Deca Iron Race Report

Photo by Benoit Beauchamp, official photographer at the Deca-Iron race.

Here is Waynes' race report from the Deca-Iron race in Monterrey, Mexico:

Race Re-Cap 2009 DECA Iron Triathlon
November 9-19th


24 Miles swimming - 760 laps in the 25 meter pool
1112 miles biking – 930 laps on the bike loop
262 miles running – 220 loops on the run loop

Total time 141:28:26
5th Overall


Jan (wife and partial crew) and I arrived in Monterrey on Nov. 5th. There was a sense of anticipation and nervous energy as we met with all our friends, athletes, and crews from around the globe. It is a family atmosphere that makes these races so special. After the mandatory blood tests and final rule descriptions we all attended the grand opening ceremony hosted by the local media, (the BBC was filming as well) at a large hotel in Monterrey (downtown).

The opening ceremony included introduction of the athletes along with a huge buffet with mariachi bands. It was the last time for everyone to have fun and relax before the stress two days later with the beginning of the race.

The field was stacked, including Matej (Slovenia), Pascal (France), Ference (Hungary) and Kari (Sweden) all looking to do well and secure enough points for the World Cup points championship. My goals were to: 1. Finish the race 2. Run well (second part of each marathon) as I know many would go out too fast and consistency would be my key race strategy.

We spent the day Sunday (day before the race) buying more food and supplies from the grocery store so we had everything possible and not have to waste time later while the race was under way. I was nervous for sure, which is always a good sign for me.

Race Day!
We awoke to a nice sunny 65 degree morning and all the athletes met at the race transition area for body weight analysis and drop off urine samples. This process was completed every morning and after the race to provide a report for all athletes that illustrated the effect of fat loss, dehydration, and muscle mass and body weight. As a group we all rode to the University swimming pool. I felt like I had a rock in my stomach and tried to calm my nerves down! I was matched with Peter Cusick from London in my lane and it was finally game time as we all jumped in the water. Jorge gave us the signal to “go” and we were off on the start of this 10 day adventure.

As I expected, many racers went very hard on day one and I focused on holding back and staying within myself which was difficult, but in the end became the perfect strategy for me.

There were the normal up’s and down’s each day from day 2-7 including unbelievable heat (95 degrees and over 100 in the direct sun), brutal warm water in the pool which was 87 degrees (imagine how hot it was wearing a wetsuit – felt like being in a sauna and made you nauseous). Every day, I told myself to focus on never getting off the bike– no matter what and how tough it would be. This strategy was huge for me as many racers would stop and take some time off the saddle to eat, recover, etc. I have been racing 24 years but don’t remember many races with the heat we had for those couple days. My goal each day was to stay consistent for the day in all the sport disciplines. It became difficult to hold back, and then all of a sudden many athletes started dropping out, dropping way back on the run and then the injuries started for many athletes. I continued to push the last ½ of each marathon and was able to put significant time on many of the athletes and my confidence continued to grow each day. I was experiencing normal foot blisters and saddle sores, but nothing compares to some of the medical issues other’s were facing on a daily basis.

My second Super-Crew – Rick Freeman was instrumental in driving me to keep eating more and more food. My base food consisted of Hammer products and Perpeteum being the main fuel. However, throughout the bike, I ate pounds of Mexican beef, chicken, sandwiches, nutella and an assortment of “real” food for extra calories and taste. It worked to perfection and one item that became an ongoing joke between Rick and me was that on one loop I asked for Beef with Ice chips. As you can imagine, when he and all the crew heard that, there were plenty of “Did he say, beef with ice?” It was so hot and it tasted like heaven.

(editors note: this became know as "icy beef")

Day 8 – Day 9

These two days were especially tough mentally and physically as I had a fever, sweats, and bad cold. I did not get much sleep during these days as the fever occurred both evenings and felt horrible for the swim and bike disciplines. My goals changed and it was all about “holding it together” and get to Day 10 with the hope that I would feel better to finish strong on the run.

Day 10

It was hard to believe that we all (10 remaining athletes out of the 18 starters) were lining up for our last ride over to the pool. There was a ton of excitement in the air and we all discussed what it’s going to feel like when we would cross the finish line for the last time (but still had a full Ironman left!!). I took it steady all day and could not wait to get off the bike and onto the last discipline of running. I decided to run the whole marathon with no walking with the goal of finishing strong. I was still feeling under the weather, but the run went well and the final lap had arrived. Rick gave me the U.S.A. flag and of course a Pittsburgh Steelers terrible towel to wave as I came through the finish line. Rick had the song Renegade by Styx (huge Pgh. Steelers song) wired into the speakers and I saw the finish line. Emotionally, it was like no other race in my life. I sprinted (pulled my left hamstring at the finish line) and screamed all the way through the finish line. I was mobbed by all the other racers, crews, race volunteers, photographers, etc. and had beer squirted and poured over my head (of course it kept my tears hidden). I took a 16 oz can and chugged it in record time and it was amazing how wonderful it tasted at that point. Emotionally, I was exhausted and could not believe it was finally over. As everyone finished, it was the same emotions and joy and the family atmosphere was at its best.

We all waited at the finish line and partied with wine, rum, tequila, etc. to cheer on the remaining racers still on the marathon course. I will never forget the memories of the finish and celebrating with all the athletes. It was the race of my life and still pinch myself that I actually completed this massive race.

