IRONMAN Triathlon World Championship 2002

-         Dreams come true  -

Hawaii, the dream islands for many people around the world.

The IRONMAN finish line in Kailua Kona, for most triathletes the desire to become a real IRONMAN /-WOMAN. The IRONMAN Cooperation published this year that around 50 000 people tried to qualify for the IRONMAN World Championship on Big Island, Hawaii. But only 1500 can make it every year.

For me, it was the 4th time that my dream came true. After 1997, ’98, ’99 I returned to compete in the race, which means a lot to me. The atmosphere in Kona before, during and after the race, the world’s best triathletes and all the things that are going on around this big event, make it so special. This race is not just a 2.4-mile swim, 112 miles of cycling, and a marathon. IM Hawaii is different every time. Every year, lot’s of pain, yet a great time. Mark Allen, the legend, told people in 1999 “You can come to Kona better prepared than ever before. You can try to implement a new strategy. But on race day, your plans most likely will not work out because the conditions of the race are different every year.

That is why the race more or less dictates on how you have to race that day and your body has to adjust. Based on how you adjust that day, it is up to you on how well you will finish. No other IRONMAN in the world punishes little mistakes as hard as the IM on the Big Island.”

After the arrival the main focus is to get ready for the big day. Every morning before the race at 7 a.m., most of the competitors meet at the swim start to chat and to get a feeling to swim in the pacific. It is a cult, and more or less a must to be there. Preparing next to people like Paula Newby Fraser, Tim de Boom, Lother Leder, Fernanda Keller, Juergen Zaeck,  Karen Smyers, or Bill Bell etc. gives you an uplifting feeling and you actually realize that this is the World Championship. It’s also special to be cycling on King Kamehameha Highway, or running on Alii Drive while you meet top athletes such as Peter Raid, Nina Kraft, Spencer Smith or Natascha Badmann. Most importantly, my wife Liane and I love to spent time with our friends and relax, as well as to explore the beautiful island and last but not least, to take advantage of the great sales they have going on around the IRONMAN fair. In comparison to past years, we had more rain than ever before. Some people even started to fear the conditions of the race day.

The races got closer and closer, while I couldn’t wait for it to start.  In the picture above, Juergen Zaeck and I had fun and shared some laughter before the race day, making his bike as shiny as mine. Thursday afternoon it was time to check our gear in. The Pasta party at night was like all the years before.  A great show, with speeches, and a video with the “famous crawling” of Julie Moss to the finish line in 1998. Friday, we checked our bikes in, and tried to relax throughout the afternoon. At night, I had my traditional Pizza dinner. Not to forget the day before the race: drink, drink, and drink to get enough fluids for the race day. Heavy rain showers throughout the night before the race scared everybody and we were all wondering if we would even have a regular race the following day.

-        

Race day-

0430 the alarm clock went off and it still rained.  A cup of coffee, a banana, and a piece of Hawaiian bread as always before the big race. The whole preparation in the morning has pretty much gotten a habit. 0500 we took the shuttle bus from the hotel to the start. Close to the start line, we met Butch Ferguson. Nancy Call was already at the body marking. Our friends from El Paso had just arrived the Wednesday night before the race, and therefore unfortunately were not able to enjoy Hawaii as much as they wanted to. Nonetheless it was most important to Nancy just to qualify for the big race, and to be part of it, while everything else was secondary. She had worked hard to qualify for this event the entire year. She was so close, but didn’t make it in Lubbock. She gave up the series, focused on Hawaii and made it in Canada. She truly deserved to be part of the race, and to compete with the best. After I got my body marked, I entered T1 and prepared my bike for the race. Double-checking everything is not enough for me. Because the transition personal racks your bike on Friday and you don’t know the exact spot of your bike, I tried to figure out which way was the best approach to my bike after I would finished the swim. Finally, I was able to get ready for the swim. Back at the meeting point there was not much talking, while everybody was concentrating and trying to   
calm down. Due to high waves and the unfavorable weather conditions rumors went around that they would even change the race. Later on, official announcement straightened everything out and the final decision was to have a regular race. It was a long day for everybody, including the athletes, Liane, Butch and all the family members,  friends, as well as the spectators. I always have to give all the people along the race course lots of credit, while we as the athletes definitely appreciate the support along the racetrack. Special thanks to my wife Liane.  Without her support during the season and during the races I wouldn’t be as successful.      

                                         Heep & Heep the winning team

Back to race, as it was time to go, we all gave each other a hug, and wished the best of luck to one another. Nancy and me entered the water. As soon as we got into the water, I lost Nancy and was looking for a good spot to start the race. As a bad swimmer, I tried to find a gap in the field. As I was searching to fit in somewhere, the race began. I felt good going out towards the turn around. Others didn’t, while people got seasick and had major problems because of the high waves. Some gave up at the turn around, others couldn’t make the cut off.

Coming out of the water, my time was1:18 hrs.I was behind my estimated time around 1:10 hrs. Race officials said that it had been the hardest swim ever, while most people did unexpectantly bad on their swim. The cycling and the run being my favorable events I was hoping to make up some time. After a fast transition, I entered the bike race, and started to work my way up. It was the first time in the IRONMAN Hawaii history that we had rain on the actual race day, and therefore I was very careful on the slipperyPalani Road. After heading out to King Kamehameha Hwy we had to come back down Palani Road, which was a no passing zone and the race marshals controlled this part very closely. Biking a short part through Kona, we returned back on King Kamehameha Hwy and hit out to the north, to Hawi. After a while it stopped raining, and the sun finally came out. At mile 18, I passed Nancy and during a short conversation she told me that it was a slow swim and she took 1:10 hours. Normally she can do it in 1 hour. While the winds were not bothering us along the first part of the bike race, they became stronger on my way up to Hawi. After the turnaround we were able to enjoy the tailwind, although it did not last very long. Back on King Kamehameha Hwy the wind turned. Fighting the strong head winds I reached the T2. The sun started to burn down on us and after 1 mile on the old airport, the run course took us back to town. Running down Hualalai Road I passed Liane and Butch, cheering for us. Two miles later I passed Mike Baker, the Ironman legend of El Paso. At mile 10, I realized that I was getting overheated. In order for me to continue the race, I had to slow down and walk through the aid stations to get enough water, coke, and ice. Was it a mistake to go on the run with the one peace race suit? I think so, because on King Kamehameha Hwy and the lava fields there was no shade whatsoever. Steam along the road made the incredibly high humidity of 99% visible, while caught up air underneath my one-piece race suit made it hard for my skin to breath.   I reached the Energy Lab, the hottest point on the run and also the final turnaround.

I hit back up to the Hyw and after the long climb I was almost there. Only a few miles back to Kona and than the most unbelievable finish line out of all races. I always enjoy running through the crowd down Palani Road followed by Hualalai Road and then right on Alii Drive. I didn’t feel any pain, while I was only thankful and proud to make it again, and that all the torture I went trough and the time and money I spend in order to pass this finish line paid off. Close to the finish line I got the German and U.S. flags which Liane prepared in front of every IRONMAN finish this year. After 10:52:32 hrs tired, but glad I finished my 4th IRONMAN Hawaii and I am sure it will not be the last time I cross the finish line in Kailua Kona.

   I will come back.

Aloha and Mahalo

                           Reimond

Mike 11:39:39 hrs, Nancy 13:59:38 time hrs, not on
the picture Danny Montoya with 11:00:20 hrs