My Life - The Triathlon Way
Ironman: Christmas comes early
Here's an article about the 5K and 10K my family and I ran a week before Kona that was published in the Hawaii newspaper . Enjoy!
By Sean Pagett
Friday, October 12, 2007 8:18 AM HST
It's Ironman Eve, and I feel like a kid waiting for Santa Claus or the Easter Bunny to arrive. Fortunately, Saturday morning will get here soon enough, and I'll be able to watch and cheer for the nearly 1,800 athletes who will take on the challenge of the Ford Ironman World Championship.No matter how you slice it, a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike ride and a 26.2-mile run is a huge task. I can't wait for the 7 a.m. start, when all of the built-up energy, excitement and enthusiasm is released at the blast of a cannon that sends these exceptional athletes on their way.Personally, I'm looking forward to a very long but fun day and hope that all of this year's Ironman hopefuls achieve their goals and enjoy this very special experience. I'll do my best to cheer everyone on, especially our 39 Island of Hawaii athletes who have worked hard and are ready to line up with the rest of the world's best Ironman triathletes.
Last weekend, we were blessed with a couple of really nice events that helped our Big Island crew and all of the visiting athletes put the final touches on their Ironman preparation. On Saturday morning about 175 swimmers got together at Kua Bay for the fourth annual Kukio Blue Water Swim.Teenagers dominated the 1.2-mile open ocean swim from Kua Bay to Uluweuweu Bay at Kukio. In a great race for the top three spots, Kaikea Nakachi outsprinted fellow teenagers Ryan Ross and Torrey Meister. Nakachi took the title with a great time of 24 minutes, 26 seconds. Ross followed a few ticks later at 24:31. Meister took third at 24:35.Super masters swimmer Karlyn Pipes-Neilsen broke up the teen party with a strong fourth-overall finish of 25:05. Right behind her were a couple more speedy teens. Logan Borowski took fifth at 25:22, and Nathaniel Goodale followed in sixth at 25:50.Larry Black topped the men's masters with a seventh-place time of 25:59. Eighth went to a fifth 13-14-year-old, Sonny Hapgood, at 26:02. Mark Noetzel finished in ninth with a second-place 40-49 time of 26:10. Dylan Niau closed out the very talented top 10 with a second-place 15-19 time of 26:12.Following Pipes-Neilsen in the wahine division were Jade Morton in 15th overall at 26:35; Rachel Shimizu in 17th at 26:40; Heather Gollnick in 18th at 26:44 and Lauri Berkenkamp in 22nd at 27:58.Sunday morning, the performances of top finishers at the 22nd annual Path Run were also very impressive. The 3.1- and 6.2-mile event brought out close to 200 runners and walkers. I didn't see many familiar local faces, but I did see quite a few very fast visitors.The 6.2-mile champ, Jonathan Balabuck, came all the way from Thunder Bay, Ontario, and still ran a very impressive time of 34:45. Jamie Cleveland followed in 35:46. Goetz Lipinsky closed out the top three in 36:27.The ladies champ, Yvonne Van Vlerken of the Netherlands, wasn't too far behind the top guys with her eighth-overall time of 38:30. Penny Edwards at 43:36 and Camille Beers in 44:08 rounded out the rest of the top three.In the 3.1-miler, Chad Holderbaum of Irwin, Penn., just held off our favorite "Road Runner" from Kealakekua, Rani Tanimoto. Holderbaum crossed the line in 18:35, with Tanimoto a few strikes back at 18:37. Claudia Hille, who was passed by the Roadrunner down the home stretch, took third overall and second for the ladies in 18:43. Alex Woodbury led the chase pack in with a time of 21:01. Tom McHale followed closely to wrap up the front five with his time of 21:04.I hope you all enjoy Saturday's Ford Ironman World Championship. I know I will. One of the things that keeps me motivated during the long day is that for many of this year's participants, the Ironman will be a life-changing experience. Being a small part of their day makes me feel good, and even if they don't seem to respond to your cheers on the outside, believe me it does make a difference internally. It's amazing what can be accomplished when we all get together and share our aloha.
