Cheryl Iseberg's Ironman Cozumel Report

Welcome to an Ironman paradise, the 2009 Ironman in Cozumel, Mexico.  Settle in folks, this race report is going to be a long one. J

Well it started in August of 2008 when I signed up pretty quickly after the inaugural race was announced.  I of course was coming off of what we sometimes call Ironman depression.  That feeling that happens 12 seconds after you finish your Ironman and you start to wonder what you will do with all your free time.  It is most certainly an addiction.  Follow any conversation after an Ironman and once everyone finishes the blow by blow of their race they are talking about their next “fix” for their next Ironman.   Finishing Canada in August just shortly after doing another race in June I was clearly looking for my next fix.  I signed up, probably against my coach’s advice as usual.  He warned me that racing in Mexico really wasn’t up the level of what we are used to here that and the issue of potential food poisoning before an Ironman (been there done that) worried me but nonetheless, I signed up.

I probably really didn’t commit to the race until April.  Until then it really was an option.  I remember talking to my friend Patty Swedberg about what I should do during a race we were at on the Big Island.   Things were not going well for me professionally.  A business that I owned and loved was not going the direction I wanted for me personally nor for my beloved staff.  If you would have told me on January 1^st of 2009 that I would not own that business and would soon sell my interest to my partner by May 30^th, I would have told you were on drugs.  I could have never envisioned the pain and loss that one can go through with the selling of a business.   It was one of the worst times in my life.  Thankfully, with the support of good friends and Rob we made it through and on May 28^th it was all over with and I could finally move on with my life.

What started out as a pretty good base for training in the early part of the year, I think ended up being a great thing.  I had a good base through early May, fell off the map for a month and with the signing of the papers on the business, on June 1^st, I started by new life.   One as a business owner without a partner (yeah) and the to re-build a new base of training for Cozumel in November.    With a good summer of training behind me I headed back home to Maui in October to keep my MS “warm” and also continue to train.  Maui was crazy hot and humid this year and again probably worked in my favor.  As a pretty good traveler with my bike, I don’t seem to get too concerned with traveling with a bike so Cozumel seemed reasonable.  The biggest concern really was what we would find there.  Rob had never been to Mexico and I was alittle concerned that he wouldn’t like it.   There were concerns about what we would find for bike support and could you even buy a c02 cartridge there?  My coach the South African Wonder, had told me at the 70.3 race in Cancun he was offered a C02 for $20.  My mission once I got there Simon told me was to search in find c02. 

Well we headed out late Sunday night on a red-eye through Houston to arrive in Cozumel on Monday afternoon.  After some flight delays and issues we landed to what seemed like to be around 80 degrees with about 100% humidity.  I wondered if my body would remember Maui and not go into panic mode immediately.  We met a lovely couple, Ben and Rebecca from San Francisco that were Australian on the shuttle and quickly bonded.  Ben is headed to Canada in 2010 and both had done 70.3 Vineman this last summer like me and Rebecca was looking forward (but very nervous) for her first Ironman. 

We got the hotel and were very pleased with the accommodations.  All the staff asked about the race, would I “start” training in the morning, how many hours a week do I train, etc.  They were very helpful and really excited about this race on their beautiful island.  Once we figured out logistics I was able to settle in and get my last chance workouts in, visit the Pharmacia for a sinus issues and try to relax.  My other new Ironman friend, showed up in the form of Alan from LA who is a movie producer and many time Ironman.  It is always great to meet new people at Ironman and Alan and I hit it off pretty quickly.  Toward the end he knew me well enough to start off sentences with “I pulled a Cheryl”.

So, Thursday was a great swim and an opportunity to see the swim start which is a national park and where you can swim with dolphins.  The water is amazingly clear and toughest part about this swim would be the current.  Depending on what way it went – it could be a great day or a bad day for swimming.  Friday they actually cancelled the swim practice because the swell was too big.  Several storms moved in that week and caused issues and I think everyone was wondering what would happen on race day.  On Wednesday it poured rain like nothing I have ever seen for hours.  I am sure the Ironman crazies who had to ride the course that day got caught in that thing.   There would have been no where to hide with that rain.  Friday and Saturday were stormy but getting better.

