Ironman Copenhagen

RACE report for IM Copenhagen August 19th, 2018

The morning of the race was excellent, calm ocean, no wind and in the 70’s. We took a cab to get there at 5.15am. Only a 15 min ride. You can take the metro too, but it’s a bit more than 1/2 mile walk to the beach.

My transition was set up next the Pros, second row from bike out. Pretty cool with AWA benefit.

Ed, my husband was with me, to wish me good luck, and I was waiting to see my brothers Richard and Daniel and my cousin Jacob and my friends Agnes and Riley. But I didn’t see them until after swim.

I thought it was a pretty cool swim system. Everyone had to put themselves on a preferred swim time and then we were boxed into the certain time area with different cap colors. The swim was surprising pleasant, about 22 degrees C, (71F) and it was very shallow so you could see the bottom with seaweed and some fish, and a crab, but it was not totally clear, then perhaps it was because 2,800 athletes was swimming along, ha. I started off strong, I kept my pace even. we were spaced out pretty well, I never really had any bump ins, except around the turns. It was wetsuit legal and swimming in Saltwater was a different feeling, my legs floated almost above the surface. It was one big loop, and I felt strong for most of the way until the last small turn where it became very packed and I was getting tired. My arms started getting numb, and I felt a minor cramp in my legs, but I was still swimming strong. I’m glad in this race I never bumped into any breast strokers, I had seeded myself pretty well. Swim 1.19hr. 4th place.

T1.

I got out of the water and was happily cheered on by my support Team, brothers, cousin, friends, and my sweet nephews Jacob and Alexander. What a great motivation. The bags was hanging on racks so it was easy to grab. We changed outside and it was crowded and wet everywhere, both guys and gals. However, if you had to change into nudity there was a tent. I forget how in a humid climate nothing dries as fast as in a dry climate. The wetsuit felt more soaked and heavy than ever. I tackled with the suit and finally got my bike gears on. It was a long transition run to the bike. I had no problem finding it. T1. 7 min

Bike 6 hrs 1 st place (through North Zealand)

The bike course was awesome with mostly flat and some rolling hills. I’m so happy I bought new race tires, the ones I had were very thin and these new ones are more suitable to the environment. The roads in Denmark contain flint stone and they are very sharp especially when it rains. I did not want to risk a flat.

We started at the beach and dwindled into the city, across cobblestones, several turns, but it was good marked. The crowd was cheering alongside the roads. After about 20 km, (35miles) we ended up on the Strandevej, beach road, and it was so great to see the ocean, there was a slight wind, but very minor. (Not like in Cozumel where a monsoon storm started during my bike ride.) lol!!

I wore only my arm warmers and I was totally fine, it’s been a heat wave during the summer in Scandinavia and we caught the end of it.

The course was two loops around the coast and inland. The northern part was country side and rolling hills, very pretty and my mind was happy and present to keep myself not getting bored. My main mantra was for the whole day “I am number One, I’m strong and I will be number One”. I also sang “It’s a long way to Tipperary, its a long way to go”…. I have no idea where that came from but it amused me. Hehe!! I was relaxed and I was riding strong.

Halfway unfortunately, I had a crash at the water station. A girl handed a bottle to another athlete who with his reach his arm right in front of me after she had just handed me one. WTF!! Then she dropped the bottle and I had no way to avoid it. Since I was holding a bottle in my right hand, I reacted with pulling my front break with my left, which caused me crashing. The handlebar slammed deep into my tibia bone in my left quad. I could not stand up. Oh, I was mad and yelled at the girl! The volunteers helped me up and asked if I wanted to quit. Absolutely NOT!! “Is my bike ok”?? It took a lot of mental strength to try to ignore the pain. After about 10 minutes I filled my bottle and took off. My only thought was there is NO PAIN. I kept telling myself this over and over. Bike 6 hrs, 1 st place

T2 5.33 min

The transition was underground. We biked down the parking house ramp and once I got off the bike, my leg almost buckled under me. My quad was black and blue already. I got my run gears, and I could not bend my leg without deep pain. After feeling forever, I finally got my socks and shoes on. 5.33 min

Run 5:03 hrs. (Little Mermaid, Amalienborg Castle and New Harbor with Finish line Ofelia Plads)

Right at the start coming out from T2 my friend Agnes was there yelling that I was 1st on the bike and in a 20 min lead from second. The run course was four laps. We ran from Ofelia Plads up north to where the cruise ships were docked, passed the little mermaid and back south. Cheering crowd and runners everywhere. It was mostly overcast, sometimes sun and temperature in high 70’s. I felt it was perfect, if I only had not been injured.

 

I knew the lady who was chasing has done a 3.50hr marathon on her last Ironman. All I could do was to run and try to keep her at distance. But she kept gaining on me, and my quad kept getting weaker and I couldn’t go any stronger. I have never had anyone chasing me before, it’s always been me doing the chasing, odd feeling. When she passed me around the second lap, I lost a bit of my mojo, but thanks to my family who kept telling me to keep fighting and that I was still in second place by 10 min. I was running, shuffling, and walking at the water stations, refusing to give in. I was getting real dizzy and disoriented. Third place crept closer and closer. By the final lap the last km’s I was only 2 minutes ahead and my husband told me not to stop or walk and keep going. She passed me and again I lost my mojo. Had I only known I was still ahead even thou she passed me, I could have fought stronger for the second place, but that’s a lesson learned, Never give up!!! Run 5:04 hrs, 3rd Place

 

Once at the finish my legs collapsed and I almost passed out. I gave it my all. They brought me to medical and gave me drops of electrolytes. I was so dehydrated. Gosh, that felt great to be finished. 😀 

Total time: 12.37 hours, Third Place

 

Now 10 days later I’m ready to start training for IM Arizona in November. Chasing my dream to qualify to Kona, Hawaii!! 😀🏊🚴🏃