(155,8,'2019-06-07 07:52:43','2019-06-07 07:52:43','<img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman-austria-logo.jpg\" alt=\"Ironman Austria Logo\" width=\"220\" height=\"82\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-154\" /> \r\n\r\n<p class=\"text-center\"><strong style=\"font-size: 18px; line-height: 23px;\">Sunday August 25, 2013<br>\r\n2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, 26.2 mile run</strong></p>\r\n\r\n<p class=\"text-center\">Quote for the day:<strong> One cannot achieve higher goals in life without some struggle.</strong></p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<p><img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/cozumel-2013-pre-race.jpg\" alt=\"Cozumel 2013 Pre Race\" width=\"160\" height=\"213\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-138\" /><strong><u>Pre Race</u></strong></span><br>\r\n awoke at 3:30am so I could have breakfast by 4am. That way I would have three hours before the race, which starts at 7am, to properly digest everything. Once done eating, I stretched out and got dressed. I already had my gear ready to go which included the am, stuff plus the two special needs bags for the bike and the run. I then went downstairs to be driven to the village center, where I dropped off the special needs bags. Then I boarded one of several buses that were waiting to transport us to the swim start. Since the swim is held in a lake and there is limited road access, only Ironman official vehicles would have access to the lake.</p>\r\n<p>When we got there it was not only still dark but about 45 degrees, so it was cold. But at least the rain from the previous day had stopped and no more was predicted. I planned well for the cold (60 degrees was not expected until noon or so). There is always a lot of tension floating around as over 2200 athletes check their gear, so you try your best to keep calm. We had left our bikes down there the day before as well as all our biking clothes and nutrition. The running gear and run nutrition was left at transition area 2 (T2) which is in town where the bike ride ends. This too was done the day before.\r\nThe only thing ones brings in the morning is ones wetsuit, goggles and cap along with whatever water/nutrition you take prior to the race. After pumping up my tires, it was on with the wetsuit and then head down to the waterfront.</p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<p><img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/cozumel-2013-swim.jpg\" alt=\"Cozumel 2013 Swim\" width=\"160\" height=\"213\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-140\" /><strong><u>The Swim</u></strong></span><br>\r\nThe lake is surrounded by mountains and the water temperature was about 68 degrees which was comfortable with a wetsuit on. All 2200 of us swam out about 50 yards and began treading water for about 10-15 minutes. At exactly 7am, the gun went off. It would be a long day. As always, I go out fast at the beginning of the swim (it is my best part). That way I try and get away from the majority of the crowd. Then I try and settle back into a good pace. There were a few turns prior to turning back on the fist loop (it was a two lop course), so it got really jammed and crowded; more than usual. I therefore did not really get into my good stroke pattern until the second lap. Plus I had my goggles knocked off twice. This was a first for me but actually a common occurrence with all the swimmers around you. My swim was therefore a bit slower at 1hr and 7 minutes, but still pretty good overall.</p>\r\n<p><strong style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">T1 (Transition one)</strong></p>\r\n<p>I took a bit longer in the change tent as I put on knee warmers, wind vest, a riding jacket, a skull cap for under my helmet and long liner gloves over my riding gloves (I get cold easy!!).</p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<p><img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/cozumel-2013-bike.jpg\" alt=\"Cozumel 2013 Bike\" width=\"160\" height=\"213\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-142\" /><strong><u>The Bike</u></strong></span><br>\r\nThen I was off to the 112 mile ride with over 5600 feet of climbing. With the fact that there was a 30 mile or so stretch of flat riding, it was more like 5600 feet of climbing in 80 miles, which made it very hilly. The mountains around here are really very beautiful and the views (when we looked up) were really spectacular. Being wet, I was glad to have everything on. I got rid of the jacket on the first big climb at about 10 miles. And a big climb it was going up about 1600 feet in 10 miles. Then back down and then rollers all the way back thru town. We were now at 40 mile. Riding thru the crowds, who really helped to cheer us along, was invigorating. I now got rid of the liner gloves (which were over m bike gloves) as it was now above 60 (eventually hit about 68 at 2-3 pm). Then some uphills and lots of downhills for the next 20 miles.</p>\r\n<p>After that, they had the special needs station. This is where one leaves out whatever you might want at a point halfway thru the ride (56 miles). I had nutrition supplies to restock what I had gone thru including a new bottle with liquid nutrition I use. I took off the leg warmers, vest and skull cap, gave it to one of the volunteers along with the empty bottle I had gone thru. She was very surprised, but happy. She saw my name on the bottle. She asked if that was me. When I said yes, she said that she had some knee problems and might call me. Wow, a business referral in an Ironman! Then a very flat section where for about 30 miles from mile 55-85 with a slight wind. The views of the mountains above were again spectacular.</p>\r\n<p>Then back to the hills. The last part from mile 85 to 112, was essentially all up hill. The first climb was the longest and the steepest, which wore a lot of people down. Then mostly uphill with some slight some downhill riding all the way back to town. It was a tough time on the legs. As we approached town, the cheering again kept me going. Needless to say my quadriceps muscles (front of the legs) where one gets most of one\'s cycling power were well worn. My time was 6:58, which was slower than Cozumel but with the hills here I was not disappointed.</p>\r\n<p><strong style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">T2 (Transition Two)</strong></p>\r\n<p>After handing off my bike to a handler, it was off the change tent, where I changed put on my running shoes (no clothing change as what I wear under my wetsuit is what I ride and run in), and restocked myself with a few gel packs (there are nutrition aid stations about every mile).On the way out they had volunteers (with grass skirts on!), putting sunscreen on the runners. This would be helpful as it was hot sunny and getting warm.</p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<p><img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/cozumel-2013-run.jpg\" alt=\"Cozumel 2013 Run\" width=\"160\" height=\"213\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-143\" /><strong><u>The Run</u></strong></span><br>\r\nThe run had over 1100 feet of climbing, none of which we very long. So with the very hilly ride, it made for a tough run constantly going up and down hills already tired legs. Some of the run went thru the woods on dirt trails, which was good for the legs. And in addition we ran around a lake, over a wood bridge on a pond and had some spectacular views of the mountains. Due to a buttock area (gluteus medius) injury, I had done most of my running in deep water. I only ran 3 or 4 times in the last five months outside and then only very short. This gave me the stamina I needed but did not toughen my feet.</p>\r\n\r\n<p>At mile four I developed a blister on my left foot-right in the arch- ouch! I got a Tegederm patch (a wound covering) from a paramedic at mile 8, which eventually stopped the blister from getting worse. At mile five I also had very sharp pain right where my 3rd and 4th toes meet my foot on the right. This was causing me more problems than the left foot blister. This probably happened because I wear a shoe orthotic to help shift some weight off the 2nd toe where I usually have discomfort and the extra weight got transferred laterally to my third and fourth toes. I altered my gait and it became a lot easier to run. At this point it was actually easier to run (mid foot plant) than walk. But on the uphill portions (there were many short ones), I had to sometimes walk as I could not go on my toes. Eventually I was able to keep running and push thru it. As my mom always said, C\'est al vie, (that\'s life). This is what an Ironman is all about- crisis control which was good advice from my coach. The blister pain I just but in the back of my mind as it never got worse. All in all I eventually figured out I would not break 14hrs as I had done last year but with the big hills on the ride, the hills on the run and then the foot problems, I was OK with that. I ran most of the time and walked fast up the hills. And at 72 degrees (that was what it finally got to be) and sunny it was quite warm being at 2200 feet, the ice at the aid stations was a help. I just kept going using many months of physical and mental training to get me thru. At mile 18 or so, as we were running along an asphalt path near the woods, a baby bear came out of the woods and walked onto the path. We all just froze in place and stood there. One woman clapped her hands very loudly and the bear scurried off into the woods. As we started to run again, some said, \"That was the baby. I wonder where the mom is?!\" We all looked into the woods and had a good laugh.</p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<p><img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/cozumel-2013-finish2.jpg\" alt=\"Cozumel 2013 Finish2\" width=\"160\" height=\"268\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-144\" /><strong><u>The Finish</u></strong></span><br>\r\nSo as I got closer to the finish line, all the aches just stated to fade away. The last mile or so I just let it all go and ran a good pace. As I entered the final turn, the last 150 meters was jammed with the crowds cheering loudly. At this point, I knew I had made it. All the months of training were worth it. And as I approached the archway and the finish line, I heard the announcer say, Peter Fields, \"You\'re an Ironman\"! It never gets old. Final run time was 5:52 with an overall time of 14:18.</p>\r\n\r\n<p><strong><u>Final Thoughts:</u></strong><br>\r\nAll in all, I was very pleased as I did not have any of the dreaded Ironman stomach problems or any mechanical problems with my bike. I felt exhausted and drained but nonetheless very satisfied to have finished my third Ironman. Some may ask why I punish my body. I was not punishing it - just challenging it. When one is prepared, it is not a punishment. Plus it is as much a mental challenge, if not more than a physical one.</p>\r\n<p>I love the quote by Viktor Frankel, MD; Holocaust survivor and world famous author of the book \"Mans Search for Meaning\" (my dad\'s favorite book).</p>\r\n<p><em><strong>\"Life can be pulled by goals just as surely as it can be pushed by drives\". </strong></em></p>\r\n\r\n<p><strong><u>Dedication:</u></strong><br>\r\nAs you many of you know, each of my past two Ironman races, I have raced with dad\'s initials written on me. This year I chose not to do so, although he was with me all the way. Instead this year I chose to dedicate this race to someone else and have their initials on my arm. Without her unrelenting love and support for me over the years (and I do mean years), this race would have never been possible. And at 87 years young, she still continues to be an inspiration to me. These initials were YSF (Yvette Simon Fields) and they belong to my mom.</p>\r\n\r\n<p>Thanks to everyone for inquiring about me and cheering from near and a far. I really appreciated all of it and words cannot say thank you enough. \r\nYour thoughts and well wishes helped me through my third Ironman.\r\nPlease feel free to see the pictures including the one with me smiling while showing off my mom\'s initials.</p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"text-center\" ><strong>Peter A. Fields, MD DC</strong></span><br>\r\n<strong id=\"athleticdoc\">The Athletic Doc<sup style=\"font-size: 14px;\">®</sup> and 3X Ironman Finisher</strong></span></p>\r\n\r\n\r\n','Race Report 4th Ironman','','inherit','closed','closed','','153-revision-v1','','','2019-06-07 07:52:43','2019-06-07 07:52:43','',153,'https://www.drfields.com/uncategorized/153-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(156,8,'2019-06-17 08:05:46','2019-06-17 08:05:46','<div class=col-md-8\">\r\n<img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman-austria-logo.jpg\" alt=\"Ironman Austria Logo\" width=\"220\" height=\"82\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-154\" /> \r\n\r\n<h6 class=\"text-center\">Sunday June 29, 2014<br>\r\n2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, 26.2 mile run</h6>\r\n\r\nMy time was 13:32:36.  A new PR for me.\r\nFor the details, please read the story below.\r\nThank you\r\n\r\n<strong class=\"subhead\">GETTING THERE</strong><br>\r\nIt started with a 12 hour flight from Los Angeles to Frankfurt going via Dallas. There was 3 hour delay in Dallas so it took even longer. I thought that I had missed my train connection in Frankfurt. Fortunately I got through customs very quickly.  35 minutes from arriving at the game, I was not only able to get through customs but pick up my bags, take a bus to the train station, then re-book my ticket and make my train with 5 minutes to spare!  Of course being able to speak German helped out a lot with getting directions. Then a 3 hour train ride to Munich where I switched trains and then a four hour train ride to Klagenfurt, Austria.  The views from the train in southern Germany and Austria were spectacular.\r\nThe next days were just getting settled in. Usually I\'m a very good sleeper but unfortunately, for about 4 days, I was unable to sleep a lot at night. I tried to make up with this naps during the day.  Sunday would come all too quickly. \r\nThe rest of the pre-event days were spent meeting everybody, seeing the triathlon expo and having a chance to swim in the lake and then take a van ride around part of the biking course. When my bike did arrive (I had it shipped), I rode it for about 20 miles and then had the mechanic adjust it slightly. The rest of the time was spent trying to stay calm and relaxed while not working out a lot.\r\n\r\nSaturday we checked in at the race which included leaving your bike and all your gear. The race number paper for my bike did not fit properly and I was advised not to tamper with it and ask an official when I went to check in my bike. When I got out of the van at the check in point I realized that I have left the number back in the hotel. In German I asked one of the check in officials what he could do about it. He said he could not do anything and that I would have to go to the registration area to have a thing done. Not an easy thing to do as it was one a mile away and I had all my gear with me in bags, so walking the bike would not be an easy thing. So I opted to go back to the van and have them take me back and get the number. As I was walking away one of the spectators came up to me and said in German that someone wants to talk to you back from where I came. I looked back and saw someone standing there who had a race official badge around his neck. So I walked back (not an easy thing to do with several thousand people there) and asked him in German if he could do anything about this. He said no problem he could help me. I was surprised as the first guy had said no. I asked again if he was sure about this since my van ride was about to leave. He turned over his badge which and it said race director.  He said \"I\'m the boss and I can do it for you\".  And within minutes everything was taken care of. He told me he travels to the states sometimes so I gave my card told him to look me up. He said he would.\r\nAll’s well that ends well. Plus a good omen for the race.\r\n\r\n\r\n<strong class=\"subhead\">RACE DAY</strong><br>\r\nI got up at my usual time of 3:30 am. Breakfast is at four am and we leave for the race at 4:45am. It was about 58 degrees (heading into the 70\'s) and very clear and no signs of rain. It has rained the last 2 days on and off so this was a good thing. Got to the transition area and prepped my bike for the last time. This is always a very exciting time with 3000 athletes plus spectators trying to stay calm. Since it was about a 500 meter walk to the water, we all took our wetsuits and changed over by the lake.\r\nAt the lake we were greeted by a rainbow over the lake.  It was very beautiful and again a good omen. In a short time, we were already go. The pros and another group of 800 people started 15 minutes early. These early starting non-pros for had signed up to start early. I missed this sign up and at first I was disappointed as I am a very strong swimmer. But Ken Glah, the former pro triathlete whose company I travel with, found out it was a good thing as I would be the fastest in the next group of 2200 athletes and not all bunched up with the fast group (it gets very jammed up at the beginning of the swim).\r\nSo after many months of training, I was ready to start my fourth Ironman. I was dedicating this race to two people.\r\nOn my left arm I had head initials JP written. This was in memory of my friend Jeff Patterson. Dr Jeff started me off in the wonderful world Prolotherapy which helped save my back from surgery. He was my mentor and dear friend and died much too early only a few months ago at the age of 67.\r\nOn my right arm I had the initials FFF, for my father Fred F. Fields. Simply put, he was everything in the world to me. He would have been so proud of me, as he always was. It was with great honor and pride that I am able to call myself his son.  He died almost 10 years ago and there is not one day that goes by that I do not think of him.