stupid.
Saturday: Went for an easy bike with Dev and ran into KJGrog. Basically if you hang around with Dev, you spend most of your time talking because he knows just about everyone.
Checked out the Expo. Overall lame and no swag. At the bootleg expo at High Peaks Cyclery I ran into Wayne (Polar rep) manning the Polar tent. He gave me a polar shoe/swim bag, the only decent swag I got. Thanks Wayne. Wayne was also there to cheer me on during the run. The Serotta guy trued my wheel for me.
Oh yeah, the race. I will just give a few snippets.
Swim: I am not a great swimmer, but this was the best part. I somehow got in just the right spot. My HIM PR is 32:30 and I swam a 63:03 going easy, with a 30:XX first loop. The worst bumps I took were from the buoys. I was on the rope by 400m in and had smooth sailing all the way.
Bike: Rode a 5:46, about what I thought. Saw itseazy and kus way out in front coming out of Hasselton on first loop. Pretty much ideal conditions, once the rain stopped after about 90 minutes. 2:53 for each loop, perfect pacing. Passed a lot of folks (30 - 40) in the last 15 miles. Stopped to pee twice, so maybe I wasted 2:00, but at least I can say I don’t wet my pants on purpose. I also had to stop once to fix my timing chip. Very crowded even with the hills, had to work hard to ride mostly clean. Caught Record10 on the first out and back, told him he was drafting/blocking/cheating (he wasn’t) and I was going to post on slowtwitch about it. He is a pretty nice guy to put up with me busting his balls like that. Felt pretty good, the crowds in town were awesome and the time passed really quickly. There was a little kid blowing a bugle in Wilmington on the first loop. He was still going when I went by the second time.
Run: I was on the road at 7:01, only 1 minute off the plan. My legs felt great, my stomach not so good. I did the first mile in 6:50 (downhill) and my heart rate was about 150. Running okay, but I did not take any aid for about 3 miles or so, and not much of substance until 5 miles. I knew this would come back to me, but htere was nothing to do except keep moving. I had to make 5 bathroom stops on the first loop. Ticking off the miles, finally stomach felt okay by mile 8. I sort of met Dr Tommy here (Tom Evans) as he was lapping me and I grabbed a coke, that he was going for at the aid station (sorry, didn’t see you behind me). Somehow through all that, I ran a 1:37 first loop. My heart rate was about 155, which is only about 5 - 7 beats above a very easy pace for me. I was optimistic that my stomach problems were under control and the legs would hold up. Of course the first loop means nothing, this is where the race really starts and the true contenders shine. Continued to go well to about mile 18 and then I crashed hard, just had no energy and some knee pain was starting to set in. Had a two really rough miles and had to walk a bit. Took a lot of cola, just running aid station to aid station and bounced back a bit for the last six miles and ended up with a 3:41 split. I probably could have pulled back another 5 - 6 minutes in the last 5 miles if I really sucked it up, but my goals were out the window and I was suffering enough already. I did my best to bring it in steady with a manageable pain level, no need to be a hero and prolongue my recovery. Overall I was a little off with the fourth sport (nutrition), but all things considered I figure I did okay for my first crack at an IM.
Dev took the smackdown by 19:00 and grabbed a Kona spot to boot. Go Dev, unfortunately I will not be able to participate in any smackdowns in October (this year).
for Smackdown Mach II. Dev’s already come out of retirement for '07 IMLP.