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IRONMAN LAKE PLACID IS COMPLETE! The NUTZ have done it again!
Ironman Lake Placid 2009 was an extraordinary week for Keith and I. I will try and give you the highlights and lowlights but suffice it to say we have completed the most difficult Ironman Race in North America and we did so in style as we crossed the finish together. We both agreed this was the most brutal of the Ironman races we have done up to this point in our journey. I feel we speak for many racers on that day that most left all their energy on the bike course and had no legs for the run left. Our mentor and coach Joe Turcotte gave us a great pep talk the night before and basically told us to suck it up and get it done and try to enjoy it as much as possible. I can't quote him on what he actually said as that may not be allowed on the blog. He is such a tender loving coach.
Before I go into to the race I wanted to share an important piece of what happens on these Ironmans leading up to the race. First I want to say thanks to some new supporters of the IronNutz. They are my CUZ ...(as she likes to say) Rebecca and her husband Bob and her daughter Jennifer and Jennifer's boyfriend Dominic. They are from Bangor Maine and have jumped on board with us and really shown great support to me and I want to thank them for being a part of my journey. I also want folks to know that as with my other 5 Ironman finishes I dedicate each race to someone and this race was dedicated to my kids. I love them and I am grateful they are a HUGE part of my life and I am very proud of all of them. I am a lucky man!
Also it never fails at each race we meet someone of some family that becomes a lifelong friend of the Nutz just due to the fellowship and spirit that surrounds these races. Lake Placid did not disappoint in that area either. Staying right next door to us in our motel were the Duncans, Bill & Lynn and their daughter. This was Bill's first Ironman and he rocked the Adirondacks as well. He is a stud. His wife and daughter were really cool and supported all three of us on race day by driving us down to the race in the early AM and giving us a pre-race hug to kick us off to the day. They are from Stiltsville, Ottawa Canada and they were all the nicest people you would ever want to meet. We shared our experience strength and hope as they did in return. Bill is an elite marathoner and has qualified for Boston several times. 2 days before the race they met Samantha McGlone (Pro Triathlete from Canada) who placed 3rd on race day. As Samantha was running down the finish chute she spotted Lynn and her daughter waving to her with a Canadian Flag and she ran to them and took their flag and crossed the finish waving it! What a memory. She then went into the crowd and found them to return it to them. WOW that was really cool for a 15 year old to be a part of! We also got to witness those family first moments when Bill's sister and 2 of her friends trekked down from Ottawa to surprise Bill the day before the race. They were very excited for him and were really cool as well. What a wonderful family they are!
The next story is the story of this Ironman and that is Matt Long. I won't go into detail but please check out his story at http://www.iwillfoundation.com/mattstory.html and I will tell you he finished with a little over 1 minute left at 11:58 PM. There was not a dry eye in the place. He is our HERO for this race and leads by example that nothing in this world happens without a reason and that the human spirit can overcome anything. Everything is possible! Thanks Matt for being a part of our day and our lives. He embodies what most Ironman and IronWomen are all about. All of us have a story to tell and if you take the time to really read them and listen to them they can change your life as well.
Okay to race day.......early on it appeared that the day would be very wet and that idea was not a pleasant one for me as it related to the bike. But first things first is the swim its a very racer friendly swim and with good positioning back right you can almost walk up to the start and stay out of the washing machine which is a great thing! Keith and I both posted our PR best on the Swim. Keith did an incredible 1 hour 13 minute 29 seconds and I did a 1 hour 39 minute 30 seconds.
The bike course has severe elevation gains and drops and brakes and water don't mix really well. As a matter of fact brakes and dry conditions don't mix with this race either. If you like fast 40 mph rides even with your brakes on then this race is for you. f you like 50 mph downhills with no brakes then sign up today. Me (not so much) I was the 40 mph and still scared sh%&less. And the last 30 miles are pretty much uphill Mountains as indicated by the maps below. This was where most racers had to figure a way to suck it up and get r done! Keith finished in 7 hours 32 minutes 25 seconds and I finished in 7 hours 28 minutes 29 seconds.
The run was almost as tough as the bike with some pretty significant hills to deal with after that brutal bike ride. Keith's stress fracture from a previous race was acting up on him early on and he was forced to walk fast as opposed to running. I on the other hand thanks to my PT folks at All Access Jessica and John, Dennis (Massage Therapist) and Dr Khoury (Chiropractor) had a decent day with my nagging chronic calf strain and was able to run short strides for a significant part of the race to mile 22 and passed Keith at about mile 7 and made a decision at about mile 23 to wait for him so we could cross the finish together. We have done these together and to be this close to finishing at the same time felt important to me. It's always been a message for me to share with you that we are never alone in anything we do and its even more important to recognize that without YOU I will not be able to finish what I start nor be the best I can be. We all need each other to survive and we all need each other to compliment and feel the peace and serenity we all seek.
Final Results for Lake Placid IronNutz: Keith Kober and Kevin Brown 15 Hours 48 minutes 10 seconds. The voice of Mike Reilly didn't disappoint as he saw us running down the final finisher chute together he chuckled as he spotted our IronNutz shirt of Keith and our TriNutz shirt on me and announced us as ..."Keith Kober from Berkeley California and Kevin Brown from West Boylston You Are An Ironman again"......................4 down 2 more to go......
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All the best
Kevin :)