\r\n\r\n\r\n<strong class=\"subhead\">THE SWIM</strong><br>\r\nEven with 800 starting early, there still was 2200 starting in this pack. Since there were definitely going to be some really fast swimmers in this group,  I decided to stay behind the first group of people and go off a bit slower. The strategy worked to my advantage as I was able to answer save a little energy at the beginning. Once I got out about 400 or 500 meters I was able to get into my stride and swim well. It did get a little crowded but I was able to stay with the pack. This is good as when we turned back towards shore, we entered a canal that is about 1000 meters long. I had been warned that it can be extremely crowded in the canal and one can\'t really move at all. But due to the fact that I was with first group of only about 150 people there was plenty of room. In triathlons one lifts their head every four or five strokes to sight the land and make sure you are going straight (unlike in a pool, there are no black lines on the bottom of the lake!!).  When I picked up my head, I could see the sides of the canal where there were probably over 1000 people lining the canal yelling and cheering. This really was a unique experience as normally one can see or hear nothing\r\nWhen I got about 100 meters towards the end it got a little jammed up and I was not really  able  to  move ahead quickly or left or right. You just had to stay with the pack. Either way, I excited the water at a little over one hour and six minutes, which turned out to be first place in my age group (a first for me).  And there were no wetsuit strippers (volunteers who strip your wetsuit off you when you lay down on your back). So we just pulled the wetsuit off our shoulders and ran about 500 meters to transition one (T1), where we had to pull the rest of our wetsuits off (not an easy thing) and get ready for biking.\r\n\r\n\r\n<strong class=\"subhead\">THE BIKE</strong>\r\n\r\n<img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/bike-race2014.jpg\" alt=\"Bike Race2014\" width=\"382\" height=\"512\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-170\" />As one exits the T1 area, there were over a thousand people cheering us on.  We rode down a street for about 300 meters and made a U-turn back so the street was heavily lined with spectators. It was a beautiful day, sunny and probably about mid to upper sixty\'s with no clouds in sight.  As usual I did not eat anything after the swim for about 15 minutes to allow the blood to get into my legs. At the beginning this route is mostly flat with lots of curves going around the lake. As we left lake we went into the small town where there was a traffic circle and after that is where we started our first big hill climb.  At the traffic circle there was one of the race announcers announcing the race and cheering us on along with the spectators. And in all the small towns there were lots of people standing on the streets watching and cheering. As we started the steepest part of this climb, the street was lined with people probably 5 or6 deep on either side cheering and screaming to encourage us to get up the hill. This part was a big loop so we did not come back the same way. Going back was long downhill, so we went fast except for the towns where we had to make small turns which meant we had to slow down. All along here we had spectacular views of the mountains. At mile 45 or 46 miles, we started the biggest climb up the Ruperberg mountain.  As we approached this mountain climb, we made a sharp left in town and started going up. There were 100\'s of people lining the street and cheering us on along with a big loud speaker with a dj playing music. It was not too long but very steep. And again at the top were a lot of people and another dj play playing music over really big loud speakers. Then it was mostly downhill back to town to start a second loop.  As I came down the hill, I saw a large bee coming right at me. This happens quite often on the bike. I felt it hit my right shoulder and bounce. I suddenly felt a sharp sting in my left thigh this was under my bike shorts. I rolled back my bike shorts and there was a big red welt. It hurt but there was nothing I could do about. I just blocked it out of my mind. The pain subsided after about 15 or 20 minutes and I just went on with the race.\r\n\r\nAs we came into town they had us make a180 degree turn again (like at the beginning) so we hat to really slow down But this was good thing as the street leading to this turn was lined with thousands of spectators cheering us on.  Occasionally at this point and other ones where there was an announcer I would hear \"and here is Peter from the United States\".  Always nice to hear to keep one going. My usual time is about 3hrs 25 mins for half of the ride but this time I did it in 3 hours 10 mins. I was feeling very good.\r\n\r\nAs we started back out on the second loop, I stopped at special needs and refueled myself. Special needs is where one can leave a bag that morning of anything they may want or need at that point. It is at the halfway point of the bike and another one at the halfway point of the run.  I tossed my fuel bottle out and took a new one from the bag I had left. I also resupplied myself with my gels and other nutrition. I carry my own nutrition so as not to try anything new on race day.  When I tossed the bottle away, it rolled to the feet of the small boy about 6 or 7 years old. His mom looked at him.  He just looked at it. I told him, in German, here\'s a present for you.  Take it home and clean it! It is yours. He just smiled at me as he reached for it.\r\nThen 8 miles into the second loop miles drizzle started that got a bit heavier with time. Now the streets were wet and there were puddles. This meant we all had to slow down.\r\nAll in all, it went well on the second loop.  The crowds were less due to the rain but there were, still crowds out there. At about mile 80 my stomach had a little bit of trouble. Nothing big, just that I could not eat for about 20 or 30 minutes. But I got over it without any problems. \r\nMy second loop time was a bit slower due to the rain.\r\n It was 3 hours in 25 minutes. All in all I felt strong for the run. This was a good thing.\r\nIn town near T2, the crowds were there cheering loudly.\r\n\r\nGot off my bike in and ran thru the transition area to rack my bike. It was good to be off the bike after 112 miles.  Got my running shoes on and started off to run a marathon.\r\n\r\nPS several places on the bike course (and later on the run course) there were people from Endurance Sports Travel. This is the group I went with. They were cheering me on loudly. This was much appreciated.\r\n\r\n\r\n<p><strong class=\"subhead\">THE RUN</strong></p>\r\n\r\n<img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/running-smile.jpg\" alt=\"Running Smile\" width=\"335\" height=\"504\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-174\" />When one leaves transition area two (T2) in an Ironman, you cannot think marathon. You just say are running from here to there and play this mental games with yourself the whole way. It was warm and sunny and about 75 degrees but not too hot. Plus there was tree cover on at least 60% of the run course. The run was a double loop. It was actually a figure 8 that we had to do twice. So therefore I would pass the finish line 4 times. In this area were thousands of people yelling and screaming. After a mile or two, I started to feel a bit tired in my legs. So I just told myself I would run to the end the first turn around about 4.5 miles out. I had my Garmin (GPS) on so I was able to see my pace and keep it where I knew I could maintain it. We ran along the lake the beginning of each loop, so although brief, it was a nice view. After only 2.5 miles, I came upon a woman that was having trouble running so I ran for a little bit with her to keep her going. At 4.5 miles we turned around and headed back to town. Now I felt strong again and my legs were loosening up. In training I had problems with my foot and also slightly with my hamstring (the hamstring had been my Achilles heel in the last two races).  I trained part of the time in the water for my run (deep water running).  This was very helpful as it took the stress of these two areas.  At this point everything was good and I had no pain.  As we passed through the finish line area (middle of the figure eight), we headed out again along a canal. Then we ran under a small foot bridge and onto a small (in width) cobblestone street lined with houses. We ran along this for about 3/4 of a mile then into the town square. People were sitting in cafes and cheering us on. Lots and lots of people. It was about 6 or 7 o\'clock at night and since the sun stays up until about 9 o\'clock the cafes are very, very crowded. We continued on into the town square where there was a large TV screen where people were watching football (soccer). Here we turned to begin the last part of the figure eight and run back to the starting area. I got back to starting point again and got my special needs bag - some extra nutrition. On the second loop my stomach started to feel little funny.  This is something that is very common with Ironman triathletes. Mine only lasted about again 15 or 20 minutes. Many runners were walking due to this or muscle cramps, dehydration or other things. I felt fairly lucky.  I would cheer these fellow athlete on when I went past them and told them to just keep going. Everyone appreciates that. I had been in their situation in the past and know what it feels like when someone gives you a shout of support.\r\n\r\nI just kept telling myself to keep going.  One foot after another...just keep going... Part of the way it was shady so that helped a lot too. The sun stays up until 9 o’clock so it never went down while I was running. Mile 18, I got a second wind. Felt very upbeat and in a good place so I was able to pick up pace.\r\nAt that point I started to run alongside someone a little bit faster than me. After only two miles, I could not keep up with him and told him so. He told me that you normally he runs a lot faster but not today. He told me to try to stay with him and we could talk so the time with go faster. So for the rest of the marathon (about 6 miles), we ran together. We ran back along the canal and into the city square again where there still lots of people. His pace was definitely faster than I would have gone but he was pushing me thru all the aches and pains one has after racing for over 13 hours. There was a small archway as one entered into the city square. There was a small bell on a string that it was hanging from. If you rung the bell (by tapping it with your hand) they would donate money to charity, so I rang it every time I passed it. At the final turn around, it was very exciting knowing that I only had 3 miles left. I had never developed any pain from my foot or my hamstring. And I was very pleased with my run. The guy I was running with and I just kept talking. He was from Prague where I was going after the race so we were going to exchange numbers after we finished. So as we got near the finish line area, the noise of the crowd got louder and louder. Since they take your picture as you cross the finish line, he said I should go ahead of him to be alone. I thanked him very much for helping me along.\r\n\r\nSo at about 100 meters away, I took off from him. The crowd was very loud; almost deafening. There was a cheerleading squad there along with photographers and a local TV crew. As one comes with closer to the finish line, the noise level is incredible with cheering, cowbells and more. I then heard the announcer say:\r\n<strong>\"Peter Fields, you are an Ironman!\"</strong>\r\n\r\nThe feeling one has when you hear that never gets old.\r\nI was exhausted but very elated. The feeling I had is indescribable.\r\nAnd at 13 hrs. 32 minutes and 36 seconds I had a new personal best for me by 18 minutes\r\nMy friend I met on the run the finished right behind me. I then met his wife and three kids.\r\nAfter a few minutes of walking around it was off to the massage tent and get some food.\r\n\r\nPS I finished around 8:30 pm. At 9 pm the sky opened up and it rained hard for about an hour.\r\n I was very fortunate not to go through that.\r\n\r\nI want to make everybody who took the time and effort to watch the update that were on the internet during the race. I appreciate every one of you. And for everyone else, your thoughts and cheers before and after the race were heard. There are lots and lots of people I need to thank but the list is too long. You know who you are and a big thank you goes out to all.\r\nCollectively, I want to thank massage therapist, my acupuncturist and my chiropractor. You all helped get me through.  And wonderful office staff who always took a great interest in what I was doing and put up with my long workouts that made me late sometimes.\r\n\r\nThere a few individuals that need to be singled out individually.\r\n I want to thank my coach, Cherie Gruenfeld, as she pushed me hard and helped me a lot.\r\n\r\nAnd then there is the world’s best podiatrist, Dr Dan Altchuler. Without his help and caring, my foot would have never made it through the race. \r\n\r\nI want to thank my very special friend Angela Past.  Several years ago she got me into this wonderful world of Ironman triathlons (she became an Ironman before I did).  She actually got up in the middle of the night in California to follow me as the race began at 10pm west coast time.  Wow!  Thank you so much for your emotional support when I needed it the most.\r\n\r\nAnd last but not least, I want to thank my mom and dad as they taught me not to give up even when the times get tough. And although my dad is no longer with us, his thoughts are with me in spirit every day.  My mom is 88 years young and is active and vibrant. She\'s an inspiration to me every day.  She has never lost faith in me and my abilities... Thank you mom!\r\n\r\n<strong>Thank you all again for your well wishes and support.</strong>\r\n\r\n<strong>Peter A. Fields, MD DC<br>\r\nThe Athletic Doc®&nbsp;and 4X Ironman Triathlete</strong>\r\n</div></div>\r\n<div class=\"col-md-4\" id=\"sidebar2\">\r\n\r\n<img alt=\"Race Report 4th Ironman\" title=\"Race Report 4th Ironman\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman2014-large-1.jpg\" style=\"text-align: center;\" width=\"204\" height=\"370\">\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://goo.gl/photos/BBwqL4H48qpXLAZw6\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">2014 Austria<br>\r\nClick For More Photos</a>\r\n\r\nClick below for Pictures &amp; Story&nbsp;\r\n<a href=\"/About/The-Athletic-Doc/Race-Report-9th-Ironman\"><strong style=\"color: #cc0000;\">2017 Ironman Santa Rosa</strong></a>\r\n<a href=\"/About/The-Athletic-Doc/Race-Report-8th-Ironman\"><strong style=\"color: #cc0000;\">2016 Ironman Cozumel</strong></a>\r\n<a href=\"/About/The-Athletic-Doc/Race-Report-7th-Ironman\"><strong style=\"color: #cc0000;\">2016 Ironman Switzerland</strong></a>\r\n<a href=\"/About/The-Athletic-Doc/Race-Report-6th-Ironman\"><strong style=\"color: #cc0000;\">2015 Ironman Cozumel</strong></a>\r\n<a href=\"/About/The-Athletic-Doc/Race-Report-5th-Ironman\"><strong style=\"color: #cc0000;\">2015 Ironman Brazil</strong></a>\r\n<a href=\"/About/The-Athletic-Doc/Race-Report-4th-Ironman\"><strong style=\"color: #cc0000;\">2014 Ironman Austria</strong></a>\r\n<a href=\"/About/The-Athletic-Doc/Race-Report-3rd-Ironman\"><strong style=\"color: #cc0000;\">2013 Ironman Canada</strong></a>\r\n<a href=\"/About/The-Athletic-Doc/2012-Ironman-Cozumel-Finisher\"><strong style=\"color: #cc0000;\">2012 Ironman Cozumel</strong></a>\r\n<a href=\"/About/The-Athletic-Doc/2011-Ironman-Cozumel-Finisher\"><strong style=\"color: #cc0000;\">2011 Ironman Cozumel</strong></a>\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n','Race Report 4th Ironman','','inherit','closed','closed','','153-autosave-v1','','','2019-06-17 08:05:46','2019-06-17 08:05:46','',153,'https://www.drfields.com/uncategorized/153-autosave-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(157,8,'2019-06-07 07:55:42','2019-06-07 07:55:42','<img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman-canada-logo.jpg\" alt=\"Ironman Canada Logo\" width=\"220\" height=\"97\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-134\" />\r\n\r\n<p class=\"text-center\"><strong class=\"athletic-event\">Sunday August 25, 2013<br>\r\n2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, 26.2 mile run</strong></p>\r\n\r\n<p class=\"text-center\">Quote for the day:<strong> One cannot achieve higher goals in life without some struggle.</strong></p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<p><img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/cozumel-2013-pre-race.jpg\" alt=\"Cozumel 2013 Pre Race\" width=\"160\" height=\"213\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-138\" /><strong><u>Pre Race</u></strong></span><br>\r\n awoke at 3:30am so I could have breakfast by 4am. That way I would have three hours before the race, which starts at 7am, to properly digest everything. Once done eating, I stretched out and got dressed. I already had my gear ready to go which included the am, stuff plus the two special needs bags for the bike and the run. I then went downstairs to be driven to the village center, where I dropped off the special needs bags. Then I boarded one of several buses that were waiting to transport us to the swim start. Since the swim is held in a lake and there is limited road access, only Ironman official vehicles would have access to the lake.</p>\r\n<p>When we got there it was not only still dark but about 45 degrees, so it was cold. But at least the rain from the previous day had stopped and no more was predicted. I planned well for the cold (60 degrees was not expected until noon or so). There is always a lot of tension floating around as over 2200 athletes check their gear, so you try your best to keep calm. We had left our bikes down there the day before as well as all our biking clothes and nutrition. The running gear and run nutrition was left at transition area 2 (T2) which is in town where the bike ride ends. This too was done the day before.