Auburn Half Iron Distance

^{PLACE & TIME:}  Troy 3rd - 5:35:26

(28:46-3:12:32-1:54:07)

Previous PRs or Personal Records:

Wow, I don't know how I'll do today. That's how you feel when you don't put enough training in before a tough race. This race is special now because it's in my back yard. Living up here in Auburn has helped, as I've trained on each part of the course so I won't be surprised at all. But I had hoped to do it many times so every part of my body would know it well, too.

Typically winning times in 1/2 Ironmans are close to 4hrs, and I can break 5hrs. But at this, the World's Toughest, breaking 5hrs IS the winning time!
I prepared my stuff well. Jami & Sherwick and I leave our house on Eagles Nest at 5:30am. It's 6mi to the start at Folsom Lk, mainly downhill. Weather is great. It's a fun ride. Brad Kerns the race director is full of life on the P.A. system. He cracks me up. I love how he runs, views, and describes racing in it's simplest terms.. have a bunch of guys take on a bunch of hills and give 'em a bunch of prizes if they make it. He was a good pro triathlete / duathlete himself.

We see friends at the transition area: Dianna Hassel, Gina Kehr, Tom Werner, Marco Campagna, Andrea and others. Robin shows up to support us and take some of our gear to the finish line. She towed the trailer behind her bike for this purpose. The water is great! 74 deg. Get a good warm-up and bump into Marco. He's always ready to help and currently stopped his warm-up to describe the course to another racer.
It's a mass start. I love these. Waves get confusing. Well, actually there are some waves and I did get confused later..
 

Go! Good start. Swimming straight. Not breathing so hard like last race. Never find a good draft but energy remaining stable which is good. Goggles fogged up again. But the buoys are pretty obvious. Until after the 4th buoy. The guy in front of me stops and says, "Where'd they go?". "I don't know", I say. The lake is clear as far as we can see. Then we look behind us and realize it's a sharp U turn. I can see a big group way in the distance. I guess I've been dropped from the "good" swimmers, but looks like I'm leading the "medium" swimmers.

I make a good final push to shore. Strip my wetsuit off at shore. Brad comments on my early removal tactic. Run to my bike and there's Sherwick! That means I swam good. I even beat him out of transition.. something must be awry because his transitioning is usually slick.

On the bike I know I have a lot of climbing. I want to conserve, but also push steadily all the way. There are a lot people ahead. I keep picking one and reeling them in. A guy in red & white is not coming back, he'll take much longer to catch. Looking forward to Maidu Dr, next to our home where mom, Ray, Jan, Robin and Anna will be. Sherwick did this first stretch in 26 min yesterday so I have a goal. I arrive in 24min and very excited to see everyone. They cheer loudly and then I'm off again. We cruise right by the finish line at the Auburn Overlook. Pushing up the hills I notice a 60 yr old racer pulling ahead of me a lot of the time. We talk a little. He says, "I'm going to hang with you as long as I can". We're riding alongside Hwy 80 now towards Colfax.

At 10mi I hear the dreadful sound of air hissing. Wow, that's the biggest nail I've ever picked up! A 2-pronged "U" nail that went through the tire and out the other side and hitting my frame as I went along. I work on it as the 60yr old goes by and then Sherwick goes by. But in 5min I'm rolling again. Maybe God will give me an awesome ride like the '03 Keauhou race. I'm psyched to try and catch Sherwick and the others. I'm going to still try for my goal of 18mph. I focus on rhythm, staying seated, and spinning like our old spin instructor taught us.  Trying to drink a lot of Sustained Energy.  It's not tasting as good as I remember, probably just not used to it.

At Bell Rd I see my family again! They're so excited and really encourage me. Scott Witthoff passes me and I try staying with him but he pulls away on each gradual climb. I'm so glad Team JAS and I rode the course last week. I know each section. There's Sherwick. I'm able to pass him. 1 more climb and then we drop into the Tokayama roller-coaster loop. Wow! Great wild descent. Now for the big climb; I've been thinking about it all week. I had a new 26 tooth (granny gear) put on and I'm using it a lot on this course. Climbing well. I get a "heavy breathing" remark again as another racer says, "I think your dad just passed me, he's a heavy breather, too". What, does no one breathe hard in these races anymore?

