What a difference a day makes!
Sunday we ran our last two races in high temperatures & sticky humidity. So hot that they even shortened the International run course due to the red-alert conditions… after WE had already run that leg.

And here are some of the TRIPLE CHALLENGE details…

And for the TRIPLE CHALLENGE… the athletes taking on the challenge do all three distances in two days! SuperSprint on Saturday, and then International/Olympic followed immediately by the Sprint on Sunday.

Of course my favorite part is the bike!
Basically we ride up & down a closed Lake Shore Drive, all the way up to Hollywood and back. Then we turn towards the city and ride on middle Wacker Drive. A covered section of the “underbelly” of the City… SO COOL… so fast… kinda like riding in the Batcave!!! And then onto the “secret” bus lane thatI didn’t even know about that takes you south past Soldier Field and back. Great fun riding on roads closed to auto traffic!

When you finish the bike, you change clothes quick and head out for the run. We follow the lakefront south around the Shedd Aquarium, south of Soldier Field and McCormick Place to turn around at 31st Street Beach. You cross the Finish Line for you International Race and then need to head straight back to the lake for the start of the Sprint race. And it’s a LONG huff through the Finish Line festivities, past Buckingham Fountain, across Lake Shore Drive to pick-up your wetsuit & goggles at the Triple Tent and back to the Swim Start. Then it’s another swim, bike and run to get to the Finish Line AGAIN!!!

So hot & humid that THIS is the actual photo the professional photographer took
with my iPhone camera at the Finish Line… all sweated up from the Sprint run!!!

So sweaty that I couldn’t even swipe to the right, and the camera lens was all fogged up. Guess that’s what happens when the heat index goes well over a hundred!!! Sweaty fun racing with Chris & Beckie doing International followed back-to-back by Sprint to complete our Chicago Triathlon TRIPLE CHALLENGE!!!

Three races. Three medals.
A challenging weekend with the heat & humidity…
and a shortened window to make it to the third race… which I made with just seconds to spare!!! I was literally the very LAST of the Triple racers who made it into the water, just under the deadline! Talk about stress.

Another fun weekend for the Chicago Triathlon TRIPLE CHALLENGE…
and my third triple… my Triple Trifecta!

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Getting ready for any triathlon is a bit anxiety ridden. Packing all of the the gear you’ll need for all three events throughout the day. All of the clothing, all of the gear, as well as all of the fluids & nutrition needed. Knowing that your race starts at 6:00am with a big jump into the lake. So you count time backwards to determine what time you need to leave to give yourself plenty of time.

These signs have been posted near my place for about a week. Telling everyone that Lake Shore Drive will be closing on Sunday from 5:00am-12:00pm… as the bike course will be taking up the southbound lanes. So I planned accordingly… knowing that I would need to get on Lake Shore Drive prior to the 5:00am closing!

I counted my time backwards and decided that I needed to leave around 4:00am to get there in plenty of time to settle in, run through the days races in my head, and et acclimated to the Transition Area. But when I got to the entrance ramp of Lake Shore Drive… it was already closed, barricaded and pylon coned!!! Obviously closed a LOT EARLIER than the posted 5:00am!!! Needless to say, I got there quite a bit later than I would have liked. A bit rushed getting into the Transition Area and setting up my stuff. But I made it down to the Swim Start with my wetsuit to find my friends Chris & Beckie waiting to start the race with me. And I was so rushed… that I actually put my wetsuit on inside-out!!! Still flipped after yesterday’s SuperSprint swim!

As I was parking in the Monroe Street Garage, I ran into my friend Tracy who was also getting ready for her race… or at least two-thirds of her race. She’s suffering from a bruised heel bone and will only be swimming & biking, with a friend doing the run for her.

Both a bit tired & groggy… but excited and ready to get on with the races at hand!!!
Swim, bike, run… swim, bike, run. The final two-thirds of my TRIPLE CHALLENGE!!!

Saturday was the first of three…
as Chris, Beckie and I tackled the Chicago Triathlon TRIPLE CHALLENGE
with a quick SuperSprint at Foster Beach.

And just for the record, this guy is not built for sprints!!! Just sayin’.