\r\nThe only thing ones brings in the morning is ones wetsuit, goggles and cap along with whatever water/nutrition you take prior to the race. After pumping up my tires, it was on with the wetsuit and then head down to the waterfront.</p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<p><img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/cozumel-2013-swim.jpg\" alt=\"Cozumel 2013 Swim\" width=\"160\" height=\"213\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-140\" /><strong><u>The Swim</u></strong></span><br>\r\nThe lake is surrounded by mountains and the water temperature was about 68 degrees which was comfortable with a wetsuit on. All 2200 of us swam out about 50 yards and began treading water for about 10-15 minutes. At exactly 7am, the gun went off. It would be a long day. As always, I go out fast at the beginning of the swim (it is my best part). That way I try and get away from the majority of the crowd. Then I try and settle back into a good pace. There were a few turns prior to turning back on the fist loop (it was a two lop course), so it got really jammed and crowded; more than usual. I therefore did not really get into my good stroke pattern until the second lap. Plus I had my goggles knocked off twice. This was a first for me but actually a common occurrence with all the swimmers around you. My swim was therefore a bit slower at 1hr and 7 minutes, but still pretty good overall.</p>\r\n<p><strong style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">T1 (Transition one)</strong></p>\r\n<p>I took a bit longer in the change tent as I put on knee warmers, wind vest, a riding jacket, a skull cap for under my helmet and long liner gloves over my riding gloves (I get cold easy!!).</p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<p><img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/cozumel-2013-bike.jpg\" alt=\"Cozumel 2013 Bike\" width=\"160\" height=\"213\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-142\" /><strong><u>The Bike</u></strong></span><br>\r\nThen I was off to the 112 mile ride with over 5600 feet of climbing. With the fact that there was a 30 mile or so stretch of flat riding, it was more like 5600 feet of climbing in 80 miles, which made it very hilly. The mountains around here are really very beautiful and the views (when we looked up) were really spectacular. Being wet, I was glad to have everything on. I got rid of the jacket on the first big climb at about 10 miles. And a big climb it was going up about 1600 feet in 10 miles. Then back down and then rollers all the way back thru town. We were now at 40 mile. Riding thru the crowds, who really helped to cheer us along, was invigorating. I now got rid of the liner gloves (which were over m bike gloves) as it was now above 60 (eventually hit about 68 at 2-3 pm). Then some uphills and lots of downhills for the next 20 miles.</p>\r\n<p>After that, they had the special needs station. This is where one leaves out whatever you might want at a point halfway thru the ride (56 miles). I had nutrition supplies to restock what I had gone thru including a new bottle with liquid nutrition I use. I took off the leg warmers, vest and skull cap, gave it to one of the volunteers along with the empty bottle I had gone thru. She was very surprised, but happy. She saw my name on the bottle. She asked if that was me. When I said yes, she said that she had some knee problems and might call me. Wow, a business referral in an Ironman! Then a very flat section where for about 30 miles from mile 55-85 with a slight wind. The views of the mountains above were again spectacular.</p>\r\n<p>Then back to the hills. The last part from mile 85 to 112, was essentially all up hill. The first climb was the longest and the steepest, which wore a lot of people down. Then mostly uphill with some slight some downhill riding all the way back to town. It was a tough time on the legs. As we approached town, the cheering again kept me going. Needless to say my quadriceps muscles (front of the legs) where one gets most of one\'s cycling power were well worn. My time was 6:58, which was slower than Cozumel but with the hills here I was not disappointed.</p>\r\n<p><strong style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">T2 (Transition Two)</strong></p>\r\n<p>After handing off my bike to a handler, it was off the change tent, where I changed put on my running shoes (no clothing change as what I wear under my wetsuit is what I ride and run in), and restocked myself with a few gel packs (there are nutrition aid stations about every mile).On the way out they had volunteers (with grass skirts on!), putting sunscreen on the runners. This would be helpful as it was hot sunny and getting warm.</p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<p><img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/cozumel-2013-run.jpg\" alt=\"Cozumel 2013 Run\" width=\"160\" height=\"213\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-143\" /><strong><u>The Run</u></strong></span><br>\r\nThe run had over 1100 feet of climbing, none of which we very long. So with the very hilly ride, it made for a tough run constantly going up and down hills already tired legs. Some of the run went thru the woods on dirt trails, which was good for the legs. And in addition we ran around a lake, over a wood bridge on a pond and had some spectacular views of the mountains. Due to a buttock area (gluteus medius) injury, I had done most of my running in deep water. I only ran 3 or 4 times in the last five months outside and then only very short. This gave me the stamina I needed but did not toughen my feet.</p>\r\n\r\n<p>At mile four I developed a blister on my left foot-right in the arch- ouch! I got a Tegederm patch (a wound covering) from a paramedic at mile 8, which eventually stopped the blister from getting worse. At mile five I also had very sharp pain right where my 3rd and 4th toes meet my foot on the right. This was causing me more problems than the left foot blister. This probably happened because I wear a shoe orthotic to help shift some weight off the 2nd toe where I usually have discomfort and the extra weight got transferred laterally to my third and fourth toes. I altered my gait and it became a lot easier to run. At this point it was actually easier to run (mid foot plant) than walk. But on the uphill portions (there were many short ones), I had to sometimes walk as I could not go on my toes. Eventually I was able to keep running and push thru it. As my mom always said, C\'est al vie, (that\'s life). This is what an Ironman is all about- crisis control which was good advice from my coach. The blister pain I just but in the back of my mind as it never got worse. All in all I eventually figured out I would not break 14hrs as I had done last year but with the big hills on the ride, the hills on the run and then the foot problems, I was OK with that. I ran most of the time and walked fast up the hills. And at 72 degrees (that was what it finally got to be) and sunny it was quite warm being at 2200 feet, the ice at the aid stations was a help. I just kept going using many months of physical and mental training to get me thru. At mile 18 or so, as we were running along an asphalt path near the woods, a baby bear came out of the woods and walked onto the path. We all just froze in place and stood there. One woman clapped her hands very loudly and the bear scurried off into the woods. As we started to run again, some said, \"That was the baby. I wonder where the mom is?!\" We all looked into the woods and had a good laugh.</p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<p><img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/cozumel-2013-finish2.jpg\" alt=\"Cozumel 2013 Finish2\" width=\"160\" height=\"268\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-144\" /><strong><u>The Finish</u></strong></span><br>\r\nSo as I got closer to the finish line, all the aches just stated to fade away. The last mile or so I just let it all go and ran a good pace. As I entered the final turn, the last 150 meters was jammed with the crowds cheering loudly. At this point, I knew I had made it. All the months of training were worth it. And as I approached the archway and the finish line, I heard the announcer say, Peter Fields, \"You\'re an Ironman\"! It never gets old. Final run time was 5:52 with an overall time of 14:18.</p>\r\n\r\n<p><strong><u>Final Thoughts:</u></strong><br>\r\nAll in all, I was very pleased as I did not have any of the dreaded Ironman stomach problems or any mechanical problems with my bike. I felt exhausted and drained but nonetheless very satisfied to have finished my third Ironman. Some may ask why I punish my body. I was not punishing it - just challenging it. When one is prepared, it is not a punishment. Plus it is as much a mental challenge, if not more than a physical one.</p>\r\n<p>I love the quote by Viktor Frankel, MD; Holocaust survivor and world famous author of the book \"Mans Search for Meaning\" (my dad\'s favorite book).</p>\r\n<p><em><strong>\"Life can be pulled by goals just as surely as it can be pushed by drives\". </strong></em></p>\r\n\r\n<p><strong><u>Dedication:</u></strong><br>\r\nAs you many of you know, each of my past two Ironman races, I have raced with dad\'s initials written on me. This year I chose not to do so, although he was with me all the way. Instead this year I chose to dedicate this race to someone else and have their initials on my arm. Without her unrelenting love and support for me over the years (and I do mean years), this race would have never been possible. And at 87 years young, she still continues to be an inspiration to me. These initials were YSF (Yvette Simon Fields) and they belong to my mom.</p>\r\n\r\n<p>Thanks to everyone for inquiring about me and cheering from near and a far. I really appreciated all of it and words cannot say thank you enough. \r\nYour thoughts and well wishes helped me through my third Ironman.\r\nPlease feel free to see the pictures including the one with me smiling while showing off my mom\'s initials.</p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"text-center\" ><strong>Peter A. Fields, MD DC</strong></span><br>\r\n<strong id=\"athleticdoc\">The Athletic Doc<sup style=\"font-size: 14px;\">®</sup> and 3X Ironman Finisher</strong></span></p>\r\n\r\n\r\n','Race Report 3rd Ironman','','inherit','closed','closed','','131-revision-v1','','','2019-06-07 07:55:42','2019-06-07 07:55:42','',131,'https://www.drfields.com/uncategorized/131-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(158,8,'2019-06-07 07:55:50','2019-06-07 07:55:50','<img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman-austria-logo.jpg\" alt=\"Ironman Austria Logo\" width=\"220\" height=\"82\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-154\" /> \r\n\r\n<p class=\"text-center\"><strong class=\"athletic-event\">Sunday June 29, 2014<br>\r\n2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, 26.2 mile run</strong></p>\r\n\r\n<p class=\"text-center\">Quote for the day:<strong> One cannot achieve higher goals in life without some struggle.</strong></p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<p><img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/cozumel-2013-pre-race.jpg\" alt=\"Cozumel 2013 Pre Race\" width=\"160\" height=\"213\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-138\" /><strong><u>Pre Race</u></strong></span><br>\r\n awoke at 3:30am so I could have breakfast by 4am. That way I would have three hours before the race, which starts at 7am, to properly digest everything. Once done eating, I stretched out and got dressed. I already had my gear ready to go which included the am, stuff plus the two special needs bags for the bike and the run. I then went downstairs to be driven to the village center, where I dropped off the special needs bags. Then I boarded one of several buses that were waiting to transport us to the swim start. Since the swim is held in a lake and there is limited road access, only Ironman official vehicles would have access to the lake.</p>\r\n<p>When we got there it was not only still dark but about 45 degrees, so it was cold. But at least the rain from the previous day had stopped and no more was predicted. I planned well for the cold (60 degrees was not expected until noon or so). There is always a lot of tension floating around as over 2200 athletes check their gear, so you try your best to keep calm. We had left our bikes down there the day before as well as all our biking clothes and nutrition. The running gear and run nutrition was left at transition area 2 (T2) which is in town where the bike ride ends. This too was done the day before.\r\nThe only thing ones brings in the morning is ones wetsuit, goggles and cap along with whatever water/nutrition you take prior to the race. After pumping up my tires, it was on with the wetsuit and then head down to the waterfront.</p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<p><img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/cozumel-2013-swim.jpg\" alt=\"Cozumel 2013 Swim\" width=\"160\" height=\"213\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-140\" /><strong><u>The Swim</u></strong></span><br>\r\nThe lake is surrounded by mountains and the water temperature was about 68 degrees which was comfortable with a wetsuit on. All 2200 of us swam out about 50 yards and began treading water for about 10-15 minutes. At exactly 7am, the gun went off. It would be a long day. As always, I go out fast at the beginning of the swim (it is my best part). That way I try and get away from the majority of the crowd. Then I try and settle back into a good pace. There were a few turns prior to turning back on the fist loop (it was a two lop course), so it got really jammed and crowded; more than usual. I therefore did not really get into my good stroke pattern until the second lap. Plus I had my goggles knocked off twice. This was a first for me but actually a common occurrence with all the swimmers around you. My swim was therefore a bit slower at 1hr and 7 minutes, but still pretty good overall.</p>\r\n<p><strong style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">T1 (Transition one)</strong></p>\r\n<p>I took a bit longer in the change tent as I put on knee warmers, wind vest, a riding jacket, a skull cap for under my helmet and long liner gloves over my riding gloves (I get cold easy!!).</p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<p><img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/cozumel-2013-bike.jpg\" alt=\"Cozumel 2013 Bike\" width=\"160\" height=\"213\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-142\" /><strong><u>The Bike</u></strong></span><br>\r\nThen I was off to the 112 mile ride with over 5600 feet of climbing. With the fact that there was a 30 mile or so stretch of flat riding, it was more like 5600 feet of climbing in 80 miles, which made it very hilly. The mountains around here are really very beautiful and the views (when we looked up) were really spectacular. Being wet, I was glad to have everything on. I got rid of the jacket on the first big climb at about 10 miles. And a big climb it was going up about 1600 feet in 10 miles. Then back down and then rollers all the way back thru town. We were now at 40 mile. Riding thru the crowds, who really helped to cheer us along, was invigorating. I now got rid of the liner gloves (which were over m bike gloves) as it was now above 60 (eventually hit about 68 at 2-3 pm). Then some uphills and lots of downhills for the next 20 miles.</p>\r\n<p>After that, they had the special needs station. This is where one leaves out whatever you might want at a point halfway thru the ride (56 miles). I had nutrition supplies to restock what I had gone thru including a new bottle with liquid nutrition I use. I took off the leg warmers, vest and skull cap, gave it to one of the volunteers along with the empty bottle I had gone thru. She was very surprised, but happy. She saw my name on the bottle. She asked if that was me. When I said yes, she said that she had some knee problems and might call me. Wow, a business referral in an Ironman! Then a very flat section where for about 30 miles from mile 55-85 with a slight wind. The views of the mountains above were again spectacular.</p>\r\n<p>Then back to the hills. The last part from mile 85 to 112, was essentially all up hill. The first climb was the longest and the steepest, which wore a lot of people down. Then mostly uphill with some slight some downhill riding all the way back to town. It was a tough time on the legs. As we approached town, the cheering again kept me going. Needless to say my quadriceps muscles (front of the legs) where one gets most of one\'s cycling power were well worn. My time was 6:58, which was slower than Cozumel but with the hills here I was not disappointed.</p>\r\n<p><strong style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">T2 (Transition Two)</strong></p>\r\n<p>After handing off my bike to a handler, it was off the change tent, where I changed put on my running shoes (no clothing change as what I wear under my wetsuit is what I ride and run in), and restocked myself with a few gel packs (there are nutrition aid stations about every mile).On the way out they had volunteers (with grass skirts on!), putting sunscreen on the runners. This would be helpful as it was hot sunny and getting warm.</p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<p><img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/cozumel-2013-run.jpg\" alt=\"Cozumel 2013 Run\" width=\"160\" height=\"213\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-143\" /><strong><u>The Run</u></strong></span><br>\r\nThe run had over 1100 feet of climbing, none of which we very long. So with the very hilly ride, it made for a tough run constantly going up and down hills already tired legs. Some of the run went thru the woods on dirt trails, which was good for the legs. And in addition we ran around a lake, over a wood bridge on a pond and had some spectacular views of the mountains. Due to a buttock area (gluteus medius) injury, I had done most of my running in deep water. I only ran 3 or 4 times in the last five months outside and then only very short. This gave me the stamina I needed but did not toughen my feet.