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An early morning meeting with the South Carolina DOT required an even earlier-morning workout! I woke at 4:00 a.m. EST (3:00 a.m. my time), and got in 6 miles on the treadmill, 5 miles on the stationary bike (16 minutes or so), and 35 minutes of weight training. Another long day ahead of me, with meetings and travel. I get back home around 11:00 tonight.
I flew to South Carolina today for a meeting with the South Carolina DOT. As I had some work to do prior to leaving for SC, I awoke earlier than usual for my workout. I got up at 3:30 a.m. and got in some work before my workout. I managed an hour on the trainer, followed by 30 minutes of weights and 25 minutes of swimming. I had my fastest swim in quite awhile – 25:30 for 1500 m, or approximately an 8:30/500 pace. Pretty good for me. I had a good trip to SC.
I didn’t have a lot of time for a workout today, as I was up rather late on Saturday working. I managed a 4.3 mile run in the afternoon, finally working my way back to marathon pace – averaging 6:50 miles or so. It was another nice day – upper 30’s, windy.
An absolutely beautiful day! Temperatures in the mid-40’s, unseasonably mild for December in Minnesota. But, we’ll take it! I took advantage of the mild weather and got in a 40-mile ride today. I biked from my house to the Willmar High School and back. The ride took a good 2:12:30, so I averaged just over 18 mph. That was OK considering how bulky I was dressed and that there was a decent NW wind. Probably my last ride outside for a while.
Friday!! Had a pretty good workout today. A light swim of 1250 m, a good 6-mile run outdoors, and 30 minutes of weightraining. Afterwards, the kids and I went and picked out our Christmas tree, a nice 9-foot balsam fir.
December 17, 2006. Had a great church service today, honoring Steve’s 10 years in the ministry. We also had a Christmas program, where Heather sang a stunning version of “O Holy Night” to open the program. It resulted in an immediate eruption of applause. I think God was applauding as well.
On the way home from church in the morning, we saw a rooster pheasant fly into my grove on the north side of the house. I went inside and grabbed my gun and took the two boys (Michael Jr. and Aaron, our pastor’s son), both in the 2nd grade. They were excited to try to go get a pheasant. We pushed through the entire grove, coming back with nothing but pantsfulls of cockleburs. The boys did well, though. I figured the bird either flew out early, or continued running ahead of us to the south down a line of pine trees and grass that line my property. So, we ran back and got our Golden Retriever, Susie, for her first “hunt”. She has a good nose, but doesn’t listen well, so I don’t take her out much. About 50 yards down the treeline, she started getting real birdy. She had her nose down the whole time, and her tail was going crazy! I imagined that rooster must be running ahead of us. We continued pushing towards the end. I figured the bird would either erupt out the end of the tree line, or it had already done so before we got there. As we approached the end, Susie continued working. We got all the way through, and… nothing. The bird must have flown out early. I stood there, somewhat disappointed. It would have been so perfect – Susie’s first bird, the boys’ first experience of the heart-stopping thrill of an erupting rooster, and the beauty of a folding bird at the touch of my Remington 870 trigger. I sat there for a moment, contemplating what might have been. Susie kept pouncing around the last tree at the end, as if to say, “Where is that thing?” I was just starting to explain to her that the bird was all gone, when all of a sudden, from under the tree, “Cackle, cackle, cackle…,” out erupts that rooster! It was perfect. The dream did come true…. except for one minor detail: there was no folding of the rooster at the touch of my trigger, neither the first time I touched it, nor the second. Susie’s first flush happened, the boys had their first witness of an erupting pheasant, and I was left holding a smoking-barreled 870, and some 4-letter words that nearly erupted out of my mouth as loudly as that rooster. Fortunately, those words never made their way to my vocal chords, or it may have been the last time Michael’s friend Aaron, the pastor’s boy, was allowed to come over.
Certain experiences leave one wondering, "What am I supposed to learn from that?" I used to let experiences like this bother me for days. I would replay the incident in my mind, over and over. I would beat myself up over the stupidity. As I grow older, I continue to realize that things often don't work out as planned. And, rather then dwelling on the past, I choose to look forward for the next opportunity, learning from any mistakes I may have made. Life is too short to dwell on the past. Live and learn.
I read the FCA (Fellowship of Christian Athletes) devotional this morning. It talked about surrendering one's heart to Jesus, and referenced 3 passages of Scripture: Lamentations 3:25, Psalm 9:10, and 1 Chronicles 28:9.
