Ironman Arizona 2011 Run

I set out on the run bloated belly, the sun beginning to shine really bright through dispersing clouds and heard the sound of cheering fans. The fans are screaming for any number of the 2600 participants, but it still lifts your spirits heading into a marathon. I saw my wife and her sister and aunt early running out of transition(so some of the fans were for me I guess) and it built me up enough to start strong.

Giving my big Bro a low five as I ran by

Having my Garmin watch on this race made it all possible to hold myself accountable. I could see an instant pace instead of waiting tell I had already ran a mile too fast. This was important because I had to slow down three times in the first mile to get it into a mid nine minute mile range. I was stupid to run 9:15 in the end for the first mile instead of the warmup I originally intended. I knew I couldn't hold this, but it was better then the 8:30 that I would have ran. My legs felt like spaghetti and it makes it harder to determine speed when you can't feel too much below the waist at first. By the second mile I was able to calm things down to a steady 9:30 pace keeping this until the second aid station where I took a gel pack, a salt tablet, some water and for the only time all race had to use a porta potty(I couldn't bring myself to pee on the bike, not unless I might win the race). I had to have a bit of a gut check in there, as I stood in the porta potty I leaned all my weight into the wall closing my eyes trying to just catch my breathe.

With a high for the day in the 70's it's still easy to overheat. Standing with my eye's closed and now finished doing a number one I waited about five more seconds and got out of the bathroom. I headed out worried whether, or not I would be able to keep the necessary pace now to finish the day holding onto my goal set almost a year prior. I had a heart rate of 160 and anything over 170 would mean game over. I took the warning and the entire first loop walked all the up hill sections and aid stations.

From Left, My Dad, Mom, Brother and Beautiful Wife

I got a good boost of spirits right when I needed it seeing my cheering section of wife sister in law and aunt in law by the Mill avenue bridge on mile 3. That was the end of my woe is me ways for the day. My stomach was still upset, and I had drank too much going through aid stations leading to major stomach cramps, but I was not to be stopped on this day. To fight off the heat each aid station I grabbed a sponge to put in my tri top and one for my visor. On subsequent loops I would just ring out the cold water with three of them, one down my back, one on my head and a third on my face and chest. The cold water evaporating helped keep me cool. Aid stations were every mile, so there was only roughly ten minutes between each one.

For those that don't have a personal cheering section the Ironman volunteers go above and beyond having a theme to each aid station. One mile your running through a bunch of pirates and listening to a song from Muppet Treasure Island (I love the Muppets), the next you see women dressed as sexy cops with guys dressed as policemen with short shorts, or as convicts. These themes help take your mind off of the task at hand when you travel at the speeds I was going. The music can be heard for up to a block leading up to it and the words of encouragement they give can have the same reassuring effect. The aid stations also have whatever a runner could ask for, water, Ironman perform, grapes, gel packs, oranges, chicken broth, coke, pretzels, cookies, vaseline, and any number of unique items that aid station chose to offer to make them stand out. I have even seen massages offered in past years,

About to get a hand shake from my pappa bear around the 13 mile mark of the race

On the second lap I got my heart rate down to 150. This was much better then the 160 of the first one. The sun began to set and the amount of direct sunlight was decreasing drastically. I also was able to get my nutrition under control, settling on a liquid schedule that was sustainable without cramping as well as calming down the amount of gels to take. The second loop I decreased my walking to aid stations and the steepest portion of the big hill. One aid station near the motivational mile by the Mill avenue bridge had a place with muscle cream similar to an icee hot, or bio freeze. I put it on my quads, butt, hamstrings, calves, shins, lower back, neck and shoulders. The numbness held pretty strong to keep me from thinking of the muscles that had begun to ache from hours of stress.

From left my Mother in law, Sister in law and beautiful Wife

This was a very special time in the race for me because my cheering section increased in size in a big way. My wife's aunt had to leave, but my mother in law, brother, mother and father all came out. The next two times I saw everyone. I got to give a row of high fives and hand shakes. I left the first time seeing everyone being kind of emotional with crocodile tears filling up my eyes. This kind of support can make a race and give the motivation in the hardest miles to push harder. The second time I saw them, my brother yelled out "BUDDY!!" as loud as he could and I yelled back "BUDDY!!" from a hundred feet out. My dad had never seen me do any triathlons before, so this being me third Ironman it meant a lot to see him there.

