Congratulations to first time 1/2 IM finisher Amanda and 3x finisher Jan at the Florida/Disney World race! A seemingly long swim, followed by 56 miles of flat to rolling hills(12 miles) to flat (into wind)bike course ended with three loops on a suffocating course that blocked any breeze as the temperature rose to the mid-80's.
On my second loop of the run course I caught up with Amanda, who was in the third mile of her first loop. We walked for about 1/2 mile, when I made the ridiculous decision to try and run again. Within 30 feet my left calf cramped worse than ever in my long life. When I sat on the ground the front of the same leg and my foot also began severe cramping. By some miracle we had stopped about 50 yards from a medical area. Two medics came over with ice packs and one began massaging my left leg. Then my right hamstring siezed up. I was screaming in pain. It wasn't pretty. Long story short, my race was done as I was carted off to the main medical area at transition and received 2 bags of fluids through IV.
A big thank you to Amanda, who stayed with me until the cart took me away, then was still able to finish the course. I am so proud of her. It was also fortunate that Andrea was there and made sure I was cared for in the medical tent. I couldn't imagine going through that without her. Thank you for putting up with this old man in a traumatic time.
Top Ten Memories of Florida WDW 1/2 Ironman, in no particular order:
10. Not getting chewed on by gators (but I swear I heard animal noises while I was in that lake)
9. Staying in a Fort Wilderness cabin, so convenient.
8. Screaming like a baby on the race course and medical tent. A life lowpoint.
7. The first 20 miles on the bike, so flat, so fast, so easy.
6. Not reading any newspapers, email, or national news, and yet the world still went on.
5. Having fun at Epcot, even after 6 trips finding things we had never done before.
4. Watching the new Star Trek movie on a rainy Florida day.
3. Taking photos of Flat Stanley and Bethanie on a stick.
2. Hearing that Jan completed the course and being able to watch Amanda finish.
1. Spending the weekend with family, being cheered on by people who stood out in the sun for hours waiting for the three of us. I think it's harder sometimes to be the loving supporter than the participant.
The Erie Canal, Running Paradise
Showing posts with label Disney World 1/2 Ironman. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Disney World 1/2 Ironman. Show all posts
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Monday, May 11, 2009
WDW 1/2 Ironman
It's here at last! Sunday, May 17, at sunrise, three McCulloughs will attempt to complete the Florida 70.3 mile event. For Amanda and I, this race is the culmination of months of training and worrying about being able to complete the 1.2 mile swim. Jan is using the race as preparation for her Lake Placid IM in late July and to kick our butts.
Ironman.com is supposed to have updates during the race. Remember that the three of us will probably be starting in separate waves, possibly many minutes apart. I hope to pass Amanda on the bike and Jan on the run.
For big events like this, I've always felt it's important to have three goals.
1. To live. I count the day as successful if I survive the swim with 2,000 people beating on me, gators circling below looking for food and come out of the water before the time cutoff. No wetsuits allowed in the "Tea colored water" (Ironman description of lake). Who picked this damn race!
2. No flats on the bike leg. That simple. If I get a flat I'm going to the side of the road, throwing my helmet, and mangling my bike into a mesh of metal that will fit neatly into a Wegman's canvas bag.
3. Finish the three legs of the race. I don't care how long, who beats me, if the sun is setting. I really do want to finish.
The weather, big surprise, may be a factor. Who knew it would be hot (90+) and humid for race day? I never expected such weather in May (not kidding). So, my only choice is to go all out on the bike and run and finish in under 5 hours. Hah. More likely EMT's will find a rusted bike at mile 39, a blue helmet, black bike shoes, red shirt and black tri-shorts covering a 2 inch deep puddle on the pavement. Sweat-boy meets his end.
Really the week will be a great vacation, seeing two daughters and other relatives, maybe a friend or two. I will try to savor every second of the race. Really. I mean it.
Ironman.com is supposed to have updates during the race. Remember that the three of us will probably be starting in separate waves, possibly many minutes apart. I hope to pass Amanda on the bike and Jan on the run.
For big events like this, I've always felt it's important to have three goals.
1. To live. I count the day as successful if I survive the swim with 2,000 people beating on me, gators circling below looking for food and come out of the water before the time cutoff. No wetsuits allowed in the "Tea colored water" (Ironman description of lake). Who picked this damn race!
2. No flats on the bike leg. That simple. If I get a flat I'm going to the side of the road, throwing my helmet, and mangling my bike into a mesh of metal that will fit neatly into a Wegman's canvas bag.
3. Finish the three legs of the race. I don't care how long, who beats me, if the sun is setting. I really do want to finish.
The weather, big surprise, may be a factor. Who knew it would be hot (90+) and humid for race day? I never expected such weather in May (not kidding). So, my only choice is to go all out on the bike and run and finish in under 5 hours. Hah. More likely EMT's will find a rusted bike at mile 39, a blue helmet, black bike shoes, red shirt and black tri-shorts covering a 2 inch deep puddle on the pavement. Sweat-boy meets his end.
Really the week will be a great vacation, seeing two daughters and other relatives, maybe a friend or two. I will try to savor every second of the race. Really. I mean it.
Monday, April 13, 2009
Mary Poppins
I admit it, if I don't, someone else who happens to have the good fortune to live with me will. Sunday morning was cold. Riding my bike is neat, I love it, but I still have issues with riding in sub 35 degree weather. Go ahead, make fun of me, but that is too darn cold for bike riding. That's why I went downstairs, back to the indoor trainer.
It's been at least four months of riding with Troy Jacobsen's Spinerval series, or following Dennis Moriarty's training. But I needed to ride 56 miles and I was mentally tired of both of them. What was I going to do? Flipping through the channels (yes we still pay for cable), I came to the Family Channel and there was one of my all-time favorite actors, Dick Van Dyke, dressed like a chimney sweep! It was the beginning of Mary Poppins. Perfect timing on my part.
I immediately decided to ride near the cadence and in the gear I want to use at the Disney World 1/2 IM next month, the gear I'm going to catch Jan and Amanda in (no doubt they will beat me out of the water, but that's it). This was fate, I was watching one of the most famous Disney movies of all time on television and I'm going to Disney! During every commercial I pretended I was riding uphill and put the bike into harder gears.
Two hours and forty-six minutes later I had completed the 56 mile bike. For the first time ever I averaged over 20mph for an extended period of time riding indoors. The movie ended as I was picking things up. Perfect, a true fairy-tale ending, it was supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.
It's been at least four months of riding with Troy Jacobsen's Spinerval series, or following Dennis Moriarty's training. But I needed to ride 56 miles and I was mentally tired of both of them. What was I going to do? Flipping through the channels (yes we still pay for cable), I came to the Family Channel and there was one of my all-time favorite actors, Dick Van Dyke, dressed like a chimney sweep! It was the beginning of Mary Poppins. Perfect timing on my part.
I immediately decided to ride near the cadence and in the gear I want to use at the Disney World 1/2 IM next month, the gear I'm going to catch Jan and Amanda in (no doubt they will beat me out of the water, but that's it). This was fate, I was watching one of the most famous Disney movies of all time on television and I'm going to Disney! During every commercial I pretended I was riding uphill and put the bike into harder gears.
Two hours and forty-six minutes later I had completed the 56 mile bike. For the first time ever I averaged over 20mph for an extended period of time riding indoors. The movie ended as I was picking things up. Perfect, a true fairy-tale ending, it was supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.
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