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Dan Buddin I think my journey to Ironman started like many others as a distant tingle in the back of one’s mind while watching the “Holy Grail” of Ironman races in Hawaii. I watched the Julie Moss incident as a kid and thought how odd it was for someone to push themselves to such extremes. As the years passed and I was fortunate enough to catch another Hawaii race on T.V. my thinking changed to “I would like to try that one day”. Well in 1996 I began my foray into the sport of triathlon. I completed two sprint distance races late that summer and was instantly hooked on the sport. I figured an Ironman race was merely a year or two away! HA! Fast forward five years, reconstructive ankle surgery, being hit by a car, a second ankle injury, a wedding, a stolen bike, and voila….I’m ready to race in 2002. What follows is a brief (hopefully) description of my Ironman race experience. Before I begin though there are a few people I must thank for getting me to the starting line and ultimately to the finish line. First and foremost is my lovely wife Debbie who four plus years ago was kind enough take me as her husband and whose immense patience and unwavering support were above and beyond what is reasonably expected. Sometimes a Thank You doesn’t say it all, but Debbie thank you for allowing me to achieve a dream I’ve had for a long time. I couldn’t have done it without you!! To the crew (Mark, Cherri, and Dan) thanks for the many months of training and support you gave me throughout the year (especially Cherri during the long hot runs around Salem Lake). I thought of each of you often throughout the long day. To my old training partner Dale in Memphis who would check in almost weekly with words of encouragement and advice about the race. And finally, to my family who made the sacrifice to drive to Clermont and support me the entire day I thank you!!!!!! Pre-Race We arrived in Clermont Thursday evening. Friday morning I got up and headed out for a brief ride and run brick. I felt really good and confident about how I would perform during the race. On Friday morning I headed to the USTA Training Center to register for the race and check out the expo. The volunteers were very helpful. They actually make you feel like you are an elite athlete in town to race. Following registration I spent most of the afternoon eating, drinking lots of water and relaxing. I was surprisingly relaxed. I got into bed by 9:30PM and was able to fall right to sleep. I didn’t start watching the clock until around 2:00AM. Race Day I finally got out of bed at 4:30 AM. Pre race meal consisted of four waffles with syrup, coffee, and a bottle of water. I ate alone in the dark thinking about the day before me. I still felt amazingly calm. Something happened however from the time I finished breakfast and the time I got out of the shower. My stomach began doing flips and my hands shaking. The nerves had finally hit. After two trips to the bathroom I announce I am ready to go. I said my goodbyes and my dad drove me to the race site. We arrived at 6:00AM. He wished me luck and I headed on my way, the stomach still not cooperating. The temperature was cool as I began my final preparation. Water bottles in the cages, gel flask on the handle bars, air in the tires. They finally announce that wetsuits are legal and I give a small thanks to the heavens that my first prayer for the day has been answered. One more trip to the bathroom and it’s into the changing tent to don the wetsuit. I emerged at around 7:10 AM and the first real light is hitting the lake. Everyone is running around in their neoprene suits of armor ready to head off to a long day of battle. A funny thing happened once I got into the water; an incredible sense of calm came over me. I was instantly relaxed once I hit the water. I swam out to the first buoy, practiced some siting and land marking and returned to the shore for the start. I was ready!! Swim With 700+ people trying to occupy the same small area I chose to begin the swim close to the front. The gun went off at 7:30AM and we were off. The first 400 yards or so was spent fighting for position, but not nearly as bad as expected. I wasn’t kicked and was never swum over. I managed to find some open water at about 600 yards into the race and was able to settle into a nice pace. I told myself long smooth strokes, it was going to be a long day and any energy saved here would serve me well later. As the first lap went on I couldn’t believe how good I felt in the water. The swim seemed effortless. As I exited the water I took a quick peek at my watch, it read 24:11. I thought to myself “that can’t be right”, so I looked at the race clock as I made the turn to return to the water for lap # 2 and it said the same thing (we later found out the swim course was miss-marked). Lap #2 went much like lap #1. I had open water and enjoyed watching the sun rise over the trees as I made my way back to the beach. I exited the water in 50:42. As I headed to T1 there were volunteers there to help remove wetsuits. Luckily my Speedo was tied tight; otherwise it would have gone with the wetsuit. They had me out of that thing in seconds. T1 Not much to mention here. I tried to keep the heart rate low as I changed into my bike clothes and applied some sun screen. I was out and onto my bike in 7:59 Bike A quick good-bye to the family and I am on my way up the first hill of the day. As I learned during the pre-race meeting the majority of hills are located during the first 56 mile loop of the bike course and the wind picks up on the second 56 mile loop of the course. No truer words were spoken!!! The first 56 miles offered all the hills, stops, starts, turns, anyone could ever want. The course designer had a funny way of placing large hills and the end of each turn you made so there was no way to carry ANY momentum into the climb (he is not a nice man/or woman)!!! It was tough to get into any sort of groove during the first 56 miles as I was in and out of the saddle. I was able to stick to my nutrition plan throughout the first loop. I took in four bottles of liquid, 5 gels, three power bars and a banana. I returned to Waterfront Park and the special needs bag area in 2:54:12 and felt great. My sister, her boyfriend, and Debbie were all there to check on me. I told