Ironman California - Race report

(Didnt get time to put into coherent sentences)

• drove to sacramento midst so much drama
• spent the day checking in, driving the bike course and realizing 20mph on weather.com
• ensured I had everything, made my nutrition, washed my bike and made transition bags
• race day
• maneesh pickup to swim
• bfast regular
• bike prep, shuttle to swim
• alone, cold
• start: had to pause and collect myself: happened second time this season (donner)
• easy swim after: really shallow at times, current, against at one point etc.
• t1 really long -- jogged all the way
• bike
• first loop: 21-23 super hard, rest very easy -- didnt feel much sidewind or tailwind.
• way back: 8 miles of misery -- at mile 32 really thinking of dropping out
• managed and just kept going to loop1 end
• second loop much higher winds -- mentally the goal was to just get to the run.
• run
• started off regular 9-9:30 min/mile with legs feeling tired but manageable.
• around mile 7-8 felt pain on the outside of the knee on the right and tad bit on the left too.
• windy and nice weather
• by mile 11-12 it was significant enough to prevent running -- started walking 
• peed mile 14 -- dark brown -- scary!
• continued to drag until mile 18-19 for special needs. wore shirt getting cold and lights.
• giving other athletes company and chit chatting a bit until 22.
• two small loops to finish -- felt great instead because hear finish line and mentally I had made it.. it was just a matter of continuing to do what had worked until now.
• finished two loops and then a volunteer flagged me to the right and I followed .. only to realize that its the same loop and the finish line noise has faded away. asked people around and volunteers but didnt get anything useful. decided to go back (take a risk of coming back!) and finally figured where I got off the course
• finished really happy
• saw neha and piku at the finish line :)

Didnt see a single known soul from t0 dropoff to finish. 

Still a blur and from next day going on with regular day to day .. no muscle soreness at all.. just the knee itb pain took a day or two to get better.

One hell of a season and race and did not feel burnt out at all! loved doing it all over again this year with more challenges to face.

The readers can read by season report here which has a lot more masala: https://irunman.sumitja.in/2022/12/2022-season-real-deal.html