Race Report

WOW!! Thats really the only word I can think of right now to describe Sundays race.
My time was right where I did not want to be, but I am not really dissappointed with my race. It was the most up and down IM I have ever had and I had to fight harder than ever for every second.
The day started at 3 30 AM due to a 6 20 swim start. I had my oatmeal, some bread and jam, and a warm cup of coffee. I packed everything up the night before so after a quick quadruple check it was time to start walking to the start. As I wrote in previous posts, my homestay is about 500M from the start so there was no need to deal with driving, parking and all that nightmare. I found my bike under the giant yellow bag they gave us when we checked the bikes in on Friday and started to prep. Air the tires, clean the chain, put the shoes in the pedals, water up the front drink bottle and wipe some of the moisture off the frame. Everything was smooth and soon it was time to start put on the wetsuit. I did my usual stretching, put on the new Helix suit from Blue Seventy and got ready to go. I got in a short warm and started the bobbing for position at the front. Then the cannon fired.
We were finally off. I had a decent start and didnt get too clobbered. The swim is an out and back and there were 500 in our wave. I found a good draft for a bit, then saw another pack up front and surged to it. Eventually I was on some good feet and stayed there for quite some time. I need to work on swimming straight as too often I would find that there were no feet in front of me and that I had drifted to one side. As we hit the turnaround bouy there was a surge up front and everyone worked to stay together. Instead of sticking next to the bouys on the way back, we all went WAY right, next to the canal bank. I found out later that the reason for this is that the subsequent wave start 35 minutes later creates such a wake that staying way wide is actually faster. I was feeling OK, but it seemed harder than I wanted as well as slower. Hitting the exit I was expecting to see 58 and change so when I saw 54 I was a happy man. I grabbed my bag and hit the change tent. With all my nutrition tucked in my Descente race kit I headed for my bike. There were thousands of people crowded to see the pro rack and it was insane. I grabbed the Kuota and headed out.
Many people think the bike course is super fast and even short. Those people have never seen the course. It has plenty of hills, some rollers, wind and yes, some very fast sections. But it is the crowds of crazy fans that keep you going hard. The legs were good and the first section is a slight downhill and flat. I was touching 30 MPH early, and I was going back and forth with 4 or 5 other athletes. Hitting the first grade I was expecting to have to go to the little ring, but to my surprise I felt good in the big ring and powered up. We then hit the first real climb into Heideck. This is a short but steep sucker where you can stand up and stretch a bit. The sun was out and the winds were light so I decided to go hard and see what I could do. I was feeling strong and had pulled away from my early pursuers and had caught some other guys as well. After a a rolling section there is another, longer slight downhill to flat section where you can get a rhythm and absolutely haul. My HR was low, watts low, but speed was 28 plus. I got in some calories at this point at the second half of the loop is more rolling and potentially windy. Coming into Graeding I got ready to suffer. Graeding has a 1.5 mile hill that starts out VERY steep for 200M then levels off just a bit. Its little ring the whole way. Again, I felt better than expected. Maybe it was all the people screaming and blowing horns and waving banners, but I was rockin' it! At the top I could tell the wind was light, and it was more of a tailwind to boot. I took off and again was going 25 plus. I rolled steady back to Hipoltstein and to the famous Solarerberg. This point of the course is a gradual climb through town and is about half a mile in total. We were told that this place would be the craziest thing we have ever seen at a triathlon, and it was. When I saw it there were litterally people over the entire road. I pedaled right into the crowd and at the last second they parted. For the next 3 to 4 minutes I had 25,000 crazed fans yelling all sorts of encouragement. At this point I was around 30th place so I think the fans gave a bit extra. The only worry was getting knocked off. I had maybe 2 inches on either side of me, there were spectator in the road taking photos and would dodge out the way at the last second. I have never in all my athletic carreer seen or experienced anything that can compare with it. At the top of the hill I had 4 guys catch me. I think they had been working together for some time. Maybe legally, maybe not. I stuck with them for the loop out and then back to town. Starting the second loop I was feeling good, but the group I was with pulled away. Quickly I found my legs were gone and things started to go south quickly. My stomach felt queasy and my watts dropped from 230-240 to 165! I dont know exactly what happened, but I was in an ugly place. When I tried to push, the watts got to 200 and my HR was at 110. The 2 hills early in the loop that I had felt strong on the first time were torture. I did my best to keep a rhythm and not loose too much time. On the longer slight downhill and flat section I tried to recover, but it wasnt happening. I couldnt eat and I forced down some liquid calories. At one point I put a bar in my mouth, chewed it for 3 seconds, realized I would puke if I swallowed it and spit it out. On the climb up Graeding I was worried that I would have to get off the bike and walk! Then I remembered a bar I had tucked away. It was a bar that I had used a bit in training and brought it with me to see if it worked on race day. It sounded like the best thing ever so I pulled it out, stuffed it in my mouth and the next thing I know, my power was back! My watts came back, my stomach settled and I felt awesome. I took off after the many guys that had passed me in the 20 miles where I suffered. I was drinking and putting down calories trying to make up for the lost calories. Usually at the end of the bike I just want off the bike, the end is not close enough. Now however I was flying along and nailing it. I was doing a bit of math in my head and I thought I was going to bike around 5 20, when I saw the turn for T2 I realized I was going to be just over 5 at 5 05. This really lifted me as I thought if I can run a 2 50 or 2 55 marathon I can still crack 9 hours!
