The cost of Ironman

We already know the entry fee for Ironman AZ, $700, is a ridiculous amount.  But that is just the beginning.  The cost of equipment, gear, nutrition and lost wages during training really adds up. And my endeavor was cheaper than it is for most competitors, since I didn't have to pay airfare, hotel, or bike shipping, as most people do.  I was fortunate to receive many necessities as gifts, which I will separate accordingly, but include in the total, so you can see the real cost of this endeavor.  Here is the rundown on what it cost me to become an Ironman.

MY COSTS:

ENTRY FEE....................................................................................$ 700
BIKE (my half).................................................................................$ 800
BIKE WATER BOTTLES (including one between aero bars)...............$ 55
BIKE SHORTS (3 pairs)....................................................................$ 150
BIKE SADDLE.................................................................................$ 120
HELMET..........................................................................................$ 80
SUNGLASSES (2 identical pairs-because I stepped on the 1st one)........$ 60
GLOVES...........................................................................................$ 10
SPARE TUBES & CO2 CARTRIDGES..............................................$ 100 (conservatively!)
REPLACEMENT ..............................................................................$ 30
BIKE CLEANERS & TOOLS.............................................................$ 60
BIKE COMPUTER............................................................................$ 25
SWIMSUITS (4)................................................................................$ 130
GOGGLES........................................................................................$ 45
GYM MEMBERSHIP (for pool, 1 year)..............................................$ 360
RUNNING SHOES (2 pairs)...............................................................$ 150
NUTRITION (fuel specifically for long rides/runs)................................$ 500
SUNBLOCK......................................................................................$ 100 (conservatively!)
GIFT BAGS/DRINKS/NOISEMAKERS ETC.
            FOR AWESOME IRONFANS.................................................$ 300
RUNNING CLOTHES........................................................................$ 100

MY TOTAL COSTS...........................................................................$ 3,875

LOST WAGES...................................................................................$ 2,000
(time off for race week and worked less shifts to have time/energy for training)


THINGS I RECEIVED AS GIFTS:

WET SUIT.........................................................................................$ 100
BIKE TRAINER.................................................................................$ 250
BIKE JERSEYS (3).............................................................................$ 100
GOGGLES (1st pair-lasted 8 months!)...................................................$ 30
SWIMSUIT (1-lasted almost 3 months).................................................$ 45
SWIM GEAR AND GYM BAG............................................................$ 40
SUNGLASSES+GLOVES....................................................................$ 50
RUNNING SHOES (1 pair)..................................................................$ 100
BIKE ("sponsorship" from parents!)......................................................$ 750
RUNNING SHORTS...........................................................................$ 55
COMPRESSION SOCKS.....................................................................$ 40

TOTAL RECEIVED AS GIFTS............................................................$ 1,560


TOTAL COST OF BECOMING AN IRONMAN       $ 7, 435.00 

IT WAS WORTH EVERY PENNY!!!!

IMAZ Race Report: Part 3

I was soooooo happy to be off that bike!  But I was even happier to discover that even with the exhaustion, the sore feet and the aching quads...I was ready to run!  Not just ready, but as excited as I thought I would be!  Suddenly I had a ton of energy, and I had to keep slowing myself down during the first few miles so that I didn't burn out half way through the marathon!

Heading out of transition to start the run!  I was so excited, I clapped my hands and
yelled, "Yay, I'm running!"

I felt great, and fell into a roughly 9:30 pace, which felt easy.  I had to tell myself that what feels "easy" at mile 2 feels like death at mile 20, so I consciously tried to back off.  But it was hard to slow down too much without feeling like I was plodding.  The first loop went by pretty fast.  There were tons of people on the south side of the lake, including, of course, my fantastic Ironfans!

Megan and Tyler

Ironfan BASE CAMP!

Damn Right!  That was my race strategy!

Sisters.

Group shot.  They all came to SEE ME!  I am the LUCKIEST Ironman ever!

Tiny Ironfan!

My nieces and nephew!

Including Ironfans who live far away
but were there in spirit...

Karin's nieces (like my own)

Karin got signs made from the pics of people
who couldn't be there and lined the course with
them!!!!!!

I even had a K9 Ironfan!  Riley supports me in all
that I do!

Awaiting my arrival...

