Road to Ironman: The Race

It was 5 o’clock when the alarm on my phone went off. I had been rolling around in bed uncomfortably for about an hour by then, exhilarated and nervous about the day ahead.

I had my now customary pre-triathlon breakfast: a couple of slices of toast with honey and a coffee. I also downed a bottle of Hiddit Isotonic Drink, supplying myself with the necessary electrolytes (mostly sodium) that I would need during the day. It promised to be very hot on the run so hydration would be a key factor to success.

I went out in the dark and walked to the transition area. I put 2 drink bottles with isotonic on my bike and attached 5 energy gels on the frame with special tape. I had devised a nutrition strategy with my coach Jens on Friday: on the bike, I would consume an energy gel every 35 minutes, to supply my body with much needed carbohydrates and electrolytes.

I inflated my tires, made a final check to the bike and transition bags and returned to my room to change into my racing attire.

I walked to the swim start at the crack of dawn. The sight of the La Santa lagoon, in that special moment when night turns into day, was magical. I got into my wetsuit, put on my swimming cap and goggles, and relished the final encouragements of my excited crew.

I watched the professionals start their race at a blistering pace. A couple of minutes later, I advanced to the start, awaiting the blow of the horn that would mark the start of my first ever half Ironman.

The moment I had been training for for more than 5 months. A decision made in May, with great ambition, yet also with a little bit of fear, a combination of emotions I have found to lead to great success. I felt them again at the start of the race, impressed by the more than 5-hour task ahead, intimidated by the apparent strength of the athletes surrounding me, yet confident I had prepared as good as possible, both mentally and physically.

5 October 2018, 7:35. La Santa, Lanzarote.

Off we went!

I had my best race swim ever. However, the start was incidental. After about 100 meters, another athlete kicked me frontally in the head, thereby completely removing my swimming goggles. I had to make a full stop to put them on again, losing cadence and at least half a minute in the process. Luckily, I quickly found a good cadence and rounded the buoys without much trouble. I completed the swim leg in 36:51 minutes, averaging a great pace of 1:49 minutes per 100 meters (note: data from my Garmin).

I made my way out of the water, crossed the small beach and, while already undoing the top part of my wetsuits, ran up the hill to the transition area. I stopped a few seconds at the showers to wash off the salt from my face and wipe the sand off my feet. I sprinted towards my T1 transition bag and found a seat in the special transition tents.

I took off my wetsuit, always a challenge with the time chip strapped firmly on your left ankle. I ate an energy bar, dried my head and feet and put on my socks and cycling shoes. I finally put on my helmet and glasses and ran towards my bike, dropping my T1 bag (now carrying the removed wetsuit and swim goggles) in the process.

T1 is not my fastest transition, but I have found it useless to rush the process. I can get nervous and annoyed when the wetsuit does not come off easily for instance. I have found it a better approach to take my time, let the heartbeat drop a bit from the swim, and start the bike leg in good spirits.

The first 30 kilometers on the bike were hard. Some might say very hard. It was almost entirely uphill, resulting in slow average speeds and the frequent consultation of the small chainring. Even though I did not push very hard (as discussed with Jens on Friday), I noticed I felt good on the climbs and was easily passing quite a lot of athletes in the process. The endless training hours on the hilly Haspengouw roads were paying dividends!

After the turning point in Uga (30 km into the course), it was mostly downhill back to La Santa. I kept most of my reserves intact, focusing on hydration and nutrition all the time, successfully grabbing a number of sports bottles at the various aid stations. Never did this before, and it is a cool feeling.

Upon returning at La Santa, I was cheered by my crew, and made the turn for the final 15 km out and back to Los Dolores. A fitting name. I pushed harder on the climbs and was enjoying myself, more than once savoring the moment and taking in the breathtaking volcanic landscapes of Lanzarote. I flew down the 15 km descent back to La Santa, riding as hard as 56 km/hour at some point.

I completed the bike leg with a 29,6 km/hour average, exactly as expected by the coach.

My T2 transition was a lot faster compared to T1. I have perfected the process of removing my shoes on the bike and dismounting it in full motion right before the marked line. It allowed me to immediately sprint to my designated spot, drop the bike, grab my T2 transition bag and put on my running shoes and visor. Tucking away 2 energy gels, I set out for the half marathon. 3 loops of about 7 km along the ocean shore, back and forth to La Santa village.

I was already over 3 and a half hours on the go by now. It was 11:00 and the sun was shining brightly. The recorded temperature on my Garmin was 31,4° Celsius, but it felt a lot warmer. Without a single meter of shade on the entire course, this run was going to be brutal. The fact that each loop consisted of 2 big descents and climbs only made matters worse. I now fully understood why Lanzarote is regarded as one of “the most honest triathlon courses in the world”.

I started the run feeling good. The legs still felt really fresh and, spurred on by the cheering crowd and a rush of adrenaline, I completed my first kilometer in 4:42, way faster than the 5:30 pace I had discussed with Jens. Realizing it was still a long road ahead, I consciously slowed down to a 5:10–5:20 pace during my first lap.

The heat was starting to kick in. Luckily, there were 3 aid stations on the course, providing wet sponges, water, coke (never used it) and isotonic drinks. The volunteers manning these stations did an amazing job and I was always able to grab the supplies I needed to cool down the body and replenish the lost fluids and electrolytes. I regularly tucked away 2 wet sponges in my trisuit on my shoulders, a technique I shamelessly stole from the other athletes :-)

Lap 1 went really well. During the second lap, fatigue started to kick in and I had to gradually slow down to a 5:30 pace. In lap 3, it got really tough. My calf and hamstrings started to stiffen up and I felt fatigue accumulating throughout my entire body. However, I was hardly the only one suffering. Lots of athletes that seemed really strong only a lap ago, where now slowing down hard or even walking! Even though my pace dropped to 5:35–5:40, I was certainly not feeling like I had to stop running. As I moved my way up the field, my spirits were lifting. I tried to stop thinking about the pain, put my head down and focus on the process. “Step by step” I repeated countless times during those final kilometers. Step by step…

Getting closer to the finish line, elation and euphoria started to kick in. I realized I was going to complete the mission. I was going to finish my first half Ironman.

Smiling broadly now, I thanked every single volunteer I passed during that final kilometer. I entered the La Santa track for the final 300 meters with a sensation of pure happiness.

I was still feeling pretty good physically, so I was able to enjoy the moment mentally and emotionally to the fullest. This was the feeling I hoped for. I ultimately completed the half marathon in 1:54:17, averaging 5:22 minutes per kilometer.

I waved to my crew, pumped my fists and crossed the finish line, clutching the Ironman finisher tape in “Jan Frodeno” style ;-)

5:36:09.

Almost 9 minutes faster than expected.

A great feeling.

I received my Ironman finisher medal from none other than Kenneth Gasque, multiple Ironman Hawaii finisher and the man responsible for making Lanzarote such a special place in the triathlon community.

We took some pictures at the podium, lingered around a little bit and eventually set out to refresh ourselves. Afterwards, I collected my bike from the transition area and picked up my transition bags. I received a bright red finisher shirt, which I immediately put on with pride.

Time to eat! Pizza, French fries, potato chips… Welcome back into my life. I thoroughly enjoyed the rest of the day, talking vividly about my experiences during the race and answering the ton of questions my family fired at me.

After enjoying the magnificent Lanzarote sunset, we attended the awards ceremony, had a final drink and set off to our rooms.

I fell asleep almost immediately, tired but satisfied, already experiencing a hinge of excitement about a next challenge…