By Sunday morning the water was back to calm with cloudy skies.  We headed down to the swim start via the shuttle (did I mention that the host hotels had shuttles to swim start, ambulances out front for any issues you had during race week, and our own bike mechanics?) and it was the standard find your bike, pump your tires, find the porta potty, drink and eat gu and try not to pee your pants while waiting for the start.   I think it is always interesting to watch people before an Ironman start.  Perhaps nervous people really don’t say much and that is usually what I find.  I find on this day that I am not nervous but pretty calm.  This will be Ironman number 6 for me if I am lucky and I think I am finally starting to be able to enjoy it instead of freaking out about it.   The swim is always tough.  You are out there with 2000 other people who are trying to get to the same place the quickest way possible and you better not be in their way.  It is not personal – they don’t mean to knock up side your head, yank on your goggles, or tear at the bottom of your feet with the 5 inch painted fingernails, but hey just try to stay calm.  I knew I wasn’t looking forward to the swim even though for me I felt it might be an advantage.  The water was 80 degrees so no wetsuits were allowed and salt water and no wetsuits tend to freak people out.  I figured since I like salt water swimming, I could use it to work in my favor.  I am also not afraid of waves (well, less then 3 feet swell) and know if I could find a count to waves and how they rose that I could have the swim of a lifetime.

After checking back with Rob and getting ready for the Pro’s to start the most amazing day begins like this….

A Mexican band all in white, marches out to the pier and plays the Mexican national anthem, a helicopter comes flying out of nowhere and buzzes us just like Kona and then the dolphin trainers are whistling to our dolphin friends in the water – the dolphins then begin to jump and leap and perform right in front of us!  It was truly amazing.  I have always loved these fascinating creatures and we were lucky to swim with them in Hawaii just last year.  The bodies are just amazing and their skin is the coolest thing ever to touch.  If felt very calming and after a few tears I knew that it would somehow be ok.

Time to head down to the pier to jump off – the announcers are starting to get panicky we need to start at 7am and there is a lot of people still left to get in the water.  I find Alan and we walk down the pier together and find a dolphin pen to jump in and find our way under the pier.  Thankfully, Alan pulled me back onto something we could stand on because the current and the number of the people under the pier was getting a big large.  Finally after a few minutes I knew the gun was going to go.  Alan disappears and I go in behind him. 

AND THEN IT HAPPENS THAT MOMENT WHEN THE GUN GOES OFF AND YOUR HEART STOPS BEATING!

There it was the start of the 2009 Ironman Cozumel.  I am under a pier with what seem like 1000 guys (well literally in this race I think we ended up with 450 females and 1500 males so it was pretty close) and we are not going anywhere.  I start to panic, I have been here before with the pushing, the shoving, the hyperventilating.   But then all of sudden there is calmness, we are all being polite waiting, watching, moving forward until we get out on the other side of the pier to open water.  Then it is time to swim.  I start to think wow, I have so much room, this will last only a minute but I am finding that it seems like we all have our own space, even our own lane and it is truly a great moment.  I find there is plenty of water swim and my job now is to get my head low, keep my kick to a minimum, determine the swell, determine how long between the swell, and do not follow the wrong person.  I want to be efficient and not waste too much energy because it is going to be a long day.   The swim is going good.  A hard current the first 500 meters then a quick shot going west then 2000 meters down the stretch to the next turnaround.  I don’t see a lot of fish but I did see a manta ray.  I continue to hold my “lane” with just a few reminders that someone was drafting me from their fingertips down my foot.  I am finding the 2000 meter stretch has the current with us but you need to be mindful – it was pulling to the left and you needed to point yourself right not to loose good time.  I find the swell is rising and if you time it right you can catch your breath, swim 3 strokes and at the top of the rise kick hard and body surf down the back side of the swell.  Whew hew!!!!  I am still surrounded by my male posse and I wonder what happened to all the chicks in this race?

