For anyone that says "I just don't have the time to workout," you are wrong. There is always time and the rewards are unimaginable. It is up to you to do it. I hope you enjoy...
In T1, wetsuit was stripped off and into the changing area and it was packed. I changed into my bike gear got suntan lotion put on, grabbed my bike and off on the bike (T1 - ~ 12min).
I’ll break this up to each hour of the ride. My goal for the ride was to keep my heart rate in Z2 and maintain. I was still scared from the ride a month ago in which I bonked on the ride around mile 65. Any time I felt I was picking it up, I backed off because bonking at 65 miles with another 50+ to go would be pure misery today. First hour I felt pretty good. I was taking in my nutrition (a bottle of Infinite) every hour and also one endurlyte. I could feel it start to warm up so I grabbed a water bottle at the aid station and sprayed it on the back of my neck and felt a sharp burn. Apparently I missed a spot on my neck with bodyglide and the salt from the water with my wetsuit rubbed a nice burn on the back of my neck. OUCH. On a side note, the next day I saw a lot of athletes with hickeys on their necks – either they had a heck of a night celebrating or they had the same problem I did.
So, back to the bike – 1st hour felt good, slight breeze behind my back, riding along the beach, beautiful views and turn into mainland (17.6mph). 2nd hour, feeling good, at mile ~22 we turned East and headed into the wind, speed slowed down, heart rate increased (16.5mph). 3rd hour, still heading into the wind, groups of people passing me drafting off each other which is illegal – jerks! Pass Team Z signs on side of road “Zoe says bow wow” (15mph). 4th hour – started at mile 50 in special needs stop. I really needed this stop as I was getting tired heading into the wind. Ate a bag of chips, switched out my nutrition and off I went and turned, finally to head south and speed picks up with less effort. Bee lands on me, oh no not again! Good thing I got to him before he got to me like his buddies did twice this season! (18.1mph). 5th hour – Team Z cheering station passed twice was great and a well needed boost as I started to drag a little especially between miles 70 and 74 going right into the wind. Saw Paul Baker going the other direction and he yelled just a little longer, I must have not looked like crap for him to say that and then at 74, made the turnaround with the wind to my back, ahhhhhhh, so much better (16.4mph). 6th hour – started to have problems taking in nutrition, switched to Gatorade and water, stomach was feeling blah. Speed was good with wind at my back. Stopped at mile 90 aid station and went to bathroom and stretched. Having a hard time shifting gears as my pinky fingers were becoming numb (18.3mph). Last 43 minutes, with 10 miles to go I just did the countdown. I could not wait to get off the bike.
Not only did I do it, I shaved off almost an hour from CDA. I was expecting to do a little better then CDA because Florida is flat, but not expecting to shave almost an hour off. This was a great day. Everything went the way I trained for even though I lacked the confidence in the days leading up the race, I need to remember to have faith in my training as it proved out today!
After the race, I celebrated with Carol and had a double cheeseburger prepared especially for me by Coach Ed, headed back to the room, showered and came back out to cheer on the remaining athletes in the stands. It was the best way to end this awesome day!!
First off, I have to say this was a really fun and very rewarding day. When I started this journey a year ago, I was very apprehensive from the day I signed up until the finish line today. I was very reluctant to sign up in Nov 08 because Carol was pregnant and I knew the majority of my training was going to be with an infant. I carried this guilty conscious with me from that day all the way to the starting line of trying to be there as much as possible to help Carol and more importantly not missing being with my son. It was definitely a juggling act! From the early swims, to the late night bikes barely able to stay awake, the Sunday long rides and the quick runs and get home. Looking back, I did more races this year, than ever before. From the trail races and half marathon to 3-oly’s, 2-half IM and Florida. It was my busiest year with training, racing, being a husband and being a dad and after Florida, this awesome race – it was worth it! It is always worth it for now I completed my second Ironman! Below is the conclusion to this journey.
Pre-Race – well I definitely did not get much sleep last night as I tossed and turned all night. Finally 4:30am showed up on the clock and I was up along with Carol and Thomas. So nice to see them here. Started hydrating with water and ate my pop-tarts and bagel with a little cream cheese. Took a shower and shaved – have to look nice on IM day! Around 5:30am dropped off my special needs bags and stocked my bike with fluids and put air in the tires and headed back to the room. At 6:15am put on the wetsuit and headed down to the beach sporting a pair of insulated socks! Note – our hotel was right at the swim start and transition area which was awesome. It made logistics so much easier!
