My IRONMAN CDA Race Report.
IM Coeur d’Alene, ID
June 22, 2008

I had heard it over and over in my head many times, Mike Reilly announcing “Jeff Spiegel YOU ARE AN IRONMAN!!!”, as if I had been knighted by the Queen of England. Though I really did savor the flavor of the race, and was able to enjoy the whole day, I have no recollection of Mike saying it as I crossed the finish line. My kids said they heard it. Maybe I was hypnotized by all the finish line energy, focused on finishing, finding my family etc. that I missed it. That is OK because I was able to have a great race all day and though I didn’t stop, I did smell the roses all along the way. I guess I have that luxury in the time range that I finish in. I don’t have to have my nose to the grindstone the whole day, pounding out every mile and using all my energy just to keep moving forward. I am not competing with anyone, I’m not qualifying for anything, and I’m simply looking to finish in good spirits. That I did, and I had a great day too!
The day really was perfect. Although I have no Ironman experience to compare to I do have plenty of race experience, most good but some not so good. Most everything that I could control I did: I didn’t forget or misplace any gear, I executed my nutrition well and my pacing went just as planned. My training was spot on! Thanks Coach Pete. The hills on the bike out there were no worse than what I trained on here in Colorado (work those hills east of Parker!). The run was fine, some hills out there- 2 or 3 real ones and the rest was pretty flat. The swim was everyone’s worry, how cold was it going to be? It was 48°F on May 29 and had only “warmed” up to 51.6°F on June 13. The official memo from NA Sports said wetsuits were now mandatory, booties for the feet would be allowed for this race and a neoprene cap was recommended due to the expected below average cold water temperatures. It is what it is, I can’t control this. My practice swims in the lake 2 and 3 days prior to race day were at 55°F and 56°F, better than 48 or 51 but still pretty nippy. Everything that was covered with neoprene was comfortable, so the hands and face had some getting used to the cold to do. As I said race day really was perfect, the water temp “warmed” up to 59.5°F, still cold but not as cold as it could have been.
I arrived in CDA 4 days prior to race day, by myself. My wife, 4 kids and a babysitter arrived 2 days later. The first couple of days alone were great, then it got busy as usual with the family – but man it was great to have them there race day! The course is designed to pass the transition/start/finish area 8 times before you cross the finish line. Between the crowds downtown at the transition/start/finish area, the “block parties” at the aid stations and the other unbelievably enthusiastic spectators along so much of the rest of the course, there was almost always somebody cheering for you as if they knew you personally. One house along the run course had music playing, as many did. The first time I passed it the theme from the Rocky movie was playing. A good song that I like. The next time I passed it was playing again. By the second or third time I passed it and it was playing yet again I realized it must have been on repeat play.
There was a sign making tent in the expo prior to the race for families to make signs, that would be placed out on the run course to be seen by the athletes, pretty cool. Two signs were memorable – “Honey I’m pregnant, see you at the finish line!” and “Note to self: FINISH!”
As I stood on the beach, somewhere to the outside in the middle of the pack, listening to the national anthem, my first Ironman race was about to begin. I had wanted to do an Ironman for about 20 years. I did the NYC Marathon in 1991, I was 25 years old. People have asked me if I would do another marathon, I’ve always said “only if it was part of an Ironman”, well I did another marathon this past weekend… and then some. As the anthem ended and the cannon was about to go off I think it all hit me that the year(s) of training for this were over and it was game time! For a few moments I shed a few tears, recomposed and hit the water. It is shear insanity, 2200 people entering the water at the same time trying to get to the same place. No less than 50 times was there contact with another swimmer. Most of the contact was minor except for a good kick to the calf and a swipe to the side of my head. I could hardly get into any sort of continuous rhythm of swimming without having to pause for a moment due to friendly fire out there. It was not until at least halfway through the first loop that I could get more than 100 yards swam without interruption, once the second loop began I could swim freely. Now I am a native New Yorker and I have ridden the subways many times and that swim definitely reminded me of rush hour on the #7 train without all the smells. There was some sense of calm despite all the chaos in the water. Every turn of my head into the water I could see swimmers around me but it was quiet and with every turn of my head out of the water to breathe I heard the crowds, the announcer, and the helicopter overhead. The crowds and announcer sounds got louder and softer depending on where along the loop I was. I could also see the sky, the sun, the clouds and the trees lining the shore. The skies at times were looking somewhat ominous, like it could rain. I was wondering if I made the right choice to leave my rain jacket out of my bags, it turned out I did. I finished the swim feeling good, cold in the upper body and fingers, but good. One leg done, albeit the shortest one, two to go.
