Ironman Florida 2008
Ironman Florida 2008 Race Report
by Frederick CookAfter three days of sitting around Panama City, Florida condos, half-heartedly attempting to contain nervous energy, Saturday, November 1, 2008 arrived much quicker than any of us imagined it would. These three days of on-site preparation, checking and re-checking bike tire pressure, tightening every bolt on the bike, packing and re-packing transition bags and special needs bags, seemed of paramount importance to us, though we all knew deep down that the only thing that would matter come race day was the years of athletic training, and 12 months of Ironman-specific training that had brought us to this day.The high was a balmy 70 degrees, a far cry from the frigid temperatures we left behind in Blacksburg earlier in the week. For Virginia Tech triathletes Brian Schoenberger, Doran Bosso (an ‘08 alum), and myself, it was exactly what we were hoping for after spending the final two weeks of preparation bundled up for ever bike and swim. Waiting for the first crack of sunlight to break the horizon, which would occur minutes before the gun would go off, none of us had any idea what to expect from what we hoped would be the most significant accomplishment of our young lives.
The swim start was a spectacle. 2,300 people - athletes - simultaneously charging into the water, knowing that the harder you can push the first 500 yards, the less likely it will be to get your goggles kicked off your face. The 2.4 mile swim was two laps - a half-mile out, a couple hundred yards across, then a half-mile back. A brief run on the beach, then back out for a second lap. Being from a swimming background, I quickly pushed ahead of the main pack and found myself with a group of fairly talented swimmers. It was easy to stay on someone’s feet with so many of us out there, and I was able to draft most of the first lap. By the second lap our group had thinned out significantly, and I spent a good part of it out by myself. The last half mile in to the swim finish I pushed pretty hard, passing several people who had been out in front of me for the better part of it. Charging out of the water, I had no idea what my time was, but I knew I had swam hard and would be one of the early ones out on the bike.
After quickly pulling on a pair of bike shorts over my triathlon singlet, I grabbed my helmet and sunglasses, trotted out to find my bike, and sprinted out of the first transition. I remember at least one professional male passing me in the first couple of miles. The pro field had a 10-minute head start on the age-groupers, so this confirmed for me that my swim split had been a pretty healthy one. I let him go by, knowing that I had a very long day ahead of me and pushing it this early would be disastrous. The 112-mile bike was a single loop, contrary to most Ironman bike courses that have you do multiple laps of a shorter distance. The Florida course is known for being extremely flat, and it absolutely was. Except for maybe 3 rollers, the entire race course was on a single plane, which for a Blacksburg kid was not pleasant.The first 25 miles I was largely by myself, occasionally being passed by a rider or two. About 35 miles in, a large group of riders began passing me. Drafting isn’t legal on the bike, but there is still an advantage from riding the legal distance of four bike lengths behind the person in front of you, so after a long, single-file group of about 40 riders passed me, I jumped in behind the last guy and found a good tempo. This lasted until about the half-way point, at which point the group got broken up coming through to pick up our first special needs bag (which athletes prepare themselves before the race). The entire rest of the ride I was more or less on my own, passing people and being passed only occasionally. Around 70 miles in, I started to feel my stomach rumbling. After assessing my food situation, I realized I was significantly behind on what I had planned on eating during the ride, a consequence of pushing myself a little harder than I had planned for. I slowed down for a bit and tried to eat a bit more, but the damage was done, and I finished out the ride with a slightly upset stomach and with a several-thousand calorie deficit.
Second transition was a blur. The amazing race volunteers really pamper athletes, and in T2, they take your bike from you as soon as you get into transition, find your bag, and help you with any equipment you may need help with. I basically dropped the cycling shorts and slipped on my running shoes and was out.Starting the run I wasn’t exactly sure where I was in my age group, but I assumed I had to be top five at this point, having only seen one person from my age group pass me on the bike. My run and bike splits were both very good, and I knew I had the potential to run an amazing race, though with a marathon in front of me, clearly nothing was certain.The 26.2 mile run course was an out-and-back affair, to be completed twice. 6.55 miles out, then back, then out, then back. The first 6.55 was miserable. My stomach was screaming at me the entire time, and I pretty much just took in water to keep it quiet. After making the first turn-around, I was feeling good enough to try to put some food in me, and I had a couple gels on the second leg. This felt great, and as I approached the second turn to begin my second lap, I was feeling very optimistic about the last 13.1. My legs, however, had different plans. Right at the turn, a year-old IT-band injury crept up on me, and I knew these last two legs were going to hurt. Still, I had had a great race up to this point, so as long as I ran the entire time, I would still have a decent finish, and barring some disaster, I would make my 11-hour goal time. Well, disaster sure made a grand attempt. The second half of that marathon was spiritually painful. IT-band, stomach, quads, everything hurt. It seemed as though every time a new pain came up, a mile didn’t go by before I forgot about it as something else started to hurt more. The last three miles, however, I truly pushed myself, realizing that I was so close to finishing and thinking about all the people who were cheering for me and supporting me.Crossing the finish line was very emotional, and the atmosphere there was incredible. With friends and family to greet me, and thousands of cheering fans, the sense of accomplishment was complete and overwhelming. I’ve put the results of the three of us below, but those simple numbers that are the public record of our event do not do justice to what each of us sacrificed to stand at that finish line. Though Ironman was an extremely humbling experience, all three of us have signed up to stand at the starting line of at least one Ironman in 2009, and this sport will likely shape each of us for the rest of our lives.From Blacksburg, thanks to everyone for their support.Links:
Virginia Tech
VT Triathlon News Article
VT Triathlon Results Page
Ironman
Ironman Florida
by Frederick CookAfter three days of sitting around Panama City, Florida condos, half-heartedly attempting to contain nervous energy, Saturday, November 1, 2008 arrived much quicker than any of us imagined it would. These three days of on-site preparation, checking and re-checking bike tire pressure, tightening every bolt on the bike, packing and re-packing transition bags and special needs bags, seemed of paramount importance to us, though we all knew deep down that the only thing that would matter come race day was the years of athletic training, and 12 months of Ironman-specific training that had brought us to this day.The high was a balmy 70 degrees, a far cry from the frigid temperatures we left behind in Blacksburg earlier in the week. For Virginia Tech triathletes Brian Schoenberger, Doran Bosso (an ‘08 alum), and myself, it was exactly what we were hoping for after spending the final two weeks of preparation bundled up for ever bike and swim. Waiting for the first crack of sunlight to break the horizon, which would occur minutes before the gun would go off, none of us had any idea what to expect from what we hoped would be the most significant accomplishment of our young lives.
