Ironman Cozumel...The Day After…

For those that have never done an Ironman you would think that you’d sleep like a baby after an Ironman. Actually the opposite is true. It’s very hard to get a good night sleep until a day or two afterwards.

I got to bed at 2 am and was up at 7 am, couldn’t sleep. Instead I went to the lobby and did about 3-hrs of work and emailing. It was like the email tap got turned on, it was clear Thanksgiving is over.

I’ve been trying about a dozen times to upload my post race bathroom race report video. It’s a tradition I started. The hotel Internet is so slow I decided to go into town and try a place there. I stopped for breakfast and they had good Internet. I still didn’t upload. Failed. I sat for new 2 hours trying and doing more email. No go.

I lucked out at the breakfast joint, where I had a well deserved grand slam breakfast. The restaurant hey had guys removing the banners promoting the race on the front of the building They are the same ones that are on all the poles on Main Street. One guy asked the manager if he could get one and the manager must have said no, he left empty handed. I went up to the manager and asked, at first he said no, then he reconsidered, it was either my charm or Ironman finisher shirt, and he gave me one. It’s awesome. I’m going to hang it on my garage wall along with all my racing bibs.

Then I walked to the Ironman expo and picked up a finishers T-shirt. More Ironman clothing to complete my new 2014 wardrobe, I think I have about 5 shirts total now.

I did some walking around the town, picking up some stuff for the family and walking to keep the legs loose. I found a cool necklace the locals were making with an Ironman logo, you got to love bootleg Ironman stuff. They are the most creative. I have an Ironman bootleg street light from Lake Placid that is awesome too. 

I’m not drinking but I haven’t quit smoking cigars. I bought and lit one up as a celebration. I wish I hadn’t. Afterwards I started feeling sick and the feeling hasn’t left me all day. I think the Ironman race is finally physically hitting me. I feel sick. I think I need a good nights sleep.

All day I tried to keep hydrated and ate healthy. Took my vitamins and keeping on the straight and narrow. Still not helping. I feel sick.

I thought a massage might help and scheduled a 90-minute one. First time I’ve had them come to the room with their table. Little awkward at first.

The massage was awesome. At a couple of points I fell into mini sleeps I caught myself snoring a bit. I woke up before it became falling asleep with drool running onto the floor as your face is in that little donut.

Afterwards my legs felt near recovered. I’m surprised how physically good I feel in the legs. It’s my heart light that feels sick. I have no energy and after 8 hours and brushing my teeth my mouth still tastes like an ashtray. That’s the type of sick feeling I have.

I’m also super-irritable. I find that to be another post Ironman side effect. I think it’s because it’s over and you want to relax and enjoy the moment and then life gets in the way and all things, big and little irritate. Next Ironman I’m going to take a week off afterwards to decompress.

After irritability it then goes into a depression until you set another BHAG (Big Hairy Ass Goal). You mop around aimlessly. You think you’d be happy you don’t have structured training. Not the case. Until you set the next goal you go into a funk. It’s standard fare.

Before I headed back to the room I went down to the lobby to try and upload the race report video one more time. No go. I did run into Lochlin and his wife Debbie. He had to DNF, he had 6 flats and barely made the bike cut off before starting the run and having to stop because the water in the shoes caused unbearable blisters.

He did tell me that his swim time was not too far off his normal time. Same with his wife Deb who also did the race. I thought everyone had a great swim. Turns out some did, some didn’t. I was smart and was more to the outside with the current. With that said I looked at the pros times and the guy who came in 15^th with an 8:45, had a swim only 1 minute faster than mine. I guess I should give all the credit to the current. I think it must have been my speedos and shaved body cutting through the water like a knife.

I’m ready to leave. I already backed my bike and bags and my flight isn’t until 2 pm tomorrow. I’m off to San Francisco and then back home Friday. In the last 7-weeks I’ve only been home for 1-week. I’m looking forward to getting home. It will be weird, it’s December and Christmas time and it doesn’t feel like it to me because I’ve been in warm climates. I think it will be cool getting back and full Christmas swing, probably a bit surreal.

Tonight I had the option to go to the Post Ironman Party at Senor Frogs. I decided to stay home. I’m not feeling well and if your not partying with beer it’s not as much fun.

It’s not like me to turn down a party, but this is the new me. My body and mind will thank me in the morning.

Recovery Day – No training.