Wetsuit strippers are cool! T1 went smoothly, there were warming tents and hot tubs to use, I did not. I did take the time I needed to dry off, warm my hands get changed and head out on the bike. Arm warmers and full fingered gloves from the start, still cool out there. I was looking for the family as soon as I exited the water and throughout the transition but did not find them. There were a lot of people in a relatively small area. With all the people, the transition area was always well organized and the athletes were always directed where to go by all the fantastic volunteers who were everywhere we needed them. So, off on a bike ride for the next 7 hours or so. I was pretty familiar with the course from driving it and studying a map with an elevation profile and comments by someone who rode the course. I knew where to expect the hills and where to expect the flats. The course was beautiful, and challenging but not brutal especially by Colorado standards. Three distinct sections: the downtown area, along the lake and out north in the country. The downtown and along the lake areas were relatively flat, a couple hills out along the lake.
The majority of the real hills were out in the country between miles 22-42&78-98. They were rolling hills, most of them between 0.5 and 1 mile long with nice down hills on the backsides, some with some pretty sharp turns on the downhill (heed the slow down signs, I almost went off road on one turn). Once I got past that stretch it was easy street, mostly flat/downhill for the 14 miles back to the end of the loop. A nice way to finish, even though we did have some headwinds along that stretch. When I came back to the downtown area, through it and out on the second loop I felt like a rock star. The streets were lined with people, the sun was shining bright, the road was barricaded off with sponsor banners all along the barricades, and it was a fast part of the course. It was cool and definitely pumped me up. After the second stretch of hills and ticking off the century mark on the bike I knew this leg would be done shortly and then there was just one leg left. Even though the run is my weakest leg, the reality of completing this beast was coming more into focus even if it was still 5 long, late afternoon/evening, hours away. Not a done deal but the feeling of it being within reach was exciting and that excitement would continue as the miles ticked off on the marathon. I saw Ilana and the kids 3 times on the bike where I was expecting to see them, the kids jumping around holding their signs. They saw me once more, but I missed them. They were waiting in a place I did not expect and I was not looking for them there. Once again I thank them for all the support at the race and for all the times that I needed them while I was training. Oh yeah, let me thank Ilana once more for her tremendous support, flexibility and ability to allow me the time needed to train. I could not have done it without her, we make a good team!!
T2 came and went much quicker than the leisurely T1. Here is an example of the great volunteers. I entered the changing tent with my T2 bag. A volunteer came right over to me and dumped the bag out, organized my shoes in front of me, took my helmet and bike shoes put them back in the bag. Then he simply asked me what I wanted him to do next, did I need a drink, was I ready for my hat etc. Then he escorted me out of the tent, told me where the exit was, wished me a good run and certainly went back to help the next guy.
