It was a long time coming, but well worth the wait. The trail was established after thirty years of planning. I don’t have a road bike.Completed in 2014, the Iron Horse Bike Trail spans 32 miles of California landscape and history. I signed up for the 2018 race but tore my ACL so I was determined to get there in 2019. It’s no small endeavor, there is 5,700 feet of elevation gain and two mountain passes at 10,000 feet. The Iron Horse Bicycle Classic is a road race that starts in Durango, Colorado and ends in the historic mining town of Silverton.
Many of the most popular Ironman races and venues fill up in less than 60 minutes. It winds through several suburban areas and follows a wide creek that many wildlife animals call home.The crown jewel of the sport of triathlon is the Ironman Triathlon 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, 26.2 run. This rail-trail is approximately 27 miles long and is an important part the San Ramon Valley’s agricultural and ranching past. The Iron Horse Regional Trail is 15 miles away from Livermore. Actually, I had an opinion: This was a terrible idea that, at the very least, would lead to prolonged discomfort and, at the worst, an injury.The Iron Horse Regional Trail.
Built by Verlicchi, an Italian company known for motorsport products. In fact this was the first or one of the first frames disigned specifically for the Downhill. Front page from a 1993 Iron Horse catalogue/calendar: 1993 Iron Horse FS Works specs. It’s contagious.I’m allowed to think this.
I herald electrolyte mix as the elixir of life. I’m a runner with several ultra-marathons under my belt. Plan ahead Long distance through-hikes or cycling trips require planning and.Besides that, I respect distance.
Here’s Zeppelin’s account of his mission, from start to finish.Sean Ryan 6:00 p.m. And when he gets an idea that he likes the sound of, he’s not letting it go until it’s a reality.But he can explain it better than me. But he doesn’t “train.” This is a guy who (prior to this) had never swam more than a few hundred yards, never ran more than 15 miles, and only bikes around town to do errands on his fixie.So why take on an iron-distance triathlon—especially one that you didn’t register, pay, or plan for? In short, Zeppelin enjoys a challenge.
So I went and had a cheeseburger and a peanut butter-chocolate shake from a local brewery (I did skip the beer because I figured I’d save that for the post-event celebration). I also read that nutrition is the most crucial component for finishing. But when I found myself bored with no weekend plans one Friday in August, I told my girlfriend Lauren, “I’m gonna do it tomorrow.”I Googled “ Ironman race prep 24 hours,” only to discover I was six, maybe 12, months behind on training. But everyone turned me down with an intelligent “F*ck no.”So I put the idea on the back burner. It’d been awhile since I took on a big objective, and I wanted to prove to myself that I still could.
Saturday, August 4 Salt Lake CityDespite not training, stretching, or even owning a legitimate road bike, I honestly thought an Ironman would be relatively easy. The Internet also said rest is important. And I’d still have some time to recover before reporting back to the office on Monday morning.My plan laid out, I tried to get some sleep. I’d start in the evening and do most of it overnight, to avoid traffic on the bike ride and the sweltering August heat on the marathon.
So I was glad to share Mirror Lake with just a few fisherman and paddleboarders, as well as Lauren and my roommate/friend, Sean Ryan, who were following me in a canoe with Strava running, and a tow rope (just in case).I had a wetsuit, but not being a swimmer, I forgot to bring a nose plug and goggles. That didn’t sound too appealing, especially since my swimming fitness consisted of paddling my surfboard when I have the chance to visit the West Coast. Mirror Lake, Uinta Mountains, UtahMy understanding of a traditional Ironman swim is that it’s a mass start where you get kicked in the face and otherwise violently assaulted. A trip to the grocery store rounded out my “nutrition” with a bag of beef jerky, two PB&J sandwiches, two bananas, three donuts, and an Odwalla smoothie. I also bought four Honey Stinger waffles and four ProBars.
I did not get one.Sean Ryan 9:00 p.m. I asked if they had any s’mores to share. 45 pistol on his hip, as one does. To cheer myself up, I approached a man grilling at a nearby campsite with his family, wearing a. I was cold, and suddenly not so excited for my 112-mile solo overnight ride.
As I rode off, I yelled, “I want to be out here!” I think I hollered it as much for my own benefit as for hers.At this point, I had to admit that Ironman triathlons are hard. It sounded tempting, so I rode away, distancing myself from her reasonable voice. As I was pedaling into the town of Coalville a little after midnight, cold and wet, a concerned old woman pulled over in her car and informed me of a motel five miles up the road. That was the scariest part of the night—until I realized I had forgotten to check the weather.Around 11 p.m., lightning flashed and I heard thunder. Later, I imagined her laughing about the “terrified human on a bike” with all the other critters in the woods.
Until I hit 112 miles, for a bike split of 6:21.So began the emotional rollercoaster. Strava told me I was only at mile 106, so I rode half-mile laps around my neighborhood park at 3 a.m. I put my head down and pedaled grouchily until I was back in Salt Lake.
While she was filling up her hydration pack, I filled the gaping hole in my stomach with a peach, a sandwich, and a donut.My newfound mental fortitude lasted 10 miles. Sunday, August 5 Salt Lake CityI felt guilty waking Lauren up at 3:30 in the morning, but she had offered to run the marathon with me. And I was still giddy over the butt pads.3:37 a.m. I had energy and more than a shred of hope that I’d finish this thing. Honestly, I didn’t feel that bad at all anymore.
The three of us looked like we were just out for a morning jog. I was committed to finishing.Makoa joined us for the last leg, which was perfect because his road running pace is a solid and reliable 9:30 mile. At about 6 a.m., with 17 miles down, we got back to my house for some more food, and an espresso.Knowing that I only had nine miles left was a game changer. She also persuaded me to open that second tube of Nuun tabs, and down some much-needed water. Lauren tricked me into running four more miles than planned before the first “aid station” break at my house.
You can’t walk through a finisher’s tape. I picked up the pace and ran through it. But when I got to my house, I saw that Sean had set up a finisher’s tape across our front porch as a surprise. A mile from the finish, I was demoted to a run-walk regimen again.
I wouldn’t encourage the masses to embark on a huge endurance event with no training. I had a hard time walking for a week.All in all, I would give the DIY Ironman 2 out of 5 stars on a Yelp review. The supreme pizza I ate in celebration at breakfast took a hard U-turn in less than an hour. Instead of having a celebratory beer, my body rewarded itself with projectile vomiting, hot flashes, and head-to-toe fatigue that (I assume) felt like death. Right? Not quite.Despite my newfound knowledge of electrolytes, I was still massively dehydrated.
But if you’re feeling really bored, stupid, and motivated on a Friday, and decide to go for it any way, I have one piece of advice: Buy that second tube of Nuun.
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