2008 IRONMAN WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP REPORT

As I walked through the airport, I started to notice that there were dozens of athletes waiting for transportation to their respective points of lodging.  These athletes seemed different than those I had seen and met at other races.  Some of them were dressed differently and many of them spoke strange languages…mostly of European and South American origin.  I couldn’t help but start to feel somewhat insecure and unworthy.  Had I really accomplished all that I needed to accomplish in order to compete at this level?  I was unsure.  I guessed that we would all find out on Saturday.

The days leading into “The Ironman” were surreal, to put it best.  I felt as though I was living the life that someone else was supposed to be living.  I remembered the days when I was with Team In Training, raising money and wondering if I really put some serious focus into training could I be any good at this sport?  That was 2006.  Wow!  What a difference two years and a little training can make?!  It just goes to show that if you put your mind (and body) to it, you can achieve something great.

The Swim: One loop, straight out to sea then straight back to “Digme” beach.

This was, hands down, the toughest swim I’ve ever completed.  I got in the water at about 6:50am, for a 7:00am start.  I tried to work my way to the far left and front of the pack before the start.  In other races this was not a problem.  However, I guess I underestimated the fierce competition that would be showing up at this race!  The men (and women!) were so focused and aggressive that they would not budge one inch to allow another swimmer to creep to the front of the line.  Everyone slowly kept pushing forward and had to be told to “Back it up!!” by the referees on the paddle boards and kayaks.  I was relieved to see the man on the pier start to wave the red flags that signified in the next few seconds a canon would sound and the race would begin.  I quickly readjusted my goggles and told all those within earshot, “Good luck, Ya’ll!!”  BOOM!!  The race was on!  I had to wait a few seconds for the people in front of me to thin out so that I could get a full stroke and really start to swim.  Finally, I started to swim…as hard as I could.  I had been told that the best way to start an Ironman swim was to swim like your ass was on fire for the first 300 meters.  The first mile of the swim was a literal slug-fest…and I’m not even kidding!!!  About 15 minutes into the race I could feel another swimmer drafting off of me to my right.  I thought, “Wow!  Someone thinks that I’m going fast enough to draft off of…COOL!”  But when I poked my head up to look for a buoy and check my position the guy to my right swam up beside me.  He was too close and when I put my face down and took my next stroke I hit him in the back of the head with my hand so hard that it made my knuckles ache for 5 minutes.  He pulled his face out of the water and said something I didn’t understand…but he seemed really pissed.  However, I didn’t feel him drafting anymore.  I continued to swim and we eventually rounded the large boat at the turn-around.  I looked at my watch and saw that I was 32 minutes into the race…not bad.  The return trip was much less eventful.  The water was so clear that I was able to see other athletes 40-50 yards in front of me.  I scanned the crowd looking for a suitable swimmer to draft behind.  I saw one I liked and made my way over and behind him.  As I slide into his draft, I realized that I had company behind me!  I took an extra long stroke and looked behind me to see not just one, but two other swimmers that had been drafting me.  Cool!  We all just seemed to get into a rhythm and cruise.  Before I knew it we were coming into the pier.  My mind started to focus on the next task at hand, the bike.  I love the bike!  I swam until my finger tips started to hit the sandy bottom in the protection of Digme Beach.  Fingertips…sand…feet…RUN!! I looked at my watch and saw that I was 1:05 into my race…right on the mark!

T1: Just a quick pit-stop.

As I came to my feet out of the water I had to remind myself that I still had a long day to go…so, TAKE IT EASY!  I ran up the carpeted stairs from the beach, took a hard left turn and ran to where my swim-bike bag was hanging.  I didn’t need to go to the changing tent because I had staged all my cycling gear (shoes & helmet) on my bike and I was wearing what I was going to race in for the entire day.  I still needed to drop off my goggles and swim cap at my swim-bike bag.  As I approached the location of my bag I saw my good buddy Mikey (Vitug).  He had decided to come to Kona with me and my family to watch this epic race, he also believes in giving back and volunteered to work all day while I raced.  I love Mikey!!  Not just for his volunteer efforts, but because he can eat more food than almost any other human being I know!  And I know some big eaters!!  With my swim gear safely in its bag, I was off to find my bike.  When I arrived at my bike the next steps were automatic.  In order…race number snapped onto my waist, check!…sun glasses on, check!…aero helmet on, check!…grab my bike and RUN!!  As I exited the transition area I leaped onto my P3 and started to pedal with my feet on top of my shoes…I would get in them on the go.

The Bike:  Over the hills and through the lava to T2 we go!

