IRONMAN Arizona

First of all I want to apologize for not having an Internet hookup in Arizona. I was going to post every day, but didn't get the chance to use my computer. Ironman Arizona was TOUGH! I felt good leading up to the race, but Saturday the water was cold on my practice swim and I was happy to have a long sleeve wetsuit! My friends and I were thinking that the water may actually be warm over the summer; we were wrong! I will take you through the day:

6AM: In transition I found a pump to top off my tires which was actually a frantic situation with almost every rider. The cool temperatures had tires low on air. This is the time when all the nerves are kicking in: Am I going to be able to finish? Did I put all I needed in my bags? Where is my timing chip? I should have trained more! Are my new running shoes going to be OK? Where is the start? How long is the Porta-lav line? Why am I doing this again?

6:45AM: Water temp is 63 degrees and I am getting in the front? It will take a while for 2200 people to get in... am I ready for this?

6:50AM: The Pros go off... boy would I like to start with them instead of 2200 people!

6:59AM: I can do this! I am ready! Lets get this thing going!

7:01AM: I can't see.. I can't breathe... why am I doing this again? Try to calm down!

7:35AM: Finally at the turnaround, I may actually get though this swim!

8:09AM: I am so glad that is over! Where is that bike I love? I can't wait!

8:15AM: Now things are great! I love Ironman... this bike is awesome, how did all these people beat me out of the water?

9AM: The turnaround took a while longer than I thought... I didn't realize the end was such a climb! Now that I am going down I can see why I was hurting a little 35mph!

9:45AM: How am I going to get this spare tubular to stay on my bike? I had better hit the mechanics station... I am getting hungry?

10:40AM: That second way out to the turnaround seemed MUCH longer... why is it so windy? Who are all these guys drafting off me getting Red Cards? Is it really worth it? Man that special needs stop took a long time!

11:30AM: Only one more time out and back... keep eating! Is there pizza at the feed zones? I sure would like some water instead of Powerbar drink!

12:20PM: Remember you have a marathon coming and you aren't the best runner! One more time down the descent! Be sure to
get all the food in before you start running! why didn't you eat those peanut butter pretzels again?

1:15PM: I don't want to leave my bike! Please don't make me leave the bike! You mean all I am going to have is some running shoes for that last 26.2 miles?

1:20PM: I am not feeling too good, but that first mile was a little ahead of schedule... just keep going!

1:30PM: Still doing OK... maybe I will get feeling better if I just drink water and have gels?

1:40PM: These people at the feeds are awesome! How can they stand out here all day? Man am I hungry! I wish I could stomach some salty stuff!

1:50PM: Just stay positive.... you will come around.... walk a little if you need to...

2:00PM: Man this is gonna be a long day... you definitely didn't get your food right...

2:10PM: There is always next year... just keep moving! All you need to do is get through this...

2:30PM: Hello Jesus! I am so glad you are here cheering for me! What do you know its not that bad out here!

2:40PM: ELVIS? I knew you were still alive! Can you spare one of those Peanut butter/bacon/banana sandwiches? I am tired... if i just walk over there maybe those rocks are comfortable to lay down on...

3PM: This is as bad as it gets... I am definitely feeling like the King in his "carbohydrate, sequent jumpsuit, purple, bloated, dead on a toilet phase"... to quote Wayne's World.

4PM: OK! One more time around... that will be easy! Why did I do this again?

4:52PM: There is my goal time.... I only have about 5 miles left to walk/run.... maybe next year?

5:30PM: You can't quit now... how would anyone know how to find you? Is it going to be dark soon? Why is Elvis following me, and why won't he give me something to eat? I wonder what kind of beer they have at the next stop? If I could eat it would be a large Pepperoni pizza!

5:45PM: Ahhhhh.... the left tun to the finish... am I almost done? did I do 3 run laps? Where am I again? .....100 meters? Is that longer than a yard? Why don't I know metrics? Can I make it 100 meters?

5:47:09PM: Chris Newell from Reisterstown, Maryland... You are an IRONMAN!!!!!!! I am done!!!!

