Before the race
As usual, the last few days before leaving for the race were pretty hectic. I managed to get an easy run in on Monday evening. On Tuesday, it was raining hard, so I took my MTB for an easy 60 minute ride and got totally soaked. Wednesday was a little bit better, so I got a nice easy swim in. I guess all the work and other things that needed to be done helped me to avoid doing anything hard. Wednesday evening was spent packing and getting my race plan done so I could send it off to Mitch for review.
My wife and I drove down to Frankfurt on Thursday. There was a lot of traffic and it rained hard, so it wasn't very relaxing to drive. We drove the last part of the bike course I hadn't seen when I did recon in May, and managed to get to the race office half an hour before they closed. I picked up all my stuff, picked up the gels I still needed for the race and were amazed about the stands that were being erected at the finish line on the "Römer", the old part of downtown Frankfurt. Then we drove another 45 mins to our friend Marcus we'd be staying at, had Pizza for dinner and were happy to go to bed.
On Friday I got up early to go out to "Langener Waldsee" where the swim was. They opened up at 8 and I was in the water by 8:10 with a bunch of Canadians. The lake was very nice to swim in. As I didn't want to go through the hassle of cleaning and drying my wetsuit, I swam without my wetsuit, but it was nice and warm. Official water temp on Sunday was 22°C, but it felt even warmer. Got back to our friend and had some nice breakfast with my wife. Then a quick nap, some lunch and the it was off to the race briefing. Nothing new, but I guess you have to be there just in case something interesting comes up. Then back to downtown to meet with most of my "fan group". Both my cousins with their wife and husband had come down, and we talked a bit with them. 
Also met the other three people (Sybille, Sven and Stefan) from my club that were doing the race. Lots of good wishes from everyone to everyone. There is a lot of respect between those committed to do the race. After an hour, we drove back out to our friend and had a big pasta meal to carbo load for the race.
On Saturday we slept in until 9am. Afterwards I set up my bike and went out for what was planned to be an easy spin. It turned out to be very hilly were our friend lives so I ended up riding pretty hard for the first 15 minutes to get up the first hill. Then I managed to find a nice loop – another 15 minutes easy, then 15 minutes downhill coasting. The legs felt really good, the bike was okay, only the cable of my computer was cut so the computer didn't work. No problem, I still had enough time to get a replacement before bike check-in. Some leftover pasta for lunch, then finish my bags for the check-in. Throw everything in the car, then drive to the swim start. On the way stop at a bike shop I had seen, get a new computer cable. Borrow some equipment at the race site to properly mount it on my bike, then stand a bit in line for check-in. Saw Stefan, Sven and Sybille when I left and we encouraged each other some more. Just got a bit hot as the sun had come out in full force by now. Then drive back, eat and dink some more stuff, watch Tour de France, answer some phone calls from some other friends coming to watch the race. My father cut his vacation a bit short to be able to come to Frankfurt, and we had two more people from my tri club and Mom & Dad of Sybille. Off to bed at 8:30, probably fell asleep by 8:45.
Race morning
Woke up at 3:10, a bit earlier than I had set my watch – really excited and anxious. Had a big breakfast (three egg omelet, two rolls with Honey, Nutella and cheese, a glass of OJ and some coffee with milk). Got everyone else out of bed, mixed my bottles, put the few remaining things in the car and we were off. Tina and Marcus dropped me at the swim start and went off to drop the car.
I checked my bike, put the bottles on the bike, pumped the tires. Some personal time to focus, again encourage Sven and Sybille (didn't see Stefan), then the volunteers started to urge people towards the swim start. I snuck into a portapotti (only short lines at this point!), then quickly put on my wetsuit and went into the water. Saw my cousin and two friends on the way. They played the national anthem, I edged easily toward the start line and I was pretty nervous …
Swim
The gun went off and everyone started swimming. An IM swim start seems to be proof of a shrinking universe, everyone seems to converge on you. Actually, it wasn't that bad. Some erratic swimmers, but I wanted to take the swim very easy, so I didn't have a problem in letting them pass when they were getting too close too often.
There was a quite a long way before the first turn, but it was still pretty congested and everyone had to breaststroke around the buoy. There is a short walk on land after the first half .. took my split – 34:45 – time okay – maybe the HR a little high. So relax a bit more and just go on. Second lap was just as uneventful, a bit longer, HR a little lower. Just got a bit bored towards the end, but that's okay I guess.
Time for the swim: 1:13:00 (302nd in my AG)– smack in the middle of my planned range of 1:10 to 1:16. I was quite happy as everything had gone fine and I felt that I hadn't wasted any energy.
T1
After exiting the lake you have to go up a short but pretty steep hill to get to T1. I walked easy, a guy helped me open my wetsuit. Saw Marcus and Tina, took a swig of water, then found my bag.
With the help of a volunteer I took off my swim briefs (yes, I did use the tent!), put on my bike clothes and stuffed everything I didn't need in the bag. An easy walk/jog to the bike, grab my helmet, then off.
Time: 7:43 (373rd in my AG, total 320th in my AG)– a bit longer than planned, but what's a minute?
Bike
Tried to take things very easy at first. Put on my arm warmers (it was a bit overcast and still pretty cold). Stefan blew by me at the 10k mark – he had a very good swim! He "can't swim" – just started training half a year ago for the IM. But he is a great cyclist and runner. Originally he said it would take him until the 90k mark to get me. But as my swim time was okay, I wasn't concerned and just happy for him.