Interesting, though. Lamentations 3:25 says "The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him;". However, the rest of the passage talks about how the Lord seems to have turned his back on the author, and discusses all of the bad things that have happened. The point of the chapter seems to be that, in spite of all of the trials and struggles, the author has faith that, in the end, God will prove faithful. To me, I agree with this. Life isn't always a cake-walk. There are no guarantees of an easy life by being a Christian. However, I think we can have faith that, in the end, God will prove faithful.
Psalm 9:10 says, "Those who know your name will trust in you, for you, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you;". Again, it comes down to faith and trust, even when we don't know or understand.
1 Chronicles 28:9 is interesting: "And you, my son Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father, and serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the LORD searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts. If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will reject you forever."
Today, I'm thankful that the Lord will prove faithful and just, even if at times it doesn't seem so while on this earth. I am glad He knows more than I.
Well, I took a couple days off. The legs were too sore on Monday. No excuse for yesterday, other than I just didn't feel up to it. Today I eased back into things. Ran a few easy miles (4), swam some easy laps (1500 m), and did some weights (chest). It felt good to get back at it.
I took the day off today. Had good intentions to run in the morning. I awoke at 4:00 a.m., rolled out of bed, and in one step realized I wouldn't be running this morning! However, the legs soon loosened up, and I feel great. Nonetheless, I opted for a day off and decided to go into the Dallas office to work early.
When I got home at night, I had the greatest email. At the start of the White Rock Marathon, I saw some guy with a yellow FCA Endurance (Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Team Endurance) tri jersey. I know some guys from FCA Endurance that I met at the International Christian Triathlon Network camp in Arizona last January: Chris Anderson and Stan Smith. Chris is from Burnsville, MN, and heads the FCA Endurance, Minnesota. It turns out that this guy I saw at the start line - his name was Aaron - knew both of them as well. We had a nice short chat, and were soon off in the race. What are the odds that I would run into him at the start of a marathon with well over 3500 competitors?
Anyway, when I got home last night, I had an email from Chris Anderson (FCA Endurance, Minnesota). It turns out that Aaron emailed Chris about me, but couldn't remember my name. He knew I had a sub-3:00 goal, so he looked through the results for people from MN with a sub-3:00 finish. He narrowed it down to myself, Dick Beardsley, and two guys who were slightly over 3:00 (Aaron didn't know Dick Beardsley, but for me it was quite an honor to be included in the same list as the Grandma's Marathon record holder and 2nd place Boston finisher in the famous 1982 Boston Duel; Dick ran a 2:49 in Dallas, 6 minutes ahead of me, 15 years older!). Chris informed him that the guy Aaron talked to at the start was indeed me, not Dick. Aaron signed his email to Chris with "Acts 20:24", a verse that many of you know as my life application verse, posted at the top of my blog.
It's funny how a group like the Fellowship of Christian Athletes can be used to make our world seem so much smaller and unified. I'd like to congratulate Aaron on a great marathon finish, and I look forward to again seeing you at our ultimate finish line.
| date: Dec 10th, 2006 location: Dallas, TX number of finishers: 3507 number of females: 1231 number of males: 2276 average time: 04:21:04 |  | Michael Pluimer bib number: 964 age: 34 gender: M location: Raymond, MN |
Well, today started out great. Had a good night's sleep. Weather was nice - 40's and overcast in the morning. I woke at 5:20 a.m. It was nice to sleep in, rather than getting up at 3:00 for the typical Ironman! Race start was 8:00, and our hotel was just a few blocks from the start. There were over 3500 finishers in the race. Not sure how many started.
At the outset, I set a goal to break 3:00. Somewhat aggressive, as I hadn't run a stand-alone marathon since 2004, and my marathon personal best was 3:06. A 6:52/mile pace would get me under 3:00. I wanted to do the first half at a 6:45 - 6:50 pace, and allow myself some "breathing room" for the 2nd half. This typically isn't a good strategy, but I thought my short training program for this marathon (4 weeks) would mean that I wouldn't have the endurance needed to hold pace the whole way.