</p>\r\n\r\n<p>At mile four I developed a blister on my left foot-right in the arch- ouch! I got a Tegederm patch (a wound covering) from a paramedic at mile 8, which eventually stopped the blister from getting worse. At mile five I also had very sharp pain right where my 3rd and 4th toes meet my foot on the right. This was causing me more problems than the left foot blister. This probably happened because I wear a shoe orthotic to help shift some weight off the 2nd toe where I usually have discomfort and the extra weight got transferred laterally to my third and fourth toes. I altered my gait and it became a lot easier to run. At this point it was actually easier to run (mid foot plant) than walk. But on the uphill portions (there were many short ones), I had to sometimes walk as I could not go on my toes. Eventually I was able to keep running and push thru it. As my mom always said, C\'est al vie, (that\'s life). This is what an Ironman is all about- crisis control which was good advice from my coach. The blister pain I just but in the back of my mind as it never got worse. All in all I eventually figured out I would not break 14hrs as I had done last year but with the big hills on the ride, the hills on the run and then the foot problems, I was OK with that. I ran most of the time and walked fast up the hills. And at 72 degrees (that was what it finally got to be) and sunny it was quite warm being at 2200 feet, the ice at the aid stations was a help. I just kept going using many months of physical and mental training to get me thru. At mile 18 or so, as we were running along an asphalt path near the woods, a baby bear came out of the woods and walked onto the path. We all just froze in place and stood there. One woman clapped her hands very loudly and the bear scurried off into the woods. As we started to run again, some said, \"That was the baby. I wonder where the mom is?!\" We all looked into the woods and had a good laugh.</p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<p><img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/cozumel-2013-finish2.jpg\" alt=\"Cozumel 2013 Finish2\" width=\"160\" height=\"268\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-144\" /><strong><u>The Finish</u></strong></span><br>\r\nSo as I got closer to the finish line, all the aches just stated to fade away. The last mile or so I just let it all go and ran a good pace. As I entered the final turn, the last 150 meters was jammed with the crowds cheering loudly. At this point, I knew I had made it. All the months of training were worth it. And as I approached the archway and the finish line, I heard the announcer say, Peter Fields, \"You\'re an Ironman\"! It never gets old. Final run time was 5:52 with an overall time of 14:18.</p>\r\n\r\n<p><strong><u>Final Thoughts:</u></strong><br>\r\nAll in all, I was very pleased as I did not have any of the dreaded Ironman stomach problems or any mechanical problems with my bike. I felt exhausted and drained but nonetheless very satisfied to have finished my third Ironman. Some may ask why I punish my body. I was not punishing it - just challenging it. When one is prepared, it is not a punishment. Plus it is as much a mental challenge, if not more than a physical one.</p>\r\n<p>I love the quote by Viktor Frankel, MD; Holocaust survivor and world famous author of the book \"Mans Search for Meaning\" (my dad\'s favorite book).</p>\r\n<p><em><strong>\"Life can be pulled by goals just as surely as it can be pushed by drives\". </strong></em></p>\r\n\r\n<p><strong><u>Dedication:</u></strong><br>\r\nAs you many of you know, each of my past two Ironman races, I have raced with dad\'s initials written on me. This year I chose not to do so, although he was with me all the way. Instead this year I chose to dedicate this race to someone else and have their initials on my arm. Without her unrelenting love and support for me over the years (and I do mean years), this race would have never been possible. And at 87 years young, she still continues to be an inspiration to me. These initials were YSF (Yvette Simon Fields) and they belong to my mom.</p>\r\n\r\n<p>Thanks to everyone for inquiring about me and cheering from near and a far. I really appreciated all of it and words cannot say thank you enough. \r\nYour thoughts and well wishes helped me through my third Ironman.\r\nPlease feel free to see the pictures including the one with me smiling while showing off my mom\'s initials.</p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"text-center\" ><strong>Peter A. Fields, MD DC</strong></span><br>\r\n<strong id=\"athleticdoc\">The Athletic Doc<sup style=\"font-size: 14px;\">®</sup> and 3X Ironman Finisher</strong></span></p>\r\n\r\n\r\n','Race Report 4th Ironman','','inherit','closed','closed','','153-revision-v1','','','2019-06-07 07:55:50','2019-06-07 07:55:50','',153,'https://www.drfields.com/uncategorized/153-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(159,8,'2019-06-07 07:58:53','2019-06-07 07:58:53','<img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman-austria-logo.jpg\" alt=\"Ironman Austria Logo\" width=\"220\" height=\"82\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-154\" /> \r\n\r\n<p class=\"text-center\"><span class=\"athletic-event\">Sunday June 29, 2014<br>\r\n2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, 26.2 mile run</span></p>\r\n\r\n<p class=\"text-center\">Quote for the day:<strong> One cannot achieve higher goals in life without some struggle.</strong></p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<p><img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/cozumel-2013-pre-race.jpg\" alt=\"Cozumel 2013 Pre Race\" width=\"160\" height=\"213\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-138\" /><strong><u>Pre Race</u></strong></span><br>\r\n awoke at 3:30am so I could have breakfast by 4am. That way I would have three hours before the race, which starts at 7am, to properly digest everything. Once done eating, I stretched out and got dressed. I already had my gear ready to go which included the am, stuff plus the two special needs bags for the bike and the run. I then went downstairs to be driven to the village center, where I dropped off the special needs bags. Then I boarded one of several buses that were waiting to transport us to the swim start. Since the swim is held in a lake and there is limited road access, only Ironman official vehicles would have access to the lake.</p>\r\n<p>When we got there it was not only still dark but about 45 degrees, so it was cold. But at least the rain from the previous day had stopped and no more was predicted. I planned well for the cold (60 degrees was not expected until noon or so). There is always a lot of tension floating around as over 2200 athletes check their gear, so you try your best to keep calm. We had left our bikes down there the day before as well as all our biking clothes and nutrition. The running gear and run nutrition was left at transition area 2 (T2) which is in town where the bike ride ends. This too was done the day before.\r\nThe only thing ones brings in the morning is ones wetsuit, goggles and cap along with whatever water/nutrition you take prior to the race. After pumping up my tires, it was on with the wetsuit and then head down to the waterfront.</p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<p><img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/cozumel-2013-swim.jpg\" alt=\"Cozumel 2013 Swim\" width=\"160\" height=\"213\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-140\" /><strong><u>The Swim</u></strong></span><br>\r\nThe lake is surrounded by mountains and the water temperature was about 68 degrees which was comfortable with a wetsuit on. All 2200 of us swam out about 50 yards and began treading water for about 10-15 minutes. At exactly 7am, the gun went off. It would be a long day. As always, I go out fast at the beginning of the swim (it is my best part). That way I try and get away from the majority of the crowd. Then I try and settle back into a good pace. There were a few turns prior to turning back on the fist loop (it was a two lop course), so it got really jammed and crowded; more than usual. I therefore did not really get into my good stroke pattern until the second lap. Plus I had my goggles knocked off twice. This was a first for me but actually a common occurrence with all the swimmers around you. My swim was therefore a bit slower at 1hr and 7 minutes, but still pretty good overall.</p>\r\n<p><strong style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">T1 (Transition one)</strong></p>\r\n<p>I took a bit longer in the change tent as I put on knee warmers, wind vest, a riding jacket, a skull cap for under my helmet and long liner gloves over my riding gloves (I get cold easy!!).</p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<p><img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/cozumel-2013-bike.jpg\" alt=\"Cozumel 2013 Bike\" width=\"160\" height=\"213\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-142\" /><strong><u>The Bike</u></strong></span><br>\r\nThen I was off to the 112 mile ride with over 5600 feet of climbing. With the fact that there was a 30 mile or so stretch of flat riding, it was more like 5600 feet of climbing in 80 miles, which made it very hilly. The mountains around here are really very beautiful and the views (when we looked up) were really spectacular. Being wet, I was glad to have everything on. I got rid of the jacket on the first big climb at about 10 miles. And a big climb it was going up about 1600 feet in 10 miles. Then back down and then rollers all the way back thru town. We were now at 40 mile. Riding thru the crowds, who really helped to cheer us along, was invigorating. I now got rid of the liner gloves (which were over m bike gloves) as it was now above 60 (eventually hit about 68 at 2-3 pm). Then some uphills and lots of downhills for the next 20 miles.</p>\r\n<p>After that, they had the special needs station. This is where one leaves out whatever you might want at a point halfway thru the ride (56 miles). I had nutrition supplies to restock what I had gone thru including a new bottle with liquid nutrition I use. I took off the leg warmers, vest and skull cap, gave it to one of the volunteers along with the empty bottle I had gone thru. She was very surprised, but happy. She saw my name on the bottle. She asked if that was me. When I said yes, she said that she had some knee problems and might call me. Wow, a business referral in an Ironman! Then a very flat section where for about 30 miles from mile 55-85 with a slight wind. The views of the mountains above were again spectacular.</p>\r\n<p>Then back to the hills. The last part from mile 85 to 112, was essentially all up hill. The first climb was the longest and the steepest, which wore a lot of people down. Then mostly uphill with some slight some downhill riding all the way back to town. It was a tough time on the legs. As we approached town, the cheering again kept me going. Needless to say my quadriceps muscles (front of the legs) where one gets most of one\'s cycling power were well worn. My time was 6:58, which was slower than Cozumel but with the hills here I was not disappointed.</p>\r\n<p><strong style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">T2 (Transition Two)</strong></p>\r\n<p>After handing off my bike to a handler, it was off the change tent, where I changed put on my running shoes (no clothing change as what I wear under my wetsuit is what I ride and run in), and restocked myself with a few gel packs (there are nutrition aid stations about every mile).On the way out they had volunteers (with grass skirts on!), putting sunscreen on the runners. This would be helpful as it was hot sunny and getting warm.</p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<p><img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/cozumel-2013-run.jpg\" alt=\"Cozumel 2013 Run\" width=\"160\" height=\"213\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-143\" /><strong><u>The Run</u></strong></span><br>\r\nThe run had over 1100 feet of climbing, none of which we very long. So with the very hilly ride, it made for a tough run constantly going up and down hills already tired legs. Some of the run went thru the woods on dirt trails, which was good for the legs. And in addition we ran around a lake, over a wood bridge on a pond and had some spectacular views of the mountains. Due to a buttock area (gluteus medius) injury, I had done most of my running in deep water. I only ran 3 or 4 times in the last five months outside and then only very short. This gave me the stamina I needed but did not toughen my feet.</p>\r\n\r\n<p>At mile four I developed a blister on my left foot-right in the arch- ouch! I got a Tegederm patch (a wound covering) from a paramedic at mile 8, which eventually stopped the blister from getting worse. At mile five I also had very sharp pain right where my 3rd and 4th toes meet my foot on the right. This was causing me more problems than the left foot blister. This probably happened because I wear a shoe orthotic to help shift some weight off the 2nd toe where I usually have discomfort and the extra weight got transferred laterally to my third and fourth toes. I altered my gait and it became a lot easier to run. At this point it was actually easier to run (mid foot plant) than walk. But on the uphill portions (there were many short ones), I had to sometimes walk as I could not go on my toes. Eventually I was able to keep running and push thru it. As my mom always said, C\'est al vie, (that\'s life). This is what an Ironman is all about- crisis control which was good advice from my coach. The blister pain I just but in the back of my mind as it never got worse. All in all I eventually figured out I would not break 14hrs as I had done last year but with the big hills on the ride, the hills on the run and then the foot problems, I was OK with that. I ran most of the time and walked fast up the hills. And at 72 degrees (that was what it finally got to be) and sunny it was quite warm being at 2200 feet, the ice at the aid stations was a help. I just kept going using many months of physical and mental training to get me thru. At mile 18 or so, as we were running along an asphalt path near the woods, a baby bear came out of the woods and walked onto the path. We all just froze in place and stood there. One woman clapped her hands very loudly and the bear scurried off into the woods. As we started to run again, some said, \"That was the baby. I wonder where the mom is?!\" We all looked into the woods and had a good laugh.</p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<p><img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/cozumel-2013-finish2.jpg\" alt=\"Cozumel 2013 Finish2\" width=\"160\" height=\"268\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-144\" /><strong><u>The Finish</u></strong></span><br>\r\nSo as I got closer to the finish line, all the aches just stated to fade away. The last mile or so I just let it all go and ran a good pace. As I entered the final turn, the last 150 meters was jammed with the crowds cheering loudly. At this point, I knew I had made it. All the months of training were worth it. And as I approached the archway and the finish line, I heard the announcer say, Peter Fields, \"You\'re an Ironman\"! It never gets old. Final run time was 5:52 with an overall time of 14:18.</p>\r\n\r\n<p><strong><u>Final Thoughts:</u></strong><br>\r\nAll in all, I was very pleased as I did not have any of the dreaded Ironman stomach problems or any mechanical problems with my bike. I felt exhausted and drained but nonetheless very satisfied to have finished my third Ironman. Some may ask why I punish my body. I was not punishing it - just challenging it. When one is prepared, it is not a punishment. Plus it is as much a mental challenge, if not more than a physical one.</p>\r\n<p>I love the quote by Viktor Frankel, MD; Holocaust survivor and world famous author of the book \"Mans Search for Meaning\" (my dad\'s favorite book).</p>\r\n<p><em><strong>\"Life can be pulled by goals just as surely as it can be pushed by drives\". </strong></em></p>\r\n\r\n<p><strong><u>Dedication:</u></strong><br>\r\nAs you many of you know, each of my past two Ironman races, I have raced with dad\'s initials written on me. This year I chose not to do so, although he was with me all the way. Instead this year I chose to dedicate this race to someone else and have their initials on my arm. Without her unrelenting love and support for me over the years (and I do mean years), this race would have never been possible. And at 87 years young, she still continues to be an inspiration to me. These initials were YSF (Yvette Simon Fields) and they belong to my mom.</p>\r\n\r\n<p>Thanks to everyone for inquiring about me and cheering from near and a far. I really appreciated all of it and words cannot say thank you enough. \r\nYour thoughts and well wishes helped me through my third Ironman.\r\nPlease feel free to see the pictures including the one with me smiling while showing off my mom\'s initials.</p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"text-center\" ><strong>Peter A. Fields, MD DC</strong></span><br>\r\n<strong id=\"athleticdoc\">The Athletic Doc<sup style=\"font-size: 14px;\">®</sup> and 3X Ironman Finisher</strong></span></p>\r\n\r\n\r\n','Race Report 4th Ironman','','inherit','closed','closed','','153-revision-v1','','','2019-06-07 07:58:53','2019-06-07 07:58:53','',153,'https://www.drfields.com/uncategorized/153-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(160,8,'2019-06-07 08:01:33','2019-06-07 08:01:33','<img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman-canada-logo.jpg\" alt=\"Ironman Canada Logo\" width=\"220\" height=\"97\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-134\" />\r\n\r\n<p class=\"text-center\" id=\"athletic-event\">Sunday August 25, 2013<br>\r\n2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, 26.2 mile run</p>\r\n\r\n<p class=\"text-center\">Quote for the day:<strong> One cannot achieve higher goals in life without some struggle.