It was so exciting to see thousands of spectators and fans cheering and waving as I headed out of the transition area. I felt like I was racing in the Tour De France with all the people screaming and yelling in foreign languages and crowding the race course…It was cool!! I started to pedal hard and work on getting my feet into my cycling shoes without crashing into all the spectators. Finally, I was fully strapped into my bike and could really start to crank. Because I am a slower swimmer I would have some work ahead of me to catch the other guys in my age group. No problem! I had really focused on my cycling ability over the summer and it was about to pay off. After a short climb up Palani Drive we turned right onto Kuakini Hwy for a short out and back 3 mile loop. I began passing people immediately. Before I knew it I had reached the turn-around and was almost back into town. As I came to the intersection of Palani Drive and Kuakini Hwy, I could see Coach Felipe. He was yelling, “Go Dood, Go!!” I couldn’t resist the urge to ding my ice cream bell at him, so I let him have a full volley of rings. It made many of the spectators look my direction and start laughing and clapping. That was to be the first of hundreds of dings I handed out that day! It didn’t matter whether you were coming or going, athlete or spectator…if I thought you needed it, you got dinged! No one was immune. I think I gave every single top professional athlete a good stroke of my dreaded bell…but it didn’t seem to slow them down much! Finally, I rolled onto the Queen Kaahumanu Hwy (The Queen K) and really started to go to work. All of the work I had done that summer was really paying off . I was passing people by the dozens. For the first 15-20 miles of the Queen K it was more like a cycling stage race rather than an Ironman triathlon. There were so many fast riders that it was nearly impossible to get away from other riders and stay out of each others draft zones. Systematically, I would work my way to the left edge of the pack and shift into a higher gear, ding my bell and pedal hard. I would push hard for a couple of minutes, then look back and make sure that I had opened up a large enough gap. I did this over and over again until I found myself alone with one rider 50-100 yards in front of me and another 50-100 yards behind me. I now felt pretty confident that I wouldn’t violate any drafting rules and no other rider was going to pass me anytime soon. About that time I heard the USAT marshal approaching on a motorcycle from behind to my left. He rolled right up beside me about 10 feet away and looked at me. He said something and pointed at me. Oh Shit! I hope he doesn’t show me a red card, which would mean that I needed to stop at the next penalty box for 4 minutes because of a drafting violation. He must have seen the look on my face and the confusion I was feeling because he repeated what he said, “I love the BELL!!” I started laughing so hard I thought I was going to wreck my bike. I stopped laughing long enough to say “Thank you” and give him a courtesy DING! Then he was off to catch the next “Bad Guy” that needed one of those red cards. I only hoped he would remember me (and my bell) if I found myself in a tight spot behind another racer. It would not happen.  I knew that the bike would be my strongest part of the race but I was surprised to see that my average speed was well above 24 mph!!  I was kicking ass and taking names, but I had just reached Kawaihae and was about to start the 18 mile climb up to Hawi.  This is the fabled stretch of the Kona bike course where champions have been vaulted into the history books or left in a heap on the side of the road by the notorious Hawi winds.  I was not disappointed by this legendary course for my race.  My first taste of the Hawi winds was similar to a semi-truck speeding past you on the highway, but this wind was coming from the ditch to my right…and was constant!! It was going to be a tough climb. I remained in my big chain ring as long as I could, but the hill started to get too steep and I had to shift into my small gear. My bike mechanic, Matt, had told me to be careful when I shifted down from my big chain ring because it was a large drop from my 55 tooth big gear to my 39 tooth small gear. He said I might drop my chain and would have to get off my bike in the middle of the race and fix it. Shit! He’s smart! I tried to down shift and my chain instantly jumped off both chain rings and my pedals began to spin freely. I had to pull to the right and make a quick stop. It only cost me about 30 seconds in time but it cost me 5 places in the race as guys pedaled up hill past me. No problem, I would make it up on the down hill. The hill eventually started to level out at about the same time the road curved into a 20-30 mph headwind. Just 2 more miles and I would be at the turn-around. Shortly after I cresting the highest point of the climb I saw the “Special Needs” aid station on the other side of the road and was reminded that I had a secret weapon in my bag there. I hit the turn-around at 60 miles and set my sights on getting my bag and my secret weapon. As I approached the aid station I could hear volunteers yelling out my race number to the next group of volunteers to get my bag ready to be handed off. The operation when quite smoothly and I had my bag in hand and made my way over to the shoulder to open it and unleash the weapon I had been patiently waiting for. I ripped open the bag and found the flexible Igloo cooler I had filled with chunks of ice and a can of Dr. Pepper. YES!! The Dr. Pepper was still ice cold! I quickly discarded the bag, opened the can, hopped back on my bike and started riding as I drank the cold “Elixir of the Gods”. My God it was awesome! I had the entire can downed in less than 15 seconds and let out a loud burp as I tossed the empty can to one of the last volunteers. DING! DING!…game on! I was a new man. I started to really crank now and headed down the hill back to Kawaihae with a vengeance. The decent was harrowing at best. I was stretched out over the top of my bike and trying to hang onto the aero bars as Pele tried to buck me off like an invisible bull. One gust of wind pushed me 15 feet to the right and then suddenly stopped blowing and I was shot back to the left because I had overcompensated too much. It took me a few minutes to relax and release the tension in my sphincter muscles and get comfortable on my seat again…but I never stopped hammering on the decent. The remainder of the ride was a blur of rolling hills and head winds. At some point around the 80 mile mark, I caught and passed Natascha Badmann, the 2005 World Champion. She must of been having a tough day, but unlike many other Pro’s, she always keeps going. Way to be hard, Natascha! By mile 95 I started to get the feeling that I may have pushed too hard on the bike. The wheels were starting to come off my little red wagon! I couldn’t seem to get my speed up above 21 mph and my legs were really starting to feel heavy. It was going to be a tough run…as it always is. I finally started to get into town and would soon be running. I made the final right turn towards town and to the transition area. As I approached the end of the ride I slipped my feet out of my cycling shoes and left them hanging clipped into my pedals with my bare feet standing on top. I was now only 50 yards from the dismount line and was standing on just one pedal on only one side of my bike as it rolled to a stop. I jumped off at the dismount line and handed off my bike to one of those fantastic volunteers and started to run through the transition area.

T2: Sore feet…must pee!

As I ran through the transition area I realized that my feet were very sore and the concrete wasn’t helping any. But I just kept running…straight to the Port-O-Potty! I’ve had to pee for the last 20 miles but couldn’t go because of the rolling hills. I was in and out and headed to the bag pick-up and then the changing tent. As I sat down in the tent I could feel the tightness in my quads building from my effort on the bike. I slipped into my racing flats without socks, grabbed my visor and a flask full of Infinit Nutrition to put in my pocket on my race suit…then I was off like a bat out of hell. I grabbed a quick cup of cold water from the aid station in the transition area and poured it on my head and drank another, then ran out the exit to start my run. Running Time!

The Run: Rub some dirt on it, walk it off!

