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<p>I wrote a terribly long race report on my <a href="http://projectarizona.blogspot.com" target="_blank">blog</a> that I don't expect anyone read unless you like "War & Peace" or "Atlas Shrugged". I have condensed it down considerably for this forum....yet is still really long. Sorry.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>Saturday</strong></p>
<p>I checked my bike and transition bags in first thing in the morning and took part in the pre-race swim. I had initially intended to not take part but got a little nervous when, at the welcome dinner, they said the level of the lake was down about a foot and it might be tricking getting out of the water. I swam the 500 - 700m course in the frigid (61F) Tempe Town Lake, navigated the exit stairs and felt pretty comfortable going into my first Ironman.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>That night my family had a huge pasta party at my Aunt's house (she lives in Mesa, AZ), which was attended by my enormous support crew (wife, kids, parents, aunts, uncles, cousin, sister, BIL and nieces and nephew). It was awesome and I ate well. Around 8PM I was beat and headed home to get all of the last minute things done and get to bed. I think I was asleep by 9:30PM</p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>Sunday</strong></p>
<p>My alarm went off at 4:00AM (I woke up briefly at 3:15AM but managed to fall back to sleep), I hopped up out of bed, got dressed, shaved, etc. Ate a bowl of cereal with a banana, drank OJ and then made sure I had everything before leaving for Tempe. My father drove me down to the race site, dropping me off at 5:15AM, leaving me plenty of time to drop of my special needs bags, get my hydration set up on my bike and to take care of necessary pre-race "business". Everything went really well, better than I could have ever expected. Around 6:30AM I put on my wetsuit, quickly noticing a slight tear on the seam under my right arm....I tried not to freak out. I also coated my body in Body Glide which I hoped would give me just a bit more warmth on the swim (water was still 61F and I was wearing a sleeveless wetsuit). I was good to go, my nerves were in check, ate one last banana (to ward off any cramps I prayed), and made my way to the water.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>The Swim</strong></p>
<p>Like a mass of penguins in Antarctica, we all dropped into the frigid water and made out way to the start (during which the pros started). BOOM! The cannon sounded and we were off, I was off on my quest to become and Ironman. The first 500m was a little bumpy but not what I had expected. I got into a groove and made my way with little issue. Around 1,500m it all changed and the onslaught began as we all b-lined for the orange buoy on the other side of the Rural Rd. Bridge. I got pounded by a guy throwing haymakers, I got kicked in the face, I was jostled around like a bumper car in Seaside Heights. Once around that first buoy everything got better and I had a clear swim the rest of the way. Only two issues of note: the first one was my severe need to pee, the second was a slight bit of cramping in my left calf. I was able to manage both and once I made that final turn for shore/the stairs I felt no pain and knew I would soon be done with the first part of my Ironman. I reached the stairs, climbed up and out of the lake and gasped a sigh of relief. It was slower than I wanted but my goal was to get out of the water feeling fresh and I did feel fresh. Last note: I opted to wax ear plugs for the swim, I had heard they help with equilibrium upon exiting the water. I didn't feel dizzy or "off" getting out of the water, I think they may have worked. <strong>Swim Time: 1:23:15 (2:11/100m)</strong></p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>T1 or "Pee1"</strong></p>
<p>My wetsuit was stripped and I jogged/walked to T1. Then I remembered, oh my gosh did I ever have to pee. I got my swim/bike bag and immediately headed for a port-a-john. I waited in line for two minutes or so before I realized there was a uninal tent right next to me. Aarrrrggghhhh! I went in and peed for a solid 2 - 3 minutes, complaining the whole time for wasting all that time in line. After my epic pee, I went into the tent and changed as slowly as possible into my bike gear...at least my T1 time would suggest I took my sweet ole time. I have no idea what the heck I was doing, but it was a long time. <strong>T1 time: 13:06</strong></p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>The Bike</strong></p>