</strong></p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<p><img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/cozumel-2013-pre-race.jpg\" alt=\"Cozumel 2013 Pre Race\" width=\"160\" height=\"213\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-138\" /><strong><u>Pre Race</u></strong></span><br>\r\n awoke at 3:30am so I could have breakfast by 4am. That way I would have three hours before the race, which starts at 7am, to properly digest everything. Once done eating, I stretched out and got dressed. I already had my gear ready to go which included the am, stuff plus the two special needs bags for the bike and the run. I then went downstairs to be driven to the village center, where I dropped off the special needs bags. Then I boarded one of several buses that were waiting to transport us to the swim start. Since the swim is held in a lake and there is limited road access, only Ironman official vehicles would have access to the lake.</p>\r\n<p>When we got there it was not only still dark but about 45 degrees, so it was cold. But at least the rain from the previous day had stopped and no more was predicted. I planned well for the cold (60 degrees was not expected until noon or so). There is always a lot of tension floating around as over 2200 athletes check their gear, so you try your best to keep calm. We had left our bikes down there the day before as well as all our biking clothes and nutrition. The running gear and run nutrition was left at transition area 2 (T2) which is in town where the bike ride ends. This too was done the day before.\r\nThe only thing ones brings in the morning is ones wetsuit, goggles and cap along with whatever water/nutrition you take prior to the race. After pumping up my tires, it was on with the wetsuit and then head down to the waterfront.</p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<p><img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/cozumel-2013-swim.jpg\" alt=\"Cozumel 2013 Swim\" width=\"160\" height=\"213\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-140\" /><strong><u>The Swim</u></strong></span><br>\r\nThe lake is surrounded by mountains and the water temperature was about 68 degrees which was comfortable with a wetsuit on. All 2200 of us swam out about 50 yards and began treading water for about 10-15 minutes. At exactly 7am, the gun went off. It would be a long day. As always, I go out fast at the beginning of the swim (it is my best part). That way I try and get away from the majority of the crowd. Then I try and settle back into a good pace. There were a few turns prior to turning back on the fist loop (it was a two lop course), so it got really jammed and crowded; more than usual. I therefore did not really get into my good stroke pattern until the second lap. Plus I had my goggles knocked off twice. This was a first for me but actually a common occurrence with all the swimmers around you. My swim was therefore a bit slower at 1hr and 7 minutes, but still pretty good overall.</p>\r\n<p><strong style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">T1 (Transition one)</strong></p>\r\n<p>I took a bit longer in the change tent as I put on knee warmers, wind vest, a riding jacket, a skull cap for under my helmet and long liner gloves over my riding gloves (I get cold easy!!).</p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<p><img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/cozumel-2013-bike.jpg\" alt=\"Cozumel 2013 Bike\" width=\"160\" height=\"213\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-142\" /><strong><u>The Bike</u></strong></span><br>\r\nThen I was off to the 112 mile ride with over 5600 feet of climbing. With the fact that there was a 30 mile or so stretch of flat riding, it was more like 5600 feet of climbing in 80 miles, which made it very hilly. The mountains around here are really very beautiful and the views (when we looked up) were really spectacular. Being wet, I was glad to have everything on. I got rid of the jacket on the first big climb at about 10 miles. And a big climb it was going up about 1600 feet in 10 miles. Then back down and then rollers all the way back thru town. We were now at 40 mile. Riding thru the crowds, who really helped to cheer us along, was invigorating. I now got rid of the liner gloves (which were over m bike gloves) as it was now above 60 (eventually hit about 68 at 2-3 pm). Then some uphills and lots of downhills for the next 20 miles.</p>\r\n<p>After that, they had the special needs station. This is where one leaves out whatever you might want at a point halfway thru the ride (56 miles). I had nutrition supplies to restock what I had gone thru including a new bottle with liquid nutrition I use. I took off the leg warmers, vest and skull cap, gave it to one of the volunteers along with the empty bottle I had gone thru. She was very surprised, but happy. She saw my name on the bottle. She asked if that was me. When I said yes, she said that she had some knee problems and might call me. Wow, a business referral in an Ironman! Then a very flat section where for about 30 miles from mile 55-85 with a slight wind. The views of the mountains above were again spectacular.</p>\r\n<p>Then back to the hills. The last part from mile 85 to 112, was essentially all up hill. The first climb was the longest and the steepest, which wore a lot of people down. Then mostly uphill with some slight some downhill riding all the way back to town. It was a tough time on the legs. As we approached town, the cheering again kept me going. Needless to say my quadriceps muscles (front of the legs) where one gets most of one\'s cycling power were well worn. My time was 6:58, which was slower than Cozumel but with the hills here I was not disappointed.</p>\r\n<p><strong style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">T2 (Transition Two)</strong></p>\r\n<p>After handing off my bike to a handler, it was off the change tent, where I changed put on my running shoes (no clothing change as what I wear under my wetsuit is what I ride and run in), and restocked myself with a few gel packs (there are nutrition aid stations about every mile).On the way out they had volunteers (with grass skirts on!), putting sunscreen on the runners. This would be helpful as it was hot sunny and getting warm.</p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<p><img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/cozumel-2013-run.jpg\" alt=\"Cozumel 2013 Run\" width=\"160\" height=\"213\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-143\" /><strong><u>The Run</u></strong></span><br>\r\nThe run had over 1100 feet of climbing, none of which we very long. So with the very hilly ride, it made for a tough run constantly going up and down hills already tired legs. Some of the run went thru the woods on dirt trails, which was good for the legs. And in addition we ran around a lake, over a wood bridge on a pond and had some spectacular views of the mountains. Due to a buttock area (gluteus medius) injury, I had done most of my running in deep water. I only ran 3 or 4 times in the last five months outside and then only very short. This gave me the stamina I needed but did not toughen my feet.</p>\r\n\r\n<p>At mile four I developed a blister on my left foot-right in the arch- ouch! I got a Tegederm patch (a wound covering) from a paramedic at mile 8, which eventually stopped the blister from getting worse. At mile five I also had very sharp pain right where my 3rd and 4th toes meet my foot on the right. This was causing me more problems than the left foot blister. This probably happened because I wear a shoe orthotic to help shift some weight off the 2nd toe where I usually have discomfort and the extra weight got transferred laterally to my third and fourth toes. I altered my gait and it became a lot easier to run. At this point it was actually easier to run (mid foot plant) than walk. But on the uphill portions (there were many short ones), I had to sometimes walk as I could not go on my toes. Eventually I was able to keep running and push thru it. As my mom always said, C\'est al vie, (that\'s life). This is what an Ironman is all about- crisis control which was good advice from my coach. The blister pain I just but in the back of my mind as it never got worse. All in all I eventually figured out I would not break 14hrs as I had done last year but with the big hills on the ride, the hills on the run and then the foot problems, I was OK with that. I ran most of the time and walked fast up the hills. And at 72 degrees (that was what it finally got to be) and sunny it was quite warm being at 2200 feet, the ice at the aid stations was a help. I just kept going using many months of physical and mental training to get me thru. At mile 18 or so, as we were running along an asphalt path near the woods, a baby bear came out of the woods and walked onto the path. We all just froze in place and stood there. One woman clapped her hands very loudly and the bear scurried off into the woods. As we started to run again, some said, \"That was the baby. I wonder where the mom is?!\" We all looked into the woods and had a good laugh.</p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<p><img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/cozumel-2013-finish2.jpg\" alt=\"Cozumel 2013 Finish2\" width=\"160\" height=\"268\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-144\" /><strong><u>The Finish</u></strong></span><br>\r\nSo as I got closer to the finish line, all the aches just stated to fade away. The last mile or so I just let it all go and ran a good pace. As I entered the final turn, the last 150 meters was jammed with the crowds cheering loudly. At this point, I knew I had made it. All the months of training were worth it. And as I approached the archway and the finish line, I heard the announcer say, Peter Fields, \"You\'re an Ironman\"! It never gets old. Final run time was 5:52 with an overall time of 14:18.</p>\r\n\r\n<p><strong><u>Final Thoughts:</u></strong><br>\r\nAll in all, I was very pleased as I did not have any of the dreaded Ironman stomach problems or any mechanical problems with my bike. I felt exhausted and drained but nonetheless very satisfied to have finished my third Ironman. Some may ask why I punish my body. I was not punishing it - just challenging it. When one is prepared, it is not a punishment. Plus it is as much a mental challenge, if not more than a physical one.</p>\r\n<p>I love the quote by Viktor Frankel, MD; Holocaust survivor and world famous author of the book \"Mans Search for Meaning\" (my dad\'s favorite book).</p>\r\n<p><em><strong>\"Life can be pulled by goals just as surely as it can be pushed by drives\". </strong></em></p>\r\n\r\n<p><strong><u>Dedication:</u></strong><br>\r\nAs you many of you know, each of my past two Ironman races, I have raced with dad\'s initials written on me. This year I chose not to do so, although he was with me all the way. Instead this year I chose to dedicate this race to someone else and have their initials on my arm. Without her unrelenting love and support for me over the years (and I do mean years), this race would have never been possible. And at 87 years young, she still continues to be an inspiration to me. These initials were YSF (Yvette Simon Fields) and they belong to my mom.</p>\r\n\r\n<p>Thanks to everyone for inquiring about me and cheering from near and a far. I really appreciated all of it and words cannot say thank you enough. \r\nYour thoughts and well wishes helped me through my third Ironman.\r\nPlease feel free to see the pictures including the one with me smiling while showing off my mom\'s initials.</p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"text-center\" ><strong>Peter A. Fields, MD DC</strong></span><br>\r\n<strong id=\"athleticdoc\">The Athletic Doc<sup style=\"font-size: 14px;\">®</sup> and 3X Ironman Finisher</strong></span></p>\r\n\r\n\r\n','Race Report 3rd Ironman','','inherit','closed','closed','','131-revision-v1','','','2019-06-07 08:01:33','2019-06-07 08:01:33','',131,'https://www.drfields.com/uncategorized/131-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(161,8,'2019-06-07 08:01:47','2019-06-07 08:01:47','<img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman-cozumel-logo.jpg\" alt=\"Ironman Cozumel Logo\"  class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-43\" />\r\n\r\n<p class=\"text-center\" id=\"athletic-event\">November 25, 2012<br>\r\n2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, 26.2 mile run</p>\r\n\r\n<p>After finishing this race last year, I was back again to try and beat my time of 2011 time of 14 hrs. 4 mins and 7 sec. And with much pride, I am happy to announce that I did; finishing in 13hrs, 50 mins and 27sec.</p>\r\n\r\n<p>A physical and mental challenge like no other. And although I had trained countless hours to get my body physically prepared, the day was all about staying mentally focused. If your mind got the better of you, the day would be over.</p>\r\n\r\n<p>My day began at 4am, when I awoke to have breakfast. After getting to the transition area and re-checking my bike several times, I was ready to go. I then went down to the beach to begin the race with over 2300 swimmers (1700+ men and almost 600 women) from over 42 countries.</p>\r\n<p>It was a beautiful day; air temp about 74 degrees, clear skies and not a cloud in sight. Now, after all the months of training, my journey was about to begin.</p>\r\n\r\n<p><img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/cozumel-2012-swim.jpg\" alt=\"Cozumel 2012 Swim\" width=\"160\" height=\"213\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-123\" /><strong>THE SWIM</strong></span><br>\r\nThe water was a bit choppy and there was a strong current too. This did not bother me as swimming is my best event. After one last gel, I lined up with the others and then jumped off the pier into the ocean. One has to jump about 7-10 feet off the pier into the water. I positioned myself in a good spot up front and along the shore. The current would be flowing against us for the first 800 meters, so it was best to be close to the shore where the current is less. After treading water for 10 minutes or so, the horn went off. I go pretty fast at first to get away from the crowd. Due to the chop, I altered my stroke a bit to clear this. This brings ones arms slightly closer to the boy and I did develop a bit of an underarm chafe but this was soon forgotten. Once we turned around the first buoy, the current was with us and I let the current work with me for the next mile or so. The water was clear and you could see schools of fish swimming around as well as the scuba lifeguards, positioned on the bottom about 30 feet down. When I got to the final turn, the current was against me again, so I had to work a bit harder. There was no balloon or marker marking the pier so I just followed the crowd and sighted off the lifeguard paddlers and boats. Overall I was about 8 minutes slower than last year (one hour and nine minutes this year) but still felt pretty good. Later I was to learn that most people were 15 to 30 minutes slower than last year. In Ironman races (avg. participants about 2300), there is usually about 10-15 who do not make the 2 hrs. and 20 minute swim cutoff time. This year there was over 240! Very disappointing for them as they take your timing chip away as you exit the water. Some chose to do the race anyway; this was unofficial of course.</p>\r\n<p>As I exited the water, I ran quickly into the change tent (T1). I was determined to cut down my transition time this year – big time. I had opted to wear a Tri Suit under the speed suit (like in the Olympics) I swim in. This meant I did not have to change into separate clothing for the bike and run since the Tri suit is a two piece suit that one can ride and run in.</p>\r\n<p>Once inside, I quickly stripped the speed suit off, put on my helmet and bike shoes and was off to get my bike. You did not have to re-apply sunscreen as they had helpers in the change tent lathering your shoulders and upper arms (the exposed areas) with sunscreen. This was a big help.</p>\r\n\r\n<p><img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/cozumel-2012-bike.jpg\" alt=\"Cozumel 2012 Bike\" width=\"160\" height=\"196\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-125\" /><strong>THE BIKE</strong></span><br>\r\nThe first loop (it is a three lop ride) on the bike went well as there was not a lot of wind when we got to the back of the island. I also had changed my nutrition from last year and did not have the dreaded stomach problems that many triathletes have on the bike. The second loop, the winds really picked up. It was a tough 15-18 mile section with 15-20 mile an hour wind hitting you broad side. I did develop some left foot pain which happened sometimes when I ride over 70 miles. I wear a special bike shoe orthotics that keeps me from having right foot pain after I run and after riding. This had happened last year. So I removed my left orthotic. But shortly thereafter the right foot also bothered me so I removed that orthotic too. This essentially eliminated the pain. At mile 62 there is a special needs station where one leaves anything that they might want. Last year I rested there a bit but this year just grabbed what I needed from my bag and kept going. The third lap the wind got even more brutal and we were all slugging it out on the backside of the island. As I turned to head back into town at the 100 mile maker I went to slip the orthotics back in as it prevents me from having foot pain on the post ride run. The left one had fallen out of my bike jersey pocket but at least I had the right one. All in all I rode 12 minutes faster than last year.