I recently participated in the the Ironman World Championships in Kona, Hawaii. While training for the big day ... I was able to raise nearly $5,000 for Habitat for Humanity.
If you are interested ... you can have a read of the days events!
The short version ... 'very fun'.
(Please take a moment to LEAVE A RESPONSE (make a comment) below... as it will assist me in ranking higher in google. Better yet ... ask a question ... so I can respond!)
Ironman Hawaii – Race Report by Bryon Howard
Race Totals: 10 hours,41 minutes and 39 seconds.
646th place overall out of 1732
98 out of 226 finishers in 40-44 age group
‘Swim 2.4 miles. Ride 112 miles. Run 26.2 miles. Then brag for the rest of your life.’ Thus Ironman Triathlon was born 30 years ago,1977.
Pre-race;
4:00AM:
*7 hrs sleep
*Breakfast: Coffee then Oatmeal, shaved chocolate, blueberries, milk and yogurt.
5:30-7AM (Arrive at Race Site)
*Took Hammer Product – 3 Race Cap supremes and 4 Antifatigue pills. 60mins before 7AM start.
*For any triathlete, that final walk down Alii Drive at 5:45AM is truly unbelievable. My brother and I drove to pretty close to the pier, so the walk takes you through the final run down Alii Drive, right past the finish chute It was exciting knowing I was about to compete in a race I’ve been looking forward to for years.
*After getting through body marking, I made my way out onto the pier for the final check of my gear and any other misc. 'to dos'. The professional start went off 15 minutes before the age groupers at 6:45AM, and I watched the start from the pier.
*I seeded my self a few rows back from the deep water mass start about 10 minutes prior to the start. There were 1700 people bobbing in the waves. I was thinking, I cannot believe I am here, just a dream come true…now the fun begins!
Swim 2.4 miles
*I had a reasonable position about 6 rows from the front. I was hoping to find ‘fast feet’, enjoy the draft and finish the swim in under 1:10.
*When the cannon went off it hurt my ears! I just coasted along on the inside buoys.
*I had heard that swimming in the Hawaii almost friendly … as you were swimming with the best. However … this was a real mosh pit. Unfortunately, I must have been a group that was ‘just like me’. (… swimming anything but a straight line ….)
*It felt like forever until the first boat came and then turn.
*After the turn, I found some good feet and felt I was making up time. I just settled in.
*In the end, the swim felt about 5 minutes too long. I was ready for it to be over! I exited in 1:08:50. The fastest guy of the day swam about 47 minutes.
*Swim Totals (Time/Place) = 1:08:50 1:48/100m (766th place total or 100 in age group)
T1
Fluid transition w/ no issues. A volunteer put sunscreen on my neck and shoulders … but I should have applied more – all over. (I’m currently moulting big time!)
*Total Time = 4:51 min.
Bike 112 Miles
*Once on the bike, the goal was to hold 210 to 220 watts throughout the entire course.
The Hawaii course winds it's way through town for about 10 miles before heading out on the Queen K. The temptation to absolutely hammer this section is high as the crowds are just screaming, but I just held 210 watts. I was being passed like crazy during these first 10 miles.
*After the out and back, heading up the short, but steep Palani Road (aka Pay and Save hill), I finally began to pass a few people.
*The main difference between this race and other Ironman events is the level of athlete is very high. 75% of the field had to qualify to get there and usually had to post a good time to do so. Many women and 50+ year old men were passing me … I was getting used to this.
*About 8 miles or so outside of Kona, near the airport, I began to settle in … and was now passing lots of folks.
*About 10 miles this side of Hawi, and the turn around point, the wind was just relentless, never getting ridiculously high, but NEVER backing off. For the entire ride up to Hawi, there was a strong headwind which I knew based on the looks on everyone's face was beginning to take it's toll.
*Another awesome part of racing Kona is seeing the pro race happening live right in front of you. As I was on the approach to Hawi, I saw the leaders charge by.
* Just after the turn at Hawi, I picked up my special needs bag with a flask of 500 calories of pertreum. This is the first time I’ve ever used the special needs bag in an Ironman. I didn’t like it. In fact, I had to stop to pick it up … and my gears were acting funny. (I was slowing on the up hill … and I went a full one or two cycles before stopping.)
*The last 20 miles I could barely hold 175 watts of power … and was mostly peddling around 155-160 watts. I began to get passed … towards the end of the bike.
*I got off the bike … and don’t remember having any idea of the time I finished in. I was happy to be done biking … and was imaging a quick transition and a good run.
*Bike Totals (Time/Pace/HR) = 5:26:53/20.56mph avg - Bike Split was 557 fastest on the day – or 86 in my age group.