them I felt great and that a sub 6-hour ride was possible. I grabbed some additional food and was off to complete the ride. The first 25 miles went great. There were rolling hills and the wind and temperature were increasing, but everything was still in check. I began experiencing some lower back pain, but it was nothing I didn’t expect after 4+ hours in the saddle. At the mile 80 aid station I noticed my food and fluid intake had slowed. I tried to slow my pace and make sure I took some food and fluid in. By mile 90 things really started going bad as I couldn’t swallow anything liquid or solid as hard as I tried I just couldn’t eat. Somewhere between miles 95-100 everything inside my stomach decided it was time to exit. I quickly dismounted as I haven’t mastered the art of vomiting while riding and got sick on the side of the road. While this provided temporary relief I was unable to eat or drink much for the remainder of the ride. I figured I only had about 12 miles remaining and that I could relax during T2 and take in some food before the marathon. Unfortunately, the lack of food took its toll as did the additional 6 miles of biking….that’s right the bike course was 6 miles too long. I didn’t think I would ever get off the my bike and would have gladly given the thing away had someone asked for it by the time I returned to town. I completed the bike course in 6:43:43 on the verge of tears as nausea and doubts of not being able to go on ravaged my salt covered body. T2 As I sat inside the change tent a few tears ran down my face as I fought to compose myself and go on. I took a deep breath and told myself I could do this, that goal times are to be forgotten and that if I keep putting one foot in front of the other I would finish. I exited T2 in 9:19. A quick word of encouragement from Debbie and I was on my way. Run I somehow managed to run out of the transition area and up the hill leading away from the lake. I made it about a half of a mile before another wave of nausea hit me. I began to walk. Unfortunately, the walking lasted for the next 4+ miles as I tried to get missing food and fluids into my body. By mile 5 I was feeling better and began to run a little. I ran most of miles 6-8 with brief walking periods through the aid stations. At mile 9 the IT band problems I’d been experiencing the final month of training and which forced me to get shots or cortisone injected into both knees decided to flare up reducing me to the run/walk shuffle again. As I am completing my first lap around the lake I see my family which now includes my mom who as luck would have it was in town from California for meetings in Orlando and able to attend the final leg of the race. Seeing them was a big boost. I said a quick hello, applied some bug spray from my special needs bag, took two Advil, and was on my way for lap #2. Things began to look up during the second lap. My stomach was fine and I was able to run more than walk. The only thing that hindered me was the intense pain that shot through my knees every few minutes. As I reached the half way point around the lake I looked over it and witnessed the most beautiful sunset it sort of put things back into perspective for me….. I was here to complete the journey. The family was surprised to see me return so soon (or maybe the vodka they were enjoying while I was racing begin to kick in!!!!) Regardless, I received more cheers and words or encouragement. There was no way I wasn’t going to finish. By now the sun was gone and glow sticks handed out to everyone on the course. I took a quick look at my watch as I began lap #3 and new if I ran the last 6 miles in an hour I would finish before 9:00 PM and break the 14 hour mark. That last lap was amazing. I hooked up with a woman from D.C. suffering from the same knee condition as me and we decided no matter what we were going to run the entire lap. As we made or way around we saw the large lights signaling the finish line getting closer and closer almost willing us to finish. As I made the right turn signaling the finish line was ahead a huge smile came across my face and the pain in my knees became a distant memory. I began the short incline that led to one final left hand turn and the finish line and got one final word of encouragement from a little girl who couldn’t have been more than 3 standing there with her small blanket wrapped around her shoulders. She looked up at me and with her left index finger pointed told me “it’s just around the corner”. I thanked her and ran as fast as my body would let me. About 50 yards from the finish Debbie jumped into the street, grabbed my right hand and escorted me across the finish line. It was an amazing site, people lining the street cheering each person across the line. I broke the tape in 13:53:19, received my finisher’s medal and T-shirt, and waited for my family to find me. Post Race I had mixed feelings following the race. A part of me was so proud for finishing the journey; while another part (my ego) was disappointed I didn’t have a better showing. Over the next day and a half those two feelings continued to play tug-of-war inside my head. During that time I also made the decision to never do another Ironman. As the days have passed and I’ve had time to reflect on the day and everything it took for me to get there I have decided I am very proud of my accomplishment. That I did what I set out to do, on my terms, and that finishing time is irrelevant. I am an Ironman. I also have decided that if I have the opportunity to compete in another one I will do so. It is such a great feeling. The pain and suffering it takes to complete the race is more than worth it. I urge anyone on the fence to go for it and you too will come away with your own amazing experience. In closing I want to leave you with a quote from Theodore Roosevelt that I like. It sums up some of the reasons I chose to attempt an Ironman and I think sheds some light onto the never ending question many of us face when asked by the layman “why would you want to do this crazy sport”. Thank you for your time. “Far better is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure, than to take rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much, because they live in the gray twilight that knows not victory nor defeat”. |
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