My first mile was 6:53, and I felt like I was working pretty good. Not a good start! I tried to pick it up on mile 2: 6:48. Again, disappointing. But I felt like I was starting to settle into a rhythm. By mile 3, I turned out a 6:35 or something, then a 6:31, and pretty soon settled into a 6:38 pace. I felt comfortable, and just was praising God to have the strength to race! Our God is SO Awesome!! Just to have legs to run is a blessing.
I carried the 6:38 pace through about mile 15. I started to run into some good headwinds, followed by a good hill. Miles 19 - 21 had a pretty decent climb! I managed a 6:55 pace or so up the hills, and by Mile 21 had just 5 miles to coast into the finish.
We (God and me) crossed the finish line in 2:55:47, 42nd out of 3507 finishers. 7th in my age group, out of 350-ish. Praise again goes to God for being gracious enough to allow me to accomplish another goal in my life: My first sub-3 marathon! Praise God!!
| time: | 2:55:47 | |
| pace: | 6:43 | |
| chip time: | 2:55:47 | |
| gun time: | 2:56:01 | |
| 10k: | 41:47 | |
| half: | 45:10 | |
| 35k: | 58:33 |
A taper day today. Recovery swim and light bike. Rode the trainer for 12 miles - Ironman Arizona course. I also swam 2000 m. First 500 meters felt good - 8:17 is a decent time for me for 500. I swam the next 1000 at a 9:05/500 pace, then had some intervals for the final 500.
My friend Don got his Lifeguard job at the "Y" today. He was a bit nervous for the test and asked for prayer last week. It was cool to see that God granted him the ability to pass the test. However, my struggles with prayer continue. I still long for answers to how prayer works. Some prayers seem to be answered. Others not. How does God's will mesh with our requests? Ultimately, His will be done. Then, why pray? I'm reading Philip Yancey's latest book on prayer. It is comforting to see him go through some of the same questions and struggles. Nonetheless, Jesus taught us how to pray. Even if I don't understand how it works, I suppose I am best following his advice and trusting that the mechanism of prayer will work itself out.
I was feeling a bit sluggish today, after my long trip yesterday. Worked out in the evening. I had a light swim - 32 minutes. Swam the first 1000 m in 17:48 (1:47/100 pace). I then ran on the track - 4 miles: 6:55 mile 1, 6:31 mile 2, 6:40 mile 3, 6:35 mile 4. Felt pretty good - getting ready for the marathon. Ended with some light weights - 20 minutes. May bike in the evening, but that is getting more unlikely by the minute!
Life is good, though. I feel blessed just to be able to train. I read about Terry Fox yesterday. As a teenager, he had a leg amputated due to cancer. When he was 22, he decided to raise funds for cancer by running across Canada! He made it over halfway before the cancer spread to his lungs and he died. Nonetheless, he averaged a marathon a day for 143 straight days! On one good leg, and one prosthetic! Unbelievable. This was in 1981. I would like to go to Thunder Bay sometime and see his memorial. That was as far as he made it, starting in Newfoundland.
I'm getting ready for the Dallas Marathon on Sunday, which I signed up for about 3 weeks ago. Not exactly the best way to go into a marathon! Typically one would like at least a 12 week training plan, not 4! My wife and I had to go to Dallas for a PPI staff Christmas party on December 10, and the date conveniently coincided with the Dallas White Rock Marathon. So, I thought I'd give it a go. It should be fun.
My work schedule has been hectic, though. Lots of travel. Today I had to go to Dallas for a meeting. My flight departed Minneapolis at 7:00 a.m., requiring me to leave my house at 3:45 a.m. I awoke at 12:30 a.m. to get in a short workout prior to leaving: Just a 10-mile spin on the trainer, a 4 mile light run on the treadmill, and 30 minutes of weights. I got back home from Dallas at 11:30 p.m. Long day!
I would love to help you achieve your triathlon, running, weight training, or general fitness goals! Please contact me for rates.
Having completed 4 Ironman triathlons, several marathons and shorter triathlons, I know what it takes to accomplish your goals while still keeping your family and faith priorities intact.
Third Annual "Melvin's on the Lake" Green Lake Triathlon!
August 13, 2006 - Mike's First Win!!
Swim: 6:27 (17th)
Bike: 35:09 (3rd)
Run: 24:17 (2nd)
Total: 1:07:54 (1st)
2006 was our biggest event so far! A big thanks to everyone who made it through the challenging weather conditions. Two veteran triathletes, Mike Pluimer for men and Mary Leedahl for women, prevailed in a record turnout race - we would like to extend our congratulations to them!
