Eagleman IRONMAN 70.3

My wave's start at 07:24 Sunday. I'm exaclty in front of the closer white starting buoy. My 40 - 44 age wave was the largest of the Eagleman at 300+ men.

The 2008 Eagleman was a wonderful experience for me. Despite heat indexes of over 100 degrees, I managed to finish the 1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike, and 13.1 mile run under my upper time limit of 6 hours (5:58:14). Combine the satisfaction of reaching a goal with the more soul-nourishing aspects of this event, and you get one happy "Iron Frog", as Mike Valliant termed me (see Michael's race report at http://the4onerun.blogspot.com/ ). The people make an event, and this was no exception.

Having family and friends spectating was an awesome feeling. Carita and I left the house at 4:45, and she hung with me during the pre-race set-up. She, also, spotted where on the starting line I should start the swim, giving me optimal conditions to get a good start. At the first turning mark of the swim I spotted my friend Jack in his kayak as I managed a shout to him. It is very difficult to find someone you know among 350 red caps. My daughter, Eleanora, and friends Chloe and Cole were in a canoe near the finish. Coming out of the water I first heard Michael yell something "Frogish" to me, then saw Jill and Carita. Upon finishing the bike portion my mother, sister, niece, and Michael were there to cheer me on. At the 2nd Aid Station of the run both Carita and Eleanora were working hard supplying everyone with drinks and ice. Carita also gave me a whopping kiss (I wonder if she was giving everyone a kiss?) It was also, great to finish the 70.3 into the arms (literally) of friends and family.

Me getting hosed off by a fireman after my finish; it felt awesome!!

This is the Transition Area, restricted to only the athletes. I am dead center of photo with my back to the camera leaning over toward my right side.

The competitors were swell; helpful, generous, and fun. A fellow racked next to me in Transition (that's the area only the triathletes are allowed where the bikes are racked and the gear is stowed in a very confined area under the bikes) offered for me to take water and gatorade out of his cooler anytime I needed during the race. We all helped each other pump tires. A little tip one mate gave me, probably saved my race; that was to put ice in my shorts during the run.

My small segment of Transition real estate.

The volunteers were awesome, providing us with endless aid, supplies, and direction. I'm sure most volunteers, including my wife and daughter, were equally at risk of heatstroke in the hot sun . Eagleman would not happen without these people.

Catholic School mates Yvonne Laucherman and Ruth Yoash-Gantz surrounding me at the post race celebration. Yvonne placed 2nd in her AquaVelo age group. Ruth, who is a cancer survivor, completed her second Eagleman. She also survived a hard blow to her head at the start of the swim this year, as well as, a bee sting on her head while on the bike.

I cannnot go on without explaining to you who were most influential to me in getting me to do triathlons in the first place:there are several. Last year's Eagleman found me as a spectator because Ruth Yoash-Gantz, a classmate, friend, and roommate of my sister Kim, was participating. I arrived at the beach last year in time to catch Ruth as she was putting on her swimcap and entering the water. I was so inspired by her, that as things came together over this past year, I soon found myself registered for this year's EM, with little fear for what I was getting into. Friends, Mark and Motoko, gave me a bike last October; a really really nice bike. This gave me no excuse to say "no" last December to Dave McKendrick when he told me I could register for EM, if I wanted.

I'll start my race report with saying that I am already looking for my next triathlon. My swim went great. My time of 37:42 was right on target, more than 2 minutes under my 40 minute upper goal. More importantly, I came out of the water with energy and ready for what lay ahead. I did experience some nausea coming out of the water. That was either lack of fuel (no time to fuel/drink during the swim) over the previous hour or I was a little sea sick. In either case, by the time I had 4 or 5 miles under the bike and I had eaten and drunk something, I was feeling great again.

Me exiting the water and peeling off the wetsuit. I didn't notice how hot I was until I left the water and hit the hot air.

The 2:52:39 hours that the bikeride took seemed like 30 minutes. It was a truly enjoyable, scenic ride through lower Dorchester County. The ride took us through my ancestral homelands of the Golden Hill area, past Upper and Lower Keene Broads, as well as the Applegarth homestead and graveyards filled with distant Tubman, Keene, Travis, and Applegarth cousins. The wind was negligible and the heat at bay. Aid stations were in 10 mile increments stocked with water and Gatorade Endurance Formula. I had a refillable bottle mounted between my Aerobars (handlebars) and 2 other bottle brackets in the V of the bike frame for hydration. My 3 back shirt pockets were packed with a 6 ounce tube of Clif gel, Electrolyte Capsules, chapstick, 2 Clif Bars, and a bag of oranges. I, also, had a turkey and avacado sandwich aboard, of which I ate half. Coming into Transition 2 to the cheering crowd of friends and family was a great feeling. I was pumped with adrenaline and pleased to be well under my 3 hours goal for the ride.

I knew I had to be well hydrated and fueled for the run portion of this Ironman 70.3. So, I restocked my 3 back pockets and off I went. Before I got out of Transition half of my supplies had bounced out of my pockets. I was left with my gel and electrolyes along with my handheld water bottle. In the end, that was all I needed. After the first 2 miles and a comfort station stop I was having trouble. I realized I was hot and my energy was spent. I started to walk in the 3rd of 13 miles. I didn't know what I was going to do. Time was slipping away and dreams of doing this race in 5:30 quickly vanished. By mile four I had things figured out. At each aid station, which were at every mile, I would stop, get ice in my handheld bottle, hat, shirt, and shorts, hose down front and back, and drink Gatorade and water. That sequence I repeated at each mile for the next 9 miles of the race. That enabled me to actually "run" the whole distance between aid stations. As near as I can tell, my core temperature would go too high, cause my heartrate to heighten, and cause me to lose energy. Cooling my core with ice and water would get me running again.

Some portions of the course were on fresh blacktop. The heat was intense. Certainly, none of us had any business running on a day like Sunday. The best comment I heard was that the run was just "plain hateful", mumbled by a competitor as he went by. My attitude toward the run changed to survival mode in the initial miles. Concern for my health in the heat became my focus. I was no longer in race mode. I question whether my decision was a wimpy one. Did I allow the pain to overcome my desire to be competitive? Should I have hung on to a tougher mental attitude? These questions were in my head soon after the race. But, as the days have passed since my first Ironman event, I have no regrets about any of my decisions before or during Eagleman. I know myself even better now, and trust in the messages sent from the ole bod.

I ran the run without a watch. Running into the finish crowd and hearing my name yelled was icing on the cake to when I looked at the race clock over my head indicating that I was finishing in under 6 hours. My run took me 2:20:44, twenty minutes longer than I dreamed possible for me. Strangly, compared to my competition, my second strongest event for the day was my run. My strongest event was my swim, of which I am well pleased, given that is where most of my efforts have been directed over the last 6 months.

My recovery from Eagleman has been easy. I have only slight muscle aching throughout my entire body. Triathlons definitely work all the muscles. As we all endure the heat of this last day of 2008's first heatwave, I will always remember my first Ironman 70.3 whenever the heat gets this intense again. I am eternally grateful for the opportunity to acheive such an accomplishment, but more so, to have a supportive network of family and friends. You are my "Iron People"!!!