As I exited the transition area it was as if life slowed down and I was able to see everything around me clearly. I could see the summit of Mauna Loa in the distance. I looked to my right and I could see the backside of the finish line where I would be putting an end to this epic day, in about three and a half hours…hopefully! I noticed all the spectators were still there crowding the street, forming a narrow running path down the middle for all the runners to pass. The sounds and the colors had my heart was pounding from the experience and in that moment I was grateful for everyday and everything that had brought me to this moment in my life. I was racing in the toughest, most prestigious and revered athletic event on the planet. Not as a mere hopeful finisher, but as a real competitor, just like all those other athletes around me. The first 10 miles of the run were an out and back course that would bring me back through town and out onto the Queen K. There was a short climb up Palani Drive then a quick turn to the right, where I saw my family and friends. I also saw Coach Felipe as I rounded the corner and yelled to him, “Running Time!!” He just laughed and said “Go Dood, Go!” I was looking for the 1st mile marker so that I could get an idea of my pace but it didn’t seem to be coming. Before I knew it I had reached the 2nd mile marker in a time of 14:24 (run split). That meant that I was averaging 7:12 per mile. I was hoping to average 7:45 for the entire race, so this was a good start! But it was going to be a long, long day. It is really is quite interesting to experience the vast range of emotions and feelings you go through during an Ironman. Just 2 hours ago I was ruling the world and now, at mile three, I didn’t know how I was going to finish the race. My legs hurt, my feet hurt, my stomach was cramping and I was hot. The street was lined with spectators for the first 10 miles of the run, which is nice, but sometimes you just want to be left alone to suffer through your race instead of getting those random words of encouragement from well doers. My personal favorite came from a fat drunk guy in a lawn chair, “Just keep putting one foot in front of the other, Buddy!” or from an over-caffeinated housewife yelling at the woman who was about to pass me, “You go girl! Don’t let him beat you!”…as I got chicked, yet again! I just pulled my visor down real low and kept pounding away at the pavement.  A short time after the fat drunk guy, I got an emotional bump at the sight of my son, Garrett, standing with his Mom.  They were standing on the side of the road across from the condo where we were staying. Amy had to point me out to Garrett because he had seen so many other athletes run by and I’m sure he was having a hard time picking out his Dad. I gave him a high five as I ran by and tried to look like I was in good condition so that he wouldn’t worry.  I don’t think it helped because he still looked at me like I had “cooties”.  Just seeing one of my kids seemed to lessen the pain in my body a bit. By the time I was heading back into town at mile 9 or 10, I was in much better spirits.  The sight of the Outback Steakhouse as I came back into town on Alii Drive sent my stomach aching for a thick juicy steak. Surely, this craving would fade soon and I could focus on running again, Right? Wrong! I had that steak on my brain for the next 17 miles! However, I did forget about it for a few minutes as I started to climb up Palani Drive to the Queen K for a quick trip out to the Natural Energy Lab…and back. By mile 11, I was well on my way to the Energy Lab and my pace was slowing rapidly. I could feel my motivation waning in the heat and wind and I knew that I wasn’t going to hit my goal time of 9:30 or better. I decided to find a comfortable pace that I could keep and just try to enjoy the race. One of the biggest reasons I love the sport of triathlon is that I get to compete shoulder to shoulder with the worlds top athletes. This became very apparent to me as I noticed a helicopter hovering above the highway about a mile ahead of me.  It would be the NBC coverage helo keeping pace with the leaders as they ran the last 2-3 miles of the race.  I wondered who was in the lead. It didn’t take long for the pacer vehicles to come into sight with a runner in-tow. With the leader’s scorching pace combined with my “Moving like pond water” pace, we closed the distance pretty quick. As we passed each other I said to myself, “Holy shit! Its Crowie…he looks strong!” He was probably thinking, “Crikey! Thats Marty Taylor…he looks like shit!”   I just continued to beat the pavement and put another mile behind me.  The next pace motorcycle that passed me was being followed by the lovely smiling Brit, Chrissie Wellington.  What an awesome athlete and person!  It is people like her that really draw outsiders into this sport.  Before I knew it I had arrived at the entrance of the dreaded Natural Energy Lab.  I could lie an tell you that it was worse than you could imagine and that it was so hot that most of the lava rock was still molten…but it just wasn’t that bad.  The temperature was no higher than 90 degrees and the clouds had formed overhead to block the hot south Pacific sun.  An English dude ran up beside me and asked if this was indeed the Natural Energy Lab.  I confirmed that it was and he responded with “Well, I just don’t see what all the hubb bubb is all about.  This isn’t so bad!”  We both laughed at that…but agreed.  We hit the bottom of the Energy Lab and turned around to make the final 8-9 mile trek back to town and the finish line.  The next 6 miles were a blur, but I do remember that it really started to SUCK!!  At mile 24 I started to feel like I was really going to finish the race.  The thought of completing the World Championship Triathlon began to sink in and I became very emotional.  This day had been a long time coming.  I had never really taken my eyes off the goal that I so desperately wanted to achieve…and now I was only about 15 minutes from realizing that dream.  So many thoughts rushed through my head that I felt like I was simply gliding over the pavement.  With tears in my eyes I made the right hand turn from the Queen K onto Palani Drive.  It was a slight down hill and I started to pick up speed, sensing the finish line was close.  I started to hear the voice of Mike Riley welcoming athletes with his signature “You are an Ironman!!” as they crossed the finish line.  I turned left onto Kuakini Hwy, ran another quarter mile and turned right onto Hualalai Road.  The crowd was so thick through this part of the course as I approached Alii Drive.  Making my final turn onto Alii Drive I fought back tears of joy and started to smile.  I was running through a sea of over 5000 people that were cheering so loud I was afraid that I might not be able to hear Mike Riley say my name…but somehow I did.  I could only hope that my family was there to see my finish because it was next to impossible to find a single face in this sea of faces.  Finally, I reached the beginning of the finish chute.  The crowd was held back by railings and sponsorship banners along the entire length of the chute.  I was grinning from ear to ear as I made my last and final kick to the finish.  As I crossed the finish line I heard Mike Riley say, “Marty Taylor…YOU ARE AN IRONMAN!!”  And my long hard day was over, ten hours and seven minutes after it started. 

The 4th Event

I was quickly apprehended by 2 volunteers and shuttled to the back if the finish line, but not before I got lei-ed by a big man with a lot of pretty flowers.  Are you telling me that I ran all that damn way just to have a large man give me a flower lei, instead of some cute Hawaiian girl??  Come on!  Really?  Oh well, I didn’t do it for pretty girls or large men!  LOL!  The friendly volunteers finally released me under my own power after I had convinced them that I could walk a straight line with my eyes closed and say the alphabet in reverse.  Before I knew it, I was back in the arms of my friends and family.  My daughter, Kelsey, kept hugging me and telling me how proud she was of me.  I just love her to pieces!  They all escorted me to the finisher’s tent where I received my t-shirt and the best finisher’s medal I’ve ever seen.  I recommend that everyone get one of these!  Finally, someone asked me what I wanted to do now…all I could think of was steak!  “Let’s go to Outback Steakhouse!!” I said.  Everyone agreed and in less than an hour I was being served a steaming hot rib-eye steak and an ice cold beer.  Now that is the way to end an Ironman!!