</p>\r\n\r\n<p><img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/cozumel-2012-run.jpg\" alt=\"Cozumel 2012 Run\" width=\"160\" height=\"215\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-127\" /><strong>THE RUN</strong></span><br>\r\nBack into town, I got off the bike at the bike to run transition area (T2). I quickly changed; again much quicker than last year and headed off to run the marathon. My legs were a bit heavy but somehow I was running well. This was especially good since I had a hamstring problem earlier in the year and had been running a lot in deep water instead of the land for my training. The heaviness quickly went away within the first mile and all was going good. I had only slight right hamstring discomfort and no real pain.</p>\r\n<p>We do approximately 4. 4 miles out and back for an 8.8 mile loop (three times). On the way back to town on the first loop, the foot pain (left and right) started to appear. I did take a Celebrex at 4am and another one on the third loop of the bike. When I got to town after 8.8 miles, I asked my good friend Angela (she was my aid throughout the race- and a great one at that) to go find ibuprofen (it works on a different pathway than Celebrex). When I got to the second turn around to head back to town (13.1 miles) my hamstring kicked in - big time. It was painful to run but I kept going. I changed my gait (made it an even shorter stride). There were plenty of people walking by then but I just dealt with it. I know there was medic tent at about 15 miles. I pulled in and asked for ice. They ace wrapped my upper thigh with lots of ice. This seemed to reduce the pain but I still was running slightly slower (the first 13.1miles had me on a 5+ hr. marathon pace - much better than the 5:35 of last year). As I entered town, Angela was there and handed me the ibuprofen. I took it and within minutes I was feeling quite good. Prior to this I had calculated my time and distance and knew that I could break 14 hrs. – and maybe by 30 minutes. The hamstring pain started to return about 19 miles. I got the leg wrapped with more ice again on the way out to the 4.8 final turn around. Before the last turn around I was forced to walk and run. This is something that I had never done before (walk that is), but the pain was pretty high. At the last three mile marker I got even more ice for my hamstring and decided to walk more than run. Soon thereafter I could not continue a run/walk pace due to pain but figured if I walked fast (walking was painful but not severe) I would break 14 hrs. So at that point I walked a 14-15 mile pace (off my Garmin wrist computer), which is still pretty fast. There were plenty of walkers and I was passing them. I had to save whatever run I had left in me for last few hundred meters up to the finish (no way was I going to walk that!). This is right in the middle of the park and all lite up with hundreds (if not more) of people yelling and screaming. So as I got close, I began to run (pain is temporary; finishing is forever!) the last hundred meters to the finish line where I heard the announcer say, once again, \"<strong><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Peter Fields, you are an Ironman!</span></strong>\"</p>\r\n\r\n<p>My time was13:50, not the 13:30 I might have had without the hamstring issue. <br>\r\nBut I did end up breaking the 14 hr. barrier (last year\'s time of 14:04), which I had set out to do. Mission accomplished. <br>\r\nAs I always say, age is mind over matter; if you don\'t mind- it does not matter!</p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<p><img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/cozumel-2012-finish2.jpg\" alt=\"Cozumel 2012 Finish2\" width=\"150\" height=\"268\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-128\" /><strong>THE FINISH</strong></span><br>\r\nImmediately after crossing the finish line, after getting a big hug from Angela. I then went into the medical tent and to get a one liter IV bag of fluid (as a former ER doc I know what to say to get it done without waiting). Everyone is dehydrated to some point and this was much needed. Then off to get a post-race massage and some food. Unfortunately, caffeine gels kept me going during the last part of the run and my stomach did not really want any food. But it was nice just to sit down. Then cheered on the last finishers who are those are trying to make the 17 hr. cut-off at midnight. After collecting my gear and bike, I finally headed back to the hotel and got to bed at 2am. Not much success with that after being very jacked up all day, so the next day was to a big recovery and sleep day.</p>\r\n<p>Thank you for allowing me to share this with you and for taking the\r\n\r\ntime to read it. I want to thank everyone that offered me support and\r\nwishes. I am very grateful to each and every one of you.</p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p>\r\n<p class=\"text-center\"><strong>Peter A. Fields, MD DC</strong></span><br>\r\n<strong id=\"athleticdoc\">The Athletic Doc<sup style=\"font-size: 14px;\">®</sup> and Ironman Finisher</strong></span></p>\r\n\r\n\r\n','Race Report 2nd Ironman','','inherit','closed','closed','','120-revision-v1','','','2019-06-07 08:01:47','2019-06-07 08:01:47','',120,'https://www.drfields.com/uncategorized/120-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(162,8,'2019-06-07 08:02:22','2019-06-07 08:02:22','<img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman-cozumel-logo.jpg\" alt=\"Ironman Cozumel Logo\"  class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-43\" />\r\n\r\n<p class=\"text-center\" id=\"athletic-event\">November 27, 2011<br>\r\n2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, 26.2 mile run</p>\r\n\r\n<p class=\"text-center\"><strong>On November 27, 2011, after 27 years of competing in triathlons, I became an Ironman.</strong></p>\r\n<p class=\"text-center\">In Cozumel, Mexico at 9:04:07 pm to be exact.</p>\r\n\r\n<p>14 hrs, 4 mins and 7 sec earlier, at 7am, I began what was to be an epic day in my life. 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, 26.2 mile run. A physical and mental challenge like no other. And although I had trained countless hours to get my body physically prepared, the day was all about staying mentally focused If your mind got the better of you, the day would be over.</p>\r\n\r\n<p>My day began at 4am, when I awoke to have breakfast. After getting to the transition area and re-checking my bike several times, I was ready to go. I then went down to the beach to begin the race with over 2300 swimmers (1700+ men and almost 600 women) from over 34 countries.</p>\r\n\r\n<p>It was a beautiful day; air temp about 80 degrees, clear skies and not a cloud in sight. Now, after all the months of training, my epic journey was about to begin.</p>\r\n\r\n<p><img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/cozumel-2011-swim.jpg\" alt=\"Cozumel 2011 Swim\"  class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-53\" /><strong>THE SWIM</strong></span><br>\r\nAfter the starting gun went off, it was one big mad dash to the first turn. Fortunately, I am a strong swimmer, so I was towards the front of the pack. Nonetheless, there were arms, legs and bodies all around you. Sometimes even on top of you! It was a beautiful 2.4 mile swim in the 82 degree, crystal clear ocean water of the Yucatan Peninsula. You could see the bottom, which was over 30 feet down. Plus you could see lots of fish of all sizes and even the scuba divers (they were there \"just in case\"). Time went by quickly and one hour and one minute later, I was climbing the stairs out of the water.</p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p>\r\n<p><img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/cozumel-2011-bike.jpg\" alt=\"Cozumel 2011 Bike\"  class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-56\" /><strong>THE BIKE</strong></span><br>\r\nThen off to the transition (change tent) to get into bike clothing and hop on my bike for a 112 mile ride. It was three times around the Island. And although there weren\'t any hills, the back side of the island gets wind, so about 60 miles of the ride was into the wind. The air temp was now about 85 -87 degrees with no clouds in sight. You could see huge waves breaking (since we were right next to the beach), so we had a nice view. But the onshore winds never let up. At times we had to lean into the wind to keep upright. As I passed through town, twice on the bike and again twice on the run, I had my cheering squad there. Their passion and enthusiasm kept me going the whole race - big time.<br>\r\nHalfway through the bike I got my special needs bag from the volunteers, where I was able to reload with my own food (water I got from the aid stations). Here I was able to alleviate a potential major problem; about half an hour earlier, I had developed severe pain in my left foot. When I got off the bike I removed the left shoe support wedge (I have one in each shoe), which made the pain bearable. Fortunately I did not have any mechanical problems on the bike and best of all, no flats! When I was on the last nine miles, the skies darkened and then opened up with a torrential rain. It rained so hard, it was difficult to see the end of the bike (my bike shoes took two and a half days to dry out). After making it to the transition area and handing off my bike, it was into the change tent to put on running shoes and start the marathon.</p>\r\n\r\n<p><img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/cozumel-2011-run.jpg\" alt=\"Cozumel 2011 Run\"  class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-60\" /><strong>THE RUN</strong></span><br>\r\nWhen one leaves the tent, you cannot think marathon, since with over eight hours of working out, that would be too much to comprehend. No, instead, you focus on just going for a run. The foot pain that I had on the bike disappeared as soon as I started to run. There where puddles everywhere (it was still raining lightly) and my feet did get a bit wet. Then about three miles into the run there was a street crossing with the water about knee high. So at that point the puddles did not matter anymore and my socks and shoes were just soaked. I did develop a blister on my left foot under the shoe tongue, but did not let it bother me - at least until the race was over.<br>\r\nI just kept telling myself to keep running. I only walked through the aid stations for a quick sip of water or coke, to bite an orange (the gels I carried with me), or to get some ice to put under my hat or down my shirt. My mantra - just keep running; do not walk. It was a three lap run, so it was out and back 6 times. Tedious, but every time we would come back through town, the crowds where going wild along a two mile stretch (along with my cheering squad!).</p>\r\n<p>With each lap, it became more of a mental game to staying \"in it\". The third and final lap was the toughest mentally as well as physically; not only because of over 12 + hrs of working out, but it was dark out and still at least 82-84 degrees. It was \"Just Do It!\" time. So I just kept focusing on the next mile. And once I hit the final turnaround (only 4.4 miles to go), I knew that I had it.</p>\r\n\r\n<p><img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/cozumel-2011-finish2.jpg\" alt=\"Cozumel 2011 Finish2\"  class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-59\" /><strong>THE FINISH</strong></span><br>\r\nAs I entered the final 50 meters leading to the finish line, a big smile came across my face. At this point I finally knew that I had accomplished what I had set out to do many months ago. I felt wonderful; no pain or exhaustion - only euphoria.</p>\r\n<p>As my coach told me, race day is all about crisis control. So when I crossed the finish line, after 27 years in the sport, the announcer said what I had not heard before: \"Peter Fields, you are an Ironman!\"</p>\r\n<p>After a moment or two of realization of what I had just accomplished it was time for food, water, and a post-race massage</p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p>\r\n\r\n<p class=\"text-center\"><strong>Peter A. Fields, MD DC</strong></span><br>\r\n<strong id=\"athleticdoc\">The Athletic Doc<sup style=\"font-size: 14px;\">®</sup> and Ironman Finisher</strong></span></p>\r\n\r\n\r\n','Race Report 1st Ironman','','inherit','closed','closed','','92-revision-v1','','','2019-06-07 08:02:22','2019-06-07 08:02:22','',92,'https://www.drfields.com/uncategorized/92-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(163,8,'2019-06-07 08:02:41','2019-06-07 08:02:41','<img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman-austria-logo.jpg\" alt=\"Ironman Austria Logo\" width=\"220\" height=\"82\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-154\" /> \r\n\r\n<p class=\"text-center\" id=\"athletic-event\">Sunday June 29, 2014<br>\r\n2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, 26.2 mile run</p>\r\n\r\n<p class=\"text-center\">Quote for the day:<strong> One cannot achieve higher goals in life without some struggle.</strong></p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<p><img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/cozumel-2013-pre-race.jpg\" alt=\"Cozumel 2013 Pre Race\" width=\"160\" height=\"213\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-138\" /><strong><u>Pre Race</u></strong></span><br>\r\n awoke at 3:30am so I could have breakfast by 4am. That way I would have three hours before the race, which starts at 7am, to properly digest everything. Once done eating, I stretched out and got dressed. I already had my gear ready to go which included the am, stuff plus the two special needs bags for the bike and the run. I then went downstairs to be driven to the village center, where I dropped off the special needs bags. Then I boarded one of several buses that were waiting to transport us to the swim start. Since the swim is held in a lake and there is limited road access, only Ironman official vehicles would have access to the lake.</p>\r\n<p>When we got there it was not only still dark but about 45 degrees, so it was cold. But at least the rain from the previous day had stopped and no more was predicted. I planned well for the cold (60 degrees was not expected until noon or so). There is always a lot of tension floating around as over 2200 athletes check their gear, so you try your best to keep calm. We had left our bikes down there the day before as well as all our biking clothes and nutrition. The running gear and run nutrition was left at transition area 2 (T2) which is in town where the bike ride ends. This too was done the day before.\r\nThe only thing ones brings in the morning is ones wetsuit, goggles and cap along with whatever water/nutrition you take prior to the race. After pumping up my tires, it was on with the wetsuit and then head down to the waterfront.</p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<p><img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/cozumel-2013-swim.jpg\" alt=\"Cozumel 2013 Swim\" width=\"160\" height=\"213\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-140\" /><strong><u>The Swim</u></strong></span><br>\r\nThe lake is surrounded by mountains and the water temperature was about 68 degrees which was comfortable with a wetsuit on. All 2200 of us swam out about 50 yards and began treading water for about 10-15 minutes. At exactly 7am, the gun went off. It would be a long day. As always, I go out fast at the beginning of the swim (it is my best part). That way I try and get away from the majority of the crowd. Then I try and settle back into a good pace. There were a few turns prior to turning back on the fist loop (it was a two lop course), so it got really jammed and crowded; more than usual. I therefore did not really get into my good stroke pattern until the second lap. Plus I had my goggles knocked off twice. This was a first for me but actually a common occurrence with all the swimmers around you. My swim was therefore a bit slower at 1hr and 7 minutes, but still pretty good overall.</p>\r\n<p><strong style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">T1 (Transition one)</strong></p>\r\n<p>I took a bit longer in the change tent as I put on knee warmers, wind vest, a riding jacket, a skull cap for under my helmet and long liner gloves over my riding gloves (I get cold easy!!).</p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<p><img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/cozumel-2013-bike.jpg\" alt=\"Cozumel 2013 Bike\" width=\"160\" height=\"213\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-142\" /><strong><u>The Bike</u></strong></span><br>\r\nThen I was off to the 112 mile ride with over 5600 feet of climbing. With the fact that there was a 30 mile or so stretch of flat riding, it was more like 5600 feet of climbing in 80 miles, which made it very hilly. The mountains around here are really very beautiful and the views (when we looked up) were really spectacular. Being wet, I was glad to have everything on. I got rid of the jacket on the first big climb at about 10 miles. And a big climb it was going up about 1600 feet in 10 miles. Then back down and then rollers all the way back thru town. We were now at 40 mile. Riding thru the crowds, who really helped to cheer us along, was invigorating. I now got rid of the liner gloves (which were over m bike gloves) as it was now above 60 (eventually hit about 68 at 2-3 pm). Then some uphills and lots of downhills for the next 20 miles.</p>\r\n<p>After that, they had the special needs station. This is where one leaves out whatever you might want at a point halfway thru the ride (56 miles). I had nutrition supplies to restock what I had gone thru including a new bottle with liquid nutrition I use. I took off the leg warmers, vest and skull cap, gave it to one of the volunteers along with the empty bottle I had gone thru. She was very surprised, but happy. She saw my name on the bottle. She asked if that was me. When I said yes, she said that she had some knee problems and might call me. Wow, a business referral in an Ironman! Then a very flat section where for about 30 miles from mile 55-85 with a slight wind. The views of the mountains above were again spectacular.