Those balloons have my face and number on them!  Another
amazing touch by my #1 Ironfan, Karin!

Waving to my fans.  I was absolutely
dumbfounded by the amazing show
of support!

Once I crossed over to the north side though, it got pretty lonely.  A little more than halfway through the first loop it got dark.  But I kept up a good pace for that whole loop and I got a ton of "Good pace!" cheers.  I couldn't tell who was on their first lap and who was on their second, but I was just passing people left and right.  The race bibs have our names on them, so before it got dark I got a ton of people cheering for me by name, shouting "Good job, Kari!" and "Go Kari!"  Wow, what a boost!  I was silently thanking the Ironman organizers for implementing the stroke of genius to put our names on the bibs.  I also had people cheering me on by my number, #837, and one guy who said, "Good job, blue shoes green socks girl!"  I stopped a few times; once for the bathroom, once to apply some body glide to my toe where I felt a blister forming, and once to have some awesome volunteers rub pain relief cream into my aching shoulders.  Those stops slowed be down a bit, but I still felt pretty good, and I finished the first half of the marathon right on target, in 2:17. I was thrilled with my time and anticipating a 9 pm finish.

That's when the wheels started to fall off.  It was almost like a switch was flipped.  I had told myself that I would run the whole first half, if humanly possible, then I would allow myself to walk through aid stations or if I really needed to at some points.  At 14 miles I started to get a side cramp.  I ran through it as long as I could, then I finally had to stop and walk for a minute to breathe it out.  Unfortunately, this pattern would continue for most of the second lap.  I walked for a minute or 2 of almost every mile between miles 14-23.  I would make myself run for as long as I could bear it, then I would walk and breathe deeply and slowly, but as soon as my Garmin showed my pace had slipped to 13 minute miles, I had to start running again.  My quads were like lead by then, and it finally occurred to me to stop and stretch them at one point, which helped immensely. By mile 20 I felt like I was shuffling.  It was very familiar pain; exactly like my marathon in February, but in this case it started a little earlier, what with me having biked 112 miles immediately prior to the run.  I started to get ravenously hungry around mile 18, but with my side cramp issues, I was afraid to eat too much.  I also started to get really tired.  I was actually yawning a lot, and I just wanted to lay down and go to sleep.  So I started drinking the Cola they offered at every aid station, desperate for the sugar and caffeine.  I also ate lots of potato chips and cookies!  Best things ever!  They offer all sorts of things at the aid station (including warm, salty chicken broth, of which I partook) based on the theory that after going all day, you have no idea what your body is going to want.  It's ironic, because I so finely tuned my bike nutrition strategy, and yet my run nutrition strategy was always "Whatever my body wants!" because you just have no idea.

When I came back around to where my Ironfans were, I was greeted by the best surprise ever! They had lined up on both sides of the path, and when I approached...THEY DID THE WAVE! Have you ever been struggling through the 11th hour of an Ironman and had people do the wave just for you????  Well, you should try it some time!  Because it is awesome!!

I got the wave the first time at the end of my first loop, when I still felt pretty good.  Heading back toward my fans on the second loop, knowing they were all there and waiting to cheer me on, make a fan tunnel, and do the wave is really what kept me moving forward at a decent pace!

Entering my tunnel of Ironfans, doing THE WAVE, just for me!

Running past my awesome supporters! (P.S. Check out my rippling Ironman muscles!!)

High-fiving Karin.  I felt like I had a smile on my face the whole time!
Even when it hurt like crazy, I was just so happy to be there!

By about mile 20 it was clear I was not going to make my 9 pm goal.  But I kept moving as fast as I could, walking only when a side cramp became literally unbearable.  At the 23 mile marker, with 3.2 miles to go, I started running, and I refused to stop again.  Side cramp be damned.  I could taste the finish.  I knew exactly what I had left, and I was going to get there as quickly as I possibly could!

With 1 mile to go, my friends Kristin and Jon founf me on the course and ran with me for a bit. Then Peggy ran alongside me, telling me where my friends and family were waiting at the finish line.  I picked it up a bit in the last mile; then, about 200 yards from the turn that leads to the finish chute, I really picked it up.  I didn't sprint (as if I could!), but I put a bounce in my step and lengthened my strides, and I came around the corner like someone who just spent 14 hours and 35 minutes giving everything she had to give and now I was going to leave it all out there on the race course!  I would finish with everything I had left!  