After dinner and a few beers, I said good night to my kids because they were going to go back to the condo with Amy and go to bed.  Mikey and I were going to stay until the last athlete crossed the finish line, as is the tradition at Ironman.

For the rest of the night we hung out in a bar that overlooked the finish line.  I remained in my race suit and carried my bike everywhere I went.  It was an incredible night…so good that I barely remember getting back to the condo around3:00 am!!  Mikey, I love you man!  Thanks for being the ultimate friend and wingman.

Thank you all for reading and for your support over the past year.  There are too many of you that I owe my thanks to. 

-Madd Marty

8 Comments »

10 Hours away…

Well, what can I say?  This has been an awesome week and tomorrow it all comes together. 

What do I expect to do, you ask?…Quite simply, suffer.  But in the words of my friend Dave, “Iplan to suffer better than the rest.”

My best guess at my finish time…

Swim - 1:05

Bike  - 4:55

Run  - 3:20

Finish- 9:25…or better!

I just really want to soak it all in and live every moment of this race like it is the last one I’ll ever compete in.  Besides, you just never know what race will be your last.

I have too much to say and not nearly enough time to say it.  Please track me and be with me in spirit, I’m sure I will have a few friendly spirits with me all day.

Good night!

Madd Marty

p.s. God Bless BW.

8 Comments »

Kona, Hawaii…continued

Day #3:  Wednesday

This day was reserved as an Official Tourism day for Team Madd Marty.  Mikey and I got up early and headed down to “Dig Me” beach once again to test my new Zoot Ultra Race Suit.  I have decided to wear a one piece for Kona because this is not a wetsuit legal event.  Without a wetsuit to help float my fat ass I will need to save time in T1 by not having to strip out of a “speed suit”…that probably wouldn’t save me much time anyways.  Besides, the damn things cost almost $300 and I will only get to race in them once a year! 

We saw Norman “There’s too much glue!” Stadler, Desiree “The Hot Texan” Ficker and Samantha McGlone…got a photo with her!

After the parade of stars…I know, Nerd! Right?…I went to register and get my race packet.  This evolution started at 9:00am and was held in the main ballroom of the King Kamehameha Hotel near the finish line of the race.  I’ve competed in dozens of triathlons and other endurance events, but know one even comes close to the service and support that I’ve received at Ironman races, THEY ROCK!!  Try one sometime and see for yourself.

Next, we were off and running the mile back to the condo to get ready for a day of playing tour guide.  We departed the condo at 10:30am loaded with snacks, camaras and a full tank of gas.  Our first stop was going to be the summit of Moana Kea, 13,700 feet above sea level!  You can actually drive all the way there.  During the trip up Garrett kept telling me to be careful and not to drive off of the mountain…he was a bit nervous, but he wasn’t alone!  LOL!  We finally reached the summit…it was incredible!  During the trip up the mountain we had passed through some fog but realized when we arrived at the top that it was actually a heavy layer of clouds.  We were now looking out over a heavy blanket of cotton covering the entire island from about 10,000 feet and lower.  It was very COOL!…and also very cold.  The outside temperature was hovering around 50-55 degrees…almost 40 degerees cooler than at sea level. 

Nice view, huh kids?…now everyone back in the car!  Next stop, the volcano!

After sliding sideways down the mountain and on into Hilo, we turned right, past the Moana Loa Macadamia Nut Farm(he he he he!) then on to Volcanos National Park.  The Kiluea crater was very active with lots of steam and sulfur smoke and ash billowing from its depths.  When the volcano emits this gas and smoke it mixes with the moisture clouds near the island and forms “vog”…volcanic fog.  Makes for great race conditions!!

Nice view, huh kids?…now everyone back in the car!  Next stop, the black sand beach!

We almost missed the turn to the beach because the tour guide(me) was driving about 90mph and trying to tune the radio.  Everyone just shut the hell up!!  Don’t make me pull this car over!  I’ll do it!  The black sand beack was alot like other beaches…except that it was darker, black even.  We saw 2 sea turtles lying in the shallows munching on seaweed.  They didn’t even care that we were 3 feet away snapping photos.  This kids loved this.

Nice view, huh kids?…now everyone back in the car!  Next stop, FOOD!…then home.

It was a very cool day and we got in a ton of sight seeing in a short time.

Day #4:  Thurday

Mikey and I decided to meet many of the other athletes for the annual “Underpants Run” through downtown Kona.  It was a spectacle for sure!  We did get to see many of the top “pros” in their under wear and Mikey even got his picture taken with Michellie Jones…in his tighty whitey’s!  You’re my hero!!

The rest of the day was filled with a short snorkeling trip with my kids, a 2-hour massage from “Jodi the Brick Layer” and finally meeting up with Coach Felipe, his girlfriend Michelle, Mikey & Ed for the “Welcome” dinner at the King “K” Hotel.  There was also an athlete’s brief that was given after the dinner to make sure all of the athletes knew the do’s and don’ts of the race on Saturday. 

Finally, the day was done with some ice cream and a short walk back to the condo.

If I had it my way, we would do the race tomorrow.  I just really want to get on with it, shit!  After months and months of training, the anticipation is killing me.  And oddly, I don’t feel nervous at all…just anxious.

Talk to ya’ll tomorrow…OOPS!  I meant to use the plural form of “ya’ll”…I’ll see “all ya’ll” tomorrow!

10 Comments »

Kona, Hawaii…

Day #1: Monday

We got to LAX around 12:30 for a 2:30 departure.  I was travelling with my two kids, Kelsey and Garrett, and my ex-wife and her fiance…I know, I know its strange to be taking a Hawaiian vacation with your “ex” and her man, but we ain’t like everybody else.  We are all great friends and besides, this way I get to have my kids with me to see the race.