The best feeling occurred when several of the veteran DECA Ironman athletes told me that I was very mentally strong throughout the race and I am now “A DECA IRONMAN” and part of a very select group of athletes around the world. That’s when it sunk in!

I can’t thank all the support especially when I had a couple days between crew when Jan left and Rick arrived. Paetra (Kari’s wife) and Angela (Peter’s wife) were unbelievable and treated me like their own family – providing all the necessary food, supplies, etc.

A big congratulation to all the finishers and Ference for a tremendous race and overall IUTA Series winner!

MEMORIES FOR A LIFETIME!

141:28.26

You can see results and pictures at the following websites:

Deca Iron results

Multisport website

Deca Iron Final Day

Just a quick update from the race. Everyone took it easy in the swim, and all were glad that they will not be returning to the pool. One guy did not like the way his wetsuit was fitting, so he stopped and ripped the sleeves off it. The weather is just perfect. Temps in the low seventies, plenty of sun, and a slight breeze. You can feel the excitement in the air as the support crews go about their daily routines. A few have gone to the store to get supplies for a long night of celebration.

There should not be much movement in the overall standings. Wayne is in fifth place, with an eleven hour total lead over sixth place. I will update after the bike tonight.

Last Day

Sorry for the break, the internet connection was down last night. Wayne caught a cold and slowed a bit but his sprits are not dampened. He finished about an hour slower than the past few days. Similar to the Tour de France, the standing are pretty well set, and they should not change on the last day.

We had a busy day on Tuesday, helping with a few problems. We had to readjust peters cycling cleats a couple of times. Then he got his ipod stolen, so I lent him mine. He actually liked my musci selection. Gregor had a shoe problem, so we cut away some of the material so all of his toes would fit. Seems everyone had a small issue or two, but everyone worked through them to finish. Beant wanted to win yesterday and finished teh bike only 3 minutes behind Ferenc. He began the run well, then his knee gave out and he was reduced to walking to the finish.

Check in later.

Almost Home

Monday ended up a tough day for many of the competitors. The weather was perfect for racing, but the fatigue showed on the faces of most. Ferenc finished in a amazing time of 11:20, with Benat about ten minutes behind. Pascal was over an hour back today, due to a slower bike ride.

Today began rainy and cool. Greger was again first out of the pool, followed by Benat. Benat has been sneaking up on the leaders and may be able to shake up the standings with a good race today. The support area was quiet, as crews struggled to keep things dry and warm. It is about 1:45 p.m. and the sun has just come out, so the remainder of the day should be good. Like a baseball pitcher who is throwing a no-hitter, no one wants to talk much about today or tomorrow, lest we jinx the athlete`s. Greger continues to amaze, as he is strong in the swim and on the bike, then walking an eight hour marathon each day. He refuses to be discouraged.

We thought everyone would be excited about this being the next to the last day, with the end in sight. Perhaps this afternoon, the moods will lighten, as it warms up.

I had to modify Peter Cusicks cycling shoes, as his achilles continued to tighten up. He had a spasm while riding to the swim start, and was worried about it locking up later in the day. We moved his cleat back to transfer the power more to his quads and less to his calves. So far, he has said that it is working.

The strategy today is to make sure Wayne eats more than enough, so he will stay strong for two more days. He is having no real problems, other than a little tired during the run. I am sure that his legs are aching, but he has not told me so. With the cooler weather, it is no problem staying hydrated. His feet were swollen a bit this morning, but seemed better after the swim, hopefully he will not have to wear the bigger shoes. I should be able to check in later this evening.

It`s a Great Day for Triathlon

Monday evening and all is going better than expected. The cooler temps have restored good moods to most of the athlete`s. The bike times are very close, with Benat, from Spain, having an excellent ride. Ferenc is leading by a comfortable margin, with Pascal second. Greger was second off the bike, but lost time again while in the medical tent getting his ankle tended to. Ferenc, Pascal and Benat are all running fast, which should make for an exciting finish tonight. Wayne rode conservatively, and will hopefully nail down a good run. Peter had a better ride today and will certainly put more time on Wayne in the run, as he is very fast. All of the support crews are bundling up for a cold night.

Deca Iron Day 8

Sunday was a tough day for all of the racers. The temperatures were near ninety degrees with very little wind throuhgout the day. Ferenc still managed to do 11:37 on the day. Wayne said that the bike ride was very hard and decided to take it easy on the run so he would not be too tired for the following days. We thought that he may have been able to gain a little time on Peter, but Peter had a great run and gained almost teh entire advantage that Wayne had built during the bike ride. I dropped in on Peter and his wife while the medical folks were working on his toe. The Dr. said that he was to stop back to the tent every one and one-half hours so they could check his toe. At one point they stated that they may have to pull him from the race if it got too bad. The word spread fast the the medical tent was to be avoided at all costs, as they obviously have not seen such a determined bunch of athlete`s. No one will drop if they can still walk. Gregor is the amazing one, he is usually first out of the water and first off the bike. He then tapes a few bags of ice to his shin and ankle and proceeds to walk/limp through the marathon. There is never any talk of quitting.

Today it is much cooler, with partially cloudy skies and a stiff breeze. Good for the runners, a little cool for the support crews. Wayne is feeling good, and staying well fueled. Gotta go.