We make the turnaround at the submarine (yes, a submarine) and I glance at my watch 45 minutes.  OH MY GOD are you kidding me?  This could be a great swim.   We turn back into the current for the remainder and I have good open water, no jelly fish stings and I can see the pier.  There is an overwhelming sense of this thankfully being over with and ready to move to the next chapter in this long day.   I am able to launch up onto the steps and look at my watch.   I thought it said 1:18 which I initially was disappointed in but once I saw it was 1:08 it was time to be a happy Ironwomen!   Wow – that was a great swim and by far a personal best.  I am sure that the Pro’s found that swim to be barely a warm up but it was truly the best swim ever regardless of the time.  I head down the pier looking for Rob but with the crowd I can’t seem him.  A quick shower under the showers to get the salt water off, grab by bag and I move into the changing tent.  I am calm and patient.  There is a lot of room in the tent and I start to toss my bag out to get my clothes on for the bike.  Of course the volunteers are great and helpful getting us water helping us pull on our fresh clothes and pack up our bags to get out.   I take a few minutes for the sunscreen girls to get a good swipe at my back and neck and clickity clock in my bike shoes to find the girl.

There she is #935 just waiting for me.  I take a quick peek to see Alan if still in transition since he was race number 930 but he is already gone.  Dang it….

More clickity clack down to the mount line and I see Rob!  Then a quick flying jump onto the bike and we are off.  A quick right on the highway and it is just a short 112 mile bike to end of this chapter in the race.  I settle in.   Remembering not to hit the “juice” to early, let my stomach settle from the salt water, find an easy pace, get things in order, listen to the front hub sound like it is launching off my bike.   What the hell?  Why is it making so much noise….grrrr….112 miles of racket.  I see other people riding by thinking the noise is their bike and then realizing it is me.  I then think well perhaps it will keep the riff raff away because they won’t want to listen to that carbon hub for 112 miles J

I settle in the first 4 miles.  I am wondering what is going on.  I start to panic.  WHY DO I FEEL SO GREAT?   WHY DOES EVERYONE ELSE LOOK LIKE THEY ARE SUCKING WIND.  I am starting to worry.  I feel great.  I am keeping a good pace at around 20mph.   I know I can push more and pull past the current peloton of Carlos, Juan, Humberto, and Miguel.  I start to do the unthinkable.  I start to change my plan.  I start to think “roll the dice, go hard until mile 10 where you know the wind is for 13 miles – bank some time”.  Then I listen to left shoulder (where my South African coach is saying “what the f*** are you doing” and I pull it back.  This is a long day, doing 25 mph will not serve you well on lap 3.  Keep it simple, keep spinning and pushing through the packs of CJHM’s (Carlos’, Juan, Humberto, and Miguel).

I ride with intent but not reaching into the depths.  Every time I ride past a CJHM pack I receive a very nasty look from my Ironman “friends”.  I think there is nothing like passing a group of guys and I make sure I smile as I pass and say “hola”.   Trying by best to act like I am out for leisurely ride around the island.  You have to have fun out there or the day will just be miserable.  I find my way to the where the wind starts.  I gear down and keep my head low.  The wind is blowing the swell is up to probably 10 feet on this side of the island.  We are probably 100 feet from the water in some places.  There is no sign of life over here for 13 miles other then the 3 water stations.   It is all you pedaling and pushing and keeping your mind on the task at hand.  I see the GPS is saying I am down to a miserable 13 mph.  This is going to be tough but I know it I have 13 miles of this until we turn down the middle of the island and hope for a tailwind. 

I make it through the windy side and we get through to the road.  It is not a tailwind but it is flat and I jump on this to make up some time but mindful not to dig into reserves.  I still have 2 laps to go.  I thrown down into the big chain get my Carbones to rattle at the magic mph of 22 where the internia of the wheels start to fly and I keep it there.  Steady in the aero and just think about pedaling.  I hit the transition area which was around mile 35 at 1:57.  Not great but I will take it for the first lap.  We ride through town and the crowds are going crazy.  This is great!  I ride past our hotel and look for Rob (our agreed citing spot) but I don’t seem him.  I am wondering if he missed me because I was early.  I didn’t think I would be there for another 15 minutes.   It is so great to see someone and hear your name after a few hours but I figure I am back out on my own.  I keep pedaling and then I see Ben and Rod further down the road!  Nice – cool!  Back on track.

