Whales and Horse Poop
Done. Check. Finito!! Ironman Los Cabos is in the history books!!! :-)
We are heading out this morning to begin my new goal of UNDER ACHIEVING and SUP to The Arch in Los Cabos, but I wanted to give everyone a quick shout out to thank you for the love, support, and cheers yesterday. It was a good day and the first Ironman (and last???) that I will probably ever see whales while biking and dodge horse poop in the streets while running!!!
This was probably the most comfortable I have ever been during an Ironman overall (and perhaps my times reflect that especially on the bike, but who cares...it is done!! ;-) My bike training definitely paid off (thank you, Jen!! ;-) and my minimalist run training paid off, too, but in the opposite direction. My max runs of 2.5 hours (or 18ish miles) could have been extended a bit and I think the last 6 yesterday would have been stronger, or not. Hey, it's an Ironman, you can never predict what will happen. It just happens.
The Good.
It was the most beautiful venue ever! We rode along the Sea of Cortez on the bike course and then up into the desert mountains....twice. I saw a huge grey whale both times we rode the coastline. Amazing. When do you see that?? The beaches were gorgeous and the turn around was at the bay where The arch is in Los Cabos...with two huge Azmuth Yachts anchored in the middle. Definitely picturesque.
The people in Mexico were fabulous! They had no idea what this event was and they showed up and volunteered and cheered by the hundreds. Even up in the mountains where they lived in shanties they were hanging on their fences (with iPads?!?!) cheering us on! The aid stations were the best ever. Viva La Mexico!
Those of you that know me well, know I ALWAYS get a huge blood blister during marathon distance runs. Not today!!! Wow! (Perhaps it was because i arrived with one!! ;-) but regardless, running with no blister pain. What a feeling!!
I had Legs!! That was the best 'good thing'! My darn neck and shoulders fired up on the bike, but my legs were totally fine on the run. I actually kept pulling back till 18 and kept a quick turnover under me...and was able to smile and interact with the crowd until 20 ;-)
And last but not least, The Fan Club. Amaaaaazing as usual! They showed up at the start and the course was conducive enough that in true Steve fashion, they didn't have to move much to see me LOTS!! Jen was inducted into Sherpa Hall of Fame and looked just great in Frieda's mini sombrero. Jack was at the finish line and escorted me the Mexican Mike Riley "Eres an Ironman"!! Music to anyone's ears after eleven and a half hours! The most awesome moment was when I came back from the first loop to Cabo and Frieda was there!! Oh my gosh!! It was awesome! Frankly, though, I got emotional and I cried! Over a blow up doll, Pete's Sake!! But the tears flowed actually for everything she stands for, the miles she has traveled, and the friendships she stands for.
The Bad.
The heat. My sunburn. Both much worse than Kona. I am fried and swollen from salt. It was like being nuked in a desert. the roads were good, but really rough in a few sections. I lost at least 6-7 water bottles out of my seat cage and a bag of salt tabs and acetaminophen due to sections and lines of those pavement markers (Bots Dots ;-) dang! Those things will work ya!!
The swim out transition. Ouch. Across the beach, through caliche and rocks, then up some super steep steps that I actually climbed with my hands and feet up a cliff side, Xterra style ;-) My legs were on fire by the time I got to the women's changing tent only to then get stuck in my wetsuit with non English speaking volunteers. But working on my Spanish throughout the day was good. It kept my mind busy and moments numerous. 'Hielo en mi blusa, por favor" always brought a smile to the muchachos at aid stations ;-)
The Ugly.
The running beach swim start into 3 'tsunamis' ;-) We have video we will post, but people were annialated and trampled, then blown up by the huge waves. The swim was really rough and rolling with swells. The waters were dark and I didn't see any water life, except little bioluminescent 'dots'. There were times when I sighted and thought "look at those swimmers at the bottom of the hill," then there were times I couldnt site anything but a water wall. I swam really wide, but after the first 500m, it was an enjoyable swim. Wait, did I just say that???
The hills. I haven't downloaded the Garmin files, but there are some serious hills in Cabo! Lots of carnage from descents. Between the hills and the heat, people were tanking. I think it was a much tougher event (heat, course and the day) than people expected.
The horse poop in the streets. ;-) it wasn't really ugly, just funny. I love traditional Mexico and vaqueros riding their caballos down the streets was fun. Remember, Sunday is a huge fiesta for Mexicans steeped in tradition, so in the heart of the Ironman right on the 3 loop run course was a huge Mexican fiesta and rodeo taking place all day. With vaqueros in their huge sombreros roaming the streets in horses and kids all dressed up in mariachi clothes. Loved it!
Soooo....that's a quick update. I will go into more specifics later (about our Sherpa's Down, how endless Returnados and Osha's dont mix, and the typical other Fan Club stories. but now, we are heading out for some chillaquiles and salsa fresca for breakfast. I got my appetite back at 3:45am and I am ready to EAT!! Then let the Under Achieving begin!