</p>\r\n<p>Then back to the hills. The last part from mile 85 to 112, was essentially all up hill. The first climb was the longest and the steepest, which wore a lot of people down. Then mostly uphill with some slight some downhill riding all the way back to town. It was a tough time on the legs. As we approached town, the cheering again kept me going. Needless to say my quadriceps muscles (front of the legs) where one gets most of one\'s cycling power were well worn. My time was 6:58, which was slower than Cozumel but with the hills here I was not disappointed.</p>\r\n<p><strong style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">T2 (Transition Two)</strong></p>\r\n<p>After handing off my bike to a handler, it was off the change tent, where I changed put on my running shoes (no clothing change as what I wear under my wetsuit is what I ride and run in), and restocked myself with a few gel packs (there are nutrition aid stations about every mile).On the way out they had volunteers (with grass skirts on!), putting sunscreen on the runners. This would be helpful as it was hot sunny and getting warm.</p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<p><img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/cozumel-2013-run.jpg\" alt=\"Cozumel 2013 Run\" width=\"160\" height=\"213\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-143\" /><strong><u>The Run</u></strong></span><br>\r\nThe run had over 1100 feet of climbing, none of which we very long. So with the very hilly ride, it made for a tough run constantly going up and down hills already tired legs. Some of the run went thru the woods on dirt trails, which was good for the legs. And in addition we ran around a lake, over a wood bridge on a pond and had some spectacular views of the mountains. Due to a buttock area (gluteus medius) injury, I had done most of my running in deep water. I only ran 3 or 4 times in the last five months outside and then only very short. This gave me the stamina I needed but did not toughen my feet.</p>\r\n\r\n<p>At mile four I developed a blister on my left foot-right in the arch- ouch! I got a Tegederm patch (a wound covering) from a paramedic at mile 8, which eventually stopped the blister from getting worse. At mile five I also had very sharp pain right where my 3rd and 4th toes meet my foot on the right. This was causing me more problems than the left foot blister. This probably happened because I wear a shoe orthotic to help shift some weight off the 2nd toe where I usually have discomfort and the extra weight got transferred laterally to my third and fourth toes. I altered my gait and it became a lot easier to run. At this point it was actually easier to run (mid foot plant) than walk. But on the uphill portions (there were many short ones), I had to sometimes walk as I could not go on my toes. Eventually I was able to keep running and push thru it. As my mom always said, C\'est al vie, (that\'s life). This is what an Ironman is all about- crisis control which was good advice from my coach. The blister pain I just but in the back of my mind as it never got worse. All in all I eventually figured out I would not break 14hrs as I had done last year but with the big hills on the ride, the hills on the run and then the foot problems, I was OK with that. I ran most of the time and walked fast up the hills. And at 72 degrees (that was what it finally got to be) and sunny it was quite warm being at 2200 feet, the ice at the aid stations was a help. I just kept going using many months of physical and mental training to get me thru. At mile 18 or so, as we were running along an asphalt path near the woods, a baby bear came out of the woods and walked onto the path. We all just froze in place and stood there. One woman clapped her hands very loudly and the bear scurried off into the woods. As we started to run again, some said, \"That was the baby. I wonder where the mom is?!\" We all looked into the woods and had a good laugh.</p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<p><img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/cozumel-2013-finish2.jpg\" alt=\"Cozumel 2013 Finish2\" width=\"160\" height=\"268\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-144\" /><strong><u>The Finish</u></strong></span><br>\r\nSo as I got closer to the finish line, all the aches just stated to fade away. The last mile or so I just let it all go and ran a good pace. As I entered the final turn, the last 150 meters was jammed with the crowds cheering loudly. At this point, I knew I had made it. All the months of training were worth it. And as I approached the archway and the finish line, I heard the announcer say, Peter Fields, \"You\'re an Ironman\"! It never gets old. Final run time was 5:52 with an overall time of 14:18.</p>\r\n\r\n<p><strong><u>Final Thoughts:</u></strong><br>\r\nAll in all, I was very pleased as I did not have any of the dreaded Ironman stomach problems or any mechanical problems with my bike. I felt exhausted and drained but nonetheless very satisfied to have finished my third Ironman. Some may ask why I punish my body. I was not punishing it - just challenging it. When one is prepared, it is not a punishment. Plus it is as much a mental challenge, if not more than a physical one.</p>\r\n<p>I love the quote by Viktor Frankel, MD; Holocaust survivor and world famous author of the book \"Mans Search for Meaning\" (my dad\'s favorite book).</p>\r\n<p><em><strong>\"Life can be pulled by goals just as surely as it can be pushed by drives\". </strong></em></p>\r\n\r\n<p><strong><u>Dedication:</u></strong><br>\r\nAs you many of you know, each of my past two Ironman races, I have raced with dad\'s initials written on me. This year I chose not to do so, although he was with me all the way. Instead this year I chose to dedicate this race to someone else and have their initials on my arm. Without her unrelenting love and support for me over the years (and I do mean years), this race would have never been possible. And at 87 years young, she still continues to be an inspiration to me. These initials were YSF (Yvette Simon Fields) and they belong to my mom.</p>\r\n\r\n<p>Thanks to everyone for inquiring about me and cheering from near and a far. I really appreciated all of it and words cannot say thank you enough. \r\nYour thoughts and well wishes helped me through my third Ironman.\r\nPlease feel free to see the pictures including the one with me smiling while showing off my mom\'s initials.</p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"text-center\" ><strong>Peter A. Fields, MD DC</strong></span><br>\r\n<strong id=\"athleticdoc\">The Athletic Doc<sup style=\"font-size: 14px;\">®</sup> and 3X Ironman Finisher</strong></span></p>\r\n\r\n\r\n','Race Report 4th Ironman','','inherit','closed','closed','','153-revision-v1','','','2019-06-07 08:02:41','2019-06-07 08:02:41','',153,'https://www.drfields.com/uncategorized/153-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(165,8,'2019-06-07 08:05:51','2019-06-07 08:05:51','<img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman-cozumel-logo.jpg\" alt=\"Ironman Cozumel Logo\"  class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-43\" />\r\n\r\n<p class=\"text-center\" id=\"athletic-event\">November 27, 2011<br>\r\n2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, 26.2 mile run</p>\r\n\r\n<p class=\"text-center\"><strong>On November 27, 2011, after 27 years of competing in triathlons, I became an Ironman.</strong></p>\r\n<p class=\"text-center\">In Cozumel, Mexico at 9:04:07 pm to be exact.</p>\r\n\r\n<p>14 hrs, 4 mins and 7 sec earlier, at 7am, I began what was to be an epic day in my life. 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, 26.2 mile run. A physical and mental challenge like no other. And although I had trained countless hours to get my body physically prepared, the day was all about staying mentally focused If your mind got the better of you, the day would be over.</p>\r\n\r\n<p>My day began at 4am, when I awoke to have breakfast. After getting to the transition area and re-checking my bike several times, I was ready to go. I then went down to the beach to begin the race with over 2300 swimmers (1700+ men and almost 600 women) from over 34 countries.</p>\r\n\r\n<p>It was a beautiful day; air temp about 80 degrees, clear skies and not a cloud in sight. Now, after all the months of training, my epic journey was about to begin.</p>\r\n\r\n<p><img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/cozumel-2011-swim.jpg\" alt=\"Cozumel 2011 Swim\"  class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-53\" /><strong>THE SWIM</strong></span><br>\r\nAfter the starting gun went off, it was one big mad dash to the first turn. Fortunately, I am a strong swimmer, so I was towards the front of the pack. Nonetheless, there were arms, legs and bodies all around you. Sometimes even on top of you! It was a beautiful 2.4 mile swim in the 82 degree, crystal clear ocean water of the Yucatan Peninsula. You could see the bottom, which was over 30 feet down. Plus you could see lots of fish of all sizes and even the scuba divers (they were there \"just in case\"). Time went by quickly and one hour and one minute later, I was climbing the stairs out of the water.</p>\r\n\r\n<p><img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/cozumel-2011-bike.jpg\" alt=\"Cozumel 2011 Bike\"  class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-56\" /><strong>THE BIKE</strong></span><br>\r\nThen off to the transition (change tent) to get into bike clothing and hop on my bike for a 112 mile ride. It was three times around the Island. And although there weren\'t any hills, the back side of the island gets wind, so about 60 miles of the ride was into the wind. The air temp was now about 85 -87 degrees with no clouds in sight. You could see huge waves breaking (since we were right next to the beach), so we had a nice view. But the onshore winds never let up. At times we had to lean into the wind to keep upright. As I passed through town, twice on the bike and again twice on the run, I had my cheering squad there. Their passion and enthusiasm kept me going the whole race - big time.<br>\r\nHalfway through the bike I got my special needs bag from the volunteers, where I was able to reload with my own food (water I got from the aid stations). Here I was able to alleviate a potential major problem; about half an hour earlier, I had developed severe pain in my left foot. When I got off the bike I removed the left shoe support wedge (I have one in each shoe), which made the pain bearable. Fortunately I did not have any mechanical problems on the bike and best of all, no flats! When I was on the last nine miles, the skies darkened and then opened up with a torrential rain. It rained so hard, it was difficult to see the end of the bike (my bike shoes took two and a half days to dry out). After making it to the transition area and handing off my bike, it was into the change tent to put on running shoes and start the marathon.</p>\r\n\r\n<p><img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/cozumel-2011-run.jpg\" alt=\"Cozumel 2011 Run\"  class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-60\" /><strong>THE RUN</strong></span><br>\r\nWhen one leaves the tent, you cannot think marathon, since with over eight hours of working out, that would be too much to comprehend. No, instead, you focus on just going for a run. The foot pain that I had on the bike disappeared as soon as I started to run. There where puddles everywhere (it was still raining lightly) and my feet did get a bit wet. Then about three miles into the run there was a street crossing with the water about knee high. So at that point the puddles did not matter anymore and my socks and shoes were just soaked. I did develop a blister on my left foot under the shoe tongue, but did not let it bother me - at least until the race was over.<br>\r\nI just kept telling myself to keep running. I only walked through the aid stations for a quick sip of water or coke, to bite an orange (the gels I carried with me), or to get some ice to put under my hat or down my shirt. My mantra - just keep running; do not walk. It was a three lap run, so it was out and back 6 times. Tedious, but every time we would come back through town, the crowds where going wild along a two mile stretch (along with my cheering squad!).</p>\r\n<p>With each lap, it became more of a mental game to staying \"in it\". The third and final lap was the toughest mentally as well as physically; not only because of over 12 + hrs of working out, but it was dark out and still at least 82-84 degrees. It was \"Just Do It!\" time. So I just kept focusing on the next mile. And once I hit the final turnaround (only 4.4 miles to go), I knew that I had it.</p>\r\n\r\n<p><img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/cozumel-2011-finish2.jpg\" alt=\"Cozumel 2011 Finish2\"  class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-59\" /><strong>THE FINISH</strong></span><br>\r\nAs I entered the final 50 meters leading to the finish line, a big smile came across my face. At this point I finally knew that I had accomplished what I had set out to do many months ago. I felt wonderful; no pain or exhaustion - only euphoria.</p>\r\n<p>As my coach told me, race day is all about crisis control. So when I crossed the finish line, after 27 years in the sport, the announcer said what I had not heard before: \"Peter Fields, you are an Ironman!\"</p>\r\n<p>After a moment or two of realization of what I had just accomplished it was time for food, water, and a post-race massage</p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>&nbsp;</p>\r\n\r\n<p class=\"text-center\"><strong>Peter A. Fields, MD DC</strong></span><br>\r\n<strong id=\"athleticdoc\">The Athletic Doc<sup style=\"font-size: 14px;\">®</sup> and Ironman Finisher</strong></span></p>\r\n\r\n\r\n','Race Report 1st Ironman','','inherit','closed','closed','','92-revision-v1','','','2019-06-07 08:05:51','2019-06-07 08:05:51','',92,'https://www.drfields.com/uncategorized/92-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(166,8,'2019-06-07 08:06:14','2019-06-07 08:06:14','<img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman-cozumel-logo.jpg\" alt=\"Ironman Cozumel Logo\"  class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-43\" />\r\n\r\n<p class=\"text-center\" id=\"athletic-event\">November 27, 2011<br>\r\n2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, 26.2 mile run</p>\r\n\r\n<p class=\"text-center\"><strong>On November 27, 2011, after 27 years of competing in triathlons, I became an Ironman.</strong></p>\r\n<p class=\"text-center\">In Cozumel, Mexico at 9:04:07 pm to be exact.</p>\r\n\r\n<p>14 hrs, 4 mins and 7 sec earlier, at 7am, I began what was to be an epic day in my life. 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, 26.2 mile run. A physical and mental challenge like no other. And although I had trained countless hours to get my body physically prepared, the day was all about staying mentally focused If your mind got the better of you, the day would be over.</p>\r\n\r\n<p>My day began at 4am, when I awoke to have breakfast. After getting to the transition area and re-checking my bike several times, I was ready to go. I then went down to the beach to begin the race with over 2300 swimmers (1700+ men and almost 600 women) from over 34 countries.</p>\r\n\r\n<p>It was a beautiful day; air temp about 80 degrees, clear skies and not a cloud in sight. Now, after all the months of training, my epic journey was about to begin.</p>\r\n\r\n<p><img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/cozumel-2011-swim.jpg\" alt=\"Cozumel 2011 Swim\"  class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-53\" /><strong>THE SWIM</strong></span><br>\r\nAfter the starting gun went off, it was one big mad dash to the first turn. Fortunately, I am a strong swimmer, so I was towards the front of the pack. Nonetheless, there were arms, legs and bodies all around you. Sometimes even on top of you! It was a beautiful 2.4 mile swim in the 82 degree, crystal clear ocean water of the Yucatan Peninsula. You could see the bottom, which was over 30 feet down. Plus you could see lots of fish of all sizes and even the scuba divers (they were there \"just in case\"). Time went by quickly and one hour and one minute later, I was climbing the stairs out of the water.</p>\r\n\r\n<p><img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/cozumel-2011-bike.jpg\" alt=\"Cozumel 2011 Bike\"  class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-56\" /><strong>THE BIKE</strong></span><br>\r\nThen off to the transition (change tent) to get into bike clothing and hop on my bike for a 112 mile ride. It was three times around the Island. And although there weren\'t any hills, the back side of the island gets wind, so about 60 miles of the ride was into the wind. The air temp was now about 85 -87 degrees with no clouds in sight. You could see huge waves breaking (since we were right next to the beach), so we had a nice view. But the onshore winds never let up. At times we had to lean into the wind to keep upright. As I passed through town, twice on the bike and again twice on the run, I had my cheering squad there. Their passion and enthusiasm kept me going the whole race - big time.<br>\r\nHalfway through the bike I got my special needs bag from the volunteers, where I was able to reload with my own food (water I got from the aid stations). Here I was able to alleviate a potential major problem; about half an hour earlier, I had developed severe pain in my left foot. When I got off the bike I removed the left shoe support wedge (I have one in each shoe), which made the pain bearable. Fortunately I did not have any mechanical problems on the bike and best of all, no flats! When I was on the last nine miles, the skies darkened and then opened up with a torrential rain. It rained so hard, it was difficult to see the end of the bike (my bike shoes took two and a half days to dry out). After making it to the transition area and handing off my bike, it was into the change tent to put on running shoes and start the marathon.