Visit greenlaketri.com for all the information about the race.
 | TOTAL TIME: 12:28:43 OVERALL PLACE: 588 DIVISION (M 30-34) PLACE: 95/267  Download Race Report |
APRIL 9, 2006I'm not sure why, but for some reason I decided to sign up for an early season Ironman in 2006. Ironman Arizona was held in Tempe, Arizona, on April 9, 2006. One of the keys to Ironman success is lots of long bike training rides. Long bike rides and Minnesota winters don't mix well. But, I was treating the Tempe race as a training race for Lake Placid, so I wasn't too concerned going into the race under-trained.As race day approached, several things started to complicate the picture. For one, my company decided to hold our annual meeting -- in Pinehurst, North Carolina – on race weekend and into the following week. My attendance was mandatory, as I had to lead many of the meetings. Fortunately, I was able to push off my meetings until Monday, allowing me to race on Sunday, but it still meant finishing the Ironman at a decent hour so I could catch a plane to Charlotte, and drive to Pinehurst in time for my meetings. My plane departed from the Phoenix airport at 10:55 p.m., so I had to finish the Ironman in 14 hours or less in order to catch my plane. Typically, this shouldn't be a problem. However, as I’ve learned from past Ironmans, one never knows what race day will bring. The added stress of catching a plane immediately following my finish wasn't the best way to approach the race, but I had no other options. Adding further emotional distress to the day was the tragic deaths of two of our senior boys from the local high school on March 23 and 24: Adam Mikelson and Jon Bonnema. Adam was a close personal friend and fellow athlete. He beat me in my first foot-race, the 2.8 mile Prinsburg fun run. Ever since that day, he became a very special friend. I was helping him train for another season of triathlons. He was one of the greatest kids you’ll ever meet, but his life was taken at the young age of 18. He is greatly missed, and this race was dedicated to him. I had to finish the race, and finish strong, for Adam. I was also raising funds for Hope Pregnancy Center in Willmar, as part of the Janus Charity Challenge. I had to finish the race to collect our $6000 bonus for being the 3rd highest fundraiser in the competition. What started out as simply a training race ended up as a race with its share of pressure! My plans for race day and beyond were as follows:
The day started out well. I was a bit nervous about the heat. We left Minnesota with temperatures in the 30’s, and arrived to upper 80's in Tempe. Race day temperatures were expected to reach 90 degrees. The mantra that was repeated by the pros and race directors leading up to the race was “Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate!!” Drinking was the key to success on a hot race day like this. The swim went as expected. Dirty waters, cool temperatures (68 - 72 deg. F). I wanted to finish in 1:20. As I exited the water, the race clock read "1:20". Right on schedule. I felt very good coming out of the water -- a nice, easy 2.4 mile swim. Now onto the bike! My transition went fairly well and I was soon on the road, right on schedule at 8:30 a.m. The bike course consisted of 3 loops, each around 37.3 miles. It was relatively flat, making it a good course to stay in the aerobars and cruise. We had a bit of a wind from the East, in our faces on the way out, but at our back on the way in. It wasn't much of a factor, but one could feel it, especially by the 3rd lap. I felt great on the first lap, and drank lots of water and Gatorade, at the advice of the pros. I tried to drink at least 2 bottles each hour -- one Gatorade and one water. I managed to average around 20.5 mph on the first 37-mile loop, and felt great. The second loop was nearly the same, but my stomach really started giving me troubles at around 45 miles. I was drinking a lot, but none of it was digesting. I soon had a stomach full of water and Gatorade, leaving me bloated and cramping. By Mile 60, I was unable to even look at my water bottle without wanting to throw up. I could no longer force myself to drink or eat. I thought of trying to throw up, but didn't want to lose all of my fluids. So, I just prayed that my stomach would start digesting. But, it wasn't happening. I battled through the next 52 miles with no food or fluids. Not a good thing for a hot ironman. I could feel my energy wasting away, and there was nothing I could do about it! Talk about frustrating! I felt like a car with an overflowing tank of fuel and a plugged fuel line so none of it was getting to the engine. By mile 85 I was burning fumes, wondering how I was going to finish a marathon after this. I remember thinking that this could be my first ever DNF (Did Not Finish), but I was determined not to let that happen. I finished the bike leg in 5 hours 46 minutes, 14 minutes ahead of my goal, eclipsing my previous best Ironman bike split by 33 minutes. I averaged 19.5 mph for the 112 miles. However, what typically is my favorite part of the race -- the run -- was looking to be impossible. I'm usually excited to start the run after spending so many hours in the saddle of the bike. The run is where I shine. It’s my strength of the race. However, I got into the change tent this time, put on my shorts and running shoes, and sat. I felt I couldn't even stand up, much less run a marathon. How was I going to finish this race, and especially cross the line in time to catch my plane?!! I was discouraged. I took extra time in the tent to gather myself, and try to prepare myself for the battle that lay ahead. I prayed for a miracle in my stomach, which was still totally bloated and cramped. I felt like I had the flu. I had nothing left.