<p>I felt really good on the bike, I was just flying down the road passing people left and right. That is the benefit of having a slow swim time, the world is your oyster if you are decent cyclist/runner. So away I went, moving through the field, think that for everyone person that passed me I passed at least 20. The first loop was pretty uneventful, I was concentrating on drinking regularly and eating my Clif Shot Bloks. The first 25 - 30 miles went so quickly, in fact I almost didn't see my family at Gilbert Rd, there to cheer me on. The wind was a bit tough heading back into town, the "downhills" weren't all that speedy because the crosswind was kind of hitting us a bit from the front. Actually looking at my splits I think I was a little faster on the way out than on the way back.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The second loop was pretty much the same, I did see my support crew quite a bit more which was awesome and I was still feeling good. It was on this loop that I encountered rain and hail for the first time, yup, rain and hail in the middle of the Sonora Desert. What the heck!?!?! Just something else to make the race memorable. I did have to take a pit stop to relieve my very full bladder. I wish that I could do the "pee on the bike thing" but I just couldn't figure it out (Tithers....a little help with that). I wasted a solid 5 minutes waiting to pee and then peeing. I also grabbed my special needs bag and refilled my bottles. The wind was starting to pick up a bit at this point and oh yeah I accidentally reset my Garmin so I had to deal with that.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The last loop was pain, not because I was tiring, not it was more about the wind. Actually the last 17 miles or so was hell, pretty much straight into the wind the whole way and my time showed it. With 10 miles to go I saw my wife and youngest daughter an commented on the wind....then ahead of me was a major sand storm. My speed went from a less than stellar 16MPH down to 10MPH as I pushed through the storm. I finally finished the last loop and was ready to be done with the bike. Had the weather been different and I not taken so much time peeing, etc., I think a time close to 5:30 could have been possible, but I am OK with what I finished at. <strong>Bike time: 5:55:15 (18.92MPH)</strong></p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>T2</strong></p>
<p>So much faster here, actually the majority of my time here was...you guessed it....peeing. After the pee, bam, bam, bam, I was running and feeling really good. <strong>Time: 3:25</strong></p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>The Run</strong></p>
<p>The first mile was a blur, I was feeling great, just motoring along (8:35). Then I realized that I should probably reel it in a bit and take it easy. I slowed down to 9:00/pace for the next two miles but felt good. The first whole lap went really well with only one "bad" mile (mile 6 - 9:52...the only "hill" on the run course). As I started my second lap I knew things were going to get tough, I realized that I still had TWO 8.8 mile loops left and frankly it was a daunting task and mentally I was weak. I pushed forward and just kept moving. Each mile was a bit slower than the last, the run became a jog and then the jog turned into a shuffle. I would run to the aid station, walk through it and then start running...err shuffling again. This is pretty much how the last 15 miles played out. I did manage to see my family around mile 15 which was tremendous, a much needed emotional boost. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Night began to fall and so was my pace, now in the 11:00/mile range. With about three miles left I committed to trying to run the rest of the way, but it just wasn't in the cards. With two miles left I promised myself no more walking...and I actually stuck to it. I just wanted to get done and see my family. As I got closer to the finish line the crowds grew. Finally, I was able to take the fork in the road, to the left towards the finish line (rather than continue straight for more punishment). A girl passed me and then a guy, I was content to let them go ahead of me. Then I saw the bright lights, heard the roar of the crowd and it hit me. I was only 200 yards from finishing an Ironman!!! And with that my pace quickened, I passed the guy and started clapping, pumping my fists (a la Pauly D and "The Situation" from the "Jersey Shore"), and then threw my hands up in victory. I crossed the finish line and heard Mike Reilly voice, "Jamie Watson from Doylestown, Pennsylvania, YOU ARE AN IRONMAN!!!" I was done and I couldn't have been happier. <strong>Run time: 4:32:00</strong></p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>Final time: 12:07:04</strong></p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>Final Thoughts</strong></p>
<p>I really wanted to be under 12 hours, but I am OK with not getting there. It was my first Ironman and I was right where I thought I would be. A little smarter in the swim and in T1 and I think I would pick up a huge chunk of time. Better conditions on the bike would have left me stronger on the run. No worries, all things that I can fix. My only regret from the race is that I wish I could have made the finishing stretch last longer. I was so overcome with emotion and excitment that I just tore straight ahead for the finish line. I wish I could have seen my family and waved to them, high-fived them, something. Maybe there will be another race in the future, another Ironman. Who knows. The last thing I will say is that my Ironman journey would have never been possible without the love and support of my wife and daughters. They made it all easy for me and I owe them everything for allowing me to do what I did. </p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>Saturday</strong></p>