My brother yelling BUDDY, and my dad giving a low five

The third loop my heart rate fell to 140, I could have pushed harder and held the 150 range, but rather then become greedy I just wanted to keep my current pace. The day had held a consistent 10:40 mile. Some were faster when there were more down hills, and others were slower when multiple aid stations fell within the same mile. The sun fully set a third of the way through this last loop and the temperatures fell drastically. My parents and brother had to leave, but with three cheerleaders still staying for me the finish line was closing in fast.

A confident high five to my mother in law with only a few miles to go

Throughout the run several pros passed me in super fast packs. If you look at my overall standings over a hundred age groupers also passed me during this portion of the race. The entire run for me felt nothing like a race. I passed people, but unlike the bike and swim where I pushed myself, this was more about just holding on to the prize. Instead of racing for glory. I stayed consistent, afraid of being a firecracker that would die out too early. The last 3 miles it all changed for me. Instead of drinking sports drink, or water I started drinking coke and running a little stronger between aid stations. 23.2 miles of consistency left me antsy to hear those magic words waiting for me at the end.

Me and my beautiful wife with a random stranger in the background posing for the camera
Below me just before finishing

3 gels, lots of Ironman perform/water, 3 cups of cola, 4 salt tablets, multiple orange slices (only drank the juice didn't eat them) and probably 70 water sponges lead me to my final stretch. This is a mile of constant cheering from all sides. I revved up to a higher gear holding closer to a 9 minute mile and feeling amazing. Nothing was going to stop me from reaching my goal and cutting an hour off my previous best Ironman. I was also on pace to set a new PR for the run. People yell out encouraging words telling everyone how much distance is left so that you'll keep high spirits for the finish. Rounding the corner into the shoot with bleachers on both sides I slowed up and gave a string of high fives running by kids that lined the walls to the course. Seconds were not going to matter at this point so I slowed down to a slow jog. I wanted to savor this race that had gone so much better then I anticipated. I heard the speakers say two airline pilots were coming together (so maybe one of my coworkers was with me, I have no idea) and then he said it,"Justin Peele from Peoria Arizona you are an IRONMAN!" I crossed the finish line arms raised to the heavens in my own personal victory. I never saw my supporters in the bleachers, but knew they were there.

Finisher Shirt and Hat holding up my Wheaties Fuel shirt I wore all day

To add to the local support I had my metal put on by the Firefighters mother in law who had specifically told me to find her at the finish. Some one else handed me my finisher hat and shirt together. Unlike a marathon where you pick up your shirt with registration, Ironman makes you earn it. I quickly had one of those metallic heat blankets on me trying to keep my body temperature from dropping. My beautiful wife found me quickly while I was still in the finisher are just past the finish line. I gave her, my sister in law and mother in law hugs and said my thanks for their support. We took pictures, to capture the moment of me high on victory and them my invaluable cheer squad. I told them I would get food and meet them at my gear area in roughly ten minutes. A new thing for this race I got to pose for a professional picture holding my metal.

My Finisher medal and below a video of the Firefighter Finishing in 11:39

The run was the most calculated part of the entire race. I had checked my splits from my last race knowing 11:13 per mile average would not cut it. I had a plan from the moment my stomach cramped to improve time one mile at a time thirty seconds at a time. That day I got a 4:40 and cut 13 minutes from the previous race. The final time of 11:51:00 was a true achievement for me. I could have shaved a few seconds at the end had I not slowed down, 8 minutes if my bike chip didn't fall off and a few more minutes if I had wanted to keep my heart rate at 150 for the whole race instead of accepting a lower one for the last loop, but it didn't matter. I wanted the first two numbers to be 11 and honestly would have guessed the final result would be more of a 12:15. I messed up nutrition for the run at first, but otherwise was very happy with how the run went as well as the whole race. A big thank you to all the family that came out and the family of the fire fighter who cheered me on, I could not have done it without such incredible people cheering from the swim start, to the finish line.