Derek Degutis

Lake Stevens 70.3 Race Report

This was my first 70.3 Ironman Event…. What a Thrill, the excitement and training leading up to this day was unbelievable!!!

My wife (Cassie) and I arrived in Seattle Wa. Late Wed night.

Thursday we headed up to Lake Stevens to check into hotel and unpack my bike, (it made it, thank god) and I was able to put together, imagine that…. Anyways I went for a hour ride on course and finally realize that this was a very Hilly course for a kid from the East Coast!!!

Friday, I go and ride the entire loop of a 2 loop course, and that’s when I had a few choice words about the hills!!! More to come on that… Afterwards I go check in @ registration and attend the meeting, which was a cool feeling…. Got some stuff at Expo and onward I went…

Saturday, I wanted to get in water but really couldn’t find a spot to do so… no biggie. I went for a run on last loop of run leg, yuppers more hills… checked in bike, and said good bye and to rest up for a ride tomorrow (yes I am a dork, I talk to my bike) it gets me through long rides!!!! Plus allot $$$ invested in that damn thing!!! Have a good day of eating I THOUGHT…

Bed early and asleep by 10:15 awake at 4:05 am no shower for me before a race… have my regular race day breakfast, bread and peanut butter and a banana, 1 cup coffee (Coffee goes with Seattle). Out the door we go… Arrive at transition at 5:00 am all good. Temp outside was around 52 or 54 outside….

Swim….
It was very nice water I thought, around 69 I think they said, I was in the 4th wave, in water start. Started in middle and off went the horn, uneventfull swim for me with the exception of one really good shot to the eye… I found that cable under the water and stayed close to that… Just reached and breathed was my thoughts and that’s what I did…. Out of the water
47:48 (2:16) I’m ok with considering this is generally my weak spot

T1
Very uneventful, off with wetsuit, but I forgot the arm warmers and wish I had them on the bike!!!! They were right there on my towel…. DUMB ASS!!!!
2:54

Bike
Well, this is my stronger side USUALLY!!! I am not a Hill/Mountain climber at all!!!! I started out to plan exactly, don’t push it, let people pass you get yourself together and then push later…. Had my water and my infinit…All normal training stuff… Hit the 10 miler spot and I am feeling great… then the bigger climbs started, oh crap, small ring here we come, then that was it, push and push and push, I remember a few of the people I trained with saying to me (and you know who you are) “come on Derek you have more than that” “you will remember this when you are out west” “remember your Sweetmans ride”. All of the thoughts and well wishes were helping me GRIND this out…. Finally get to downhill… 48 MPH… HOLY CRAP I don’t need to see that ever again, no thanks not for me, bike shaking… I was scared on that part… then, oh yeah we get to do that loop all over again… this time at the last top of it I yell at this hill/mountain and say a few choice words and say never want to see you again…. Then hit 46 MPH was on brakes again for sure… scared very scared… almost back to transition and there are few more small climbs, enough is enough I thought… my CPU broke somtime near the end, thought I was under 3 hours apparently I wasn’t… 3:16:17 (17.1 mph)—slower than wanted but I was still smiling!!!!

T2
Feeling really good, I see the clock and see I can go sub 6:00 hours… holy crap it may happen… no cramping nothing, see my wife and smiling and tell her all is good, and I love her… Off I go
2:39

Run
Well, was getting better at running…. I had a lot of my matches left in the book prob about 6 left…. (that was the plan) go out in first mile feeling great, 8:33 then everything out the window, first water stop there was a porta John… I was in there for a while…. Not sure what happen but I needed and found the porta johns 4 more times!!!!!!! Did everything I could to not walk but… I couldn’t do it, I wanted to finish and not fall on my face, I believe I was dehydrating from all my visits to bathroom… started cramping badly as well, took salt tablets that I had with me too….. nothing was working…. I saw the crowd and said I WILL NOT QUIT!!!! Went around for second loop and came to final 3 ½ miles and saw Cassie again and knew inside I will do this… made it back into town and the crowd support is incredible, all the support and well wishes from everyone back home was bringing me to that EMOTIONAL finish… 2:33:07 (11:42 pace) Finished with a smile…

Total 6:42:43

Conclusion…… I am very excited about finishing!!! Great experience… A very TOUGH and CHALLENGING COURSE!!!! Just want to say thanks to a few people for getting me where I am today…
My friends through Bicycles Unlimited, Kenny lets get ready for IMLP need to find mountains…. All my training partners down there you know who you are (the fish and the girls)… How about the folks @ Jersey Shore Tri Club, thanks for the support and well wishes on the forum… My family couldn’t do it with out your love and support… My friends… what can I say but thanks… To the 2 BPC Triathlon guys that help me through this journey when I first signed up with them (Dave and Joe) they didn’t know how inexperienced was, but I did, I used every match I had on that course guys, THANK YOU for coaching me to get where I am… I know have a lot more work to do, and looking forward to being pushed….
My Wife, Cassie… I did it, through blood sweat and yes TEARS, the pain I felt I know she felt too… To see her at the finish with the tears in both our eyes was priceless… I thank her, I owe a lot of time back to her now…

I am definitely looking forward to getting better next time, and YES I want to do another and I am as well as signed up for Lake Placid in 2010!!!

Thanks for reading my report