I saw my mom and dad and my sister Denise and her husband Chris at the corner, and I threw my hands in the air and whooped as I passed them.  Then I saw a sea of green shirts on the left in the grandstand next to the finish line.  Everything was a blur of screams and lights and faces.  Karin's may have been the only face I actually saw.  I threw my hands up in the air as I ran toward the finish line...

Running toward the finish line!

And that was it.  It was over.  Only later did I realize that I didn't even hear the announcer say "Kari de Jong...You. Are. An. Ironman."  The very phrase I had said to myself on so many long runs and rides for the past year!

The finishing chute was a bit of a blur, but afterwards was not.  I was on cloud 9, riding a wave of endorphins like no other!  A volunteer gave me a bottle of water, another gave me an aluminum space blanket, yet another gave me my finisher's hat and tee-shirt; and then, finally, a volunteer gave me my medal!

I finished at 9:35 pm.  My "realistic" finish time prediction had been no later than 9:40.

After 140.6 miles I got my pizza, just like the shirts promised!

My family found me at the finish line, but they couldn't get into the athlete area where I was, so I quickly got my pizza (finally!) and a cola and some french fries for Karin and made my way out to where they were.  Everyone was talking a mile a minute, and they were worried that I should sit down.  I knew from my port-a-potty stop at mile 22 that if I sat down it was unlikely I would get back up.  I got hugs, and pictures; it was everything I thought it would be!

Me and THE GREATEST IRONFAN THE WORLD HAS EVER SEEN!

I DID IT! I. AM. AN. IRONMAN!

Not just any Ironman; I am the luckiest Ironman!  I had a ridiculous number of fans who spent the better part of a day out there cheering me on, not to mention fans all over the country who were tracking my progress and cheering me on from far away!

Fans both present and absent were with me for all 140.6 miles!

IMAZ Race Report: Part 2

My biggest fear of the whole race was that the bike course would be crowded and dangerous.  I needn't have worried!  By the time I got onto the course there was plenty of space!  I was about 5 miles into the ride when a bunch of the fast riders passed me heading back to the turnaround!  I had just started my ride and they were already finishing up their first 38 mile loop!  I wasn't the least bit surprised, but I would be lying if I said it wasn't a bit disheartening.  I did see the aftermath of an accident within the first 7 miles (paramedics surrounding a guy lying on the ground with an oxygen mask on), and I came upon 3 other crashes throughout the race (after the fact, luckily).

Pretty much everything below the waist was numb for about the first 10 miles.  I had to hope I was positioned correctly on my seat, as I couldn't feel my butt or nether regions at all.  The first loop went by pretty fast, because I was just so excited to be on the bike and it was gorgeous out there and there was just so much energy being out on the course with so many other people.  But on the way out to the turnaround, it felt like I was working very hard considering the mediocre speed I was producing.  I really think this was due to trying to transition my legs from swimming to biking, and also to the fact that my legs were still kind of frozen.

The wind wasn't too bad on the first loop, but I dropped to a pretty dismal speed on the uphill.  But without the head/cross wind that usually kicks up on the Beeline (The Beeline is the common name for the open stretch of road that makes up most of the loop) I picked it up to a good pace on the downhill.  I had never done a moving hand-off from a bike at an aid station, and was pretty nervous about it.  Turns out, it wasn't necessary; by the time I needed to replenish my bottles, I also needed to pee (about mile 30), so I pulled over to use the port-a-potty.  A couple of the amazing volunteers asked if I needed anything and I said, "Perform, please! 2 bottles."  (Perform is the PowerBar brand sports drink on the course.  Same concept as Gatorade or the like.)  As I entered the port-a-potty he asked if I wanted it in my bottles.  I said, "Sure! Thanks!"  And when I came out of the bathroom no more than 45 seconds later, my bottles were filled and I just had to hop on my bike and go!

