Sunday, October 14, 2007

Race Update

Results are up on ironmanlive.com, under "track an athlete".

After having a mostly fantastic swim and bike, I was heading out on the run at about 6:20. Basicaly, I knew that all I had to do was run a 3:40 marathon to break 10 hours. My actual plan was to run a 3:10-3:15 and shoot for about a 9:30. Unfortunately, between my foot, my back and (thanks to Gatorade - my new worst enemy) my stomach, things didn't go as planned on the marathon, and I ended up with a 10:28.

Am I satisfied? Absolutely. I feel so enormously blessed to even *be* here, racing with this caliber of a field. As a matter of fact, my swim and my bike were well within the top 20%! I can't complain about that...

Highlights of the race:

1) Looking next to me 20 minutes into the swim and who should be swimming directly by my side but Roger Thompson from Spokane, WA, the guy I'm actually down here *with*. We haven't planned it, but have been side by side in the only two Ironman we've ever done together. This is freakishly weird.

2) Got slapped with a 4 minute drafting penalty. 4 minutes in the sin bin, just waiting to get back on my bike and ride again.

3) Drank a total of about 250oz of water today. Ate 2100 calories on the bike and 1200 calories on the run. Swallowed 48 electrolyte pills.

Good night!
Ben

3 comments:

Euphrosyn said...

Congratulations,son,I am proud of you.

Maybe you or Vladimir can invent something better than Gatorade!

Bucer's Coffeehouse Pub said...

Ben,
What a day! What a week. I watched either my laptop (in Bucer's) or my desktop screen (upstairs) the entire ten plus hours...and it helped me feel like I was there with you guys, except it was 65 degrees outside and no one was screaming and cheering nearby. I loudly told total strangers at Bucer's (the first hour after you crossed the finish line) that MY SON JUST FINISHED THE IRONMAN IN KONA!! Woo Hoo.
Happened to be the same time as the UI football game ended and tons were filing into the pub to drink and eat, wondering what I was going on about! I think I want a t-shirt; "this body bore an IronMan"...or "IronMan Momma"...or "what's your kid do, golf? yeesh." Jessa, design one!
I miss you guys a lot. Time to come home....till FLORIDA 70.3
See you soon, big guy.
Love....Mom

Diane Swift said...

Congrats Ben on an awesome race.

To think where you were a week ago
and what you accomplished....WOW!!
You are blessed!

Way to GO.....

Diane