The swim: (3.9 mi, 1:27)
I was so nervous getting ready for this, but once we were in the line to enter the water it all happened so fast and suddenly we were off! I struggled at first to get used to the cold water and all the people around me and was finding myself really out of breath. I slowed down to a very slow pace until my breathing was back to normal. Then I just kept swimming at a pretty easy pace. I stayed on course pretty well and just kept swimming buoy to buoy. I only got kicked a few times and got pretty good at dodging people who looked like they were about to swim into or kick me. I started to get a bit cold after about an hour and started swimming a bit faster. My plan was just to get through this - I definitely didn't want to be pulled from the water with hypothermia. I heard afterwards that quite a few people had panic attacks due to the cold water so I'm glad I managed to calm myself down. Before I knew it, we had swum past the island and were making the final turn to swim back to the boat ramp. Then I was out of the water, having my wetsuit stripped and jogging into T1.
The ride: (112mi, 8:05 - crazy I spent 8 hrs on the bike!)
The ride: (112mi, 8:05 - crazy I spent 8 hrs on the bike!)
Elevation gain: 7335 ft. This was a super tough ride. It was crazy hot - topped out at 98 degrees and really windy at points. When I started out I felt really strong but forced myself to slow down. A few days before the race I'd heard "If you think you're taking it easy on the bike, slow down". I practiced that motto throughout the day. My goal was to finish this race, and I still didn't know how much energy I would need to run a marathon after the ride. The first 22 miles were pretty fast and had lots of spectators cheering. After that, we started the first loop. The road surface got crappy (chip seal) and it started getting super hot. Luckily the scenery was very pretty, but I started to feel how long this ride was going to take. I chatted to a few other riders and that really helped. I was really glad I'd driven the course the day before and knew what to expect with aid stations and hills. Everyone talks about "the wall" - a mile long hill with between 6 and 14% grades. On the first loop I ran into someone I knew right before I hit this so we chatted the whole way up and I barely noticed we were riding it. The second time I was solo - getting really tired and there was a super strong head wind up the top. Most people were walking their bikes up, but my ego wouldn't let me. I was only doing 4 mph, but I rode the whole way. I think if I'd let myself get off it would have been the start of the decline for me and I may not have had the strength to push through the run. The winds at the end of the second loop were incredible, but I got through slow and steady and finally hopped off the bike - luckily I didn't fall! My legs were super sore.
The Run (26.2mi 5:20):
Elevation gain: 3569ft. This was super tough. Surprise, surprise, right? It was still over 90 degrees when I started this run and the first 3 miles were all uphill, so I decided to walk most of it. I walked sipping ice water and just getting my legs back. I ran occasionally, but knew that the course leveled out a bit after the first few miles - or so I thought! The whole thing was either up or down, so my technique turned out to be run the downhills, and on the uphill run 2 cone lengths and walk 1. This seemed to work pretty well because my legs never stiffened up from not running, but I got a rest. I was definitely running out of energy. I talked to quite a few people, but didn't want to stick with anyone because I knew I could make up a lot of time here. Most of the people were very slow runners or walking. I knew I had been slower on the bike and running would be my strength and although I was friendly, I didn't want to feel like I had to stay with anyone. I just kept up my technique. Knowing that even if I had to resort to walking the whole thing, I would still make the cutoff gave me a lot of confidence. My stomach was a complete mess by mile 5 and I was constantly feeling like I might puke. I saw several people doing that so I wasn't alone. "Just keep going". And the miles passed. I was craving salt and knew I was starting to cramp. I kept drinking lots of Ironman perform and was eating lots of potato chips. I'd taken a lot of salt on the bike and took more on the run, so I think that's the only thing that eventually kept the cramps away. Finally I was hitting the turn around on the second lap and I knew I was on the way home. I was running more and more, but it was very dark by this time. When I hit the last 3 miles, it was pretty much all downhill, so off I went! I ran and felt like I could keep up the jog until I got to the end. When I saw the lights of the finish line, I couldn't help myself! I was so excited and I started to sprint. I overtook lots of people and came in fist pumping and hi-fiving everyone down the finishers shoot. To hear the words "Louise Shrimpton, you are an IRONMAN!" was totally unbelievable. My eyes were tearing up as I finished and was completely in a daze. I can't wait to do another one. What an unbelievably awesome experience.
Splits: 12:56 [134], 13:27 [135], 14:43 [134], 13:08 [138], 11:47 [130], 11:09 [138], 12:54 [138], 11:34 [141], 12:19 [137], 12:14 [135], 11:28 [133], 11:32 [133], 10:51 [134], 12:24 [137], 12:27 [137], 14:10 [133], 14:30 [126], 11:18 [128], 11:27 [134], 12:19 [135], 12:40 [135], 12:43 [134], 12:36 [130], 12:32 [133], 10:09 [144], 9:46 [142]
The Run (26.2mi 5:20):
Elevation gain: 3569ft. This was super tough. Surprise, surprise, right? It was still over 90 degrees when I started this run and the first 3 miles were all uphill, so I decided to walk most of it. I walked sipping ice water and just getting my legs back. I ran occasionally, but knew that the course leveled out a bit after the first few miles - or so I thought! The whole thing was either up or down, so my technique turned out to be run the downhills, and on the uphill run 2 cone lengths and walk 1. This seemed to work pretty well because my legs never stiffened up from not running, but I got a rest. I was definitely running out of energy. I talked to quite a few people, but didn't want to stick with anyone because I knew I could make up a lot of time here. Most of the people were very slow runners or walking. I knew I had been slower on the bike and running would be my strength and although I was friendly, I didn't want to feel like I had to stay with anyone. I just kept up my technique. Knowing that even if I had to resort to walking the whole thing, I would still make the cutoff gave me a lot of confidence. My stomach was a complete mess by mile 5 and I was constantly feeling like I might puke. I saw several people doing that so I wasn't alone. "Just keep going". And the miles passed. I was craving salt and knew I was starting to cramp. I kept drinking lots of Ironman perform and was eating lots of potato chips. I'd taken a lot of salt on the bike and took more on the run, so I think that's the only thing that eventually kept the cramps away. Finally I was hitting the turn around on the second lap and I knew I was on the way home. I was running more and more, but it was very dark by this time. When I hit the last 3 miles, it was pretty much all downhill, so off I went! I ran and felt like I could keep up the jog until I got to the end. When I saw the lights of the finish line, I couldn't help myself! I was so excited and I started to sprint. I overtook lots of people and came in fist pumping and hi-fiving everyone down the finishers shoot. To hear the words "Louise Shrimpton, you are an IRONMAN!" was totally unbelievable. My eyes were tearing up as I finished and was completely in a daze. I can't wait to do another one. What an unbelievably awesome experience.
Splits: 12:56 [134], 13:27 [135], 14:43 [134], 13:08 [138], 11:47 [130], 11:09 [138], 12:54 [138], 11:34 [141], 12:19 [137], 12:14 [135], 11:28 [133], 11:32 [133], 10:51 [134], 12:24 [137], 12:27 [137], 14:10 [133], 14:30 [126], 11:18 [128], 11:27 [134], 12:19 [135], 12:40 [135], 12:43 [134], 12:36 [130], 12:32 [133], 10:09 [144], 9:46 [142]