I ran the first mile in under 8 minutes. Typically, I'd like to average 8-minute miles for the first half of the marathon, but I knew that wouldn’t be the case today. By mile 3, I was wasted. I needed something drastic. I needed a miracle. My engineering brain kept trying to figure out how to fix the situation at hand. I knew I needed my stomach to digest to get the fuel to where it needed to go (my muscles), and I knew I needed to take in more fluids. I hadn't drank or eaten anything since mile 60 on the bike. In order for the stomach to digest, it needs blood flow. However, during intense activities, your blood is flowing to your muscles and extremities. I remembered reading that slowing down and allowing your heart rate to slow would allow blood to flow back to the stomach and aide in the digestion process. So I slowed down. WAY down. In fact, I stopped on the side of the course, and forced myself to lay down for 15 minutes, which I timed on my watch. I filled my shirt and hat with ice and lay there, closing my eyes, letting everyone go by. I spent the next 15 minutes praying for a miracle. After 15 minutes had elapsed, I managed to drag myself up and start running again. I ran the next 2 miles at around a 9:30 pace or so, but it was still a struggle. One foot in front of the other. Force myself to the finish line. Stomach still bloated, still praying for a miracle. Nothing. After mile 13, I decided to repeat the procedure of mile 3: Lay down, ice up, close eyes, pray for stomach to cooperate. After 15 minutes, I got up and tried to run. Still nothing. My frustration was mounting, and my first DNF was becoming a reality. If I had 17 hours to finish, I could do it. But I had to catch a flight. I wanted to be done by at least 8:30 at the latest. It was now after 5:00 and things weren’t looking good. The first half of the marathon took 2.5 hours, and I was slowing down. I had to finish. For me. For Hope Pregnancy Center. And for Adam. Between mile markers 13 and 14, I passed by Heather. I told her to throw away all my time goals and pray for me just to finish. I still hadn’t eaten or drank anything for the past 6 hours. It was 90 degrees and I was dehydrated. I had no salt intake, which was certain to lead to severe leg cramping. Nothing was working. Then, on mile marker 14, that's just what I got. In literally an instant, like the flip of a switch, I felt my stomach start digesting! It was growling! I felt somewhat hungry. In a matter of seconds, I had energy in my legs. It felt like a complete transformation. I have never experienced anything like that in my life. I went from utter despair and no hope, to optimism and hope! I went by an aid station and the water actually looked good! I took a sip, and started to run. I clipped off a 10:00 mile, and felt great. I continued with a couple 9-minute miles on the next. Still slow by my standards, but nonetheless running. I can’t tell you how great it felt to run! I went by Heather at around Mile 20 and had a big smile on my face. I said, "I don't know what happened, but it is night and day! I feel great!!" By mile 22, my legs started cramping (I had taken no sodium for the past 7 hours), so I was forced to slow down a bit and stretch. After that, I started running again. I continued running. I ran a final mile at a sub-7-minute pace for Adam, my fastest of the entire marathon, crossing the finish line in 12:28! I went from a sure DNF to a sub-13 hour Ironman. I spent an hour in the medical tent, taking in chicken broth to keep my legs from cramping. My support crew, consisting of Heather, Roger and Linda Ulferts, and Linda Mikelson’s brother, Paul, were Godsends for me, helping gather all of my gear, get my bike to the transport service, changing bike wheels, getting transition bags, etc. I am indebted to them!!! Thank you!! We left the race at 10:00 p.m., got to our hotel by 10:10, threw my gear together, and headed out the door. Heather drove to the airport and dropped me off at 10:25. I checked in and caught my flight, upgrading to first class in the process! I arrived in Charlotte, NC, still dehydrated and salt-caked from sweat, at 5:40 a.m., got my rental car, and drove to Pinehurst resort. I arrived at 9:00 a.m., showered and changed, and was leading my first meeting at 9:30. What a day.
