Another race report with pics

1: First lap, the first two may be swapped, they can't be too far apart as the same dude is behind me. I hope he wasn't drafting me the whole way. :P

2. First lap, along the lake so it'll be early in the bike. Lookin smooth. :)

3. Climbing on the second lap, and in the back part of the course (very hilly section)

4. Closer to the start of the run, I had my starting bottle of infinit, and my number hadn't ripped off yet.

5. Along the lake on the first lap, possibly aprox. 4-5 miles into the run? Felt really good here and my stride looks pretty good out of the run pics

6. Second lap, my number had ripped. Stride a little slower, was walking through aid stations at this point, hurting but still running steady.

7. The finish line, big BIG sigh of relief although I don't show much emotion I was choked up. Nice to hear those big words, "Darryl YOU ARE AN IRONMAN" I've been waiting for it my whole life, especially the last 12 months!!

8. Zombie podium picture, was feeling the effects, sick, in pain, but sooooo happy to be done.

Before the race I heard a few comments from people saying, "Hope you have fun". I really tryed to have fun during the race. Before the race I decided to try to enjoy most of the bike, as well as at least half the run. I didn't know if it was possible, but I would try. I even wanted to find somthing about the swim to enjoy.

Well I mostly accomoplished that. The swim was soo rough it was really tough to enjoy, but there were a few small moments where I got into a ryhthym and enjoyed bashing through the waves. I was sooo happy to be on the bike after and I watched the heart rate like a hawk to avoid going too hard(it's easy to do this as you get excited coming out of transition plus your body is fresh and the first bunch of miles are deceptively easy) It was also fun to ride by all the people cheering, and to be part of the massive pelaton like grp, it felt like I was in the tour de france. The last part(maybe 20-30km) of the bike was hard, my legs were feeling fine, but my neck hurt soooo bad, I could hardly move it, I was actually happy to climb hills as I could get out of the saddle and stretch my neck. My feet were hurting as well, they swell after long periods of pushing down on the pedals, it's extremely painful, but goes away the moment I run. I was also getting really tired and sore from being in the position for soo long. I held the aero position 99.999% of the time not including the climbs.

The run started off hard, but I seemed to get into my zone too I didn't watch the heart rate, but the run has always been my element I really seem to know what I can handle and what I cannot. The last half of the run was hard, I remember thinking "there's no way I can finish this!!" I kinda had to regroup at 11 miles, come up with a new strategy. So at that point(11 mile point) I broke the race up into miles. I let myself walk while drinking at aid stations, then I'd say to myself "Just run to the next aid station and you can walk again" So I took it one mile at a time. This always works as you trick your mind into making it just a little further, when you reach that aid station you focus on the next, etc. I also let myself walk most of the large hill on lap two. I may have walked more had I not worked that into the negotiations.

Cheers