So the run leaves T2 and heads away from town for a one mile out, one mile back along the lake and quickly passes by the transition, start/finish area. There I saw Ilana and the kids again stopped for a quick chat, couple of hugs and high fives from the kids. Ilana gave me a heartfelt “I’m proud of you, you can do it” hand shake and kiss. One of those “just what I needed at that moment” things. Just as the pro men finished it was through town and out along the lake for a 10 mile loop, 5 miles out/5 miles back. At the end of the 5 mile leg there is a nice uphill for about 0.5 miles, not too long but a fairly steep grade that made me work for it on the first go round. I knew the second go round would be a killer, with a good chance I would not be running up it. I felt really great and strong for the first 10 miles, cruising along at a good speed, HR in zone 2 easily the whole time. The plan was to walk 10 minutes then run 1 minute, repeat. I went from aid station to aid station, making sure to walk through each one, eating some pretzels or a banana piece or an orange quarter or a cookie. The oatmeal ones were my favorite and I was disappointed when I did not see them anymore in the second half of the run. I tried a chocolate chip one but it just didn’t do it for me. I always drank some Gatorade and water. That was until I discovered the chicken broth ☺; ohhh did that hit the spot. Maybe it was the salt, maybe it was the chicken flavor but really, what good Jew turns down chicken broth? So my Ironman cocktail became 1 part chicken soup+1 part Gatorade + 1 part water.
Miles 10-20 quickly turned into the hardest part of the day for me. I had to slow it down. I am not sure exactly why they were like that, could it be that I was exercising for the last 13 hours? I was walking more than I expected to but that was fine, I was with my new walking friends. I remember Pete telling me “NO DEATH MARCHES”, walk with a purpose. My purpose was to walk until I could run again. That hill at the turnaround on the second loop was approaching, I ran to it but as I suspected I walked up it and made the final turn back to go home. I was still 5+ miles away but that meant less than an hour to go and only one more hill, not as tough as this one.
It was about 8:30pm now and I was on the home stretch, the sun was getting lower in the sky across the lake and soon it would merge with and drop down behind the trees in the distance across the lake, it was beautiful. The coolness of the evening was now more apparent and I was glad to have that dry long sleeve shirt from my special needs bag (thanks Courtney!). I think I had found my second wind with 5 miles to go. I was running more now, and walking less. I did walk up the very last hill as we approached the neighborhood. That same house, playing that same Rocky song, yet again. It was great. I could see Rocky Balboa pumping his two fists upward as he climbed the steps of the Philadelphia Art Museum, would that be what I did as I crossed the line? It was getting dark and not as many people were out on the streets, but my energy was good and I was now able to get back to that run from aid station to aid station rhythm. I remember going out on the second loop at one point as the outgoing runners cross the incoming runners at a point that was pretty close to the final blocks of the run. There was a volunteer telling the incoming runners “Take a left, a right and another left, and its 6 blocks downhill to the finish”. It was hard to hear it on the way out knowing it was a few hours away, but how sweet it was when I heard it and it was meant for you. I said “it is time for a strong finish”, so I got in the mode of good form/good pace all the way to the finish. I made the turns and could see the crowds lining the street, see the finish area and hear the announcer. There were only a few other runners ahead of me at that time. Get close, find my boy Max, who will be running across the finish with me, and stay strong to the line. I was looking right and left not knowing where he would be. As I was about 3 blocks from the finish, a volunteer saw my number, turned and sprinted ahead to the holding area for kids meeting athletes to run across the finish line with. She had her arms pumping and was in an all out sprint to the area, it was funny. Suddenly Max appeared at about the 1 ½ block out point and we ran together across the line. I really felt good at the end, not totally drained like I have before. The mountain had been climbed; I was now officially an Ironman.
Never once did I have any doubts about being able to finish, never once did I have any stomach distress, never once did I question why I spent all this money and chose to do this – all thoughts I have had in other races. I knew I had to swim 2.4, bike 112, and run 26.2. My body and mind were programmed to do that, no more no less. I was well prepared and executed flawlessly that day. It was a perfect day. The saying “Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity,” applied today. I had some good luck and more importantly, I was well prepared. Whether I heard Mike Reilly say it or not, I am an Ironman. I guess I may have to do it once more to hear him say it…..
Thanks for reading, take an extraordinary journey up a mountain and when you reach the summit may it be all you could have asked for. Don’t forget to look right and left and see all that has gone into the journey and certainly thank those around you who have given you anything that was helpful to you along the way.