Holderbaum Finishes Grueling Ironman Race
By Bill Hartlep - Sports Editor
http://www.yournorwin.com/norwinstar/article/holderbaum-finishes-grueling-ironman-raceOctober 17, 2007
A day after competing in the Ford Ironman World Championships in Kona, Hawaii, an exhausted Chad Holderbaum simply said, "It was a pretty long day."
Long would be an understatement for a man who spent more than 11 hours swimming, riding and running Saturday in 90- degree heat against winds that blew his bicycle across the road while he was on it. Despite the pain and anguish, the Irwin native and Penn-Trafford graduate suffered, Holderbaum said it was all worth it after crossing the finish line as the 846th finisher with a time of 11 hours, 6 minutes and 38 seconds.
"It was definitely a life-changing experience. It was very humbling being there with the best of the best," he said. "Finishing was by far the best experience, rounding that last corner and seeing the finish line. It was just awesome." Holderbaum finished the 2.4 mile swim in 1:14:50, the 112-mile bike ride in 5:47:33 and the 26.2 mile run in 3:57:52. "It was pretty much the hardest race I've ever done as far as the heat, the winds and everything in Hawaii. It was pretty brutal." The Westinghouse engineer had a good swim, exiting the water just 10 minutes of his goal time due to congestion of the numerous athletes. He then made up time in the bike ride, while also moving up 225 places in the race. The run, however, was a tough test for the entire field in the sunny Hawaiian tropics. "The weather was just ferocious. It gave me a whole new respect for the sport. Just when I thought I figured out how to do these things, the course chews you up and spits you out," said Holderbaum, citing severe cramping during the marathon run.
"You just have to put your head down, muscle through it and try to block out the pain." After finishing the most arduous race in his life at the toughest course in the world, Holderbaum plans to take it easy over the next few months before getting back into his hardcore training regiment.
"It was just an awesome experience just being there and competing against the best athletes in the world," he said.
"Hopefully, I'll be back again next year. I would have liked a bit of a faster time. But it was tough out there. It's the toughest course in the world, and it definitely proved to be."
To learn more about the competition, visit
www.ironman.com/worldchampionship.
Ironman World Championship Race Report
It's hard trying to sit here and think about what to write, who to thank, and where to go from here. My journey can't be expressed in any amount of words, or feelings. It's something that only I will know the feeling of, and anyone else that lines up on that magical beach in Kaliau-Kona. This race is everything I had ever dreamed about since I got introduced to Ironman racing in 2004. This race is the pinnacle of triathlon. Not one single day had passed in the previous four years where I didn't think about this race. I wanted to race with the best in the world. I wanted to say that I raced in the lava fields. I wanted to feel that incredible head wind up to Hawi. I wanted to feel those famous cross winds on the Queen K Highway. I wanted to race Hawaii!
I didn't grow up admiring Dave Scott, Paula Newby-Frasier, and Mark Allen. Heck I didn't even know what an Ironman was until I got back into running and met some of these crazy people doing these crazy events. I thought they were all nuts. You mean you have to swim 2.4 miles, bike 112 miles, and run 26.2 miles. How many days do you get to do this? I had so many questions, but at the same time it was intriguing to me. Once I got hooked on Ironman racing, I quickly saw how strong and dedicated this sport can make you. The sport has changed my entire outlook on life, and the drive it takes one to be the best you can be.
On Saturday October 13th, 2007 at 7:00 AM Hawaiian standard time, I lined up for the biggest race of my life on Dig Me beach in front of the Kona pier. The professionals had gone off fifteen minutes early, and it was now our turn. As I swam out to the start line, emotions filled my head. "I can't believe I'm here", I thought silently. Mike Rilely, the Ironman announcer said quietly to the starting pack, "Enjoy your day guys, have a great one out there", then BANG!