At the top of the loop I see my family again. Robin yells, "Way to move up, you're 40th!" Cool! I see Jami as I leave the loop and she enters. Now I gotta work the descent. My average is 16mph and I need to gain 2 more. All the hard pedaling is making my seat uncomfortable. Especially in the aero position. I've moved up to 37th but 2 guys keep passing me back. They're a tough challenge. At the "out-and-back", I tell the other guy, "psych up, let's crank the out-n-back", and he does, leaving me behind. I thought I had more to give. At the turn I'm feeling better, though, and push harder.. average up to 17mph. Keep hoping it's "all downhill" but it never is. Tough course.

A few miles to go. Only up to 17.5mph. There's the transition and my family, including Tracy and Daniel, Mariah, and Jessica! So great to see them! I forget which rack my running shoes are at. Oh, yea, the Sponge Bob rack. Quick change, some water, and I'm off. Robin holds out hands of sunscreen for my shoulders. Young Daniel is running with me! That's cool! But now it's into the treacherous trails of the 1st loop. I go into the rocky, root-studded section fast and realize my tired legs can't make adjustments that quickly. It's fun, though, navigating the rocks and water. Soon the fun is over and I realize I'm TIRED and hot and there's 12 miles to go! "Just think of the next mile only". I change to baby-steps. I will not give up.

The runners coming back are flying. Including the lead female who blew by me a couple miles ago. And there's Marco coming back. I finally make the turn and feel much better because it's shady and slightly downhill. I see Sherwick and tell him to look forward to coming back. But soon it's hard again. Dusty and tough.  I wonder how people who have never run here handle it. We descend into the American River ravine. 2 yrs ago I stopped here to work on my foot but, thank you, Lord, my foot is doing real good today!

Now the long climb back up. I walk the steep paved sections. I'm thankful for the extra water station here.  And the cool breeze that comes out of no where to help my steaming head. I have a slight side-ache, but still have to force down the gel packs for energy. I keep breathing deeply to fend off the cramps. As I slow to a walk a racer says, "lean forward" and it works! I'm able to run better. I finally make it out of the ravine and come into the transition area where my family is spread out, cheering for me from all angles.

Off to the 2nd loop. It's downhill for 3 mi. I'm tempted to just rest and go easy but after telling JAS the week before, "free speed! Go fast." I've got to push it the best I can. Looking ahead I can't see any runners anywhere! None behind either. Weird to be running along a road with no one in sight, while in a race with 700 people! It's kind of peaceful. I like it. Yeow! As I instinctually jump through the air I look down at a big striped snake.  The jump pulls my hamstring. I limp to a stop and stretch it. I look back at the snake.  Before I continue on, I realize other runners may be in danger, so I walk back and throw rocks at it.  It was already dead. They'll be scared but not bitten.

Running along I hear hidden waterfalls periodically along this hot and barren road. Finally I see another runner coming up from the bottom. And then more and more. I don't know how I'll get energy to make it back up. I'm sore and tired and struggling just to get down. I see Marco, "smile, Marco". He's a great athlete and always cheerful. Later he said he really needed that encouragement. At the bottom I turn around and pray, "Lord, please give me energy to climb back up."  And I feel better! I'm actually running all the way up! I see Scott Witthoff mtn biking down while he supports his girlfriend running his relay's final leg. But then a tendon in my left leg spasms and I stop to stretch it. If it goes, I'll have to walk all the way up. "Lord, please keep it together". I run again and the tendon holds. I'm so happy to be climbing so well so late in the race!

Finally I hit the NID ditch, now it's 2mi flat to the finish. No one ahead or behind. I'm tempted to go easy. Then I think, "you never know what could happen, a guy could be walking up ahead".. and then I realize that I could be walking up ahead, meaning I've got to make up all the time I can now in order to catch someone struggling or to mitigate my own breakdown. I push on. There's a little wooden plank to cross. Just stepping down from it causes my hamstring to pull again. Stretch.  Keep going. I can hear Brad announcing at the finish line! My aching body longs to be done. Robin and Anna cheer for me with .4mi to go. I run as hard as I can. With 200yds to go, Daniel joins me.  We run hand-in-hand all the way to the finish. What a great way to finish! Watermelon hits the spot. I finally lay down and let Anna and the kids play around me, and on me. Thanks, family, for being there!!  And thanks, God, for a great race.
 

Marco exits water

Sherwick exits water

Jami exits water

Jami leaves T1

 (1st Transition)

Sherwick

Tom & Scott W. battle it out

Go Sherwick!

Grandpa Ray, Mariah & Anna Rose

Go Marco!

Go Sherwick!

Go Jami!

Go Tom!

Finish Strong...