The flight was going to be about a 5 1/2 hour trip with a layover in Honolulu and then on to The Big Island, Kona.  During the flight I started reading a book I had bought about a month ago titled “Know Regrets” by Tim Durant.  It was about a 40 year old guy that was going to race the Hawaiian Ironman for the first time…how appropriate!  I was completely wrapped up in this book when I heard the pilot announce that we would be landing in Honolulu in about 45 minutes.  He also said that if we looked out of the left side of the aircraft that we could see the the Big Island of Kona.  I lifted the window visor and peered accross the bright horizon.  I couldn’t see much at first because the clouds below made everything so bright, then I saw it.   In the distance I could see two distinct mountains jutting up from a cotton-like carpet of clouds.  It reminded me of the old Godzilla movies and Monster Island where he lived.  I got chills at the thought of why I was going there.  When I was racing in Ironman Arizona in April I heard a voice i my head calling to this place…”Kona, Kona, Kona…”  Now, I can’t help but feel like it is calling my name. 

We finally land in Kona around 7:30 at night.  I had seen a few other athletes on the plane and thought that I might see more tomorrow…I had no idea just how right I was!

Day #2: Tuesday

I woke up too early this morning, unable to sleep past 5:00 am.  I was just too excited.  I decided to get up and run the mile into town and go to Digme Beach for a swim(pronounced “Dig Me” Beach).  This is where the “Who’s Who” of triathlon show’s up to say “Check me out!  I’ve got 3% body fat.”…basically, Dig Me, I’m at the World Championship, Bee-otch! 

In a period of 5 minutes I saw Craig Alexander, Chris Lieto and both World Champions, Chrissie Wellington and Chris McCormack!  Not to be such a dork, but I was awed! 

I finally got my ass in the water and did a 20 minute swim.  It felt great and my stroke was effortless and powerful.  I can only hope it will be fast also!

Later that afternoon, Mike and I drove out to the start of the climb to Hawi and I got out on the highway and did a 1 hour ride up to Hawi and back down.  I wanted to do this climb because it is the steepest climb of the ride and I wanted to get an idea of how hard I would need to push to maintain a good pace.  At the end, I averaged 19.8 mph going up to Hawi and almost 27 mph coming back!  It is going to be a great race!!  I followed up this short ride with a 30 minute run.   I felt good and held a 7:15 average for almost 4 miles…no need to push too hard, YET!

5 Comments »

REFLECTION…

A few years ago(3-4), I met a guy named Randy…no, I didn’t make him that way, that was his name.  We met at a business meeting(…sort of…) and noticed that each other had shaved legs.  He was a cyclist and I was a very budding triathlete, but didn’t know it yet.  We hit it off as friends and decided to do the “Jake’s of Del Mar” 5K beach run.  At that run/race I met his ex-girlfriend who talked us into joining “Team In Training” to race a triathlon in Hawaii.  She said it would be a great way to meet girls…I was in!

Fast forward six months……… I took 3rd in my age group and 23rd overall out of almost 700 participants, in my first real triathlon!!  I was hooked!! 

It has been quite a transformation for me.  I have gone from 232lbs…to 190lbs.  I have gone from 17% body fat…to 6% body fat.  I have gone from a 10K PR of 44:34…to a 36:15(last year!).  I have gone from a finisher to a bona fide competitor!

Tonight, as I stand only 9 days away from the World Championship Ironman Triathlon in Kona, Hawaii…I wonder how the hell did I get here!!!!?  Then I remember how…..

I’ve spend thousands of miles on my bike, alone.  I’ve run hundreds miles, at a pace that hurts, and more miles than I can count.  I’ve spent way too few hours in the pool or in the ocean, because I HATE swimming, but I am blessed with a enough talent to get me through.  But who am I kidding…I LOVE THIS SPORT!!!…and all that comes with it!

Triathlon is the one real sport that mimics the human condition and life itself…too the letter.  In this sport, if you have a bad race, it is because you did not prepare well enough.  If you have a great race, then it is because you put in the time and the effort and truly have earned your spot on the podium.  In this sport you get to compete against others…that are JUST LIKE YOU!…just like in life.

I am totally humbled at the thought of going to Hawaii to compete and go into the history books as an athlete that has competed on such level with so many outstanding athletes….

…but don’t get the wrong idea!  I am going to Hawaii to chew bubble gum and KICK ASS!  And I’m all out of bubble gum.

-Madd Marty

2 Comments »

I’M BACK…PART 2

…continue

RNR Marathon

So, in June I entered the Rock-N-Roll Marathon for the 3rd consecutive year to get a good gauge of where my run was.  It was in a good place.  I decided that my primary goal was to negative split the 26.2 miles…slow then fast, right?  I wanted to run a 6:45 average pace.  My last attempt rendered a 6:52 pace with a finish time of 2:59:41.  I was going to beat that this time.  My nutritionist, Kim Mueller, was also running the race and she had joked about running with me at a new PR attempt.  She wasn’t joking!  She is an incredible runner and really knows how to maintain a pace. 

After the dust settled, I finished in 2:57:21 at a 6:47 pace and she set her new PR at 3:04…the fastest amatuer female on the day!  If you were a woman in front of her, you were Kenyan!  Way to go Kim!!  My training buddy Nick Brown also hit a home run in his first attempt at that distance.  He pulled a negative split and a finish time of 2:59!!  Holy Shit! What an accomplishment.

The arrival of my daughter:

On June 8th my 13 year old daughter, Kelsey, came to live with me…permanently!  I was nervous at first but very happy to have my beautiful little girl in my life.  I wasn’t sure who it was going to be more difficult for..me or her?  She was walking into testosterone alley and I knew that I would have to alter the way I conducted business.  Shit, the cursing alone would have to get cleaned up, unless I wanted a foul mouthed daughter!  I knew we could adapt…and we did.  She is wonderful and I am so blessed to have her in my life.

Started Hawaiian Ironman Training:

A couple of weeks after RNR I received the first installment of my Kona training plan.  My body was happy to start the heavy and serious training regime, again.  Like before, the other aspects of my life would have to start getting neglected, LOL!

AFC 1/2 Marathon:

August 17th I competed in my second AFC 1/2 Marathon.  I really like that race.  Its beautiful and scenic.  I really wanted to break the 1:20 mark in this race and set a new PR.  I didn’t break that mark but I did set a new PR of 1:21:50…37th OA and 6th in my AG!  Not too shabby for a fat redneck from Texas!! 