Feeling helpless, 1800 of the best athletes in the world searched for open space, open water, and simply try to get free. I've often tried to express what the start of one of these things feels like exactly, but until you're in one, let me tell you there's nothing else like it. If you've ever ridden the Boston or New York Subway or been crammed into a small bus or confined space, that's sort of close. Just add water, kicking, grabbing, and more kicking. Anxiety and frustration filled the bay that morning, and I was one of those lost souls getting pulled in every direction. I started on the inside hoping to swim on the right side of the buoy's, similar to what I've done at other Ironman races. I soon to find out that this wasn't feasible. Here I was swimming in the middle of the pack just trying to hang on and make some sort of arm and leg movements that resembled swimming. It took me about 10-15 minutes, but I finally got comfortable and set into my own pace. By now my mouth was completely raw. I must of taken in 3 or 4 big gulps of fresh pacific ocean water, which was the most salty water I've ever tasted. The swim takes you out 1.2 miles, makes two quick right turns and heads back to the pier. The water was crystal clear the entire way and was probably the only highlight of the swim.
I exited the water in 1:14:50, almost 10 minutes off of my estimated time of 1:05, and tore off through transition. I couldn't believe how far behind I fell. I was in 1111 place, and the bike area looked like a ghost town. I'm used to being in the middle of the pack, so I knew I had a lot of ground to cover on the bike. My dad was waiting for me in transition, and it was a great boost as he said "go get em". As I headed out onto the bike I looked for the sunscreen volunteers, but they were MIA. I have no idea how I missed them, but I did. All I could hope for was the SPF50 that I put on that morning hangs in there through the duration.
The bike course begins with a 7 mile segment in and out of the small town of Kona. It was during the first 7 miles where I got to see the rest of my family. Loud screams arose each time I buzzed past them, and I gave them a quick wave, or simply a thumbs up! After you make the last turn out of town, the bike course is out and back through the lava fields and up the north west side of the Island to Hawi. The first 30 miles were fast and a blur. I was passing people left and right, and felt great. I had already downed 300 calories, and was having a great ride. By mile 40 however something changed. After you turn off of the Queen K Highway, you head up to the little rural town of Hawi. Prior to the turn-around at Hawi, you are challenged with 10-15 miles of the toughest terrain I had ever rode. The 10 mile climb to Hawi was out of this world. The heat by this time was radiating off of my skin, and the winds were ever so strong. At times I had to come out of the aero position in order to not get blown off of my bike. Once at the turn around, I was ready for my special needs bottle exchange. You are allowed to stash one bag with whatever you may need at the halfway point on the bike. As I screamed out my number "1706, 1706", I heard this little voice say, "We don't have it for some reason, would you rather a gel? Shit, I thought. Now what? There goes 600+ calories that I needed for the ride back. I had to switch to plan B. In Ironman, you always need to plan for the unexpected. The race provides you with Gatorade, water, banana's, and gels so that was my plan B. I had to try and stay hydrated with Gatorade, and hope that I don't take in too much sugar in the process. As I started back downhill from Hawi, I thought "alright, now where is this tailwind?" It was non-existent. Wait a minute, didn't I just have a headwind for 10 miles coming the other way? Little did I know, the winds must of shifted slightly on me and that tail wind that I should of had, was now a cross wind blowing diagonally from behind. Miles 60-90 went better for me, as I got my average back up to 20mph. That all soon changed however as I made a right turn back onto the Queen K. Ahh, the cross winds! Have you ever stuck your head out the car window doing 50mph? Well that's what it felt like. That whistling noise of the wind puncturing your eardrums. Just hang on I thought. By now the heat was unbearable. It simply sucked the life out of me. Never have I ever felt this bad before on the bike. So far the course beat me in the swim, and now had beat me on the bike. I was 0 for 2, but I didn't care. Just getting to that finish line was all I ever wanted, and I'm going to get there no matter what I thought.
As I pulled into transition every muscle in my body ached. As I slipped on my shoes I thought how in the world am I going to run a marathon? The mind does some very weird things while you're on that course. You have to overcome those negative thoughts and turn them into positives. I did just that. I was living the moment and loving every second of it.