In T2 I had a quick change and got out to the run. On paper it looks flat, but it is a slight uphill for much of the course. You basically run along a canal into a small town, run back, past where you hit the canal, out to another turnaround, back to the canal and to the finish, like a big T. The canal is a dirt and gravel path with little shade. I took off hard knowing that I could not leave it to the end if I wante a sub 3 run and sub 9 IM. I used some FRS in a small bottle and it was perfect. The only issue I had was that my Garmin would not pick up a satellite reception. I put it on in T2, but it wasnt getting a signal. So I had no watch at that point and I couldnt tell exactly what my pace was. Usually I have some type of issue going on at this point. Either a stomach issue, a cramp or twinge, but at this point I felt fresh and better than ever. Up to the 12k mark that is. I hit an aid station and had to walk. I saw some watermelon and had a slice. Than I saw IT. Tanner had told me about these small little desserts they have on the course. Its like a milk/pudding bottom with some chocolate and coconut on top. I popped one in and it was the GREATEST thing I had ever put in my mouth. I had 3 more and took off a rejuvenated runner. I finally got to turn off the canal and head into a little town. The streets were packed, there were bratswurst and beer everywhere and an announcer as well. The aid stations were often, well stocked and well manned. They had kids and adults handing everything out. The kids really wanted you to take what ever it was they were offering and I think they started to cry if you didnt take their sponge or cup of water. I didnt have a single station where I did not get exactly what I wanted or had to slow down to grab something. Water, Coke, pretzels, melons, sponges and of course the desserts. At every aid station I had at least 2 cokes and 2 waters. I was running back and forth with another athlete. I passed him at the 15k mark but he was hanging close and got by me a few times at aid stations. On the canal headed back my stomach started to object to the obscene amounts of sugar I was pouring into it. With no port a potty around I walked a few steps of the course and took care of business as quickly as possible. I didnt want the guy stalking me to catch me again, so I was quick! Back on the canal it was getting hot and packed. There was little shade or wind. Plus the path is just big enough for 4 to 5 people and there were spectators, people on bikes, dogs, motos and racers all on the course. It was the sort of scenario that would make a race director in the States cringe. I came through the special needs and grabbed my other bottle of FRS and prepped for the 2nd half. After what seemed like forever, it was about 3 to 4k, we finally turned off the canal again. We went through a small town where there were hordes of fans sitting at a beer tent drinking, cheering and making a general ruckus. I walked anther aid station and sucked down some desserts, coke and water. We headed off on a small gravel road through the woods thankfully since I needed another bathroom break. We turned off the road and into another town. The turnaround was at the 30k point, so that was a relief. I told myself I was running the entire last seciton, no stopping. That lasted until I was on the gravel road when I had to go into the woods again. I hit the canal for the last time, put my head down and ran for the left turn that signaled 3k to go. Making the left back onto pavement I did a quick look back to see if I needed to kick it in and there was no one back there. I did see 2 guys up ahead and I caught them both when they pulled up and started walking. At the 40k mark I saw Hans, who was just starting the run for his relay team. It was great to see him. There is one short steep hill of 25M that you have to climb up which sucks a lot, but its short. Before I knew it I was in the finishing stadium. They loop you around the whole thing, about a 200m loop on nice carpeting. As I passed into the stadium there were kids handing out bouquets so I grabbed one. Then about 5m after that I saw one of the big zellow hands they had passed out to spectators. It has the Quelle logo on it, so I picked it up and started waving it around. I finished with flowers in my right hand and this crazy yellow hand in the other. Looking at the finish I saw Felix, the race director, looking at me like 'what the heck are you doing'. When I crossed he put my medal around my neck, something only a handful of atheltes got. He asked about my race and I told him that it was OK, but that this race was truely amazing.
The post race organization was unreal. There were showers, massage and the most incredible spread of food I have seen. Huge sandwiches, pastries, desserts, yogurt, coffee, chocolate milk, cracker and fruit were all in abundance. I took a minute in the med tent, then had a shower and ate plenty of food. I saw Tanner coming through and we sat down to the usual post race talking and eating.
The rest of the night was spent at the Triathlon Experience's tent near the finish. It was food, chatter and drink until the last finisher came through around 10 30. Unlike other IM events, there is no official cut off time for the finish, so whenever the last person crosses, that is when the clock stops. After the finish there was a great fireworks display as well. We finally got in the van and got back home around 11 30.
While my race time wasnt what I hoped, I am as happy with it as I am my PR in Kona last year. I pushed the pace, paid for it, but fought through it and recovered to finish pretty strong. I had thought that if I blew, my race was over, but that proved to not be the case. Other positives were that I have dialed in my nutrition a bit more, proved to myself that I can break through that comfort level, and that I can fight a lot more than I thought. More than ever I am now sure that I can go sub 9, even sub 8 30. I put up my 2nd fastest IM bike ever on an honest course and having an hour where I felt like death warmed over.
Since the race I have eaten too much junk and my system is telling me to stop! The morning after the race I hopped on the scale and it read 69 kilos, about 151 pounds. I am normally 158, and I must have eaten 3 to 4 thousand calories post race! Today we are heading for Nurnberg to do some proper shopping. Court has some great pics of me from the race and I will post them up as soon as I can. Thanks for the support.

Cheers,

AJ