I ended up with an average speed of 23.7k/h & Avg Heart Rate of 155 & a max of 240!!!! My computer says I peddled for 3:49:30. So I spent about 14 min stopped at an aid station or in Transition.
So the story:
I woke up and felt well hydrated and rested and quite a bit calmer from the Drama that I created for myself yesterday. Breakfast was a package of Oatmeal and a water. I arrived at Transition and there were a lot of bikes already racked up. I walked around sucking on a gatoraid looking at the bikes. I walked down the beach to get away from the energy and find a shorter line up for a bathroom. I got complements on my jersey which will always be my race jersey from now on I think.
THE SWIM
So I got the wetsuit half on at 7:30 and made my way to the race meeting. boy that thing is tight this year :) I found the family just before it was time to get in. At the appointed time I climbed down the ladder and got in the COLD water. I splashed my face to get used to the water. I had to keep myself calm due to my heart rate was pounding in my chest. I realized they were singing O' Canada and as soon as that was done We were off!!
I was able to kinda keep up for the first leg of 700meters I could see other Green caps so I felt good. I was last so I had a Kayak crew with me, they let me hang on to rest once when they weren't moving. I was glad I had the earplugs working but they did hinder me hearing their helpful directions. I remember looking at my watch and it said 25 min just before I made the turn.
The second leg sucked absolute bollicks!!! I couldn't see the next marker, I was looking into the sun, blind, tired. I finaly hit the lap on the watch after the 2nd corner at 0:44:08. I did the math in my head to get out of the water by 1:10:00 and I knew it would be close.
So I kept sighting on the white tents at the transition area but that caused me to go off course because there was a yellow triangle at the end of the peir that they wanted people to go around. So I added a good 100 meters to my swim for this error. But I got an escort from all the volunteers that were in the Kayaks, I found out it was a tradition to form an arch with their paddles for the last swimmer to go under but it didn't quite work out.
** side note= I have to thank my mom. I found out after the race that they had been paged over to the announcers area. I had read on the website that if you were past the deadlines they would have a conversation with the athlete and the Race Doctor to see if you could continue. Well the announcer (who is the famous Ironman announcer) asked my mom for my previous race results kinda grilled her for a few moments to find out if I had entered this on a whim and if I could continue. She told him I climbed Ventoux a few times (the only mtn in France she could remember I did) That was good enough for him.
SO I get out of the water and Here him say. "Ladies and gentalmen our last swimmer is out of the water, he is Randy Miller who has climbed Ventoux a couple times so we know he has the power on the bike but we shall see after a hard swim like that"
I could not get my arms out of the wetsuit as the blood rushed out of my head. the wetsuit strippers got it off me and helped me up and off I went. I got my bike shorts on over the swimsuit couldn't balance enough to put my socks on. Sucked back some juice and off I went.
THE BIKE
I took off and my heart rate was 180 for the first km, it took about 7km for it to level off and I felt alright.... but it took going up the first rise to help me get my pace comfortable.
I saw another bike up a hill ahead of me on Highway 11 just before the Ecvill corner. I passed him just as we entered the town. He was having a rough go and I passed him like he was standing still. I felt really good and spent time in the aero bars. I got to the start of the out and back in 1:10hr / 28km and there was a constant stream of bikers heading out and many shouted words of encouragement.
I passed a lady that had two flats and had called her husband to pick her up. I got to the turnaround at km #37 / 1:30hr and Wanda, Rob and my Mom were there to cheer me on. I felt so happy to be feeling so well when I saw them. I had a volunteer pull over and remind me to turn right at the stop sign. When I got to the corner the volunteers had taken off. Which I understand because it was getting hot and the course was well signed.
So I climbed the first hill feeling alright looking at the Garmin it was the tallest of the hills. As I climbed this a convertable with the ATA refs pulled up to check on me. I swear I was talking to Lisa Bently, I know now that it was not Lisa but for that moment I was talking to the Queen of Ironman Canada. I pulled into the aid station and realized that I had not drank much for the last 20km because my front bottle was almost full. When the ladies asked how I felt they offered me and Advil for my back pain (damned Aero position) One of the ladies was a Body Marker volunteer and she was concerned that I didn't get marked but they had all worn off. So they only told me there was one hill left. I knew they were lying to me but it was a good effort.