The first 10 miles of the run are very welcoming. You run out and back Alli drive to mass crowds cheering and rooting you on. That all changes however when you get to mile 11. At mile 11 you can hear even the slightest little pin drop. It's you verses the lava. All I felt was the sweat dripping down me at a rate unimaginable. By mile 14, my pace had suffered dramatically. I was no longer running 7:50 miles, but was running 9:00-9:30 miles. My knees hurt, my feet ached, and I just wanted the day to be over. Those next 15 miles would be the hardest 15 miles I had ever ran in my life. The body wants to shut down and call it a day, but the mind won't let it. As I pushed and pushed from mile to mile, from aid station to aid station, I reflected back on my journey. I needed you to get me to the finish. I reflected back on everyone and everything that inspired me to get to this point in life. I couldn't have gotten here without my wife Jennifer. She is my everything, and without her I wouldn't be the person I am today. I couldn't have gotten here without my parents who are so proud of everything that I've accomplished. Alan and Lisa who introduced me to this crazy sport. My brother Rob and sister Stacy for believing in me. My entire family and all the moral support they provided. To Drew and Sandy. The two of you continue to inspire me to the day. I also thought about all those training miles and the people that helped me when times got hard. I thought about my long rides up Chestnut Ridge with Paul, and our long ride out to Mingo Park. How he stuck with me every step of the way even when my legs bonked hard 90 miles in on one lonely Sunday morning. I began to think that this isn't a race about myself, it's a race for everyone involved to enjoy.
As I made that last turn onto Alii drive, thrusted my arms in the air and crossed that finish line in 11 hours, 6 minutes, and 38 seconds, not only did I accomplish my dreams, but hopefully inspired others to the point that "Anything is Possible".
The feedback and encouraging responses have been overwhelming. Remember to live your dreams!
Ironman Village - 1 1/2 days till the cannon sounds
Well we're less than two days out from the biggest race of my life, and the atmosphere is pure chaos. The day started off with a swim at Dig me beach. This is where the Ironman swim start begins and ends. I swam for 32 minutes, and felt really strong. The tide wasn't very bad, but the salt water was extremely potent. They say that the salt concentration is way more strong here in Kona and I could really tell. Hopefully it'll keep me more buoyant in my new Blue Seventy skin suit.
After the swim we went back to the house to shower up, and after cleaning up we headed back into town for lunch. We ate at the best sushi joint in town. This was the second time I ate here this week and can't get enough. The "You make the roll" shop was hard to find, and well recommended by our kayak tour guide. Well worth the find if you live ever come to Kona.
After lunch Jen and I went to the Ironman village to listen to some of the pro's talk about race advice, nutrition tips, and miscellaneous Q&A sessions. It was really cool to meet the best athletes in the world. Here are some of the people I got to chat to.
The great
Dave Scott (6 time Ironman World Champion)
Lisa Bentley (11 time Ironman Champion)
Craig Alexander (2006 Half Ironman World Champion)
Rutger Beke (4th Overall at 2005 Ironman World Championship)
SIMPLY AWESOME!!!!
The trip around the island continued
After
Waipi'o Valley we drove towards
Hilo on the northern side of the island and
paralleled the coast on highway 19. Our next stop was
Laupahoehoe Point. After the highway turn off, we
descended down 1 mile of cliffs. To many
Laupahoehoe is associated with tragedy. During the April Fool's Day tsunami of 1946, 21 children and three adults were swept to their deaths. The views from the road down to the rugged point sported dramatic views of the sea cliffs. Once at the bottom, the surf pounded to against pointed lava rocks and was spectacular to watch.
After
Laupahoehoe we drove to
Akaka Falls. This waterfall has a 420 foot free fall and was really cool. There were
actually two really big water falls, but one was hard to see from the view point.
After seeing the falls and it's lush rain forest surroundings, we drove through Hilo and made the trek into what felt like another planet, Volcano National Park. Our stop here was well worth the $10 per car admission. We ate right outside of the park at a really good brick oven pizza restaurant. Nothing beats a Margareta pizza with fresh mozzarella, tomato's, and artichokes! Simply delicious. Once in Volcano park, you can drive around the rim of the Kilauea crater, and the Halema'uma'u Crater which was like seeing a crater inside a crater. Our first stop around the rim was at the steam vents. The vent were simply holes in the ground with hot gaseous steam pouring out of them. Look at the picture. That's not fire in the background!
We continued to drive around the crater stopping at the museum, and all the recommended spots. Here's a picture of Jen and I at the rim of the Halema'uma'u crater. 
Unfortunately there wasn't any active lava flow visible at this time, but we decided to drive down chain of craters road anyway down to the ocean, and we're glad we did. The drive down to the bottom was really cool. It was as if we were driving on the edge of the earth or on some other planet. Once at the bottom, the view of the lava cliffs and the ocean crashing into the coast was simply amazing.