At the Team Z tent on the beach, took some group pictures and off to the swim pen area. So here I am, standing on the beach with 2500 other athletes looking out at the water. I’m back, over 2-years later, just taking it all in. I did deep breathing, standing in place and said a few pr
ayers. Breath to remember and embrace. The water was clear blue and wavy. You can just feel the intense energy of anticipation from the athletes – 140.6 miles begins in just a few minutes. That feeling inside of just pure adrenaline, feeling jacked up becoming more and more intense and then a deep breath and BOOM, the gun goes off.
ayers. Breath to remember and embrace. The water was clear blue and wavy. You can just feel the intense energy of anticipation from the athletes – 140.6 miles begins in just a few minutes. That feeling inside of just pure adrenaline, feeling jacked up becoming more and more intense and then a deep breath and BOOM, the gun goes off. Swim:
I have to say that this was my best swim EVER! This was the most contact I have had in a swim from getting kicked in the face quite a few times to someone grabbing my calf and getting knocked around – I kept calm through it all with a steady stroke. This time, I did not line up along the buoys at the start, but lined up closer to the right side. The skies were clear and blue just like the water. The water felt great, my stroke was smooth and I just plugged along at a nice steady pace. The further from shore we got, the bigger the swells became. I had to time when to site the buoys because at the bottom of the swell I would look up and just see water, but at the top of the swell it was a clear site to the buoy. When we made the first turn and swam into the sun – what a site of athletes swimming, water splashing, going into the swells; it was almost like a sepia picture, then the turn to shore. I just kept swimming nice and steady. The first loop I knocked out in 34.5 minutes – I was very pleased and went out for the second loop and experienced the same – stroke, reach, pull, glide, breath, over and over again. When I made my last t
urn into shore I just embraced that moment that it took me 2+ years to get back here and not sure when I’ll be back, I kept saying breath to remember and embrace and that it was I did. I exited the swim with a time of just under 1:12, 4.5 minutes faster than CDA – unreal!
I have to say that this was my best swim EVER! This was the most contact I have had in a swim from getting kicked in the face quite a few times to someone grabbing my calf and getting knocked around – I kept calm through it all with a steady stroke. This time, I did not line up along the buoys at the start, but lined up closer to the right side. The skies were clear and blue just like the water. The water felt great, my stroke was smooth and I just plugged along at a nice steady pace. The further from shore we got, the bigger the swells became. I had to time when to site the buoys because at the bottom of the swell I would look up and just see water, but at the top of the swell it was a clear site to the buoy. When we made the first turn and swam into the sun – what a site of athletes swimming, water splashing, going into the swells; it was almost like a sepia picture, then the turn to shore. I just kept swimming nice and steady. The first loop I knocked out in 34.5 minutes – I was very pleased and went out for the second loop and experienced the same – stroke, reach, pull, glide, breath, over and over again. When I made my last t
urn into shore I just embraced that moment that it took me 2+ years to get back here and not sure when I’ll be back, I kept saying breath to remember and embrace and that it was I did. I exited the swim with a time of just under 1:12, 4.5 minutes faster than CDA – unreal! In T1, wetsuit was stripped off and into the changing area and it was packed. I changed into my bike gear got suntan lotion put on, grabbed my bike and off on the bike (T1 - ~ 12min).
Bike:
WOW!!! I cannot believe I averaged 16.7 on the bike for 112 miles. Now that may not be fast for others but for me, it was a great pace and I was quite pleased! Aside from numb fingers and my body almost rejecting my nutrition the last hour+ of the ride, this was a great ride for me! So hear it goes…
WOW!!! I cannot believe I averaged 16.7 on the bike for 112 miles. Now that may not be fast for others but for me, it was a great pace and I was quite pleased! Aside from numb fingers and my body almost rejecting my nutrition the last hour+ of the ride, this was a great ride for me! So hear it goes…
I’ll break this up to each hour of the ride. My goal for the ride was to keep my heart rate in Z2 and maintain. I was still scared from the ride a month ago in which I bonked on the ride around mile 65. Any time I felt I was picking it up, I backed off because bonking at 65 miles with another 50+ to go would be pure misery today. First hour I felt pretty good. I was taking in my nutrition (a bottle of Infinite) every hour and also one endurlyte. I could feel it start to warm up so I grabbed a water bottle at the aid station and sprayed it on the back of my neck and felt a sharp burn. Apparently I missed a spot on my neck with bodyglide and the salt from the water with my wetsuit rubbed a nice burn on the back of my neck. OUCH. On a side note, the next day I saw a lot of athletes with hickeys on their necks – either they had a heck of a night celebrating or they had the same problem I did.
So, back to the bike – 1st hour felt good, slight breeze behind my back, riding along the beach, beautiful views and turn into mainland (17.6mph). 2nd hour, feeling good, at mile ~22 we turned East and headed into the wind, speed slowed down, heart rate increased (16.5mph). 3rd hour, still heading into the wind, groups of people passing me drafting off each other which is illegal – jerks! Pass Team Z signs on side of road “Zoe says bow wow” (15mph). 4th hour – started at mile 50 in special needs stop. I really needed this stop as I was getting tired heading into the wind. Ate a bag of chips, switched out my nutrition and off I went and turned, finally to head south and speed picks up with less effort. Bee lands on me, oh no not again! Good thing I got to him before he got to me like his buddies did twice this season! (18.1mph). 5th hour – Team Z cheering station passed twice was great and a well needed boost as I started to drag a little especially between miles 70 and 74 going right into the wind. Saw Paul Baker going the other direction and he yelled just a little longer, I must have not looked like crap for him to say that and then at 74, made the turnaround with the wind to my back, ahhhhhhh, so much better (16.4mph). 6th hour – started to have problems taking in nutrition, switched to Gatorade and water, stomach was feeling blah. Speed was good with wind at my back. Stopped at mile 90 aid station and went to bathroom and stretched. Having a hard time shifting gears as my pinky fingers were becoming numb (18.3mph). Last 43 minutes, with 10 miles to go I just did the countdown. I could not wait to get off the bike.