<p>I checked my bike and transition bags in first thing in the morning and took part in the pre-race swim. I had initially intended to not take part but got a little nervous when, at the welcome dinner, they said the level of the lake was down about a foot and it might be tricking getting out of the water. I swam the 500 - 700m course in the frigid (61F) Tempe Town Lake, navigated the exit stairs and felt pretty comfortable going into my first Ironman.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>That night my family had a huge pasta party at my Aunt's house (she lives in Mesa, AZ), which was attended by my enormous support crew (wife, kids, parents, aunts, uncles, cousin, sister, BIL and nieces and nephew). It was awesome and I ate well. Around 8PM I was beat and headed home to get all of the last minute things done and get to bed. I think I was asleep by 9:30PM</p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>Sunday</strong></p>
<p>My alarm went off at 4:00AM (I woke up briefly at 3:15AM but managed to fall back to sleep), I hopped up out of bed, got dressed, shaved, etc. Ate a bowl of cereal with a banana, drank OJ and then made sure I had everything before leaving for Tempe. My father drove me down to the race site, dropping me off at 5:15AM, leaving me plenty of time to drop of my special needs bags, get my hydration set up on my bike and to take care of necessary pre-race "business". Everything went really well, better than I could have ever expected. Around 6:30AM I put on my wetsuit, quickly noticing a slight tear on the seam under my right arm....I tried not to freak out. I also coated my body in Body Glide which I hoped would give me just a bit more warmth on the swim (water was still 61F and I was wearing a sleeveless wetsuit). I was good to go, my nerves were in check, ate one last banana (to ward off any cramps I prayed), and made my way to the water.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>The Swim</strong></p>
<p>Like a mass of penguins in Antarctica, we all dropped into the frigid water and made out way to the start (during which the pros started). BOOM! The cannon sounded and we were off, I was off on my quest to become and Ironman. The first 500m was a little bumpy but not what I had expected. I got into a groove and made my way with little issue. Around 1,500m it all changed and the onslaught began as we all b-lined for the orange buoy on the other side of the Rural Rd. Bridge. I got pounded by a guy throwing haymakers, I got kicked in the face, I was jostled around like a bumper car in Seaside Heights. Once around that first buoy everything got better and I had a clear swim the rest of the way. Only two issues of note: the first one was my severe need to pee, the second was a slight bit of cramping in my left calf. I was able to manage both and once I made that final turn for shore/the stairs I felt no pain and knew I would soon be done with the first part of my Ironman. I reached the stairs, climbed up and out of the lake and gasped a sigh of relief. It was slower than I wanted but my goal was to get out of the water feeling fresh and I did feel fresh. Last note: I opted to wax ear plugs for the swim, I had heard they help with equilibrium upon exiting the water. I didn't feel dizzy or "off" getting out of the water, I think they may have worked. <strong>Swim Time: 1:23:15 (2:11/100m)</strong></p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>T1 or "Pee1"</strong></p>
<p>My wetsuit was stripped and I jogged/walked to T1. Then I remembered, oh my gosh did I ever have to pee. I got my swim/bike bag and immediately headed for a port-a-john. I waited in line for two minutes or so before I realized there was a uninal tent right next to me. Aarrrrggghhhh! I went in and peed for a solid 2 - 3 minutes, complaining the whole time for wasting all that time in line. After my epic pee, I went into the tent and changed as slowly as possible into my bike gear...at least my T1 time would suggest I took my sweet ole time. I have no idea what the heck I was doing, but it was a long time. <strong>T1 time: 13:06</strong></p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>The Bike</strong></p>