Well it's time to get back into the Ironman groove. It's 7:20 AM, and I need to go eat a little breakfast and head off for a swim workout at the Kona pier.
Our Trip around the Island
A lot of you probably have wondered why do you Swim 2.4 miles and Bike 112 miles and then run 26.2? Why not bike 100? Why not swim an even 2 miles? What's the 26...point two all about? Well back in 1978 when the Ironman started as a casual event among running and swimming frineds in Hawaii, the course consisted of three major endurnace events on the island and held in succesion. The Waikiki Rough water swim (already established as a 2.4 mile course) the annual bicycle race (112 miles) around Oahu (the original island the race was held on), and the Honolulu Marathon.
The race was moved to the big island, and I'm glad they didn't change the distance of the bike because today was one long day as we got in our cars and circled the moster. It was amazing. We traveled through cattle ranges, black sand beaches, lush tropical rain forests, and drove the rim of the largest active volcano on Earth.
The day started off with a 4:45 AM wake up call. We were all on the road by 5:30. Really this was accomplishment with this group. Our plan was to drive up the Queen K highway, and drive to the small town of Waimea about an hour away. When we arrived in Waimea I thought to myself, if I didn't already know I was in Hawaii, I might of thought I was somewhere in the midwest or something. Big belt buckles and blue jeans were worn by everyone we saw in town.
After a quick stop at a gas station for suggestions, and a quick stop at the local Starbuks, we ate at the Paniollo Country Inn.
After breakfast we headed to Waipi'o Valley. While overlooking the cliff, the view providided us with some unforgetable views of the valley and the black sand beaches.
Well all....as I'm sitting here typing away, my eyes are getting heavier and heavier. I'll treat this blog as a teaser for what's to come. Trust me, the day and the pictures gets way better!!! I'll continue yesterdays recap when I wake up tomorrow (remember I'm six hours behind the East Coast). ~Chad
Lava Java & Ironman Village...and oh yeah Mark Allen
Jen and I drove into town with expectations of chilling at Lava Java. We ordered two coffee's and hung out for 15 or 20 minutes. This is by far the coolest place to hang out, and is Triathlete central during race week, not to mention the dark roast
Kona coffee just plain rocks!
We decided to walk a little bit into town because mass crowds were starting to gather for the
Ironman parade. Jen and I walked towards the
Ironman village, watched some of the parade, and then ventured off into the
Ironman Vendor area. This is where I met the six time
Ironman Hall of
Famer Mark Allen. Mark revolutionized the sport of
Ironman along with professional Dave Scott during the late 80's and early 90's. Here's a picture of Mark and I.
Mark provided me with some good insight for the race, and suggested that I bike the last 20 miles up to the Hawi turn around on the bike before the race on Saturday so I get an idea of the legendary Kona head winds. I think I'll do this on Thursday. After talking to Mark Jen and I headed back into one of the Ironman Village clothing expo's where Jen bought a really cool 2XU Triathlon suit for next season racing. She wouldn't model it for me, so sorry folks, no pic :(
As it just so happens, Michellie Jones (2006 Champion) was there and signing autographs, so I just had to say hello again and get a poster of her on her Felt DA, by the way her custom paint job will definitely win this year's most stylish award.
Tomorrow we plan on driving around the island stopping at Waimea, Waipio Valley, Hilo, and to Volcano National Park. I have a feeling the day is going to fly by. Talk to you all tomorrow.
Massage, check....Race Packet, check....Ironman swag, check
This morning Jen, Rob, and I woke up around 6:00 Am, and drove into town around 7:00. We ate breakfast at the Java Lava coffee shop, and I munched on some whole wheat pancakes, egg whites, and a small bowl of fruit...not to mention the best glass of Kona coffee I've ever had! After breakfast we walked down to the swim start to check out the scenery. In my opinion there were way to many European men sporting their skimpy speedo swimsuits, so it was time to move on!
Right off of the beach there was a ART (Active Release Technique) tent so I decided to take a time out, and get some work done on my calfs, hip, upper and lower back. They spent nearly 40 minutes working out the little kinks and I feel really good right now because of it.