FIRST BIKE SEGMENT 5.5 mi. (1:29:02) 21.50 mph
SECOND BIKE SEGMENT 28 mi. (2:29:57) 22.16 mph
THIRD BIKE SEGMENT 59 mi. (4:03:55) 19.79 mph
FOURTH BIKE SEGMENT 88 mi. (5:29:11) 20.41 mph
FINAL BIKE SEGMENT 112 mi. (6:40:34) 20.17 mph
TOTAL BIKE 112 mi. (5:26:53) 20.56 mph
T2
*Where’s my food? (Flask of Hammer Product - Perpetreum)
*Totals (Time) = 5:33
Run (26.2 Miles):
*Exiting T2 I felt a tad confused on what to do. It was hot. I never had any Food (calories in paste format) in my run bag. This was a mistake!
As you wind your way through Kona, the crowds are just incredible and the support from friends and everyone else was awesome.
*The course heads down Alii Drive for about 5 miles to a U-turn and comes right back into the center of downtown Kona. This stretch is rolling, with little shade and the temperature was already above 90F.
*I was using a new fang dangle Garmin 405 heart rate monitor and GPS. It was not working! I handed it off to a friend who was along the course.
*My nutrition plan was screwed up … and my plan to monitor heart rate was screwed up. I was in a funk.
*During the first three miles I was being passed like crazy! I looked at my watch and was holding 8 minute miles … or 5 minute kilometres. This is a 3:30 marathon pace … and I was being passed by EVERYONE!
*Welcome to the world of competing with the best!
*I never felt 'on'.
*I walked every aid station. I drank coke … until I got the special needs bag at the energy lab with 10 km left in the race … and started using Hammer product again.
*I’m still can’t explain the feeling … I don’t remember my legs being drained … I guess I was just drained from the entire race. The wind on the bike around Havi … and the heat at the start of the run …
*Regardless of how you're feeling at mile 25, I'd guess that for nearly every triathlete, this disappears when you pass that 25 mile marker sign. The nice thing about Kona is after you make the final right hand turn off the Queen K onto Palani, it's all downhill.
It was wonderful cruising through the chute, going from side to side and laying high fives. I was looking for my wife, kids, and brother. Finally … there was Tommy and Robin. I was so happy to see them. Shirley and Jacob expected me an hour earlier … and had gone to the medical tent to look for me. J
*I crossed the line in an official time of 10:41:39, in 646th place.
*Run Totals (Time/Pace) = 3:55:32 (8:59 per mile pace) - 648th fastest on the day – or 98 in my age group.
FIRST RUN SEGMENT 5.2 mi. (7:30:12) 8:28/mile
SECOND RUN SEGMENT 10.3 mi. (8:14:57) 8:46/mile
THIRD RUN SEGMENT 17.6 mi. (9:22:50) 9:17/mile
FINAL RUN SEGMENT 26.2 mi. (10:41:39) 9:09/mile
TOTAL RUN 26.2 mi. (3:55:32) 8:59/mile 648 98
Summary:
Participating at the Ironman World Championships was tougher than I imagined. I’ve learned that Hawaii is an event where the cumulative effect of the heat, wind and barrenness of the landscape just keep widdling you down. Meanwhile, people are constantly passing you.
At Ironman Canada on Aug 24, I had the race of my dreams … finishing in 9:45 … and reaching my goal of qualifying for Ironman Hawaii. I was told by Kona finishers that the first race in Kona should just be a reward to yourself … and not hold any expectation of finishing time. (Many said you should add 30 minutes to 1 hour to your Ironman Canada time.)
My goal was to have the best possible executed race in Hawaii. I thought I could go sub 10 hours … in a perfect day.
I was disappointed that I messed up my nutrition plan on the run. I remember thinking I had an extra flask of gel which I put in the special needs bag for the run. This flask was supposed to go into my T2 bag, and I had no plan to use the special needs bag.
I really hoped to race the entire race. I was happy with my bike time … and thought I would have energy in store for the run. However, I never felt like I was racing the marathon. In fact, I got consistently slower – which indicates I went too hard on the bike (...or was just not sufficiently tough mentally).
Reflecting over my training, I suggest that the heat and wind on the bike, and then the heat during the first 10 miles of the run without my planned nutrition led to the slow marathon time.
In future races:
-I will not use ‘special needs bags’ at the half way point;
-I will not use watches or heart rate monitors during the run.
I got my moneys worth! I loved the day and was happy with the entire experience. I want to do it again, but will wait a few years.
Thank you again family and friends for your support, as what goes into an Ironman starts long before race day. A special thank you goes out to Shirley, Robin and Jacob, as putting up with all that goes into this single day is a challenge. Also, a huge thanks to all the supporters of my fund raising challenge – $5,000 for Habitat for Humanity. I’m almost there!
http://my.e2rm.com/personalPage.aspx?registrationID=493848 (Visit this website to see my progress. Some donations to Habitat for Humanity have not been recorded on line.)
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