<p>I felt really good on the bike, I was just flying down the road passing people left and right. That is the benefit of having a slow swim time, the world is your oyster if you are decent cyclist/runner. So away I went, moving through the field, think that for everyone person that passed me I passed at least 20. The first loop was pretty uneventful, I was concentrating on drinking regularly and eating my Clif Shot Bloks. The first 25 - 30 miles went so quickly, in fact I almost didn't see my family at Gilbert Rd, there to cheer me on. The wind was a bit tough heading back into town, the "downhills" weren't all that speedy because the crosswind was kind of hitting us a bit from the front. Actually looking at my splits I think I was a little faster on the way out than on the way back.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The second loop was pretty much the same, I did see my support crew quite a bit more which was awesome and I was still feeling good. It was on this loop that I encountered rain and hail for the first time, yup, rain and hail in the middle of the Sonora Desert. What the heck!?!?! Just something else to make the race memorable. I did have to take a pit stop to relieve my very full bladder. I wish that I could do the "pee on the bike thing" but I just couldn't figure it out (Tithers....a little help with that). I wasted a solid 5 minutes waiting to pee and then peeing. I also grabbed my special needs bag and refilled my bottles. The wind was starting to pick up a bit at this point and oh yeah I accidentally reset my Garmin so I had to deal with that.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The last loop was pain, not because I was tiring, not it was more about the wind. Actually the last 17 miles or so was hell, pretty much straight into the wind the whole way and my time showed it. With 10 miles to go I saw my wife and youngest daughter an commented on the wind....then ahead of me was a major sand storm. My speed went from a less than stellar 16MPH down to 10MPH as I pushed through the storm. I finally finished the last loop and was ready to be done with the bike. Had the weather been different and I not taken so much time peeing, etc., I think a time close to 5:30 could have been possible, but I am OK with what I finished at. <strong>Bike time: 5:55:15 (18.92MPH)</strong></p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>T2</strong></p>
<p>So much faster here, actually the majority of my time here was...you guessed it....peeing. After the pee, bam, bam, bam, I was running and feeling really good. <strong>Time: 3:25</strong></p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>The Run</strong></p>
<p>The first mile was a blur, I was feeling great, just motoring along (8:35). Then I realized that I should probably reel it in a bit and take it easy. I slowed down to 9:00/pace for the next two miles but felt good. The first whole lap went really well with only one "bad" mile (mile 6 - 9:52...the only "hill" on the run course). As I started my second lap I knew things were going to get tough, I realized that I still had TWO 8.8 mile loops left and frankly it was a daunting task and mentally I was weak. I pushed forward and just kept moving. Each mile was a bit slower than the last, the run became a jog and then the jog turned into a shuffle. I would run to the aid station, walk through it and then start running...err shuffling again. This is pretty much how the last 15 miles played out. I did manage to see my family around mile 15 which was tremendous, a much needed emotional boost. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Night began to fall and so was my pace, now in the 11:00/mile range. With about three miles left I committed to trying to run the rest of the way, but it just wasn't in the cards. With two miles left I promised myself no more walking...and I actually stuck to it. I just wanted to get done and see my family. As I got closer to the finish line the crowds grew. Finally, I was able to take the fork in the road, to the left towards the finish line (rather than continue straight for more punishment). A girl passed me and then a guy, I was content to let them go ahead of me. Then I saw the bright lights, heard the roar of the crowd and it hit me. I was only 200 yards from finishing an Ironman!!! And with that my pace quickened, I passed the guy and started clapping, pumping my fists (a la Pauly D and "The Situation" from the "Jersey Shore"), and then threw my hands up in victory. I crossed the finish line and heard Mike Reilly voice, "Jamie Watson from Doylestown, Pennsylvania, YOU ARE AN IRONMAN!!!" I was done and I couldn't have been happier. <strong>Run time: 4:32:00</strong></p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>Final time: 12:07:04</strong></p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>Final Thoughts</strong></p>
<p>I really wanted to be under 12 hours, but I am OK with not getting there. It was my first Ironman and I was right where I thought I would be. A little smarter in the swim and in T1 and I think I would pick up a huge chunk of time. Better conditions on the bike would have left me stronger on the run. No worries, all things that I can fix. My only regret from the race is that I wish I could have made the finishing stretch last longer. I was so overcome with emotion and excitment that I just tore straight ahead for the finish line. I wish I could have seen my family and waved to them, high-fived them, something. Maybe there will be another race in the future, another Ironman. Who knows. The last thing I will say is that my Ironman journey would have never been possible without the love and support of my wife and daughters. They made it all easy for me and I owe them everything for allowing me to do what I did. </p>
Congratulations on an awesome race, Ironman!!</p>
