Lake Placid 2012 Race Report

Inspired as a spectator at the 2011 Ironman Lake Placid race, I signed up for 2012 with renewed excitement. Participating in the race would be its own reward. While I intended to give my best effort, I had also grown comfortable enough in my own skin that I wouldn’t hang any stupid competitive pressure on my shoulders. I simply wanted to walk away from the race knowing I gave it everything I had.

Mission accomplished.

My third Ironman finish was a charm, setting a new personal best time of 11:52:13 on a tough weather day. I was able to focus my thoughts like never before and apply lessons learned from my first two finishes and my painful 2008 DNF.

Here are a few reflections:

·         The swim and first 86 miles on the bike felt easy. The real work started at the turn around in Ausable Forks as we faced a strong headwind on the final 26 miles of climbing. The positive spirit among athletes pretty much dried up as we all started battling our inner demons.

·         I never felt “good” between mile 86 of the bike and mile 18 of the run. The crowds and my family and friends gave me energy, but I really hadn’t ever experienced such a long dark period. Somehow I was able to stay focused on the moment and respond to my immediate needs and surroundings.

·         Around mile 14 of the run my friend Ryan jogged beside me for a few strides. He was fired up, telling me how “rock solid” I looked and complimenting me on my bike ride. I wasn’t able to muster much of a response other than a puzzled look. Couldn’t he see my suffering?

·         I survived on Coke, chicken broth, and water on the second run loop. I think making that nutritional adjustment saved my day.

·         I started to feel better after the final turnaround on River Road, and knew by the 20-mile marker that I had a personal record in the bag. I decided not to push too hard from that point forward. Instead I soaked up the crowds and enjoyed being immersed in the Ironman experience. My final 10K was a victory dance.

·         There’s no experience like that Olympic speed skating oval finish. What a homecoming!

Beating my 2007 Lake Placid finish by a little over 13 minutes might not seem like a major accomplishment to the casual observer. But it was a proven difficult weather day compared to 2007. The scuttlebutt is that the average AG’er finished 29 minutes slower in 2012 than 2011.

Consider this; I improved my final position by 181 places compared to 2007 despite having 300 more athletes in the field in 2012. In 2007 I finished in the top 27% of the smaller starting field. This year I finished in the top 16%. I’m definitely getting closer to achieving my Ironman potential, but there’s still plenty of room for improvement.

I haven't made plans for races beyond this year, but the allure of pursuing excellence in this ultimate one-day event is undeniable. I simply love it.