The swim start was a spectacle. 2,300 people - athletes - simultaneously charging into the water, knowing that the harder you can push the first 500 yards, the less likely it will be to get your goggles kicked off your face. The 2.4 mile swim was two laps - a half-mile out, a couple hundred yards across, then a half-mile back. A brief run on the beach, then back out for a second lap. Being from a swimming background, I quickly pushed ahead of the main pack and found myself with a group of fairly talented swimmers. It was easy to stay on someone’s feet with so many of us out there, and I was able to draft most of the first lap. By the second lap our group had thinned out significantly, and I spent a good part of it out by myself. The last half mile in to the swim finish I pushed pretty hard, passing several people who had been out in front of me for the better part of it. Charging out of the water, I had no idea what my time was, but I knew I had swam hard and would be one of the early ones out on the bike.
After quickly pulling on a pair of bike shorts over my triathlon singlet, I grabbed my helmet and sunglasses, trotted out to find my bike, and sprinted out of the first transition. I remember at least one professional male passing me in the first couple of miles. The pro field had a 10-minute head start on the age-groupers, so this confirmed for me that my swim split had been a pretty healthy one. I let him go by, knowing that I had a very long day ahead of me and pushing it this early would be disastrous. The 112-mile bike was a single loop, contrary to most Ironman bike courses that have you do multiple laps of a shorter distance. The Florida course is known for being extremely flat, and it absolutely was. Except for maybe 3 rollers, the entire race course was on a single plane, which for a Blacksburg kid was not pleasant.The first 25 miles I was largely by myself, occasionally being passed by a rider or two. About 35 miles in, a large group of riders began passing me. Drafting isn’t legal on the bike, but there is still an advantage from riding the legal distance of four bike lengths behind the person in front of you, so after a long, single-file group of about 40 riders passed me, I jumped in behind the last guy and found a good tempo. This lasted until about the half-way point, at which point the group got broken up coming through to pick up our first special needs bag (which athletes prepare themselves before the race). The entire rest of the ride I was more or less on my own, passing people and being passed only occasionally. Around 70 miles in, I started to feel my stomach rumbling. After assessing my food situation, I realized I was significantly behind on what I had planned on eating during the ride, a consequence of pushing myself a little harder than I had planned for. I slowed down for a bit and tried to eat a bit more, but the damage was done, and I finished out the ride with a slightly upset stomach and with a several-thousand calorie deficit.
Second transition was a blur. The amazing race volunteers really pamper athletes, and in T2, they take your bike from you as soon as you get into transition, find your bag, and help you with any equipment you may need help with. I basically dropped the cycling shorts and slipped on my running shoes and was out.Starting the run I wasn’t exactly sure where I was in my age group, but I assumed I had to be top five at this point, having only seen one person from my age group pass me on the bike. My run and bike splits were both very good, and I knew I had the potential to run an amazing race, though with a marathon in front of me, clearly nothing was certain.The 26.2 mile run course was an out-and-back affair, to be completed twice. 6.55 miles out, then back, then out, then back. The first 6.55 was miserable. My stomach was screaming at me the entire time, and I pretty much just took in water to keep it quiet. After making the first turn-around, I was feeling good enough to try to put some food in me, and I had a couple gels on the second leg. This felt great, and as I approached the second turn to begin my second lap, I was feeling very optimistic about the last 13.1. My legs, however, had different plans. Right at the turn, a year-old IT-band injury crept up on me, and I knew these last two legs were going to hurt. Still, I had had a great race up to this point, so as long as I ran the entire time, I would still have a decent finish, and barring some disaster, I would make my 11-hour goal time. Well, disaster sure made a grand attempt. The second half of that marathon was spiritually painful. IT-band, stomach, quads, everything hurt. It seemed as though every time a new pain came up, a mile didn’t go by before I forgot about it as something else started to hurt more. The last three miles, however, I truly pushed myself, realizing that I was so close to finishing and thinking about all the people who were cheering for me and supporting me.Crossing the finish line was very emotional, and the atmosphere there was incredible. With friends and family to greet me, and thousands of cheering fans, the sense of accomplishment was complete and overwhelming. I’ve put the results of the three of us below, but those simple numbers that are the public record of our event do not do justice to what each of us sacrificed to stand at that finish line. Though Ironman was an extremely humbling experience, all three of us have signed up to stand at the starting line of at least one Ironman in 2009, and this sport will likely shape each of us for the rest of our lives.From Blacksburg, thanks to everyone for their support.Links:
Virginia Tech
VT Triathlon News Article
VT Triathlon Results Page
Ironman
Ironman Florida
