Ironman Couer D'Alene

I just experienced my first full Ironman at Couer D'Alene, Idaho, on June 27, 2010, and my accomplishment of this event is just beginning to sink in. The training, preparation, and anticipation for this race was as challenging and as fun as the race itself, but I'm just going to jump right/write in and start with the cannon going off!

The water temperature was 61.5 degrees. I waited about one minute after the start of the race to get in the water to avoid too much of a crowd, and I swam about 20 to 30 yards from the buoys where there were less people. The water was cold, but I warmed up quickly after I started swimming. The lake was not calm, but it was not as choppy as it was the day before. As I was swimming, I didn't think it was as crowded as I anticipated; but then the next thing I knew, I was pushed underwater by a big guy swimming over me, and I got water up my nose! I came up to tread water and see where I was, and I was in a pretty big pack of people. No matter how much I tried to stay wide of the buoys, I always ended up close to them. As I made my way out to the turn-around buoys, the water became more choppy and bouncy, and it was difficult to maneuver around them. I knew at that point that I was never going to use the word "easy" at any time during this Ironman! The first loop of the swim took me 44 minutes, and the second loop took me a little longer. My total swim time was 1:36.

I came out of the water to the awesome volunteers, who ripped off my wetsuit. We had a good laugh at that point (you had to be there)! Then I got my gear, went in the changing tent, and got myself ready to bike.

When I first started riding, I was shivering from being wet, and I remember thinking that I didn't want to lost precious energy from my body trying to keep itself warm. I wanted to conserve as much as I could. About one mile into the bike, I heard my family calling my name and Ted asking me if I was okay. I knew he would be over-worrying about me all day. I was really glad that I got to see them and that they got to see me and know that I was and would be just fine! I really appreciated the way this course was set up because you came through town four times on the bike and run, and you could see your cheering section quite often.

Anyhow, back to the bike, I warmed up quickly and settled into the bike. I felt REALLY good, but tried to hold back a little because I had a LONG way to go! The bike course was really beautiful with lots of lake/forest scenery. As I biked out of town and got into the country, the course was made up of rolling hills, and it was very difficult to get any kind of rhythm. I went down to the smallest gear every time I went up a hill because I wanted to conserve as much energy as possible.

My nutrition plan on the bike went as I had planned and trained for. I had been drinking Gatorade, and my reasoning for that was because that is what they would be having on the course. I ate a Bonk Breaker as soon as I started the bike, and I also ate Cliff Blocks, about two every ten miles. I felt great the entire first loop of the bike, and I felt as though I was ready to tackle the second loop with the same intensity. At mile 63, I stopped for my special needs bag and to use the restroom. I was really hungry, and I had packed myself a peanut butter and honey sandwich, and that is what I ate; but after I ate that sandwich, I never felt right for the rest of the day. At about mile 70, it felt like my stomach was unsettled and wasn't digesting. I just kept pedaling, and I sat upright for quite a while which helped a little bit. At mile 90, I stopped to stretch out my legs, and my stomach still didn't feel right. It felt like it had completely shut down and closed. It was telling me not to put any more solid food in there. So other than Gatorade or water, I didn't have any other nutrition after mile 63.

I still felt well enough to continue, and I was still enjoying my Ironman experience and I was still determined to finish! After I reached mile 100, I was ready to get off that bike! The last 12 miles coming back into town were pretty flat, but the wind had picked up a little at that point. I was really glad to see that dismount sign after 7 hours and 29 minutes! I grabbed my run gear and went in to change. I felt renewed after I washed my face with a nice cold cloth and changed into some clean, dry clothes!

The run was definitely the most social and exciting part of the race because you could chat with others on the course, and most of the course was very crowded with spectators and entertainers. When I got to about mile 2 of the run, I saw an older athletic-looking woman sitting on the curb beside her bike. I noticed that it was Sister Madonna Buder! She holds the record for being the oldest woman to have completed an Ironman at age 76! Is that cool or what? I went over to her and asked her if she was Madonna Buder, and she said yes. I told her how much I had read about her and how inspirational she was. She hugged me and told me to get running! I really wished I had a camera then!

As I ran on, I developed a very painful side ache that hindered me from running very far. I had to resort to the run/walk mode, running 50 steps and walking 50 steps for quite a few miles, and I still was not able to take in any nutrition. I pretty much could just sip a little bit of water at that point. I started to become really disappointed during the marathon because I couldn't run for very long, and running is my strong point. I was getting discouraged and wondering if I would be able to finish. When I turned to go on the back side of the marathon course, I ran into a volunteer who I had met when I was checking in, an older gentleman named David, and we talked for quite a long time and exchanged race stories (at the check-in, not during the Ironman). We were glad to see each other on the course. He gave me a big hug for making it to the marathon portion of the Ironman. I told him that this was pretty much the most humbling experience of my life. He knew I was quite down on myself at that point, and he took me aside and gave me a great pep talk, telling me I was going to make it, I had plenty of time, and it was okay to walk if you had to. His location on the course made it possible for me to see him four times, and every time I saw him, he pumped me up. David really helped me get through that marathon!

There was one portion of the marathon that I was able to run for quite a while, but very, very slowly. There was also one time on the course that I had to sit down and contemplate whether I was going to start throwing up or not. There were times on the course where I thought about Victor Frankl, the author of Man's Search for Meaning, a book I had just read a few days before the Ironman. Frankl, a psychiatrist and holocaust survivor, wrote about his three-year captivity in various concentration camps, and how he created logotherapy, basically a way to make a positive out of a negative. I thought about how he survived such horrible and brutal conditions, and that I should just suck it up and keep moving. I ran into my training partner, Remmi, on the course, who was also getting discouraged. We basically told each other very sternly to keep going! I thought about some pretty crazy and deep stuff during that 6.5 hours!

When I got to mile 25.5, David was there waiting for me. He walked with me to Sherman Street, where you take a left and run about a quarter of a mile to the finish line. I thanked him and gave him a big hug, and I ran down Sherman Street to the finish. I heard my family shouting for me, and I started to slow to talk to them, but my daughter Nikki told me, "Mom, you're okay, just keep going!" I then ran through the finish line and heard what I had been waiting for, "Jeanine Huebner, you are an Ironman!"

This is the first big race I've done that I didn't become emotional at the finish. Maybe it's because I was so exhausted. But now that I've reread my story, the tears are flowing. After I crossed that finish line, I said that was it, never again. Ted said, "Yeah, right." Of course, he was correct. Within 24 hours, I was investigating what my next Ironman event would be. I know I can learn from this and do better. And I will!