Ironman Louisville Race Report

Gear Bags, originally uploaded by TimothyJ.

It was not my best race. My legs had been tight, sore and not normal for a little over a week. I do not know why. I was in a 4 week taper and did nothing that hard. My stomach was also messed up, again I do not know why.

The swim went alright. It was a time trial format because of current issues. I did a 1:05, which was a tad slower than I wanted. I actually swam some this summer! Take off a minute spent floating and adding to the current.

Out on the bike the course was tough. It was a rolling course with short steep hills. I am usually very good on these, but had no power in my legs at all. Aerobically I was fine, but the legs had nothing and would blow or cramp if I tried to climb fast. I had to stop 4 times to hit the port o johns during the bike because of my stomach issues. As I told one of the volunteers- "First chance I have had to sit down all day!" I ended up with a 5:53. The spectators in La Grange loved me because I sat up no-handed at 20+ mph and did the Deon Sanders and Hulk Hogan thing. The second time through I was blowing kisses as well. You would have thought I had just won the Giro d'Italia!

On the run I shuffled for eight miles and then walked one. My legs were just killing me by this time. My thinking became that I was not going to stay on the course all freaking night, and so I then hammered three miles, until my legs were screaming. Then I walked one. Then I hammered three again. Then I walked. Then I was doing two miles running and one walking. I met some great people! My splits were all over the place. Time was 5:02. Again, I was really urging the spectators to cheer. I would come around a corner and have the crowd just going nuts, and when I turned the corner everybody would be straining to see who the hell was coming through ad getting such a reception! They would be looking behind me like "Who is it? Is Brad Pitt about to come around the corner!"

My final was 12:15, my slowest Ironman by far, 53 minutes slower than my horrid Lake Placid time. However, my age group ranking was better than two and only slightly worse than two- the median placing based on percentage. The Hawaii qualifying times were incredibly slow!

Louisville is a great little city and the IM was fantastic. I highly recommend it!

I am doing a 24 hour urban bike race in about 10 days. I might as well see if I can do something with the fitness I have.

Louiseville Skate Park

Louiseville Skate Park, originally uploaded by TimothyJ.

This park was freakin' huge! Lots of disaffected youth running around, most without helmets.

Transition Area

Transition, originally uploaded by TimothyJ.

Ironman Louisville Transition.

Ironman Louisville Transition

Transition, originally uploaded by TimothyJ.

I am a bit beat to post, but it is hot and sunny here. The race set up is wonderful. More pictures at my Flick page.

The Road to Ironman Louisville

I left today for Ironman Louisville. This si going to be great, an Ironman in the middle of the hottest August on record! But more of that later.

The bikes are traveling in style!



Along the way I stopped in Knoxville to meet and have lunch the formerly anonymous blogger, formerly known as South Knox Bubba, who know runs the KnoxViews group blog, and his wife. What great people they are! We had a great lunch at a local Cracker Barrel- luckily they had one close by! Mrs. Bubba is beautiful and charming. They are both great people to sit down and talk with. I have "known" Randy (the afore mentioned SKB) for about four blogger years, but this is the first chance I have had to meet him face to face.

I managed to get a picture with him, while we sat talking after lunch, and so I am now going to out him! He is on the left!



Here is a quick shot of the river in Louisville. Needless to say we made it safely. More pictures later, here and at Flickr.



Next thing you know, I will be having lunch with and exposing TBogg!