I had spent months of long rides on the bike carefully experimenting and honing my nutrition plan. I aimed for 300 calories per hour on the bike, mainly simple carbs.  I didn't have an exact target for sodium, but aimed for the general goal of A LOT.  I am a sweater, and I have to stay on top of my electrolyte replenishment.  Toward this aim, I had started using something called NUUN, which is basically an electrolyte replacement tablet that dissolves in water.  It is slightly flavored, but has virtually no carbs or calories.  So my race day nutrition plan for the bike portion was this:

On the bike: 15 caramels (450 cal.), 15 pcs. licorice (420 cal.), 2 bottles pre-mixed Gu Brew sports drink (480 cal.), 1 pkg. Belvita breakfast cookies (230 cal.), 1 bag pretzels (110 cal.).  I needed a couple hundred extra calories, and at the last minute threw a 230 calorie package of Famous Amos chocolate chip cookies into my jersey pocket.  Those cookies would turn out to be the SINGLE GREATEST PART of a roughly 30 mile stretch of the ride.  The Gu Brew would last me about 3 hours, after which point I would replace my 2 drink bottles with the Perform at the aid stations.  I planned to go through about 1 bottle of water per hour, and I would drop a NUUN into the bottle between my aero bars each time I refilled.  Such a detailed, carefully configured plan.

10 miles into the ride I dropped my whole tube of NUUN tablets.

So I had to switch up my nutrition plan on the fly.  The main thing would be that I would have to replace the 300 mg of sodium per hour I would not be getting from the NUUN.  So from that point on, I didn't drink another drop of plain water for the rest of the 7+ hour ride.  I only drank Perform, because I needed the electrolytes.  I think it worked out well, as I felt I had good energy, and I had no cramps on the bike, and none on the run until around mile 14 (at which point bike nutrition is hardly the culprit!).

I didn't really expect to see my supporters again until the run, or maybe the bike transition.  But as I came into town to make the turnaround and head back out, THERE THEY WERE!  They were in a least 2 separate groups, right there at the turnaround.  I stuck my fist up in the air and yelled "Whooooooo!" as I rode toward them, then waved as I passed by and back out onto the bike course.

Some of my IMAZing Ironfans at the bike turnaround.

I finished the first loop exactly in the middle of my "optimistic" and "realistic" time predictions!

The wind started to pick up on the second loop.  By about mile 60 I was starting to feel the typical strains that come around mile 60.  The excruciating tingly feet resulting from being immobile for hours.  The sore quads.  The general fatigue.  The crazy pressure on sensitive areas from the bike seat.  (NOTHING like it used to be!  My hard-won dream saddle still rocks my world!)  Out on the Beeline the wind has a nasty way of always being, if not exactly against you, then at least not doing you any favors.  There is often a headwind on the downhill, and more often than not, a crosswind, which basically slows you down from every direction.  By the time I was nearing the end of the second loop I was really struggling.  I had no illusions that my fans would be waiting, but deep down I sure hoped they would.  I needed a boost.

Waving at my awesome fans!

Sure enough, as I pedaled toward the turnaround, once again, smack in the middle of my predicted finish range, THERE THEY WERE!  Green shirts!  Signs!  Screaming and cheering!  It was exactly what I needed!  I am pretty sure I teared up right about then.  I rode that wave of encouragement for a good 10 miles onto the next and final loop!

All those green shirts are my fantastic supporters!! 

That last loop was rough.  My feet were killing me, my quads were on fire, my butt was starting to rebel, and I really, really just wanted to take a nap.  With my overall tiredness and my aching feet, I worried that I would not be as ready for the marathon transition as I had imagined.  But that was the least of my worries!  I still had to finish the bike ride!  I was definitely one of the slower riders; by the last loop it had thinned out so much that I was often riding alone, without another rider within many yards of me in either direction.  Finally I struggled up the last hill and hit the final turnaround.  Less than 19 miles to go!  Mostly downhill!  I pulled over at the aid station and asked for $700 worth of Gu.  I settled for as much as would fit in my Bento box (where I keep my snacks on the cross-bar).  Then I mentally whooped and hollered as I raced downhill...for about 2 miles.  That's when the crosswinds came back and erased the benefit of the downhill.  The struggle returned, but not nearly as bad as before, because I was still, after all, going downhill; but more importantly, I was almost done!