Santa Barbara Tri:

Six days after the AFC race, Nick Brown and I drove up to Santa Barbara to compete in an odd distanced triathlon (1-mile swim, 34-mile bike, 10-mile run).  It was a beautiful race and Nick and I did very well.  He took 3rd in his AG and I finished 2nd in mine…but we also finished 13th and 17th Overall!  An important fact, that is not reflected in my finish time, is that there were 3 other triathletes in my age group that have continually beat me at other races.  However, on that day I beat them all…with authority!  This was a great indicaton that my training was really having an effect on me.

On a sad note:  Triathlon lost a beautiful woman at that race.  Barbara Warren (65) crashed on her bike and passed away a couple days later due to her injuries.  If you don’t know who she is/was…look it up.  She is a legend and will be greatly missed.

Texas Cycling trip:

For a few years me and some of my buddies have wanted to put together a cycling trip to the Texas Hill Country and we finally did.  It was epic!!  We spent 4 nights and 5 days in Fredericksburg, Texas riding bikes, smoking cigars and drinking dark German beer.  I rode a total of 393 miles that week and felt a huge increase in my cycling ability…LOOK OUT KONA!!

Come on KONA!!

1 Comment »

I’m Back!

That’s right!  I’m back to writing in my blog.  Sorry for the long break.  I’ve had a lot going on with many changes.

I’ll address all my races and a few life changes that have occurred since April.

Let’s get started…

April 13th- As you all know I qualified for the World Championship IronmanTriathlon with my finish at Ironman Arizona.  What an awesome day!

April 27th- I learned that my soon to be 13 year old daughter, Kelsey, would be coming to live with me permanently at the end of the school year in Texas.  This was going to be a huge change for  me as a father and an athlete.  What a blessing!  More on this later…

May 3rd- I competed in the Wildflower Long Course Triathlon.  Holy crap!  What a great race!  I finished in 4:59:21, 11th AG, 65th OA.  I learned that it takes more than 3 weeks to recover from a race like IM Arizona…OUCH!  However, at Wildflower, I had the fastest swim I’ve ever had at that distance and an awesome bike, even with “Nasty Grade”!  I got off the bike in 2nd place…but gave it all back during the run.  By mile 4 of the run my legs had raised the white flag and cried “Uncle!”  It became painfully aware to me that I was not recovered from my last race.  Hell, I was wondering just how I was going to even finish the next 9 miles.  But I did.  My original goal was to finish under 4:45 and top 5 in my AG.  When I realized that that would not be happening I decided to settle for a sub-5:00 finish.  As I approached mile 12, this drunk guy in a cowboy hat runs out to me saying, “I bet you could use a cold one?”…as he handed me an ice cold Bud Light.  Instead of giving it back to him I decided he was right and started to walk beside him and share the beer.  I looked at my watch and saw that my total time was 4:52…I had time for a beer.  The drunk cowboy must have thought that I was crazy as I sucked down half the beer in a few short gulps then handed it back to him.  “Well, I guess I better get back to work,” I said as I thanked him and started running.  I knew the last mile of the run was down a very steep hill to the finish line andI would be able to run a sub-6:00 minute pace to get there under the 5 hour mark.  About half way down the hill, with my feet slapping the concrete, I decided that I may have made a mistake with that beer…but I held it together.  By the time I crossed the finish line…I was finished!  I looked at my watch and saw that I had almost 40 seconds to spare to beat the 5 hour mark.  Shit!  I shouldn’t have ran so hard down that damn hill!

I’ll post the rest of this trilogy later.  Stay tuned, please….

2 Comments »

Ironman Arizona Stats

Registered Participants:     2200+

Started the race:                  2027

Finished the race:                1689

Quit/DNF the race:                338

Atletes in M35-39 Div:          353

Quit/DNF in M35-39 Div:       41

Kona slots in M35-39 Div:       10

Qualifing for Kona in your first Ironman:

                                          PRICELESS!!!!

My times:

Swim:       1:01:57

T-1:           0:03:23

Bike:          5:06:23

T-2:           0:01:22

Run:           3:35:20

Finish:        9:48:23

6 Comments »

Can you say “ALOHA!!”

“So your sayin’ I got a chance?!” … from the mouth of Jim Carey in the movie DUMB & DUMBER.

When I exited the water and saw that my swim time was 1:01…that was exactly what I thought, I got a chance …to really have a good race.  But I was wrong.

I HAD A GREAT RACE!!! 

It was better than I really anticipated.  I like to try and estimate what my finish time will be in all of my races by using past race experience and guess-ology.  My most accurate prediction before this race was 9:53…I even dreamed about it.  However, much to my surprise, I ran a 9:48 instead.  I can live with that amount of inaccuracy.

The days leading up to this race were hell…shear hell!  I hate going into something and not know where I stand.  I had no experience at that distance and I hadn’t really raced in 6 months.  I didn’t count the Super SEAL race the week before, due to the inaccuracies in times and the fact that it was so short compared to Ironman.  It was simply an appetizer to the main course of IM Arizona.

When I got in the water at 6:41a.m.(I looked at my watch) I was a little nervous.  I am typically very calm before races and relatively speaking this race was no different.  The PRO’s started at 6:45 and would have a built in lead…they would need it!  SUCKA’s!!  (mainly the female pro’s, but what ever!)… tic toc… tic toc… tic toc…

Finally, our canon went off … and we went off!  Just me and about 2000 of my closest friends.  It was nothing but assholes and elbows for the first 200 meters.  I had planned to stay close to the concrete wall that ran the entire length of the swim.  This would allow me to swim straight and stay out of the ensuing battle that I was sure would be going on next to the bouys.  After about 200 meters I found clean water and started to get control of my stroke and pace.  I kept telling myself to extend and glide, don’t get in a hurry, keep your heart rate low…etc.  So I started thinking about my stroke, where everyone else from Breakaway was, what diseases I was going to get from the water I was inadvertently drinking and wondering just how accurate the weather man really was.

Then, quite simply and quietly, I hit the turn around point of the swim and was heading back to the transition area.  I looked at my watch and saw that I was only 28 minutes into this swim.  It made me smile.  On the way back, I continued to think about many different things, but the thought of Kona started to dart in and out of my brain.  I pushed that thought way back in my head and focused on my stroke.  “Don’t be such a rookie”, I told myself.  You still have a long way to go before you sleep. 

