Ironman Louisville - Race Report

Ironman Louisville was number 11 on the never ending "Dick Ironman Tour"

Race setup: Race expo, swim start, transition, and finish line all in different locations. Not that it was a problem, just a lot of extra running around for the spectators.

Volunteers: Excellent. Each athlete had a volunteer-escort through transition on Saturday to do the bike and gear check-in. Ginger stayed with my until I was confident I understood the traffic flow for the following day.

Race morning: Streams of athletes arriving at transition at 05:00. Very well lighted. No need for my camping head-light. Quick check of the bike, placing of gatorade and water, and it was off to the swim start.

Swim start: The swim start was about a mile from transition. Lots of body markers. At 5:45 we were being called to approach the water. Very strange to NOT jump into the water and warm up. The swim start is at a very small marina nestled in a very narrow channel between an island in the Ohio River and the shore. We athletes were lined up in a chute / queue and started waiting. And waiting. And waiting. Eventually, mother nature called and many athletes took advantage of either the docks or the kindness of the boaters to use the facilities. Just after first light, the pro race started. Ten minutes later the age groupers entered the water, one-at-a-time, and the race began.

Swim: Very strange to not have the thrashing of the 'washing machine' at the beginning of the race. One down side of the lack of a mass start is the lack of groups to draft in :( Did I mention there were no wetsuits? The water temperature was 84F. Much too warm for wetsuits. In practice I had worn various cycling jerseys and everything seemed fine. Unfortunately, I did not practice with the florescent, sleeveless jersey that I wear in a race. My trusted orange jersey, now 4 years old, started to give up the ghost. The fabric was not as resilient as those I had worn in practice. The armholes started chaffing my underarms and I could feel the back pockets ballooning up with water. Oh well, too late now. Keep on swimming; keep on swimming; keep on swimming. About half way through the swim, I started my usual long-swim-day-dream ... oops ... there is a race going on isn't there? I made the turn to the swim-exit and when i hit the pavement I noticed the time was 1:22. Not a stellar swim, but given the number of long, continuous swims and the 'wardrobe malfunction' I was happy that the time was not 1:30.

T1: Again, lots of very helpful volunteers. One was holding my gear bag as I ran to the change tent. I was not in the tent more than 5 seconds when another volunteer was right there helping me get my minor gear together and out I went to my bike. One more thing that is different about this race is the ability to leave your shoes and helmet on your bike. Nothing on the ground, but helmet on the bike is a big help. Zoom, zoom, zoom, in no time (for me) I was on the road and getting into the ride.

Bike: Before the race, I was able to see a good amount of the course. The ride begins with about 20 miles of a slight uphill as you leave the city and head to Oldham Country. Once out in the rural area surrounding Louisville, there is an out and back seciton that is down-down-down and the then up-up-up. I didn't see this part of the course prior to the race. The down was a bit unnerving. Later on I heard that there were a couple of crashes on this section. Anyway, I knew it was going to be a long and hot day and kept my pace easy and even on the first loop.

The hills on the bike course are numerous and often technical; requiring the right gearing to make it up the other side. I miss geared a couple of times. One time I almost fell off the bike. Another the chain complained about the shearing force and jumped off the chain ring.

The bike course pretty much shuts down the village of Le Grange, a quaint little place in the rural county surrounding Louisville. Bus loads of people, including my intrepid entourage (Mom, Dad, Uncles Percy and Harry, Aunts Marilyn and Louise) made their way from the city. This made for a great energy boost in the middle of the ride. Two great things about Le Grange: lots of cheering spectators and nice new pavement :)

Familiar with the entire course, the second loop was faster, easier, and less fraught with anxiety: no miss gearing, no falling off, lots of food, and lots of gatorade. The funky, salt-tab dispenser was indispensable!

Did I mention it was hot, humid and windy?

The final leg of the bike course was a long (about 30 miles) on a slight down grade with a tail-wind. How lucky can you get! Feeling strong and well fuelled I pumped out a steady 35KMH and made it back to town in record time.

T2: On my way into T2 there was a bump that we had to cross over ... needless to say ... my aerobottle decided at that time to jump out of its holster and onto the road. Not wanting to litter the course and risk a penalty, I jumped off the bike and a volunteer helped me to retrieve it. Into transition and my leisurely change for the run ... I know ... why leisurely ... it just always works out that way ... my goal for the next race is speedy transition and i will be bribing Cynthia Wilson with food for some transition sessions.

Run: The run on this race is mostly a long out and back; away from the river and back ... so necessarily uphill and downhill. We begin the run along the river and up onto one of the many bridges that cross the Ohio River between Kentucky and Indiana. I was feeling good at the start of the run with no hit of stomach problems. I began the race with one goal: not to walk on the run, not to stop at the aid stations. After leaving the downtown area the run begins it out and back section. The road is wide, the sun was high in the sky and there was little or no shade to speak of. I didn't care how slow I ran, as long as I ran. Every third aid station I slowed to a crawl and replenished the ice in my zip-lock bag. Gel, gatorade, water ... gel, gatorade, water ... salt ... salt ... gel, gatorade, water ... I kept running, sometimes slow, but always running. As usual the half-way mark is torturously close to the finishing line. I gave my sunglasses and a kiss to Mom and started the second loop. I was overheating, but determined not to walk ... I was running slowly, but still running. Past the football stadium, past Churchill Downs, past the big, houses, and back ... I kept running ... slowing down, anticipating the final leg of the run ... the run back to downtown, the downhill section. It was getting dark but there was no respite from the heat ... the late summer night was sultry. Always the last mile or two are filled with cheering spectators and necessarily my pace picks up ... the noise, the crowds, the finish line ... there were Mom and Dad anxious as always ... waiting for me to come in ... Harry was with them ... Percy, Marilyn, and Louise had succumbed to the heat and humidity.

Mom, Dad, Harry and I made our way to the convention centre to pick up my clean gear. They had earilier picked up my wet gear and bike took them to the hotel. All I wanted to eat was greasy pizza ... alas ... there was none to be had ... I changed in a washroom and the four of us made our way back to the hotel and order pizza.

Louisville is a beautiful city and the race was one of the best organized that I have had the pleasure to do. I will be back to redeme my swim time and as always to work on my run.