The truth is, after the first loop, it just felt like a really long training ride.  I didn't experience any sensations out on the course that weren't already familiar from the many 80+ mile training rides I had endured.  At some points I was cursing under my breath, dying to get off the bike, wondering how I would go on.  I didn't really count the miles left.  I couldn't help but count off the landmarks; the last aid station, the turn off the Beeline back toward town.  But I didn't think about how much was left.  I just kept turning the pedals.  I just kept moving forward.  I realized that is really what Ironman boils down to: JUST KEEP MOVING FORWARD, till you run toward a very bright light and hear the words YOU. ARE. AN. IRONMAN.  Then you get to stop.

Once again, as I neared the end of the bike course and the transition to the run, I didn't expect to see anyone.  I figured they would all be waiting on the run course for me.  On the first two turnarounds the last 2 miles or so had been lined with people cheering.  As I finished the final loop of the bike and headed toward transition, the roads were now nearly empty.  Like I said, I am a slow rider.  But about a mile from transition some super enthusiastic supporters were cheering wildly.  I smiled, as I do when anyone cheers, and only as I reached them did I realize it was my friends Kristin and Peggy, and Peggy's boyfriend, Ben!  What a great surprise!  I smiled at them and kept on pedaling, less than a mile now from getting off that bike forever, and starting my run.

As I turned off the road and into the transition chute, I saw Karin and some other green shirts (everything was a blur at this point!) cheering me on!  Then, as I continued down the chute, I saw A SEA OF GREEN IRONFAN SHIRTS LINED UP right along the barrier, for what seemed like the whole way, cheering me on, reminding me why I had endured that 112 mile ride!  Many more friends had arrived while I was out battling on the bike.  I cannot possibly adequately describe that moment!  It was the greatest imaginable reward for a such a long struggle.

Riding into the transition chute, FINALLY!

IMAZ Race Report: Part 1

It has been 3 days since I became an Ironman, and it is the weirdest thing: It is almost like it never happened.  The day after, I went into Ironman withdrawal, which is something I have read about from other competitors.  It makes sense, after all; this is a huge part of your life, arguably the main focus of your life, for a year, and then one day it is all over.  I seriously went into a little mini-depression for a few hours; it may have lasted longer had we not planned our annual "Fake Thanksgiving" for 2 days after Ironman--there was way too much to do to wallow.

But I am getting ahead of myself!  First...Ironman Arizona 2013...

The plan was to wake up at 4 am on race day and eat my pre-race breakfast: waffle w/ Nutella and banana.  I ate it before every long ride to make sure it sat well with my stomach and gave me enough energy.

We would leave by 5 am to be there by 5:30, and if parking was hard to find Karin would drop me off then look for parking.  Naturally, I woke up later than planned and left later than planned.  My bike and transition bags had to be checked in by 3 pm on Saturday, so that was already done.  All I had to do pre-race was:

1. Check tire pressure
2. Stock nutrition and water bottles on bike
2. Body marking (race number and age written in Permanent marker on arms and leg)
3. Add a couple things to transition bags
4. BATHROOM (before putting on wet suit)
5. Put on wet suit, cap and goggles
6. Jump in water and swim to the start of the swim

Getting ready before the race; the bag has my wet suit, swim cap and goggles in it.

Filling up my bike bottles with the sports drink Gu Brew for nutrition on the bike.

Parking did turn out to be a bit of a nightmare, with long lines for the public lots, so I hopped out of the car at about 5:50 am and walked to the transition area.  I was a bundle of nerves in the car, but once I got everything situated on my bike and in my bags, and was waiting in the super long port-a-potty line I was no longer nervous at all.  I was excited, but inside very calm.

The starting line of the swim, before sunrise

Once I was all ready, and the only thing left to do was join the line of 2,700 people waiting to jump into the water, I made my way out of the transition area and ran over to where I knew Karin and my supporters had set up the tent.  I hugged everyone, then ran back and got in line.

A sea of polyurethane and green and pink latex!

A wave to my supporters who came out so early!

You can imagine how long it takes to get 2, 700 people into the water via a small set of stairs, and sure enough, soon the announcer said over the microphone, "2 minutes till 7:00.  2 minutes till the start of the race!  Everyone into the water!"  There were still hundreds of us waiting to get in at that point, and the whole mass of wet suit-clad racers surged forward and people just started jumping into the water from anywhere they could.  I joined a bunch of others jumping right off the sea wall. I jumped in and swam toward the start.  After a minute or 2 I looked up and everyone was swimming!  No one was treading water waiting for the start!  So I figured I had missed the start gun while underwater and the race had already started; so I put my head down and just kept swimming!