Today was the Chicago Triathlon sponsored by Lifetime Fitness.
And once again I was playing downtown with over 7,000 other triathletes!
International Olympic Distance… SWIM .93 miles, BIKE 24.8 miles, RUN 6.2 miles.

Unfortunately, I can’t carry my camera or phone with me during the swim,
and don’t want to stop during the bike, so I had to “borrow” a few images
off Google Images to help tell the story. And some of the professional photos the race photographers caught of e along the way!

So the day starts very early in the morning. The transition area opens at 4:00am and closes at 5:45am. So all 7,300 triathletes need to get in there and rack their bikes and organize their gear for the day.

I was in Wave 17… starting the race at 7:16am.

Eventually the waves begin entering the Lake. With approximately a hundred people per wave, and another wave taking off every four minutes, it goes pretty fast and before you now it… it’s time for Wave 17!!!

So you line up with your Wave… in color-coded swim caps…

Then you all climb into the lake to tread water for a couple minutes until the Starting Gun.

And then before you know it, you’re out in the thick of things… people swimming all over the place… People swimming around you, over you, kicking you, scraping you… none of which is fun, but you kinda get used to it after a few triathlons. So you do your best to make it to the finish… which is WAY down by the Chicago Yacht Club. That small gray building way at the far end of the photo!!!

And then you finally get out of the water… with the biggest sigh of relief…

Then you need to  jog back to the Transition Area on a long red carpet. You finally get back and now you need to locate your bike & gear amongst the whole sea of seven thousand!!! Good thing to remember your wave number, and to leave yourself a colored marker to help find your bike.

You think that’s bad?…. try viewing the Transition Area from above to see how huge it is…

So you take off your wetsuit and change into your biking gear. Shoes on. Helmet on and you’re ready to head out. So it’s a quick loop north on Lake Shore Drive, turn around at Hollywood, and back down again. Then it’s a quick trip around the city underground on Lower Wacker Drive, followed by the Busway down to McCormick Place and back. Let me just say… biking Lower Wacker Drive is SO MUCH FUN!!!

I was pretty pleased with my bike ride. It all seemed to go well… pretty fast, pretty consistent. Turns out that my biking average speed for the full course was 21.2 miles per hour. Not too shabby.

Then it’s back to the Transition Area where you change out of bikign gear and into running gear. Helmet off. Change of shoes. Chug down some Gatorade… and you’re off on the run. Along the way you see a lot of signs encouraging the runners. Some are better then others… and some, well… are sadly oh so true. And yes…. I’M SMILING!!!

Such focus… one foot in front of the other…

After a 10K run through Museum Campus down to t31st Street Beach and back, you finally make it back to the Finish Line in Grant Park. Always a welcome sight.

You get greeted by well-wishers, announcers and a full fleet if volunteers passing out water, Gatorade, snacks and the ever-coveted Chicago Triathlon Medal.

Tracy was a few waves behind me, so I was waiting at the Finish Line when she came across to get her medal.

Always a fun time hanging out at the Finish Line… especially when you run into a “new best friend” that Tracy made during her run by encouraging him and keeping him going during the run.

While hanging out at the Finish Line, they offer a full meal, free beer (if you’re into that kind of thing which I’m not), and some vendors giving away treats too. Like these yummy frozen yogurt protein bars… Tracy chose the Chocolate Mint Chip mostly because of the fun quote on the packaging… as she knows she’s been “Hangry” before! I chose to try the S’mores flavor… AND the Salted Caramel one… and then finished off Tracy’s Mint Chocolate Chip so I actually had all three flavors!!!

After stretching, re-hydrating, refueling and relaxing a bit, we decided to have a little “:photo shoot” at Buckingham Fountain on our way back to the Transition Area to pick up our bikes and gear.

When you finally get home, you get to relish in your victory… unpack all of your gear so it can dry before going into the laundry basket. And then choosing to each pretty much anything you want. You deserve it. One night to eat whatever you want… you deserve it… you’re a TRIATHLETE!!!

So what were my final results you may ask?
Just remember, I’m never going to WIN any race. Look at me… not built for speed.
Instead, my goal is always to finish, to have fun, and to not injure anything!
And very pleased to say that this was my fastest International Triathlon race yet!

