Elena’s IMLP RACE REPORT
So not my first Ironman but since I was bad and never finished my race report for Ironman Arizona, I feel like I should do one for this race.
First off all I can say is what an awesome weekend that was! I had so much fun with my teammates and family who came up to Lake Placid to watch and cheer (and race.) I can’t tell you how much the support helped me during the race, I loved it! What an experience! That being said, here we go:
Prior to the swim start I was so nervous/excited/maybe cold that I could not stop shaking. I got in the water right when we got the ok so I could shake out the nerves. I started toward the front and center of the pack which was probably a bad idea since that first loop was like a cage fight. I couldn’t move left or right to get to clearer water or stop to compose myself in fear of getting trampled so I just went with flow and tried to keep calm. I am a pool swimmer, I hate swimming open water, and I am extremely claustrophobic so getting stuck in a pack freaks me out. I just kept telling myself to relax and stay positive. My first swim split of 31 minutes was really good and I made sure to go a bit wider for the second loop. That seemed to work, my second loop was much clearer and calmer. I just tried to stay steady and not work too hard during the swim since there is a lot more race to go! I loved getting closer to the shore on both loops because you can hear the cheers of the crowd and Mike Reilly on speaker. It gets you pretty pumped to get to the beach! I got out of the water and checked my swim time: 1:05, I was thinking I was off to a good start because that was nearly 5 minutes faster than my IMAZ swim time. The wetsuit stripper ripped my wetsuit off and I was off to T1 (with loud cheers from Cyclonaut supporters of course.)
T1 was pretty smooth. Found my bike gear bag easily and went into the changing tent where the awesome volunteer basically did everything for me: put on my race belt, gloves, took my sunglasses and helmet out, and sent me on my way to get my bike. All I hear when I get to the bike racks is “498 Go Elena!” coming from non- other than Lisa Totz. That girl is awesome! She was there in Arizona too cheering me on the whole the way! I am handed my bike and the bike leg journey begins.
Having gone up to ride the bike course in June, I knew that patience and holding back on the first loop is key to a successful bike leg. I took my time leaving town, going down the steep side streets and out onto Rt 73. I remember that there is a pretty long climb out of town before the long descent into Keene, so I just tried to keep my heart rate and power at my pre-determined ranges and kept it easy. During the long descent, I just concentrated on not falling off my bike going about 40 mph and white knuckled my handle bars! During the flat/rolling section into Upper Jay and Jay I had to laugh at the chalk sign on the ground that read “this is not a hill” before a small, gradual climb. I wanted to hammer it at this section because I could feel a tail wind and I was feeling great, but I stuck to my plan of holding back. I got a shot of adrenaline when I started to see Cyclonauts on the way back from the turn- around in Ausable Forks. They were looking awesome! After the turn-around began the climb into Wilmington and the notch. I remember this part giving me much pain and anguish on my training trip, so I just tried to stay steady and strong. I was surprised at how easily I was passing people on that climb. I never thought I was any good at hills! My favorite part was some random guy at a campground on the climb around Whiteface Mountain exclaiming that a group of guys was getting “chicked” by me. (I have to say I secretly liked that.) I make it to High Falls Gorge and am relieved that the major climbing is done for the first loop (except for the bears.) That’s when I see another group of Nauts cheering me on! Going up the bears was awesome! Loved the spectators there! I felt like a superstar in the Tour de France! And of course going back through town is awesome with the cheering crowds that really give you a nice send off to the 2nd loop.
The 2nd loop was pretty much identical to the way I did the first loop so I won’t bore anyone with the details. I felt strong, the climb through Wilmington and the notch felt good. I passed a lot of people who blew by me on the first loop. The only pitfall was at around mile 105 when I got a red card for drafting, (which was totally bogus but that’s a story for another day.) I had to sit in that penalty tent at the top of the bears all by myself and I felt embarrassed. Longest 4 minutes of my life. I had to keep myself from losing it because I knew I was having a good race so far and didn’t want to blow it. Anyway, after my time was up, I naturally shot out of there like a bat out of hell to try to make up some time. I flew into T2, grabbed my run gear bag, threw on my sneakers, grabbed my hat and belt and raced out of there.
So that was big mistake #1. Instead of easing myself into town after the bike leg and calmly moving through T2, I was reckless and my heart rate was sky high. Mistake #2 happened in my first 3 miles of the run, where in another effort to make up time, I was running at about 7:30 min/mile pace. My goal pace for the run was to start slow and then try to maintain 8:30 pace. After I ran though the Econo-Lodge/Campground tunnel of Cyclonaut support I regained composure and settled into a more sustainable pace. I felt pretty good for the first loop of the run and seeing all the Nauts on course racing was great! It’s so much easier to put yourself though this endurance test knowing that your teammates are out there with you. Still feeling pretty good at the turnaround to start the 2nd loop but at this point my stomach is not feeling so hot. I can only take sips of water and coke at this point. I felt starving and nauseous at the same time and was beginning to break down. That’s of course when I come up to the support tunnel again and got another boost. After the turnaround on River Road, I was in trouble. My gut was killing me, my knee was screaming, all around me athletes were in pain and getting carted off the course. Oh, so here is the dark moment that I had managed to avoid until mile 20 on the run. My body was saying stop and mind was saying keep moving! But my body won for a bit and I had to take a walk break. In fact, from mile 20 to 24 I took several walk breaks. I felt like my great race was slipping through my fingers. But of course, who is there when I need it the most? The Cyclonauts of course! Still at the Econo Lodge cheering like crazy people for me! After a much-needed quick pep talk by Jill, I ran up that final hill, to the turnaround on Mirror Lake Drive and never looked back. I remember seeing my dad at the last aid station and telling him that everything hurt, but he just rang a cow bell at me was cheering me on for my final mile. I was so close…the oval was calling me! As soon as I entered the Oval all the pain went away. I felt so good; I was slapping hands of strangers like they were my best friends. I hear “Elena, you are an Ironman!” and with a high and mighty fist pump, I cross the finish line. I see my time…11:02!!! Holy crap! My goal time was to beat my Arizona time of 12:24, and my secret goal was to break 12 hours, but 11:02?
I am still in shock over the whole thing. I can’t believe I did that well. Not only did I crush my PR, I took 2nd in my age group, was 10th overall female amateur, and I qualified for KONA!!!!??? I guess I have come a long way from my first sprint triathlon 4 years ago in which I competed on a hybrid, cushy seat, cruiser bike with a bell on it and made a full costume change between the swim, bike and run. So this goes out to all the Cyclonauts out there, whether you are a newbie competing in your first sprint or a seasoned Ironman, if you train hard, stay positive, and have a great support crew (your team!) you can do amazing things you wouldn’t have thought possible.