Coeur d'Alene Ironman diary

This report is from a friend of ours who has just completed the Coeur d'Alene Ironman. She was at the wedding back in February. Claudia is the name. She and her husband Lakin also adopted a Chinese girl in the same place as Audrey's best friend. Here's the report...


Well, I can tell you, it is definitely true that every race is different and that it's so unpredictable to figure out what will go well and what will go wrong.

I had a great pre-race few days, I loved spending time with my friends, a lot more experienced in IMs. Got some advice and followed some too, but stayed on my grounds with most of my habits in nutrition and strategies. I stayed away from fiber for 2 full days, no dairy either (no ice-cream...!)

Morning race, great weather, a bit overcast but not bad at all. I got in the water 10 minutes earlier to warm up and get my HR up a bit from the brutal impact of the cold water. By the time the gun went off, I was relaxed. I started the swim in the second row. I know I'm slow, but I also knew that I was going to draft a lot in that first loop and benefit from it, I breathed every other stroke trying not to drink or get drowned and it worked. I did that first loop in the mob in 45 minutes, practically drafting the whole time. The second loop I was more relaxed and got into my rhythm. It was actually pleasant...of all things, the swim was the most pleasant experience. It was 2 minutes off from last year, but there were currents going out and the cold water was numbing my feet (I didn't use booties). Most people including the pros were 9 minutes off. I was happy. Swim: 1:33

Got the the tent like a fury, but the "greasers" took a while to put sunscreen on me. I took Luther's advice and ran to the volunteer with my bike with my shoes in my hands instead of putting them on in the tent and running with them. Smart idea, I ran faster through transition and shaved off some time from last year. T1: 5:39

And here comes the first bike loop...I hammered it like a viper trying to pass as many people (not just the women in my age group, EVERYBODY!) as possible. The last 10 miles I had a brutal head wind that made my avg. drop from 18.9 to 18.20. First loop 3:03.

At the end of the first loop I was already trashed. I decided to take the smart pill and slow down, or else I couldn't run. Took my fresh bottles at special needs and the bottles were still half frozen (I froze them the night before) not a good idea...I fiddled with them trying to put in fluids in the aero bottle for one full minute...!

So, I took it easier on the second loop...except this woman who is 41, with a PINK jersey, and a black Cervelo P3 started playing cat and mouse with me on the rollers. I wasn't gonna let her take it, so I SPENT myself trying to catch up with her on the downhills and uphills...but at the last 10 miler flat she has the best on me, she has a tri bike and she's got an edge on me in the head wind. Suddenly the song by Janis Jopelin (Take another little piece of my heart) comes to my mind and doesn't' leave me until the end of the run! I promised myself to get her on the run. However...my knees on the bike were hurting like hell already from the end of the first loop. AND, I had nausea too. Had a nasty time putting down fluids, salt pills and especially gu's. But I needed to, so I sucked it up and tried to not think about it. Second loop: 3:17. Bike total: 6:20

Second transition, I was determined to be faster than last year, so I literally ran like crazy and flew in and out. No more sunscreen waste of time. I was out in 3:47. But forgot to take my bike jersey off and started overheating after 2 miles...i then dropped it with Lakin at mile 5.

The run...well, let me tell you, I hit the wall at mile 0! I was gonna DNF, hadn't it been that Lakin and Francesca would have been so disappointed at me and...I knew lots of friends were tracking me online too...! I already knew that my legs were toast and also mentally I was DONE, spent, tired, unmotivated. I was no longer feeling like a million dollar, despite the fabulous crowd support. I started reluctantly to run, stopped after 300 yards... and headed out to continue the run. The run course was spectacular, all by the lake. One small out and back, lots of turns in town and another big out and back, the turn around at the end of a huge big mama hill. At the first small turn around, I see the girl with the P3 who passed me on the bike, behind me, she obviously had a slower transition. My wits came back, I was in the race again! I picked up a pace for about 5 miles, she was on my heels. When I got to Lakin and Francesca cheering for me she was right next to me. And she passed me right after. But she slowed down at the aid stations and I was always passing her there...however, in the end she had the best over me. AGAIN. At that point, I couldn't give a rats ass anymore. I was so disheartened that I seriously considered quitting. I was having a hard marathon. HARD. I had to shamely walk big mama. I was in disbelief. I immediately cursed at myself for pushing that bike so hard and letting myself get caught up with that competitive bitchiness of mine. I treated that first loop like an Olympic distance and I'm not ready for that, nor I have the right bike, a road bike does take a toll on your legs and when you get off, it's hard to run fast. I was struggling, that marathon took a lifetime to finish. I was nearly crying every time I had to gu, ended up just drinking icy water, but again...it was pretty chilly and I was running in shorts and bra...I could have used a shirt! But it was too late, I didn't plan on it, so I had no special need bag with a shirt in it. But then I started thinking: Man, next week-end Suzie and Laura will be running Western frigging States 100 miler, now THAT'S PAIN, not a stupid 12:30 hour ironman! So, I was finally able to put an end to my misery and when I got the final 200, Lakin had Francesca ready to run them with me. I thought I was gonna have to pull her but guess what: she sprinted like crazy and she pulled ME! I was in shock, thinking I was gonna trip and fall but survived.

Run: 4:32. Pathetic. Last year it was 4:16, but the bike this year was 6:20. It's true, it's not the single sport, it's putting the 3 together, I had to keep reminding myself over and over again. You sacrifice the bike, you run better, you bike faster, you sacrifice the run! I'm leaving the swim alone, as it's irrelevant, being such a slow ass as I am!

So, there you have it...it was a rough ROUGH day, I managed to pull through and not quit.