SWIM – 0.93 miles – 47:55
Transition One – 11:07
BIKE – 24.8 miles – 1:09:56
Transition Two – 8:04
RUN – 6.2 miles – 1:06:53

TOTAL TRIATHLON FINISH – 3:23:52

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Tagged & ready to go… err, throw!
Just another relaxing evening behind the wheel before tomorrow’s excitement!

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The weather was perfect this morning for the annual Shamrock Shuffle. Twenty-three thousand runners flooding the streets of Chicago for the kick-off of the race season! A really fun run through the City with lots of great sights along the way.

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I woke up this morning early… after just a few hours of sleep…
and had to double-check that I did indeed complete the IRONMAN!!!
Hard for even me to believe.

We slept a couple short hours… but they were GREAT hours of sleep!!!
But when the alarm went off it was still dark. And we were still tired.
But they don’t sell IRONMAN Finisher’s clothing until the morning after.
And they say that it is first come, first served. And we wanted to be first. But we weren’t..
there were a dozen or so people ahead of us.

We got in, tried on a few things and snatched up a few IRONMAN Finisher’s items for myself.

My new IRONMAN Finisher’s jacket.

A new IRONMAN Finisher’s t-shirt…

After the Finisher’s Expo Tent, Chris and I were supposed to do breakfast with Pam & Jeff. Instead we both decided it was better for us to sleep. I crashed on my bed with my Crocs and jacket on. And Chris was quick to capture it on film…

And I caught her sleeping…

After a few hours of well-deserved sleep, Chris and I got our act together and packed up our stuff to head out. A long drive from Louisville to Chicago. Sort of dreading the drive… and not looking forward to getting out of the car after hours of stiffening up. We stopped for lunch and it wasn’t so bad. Stiff…. but everything loosened up as I walked.

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The morning started VERY early. Very dark. Very chilly.

We made it down to Doc’s Cantina where the queue for the Swim Start was already beginning to form. We got there about 4:45 in the morning. I wanted an early start for the swim to give me as much time as possible for the day ahead. So we sat in line. Nervously chatted. Met other athletes. Took a couple little naps.Ate. Hydrated… and tried not to freak out about  the day ahead. Oddly enough, I had a surprising calmness about me. Not too many jitters. At this point you’ve trained as much as you could. Years of biking & step classes… hoping that it all pays off. Sure, maybe I should have earned how to swim before this, but it’s only 2.4 miles, right?

After waiting nearly two and a half hours, suddenly the place came to life and it was race time before you knew it. Time to put on the wetsuit. Time to get this show on the road. The official time clock counting down to 7:30am! Okay, now it’s getting real.

A few minutes before, they marched us down to the docks. Lines of nervous athletes excited about the adventure each was about to begin.

After the National Anthem, some last minute instructions, and a bugle revelry… it was time to start. On with the swim cap. On with the goggles. Up with the adrenaline! The long line was divided into two… one for each pier. I was in the lane for the far pier. TUrns out I was the THIRD person to jump in off that pier!!! Guess my plan to start early worked out.

So you start swimming upstream past the docks, along the shore, between a long island. You can finally see the end of the island and you “think” that you get to turn around the island and head back. WRONG!!! There are still three more buoys to swim past before you turn around. Not an easy feat as people are swimming over you, kicking you, grabbing you and pushing you out of the way as they are trying to get to the end of the swim. Not for the squeamish if you haven’t been in that situation before. Plus, this easily felt like my biggest body of open water swim ever… when I swim in Lake Michigan, it’s usually along the shoreline. This time we were in the Ohio RIver – which is about as wide as the Great Mississippi River at this point.

So you keep swimming. Keep breathing. Keep looking for the finish.
Keep looking for Joe’s Crab Shack off in the distance. Knowing that we get to finally climb out of the river just before we get to Joe’s.

It felt SO AMAZING to finally finish my swim and get out of the water!!! And to see Pammy & Chris waiting for me on the sidelines cheering me on!!! I was so pleasantly surprised when they told me I was close to two hours!!!… I had about 20 minutes to spare! Whew!!!

I will say that my legs were done. And I had a weird little muscle “issue” going on in my left knee. Nothing shooting or jabbing. But more like muscles screaming at me… yep, “that muscle” that I never use because I don’t swim?!!! Still… felt GREAT to be out of the water!!!