I swam under the first of two Mill Ave. bridges and started the home stretch back to dry land.  Just 300 meters to go.  As I rounded the final red bouy and headed for the steps, I could hear the announcer calling out the names of athletes coming through transition.  I started to kick my legs real hard to wake them up.  “Wake up Boys!  The real race is about to start!”…I hoped that they heard me.

The phrase “It happened so fast I hardly remember what happened” really describes what happened next.

I hit the steps, at the waters edge, hoisted myself up and started running.  I glanced at my watch and saw a time of 1:01.  It made me do a double take!  That was a good swim and I wasn’t even tired…now let’s get this wetsuit off!  I ran passed many of the smaller wetsuit strippers (no not the kind that dance with a pole!) …I needed a big sonofabitch that could do it right the first time.  And I found him!  A large intense looking man, he was standing on the left side of the two rows , waiting like a 450 lbs gorilla ready to tear something apart.  Much like a bad prison scene, I offered myself to this behemoth of a man.  He grabbed the top of my wetsuit above each pectoral and yanked downward.  The speed and force he applied caught me off guard.  In one quick pull he freed me from both arms.  It happened so fast that I didn’t have the chance to drop my goggles and swim cap.  It broke the strap on my goggles as he pulled my entire fist through the sleeve!  Next he yelled “SIT DOWN!!”….yes….sir(whimper).  He pulled the remainder of my wetsuit free of both legs in one forceful yank, jerked me off the ground with his right arm, handed me my wetsuit with his left arm, then pointed towards the changing tent and said “RUN!!”  I couldn’t stop laughing and giggling the whole way to the tent. 

Where’s my gear bag…got it!  These volunteers are awesome!!

Into the changing tent. 

In and out like Superman…and I was off to find my carbon fiber steed waiting in the stable with the other 2000+ war horses.  I had been looking forward to this moment for a long time.  I found my P3C right where I had left it almost 3 hours before.  As I started to run with my bike I noticed that most of the bikes were still racked in transition.  That was a very good sign.  I was 214th at that point.  Time to go to work!

As I mounted my bike and headed out of Ironman Village, I could hear my Mom yelling “Go Marty Go!!”  It was like receiving a jolt of electricity through my body.  It made me realize that I wasn’t just racing for me, I was representing many people….my family….Breakaway….the Navy.  I absolutely had to stick to my plan and maintain control.  With that thought and a quick ding of my $7 ice cream bell…I was gone.

The bike course consisted of three loops.

1st LOOP:   I headed out of town and started to focus on getting my heart rate below 150 bpm…it was around 160 bpm when I came out of transition.  There were a few 90 degree turns to negotiate on my way out of town and onto Beeline Highway.  After about 20 minutes on the bike, I hit Beeline Highway and encountered the wind that we were all hoping wouldn’t show up on race day.  Well, it did and with a vengeance!  I was able to maintain about 17-18 mph going into the wind.  I loaded up at every aid station with 2 bottles of water.  One went in my aero bottle and the other got poured on my head to cool me.  I was drinking an entire 20 oz bottle between every aid station.  To make sure that I ate, I set the timer on my watch to sound an alarm every 10 minutes to remind me to eat.  Trust me,  great idea!  I would be fueling completely with INFINIT customized nutrition.  That stuff is awesome!  I also supplemented my nutrition on the bike with 20-25 Thermolyte salt capsules, due to the high temperatures.  After almost an hour of hard work, I hit the turn around point and headed back down the slight downhill of Beeline Highway.  The downhill was nice…but the 25 mph head wind was now a tail wind…that was AWESOME!!!  I stretched out over the top of my aero bars and systematically began working my way through the gears on my P3C until I bottomed out on my 55T big chain-ring.  Now we were cookin’ with gas!  I began to pass people…with authority!  I started to notice that I was catching up to the back end of the female pros….hee hee hee!  I was really humming now, so I glanced down at my bike computer.  I was going 41 mph!!…and my heart rate was 138 bpm.  I had no reason to slow down, so I just kept dropping the hammer and increased my speed a bit more.  It took me 32 minutes to go 18 miles.

2nd LOOP:  This loop was more difficult than the first loop because the wind had picked up significantly.  I blazed through town dinging my bell everytime I saw spectators or volunteers.  They deserved the attention.  As I headed out of town I could feel the heat coming on.  It was about 10:00 a.m. and the temperature was almost 90 degrees.  I hit Beeline Highway again and headed northeast into the wind.  I could feel the effort in my legs more now than earlier.  The wind started to gust above 30 mph and kick up the dust from the shoulder of the road.  At one point I looked up and saw that the road in front of me was completely eclipsed by a dust storm that was covering the other athletes ahead of me.  I looked at my computer again and saw that I was only going 14 mph…that’s right, 14…not 41.  This sucked!!  I stopped looking at my computer at that point.  I hit the turn around and headed back to town.  Ding ding ding…make way!  Chief Taylor comin’ through!

3rd LOOP:  My final loop was pretty much the same as the 1st & 2nd loops…BUT IT WAS THE LAST LOOP…YEA!!!!

As I rolled into town, I remembered something I had told everyone.  I said that if I got off the bike and onto the run in under 6:15 (on the race clock),we would be going to Kona.  This thought lingered as I came to the dismount line and passed my bike off to a volunteer (those guys rock!).  I grabbed my “bike to run” gear bag and headed into the changing tent.  There was only one other athlete in the tent and he looked like he had had enough, so I got a lot of attention from the other volunteers.  I told them to pull off my cycling shoes and socks and pour water on my head.  I put on fresh socks and my Avia Bolts, then held my breath as one of the volunteers took 2 one-gallon jugs of ice water and emptied them on my head and body….WOOOO!!  Good shit!  I shot out of the tent like a canon ball.   Thanks guys!  Whoever you are? 

As I headed out on the run my watch told me that I had been racing for 6 hours and 13 minutes….can you say “Aloha?!”  I was now in 40th position Overall!!

