Saturday, November 8, 2014

The Essence of an IRONMAN: My 2014 IRONMAN Florida Race!

What, no Sharknados?!
Looking at the forecasts in the days leading up to the 2014 IRONMAN Florida, we knew things were going to be challenging. Still, I cannot put into the words the disappointment I felt when the swim was cancelled. That was not what I trained for and not what I wanted. I was more than prepared for my 2.4-mile swim. However, I knew, even then, that it was the right call.

Swim safety unable to get
into and hold position.

During my warm up swim, about 10 minutes before the pros were set to start, I was pulled off of my feet and pulled further into the Gulf no fewer than four times before I realized what was happening and was able to swim out of the rip I was caught in. I made it back to shore and upon pulling my cap and goggles off, I heard, "Athletes, can I please have your attention?!"... the beginning of the announcement cancelling the IRONMAN Florida swim for the first time ever, due to dangerous rip tides and water conditions (waves). I joined the throng of first-timers, with tears in their eyes, making their way to T1 to prepare for the time-trial start for the bike.

Dave Ragsdale announcing the swim cancellation.
I would end up waiting nearly three hours (Having a high bib-number, I finally started at 9:41 am!), trying to stay warm, before starting a gruelling 112-mile bike ride in 20+ mph sustained winds with 30+ mph gusts. Little did I know then that Mother Nature had a plan for wearing out the muscles in my arms, shoulders, chest, and back more than any measely 2.4-mile swim EVER would have. Just fighting to keep my bike on the road, off of other athletes, and from beneath the vehicles flying by would be the second hardest challenge of the day.

Eating wind. All day. Eating wind.
The hardest challenge was hearing and seeing athletes who did not have the same fortune. There were multiple wrecks involving multiple athletes. The worst was around mile 75. Coming down a hill, I noticed a North-South opening in the trees that made up a cut for power lines. The wind was screaming through this cut and I was hit by the hardest gust I had encountered all day. As I was being pushed out into the road, I turned over my left shoulder to see if I was about to impact another athlete or vehicle. As I did, I heard the scream before I saw the crash. It was a woman's voice and, in that instant, she sounded like my wife and every other female triathlete I have trained with this year. She was in the middle of a pass and another athlete was passing her. She was pushed into the bike passing her and they both collapsed in the other direction, into the athlete she had been passing. Two bikes, behind them, quickly entered into the disaster and I saw one rider go over his handlebars and the entire group, sliding along the pavement. As all of this occurred, in slow-motion, the last image registered was the female triathlete sliding to a stop... motionless. Thankfully, there was no nearby vehicle traffic at that moment!

Tears and some strong language flew for the next half mile. This was truly the only dark spot in my day. I had already spent the day praying HARD for the safety of everyone on such a challenging day, but I turned up the prayers for the rest of the ride and hope everyone was OK?!

Heading out on the run!
I went on to survive the swirling crosswinds, mindless drivers, and pedestrian traffic on Front Beach Road for the last few miles of the bike and was overjoyed to be finished! A huge burst of energy washed over me as I dismounted and changed clothes for the marathon. A quick bathroom stop, the only one of the day (I sweat... a LOT!), and I was out on the run course.




Some of my biggest supporters!
As if I was not pumped up enough by being off of the bike, a *HUGE* gathering of family, friends, co-workers, and community athletes was setup within 1/4 of a mile of the run start. An even larger contingent was at another "camp" about a 1/2 mile from there. I will only briefly say that their friendship, love, and support meant the world to me! It may seem strange for me to spend so little time on what was the most memorable part of my day, but I really want to write about this more in-depth in the future. Suffice to say that I have never felt anything like what I felt running by them! It meant SO much on this very special day!

Nearing halfway on the run!


On to the run, I managed my race to plan. This being my first IRONMAN, I was deathly afraid of hitting the wall, going to that "dark place" and having to walk the last half. While I performed to plan, I know I had a lot more I could have poured into the run. My plan called for me to put a little more out there after the final turn-around, with 10K left to go, and I was able to easily pick up the pace. In hindsight, I could have easily done this at the halfway point and probably negative-split the last half. I know for next time and cannot wait to see what I can really do on a marathon at the end of an IRONMAN!



I must be STRONG, then! I had FUN!
In the end, the real highlight of the day was not making time goals or even in becoming an IRONMAN, it was in successfully making the day an "event". I feel like I did that part very right. I was not in such a hurry that I could not stop to hug friends and family. I thanked as many of the AMAZING volunteers as I could. Even though I was not hungry or particularly cold, I stopped to try the world-famous chicken broth that came out after dark. Yes, it was EVERYTHING they say it is! I encouraged fellow triathletes every chance I could. In fact, I really enjoyed regularly sharing what the only blind person to reach the summit of Mount Everest, Erik Weihenmayer, calls positive pessimism. On the bike and on the run, I would frequently tell others, "Hey, this wind may be blowing hard, but at least it's cold too!" After a moment of thought, this would usually be rewarded with a big smile. Those smiles gave ME strength!

Crossing the line. My first IRONMAN!
I will not even begin to entertain arguments that what I did, or did not do, in Panama City Beach, Florida on November 1, 2014 prevents me from calling myself an IRONMAN. Paraphrasing something I saw written on one of the Facebook groups I follow, the 2014 IRONMAN Florida was not the IRONMAN I wanted, but it was the IRONMAN I was given. The essence of an IRONMAN includes factors and circumstances that you cannot control, yet you are required to figure out how to work through them.

On that epic day, we worked through a cancelled swim, a delayed bike start, frigid windchill temperatures, sustained winds of 20+ mph, wind gusts of 30+ mph, smoke from wildfires, and a cold, windy run. My body knows I did something amazing. And, most importantly, at the end of it all, Dave Ragsdale, the voice of IRONMAN Florida can be clearly heard saying, "Ronald Harrison, out of Tallahassee, you're an IRONMAN!"

That is all I need...

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