Again, I start to re-think the plan.  I see everyone is really struggling from the wind.  I wonder again about why I still feel good and wonder if I should change pace.  I still am passing CJHM packs and they are looking more perturbed about it.  I secretly love it.  I decide to make a goal.  I am at mile 45 and I know the wind will be back at 52.  I decide to go hard until I get to mile 50.   I start to move out and flying by more people.  I want to stay focused and do some hard work until 50, grab a new bottle at the aid station and head out until the wind.   I follow my plan and it works great.  I still feel good.  I decide to take a mile spin and then hit hard again until mile 56 all in the wind.  I don’t care now, I just feel good and I want to get through the wind again.  As I pass another pack of CJHM I hear someone say “CHERYL” and it is Alan. Whew hew!   We catch up and ride together.  He is having tire issues and already had a flat.  We do the unthinkable by riding side by side to talk and it feels good to have a friend out there.  We are doing a good pace and I am thankful for finding him. 

We ride to special needs where he plans to fill up his tire again.  I have to get my special needs bag because my nutrition is in there.  I drink all of my calories this way now and so I cannot continue with out.  I have to have my water bottles.  There is total chaos and this is the first example of something that wasn’t quite ready for prime time.  The bags are everywhere and you are own your own to try to locate where your bag is.    I get off my bike and wonder through the mess.  There is a lot of panic going on by everyone but I try to stay calm.  Just find the bag and move on.  I was probably there 7 minutes before I found my bag.  Then I have to find my bike, exchange the bottles and try to get out of the area without an accident.  Finally I am free and drinking again and able to concentrate on the road.  I have about 3 more miles to go until the cutover to the other side.  I am patient the wind is starting to get gusty.

I catch up with Alan and we ride through town.  This is great.  The crowds are still there and I am riding with my new friend and I STILL FEEL GOOD!

We hit the lap 2 area but the timing mats are gone. That was weird.  Huh well I did that lap (40 miles) in 2:14.  Smoking hot baby.   Alan and I continue to ride through town back toward our hotel.  There is Rob and Alan’s girlfriend and I stop to move some nutrition into my sipper bottle.  It is good to get off the pedals and talk for a few minutes.  I started to get the “hot foot” a few miles back and knew what was coming.  A quick goodbye and I am off for lap 3.

Alan an I are still riding together but his nutrition flys off the back of his bike for no reason almost bonking me in the head.  The tri gods are not being friendly to Alan today but he is doing great.   I find the next gear for me and continue to move forward.  I play the same game in my head to get to mile 90.  Just push and be consistent.  Then it is back into the wind.  I play my last remaining mind game.  The stretch of road at home in Maui is 15 miles and a head windwind every day.  I tell myself this is just Honokowai to the Pali over and over again until I get to the top of the course again.  This is starting to be uncomfortable.  I am getting tired.  My butt hurts.  My feet are on fire with hot spots and I want the pain to stop.  I know this is where it gets tough.  I see people releasing the pressure on their shoes.  Heads are down.  People are not happy.  It is starting to wear on everyone.   Finally, the last stretch and I am heading toward a 6:29 bike.  I am very happy but very tired.  I see a few flats the last miles and I am praying that nothing happens those last few miles.  It is starting to rain and I wonder if a similar storm is a brewing like the other day.  Now the goal is to get off the bike before it start pouring.  

One more turn and there T2 is and I hand off my girl to a volunteer.  She has served me well this day.  We have been through a lot and she has delivered as usual without issues.  I head to the changing tent.   I think that is when I realized I was about ready to fall over.  I was really dizzy.  I sit down gathered my bag and start to change my shorts.  I spent a few extra minutes there but I just needed a break.  I then head out the door and see Rob.  I stop and he tells me I am his hero (tears) and hands me a note.  It was written on the hotel note pad and I wrote it down on Tuesday.  It was something from the Ironman banners in town and it said “Impossible is not something I have on my mind”.  I tuck it away in my shirt and head out to the 26.2 mile run.

As I head out for my first lap the winner of the race is just coming through town.  The crowd is going crazy and I am still a bit dizzy but feeling ok.   It is warm and lightly raining and I start to gather my plan.   My first lap is about on pace and the crowds are on fire.  Ben and Rob are in town shooting photos and trying to use their new Flip video things to record all of the action and I know I could have a great race if I can keep the run together.  At mile 12 that goes out the window.  I start to get really horrible stomach cramps and nothing will stop it.   I keep running but very slow and I know that it is only going to get worse.

