Here is KXLY’s video report from Ironman Coeur d’Alene which does a good job of setting the context for the day.
Tip #1. Arrive early for IM Coeur d’Alene as finding parking may be problem. Take the 4th Street exit off I 90, drive down 3rd Street and park near the Bakery. The bakery will be open at that time so you can grab a warm coffee and a freshly baked energy bar. It is a nice way to start a very long day. From here you only have a 5 block walk to the transition area.
Tip #2. Do not start too far west of the swim course. I started wide on the swim course so that I could avoid some of the mixmaster nastiness. While this provided me with some peace of mind it also meant that I spent the 1st km of the swim fighting the current and prevailing wind. The lake was very choppy at the start of the swim, this chop was compounded by large swells by the time we were 1 km offshore. This made swimming very challenging as it was difficult to find a rhythm and tough to breathe without swallowing water.
Tip #3 Don’t underestimate grey power. I was continually impressed by the quality of the athletes in this race. There was so much great competitive back and forth between myself and the other cyclists out on the bike course. Time and time again, I would pass cyclists only to have them chase me down and renew the challenge. I loved it. There was one man who happened to be 66 years old and despite his age, he was as strong as an ox. He was incredibly inspiring.
Tip #4 Don’t assume that everyone is a skilled cyclist. It’s a shame that not all of the athletes that enter an Ironman race don’t do at least part of their race training with triathlon clubs. When you train with clubs you learn about cycling safety, courtesy, triathlon rules and how to ride a quiet line. All of these skills are very important in a race but sadly were not widely practised at Coeur d’Alene. In this video, you will see one of the worst examples of what occurred at Coeur d’Alene.
Thanks to Jeremy for passing this video along.
This accident happened minutes before I arrived at this point in the course. I saw the victim lying on the sidewalk while being attended by first aid crews. I also saw the instigator later on that day, still riding as carelessly as ever.
Tip #5 If your Hammer Gel looks curdled, don’t drink it. I did and it trashed my stomach so that I was unable to take in the necessary calories during that latter part of my bike. Won’t do that again as it really does not set you up well for the run.
Tip #6 Find inspiration where you can. I was struggling a bit on the run and my brain was starting to get whiny. I then saw a woman running with her arm in a sling. It turns out that she had broke her collar bone on the bike however she got fixed up and continued the race. That is will power!
Tip #7 Even Pro’s have a bad day. I saw one female pro who walked the entire run course. It truly was a testament to her character that she decided to continue when so many other people would have given up.
Tip #8 A good support crew makes all the difference. My family was awesome. They wore Ironman tattoos on their faces, screamed Arabic war cries at me and chased throughout a very long (and wet) day. My family made this a very special day for me.
Tip #9 Remove the tags from your finisher hat when you meet renowned triathlon blogger Spokane Al. What can I say? It was just after the race and I was cold, wet and tired.
Tip #10 If you think you are having a bad day, look around. Check out this video of the last person to cross the finish line. She actually falls only a few metres from the finish line however she picks herself up and crosses with minutes to spare. She is an Ironman!
All in all, it was a great adventure for me which is as it should be at Ironman. I made lots of mistakes, I enjoyed myself, I was challenged and I achieved my best Ironman finish time to date.
Great report!!
Thanks Wilma. Glad you liked it.
” . . . it was a great adventure . . .” What more can one ask for?
Congratulations on a terrific race. You made my day when I finally met you!
Thank you Al.
I would have been disappointed if I had left Coeur d’Alene without meeting you. I am also very happy to learn that you signed up for IM CdA 2010. Good for you!
Do you suppose that the woman who finished with her arm in a sling is the same one who got bumped off her bike by that d-bag who just kept riding? I hope so.
Congratulations on your race! Well done!
I was hoping that might be the case but I don’t know for sure. I can’t imagine completing the race with a broken collar bone.