So then it was back in to the Transition Area. Pick up your Bike Gear Bag and head to the changing tent. Picture a large white tent filled with sweaty men, smelling like river, changing closes in a very steamy & smelly tent. Switching from wetsuits to bike clothes. It was NOT a pretty sight. But you suck it up and do what you need to do. Dry off. Switch clothes. Put on your shoes & helmet. Pack your wetsuit & goggles back into you Bike Gear bag… and head out. A quick stop for sunscreen… and the porta-potties… and you’re headed to the Bike Out arch.

Looking for Chris and Pammy in the sea of spectators … ah ha, there they are!!!

Ready to set off on my bike… a mere 112 miles to go…
with the promise of some “rolling hills.”

The bike portion of the race was tougher than I expected. I wasn’t prepared to find out that I had no muscle or power left in my legs after the two-hour swim. I was depleted and not quite ready for the road ahead. But I kept pedaling. I kept eating more energy foods. Gels. Clif Bars. Bananas. Gatorade. Whatever it took. Plus that little twinge in my left knee was still there?  After the first few miles it started to feel better. But the hills were still tougher than I expected.

Ten miles or so into the race, my derailleur stopped working and I was stuck in the big chain ring. Good for speed… not so good for riding the hills. I was pedaling a LOT harder than I should have been. When I got to the first bike tech tent, I pulled in to have them look at my bike. He fiddled with it for awhile and finally got it to shift back & forth. He said I was good to go… and I did… after about 20 minutes of waiting. By then I was feeling better and getting some strength back in my legs. Pedal on!!!

Part way through the course we rolled through the town of LaGrange… a fun little town where there were a lot of  spectators cheering us on. They even had a shuttle system worked out for family, friends and support crew to get back & forth. It was great to see Chris on the sidelines cheering me on as I cruised through the town!!! And shooting photos for me along the way… she just barely caught me as cruised through.

This was also the first triathlon that I’ve ever done where the roads weren’t totally closed. The police did a great job of keeping us safe and blocking most of the traffic at intersections. However there were quite a few cars that made it through on the road that kept getting in the way. Especially tough to maneuver around cars on the hills as you’re trying to power up… and there’s a car in the way in your lane and traffic coming in the other direction. Not ideal conditions for a race.

The course had a large loop on it. So you had to ride the loop twice before heading back to Transition. Along the way you got to stop off for your Bike Special Needs bag… for a quick “lunch” break. And then it was back on the bike after a few minutes… and back through LaGrange again… howdy Chris!!!

After a hundred and twelve long & grueling miles, you finally head back into Lousiville. It was great to see the bridges on your right. The beacon town Downtown. All good signs that you’re getting closer to the Transition Area again. So great to see Chris waiting for me at the end of the bike route!!! Both of us thought my bike time would be quicker… neither of us realizing how tough the hills would be. Neither of us realizing how many cars would be on the road. How my bike would need technical help along the way. And how my legs would be so wiped out after the swim!!! Or how that little twinge on the side of my left knee, and now in my left achilles too, would be there. Still nothing too painful, just enough to make you more cautious and careful not to make it worse. All good though… I made it back… time to run!!!

So again it’s back tot he Transition Area. You hand your bike off to one of the many volunteers. You continue back to the rows & rows of nags. A volunteer gets your bag for you and hands it off as you pass through. Back into the hot, steamy & smelly changing tent. Switch from bike clothes, shows & helmet into running shorts, tank top, and running shoes. Eat some food. Drink some water. Was that just lunch? Throw your bike clothes into your Run Gear bag and head out… past the Sunscreen Station again… and the porta-potties… and off onto the Run Course.

Okay, sure I’ll admit tat it doesn’t feel good when you switch from bike to run. I might say it feels like your hips are turned out the wrong way. Little painful to get a running stride into place. And yet so fun to know that you’re two parts done, only one more leg to go!!!

And still smiling…

So you leave the Transition Area and head out into the downtown streets… slowly…

So great to see Pammy waiting for me on the sidelines… sitting in her chair…
broken foot and all… still cheering. Still encouraging me onwards!!!

