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11-01-06, 12:47 PM
Hi everybody,
I'm here to tell you what did happen on 10-01-06 in my first ironman distance triathlon, the purpose is simple to share an experience that has been one of the stronger of my life (in positive).
First of course I must introduce myself: I'm a 39 enginner that has arrived to triathlon only from 4 years (and without know swiming), after some olympic and half-ironman this year I decided to do an ironman distance competition wich takes place in Elba Island (tuscany - italy). This course has a very hard bike part with 2'700 m of climbing.
During the year I train myself using a computer based program (pccoach) with wich I reach a good shape.
However let's talk about the competition.
I went to the island alone, one day before the start, I was very frightened and neurvous I believed I cannot stand this effort. Than something happens, in fact while I was preparing my bike in T1 I meet anoter atlethe that instead of been neurvous has all the other persons was quiet and calm. He explain me that the competition would be very hard but it will be one of my best experience if only I would be able to live it as a travel to the finish line. So I return to the hotel and sleep restfully till the five o'clock, than I had my breakfast (500 cal for every our to the start), prepare myself and went to the start line.
The atmosphere now was something about the wait for a ceremony, the elicopter arrived... then cannon shot and finally the start. I begun swimming relaxed, the sea was worm and calm better than a swimming pool. The swimming course was on two laps, at the first I look to my watch ..... only 22 minutes.
The second lap was easy as the first and I finished the swim in 46 minutes (late I discovered that during the night one buoy was moved and the total distance was only 3, 2 Km).
However I felt positive, I went to the T1 and prepared myself.
I prepared myself for the bike course and start pedaling easy. The other atlethes pass me quick like the wind but I didn't matter. The bike course was on 3 laps, I took a average of 27 km/hr for the first and the second. I drunk and eat a lot (every 15 minutes): sandwiches with turkey and peannut butter, bananas, bars, gels during the climbing. At the third lap a ghost appear in my mind: would I be able to finish the bike course? At this moment I took a decision: to complete the bike as easy as I could looking for the wonderfull sightseen that the Island offers. It was the right decision, in fact at the last two climbs I felt my legs empty and complete them with difficult. Indeed I think that my bike training wasn't enough serious for that kind of competition (I'll keep in mind for the next season). At the last 10 km I met a french guy, he bike at a the right side of the street, he was pedaling only with one leg. I reached him and asked what was going on, he respond that his right leg wasn't capable to pedal anymore. Than I explain to him that the bike course was finished and with the marathon other muscles were going to be used. He seemed to be conforted from this and begun to pedal again. Finally , after nine haours, I reach the marathon. Another time I felt well and happy, the french guy that I met during the bike was still running and we decide to make the marathon together. We talked while running , we "run" at about 10 km/hr, in this moment we behave like we were old friends...no secret...no thricks. Two men reaching their limits. The marathon was on 5 laps, at the third my friend had an aches (low potassium in blood) he asked to me to continue the marathon and live him here. I refused, in that moment he was the person more important for me, so I run to find some water but obviously we were in the only place were there was no water. So I enter in a restaurant and took a glass of water that I gave to him with a KCl medicine. Than we waited about 30 minutes but after that we returned to walk (5 km) and then to run. As we promised we pass the finish line toghther... running and smiling after 16 hr and 16 minutes.
I'm here to tell you what did happen on 10-01-06 in my first ironman distance triathlon, the purpose is simple to share an experience that has been one of the stronger of my life (in positive).
First of course I must introduce myself: I'm a 39 enginner that has arrived to triathlon only from 4 years (and without know swiming), after some olympic and half-ironman this year I decided to do an ironman distance competition wich takes place in Elba Island (tuscany - italy). This course has a very hard bike part with 2'700 m of climbing.
During the year I train myself using a computer based program (pccoach) with wich I reach a good shape.
However let's talk about the competition.
I went to the island alone, one day before the start, I was very frightened and neurvous I believed I cannot stand this effort. Than something happens, in fact while I was preparing my bike in T1 I meet anoter atlethe that instead of been neurvous has all the other persons was quiet and calm. He explain me that the competition would be very hard but it will be one of my best experience if only I would be able to live it as a travel to the finish line. So I return to the hotel and sleep restfully till the five o'clock, than I had my breakfast (500 cal for every our to the start), prepare myself and went to the start line.
The atmosphere now was something about the wait for a ceremony, the elicopter arrived... then cannon shot and finally the start. I begun swimming relaxed, the sea was worm and calm better than a swimming pool. The swimming course was on two laps, at the first I look to my watch ..... only 22 minutes.
The second lap was easy as the first and I finished the swim in 46 minutes (late I discovered that during the night one buoy was moved and the total distance was only 3, 2 Km).
However I felt positive, I went to the T1 and prepared myself.
I prepared myself for the bike course and start pedaling easy. The other atlethes pass me quick like the wind but I didn't matter. The bike course was on 3 laps, I took a average of 27 km/hr for the first and the second. I drunk and eat a lot (every 15 minutes): sandwiches with turkey and peannut butter, bananas, bars, gels during the climbing. At the third lap a ghost appear in my mind: would I be able to finish the bike course? At this moment I took a decision: to complete the bike as easy as I could looking for the wonderfull sightseen that the Island offers. It was the right decision, in fact at the last two climbs I felt my legs empty and complete them with difficult. Indeed I think that my bike training wasn't enough serious for that kind of competition (I'll keep in mind for the next season). At the last 10 km I met a french guy, he bike at a the right side of the street, he was pedaling only with one leg. I reached him and asked what was going on, he respond that his right leg wasn't capable to pedal anymore. Than I explain to him that the bike course was finished and with the marathon other muscles were going to be used. He seemed to be conforted from this and begun to pedal again. Finally , after nine haours, I reach the marathon. Another time I felt well and happy, the french guy that I met during the bike was still running and we decide to make the marathon together. We talked while running , we "run" at about 10 km/hr, in this moment we behave like we were old friends...no secret...no thricks. Two men reaching their limits. The marathon was on 5 laps, at the third my friend had an aches (low potassium in blood) he asked to me to continue the marathon and live him here. I refused, in that moment he was the person more important for me, so I run to find some water but obviously we were in the only place were there was no water. So I enter in a restaurant and took a glass of water that I gave to him with a KCl medicine. Than we waited about 30 minutes but after that we returned to walk (5 km) and then to run. As we promised we pass the finish line toghther... running and smiling after 16 hr and 16 minutes.