August 30th, 2009 will certainly be a day I remember forever.
12 hrs 50 minutes and 50 seconds is my official race time.
The day was about 22 hours long. Up at 4am and not to bed until about 2am since I stayed up to cheer team mates in, eat and then I was too excited to sleep!!
It all started at 4am. Certainly didn't sleep much as I was so nervous. Quickly ate breakfast and an electrolyte drink and met my team mates in the hotel lobby at 4:30 am to walk to transition.
Dropped off our "special needs" bags for 1/2 way through the bike and run.
You actually have 5 goodie bags for the day.
1) morning clothes and food bag, 2) swim to bike transition, 3) bike to run transition, 4) bike special needs and 5) run special needs. Good thing I made a spreadsheet to pack, it's a lot of stuff to remember!
Here's a picture as I'm packing my bags in the hotel room.Then quickly walked up to the swim start to get in line. We got in line about 5:15am and the pros didn't start until 6:50 am. It was still dark!!
Then it was the wait...... We got in line together and tried not to freak out!
Then the start, I jumped off the last pier.
The pros started at 6:50am, and the 1st "age groupers" as they are called, just regular people like me, jumped in the water off the pier at 7:00am. We were about 10 minutes back in line and jumped in about 7:10am. Once we started all the nerves were gone, I was so excited to have started and as I was swimming I still couldn't believe I was doing an Ironman. I kept telling myself to go slow, a long day is ahead, and it's just a long training day, not really an Ironman.
The water was warm, but that's the only positive thing I'll say.
(I had a rash for 2 days after the race) It's the Ohio river, and I don't recommend swimming in it unless you are doing Ironman.
I was out of the water in 1 hr and 15 minutes. I was certainly happy with that time.
When you exit the water there are people cheering everywhere. You feel like a rock star.
Then off to the bike.
Grab my bike to run bags, and head into the changing tent.
The volunteers were AMAZING! They help you go through your bags, take off your wet clothes and get ready for the bike, sunblock up, 6 minutes and 40 seconds and I was off....
The bike ride was beautiful.
It left downtown Louisville and went north east out into the countryside through horse farms and rolling hills. I started out slow as I knew 112 miles is a long way and we practiced pacing ourselves on many 100+ mile rides.
The rolling hills were not bad at all. Nothing compared to the east bay and Mt. Diablo. Tons of my team mates cheering squads were out there on the course. It was great to see them everywhere! One of the highlights was seeing my friends with our team blow up doll mascot Coeur d'Aleney. (Thanks R2, Chris, Cindy and Scott!!) Chris and Cindy travel everywhere with her, don't have a race day shot since I didn't race with my camera, but here is one from before we left for Louisville!
I did get a penalty on the bike, talking and riding to the side of my team mate Margaret (who placed 11th in her age group I might add!). Who can possibly ride 112 miles and not talk to someone, especially a team mate! Certainly not me.
I wish I had a picture of Margaret and I, but I don't. But we had a blast on the bike ride.
It is so much easier when you have a team mate in site for almost the whole bike ride.
It certainly keeps you motivated.
Bike completed. Time, 6 hrs 32 minutes...
Back to transition to change clothes for the run.
Oh wait, I almost forgot, I had to sit it the penalty box for 4 minutes in transition.
I asked all the volunteers near by for a picture they could e-mail to me, but none of them had a camera. Oh well, they were great and I had fun with them for my 4 minutes that I was sitting with them!
Then off on the run after changing. 12 minute 37 second transition.
Kind of slow, I know.... I had my 4 minute penalty and then the guy helping me was from SF, recognized my Wildflower hat, and was familiar with Team in Training and IronTeam.
He did everything for me.
He turned on my Garmin, set my run/walk pace, filled my water bottles, put on my sunblock, and packed up my bike gear all while I sat there changing! Guess I talked to him too long as my transition was 12+ minutes, (including my 4 minutes in the penalty tent!) oh well, he was an amazing volunteer and certainly a great part of the day to remember.
Off on the run. Only a marathon to go.....
The 1st couple of miles my pace was really fast. The excitement was amazing there are people everywhere, and I finally realized I am actually going to finish this thing!
You first run across the bridge over the Ohio river, north towards Indiana, then turn around and head back towards Louisville.
Then it's about a 12 mile loop out and back south of Louisville twice before you finish.
Then I had to settle into a reasonable pace as there was no way I could sustain my initial pace for 25 more miles. The run was awesome. Just 26 run walk intervals I told myself. I ran 9 minutes and walked one just as we had practiced all season, so running a marathon didn't seem to overwhelming.
The water stops were every mile with a ton of volunteers. You see everyone out there since it's an out and back course, 2 times. And of course since my IronTeam mates all have our flames jerseys on, we were very visible. It was so fun to see everyone and very helpful to keep you motivated.
On my 1st loop I talk to my friend Chris at about mile 10.
He ran with me for a block or so, and told me I looked great. Everyone told you that you looked great all day, but by then I was thinking he must be making that up as certainly I didn't look great after about 125 miles! I told him my goal was to finish while it was still light out and maybe I could break 14 hours.
He just laughed at me and said I was going to crush that. I guess I was delusional and my math wasn't very good at that moment, but knew I should just keep going at my regular pace and not try to be conscious of any time goals, just finishing is a win!
On the 2nd loop back they were gone. At 1st I was disappointed they were not there as you get so excited to see anyone you know out there cheering you on.
And then I realized it was about mile 20 and my watch was about 11 hrs and 45 minutes.
I thought that has to be wrong. No way could that be correct. That would mean I could finish in under 13 hours, and it was still light out. Are you kidding me?! Maybe my watched had stopped.
The last 6 miles were amazing, people everywhere.
Then you turn that corner with only 2 blocks to go and there are so many people cheering you feel like you are the winner. (even tough the winner finished over 4 hours before me!)
You see the lights, hear the music and the crowd is wild.
I was so excited I sprinted past a guy in the last block as he was entirely too slow for the finish chute and I certainly didn't want him in my finish picture!
All I can remember is hearing the announcer say "from Walnut Creek, CA - You are an Ironman". I don't remember hearing him say my name, but that would have been entertaining to see how he pronounced Digirolamo.
Within 5 minutes, you have your medal, finisher hat and t-shirt, and your picture taken.
You feel like the winner since all the volunteers at the finish line treat you so well, it's amazing.
Here's my finish picture after 12 hrs, 50 minutes. (My clock time is 13 hr 10 minutes because the clock started when the pros started at 6:50 am and I didn't jump in the water until 7:10am, thus the + 20 minutes)
Then I waited for my friend and team mate Lulu, oh I mean my big competition!
Her husband had an awesome sign that said Go Lulu on one side and Beat Mike on the other.
I guess it might have fueled me more than Lulu.
We are so close in actual speed on every sport, I just had a great day and lucked out, all the stars were aligned. Lulu had a great day as well. It would have been a highlight to finish with her, but at least we got a finish shot together. She is truly amazing.
Everyone keeps asking, "Are you going to do another Ironman".
Well, never say never, anything is possible. Lulu needs another chance to beat me!