But the story doesn't stop quite there. What really happened out on that course? How was I able to transform my run from a DNF to a sub-7 minute 26th mile? What happened? Well, it turns out that when I passed Heather at Mile 13, she and the Ulferts called Pastor Steve at our church in Minnesota. It was around 5:00 p.m. Arizona time (7:00 p.m. in Minnesota), the same time when many small groups were meeting from the church. Steve activated the prayer chain, letting them know I was having troubles on the run, and was severely dehydrated and cramped. By 7:20 p.m. Minnesota time, there were literally dozens of people in prayer for me. Also, at that same exact time, BOTH my mom and my grandmother had a bad feeling about the race, and started to pray intensely for me. My transformation occurred at mile 14 at -- you guessed it -- precisely 5:20 p.m. Arizona time, or 7:20 p.m. in Minnesota! Coincidence? You think what you want, but I KNOW the answer. So, why did God not answer my prayers? Why did it require a body of believers coming together in prayer before the miracle occurred? To be honest, I don't know. Perhaps it was to teach me a lesson on the power of corporate prayer. Or perhaps God knew that I needed to get SO low and so far beyond myself before I would truly realize that it was HIM, not me, that allowed me to finish that race. I don’t know. What I do know is this: God performed a very real transformation to this skeptical, logic-minded engineer on mile 14 of a brutal marathon. I may not understand why, I may not understand how, but I do understand, in a whole new way, the power of our awesome God. When he touches us, our lives are changed. When He touched me, my life changed. Have you been touched by your Creator? It is my prayer that everyone may one day experience what I experienced out on that course: A miraculous touch from the hand of your Creator. Thank you, God. It is clear that it is by YOUR strength and YOUR power that I accomplish anything. I give YOU all the glory. Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. - Eph. 3:20-21, NIV, emphasis mine
Ironman Arizona Run Splits by Mile
Failure to maintain adequate hydration, electrolyte and blood sugar levels all can contribute to gut shutdown, which can lead to dehydration, electrolyte depletion and bonking. Thus, a vicious cycle develops, and this has ruined triathlons for many individuals. The gastrointestinal tract is highly dependent on normal hydration, electrolyte (especially sodium and potassium) and glucose levels for optimal function. Falling hydration, electrolyte and glucose levels only increase the risk of gut shutdown. Once in this state, it is difficult, if not impossible, to digest and absorb necessary fluid and nutrients to fuel your performance. |
| date: Aug 5th, 2006 location: Benton Harbor, MI number of finishers: 1431 number of females: 437 number of males: 993 average time: 05:49:06 |  | Michael Pluimer bib number: 1056 age: 33 gender: M location: Raymond, MN |
The swim was average - 35:35. Onto T1. Partway through the swim, I remembered I forgot to put my GPS speedometer on my bike. I thought it was in my bag, so I wasted 2 minutes scrambling through the bag while in T1, only to realize the GPS was still in my hotel room. Oh well - I guess I'd go without a speedometer on this race. Bummer. \
It turned out to be a blessing! I had no idea how fast I was going, so I went on feel, and finished with my fastest half IM bike split - 2:25, or 23.1 mph! I was a bit frustrated by all the "pack riding" and drafting on the course, which is illegal, so part of the reason for my good split was out of anger and frustration! I hate it when people cheat!!!
On to the run. I felt great on the run, and managed a 1:31 split, about a 7:00/mile pace.
I finished with my half IM PR: 4:40:49, 89th out of 1431 finishers, 14th in my AG!