I continue to slow down and do my best.  It will not be the 5:20 marathon I wanted but if I can somehow hang on I could go under 14 hours.  I keep moving.   There is not a lot of talking going on.  I do hear people saying how horrible the wind was and how hard the course is.  My feet are soaking wet from all the water I am pouring on me to stay cool and I was hoping to change my socks at special needs but I never found that bag.  I just keep moving.  I knew it would be tight to make it under 14 hours.  I am starting to hurt.  Everything hurts and I want to stop and lie down and maybe my stomach will stop hurting but I don’t, I continue my Ironman shuffle through the dark.  At mile 23 I know that I have to start to do something to make my goal.  I pick up the pace and my stomach feels like it will explode and I just keeping trying to stay focus.  I am back in town and the crowds are still there.  I am now hearing a lot of “go chica” and they point at me and say “anemall, anemall”.  I figured out they were trying say “animal” and it makes me smile.  This race is really truly something special.

At mile 25 I am elated.  It is almost over and I can feel it and I know this feeling.  I take a deep breath and do something I don’t normally do – well two things.  One I was too close to finish to stop to pee so I pee while running J  (sorry for those of you who are now freaked out) and then I acknowledge my demon.  We all have them right?  They are all in different forms and sometimes they are in our hearts, or our minds, or our bodies.  My mine is in my body.  It is MS and it has been with me for just over 5 years.  It was just over 5 years ago that we encountered this demon and I was just 8 months away from my first Ironman and figured I would never see my goal of completing one because of this dumb disease.

So, at mile 25 I say very out loud “you will not defeat me – you can’t have my body yet”.  I am sure the crowd thought I was crazy.   I have learned a great deal from this disease and doing Ironman’s about myself.  You have to be really good at being alone with your thoughts while training for something like this and you have to ready to sacrifice your time, the things you love and finally be ready to suffer.   The challenge is for everyone and how you deal with it is not always easy.  A friend has told me that she forgets I have this disease and we had a long talk about what is like for me to train and race.  Because everything is “internal” and you look “healthy” and most of us hide our MS problems, no one really knows that the suffering isn’t just Ironman suffering but Ironman suffering on steroids.  To give you an idea of what mine is like here is the short version.   My left arm is constantly feeling like there is a belt around it.  It is common symptom and it tightens up when I swim.  You want to swat at it and remove the belt but it never goes away and you end up swimming with an arm that doesn’t quite extend or always work.  In order to pedal my bike, I have to constantly tell my legs to “push down and pull up” and if I stop my mantra, I go pretty slow.  It is like I have to fire my brain to fire my muscles.   And then finally when I run my manta is hot feet in order to try to pick up my feet otherwise they don’t tend to turn over.  I know I don’t run very fast but this seems to help.  Those are just a few – the numb hands and feet are now normal and don’t seem very worthy to mention.

So we have our demons and challenges – but nothing is impossible.

OK sob story complete.

Back to mile 25 and I am chica on a mission.  Get to the finish line under 14 hours.  I am pumping my legs and arms hard.  I can see the finish oh my god, this is amazing!  Go, go, go, go!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I hear the announcer and she says “Cheryl Iseberg you are an Ironman” and I am home again at the Ironman finish line.  I have done it by finishing my 6^th Ironman in 5 years with a personal best time by 45 minutes!  Wow !  This feels great and for a moment I don’t feel the cramps in my stomach.   I find Rob and he dares to hug the sweaty, pee stained body of mine and tells me again that I am his hero.  Sweet!   I find a curb and bend over trying to keep my stomach calm and after about 20 minutes I can finally walk.  We find all the gear and take a taxi back to the hotel.

The day was amazing the people were ever more amazing and this race quite possibly could be the best Ironman around.  Thanks to all that tracked me online or just send me thoughts.  I know it sounds funny but I do hear them out there.  I know you are all watching and thinking of me and it makes a difference for sure to have you guys out there rooting for me.  As always, on my right shoulder is Patty Swedberg yelling “GO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” in that voice that all the Raise The Bar athletes know.  The one that can break glass.  On the other shoulder is Coach Simon saying “for god sakes Cheryl run faster”.  A deadly combination.

Thanks for listening and all the support.  It looks like Ironman Canada and Cozumel in 2010 are on the schedule.   I am looking forward to a 5k in a few weeks and few weeks of downtime then back in the saddle in January for the 2010 race season.

Hola everyone.

Cheryl aka the “anemall”

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