So the Run Course takes you quickly through Downtown Louisville and off into the surrounding area. At times it was residential, then small neighborhoods. The route took us past the University, some cool Art Museum and even past Churchill Downs!!! The run is another big loop. So when I finally got to the halfway point, it was already dark. And to make matters worse… a LOT of runners were already crossing the Finish Line. But not me. Instead, the course takes you ONE BLOCK away from the actual Finish Line. You can see it. You can hear it. And then you turn right one block short of crossing. The Run Special Needs Bags are right there… as were Chris, Pam and Jeff. Great friends waiting for me. Cheering me on… broken foot and all.

So you head back out for another half marathon! Another full thirteen miles in darkness. It’s the same loop as last time, except now it’s dark, there are a LOT fewer runners out there and they’re handing out glow sticks!!! This second loop was so much tougher than the first. And let’s just say for the record, I’m not the greatest runner in the first place. But by this point my “jog” was getting down to more like a “shuffle.” A times I began to wonder if I would be able to walk faster than I was shuffling?! Knowing the whole time that all I need to do is cross the Finiah Line. And that it’s not worth killing myself, blowing out my achilles, or injuring myself in any way. Better to be slow & strong, than fast & injured. So I continued to “shuffle” and walked through the aid stations. I’m still not good at running, drinking & eating all at the same time.

The last six miles or so are pretty rough. Darkness. Fatigue. Fewer people out there keeping you going. Fewer runners. Fewer spectators. Plus after a day of Gatorade, bananas, goo, gel, Clif Bars and snacks… my stomach was done too. I was saturated with energy goop. Water only for me for the last few hours. And apparently I wasn’t the only one as you start to see a LOT of runners vomiting along the sides as the miles tick down. And to make matters worse, apparently I was an “over-achiever” in the hydration category. Because the last half was also needed quite a few stops to pee at the rest stations. Much better than the other alternatives, but still not so good for my race time?!

Eventually you get back into the Downtown area. We made a couple turns through the city streets. This time when we made the turn onto Fourth Street… we knew we finally got to go straight through and actually make it through the Finish Line!!! So exciting to finally see the end. To know that you are indeed going to make it. To hear the crowd cheering you on. To hear the announcer proclaim those six words you’ve worked so long & hard to hear…

GARY JACKSON… YOU… ARE… AN… IRONMAN !!!

So I made it through the Finish Line and felt surprisingly great. I know… adrenaline… endorphins… I get it. But I felt surprisingly good. I did my best IRONMAN “shuffle” across the Finish Line. After crossing amongst the camera flashes and cheering crowds, they whisk you through the finish zone. Your Volunteer Escort gives you your Finisher’s Medal. A quick stop at the Finisher’s step & repeat for your official Finisher’s Photo. They get you a bottle of water. Food if you need it. A mylar blanket for hypothermia if you need it… I didn’t. Your official Finisher’s hat & t-shirt. Eventually, when you’ve made it through the Finish Line “gauntele”… you’re released to find your Support Crew.

My favorite Sherpa Chris was there taking as many pictures as she could. Pammy and her husband were there too. I still can’t quite fathom that Pam came down to Louisville with her broken foot. But that’s what good friends do… and I love ’em!!!

After the Finish Line gauntlet, we all walked back to our hotel. I’m sure it was “therapeutic” to keep walking. Of course we stopped a few times… for Pam, not me!!! But I didn’t care. I felt great. Still riding high after finishing my first IRONMAN!!!

Back at the hotel, I opened my swag. Love my new hat… and even more…
MY IRONMAN FINISHER’S MEDAL!!!

Ouch!
It wasn’t until I took my shoes & socks off that I found out why my left foot hurt a bit. It sure looked worse than it feels. But I felt great that this “little” red blister was the my only injury after a full IRONMAN!!!

Chris and I sat up and talked for a little while. She ran me a cold bath and filled it with ice. I tried my best to soak in the freezing water… standing in it was fine. But when I sat down all the way it sent shivers through my body. How do professional athletes do these ice baths all the time?!!! Not me. Also, as a fellow IRONMAN, Pammy knew that I would be starving at some point… maybe 3:00 in the morning… so she ordered me a pizza for when the hunger hit. And it did.

