Triple Threat Triathlon Team: IRONMAN WISCONSIN
My First Ironman - Warren Sibilla
First I will say that the emotional high I experienced was rivaled only by my marriage and the birth of my children. No matter what the day threw at me, I had a very quiet, inner confidence that I was trained very well and I would make it to that small white line. I kept coming back to that inner quiet to draw on that strength throughout the day- and night!
Pre-Race:
My car blew up just a few days before I left town which gave me an opportunity to test my race patience! Also, I had enough work stress to keep me occupied enough that I didn't dwell too much on the mania that is Ironman taper! Thankfully. The energy that surrounds the Ironman expo and registration/check-in process is also crazy! Hard to maintain focus on eating, drinking, and resting for the big day. Nonetheless, got everything checked in (bike & transition bags)- all that was left was to rest and concentrate on the task at hand.
I slept pretty well which really surprised me- but again informed me that I really was confident in my preparation. I got up without the alarm, stumbled over my slumbering family and started with my race breakfast: power muffin (see me for recipe), yogurt, fruit, and milk. Yum! Got dressed, dropped off special needs bags and then headed down to transition. As you probably heard, the weather was not kind to us. Depending on the forecast you read, the weather was about 46-50 degrees, continual downpour of rain, and 20+mph winds with additional gusts. Again, can't do anything about the weather, just focus on the task at hand. Doubled checked everything on my bike, put the monkey suit on and headed to the water.
With a half hour to go until start time, Mike Rielly was really pressuring the athletes to get into the water. The previous day the water temps were 74-75; race morning it was announced at 69-70- & with the wind/rain, it really felt cool. Nonetheless, being an Iron rookie, I obeyed, got in the water and started focusing on the swim. As time went on, Reilly got more and more insistent to get into the water. Later he announced that this would be an Ironman record for an open water start, 2475 athletes. Pros go off without a hitch and then 10min later my race day started.
Race:
I started on the outside with the goal of angling toward the buoy line as the first turn approached. I survived the first few minutes of "swimming in a blender" and then just tried to get into a rhythm.
First lap was right on pace and I tried to pick up my pace for the second lap. As it turns out, I slowed slightly which I attribute to swimming on the buoy line (read churn machine!) for the last 3/4 of the swim. Later I learned that 39 athletes either dropped out or failed to make the swim cutoff- also an Ironman record!
Anyway, out of the water, wet suit stripped off, and up the helix to T1. The Ironman volunteers are the most incredible people- warm, friendly, supportive, knowledgeable- I did not expect that. My volunteer helped me get dressed, my nutrition together, etc., and out the door to my bike. Within the first mile of the bike, I lost my yellow sponge from my aero drink container and my gel flask. I thought, "Not a good sign!" I said something to the guy biking next to me and he said, "No problem," and handed me two of his gels! That is the Ironman Spirit!
The bike was the scariest ride of my life! I am not exaggerating! I saw five bike accidents- all of whom required ambulance rides. They were bloodied, bruised and I am sure had broken bones. I stayed with one guy that crashed right next to me on the RR tracks until the medics arrived because he was not in very good shape. Also, this is the only triathlon I have participated in where athletes were walking their bikes on the downhills due to the dangerous conditions. I made a decision half way through my first Verona Loop (around mile 35) that I was going to ride very conservatively so that I would have a chance at the run. I will also add that the Madison citizens that lined the bike course were just incredible- standing, sitting in the rain and wind screaming and shouting the whole day! The last 30min on the bike was the most difficult part of my day- I was SICK AND TIRED of being on the bike; my forearms and triceps ached from holding my handlebars so tightly (I estimated that I only spent 25 miles or less in my aero bars) due to the wind, rain, and road conditions. I had so many "near misses" that I lost count. My mind was exhausted from concentrating so hard on the road.
So, off the bike and into T2. This is when I really understood what a difficult day we were having. It was hard to find a seat because so many athletes were hunched over, with mylar blankets on to keep warm and were either puking or just half-dead. My volunteer helped me to get undressed (my fingers were not working yet) and then get ready for the run. I looked around again and saw that the guy next to me was in really bad shape and receiving medical attention. I said to my volunteer, "I HAVE TO GET OUT OF HERE RIGHT NOW- OR I WON'T LEAVE!" An Ironman Couer d'Alene veteran, he smiled, patted me on the back, and said, "Go take care of that marathon and finish this thing!"
With that, I am out on the run course. A quick kiss to my wife and kids and a marathon IT IS! The first few miles are still a blur. I knew I was running 9 min miles but I had all kinds of white noise in my head! I wasn't sure what was going on. I looked at my watch and saw that my heart rate was right at 140. It's hard to describe how comforting that number was to me. I knew that the noise was just that, chatter; I was on pace and I settled into the first 21K. I stayed with my nutritional plan until mile nine when I felt my legs really begin to cramp. Time to up the salt intake!
I started in on the broth and I was great through mile 13. At mile 14 my stomach started giving me a little grief. With a reminder from Greg to start the Coke, I was great again through mile 22. At this point, I was certain I would finish and the emotional high just overwhelmed/carried me through. I maintained my pace such that my second 21K was just 6min slower than my first. I picked up my family in the final stretch and together we ran the finish shute- the screaming, shouting, and celebration was just incredible!