After getting off the bike, I entered T2 with a nice easy walk and just enjoyed those few minutes of being off that bike seat! Went into changing area and changed clothes enjoying the comfort of the chair. Headed out of T2 and saw Carol jumping up and down on the balcony cheering for me. So good to see her!
Run:
You know, I was quite pleased with the run. I went into training for this race emphasizing more bike workouts then run workouts knowing that I would run/walk the marathon and that’s exactly what I did. Some miles had more running then walking, others had more walking then running. I just knew to keep moving forward and do proper nutrition to not cramp up. One of these days I’m going to run the whole marathon during IM, but for today, it was all about moving forward any way possible.
You know, I was quite pleased with the run. I went into training for this race emphasizing more bike workouts then run workouts knowing that I would run/walk the marathon and that’s exactly what I did. Some miles had more running then walking, others had more walking then running. I just knew to keep moving forward and do proper nutrition to not cramp up. One of these days I’m going to run the whole marathon during IM, but for today, it was all about moving forward any way possible.
I loved this run course and would come back again just to do the run. We ran through lots of neighborhoods, along the beach and through a park. My pace varied throughout between 10 and 16 minute miles. At different times I ran with Henry, Andy, Matt and Bryon; I saw other Z’ers out there – Carolyn, Kate, Maggie, Pete, Mark, Joanna, Roy, Brian, etc….. So nice to see so many people you know to continue and encourage you. Some memorable moments included ditching my fuel belt and water bottles around mile 6. The Infinite was not going to well and I was being weigh down, so I went back to basics and drank cola and chicken broth – that was what was going to get me through this marathon and it did.
The run was two loops and as I came in after the first loop we passed the Team Z tent – UNREAL! But no signs of Carol and Thomas. So back out for loop 2 and pace was both running and walking. The time we got to the park it was pitched black and I walked through most of the park with Ma
tt and Andy. It was surreal, peaceful and I loved it. I was at peace with myself, just taking it all in. No other sounds, just footsteps. Then we get to the IM energy zone and I get a message on the board from Thomas saying “Get’er done Daddy”. That put a smile on my face even though I was the one who wrote the message a couple of days ago. : ) . Out of the park and heading back with 6 miles to go. Pace starts to pick up about 1-2 minutes faster than before.
tt and Andy. It was surreal, peaceful and I loved it. I was at peace with myself, just taking it all in. No other sounds, just footsteps. Then we get to the IM energy zone and I get a message on the board from Thomas saying “Get’er done Daddy”. That put a smile on my face even though I was the one who wrote the message a couple of days ago. : ) . Out of the park and heading back with 6 miles to go. Pace starts to pick up about 1-2 minutes faster than before. I realize that I am running a little more now and feel pretty good. I get closer and closer, mile 23, mile 24, then pass mile 25, it is happening again, that feeling that emotion, 140.6 miles is about to come in, breath to remember and embrace, crowds are cheering louder and louder, hit the main road, see Carol with the baby and I was all smiles, it’s happening, make that turn, I start to choke up, there it is, the finish line, trying to take it all in, taking my time this time to run to the finish, the crowds, the cheers, chills running up my spine, tears welling up in my eyes, the finish line coming closer and close and then the sweet announcement “ From Washington DC, Jerry Ricciardi you are an Ironman!” I threw my hands up in the air with the biggest smile on me! I did it! And so, as soon as I crossed the finish line I did my little shuffle dance and enjoyed! This was an amazing race!!
Not only did I do it, I shaved off almost an hour from CDA. I was expecting to do a little better then CDA because Florida is flat, but not expecting to shave almost an hour off. This was a great day. Everything went the way I trained for even though I lacked the confidence in the days leading up the race, I need to remember to have faith in my training as it proved out today! After the race, I celebrated with Carol and had a double cheeseburger prepared especially for me by Coach Ed, headed back to the room, showered and came back out to cheer on the remaining athletes in the stands. It was the best way to end this awesome day!!
2 comments:
Very proud of you Jerry! Also, loved the blog - even if it made me tired just reading it.
oxox
Davida
Even though I have seen you through your training it was great to read how you were feeling and get to experience it via your writing. Great job Ironman X 2. Just shows nothing slows you down.
xoxoxo
Carol
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