Before you start reading this,
cue the Rocky Theme (RockyTheme). In the weeks leading up to
race day, Esra and I joked on who would reign supreme at Ironman Boulder this
year and in my mind I needed at least one hour on her leaving T2 in order to
have a fighting chance. Given that I was the stronger swimmer and stronger
biker I thought I had an opening.
On race morning we got up really
early and made our way to Boulder to check in special needs and board one of
the many school buses provided to get to the Boulder Reservoir. As I had GI / cramping
issues in previous years, I was really careful with nutrition & hydration
over the last 24 hours before race start. Here is what did the trick for me: light
dinner (yogurt, banana and granola) and easy breakfast (sourdough bread with
cream cheese & jam), paired with a salty focaccia slice with hazelnut butter
about 45 minutes before race start and then another slice of salty goodness in
T1.
With the warm up done Esra and I
headed to the swim start and said our goodbyes for the day. I got out of the
water in 1:17:39 (Swim) and into T1. In order to win valuable time, I
wore my new tri suit and was on the bike after 0:09:43 (T1).
Starting out
strong, I figured this would be where I get my hour, only to get my hopes crushed
about 10 miles into the bike – ahead of
me on Lookout I saw a white Shiv with the rider carrying green bottles – well,
I might have had a good swim and strong initial bike, but Esra must have had the
day of her life so far. Well, the hour was out of question, but it was more a
sign for the things to come, too. With a good bike and more importantly no
stomach / GI issues, I got to the Boulder High School in 6:21:02 (Bike) and after some
logistical issues – remember to prepare your compression socks and roll them up,
as it is a nightmare you put them on in T2 otherwise – I exited the track in 0:15:10
(T2) – clearly room for improvement here for Ironman New Zealand next
year J.
Esra
was slightly ahead of me and between seeing her and our friends on the course
(David Smith, Mark Plaatjes, Mark Loehr, Jen Boxhorn, Steve Richárd and so many
others) I was really enjoying my day. I might not have been running as often
and for as long durations as planned, but I was making good progress towards
the finish.
When I reached the Confluence on the
second run loop on my return from the Baseline leg, word got to me that Esra
was not doing well and wasn’t keeping fluids or food down (she always has a
hard time with this side of long course racing and I’ve seen it in Wisconsin on
her first Ironman). She was in medical and refusing to quit. I probably would
have thrown the towel, but she is a trooper.
Once I got there, we quickly
talked, analyzed what the final ~ 8 miles would be like and a plan was forged –
simple in nature, but hard in execution (for her): she would keep walking forward
and I would keep track of time to make sure we finish under 17 hours. So we set
off as a couple – step for step towards the finish line.
By now the Rocky Theme should have stopped playing (in your head or
otherwise), so here is the next song Every Step You Take.
I knew that 30 min/mile pace
would do the trick and we started out with a strong 18 min/mile pace, but with
her situation not improving, I figured we bank as much as we can early. Actually
we never got worse that 23 min/mile on the Boulder Creek Path for a decent split,
given the circumstances of 07:54:39
– Run.
There were so many people we recognized
and they walked a few (or more) steps with us, so Esra never faltered and we
made our way to that finish line hand in hand coming though as the “Ironman
Couple” as Mike Reilly would call us for a total time of 15:58:13 and I’m
so proud of Esra doing it with me and even getting it done under 16 hours.
So Ironman Boulder became a “family
affair” where splits did not matter anymore and the whole mattered so much more
than it’s individual parts.
As our “Ironman family” is quite
large – here a just a few thank you notes: David for being on course and for relaying information
about Esra, Mark for being there and keeping Esra company in the paramedic tent
at the confluence – I’m sure they would have pulled her form the race if she
would have been there on her own. The
whole “extended Ironman family” – Dave Christen, Dave Downey, Mel Downey for
putting on such a spectacular hometown race.
A special thanks to Bill Garrels for
being out there, volunteering at the swim, on the course and then again volunteering
at the finish line (it feels like there is more than one of him as often as you
see him on race day) and also for that bear hug at the swim start.
Last but not least – thank you
Esra for being my training partner, my best friend and love of my life – I couldn’t
have thought of a better way of spending my evening with you.
