A few weeks ago, at Ironman Santa Rosa, we had a long-time triathlete, Oliver Isidro, finally take his first attempt at the Ironman distance. Oliver has completed more than a half dozen 70.3s and numerous triathlons and marathons in the ten years he has trained with Total Intensity Sports… but never an Ironman. Late last year, he decided that 2019 was going to be the season he took on an Ironman. He learned a lot in bridging the training gap between the 70.3 distance and the full, and it showed on race day as he steadily made his way through the 140.6 miles from Lake Sonoma to the finish line in downtown Santa Rosa. I posed a few questions to Oliver so he could share his training and race day lessons with you.
Coach’s Note: Knowing Oliver as I do, I knew that when he got into the race environment, especially on the bike, that he might get sucked in and start to “race” it. So, a few days before race day, we talked and I repeated the phase “it’s NOT a race… it’s an endurance event… it’s NOT a race…”. I think I said those words thirty times just to make it sink in and be in his thought process on race day.
Coach John: After completing so many half Ironmans, when you signed up for Ironman Santa Rosa, what made you feel you were ready to take on the Ironman?
Oliver: Work, training balance and juggling life are the reasons that deterred me from doing an Ironman sooner, but I was in no rush. I love training in general, 70.3s fits that balance and I always thought the more 70.3s that I do, the more it would prepare me for a full IM someday.
Coach John: As a first-time Ironman, what would you say are the more important differences between training for a half versus training for a full?
Oliver: Longer bricks, especially towards the closing months. Keeping up with your flexibility and strength exercises daily which I missed a lot of. Working on my weakness, which is my swim, so I had lots of pool swimming. I neglected running (my strength) at times in place of swimming because I’d have to get through the open water swim first or there wouldn’t be an IM finish.
Coach John: What changes from your past training did you make as you ramped up for Ironman?
Oliver: Oh, hydration and those water bottles… I learned that you have to keep hydrating, pee if you must, but stay hydrated or the suffering will get you. A 26.2 mile run is a long way, and while I enjoy a good suffering, I don’t like a defeated kind of suffering. Hydrate lots on the bike, don’t race it, hydrated it. It will prepare you for the run.
Coach John: What were the most important lessons you learned during your training?
Oliver: Again, hydration on the bike. On some of my long training bricks, I’d feel great on the bike then be crushed on the run (because I didn’t drink enough). That was not fun…
Also, spend more time on your weakness, in the areas where you are less confident. But, at the same time, don’t neglect the other disciplines.
Coach John: What advice would you give a first-timer on how to approach training for a full Ironman?
Oliver: Make sure your whole family is in on it. IM training us a huge undertaking, it will affect everyone. Prepare to juggle your 24 hours in a day. It is possible, you can do it.
Coach John: Were there any turning points in your training that gave you more confidence?
Oliver: Most definitely those COLD open water swims. It was strictly pool swimming during the winter months, there was no way I would open swim alone. On race day, at the start, I could not get to the water for a warm up, I had no idea how the water felt. So I kept thinking… “If I can get through those pins and needles ice cold temperatures, I can at least get in the lake and take it from there.” Turns out, the water was perfect!!
Coach John: What was your approach/plan on race day? What two or three things did you try to focus in on the most throughout the race?
Oliver: First, get through 2.4 miles of open water swimming (I’m still amazed I swam 2.4 miles). “There will be no IM finish if I can’t finish this swim.”
Second, hydrate and get your calories in during the bike. “DO NOT RACE! Drink your bottles, pee if you must, the marathon is coming.”
Third, chunk every hour, assess yourself every hour on the run. Check in on your bottles, salt tablets, calories.
Coach John: What was the toughest aspect of the race for you?
Oliver: The toughest part turned out to be one of the easiest. I was going nuts the night before about how to handle the bags T1, special needs, and T2 bags. The whole transition tent from swim to bike to run was foreign to me.
The amount of water bottles I have to drink, I was more focused on my bottles rather than my speed or pace.
Finally, not to race the bike mindset was tough. In the end I did not have a cramp, finished slowly but without suffering in a defeated way.
Coach John: I know when I did my first Ironman, there were certain moments that are ingrained into my memory. Are there any moments that stand out for you?
The red carpet finish chute I will forever remember. Having my family, friends/coaches cheering throughout the course. For a tiny moment I felt like a Superstar, but I had to shy away, I couldn’t handle all of the attention.
Coach John: At what point in the race did you KNOW you were going to reach the finish line?
Oliver: All chips were in at mile marker 3 of the run. Slowly but surely after I saw that 3 mile mark I started to picture the finish. I was excited to see my wife. I was excited to show my boys that I finished an Ironman and that they, too, can accomplish hard things, not necessarily an Ironman, but have a goal in life and persevere.
Coach John: That’s awesome that you had those thoughts towards your wife and boys… as you approached the finish line, what emotions were you experiencing?
Oliver: Surreal. “I got one, I got one done.” was what my mind kept saying. After years of 70.3’s, marathons and road cycling, I finally had a chance to put it altogether for this one Ironman.
I GOT ONE!!
Coach John: Yes, you certainly got one and can proudly call yourself an Ironman! Now that you did one, are you ready to do another one?
Oliver: Short answer is YES, but I’d have to sit down and assess if life would allow it.
Coach John: Well, congrats on having such a great experience… it was definitely a very satisfying and proud day as your coach for more than ten years to see you achieve your long held goal of becoming an Ironman. Well done, my man!!
John Pottebaum is an Ironman Certified Coach, Four-time Ironman and triathlete for over 20 years. He has been coaching triathletes out of Sacramento, California since 2000 and welcomes any questions you might have. Contact John directly here.
