Ironman Coeur d'Alene -- A Different Perspective

I've just returned home from a busy weekend in Coeur d'Alene, cheering on the athletes as both a spectator and volunteer. Congratultions go out to all those athletes that participated, whether they finished or not. To quote John Bingham, yet again,

The miracle isn't that I finished. The miracle is that I had the courage to start.

Yesterday, all those athletes had the courage to start. They attempted something great. Many of them succeeded in finishing. Some of them did not. But the point is they all toed the line on race day. They gave it their best shot and considering the conditions, it was a spectacular achievement.

Speaking of conditions, they were brutal. The lake was cold (about 62°F). We heard stories of some people coming out of the water hypothermic. Others had problems with their stomach and were vomiting. Crowding was a constant problem and athletes were getting smacked, kicked, and clubbed; don't let anyone ever tell you triathlon isn't a contact sport...at least during the swim.

If the cold of the lake didn't get to them, the heat on the bike did. While many could do the first loop with relatively few problems, by the time they finished the second loop, it was hotter-n-blazes and they were dropping out. If you look at some of the bike splits, you will notice they started out like gangbusters, but dropped that their average bike times dropped by as much as 2 or 3 mph on the second loop. And this was for strong cyclists (or those who may not have completely dialed in their nutrition/hydration needs).

Note to self: Keep working on the nutrition thing. You are going to need it at IMC if it gets as hot this year as it did last year (95°F).

By the time everyone hit the run course, they were feeling a little the worse for wear. By 5:30, a good many of the athletes had been reduced to walking. Almost everyone posted at least slightly, and some significantly, slower run times. I don't yet know what the drop out rate was, but I'm sure it was substantial.

I want to give a shout out to another blogger, Shelley, for finishing her FIFTH Ironman. I kept promising to meet up with her in the women's changing tent during the afternoon, but we did not cross paths even though we were likely within a few feet of each other for at least few minutes when she came in off the bike. However, I did have an opportunity to meet her as I caught her on the run. Here is the picture I managed to snap of her.

As promised in one of her posts, she was there to have fun and I think this little dance she did for me, not to mention the Canadian flags on her head, exemplifies that. Congratulations, Shelley! Ya done good, girlfriend. I know you will find your reasons, or they will be revealed to you, when the time is right.

Many of my non-blogger friends/acquaintances/training buddies participated and deserve recognition: Carole (15:07:55); Mary (15:52:13); Iona (13:52:27); Julie (12:23:38); Patty (14:01:14); Diana (15:41:59). What is most significant about all of these women is they are ALL over 40! CONGRATULATIONS, ladies! You were AWESOME and I am proud of each and every one of you!

Okay, I'll update more later, but that's going to be all for now.