Notes & Thoughts Post IMAZ
First thing I have to say is I'm getting closer and closer to nailing an awesome day! A couple changes in my routine and I think I'll give myself the best opportunity to execute the way I want to...more importantly, the way I know I can!
A couple positive things to look back on is my swim and bike. Yeah...my swim. You might look at my race time and say "What the heck!" My training times had me closing up that discipline in 57-58 minutes!
Well, what you don't see is the screw-up I made at the start of the race. Jumping in the water 5 min before the cannon went off was the dumbest thing I've ever done. I actually had no idea how much time I had left...I just knew I needed to hurry up! Wouldn't have been that bad if I wasn't 200 meters away from the start. Blowing you energy before the race even started is not the most ideal thing to do. I ended up sprinting to the front hoping that I would make it in time before the canon went off. I figured just getting to the front was the most important thing at this point.
I also had a run in with an overly aggressive swimmer 600 meters into the swim. The dude was slapping, shoving and punching people if they got close to him. I actually stopped and told him to calm down after he purposely hit me in the head for swimming over his side. He went nuts and I told him he would end up getting DQ'd if he didn't calm down. He was much slower and shouldn't have been at the front. Not a big deal...but don't punish everyone who runs you over! That really upset me for some reason...not sure why
Therefore...finishing in 1:02 was not bad given the situation I put myself in. Had I shown up on time...I probably would have had the energy to gap the main field and put myself into a faster group. Crazy man wouldn't have been a issue...but oh well...it's something I've been thinking about over the past few days. Gives me some piece of mind. I know where my speed is and it will most definitely show at the next race....... So any of you who think I suddenly slowed down...it's just my secret trick in the grand scheme of thing... HA!
Bottom line...we all make mistakes. It what we do after the mistake that makes a difference. You can bet your bottom dollar I will never show up to a swim start late again.
The bike was cool. I like the course and I like the tough conditions. I wished the time was a bit faster but I did what I could and am happy with my effort. Over the next few years...the bike will get faster and hopefully the times will reflect the hard work. I tell you what...I was on one pretty fast setup. That Trek TTX was freaking awesome.
The run is a little touchy with me still. Off and on...I think about the training and really wish I could have nailed those longer runs. I so enjoy running and it was a big bummer not to run well leading up into the race.
What I am happy about is actually getting through the race without an Achilles issue. I truly believe the shoes had a lot to do with that. Every morning I woke up during race week...my Achilles was so tight and sore...I was starting to wonder if I could even run. Aside from the shoes...I have to send out a big thank you to Cassidy with Trigger Point. He worked on the Soleus a couple times during the week and I know that helped a out big time.
The Newton Shoes were awesome! I attribute nothing about my slow run to the Newton Shoe. In fact...seeing how my DS Trainers were as flat and hard as concrete....it was probably to my benefit that I ran in the Newton's. I do not think I will ever buy a pair of Asics again after Sunday.
The shoes were fun. What I mean by fun...is they wear completely different than any other shoe on the market. You'll just have to try a pair on! Hard to explain. I think the Newton website does a pretty good job and could better illustrate than someone like myself. I don't make em...I just wear them. Let's just say I love the shoe so much , I have chosen to race and train in them...the entire year!
Post race was fun. I hung out around the finish to welcome in the remaining finishers who battled a tough day. I was fortunate to toss out some Timex product with the top 3 pro finishers...both male and female. Lots of fun. We threw out product two times and I think the crowd really got into it!
In the end....it's going to take a lot of hard work to hit the goals and times I aspire to achieve. Nothing more...no tricks...no easy days... I don't believe in luck...nor do I believe the stars will one day align in your favor. I believe in hard work and nothing else. I believe every Ironman will have it's obstacles and hurdles. It's how you handle them that sums up your performance. I feel I took everything I could on Sunday and put my best foot forward to close the day down with a solid effort.
I could ramble on about how "this" or "that" attributed to a not so successful day in the eyes of me! But honestly...that doesn't do anyone any good. Taking the lessons I learned during an extremely hard day is what will help me at my next Ironman.
Ok...there are a few new things on the http://www.markgingrich.com/ website. I've put together a new banner, new gallery section...altered some images around the site and even put up an Ironman CV page under results. The IM CV page will be an easy way for me to monitor my progress over the years to come.
There have been a lot of people who have offered up there congratulations on Sunday's performance. While I have not been too receptive to the praise...I do appreciate it. I hold my aspirations pretty high and am striving to hit high marks. That's just who I am and how I approach my life.
I have many things to be thankful for, and finishing Ironman Arizona on April 15th is one of them.
Thanks for reading and I'll see you around the way....