So off I go on to the next hill and halfway up it I got rather depressed and realized that I was bonking... not drinking for the previous 20km would be the cause. so I just started looking at the birds flying around and slowed down a bit. Well I here this Engine retard brake flip on for a few burps. I always like it when the big Rigs do this, just lets you know they are comming behind you. Well I had a fleet of Schlumberger Fracking trucks pass me. Each and every one of them gave me a lane of room and had slowed down so the wind coming off them wasn't too bad. It somehow lifted my spirits, I do not know why seeing your company logo go by would do that but it did. It made me forget about the Punks that dropped a water balloon in front of me, I was scared it was a glass bottle.
I made the last turn on to Highway 20 and it was buisy!!! Then another Convoy of SLB truck go by in the other direction... so I waved at them all!!! The final aid station I got a cookie and a mini donut and poured a bottle of water over my head to cool off. but as I drank the second one the top popped off and sprayed the lady that gave it too me.... apparently they had placed bets if that would happen and it had not happened till I came along.
So last hill I am off and I was in full bonk recovery mode. I made up my mind that I would do more harm than good to start the run. I pulled my ass up that hill and as I came down the other side I cheered the runners on. The last few Km's I had not figured out earlier so when I was told to go down this side street I found I had to share the road with /inbound runners/ outbound runners/ people parking their cars/ people driving down the road/ and four volunteers yelling instructions to me. I got a bit of information overload trying to safely navigate this stretch and kinda snapped at a volunteer and quickly appologised he was just trying to get me into the right path. So I am biking down Lake Shore Drive and had to dodge a few people trying to get to the beach. at one point there is a guy with a cooler standing in the middle of the path. so I yell out "you better pick a direction soon bud" and he had the most shocked look as I bore down on him at 20km/hr.
All of a sudden I hear my name and a bunch of cheering from a pub.... I thought some of my old TeamX members recognized me and that they had been done for a while. But it was my Coworkers that came to cheer me on. Amanda, Jed and Dom. They told me later that the whole pub was shocked because they cheered and then the girls bolted out and across the street so they could take pictures. The waitress had her eye on Jed hoping they didn't skip out on the bill. I see Rob standing on the side of the path and cheering me.... "NO RUN" I tell him as I pass. So my family meet me in transition taking photos, I was happy that I was done.
THE LAST FEW STEPS
I took off my helmet and the volunteer starts to yell to clear the path and I tell her no worries I just want to walk over the timing mat and get my time. So I had the Race Nurse escort me to the mat motioning to the announcer that I was done so he did not call my name, and I take off my chip. She says you shouldn't have to do that, but I already had it off and handed it to her. So we walk back away from the line and the volunteer that places the FINISHERS medal puts one over my head. Dom told me I had a very angry look on my face, which explains why this poor lady had this look of what do I do when I tried to stop her from putting one on me. I took it off and said "I haven't finished, I just did the swim and bike, I do not deserve this, hopefully next year" a few spectators saw this and I heard a few gasp when I gave it back... One guy patted me on the back and said "next year will be your year"
So I get back to where Amanda and Dom were having their smoke out of the way and they jokingly say give us your most exausted look.. So playfully layed on the grass like I had passed out... Well at this moment I realized that my nurse friend is the nurse that would not leave me alone after Innisfail until my cousin Andy grabbed my arm and basicly told her to take off. SO I shot up and sit nicely and take the water from her and show that I am not dead yet. She chatted with me for a bit and shared some shiftwork stories of how hard it is to make training work.
I jumped into the lake after introducing the family and coworker cheer squads. I love cooling off by sitting in the lake after a race. I had given my sister a recovery drink flask the night before with instructions to mix it and give it to me as soon as I was done. She offered it to me 3 times and I realized that she was going to keep pushing it until I took it... She has seen in the past how out of it I could be and saying I didn't need it was not an option.
I felt good even though I was worried I would be upset that I didn't start the run. But it was nice to sit and have a conversation with my family after the race.
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