13:36:31
Lessons Learned:
Train Hard. Trust in your training no matter what. The love and support of family, friends, and volunteers is the best fuel possible on race day. Ironman Volunteers are incredible- I promised myself I would pay it back and volunteer at an Ironman event in the years to come.
Congratulations to all my fellow teammates- very well done! Now on to the next one!
Warren.
Friday, September 22
Lisa James - Ironman Wisconsin
I JUST WANT TO BE A WEATHER GIRL...
There are lots of ways of leading very good lives and growing spiritually. I think this is why we are here-to work our way through all this, and, hopefully come out a bit wiser and better for having gone through it all.
-Jim Henson
Slowly ambling down State Street about twenty hours before "show time", we reach Fontana Sports-one of those local outdoor shops with just about anything the average 'tree hugger' desires. I can barely bring myself to pose the question, "Hey, do you carry hand warmers?" clerk, "Oh yeah, absolutely-third floor." Up the narrow staircase, 2nd floor, 3rd floor and here weare amongst snow skis, ski wax, thermal underwear, Gortex...I can not believe I am standing in the middle of a ski shop the day before an Ironman, but no denying, here it is.
Me, "Ah, where do you keep the hand warmers?"
Clerk, " Oh, getting an early start on your winter supplies?"
Me, "Um, no, I plan to use them tomorrow."
Clerk, "Tomorrow, you mean for the race?!"
Me, "Exactly."
Clerk, "In that case, we have just the thing, wrist bands you stick the warmer inside. Keeps you toasty all day."
SOLD!
The OFFICIAL Race Morning Forecast from the reliable weather.com: cloudy, high of 62, east wind 15-20 mph, possible afternoon sun, possible late day thunderstorms, slight chance of snow flurries after 3 pm---oops, sorry, I made the last part up :-).
Up, out of bed and into the shower. Remember, always start the day clean and, in this case, warm. Over to transition, it is dark, breezy and chilly. Get marked, put fluids on the bike, check the transition bags, don the wetsuit, say my last goodbyes to the family, down the helix and it is raining-okay let's call it misting.
Gun sounds and the swim is basically crowded, wavy, rough waters, but when all is said and done, it would end up being the most comfortable part of the day. I vaguely remember standing in front of the peelers after the swim debating if I should let them pull my wetsuit off, because by now it is a full- fledged rain. I considered saving time in T1 and just wearing the thing on the bike!
With some convincing from a blessed volunteer, the wetsuit comes off. Up the helix and into transition, I, for the first time in 12 Ironman races, change completely - dry suit, jacket, gloves, the hand warmers and cycling shorts. Thought about putting on tights, did not, should have...It is about 52 degrees, steady rain, wind is 15-20 mph.
About mile 10 on the bike I start to think, which is exactly what Steve Smith told me not to do in his infamous pre-race advice speech. "... don't think, let your training take over, leave your brain in the hotel room." Well, as usual I did not listen to Steve (when am I ever gonna learn?) and somehow the brain made it onto the bike with me. I start to wonder---do I really have what it takes to do this or should I just become a weather girl with her 'perfect weather curl'? You know how The Weather Channel gals always have perfect hair because they are scarcely out in the weather, they are just forecasting it or TRYING to forecast it.
I take myself further down the road and I recall some of the lines to the song 'Bad Day'
the magic is lost
blue skies fade to grey
passion's gone away
had a bad day
had a bad day
had a bad day
A few more miles and it is the same-50 degrees, rain and more rain, windy and I begin to feel I have gained all the insight I can possibly gain from this sport, later I will find I am wrong, but, none the less, I do not want to finish this race. Mind you, not that I CAN'T finish, just that I don't want to.
This folks, hard as it is to admit, is the proverbial 'ROCK BOTTOM', ground zero minus five. Hitting bottom is extremely painful in life, in a race, anywhere. Making your way out is one of the most worthy battles known. At the bottom is where we find our sturdy foundation, our basis to build anew. We again sense the stronghold of why and how. So I will share what I have learned in my descent and ascent:
Ironman is a funny way to celebrate life. No one can tell you about it, you must discover it for yourself. It calls for an extreme sense of dedication and perseverance with a dashing flare of humor. Always the spectators, family, friends and volunteers are the heroes of the day. The whole event is made up of free souls escaping from the ordinary social conventions and rising above mediocrity. What you gain from training and toeing the line is good and is never truly lost. It stays a part of a person, becomes part of their character. Do not try to analyze it, just have faith that everything changes color when you experience you own little miracles of the day.
Mine were these:
- A hug from a friend right before I entered the water
- Greg Mueller's smile and incessant cheering on an uphill of the bike.
- My family in Verona.
- Steve Smith's niece, Nicole, giving me encouragement on the bike.
- My friend's response, who volunteered in T2. I said, 'I have a 3% chance of finishing.' She said, "Okay, honey, your family is waiting on the other side."---Ouch!
- My Florida friends screaming 'go get 'em', over my husband's cell phone-during the run.
- My children: Alli, "Mom, don't bother with how you are feeling, just keep going!"
- Lauren, her calm demeanor.
- Adam, unveiled enthusiasm regardless...
- The cheers from all the families from home. They were many, they were LOUD and they were, oh, so much appreciated and cherished.
- My children crossing the finish line with me.
- My volunteer friend 'catching' me at the finish.
- My dad saying-I am proud of you. I know this was one of your greatest accomplishments because it was hard-fought.
- My husband's embrace.
- The hotel hot tub...