After the massage, the three of us wondered into what I call the Ironman registration trap. In order to get to registration, you have to pratically walk through the Ironman merchandise store. Needless to say I spent more money on Ironman swag, t-shirts, coffee mugs, calendars, you name it I bought it. I proceeded onto registration. It was actually pretty painless. The lines were still short, and I was in and out in 10 minutes.
Now it's time to relax. I'm back at the house just laying down watching TV. Our house is really cool. We're on the third floor of this huge house overlooking the ocean.
The Luau - Royal Kona Resort
Are those real
coconuts?
Tonight we all went to a Luau at the Royal Kona Resort. The meal consisted of very unique Polynesian all you can eat buffet (don't worry, I didn't gorge...I do have to watch my figure this week), and what I guess you would call a Polynesian pig roast that was buried a couple feet underground. After dinner there was a very cool hula dance that finished with fire throwing, and a special dance by my cousin Derick who call picked out of the crowd to dance on stage. We all had a really fun time and the night flew by.
The Felt is ready
The Felt is ready. Jen rented a Specialized from one of the local bike shops and we set off down Alii drive and up the Queen K highway for an easy 20 mile spin. My legs felt really fresh, but I'd like them to fell even better. Rest, rest, and more rest...
Ocean Sea Kayaking in Keahou Bay - Kona Hawaii
The family set off this morning at 8:00 AM Hawaiian time for a sea kayaking adventure. The kayaking was a little more of a workout than I really wanted, but it was well worth it. Jen and I shared a kayak and set off out of Keahou Bay with a small group of about 10 kayaks and two guides. We paddled for about a half hour south along the Hawaii cliffs as the waves crashed along the lava rocks. The excursion led us to a 35 foot cliff where those who were brave enough went cliff diving (Derick, Jen, Chad, Stacy, and Rob). We then set off to a nice little cave and then went snorkeling in crystal clear blue water. Here is where we found another cliff (little smaller - 22ft) and a good many of us jumped off of it as well. After a small snack on the lava rocks, we climbed back into the kayaks. Not even two minutes later we saw a pack of 20-30 dolphins and they swam right up to our kayaks. It was the coolest thing ever! The dolphins literately swam next to our kayaks almost the entire way back. After a leisurely paddle back to the bay, our excursion came to an end. We head off to the Luau tonight for some Hawaiian entertainment! More to come...
I'm really here! Kona baby!
Well the first two days in Kona have been magical. I think it officially hit me yestreday that in five days I'll be competing in the biggest race of my life. Things became sureal when I talked nutrition with last years Ironman Champion Michellie Jones, and race strategy with last years runner up and favorite this year, Chris McCormack. Just freakin awesome! We're off to go ocean sea kayaking right now.
More later!
PATH - 5K in Kona
Here's a pic of the crazy gang!
Yesterday morning a good majority of our family decided to run the PATH 5K race on Alii drive. It was really cool to see my dad run his very first 5K run, and also it was cool to see my brother, sister, and Jennifer run in the same race. I didn't plan on running very hard, and was glad to see there wasn't much competition. I easily coasted to a 6:00 / mile pace and finished first overall. Jennifer ran the 10K and took 6th female overall. Rob, Stacy, and Jennifer all took 2nd place in their age group, and my dad took 5th in his age group.
The coolest part of the race was the prizes were Kona Coffee! How cool was that?
Weekend Training
Lately I've had some slight soreness in my hip, and my doctor and friend Gin said it wouldn't hurt to have a small cortisone injection. Only bad thing with the shot is that it sets you back two days. This in turn required me to take off Friday and Saturday. I spent Saturday at Trizilla setting up my Felt with fancy Zipp 808 tubluars!
Well on Sunday when all of my friends ran in the Great Race, I was up early and out in the saddle. Sunday's work called for a brick workout, so Paul met me at my front door around 8:00 AM. We set out at a moderate pace, and I tried to keep my heart rate in zone 2-3 (around 160-165). We biked for an hour and a half, and I immediately set out on a moderate paced tempo run. I ran for 40 minutes and called it a day.
My hip is feeling better today and hopefully I don't have any surprises the next two weeks!