My HR went down quite well and I was soon under the 120 mark. After I saw Sybille's parents when I hit downtown Frankfurt at about the 14k mark, I started eating and soon the hills started. I was finding it really hard to keep my HR down and not to go too hard on the hills. Lots of people blowing by me, lots of spectator cheering, and from what I could see not a very good average speed. Up to the 60k mark I was seeing HRs in the mid-125s – my plan was to ride at sub-115 till 50k and then 115-120 with a cap of 125. At about 60k I stopped for to pee and that clear-headed minute allowed me to kick me and tell me to stay in my zones. That was a very good decision, on my way back to Frankfurt I realized that the first part was into the wind and more uphill than downhill, so I could really power on the way back. HR much better, average okay. Just didn't manage to get the hills up at sub-125 – just try to do that with people screaming at you and real Tour de France atmosphere! At the end of the first loop I flew by my fan-group and their cheering cheered me up even more.
The second loop went okay as well. Had to tell myself to properly stay in my zones a few times, but I managed to get my calories in quite well. At one point I ran out of water and things started to get hot. The sun had come out, I had taken off my arm-warmers. Took things a bit easier, took two bottles at the next aid station and didn't run into major issues. At the end of the second loop I got up to Sybille who is a stronger swimmer than me. We chatted a bit, I stopped and kissed Tina when we drove by, then the bike was over.
Time: 27:30 to Frankfurt (414th/total 336th), 1st loop 2:55:17 (416th, total 385th), 2nd loop 2:57:52 (381st, total 385th), total bike 6:20:39 (409th in my AG)
T2
A volunteer took my bike, I got my bag and took some time to redress for the run – new shorts, singlet, socks, shoes plus my fuelbelt.
Time: 3:21 (332nd in my AG), total time was 7:44:45 (383rd in my AG)
(My thinking at this time: Great, you just have to run a 6 min/k average to go sub-12!)
Run
First loop (0-14k)
Was a bit faster than Sybille in T2 so I came out before her. Tried to start very easy, but it was quite warm and I found it very hard to get my HR down. After 2k there was a short downhill section in the shade, that was the first time I got my HR to under 135. I wanted to get it down to under 130 but I felt so slow. (I know, Rookie mistake.) At about 5k I stopped for a short pee and Sybille passed me. She slowly ran away and it took some willpower not to try to catch up to her and run with her. My HR was still too high! Passed my fans, and started to take in some gel from my fuelbelt.
Felt quite comfortable, but pretty hot. I had hoped to be able to run about a 4hr marathon, but my splits hovered at about 6 min/k. At the 10k mark, I decided to try to hold that pace. Still, my HR was hovering around 135 instead of around 130 and still too high for the 130-135 region I had in mind after the first loop. At the 13k turnaround I saw that Sybille had built her lead to about 1:30 mins – one more reason not to slow down now. I was about to pay for it …
Time: 1:25:41 (333rd)
Second loop (14-28k)
I continued to run my 6 min pace, with my HR at 135+. I got even warmer, at about the 20k I mark I gave Tina my fuelbelt (I had downed most of the gel anyways) and felt briefly better without the weight. That lasted for 2 minutes or so – and on the long section in the sun I had to walk a bit. I decided to push a bit but had to walk again on an uphill section leading to a bridge. This was my "dark moment" and thoughts of having to walk the last 21k were swirling in my mind. I saw Sybille's parents here, but their encouragement didn't reach me. However, I was starting to come around a bit and I thought of Gordo's "It's okay to walk, you just have to make sure the run restarts each time.". So after the bridge I decided to run a bit more, at least up to the next aid station. I had already sipped coke having run through most of the aid station so far, and I decided to try to take in whatever I could from the next aid station. Nearly stopped running before I had gotten there, but just caught myself in time. I walked the next aid station, drank a full cup of coke, nibbled on a cookie, poured tons of water over my head. After I was finished with the coke, I started running again. Well, it was more like a shuffle, but at least I didn't walk. So on to the next aid station … I just tried to think of the next aid station and not further ahead, and it worked. Slowly, I started to feel … well, not better, but at least not worse. At the turnaround I noticed Sybille was just 2:30 mins ahead and I thought I might just be able to catch her.
Time: 1:37:15 (285th in my AG – when I saw the results after the race, this really surprised me. A lot of people must have been feeling a lot worse than I was!)
Third loop (28k to finish)
Tried to run from aid station to station, walked while trying to get as much coke down as possible, walked the two uphill sections before the bridge – but ran the rest of the last loop … at about a 7 min pace …
Still I caught Sybille at about the 34k mark, and we ran a bit together. She had to walk before the next aid station, so I ran on. The rest of the loop was a blur … tried not to think too far ahead, but when I got my last band (to show I had run three loops) at the 37k mark I thought I'd be able to get to the finish line like this. Saw a lot of my fans at this point and their cheering spurred me on. I was close to tears when I got to the finish line and a bit unhappy I couldn't see my wife right before I crossed the line. (She saw me finish, though.) The finish line itself was great – big stands in the oldest part of Frankfurt, lots of people cheering.
Sven was at the finish line waiting for Sybille and we both gave each other a big hug. Then "my fans" were there as well – my wife, my father, the rest of my family. After the first round of congratulations Sybille came in, too, for the next round of cheering and hugging. Everyone of our club had finished, and finished well.
Time: 1:39:14 (as this loop added the 200m to the finish line, the time is almost equal to my 2nd loop; 237th in my AG), total time for the run 4:42:12 (278th in my AG), total time 12:26.57 (334th in my AG).
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