5:50PM: In the medical tent.... I weigh how much? I lost 7 pounds? why are my arms cramping? I have to lay down... I am freezing!

... And that was my day. I had a great time believe it or not. I finished in 10:47:08. All of that and I was still a minute faster than last time. I am all signed up for 2009 and will try some new things to get ready. I have to get my nutrition down because I feel like I never got a chance to run at all. I was just finished before I started. Ironman is definitely hard to figure out. The day is so long you never know how you are going to feel, or how things will work out. The amount of emotions you go through is just amazing... from feeling like a world beater; to feeling like you got in way over your head... its all in there during the day. The best thing about racing is there is always another shot... all you have to do is keep trying. If I just keep trying new things one day I will figure it out; or at least find something I can try to get stronger. Its been a great year and I am so happy I decided to do Ironman again. I have a feeling 2009 will be a very good year; I appreciate you reading; until next time... keep training!

"Chris-is" Avoided.... Hopefully!

These things always happen to me..... Its Tuesday November 18th at 9:35AM and I am at work. Its a busy time for me as you can imagine being a stock trader so I ignored a call from an unknown number on my cell phone. I got worried so I checked my messages.... turns out it was this great woman named Janet who worked at UPS in Tempe, AZ. She had found my bicycle and opened the case to look for my information because it had no address, or shipping label on it! I had packed the bike myself and it was shipped out UPS by my shop last week. When packing it I put the shipping address on the outside of the case in 2 places with duct tape, and as a precaution put my personal info on the bike's top tube. Luckily this wonderful woman called my cell number to tell me she had my bike and no idea what to do with it! I had the tracking number, but she had no shipping address attached to it. How did my bike even make it to Tempe, Arizona? After giving her the address she said it would go out no problem; Ok so maybe she didn't go to the lengths that Tom Hanks did in Castaway to get my package delivered, but it means an awful lot to me!!!! That would have been a real problem showing up Thursday ready to pick up my bike at Inside Out Sports and hearing it never arrived! This is supposed to be an easy, non-stressful week for me! There is nothing like shipping a bike only to have it stolen, and paying $125 for the honor of delivering it to a thief! I should know I had a new Cannondale Scalpel team issue bike with full XTR stolen a few years back from DHL in Kansas City, MO; I wonder why they are out of the US now? Needless to say I am very lucky I had a cyclist named Janet in Tempe looking out for me!
I will be posting daily from IM Arizona starting Thursday; hopefully I will only have good posts from now on! By the way, ALWAYS put your name on your bike; it might just fall into the hands of someone who will do the right thing someday!

Its Been Interesting...

This past weekend was the KBS Cyclocross at Rockburn Park in Maryland and it was a great race. I missed last year's event so I extended my CX season for 1 more week to do a race close to home. I have had a strange cross season this year because of IM Arizona training. I either feel good and ride strong like I did at Hagerstown, or I have bad starts and never really get going. Rockburn was definitely in the never got going category. The course was actually shorter than last year, but it was still a very long lap with some great sections and obstacles. I liked the fact that there were 2 climbs, and actually a downhill where you didn't pedal for a few revolutions. Usually that kind of variation isn't found in the modern CX model. Regardless of my results this year I have tried to take something positive from the race, and Sunday I was climbing well. This won't translate into much at IM in a few weeks, but it will mean that I am fit and up to the challenge if its a windy day. I will be glad to get to race day feeling good and see how it plays out!
Although I will do the MABRA championship in a few weeks, I think the cross season was good, and entertaining for a change of pace. I am very surprised at the recent popularity at the races and hope it continues; cross is a great format for racers, promoters, and sponsors that allows close racing in highly populated areas. I remember when MTB racing used to have large turnouts, and the same kind of excitement. Hopefully it will go a better route than NORBA!
From now until IM Arizona on 11/23 I will be updating a little more. I don't have any events planned so I hope to make it entertaining. I will definitely have a lot to report race week and afterwards with what I am referring to as Beer and Pizza week! I hope you are enjoying your Fall; thanks for reading!