Eventually, Chris and I finally went to sleep.
We set the alarm for an early morning at the Finisher’s Expo Tent.
My feet & ankles were already sore… and I was fearing how they would feel in the morning.
But I needed to sleep… so a couple Advils and I was down for the count.

Happy to know that I am now an IRONMAN !!!

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So the day is finally here.
It’s been a long summer of planning & training… sweating…. playing… pedaling…

2.4 mile swim.   112 mile bike.   26.2 mile run.
Back to back. All in one day. You’ve got 16 hours to cross the Finish Line.
So here’s the scoop… starting with the Swim Course.

Followed by the Bike Course…

Which was by no means flat. They called it “rolling hills”… they lied!!! It was HILLY!!!

Followed by a full Marathon…

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So we came back down to the waterfront Saturday morning for athlete check-in, mandatory athlete briefing and the IRONMAN Expo. It’s a little overwhelming to see those bridges looming out there off in the distance. Knowing that I was going to have to swim a LONG ways around an island and then under those two, yes count them two, bridges before getting out of the water.

We parked the car and then started off towards IRONMAN VILLAGE. There were already athletes in the water for the official open water swim practice. Sure, I probably should be practicing with them… but then again, why start now?!

So we finally made it to IRONMAN VILLAGE. Exciting!!!
There’s the official IRONMAN Expo Tent, assorted vendors and other things in the Village. We did a little shopping and hung around for the first official Athlete Briefing of the morning. They cover all of the basic rules & information for tomorrow’s triathlon. After the briefing, you’re good to go and get ready for the Big Race!!!

After getting my bags and checking in, we went back to the hotel to pack up my gear for each leg of the race. For most triathlons you generally keep all of your stuff at one place. You continue to return to that same Transition Area in between each leg of the race. But for the IRONMAN, because it’s so much longer, they split it up a bit… and they provide you with a Special Needs Bag for both the run and the bike. Those special needs bags will be out on the route at the half-way point. So it’s important to think about what you might need at each leg of the race ahead of time.

It was great to have Chris there as my longtime friend, eager supporter and Sherpa for the weekend. She was the perfect choice to keep me on task and help keep everything running smoothly. Trying to plan, organize and prepare for every step of the way. I don’t want any surprises along the way tomorrow.

Once we were packed up, and had my numbers attached to bike, helmet and everywhere else… it was time to go back to the Transition Area. I had to get my bike and all of my Gear Bags checked into Transition ahead of time. So my Sherpa Chris and I headed out of the hotel towards the Transition Area again.

When you get there, you suddenly see a LOT of bikes!!! There are nearly three thousand people signed up for the race. And the Transition Area was filling up fast. Right on the waterfront. In the “shadow” of the bridges. Thousands of bikes waiting for their big day tomorrow!

Once bikes are in place, then you take your Gear Bags to the other side of the Transition Area. It’s a big system of numbers & rows. Everything is planned & organized. Everything in its place. Every place with its thing. Thousands of bags all lined up in the field.

After setting up in Transition, we went to find my friend Pam who was working… and sitting down… in the Volunteer’s Information Tent. So glad that she made it down to cheer me on… even if she couldn’t do much walking…

Earlier the day before, as we were leaving Chicago,  I got this text from Pam…

Turns out Pam actually broke her foot. And yet she still pulled it together and came down to Louisville to cheer me on, as well as volunteer at the race. She’s a trooper. So much fun to have Pammy there to be part of my Support Crew, along with her husband Jeff. Too bad she’s going to miss her marathon next weekend through the Redwood Forest in California!!! Mwah, mwah, mwah…

After playing with Pam, Chris and I decided to walk up a mile or so to the location for the the Swim Start. It’s a cozy little marina of docks located between the shoreline and a small island. So the swim plan is that all athletes will jump off one of the closest two docks. Swim north, turn around the island, and then swim south back to Joe’s Crab Shack.

So then it was back to “reality”… dinner, hotel, early to bed.
Chris and I discussed our morning plan. It was going to be a VERY early morning start down at the Pier. The race officially starts at 7:30am. But my personal start time is whenever I cross the timing mat on my way into the water. But the sooner I start, the longer I have to make it across the Finish Line. So we’re starting VERY early tomorrow!!!

 

 

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