| overall place: | 89 out of 1431 |
| division place: | 15 out of 179 |
| gender place: | 88 out of 993 |
| time: | 4:40:49 |
| swim: | 35:35 |
| trans 1: | 6:01 |
| bike: | 2:25:41 |
| trans 2: | 1:52 |
| run: | 1:31:43 |
| penalty: | 0: |
 | TOTAL TIME: 11:43:35 OVERALL PLACE: 475 DIVISION (M 30-34) PLACE: 92/269 Download Race Report |
RACE REPORT -- IRONMAN USA COEUR D'ALENEJUNE 26, 2006At the 2005 Ironman Coeur d'Alene Triathlon, we were the top fundraiser for the Janus Charity Challenge, raising over $73,000 for Central Minnesota Christian School, and earning a $10,000 bonus for the school from Janus for being the top fundraiser!On June 25, we found out that we won the Janus Charity Challenge as the top fundraiser among a record 63 participants. Now all we had to do was finish the race in 17 hours or less to collect the extra $10,000 bonus for our charity, Central Minnesota Christian School! I awoke at 3:30 a.m. on June 26 to start my pre-race preparation and arrived at the race site around 5:00 a.m. and started getting the gear ready for the big day. Heather, her mom, and Tim Miller arrived at 6:30 to see the racers line up on the beach for the swim. I had 3 goals for the day, in the following order: 1) Finish the race and collect the $10,000 bonus for the school 2) Run the marathon portion in less than 4 hrs and 3) Finish in less than 12 hrs. | |
 | The Swim: 2.4 milesThe race started at 7:00 a.m. It is a mass swim start, meaning all 1800 athletes enter the water at the same time. The swim consisted of two rectangular laps around buoys in Lake Coeur d'Alene. The water temperature was a refreshing 63 deg. F. I had a very comfortable swim, with a few minor kicks to the head and face, but no injuries. My swim goal: 1:20. Actual time: 1:15. I was pleased with the swim, and it was one of the most enjoyable parts of the race. The lake was absolutely beautiful! |
The Bike: 112 milesThe bike is the most grueling part of the race for me. This is the longest leg of the race, both in distance and time. I hoped to average a modest 18 mph on the course, in an effort to keep my heart rate low (132 beats per minute or so) and conserve energy for the run. The 2-loop Idaho bike course is beautiful, but somewhat hilly, with a couple decent 2-mile climbs and several rollers. The bike is where one can make up or lose lots of time. On mile 28, after descending a large hill at 40+ mph and starting an ascent up another hill, I heard the sound no cyclist wants to hear: POP! My rear tire blew. Fortunately, I had packed a spare tube and CO2 cartridge. However, the change took 15 minutes, and I knew my goal of breaking 12 hours for the race was now in jeopardy, as my race plan had me finishing in 11:52 with no flat tires. Rather than trying to make up the lost time by going faster, I opted to stay with my original goal to ride conservatively and hope to make up the time on the run. It turned out to be a good move. I finished the bike in 6:20, for an average speed of 17.7 mph (18.4 mph without the flat), somewhat disappointing, but the finishing goal was still within reach. I drank five 20-oz bottles of water and five 20-oz bottles of Gatorade on the bike, and consumed Rice Krispie treats, bananas, dried fruit, and salt tablets for a total of 1250 calories. I burned approximately 5170 calories on the 112 mile trek, and felt great the entire ride. |  |
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The Run: 26.2 milesAfter over 6 hours in the saddle, it was good to get off! Now all I had was a marathon. The run course consists of two 13.1 mile loops on paved trails and roads. There are a few decent hills, but it wasn't too bad. My time at the start of the run (including transitions) was 7:56:28. If I could run a 4-hour marathon, I could still meet all 3 of my goals. Running is typically my strongest leg of the triathlon. However, one thing I've learned about Ironman is that it is unpredictable. One never knows what will happen. It is a long race, and there are so many variables -- nutrition, cramping, weather, etc. My first attempt at the distance in Wisconsin 2004 found me with severe stomach and leg cramping on the run, reducing my run to a run/shuffle/walk by mile 14 on my way to a 5-hour marathon. So while I knew a 4-hour marathon was achievable, it was no guarantee. The miles slowly ticked away, and I felt great. I kept waiting to hit the proverbial wall, but never did. I felt energized each time I saw Heather and her mom and Tim Miller. They were fantastic fans! I was so thankful they were there. As I crossed the finish line in 3:47, I felt so good that I wondered how much faster I could have run it. But, much better to run conservative and finish strong than blow up on mile 20 and not finish at all. I consumed pretzels, coke, Gatorade, water, bananas, and salt on the run. I had minimal stomach and leg cramping, and never walked. My official finish time: 11:43:35. Or, better stated, OUR finish time was 11:43:35! Thanks for all of your support!! |
Here is an article that ran in the West Central Tribune as we kicked off the Ironman 2006 Lake Placid fundraiser for CMCS. We raised over $103,000 for CMCS in this fundraiser! Praise God!