I was far enough back in the swim that I didn't get caught up in the washing machine effect.  There was bodily contact almost constantly throughout the whole swim, kind of like human bumper boats, but it was nothing brutal, and it was easy to just pop my head up and navigate toward a more open patch of water.  I just did my own thing, swimming very steadily and calmly, focusing on my breathing and my stroke.  I finally started to get cold around the 1 hour mark, but it wasn't too bad. I got out of the water at 8:36--smack in the middle of my "optimistic" and "realistic" time prediction!

A little chilly...

Heading out of Transition! 

My transition time was about 18 minutes!  The transition time is from the time you get out of the water till you cross the bike mount. So it included getting my wet suit off, walking/running about 200 yards to the change tent, and then trying to dry off enough to get my gear on.  It knew it would take a while but that is longer than I anticipated!  I know being pretty much numb slowed me down a lot. I just didn't feel like I was in a big hurry; I definitely took my time. If I had it to do over again I would have tried to have some slight sense of urgency.

But I got myself together, got my bike off the rack, and as I made my way under the arch out of transition, I was greeted by my Ironfans in their green shirts, holding up signs and cheering like wild for me!
            
                        

Ironman Pre-Race Report

I had friends and family coming in for my Ironman from all over the place!  Karin's parents came from Minnesota and Wisconsin, my parents and Karin's sister and her fiance from California, and my friend Kristin from Nevada.  Plus Karin had arranged essentially a giant party of all my friends and family who live here in Phoenix!  She planned to set up a canopy tent as a base camp, she had ordered matching tee-shirts for all my Ironfans, and I had gotten beer, soda, snacks and water for all my Ironfans to help them enjoy what was sure to be a very long day.

The front said: YOU CAN HAVE THIS IN 140.6 MILES
with a picture of a slice of pizza.

The back said: KARI'S IRONFANS

Karin's sister, Megan, and her fiance, Tyler arrived Friday night, and the rest of my out of town fans came in Saturday.  There were a lot of trips to the airport, and a lot of details to attend to.  I did the practice swim at 10 am and got my bike and gear checked in quickly with no issues.

The practice swim went great!  Granted, there were only a few hundred in the water at a time, rather than a few thousand, but the water was not as shockingly cold as I had been led to expect, and I was able to just focus on myself and my technique and stay calm.

We got Papa Murphy's take-n-bake pizza for pre-race dinner, because I love pizza and it was what I wanted.  But I had been carb loading for 2 days and by dinner on Saturday night I only had about 2 small pieces of pizza before I was completely full.

I made copies of a hand-drawn map of the race transition area so people would know where to go to see me, and I also made copies of the "Optimistic/Realistic" time frame schedule for my finish times, so people would have an idea when to look for me.

The plan was to be in bed by 8 pm, and I made it into bed by about 8:10.  During the course of the evening Megan and Tyler decided to go the spectator area really early, like 3:30 am, to set up the tent and snag a prime spectating spot!

Megan camping out to guarantee my awesome Ironfans a great viewing spot.

Before I went to bed I made sure I had everything ready, and a last-minute checklist so I wouldn't forget anything.

Checking in...

I am finally one of the people walking around with the Ironman backpacks!

Today I went back to the Ironman venue to officially check in.  All athletes MUST check in by 5 pm today, or they do not get to participate in the race!

Tomorrow I have to check in my bike and transition gear bags by 3 pm, and there is a practice swim from 9-11 am.  At check in I got my official swim cap that I have to wear for the race (PINK IS FOR GIRLS!)

There were all sorts of booths selling things at the expo, which is lucky for me because, naturally, less than 48 hours before the race, after testing clothing options for weeks (as discussed previously) I have yet to find a hat for the run!  Fortunately, Newton Running had many great options!  What they didn't have was a mirror!  So I made Karin take pictures of each option so I could decide!

Option #1 - Visor

Option #2 - Hat

Option #3 - Headband

Guess which one I chose?  Ha!  You will have to tune in for pictures of the race in my post-RACE REPORT to see!