I am considering Ironman Coeur d' Alene and will have a firm decision by mid next week.
Mg
A couple positive things to look back on is my swim and bike. Yeah...my swim. You might look at my race time and say "What the heck!" My training times had me closing up that discipline in 57-58 minutes!
Well, what you don't see is the screw-up I made at the start of the race. Jumping in the water 5 min before the cannon went off was the dumbest thing I've ever done. I actually had no idea how much time I had left...I just knew I needed to hurry up! Wouldn't have been that bad if I wasn't 200 meters away from the start. Blowing you energy before the race even started is not the most ideal thing to do. I ended up sprinting to the front hoping that I would make it in time before the canon went off. I figured just getting to the front was the most important thing at this point.
I also had a run in with an overly aggressive swimmer 600 meters into the swim. The dude was slapping, shoving and punching people if they got close to him. I actually stopped and told him to calm down after he purposely hit me in the head for swimming over his side. He went nuts and I told him he would end up getting DQ'd if he didn't calm down. He was much slower and shouldn't have been at the front. Not a big deal...but don't punish everyone who runs you over! That really upset me for some reason...not sure why
Therefore...finishing in 1:02 was not bad given the situation I put myself in. Had I shown up on time...I probably would have had the energy to gap the main field and put myself into a faster group. Crazy man wouldn't have been a issue...but oh well...it's something I've been thinking about over the past few days. Gives me some piece of mind. I know where my speed is and it will most definitely show at the next race....... So any of you who think I suddenly slowed down...it's just my secret trick in the grand scheme of thing... HA!
Bottom line...we all make mistakes. It what we do after the mistake that makes a difference. You can bet your bottom dollar I will never show up to a swim start late again.
The bike was cool. I like the course and I like the tough conditions. I wished the time was a bit faster but I did what I could and am happy with my effort. Over the next few years...the bike will get faster and hopefully the times will reflect the hard work. I tell you what...I was on one pretty fast setup. That Trek TTX was freaking awesome.
The run is a little touchy with me still. Off and on...I think about the training and really wish I could have nailed those longer runs. I so enjoy running and it was a big bummer not to run well leading up into the race.
What I am happy about is actually getting through the race without an Achilles issue. I truly believe the shoes had a lot to do with that. Every morning I woke up during race week...my Achilles was so tight and sore...I was starting to wonder if I could even run. Aside from the shoes...I have to send out a big thank you to Cassidy with Trigger Point. He worked on the Soleus a couple times during the week and I know that helped a out big time.
The Newton Shoes were awesome! I attribute nothing about my slow run to the Newton Shoe. In fact...seeing how my DS Trainers were as flat and hard as concrete....it was probably to my benefit that I ran in the Newton's. I do not think I will ever buy a pair of Asics again after Sunday.
The shoes were fun. What I mean by fun...is they wear completely different than any other shoe on the market. You'll just have to try a pair on! Hard to explain. I think the Newton website does a pretty good job and could better illustrate than someone like myself. I don't make em...I just wear them. Let's just say I love the shoe so much , I have chosen to race and train in them...the entire year!
Post race was fun. I hung out around the finish to welcome in the remaining finishers who battled a tough day. I was fortunate to toss out some Timex product with the top 3 pro finishers...both male and female. Lots of fun. We threw out product two times and I think the crowd really got into it!
In the end....it's going to take a lot of hard work to hit the goals and times I aspire to achieve. Nothing more...no tricks...no easy days... I don't believe in luck...nor do I believe the stars will one day align in your favor. I believe in hard work and nothing else. I believe every Ironman will have it's obstacles and hurdles. It's how you handle them that sums up your performance. I feel I took everything I could on Sunday and put my best foot forward to close the day down with a solid effort.
I could ramble on about how "this" or "that" attributed to a not so successful day in the eyes of me! But honestly...that doesn't do anyone any good. Taking the lessons I learned during an extremely hard day is what will help me at my next Ironman.
Ok...there are a few new things on the http://www.markgingrich.com/ website. I've put together a new banner, new gallery section...altered some images around the site and even put up an Ironman CV page under results. The IM CV page will be an easy way for me to monitor my progress over the years to come.
There have been a lot of people who have offered up there congratulations on Sunday's performance. While I have not been too receptive to the praise...I do appreciate it. I hold my aspirations pretty high and am striving to hit high marks. That's just who I am and how I approach my life.
I have many things to be thankful for, and finishing Ironman Arizona on April 15th is one of them.
Thanks for reading and I'll see you around the way....
I am considering Ironman Coeur d' Alene and will have a firm decision by mid next week.
Mg
posted by Mark Gingrich at 9:28 PM
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