Buenos Dias, Amigos!!!
We are heading out this morning to begin my new goal of UNDER ACHIEVING and SUP to The Arch in Los Cabos, but I wanted to give everyone a quick shout out to thank you for the love, support, and cheers yesterday. It was a good day and the first Ironman (and last???) that I will probably ever see whales while biking and dodge horse poop in the streets while running!!!
This was probably the most comfortable I have ever been during an Ironman overall (and perhaps my times reflect that especially on the bike, but who cares...it is done!! ;-) My bike training definitely paid off (thank you, Jen!! ;-) and my minimalist run training paid off, too, but in the opposite direction. My max runs of 2.5 hours (or 18ish miles) could have been extended a bit and I think the last 6 yesterday would have been stronger, or not. Hey, it's an Ironman, you can never predict what will happen. It just happens.
The Good.
It was the most beautiful venue ever! We rode along the Sea of Cortez on the bike course and then up into the desert mountains....twice. I saw a huge grey whale both times we rode the coastline. Amazing. When do you see that?? The beaches were gorgeous and the turn around was at the bay where The arch is in Los Cabos...with two huge Azmuth Yachts anchored in the middle. Definitely picturesque.
The people in Mexico were fabulous! They had no idea what this event was and they showed up and volunteered and cheered by the hundreds. Even up in the mountains where they lived in shanties they were hanging on their fences (with iPads?!?!) cheering us on! The aid stations were the best ever. Viva La Mexico!
Those of you that know me well, know I ALWAYS get a huge blood blister during marathon distance runs. Not today!!! Wow! (Perhaps it was because i arrived with one!! ;-) but regardless, running with no blister pain. What a feeling!!
I had Legs!! That was the best 'good thing'! My darn neck and shoulders fired up on the bike, but my legs were totally fine on the run. I actually kept pulling back till 18 and kept a quick turnover under me...and was able to smile and interact with the crowd until 20 ;-)
And last but not least, The Fan Club. Amaaaaazing as usual! They showed up at the start and the course was conducive enough that in true Steve fashion, they didn't have to move much to see me LOTS!! Jen was inducted into Sherpa Hall of Fame and looked just great in Frieda's mini sombrero. Jack was at the finish line and escorted me the Mexican Mike Riley "Eres an Ironman"!! Music to anyone's ears after eleven and a half hours! The most awesome moment was when I came back from the first loop to Cabo and Frieda was there!! Oh my gosh!! It was awesome! Frankly, though, I got emotional and I cried! Over a blow up doll, Pete's Sake!! But the tears flowed actually for everything she stands for, the miles she has traveled, and the friendships she stands for.
The Bad.
The heat. My sunburn. Both much worse than Kona. I am fried and swollen from salt. It was like being nuked in a desert. the roads were good, but really rough in a few sections. I lost at least 6-7 water bottles out of my seat cage and a bag of salt tabs and acetaminophen due to sections and lines of those pavement markers (Bots Dots ;-) dang! Those things will work ya!!
The swim out transition. Ouch. Across the beach, through caliche and rocks, then up some super steep steps that I actually climbed with my hands and feet up a cliff side, Xterra style ;-) My legs were on fire by the time I got to the women's changing tent only to then get stuck in my wetsuit with non English speaking volunteers. But working on my Spanish throughout the day was good. It kept my mind busy and moments numerous. 'Hielo en mi blusa, por favor" always brought a smile to the muchachos at aid stations ;-)
The Ugly.
The running beach swim start into 3 'tsunamis' ;-) We have video we will post, but people were annialated and trampled, then blown up by the huge waves. The swim was really rough and rolling with swells. The waters were dark and I didn't see any water life, except little bioluminescent 'dots'. There were times when I sighted and thought "look at those swimmers at the bottom of the hill," then there were times I couldnt site anything but a water wall. I swam really wide, but after the first 500m, it was an enjoyable swim. Wait, did I just say that???
The hills. I haven't downloaded the Garmin files, but there are some serious hills in Cabo! Lots of carnage from descents. Between the hills and the heat, people were tanking. I think it was a much tougher event (heat, course and the day) than people expected.
The horse poop in the streets. ;-) it wasn't really ugly, just funny. I love traditional Mexico and vaqueros riding their caballos down the streets was fun. Remember, Sunday is a huge fiesta for Mexicans steeped in tradition, so in the heart of the Ironman right on the 3 loop run course was a huge Mexican fiesta and rodeo taking place all day. With vaqueros in their huge sombreros roaming the streets in horses and kids all dressed up in mariachi clothes. Loved it!
Soooo....that's a quick update. I will go into more specifics later (about our Sherpa's Down, how endless Returnados and Osha's dont mix, and the typical other Fan Club stories. but now, we are heading out for some chillaquiles and salsa fresca for breakfast. I got my appetite back at 3:45am and I am ready to EAT!! Then let the Under Achieving begin!
Buenos Dias, Amigos!!!
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