My first mile was too fast.  I passed the 1-mile marker in 6:55!  Slow down Taylor!  My next mile was a 7:20…mile 3 was a 7:30…mile 4 was a 7:45….finally!  I had slowed down and gotten rid of the bike that I felt like I was dragging.  I settled into a steady pace and kept my heart rate below 150 bpm.  I was walking through almost every aid station from the very begining of the run because my nutritionist, Kim Mueller of Fuel-Factor, said that I would need to take in 48 oz of fluid every hour!!  I didn’t think it would be possible, but I had to try.  Man! She is smart.  She is definitely the rocket scientist and I am the rocket. 

The run course at Ironman Arizona is a three loop course.  I knew that if I planned on running a 3:30 marathon, I would have to run 1 hour and 10 minutes per loop.  I felt like that was pretty realistic.  As I approached the transition area and the end of my first loop, I was feeling pretty good.  I looked at my watch as I passed under the first Mill Ave. bridge and saw 1:06!!  Holy Shit!  I was really doing it.  I knew in my guts that Kona wasn’t just some pipe dream anymore.  It was well within my grasp, as long as I could just maintain.  As I ran passed my family and friends, I yelled “Who wants to go to Hawaii??!!”  Everyone around them started to clap and laugh, but my daughter, Kelsey, ran after me saying “I do!  I do!”  I just love her!!  Felipe, my coach, yelled to me that I was in 3rd place and said ”Don’t blow up, Dood!!!”  He was so excited, I thought that he might start speaking Portuguese to me.  I passed the second Mill Ave. bridge with tears in my eyes, but only for a brief moment.  Half a mile later I got passed by two guys in my age group…Bastards!  I let them go with little thought and simply held my pace.  5th place, now.

The rest of the run was a blur.  I now know that the temperature soared to almost 97 degrees and that many people were being taken away in the ambulance or just simply quit.  I felt sorry for them, but just kept running my pace.  I was at about mile 15 when I saw Michellie Jones running the other way(she didn’t say “HI”?), but she was about 20 minutes ahead of me.  Even the pros were really hurting on that day.  There were times during the run when you really start to wonder what the hell was the point??  Then some nice girl at one of the aid stations gives you a Coke with a smile and life seems a little brighter…for about a half mile! 

I was shoving water, Gatorade, ice and Coca-cola through me at every aid station.  However, I did shove some of the ice down my tri-shorts from time to time.  Hell, who am I kidding?  I put ice anywhere it would fit…ANYWHERE!  It was F$%#ing HOT!! 

I suffered through the ups and downs of the run and slowly (but not too slowly) counted the miles down.  I hit mile 22 and decided that I was going to kick it up a notch all the way to the finish-line.  They must have moved the finish-line back a couple of miles because when I got to the 24 mile marker…I was blown!  Wow!  What a mistake.  I had started to push too soon and was no left dead with 2 miles left to go.  So I put my head down and suffered silently…at an 8 minute pace!  I rounded the corner of the last bridge feeling like SHIT!  I knew I had only 1 mile to go and I was about to finish this long hard day, but I could’t seem to find any joy…anywhere.  My feet were killin’ me, my crotch hurt like I had left my bike seat in there somewhere, my eyes were blurry, my lips were chapped, I was starving and I had to pee.  SHIT SHIT SHIT!!!  I had to keep going. 

As I approached the Mill Ave. bridges for the last time, there was a lone woman manning a trash can filled with ice water and sponges.  She saw me coming and the pain in my face and quickly scooped up a big handful of sponges.  She handed them all to me and said, “Yer almost dun, Hon!! Keep goin’!!”  I took the sponges and held them over my head, looked skyward into the sun, and gave them a hard squeeze.  The cold water cleansed my mind of all the pain and negative thoughts that might have been holding me back and I started to smile.  I found my stride again and started to run hard.  I had only 300 meters left and this day would be over.  KONA!!…KONA!!…KONA!!…was being chanted by all the different parts of my body that make up my mental committee.  You done a good job, Boys!!

I rounded the final 200 meters and finally got to take a left at the split instead of going straight.  There was a small sign that said “1st & 2nd loop=straight, Finish=Left”.  I love left.  As I passed the sign, I saw the Crazy Brazilian, Felipe.  He was loosing his shit!  He was so excited that I could hardly understand what he was saying, but I knew what he meant.  He had gotten my daughter and my nephew to wait there and run beside me up to the start of the finish chute, where my mom was waiting with my cowboy hat and a Texas flag.  I’ve had many experiences in my life…but this one was EPIC. 

I rounded the corner and saw all the spectators and the finish-line.  I picked up speed and started to wave the Texas flag with both arms.  I scrunched my cowboy hat down nice and tight and hauled ass through the finish-line tape as Mike Riley bellowed, “Marty Taylor, YOU ARE AN IRONMAN!!!”

I remembered to stop my stopwatch and turned to see the race clock…9:48:23!!  I DID IT!!  I can’t believe I actually did it!  We were indeed going to Kona!  Yee Haw!!

I got attacked by two woman after I crossed the finish-line (normally I don’t mind), but they had my arms and just kept asking me if I was okay and did I need anything.  I finally barked at them, “Hell YES! I’m okay.  I just ran a marathon.  Now get off me!!”  They persisted.  “What do you need??”  Again I barked…”FOOD, Goddamn it!! FOOD!!”  I guess they finally got my point because they changed gears and simply said, “Okay..? Well, do you want your picture taken?”  It sound like a good idea….why not?

I quickly got my picture taken and saw my family and friends behind the barricade.  I moved toward them and found my kids.  I embraced them with both arms and started crying.  The sweat from my face and body mixed with the tears that were running down my face and soaked into the fabric of the clothes that my kids were wearing.  It was over and I was victorious in the arms of the ones I loved.  Life just doesn’t get any better than this.

I want to thank everyone who supported me and believed in me, even when I didn’t.  I truly do love you all!

KONA HERE WE COME!!!

MADD MARTY

20 Comments »

Damn Weather Man!

 I wish that son of a bitch could make up his mind!  I have an Iphone that has a weather feature.  It is very accurate most of the time, but it keeps going from 92 to 97 degrees on race day.  I’m really hoping that it’ll be wrong and we’ll have a nice calm day with a high temp of 85 degrees!!  A guy can hope, right? 

Either way, if it is going to suck for me…it’s going to suck for everyone.  I just have to suffer at a higher speed than the rest.

  More to follow….

 MADD MARTY

3 Comments »