</p>\r\n\r\n<p><img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/cozumel-2011-run.jpg\" alt=\"Cozumel 2011 Run\"  class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-60\" /><strong>THE RUN</strong></span><br>\r\nWhen one leaves the tent, you cannot think marathon, since with over eight hours of working out, that would be too much to comprehend. No, instead, you focus on just going for a run. The foot pain that I had on the bike disappeared as soon as I started to run. There where puddles everywhere (it was still raining lightly) and my feet did get a bit wet. Then about three miles into the run there was a street crossing with the water about knee high. So at that point the puddles did not matter anymore and my socks and shoes were just soaked. I did develop a blister on my left foot under the shoe tongue, but did not let it bother me - at least until the race was over.<br>\r\nI just kept telling myself to keep running. I only walked through the aid stations for a quick sip of water or coke, to bite an orange (the gels I carried with me), or to get some ice to put under my hat or down my shirt. My mantra - just keep running; do not walk. It was a three lap run, so it was out and back 6 times. Tedious, but every time we would come back through town, the crowds where going wild along a two mile stretch (along with my cheering squad!).</p>\r\n<p>With each lap, it became more of a mental game to staying \"in it\". The third and final lap was the toughest mentally as well as physically; not only because of over 12 + hrs of working out, but it was dark out and still at least 82-84 degrees. It was \"Just Do It!\" time. So I just kept focusing on the next mile. And once I hit the final turnaround (only 4.4 miles to go), I knew that I had it.</p>\r\n\r\n<p><img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/cozumel-2011-finish2.jpg\" alt=\"Cozumel 2011 Finish2\"  class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-59\" /><strong>THE FINISH</strong></span><br>\r\nAs I entered the final 50 meters leading to the finish line, a big smile came across my face. At this point I finally knew that I had accomplished what I had set out to do many months ago. I felt wonderful; no pain or exhaustion - only euphoria.</p>\r\n<p>As my coach told me, race day is all about crisis control. So when I crossed the finish line, after 27 years in the sport, the announcer said what I had not heard before: \"Peter Fields, you are an Ironman!\"</p>\r\n<p>After a moment or two of realization of what I had just accomplished it was time for food, water, and a post-race massage</p>\r\n\r\n<p class=\"text-center\"><strong>Peter A. Fields, MD DC</strong></span><br>\r\n<strong id=\"athleticdoc\">The Athletic Doc<sup style=\"font-size: 14px;\">®</sup> and Ironman Finisher</strong></span></p>\r\n\r\n\r\n','Race Report 1st Ironman','','inherit','closed','closed','','92-revision-v1','','','2019-06-07 08:06:14','2019-06-07 08:06:14','',92,'https://www.drfields.com/uncategorized/92-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(167,8,'2019-06-07 08:08:03','2019-06-07 08:08:03','<img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman-cozumel-logo.jpg\" alt=\"Ironman Cozumel Logo\"  class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-43\" />\r\n\r\n<p class=\"text-center\" id=\"athletic-event\">November 27, 2011<br>\r\n2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, 26.2 mile run</p>\r\n\r\n<p class=\"text-center\"><strong>On November 27, 2011, after 27 years of competing in triathlons, I became an Ironman.</strong></p>\r\n<p class=\"text-center\">In Cozumel, Mexico at 9:04:07 pm to be exact.</p>\r\n\r\n<p>14 hrs, 4 mins and 7 sec earlier, at 7am, I began what was to be an epic day in my life. 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, 26.2 mile run. A physical and mental challenge like no other. And although I had trained countless hours to get my body physically prepared, the day was all about staying mentally focused If your mind got the better of you, the day would be over.</p>\r\n\r\n<p>My day began at 4am, when I awoke to have breakfast. After getting to the transition area and re-checking my bike several times, I was ready to go. I then went down to the beach to begin the race with over 2300 swimmers (1700+ men and almost 600 women) from over 34 countries.</p>\r\n\r\n<p>It was a beautiful day; air temp about 80 degrees, clear skies and not a cloud in sight. Now, after all the months of training, my epic journey was about to begin.</p>\r\n\r\n<p><img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/cozumel-2011-swim.jpg\" alt=\"Cozumel 2011 Swim\"  class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-53\" /><strong><u>THE SWIM</u></strong></span><br>\r\nAfter the starting gun went off, it was one big mad dash to the first turn. Fortunately, I am a strong swimmer, so I was towards the front of the pack. Nonetheless, there were arms, legs and bodies all around you. Sometimes even on top of you! It was a beautiful 2.4 mile swim in the 82 degree, crystal clear ocean water of the Yucatan Peninsula. You could see the bottom, which was over 30 feet down. Plus you could see lots of fish of all sizes and even the scuba divers (they were there \"just in case\"). Time went by quickly and one hour and one minute later, I was climbing the stairs out of the water.</p>\r\n\r\n<p><img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/cozumel-2011-bike.jpg\" alt=\"Cozumel 2011 Bike\"  class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-56\" /><strong><u>THE BIKE</u></strong></span><br>\r\nThen off to the transition (change tent) to get into bike clothing and hop on my bike for a 112 mile ride. It was three times around the Island. And although there weren\'t any hills, the back side of the island gets wind, so about 60 miles of the ride was into the wind. The air temp was now about 85 -87 degrees with no clouds in sight. You could see huge waves breaking (since we were right next to the beach), so we had a nice view. But the onshore winds never let up. At times we had to lean into the wind to keep upright. As I passed through town, twice on the bike and again twice on the run, I had my cheering squad there. Their passion and enthusiasm kept me going the whole race - big time.<br>\r\nHalfway through the bike I got my special needs bag from the volunteers, where I was able to reload with my own food (water I got from the aid stations). Here I was able to alleviate a potential major problem; about half an hour earlier, I had developed severe pain in my left foot. When I got off the bike I removed the left shoe support wedge (I have one in each shoe), which made the pain bearable. Fortunately I did not have any mechanical problems on the bike and best of all, no flats! When I was on the last nine miles, the skies darkened and then opened up with a torrential rain. It rained so hard, it was difficult to see the end of the bike (my bike shoes took two and a half days to dry out). After making it to the transition area and handing off my bike, it was into the change tent to put on running shoes and start the marathon.</p>\r\n\r\n<p><img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/cozumel-2011-run.jpg\" alt=\"Cozumel 2011 Run\"  class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-60\" /><strong><u>THE RUN</u></strong></span><br>\r\nWhen one leaves the tent, you cannot think marathon, since with over eight hours of working out, that would be too much to comprehend. No, instead, you focus on just going for a run. The foot pain that I had on the bike disappeared as soon as I started to run. There where puddles everywhere (it was still raining lightly) and my feet did get a bit wet. Then about three miles into the run there was a street crossing with the water about knee high. So at that point the puddles did not matter anymore and my socks and shoes were just soaked. I did develop a blister on my left foot under the shoe tongue, but did not let it bother me - at least until the race was over.<br>\r\nI just kept telling myself to keep running. I only walked through the aid stations for a quick sip of water or coke, to bite an orange (the gels I carried with me), or to get some ice to put under my hat or down my shirt. My mantra - just keep running; do not walk. It was a three lap run, so it was out and back 6 times. Tedious, but every time we would come back through town, the crowds where going wild along a two mile stretch (along with my cheering squad!).</p>\r\n<p>With each lap, it became more of a mental game to staying \"in it\". The third and final lap was the toughest mentally as well as physically; not only because of over 12 + hrs of working out, but it was dark out and still at least 82-84 degrees. It was \"Just Do It!\" time. So I just kept focusing on the next mile. And once I hit the final turnaround (only 4.4 miles to go), I knew that I had it.</p>\r\n\r\n<p><img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/cozumel-2011-finish2.jpg\" alt=\"Cozumel 2011 Finish2\"  class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-59\" /><strong><u>THE FINISH</u></strong></span><br>\r\nAs I entered the final 50 meters leading to the finish line, a big smile came across my face. At this point I finally knew that I had accomplished what I had set out to do many months ago. I felt wonderful; no pain or exhaustion - only euphoria.</p>\r\n<p>As my coach told me, race day is all about crisis control. So when I crossed the finish line, after 27 years in the sport, the announcer said what I had not heard before: \"Peter Fields, you are an Ironman!\"</p>\r\n<p>After a moment or two of realization of what I had just accomplished it was time for food, water, and a post-race massage</p>\r\n\r\n<p class=\"text-center\"><strong>Peter A. Fields, MD DC</strong></span><br>\r\n<strong id=\"athleticdoc\">The Athletic Doc<sup style=\"font-size: 14px;\">®</sup> and Ironman Finisher</strong></span></p>\r\n\r\n\r\n','Race Report 1st Ironman','','inherit','closed','closed','','92-revision-v1','','','2019-06-07 08:08:03','2019-06-07 08:08:03','',92,'https://www.drfields.com/uncategorized/92-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(168,8,'2019-06-07 08:12:00','2019-06-07 08:12:00','<img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman-austria-logo.jpg\" alt=\"Ironman Austria Logo\" width=\"220\" height=\"82\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-154\" /> \r\n\r\n<p class=\"text-center\" id=\"athletic-event\">Sunday June 29, 2014<br>\r\n2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, 26.2 mile run</p>\r\n\r\n<p >My time was 13:32:36.  A new PR for me.\r\nFor the details, please read the story below.\r\nThank you</p>\r\n\r\n<p><strong><u>GETTING THERE</u></strong></p>\r\n<p> It started with a 12 hour flight from Los Angeles to Frankfurt going via Dallas. There was 3 hour delay in Dallas so it took even longer. I thought that I had missed my train connection in Frankfurt. Fortunately I got through customs very quickly.  35 minutes from arriving at the game, I was not only able to get through customs but pick up my bags, take a bus to the train station, then re-book my ticket and make my train with 5 minutes to spare!  Of course being able to speak German helped out a lot with getting directions. Then a 3 hour train ride to Munich where I switched trains and then a four hour train ride to Klagenfurt, Austria.  The views from the train in southern Germany and Austria were spectacular.\r\nThe next days were just getting settled in. Usually I\'m a very good sleeper but unfortunately, for about 4 days, I was unable to sleep a lot at night. I tried to make up with this naps during the day.  Sunday would come all too quickly. \r\nThe rest of the pre-event days were spent meeting everybody, seeing the triathlon expo and having a chance to swim in the lake and then take a van ride around part of the biking course. When my bike did arrive (I had it shipped), I rode it for about 20 miles and then had the mechanic adjust it slightly. The rest of the time was spent trying to stay calm and relaxed while not working out a lot.</p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>Saturday we checked in at the race which included leaving your bike and all your gear. The race number paper for my bike did not fit properly and I was advised not to tamper with it and ask an official when I went to check in my bike. When I got out of the van at the check in point I realized that I have left the number back in the hotel. In German I asked one of the check in officials what he could do about it. He said he could not do anything and that I would have to go to the registration area to have a thing done. Not an easy thing to do as it was one a mile away and I had all my gear with me in bags, so walking the bike would not be an easy thing. So I opted to go back to the van and have them take me back and get the number. As I was walking away one of the spectators came up to me and said in German that someone wants to talk to you back from where I came. I looked back and saw someone standing there who had a race official badge around his neck. So I walked back (not an easy thing to do with several thousand people there) and asked him in German if he could do anything about this. He said no problem he could help me. I was surprised as the first guy had said no. I asked again if he was sure about this since my van ride was about to leave. He turned over his badge which and it said race director.  He said \"I\'m the boss and I can do it for you\".  And within minutes everything was taken care of. He told me he travels to the states sometimes so I gave my card told him to look me up. He said he would.\r\nAll’s well that ends well. Plus a good omen for the race.</p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<p><u>RACE DAY</u></strong></p>\r\n<p>I got up at my usual time of 3:30 am. Breakfast is at four am and we leave for the race at 4:45am. It was about 58 degrees (heading into the 70\'s) and very clear and no signs of rain. It has rained the last 2 days on and off so this was a good thing. Got to the transition area and prepped my bike for the last time. This is always a very exciting time with 3000 athletes plus spectators trying to stay calm. Since it was about a 500 meter walk to the water, we all took our wetsuits and changed over by the lake.\r\nAt the lake we were greeted by a rainbow over the lake.  It was very beautiful and again a good omen. In a short time, we were already go. The pros and another group of 800 people started 15 minutes early. These early starting non-pros for had signed up to start early. I missed this sign up and at first I was disappointed as I am a very strong swimmer. But Ken Glah, the former pro triathlete whose company I travel with, found out it was a good thing as I would be the fastest in the next group of 2200 athletes and not all bunched up with the fast group (it gets very jammed up at the beginning of the swim).\r\nSo after many months of training, I was ready to start my fourth Ironman. I was dedicating this race to two people.</p>\r\n\r\n<p>On my left arm I had head initials JP written. This was in memory of my friend Jeff Patterson. Dr Jeff started me off in the wonderful world Prolotherapy which helped save my back from surgery. He was my mentor and dear friend and died much too early only a few months ago at the age of 67.\r\nOn my right arm I had the initials FFF, for my father Fred F. Fields. Simply put, he was everything in the world to me. He would have been so proud of me, as he always was. It was with great honor and pride that I am able to call myself his son.  He died almost 10 years ago and there is not one day that goes by that I do not think of him.</p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"text-center\" ><strong>Peter A. Fields, MD DC</strong></span><br>\r\n<strong id=\"athleticdoc\">The Athletic Doc<sup style=\"font-size: 14px;\">®</sup> and 3X Ironman Finisher</strong></span></p>\r\n\r\n\r\n','Race Report 4th Ironman','','inherit','closed','closed','','153-revision-v1','','','2019-06-07 08:12:00','2019-06-07 08:12:00','',153,'https://www.drfields.com/uncategorized/153-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(169,8,'2019-06-07 08:12:44','2019-06-07 08:12:44','<img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman-austria-logo.jpg\" alt=\"Ironman Austria Logo\" width=\"220\" height=\"82\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-154\" /> \r\n\r\n<p class=\"text-center\" id=\"athletic-event\">Sunday June 29, 2014<br>\r\n2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, 26.2 mile run</p>\r\n\r\n<p >My time was 13:32:36.  A new PR for me.\r\nFor the details, please read the story below.\r\nThank you</p>\r\n\r\n<p><strong><u>GETTING THERE</u></strong></p>\r\n<p> It started with a 12 hour flight from Los Angeles to Frankfurt going via Dallas. There was 3 hour delay in Dallas so it took even longer. I thought that I had missed my train connection in Frankfurt. Fortunately I got through customs very quickly.  35 minutes from arriving at the game, I was not only able to get through customs but pick up my bags, take a bus to the train station, then re-book my ticket and make my train with 5 minutes to spare!  Of course being able to speak German helped out a lot with getting directions. Then a 3 hour train ride to Munich where I switched trains and then a four hour train ride to Klagenfurt, Austria.  The views from the train in southern Germany and Austria were spectacular.\r\nThe next days were just getting settled in. Usually I\'m a very good sleeper but unfortunately, for about 4 days, I was unable to sleep a lot at night. I tried to make up with this naps during the day.  Sunday would come all too quickly. \r\nThe rest of the pre-event days were spent meeting everybody, seeing the triathlon expo and having a chance to swim in the lake and then take a van ride around part of the biking course. When my bike did arrive (I had it shipped), I rode it for about 20 miles and then had the mechanic adjust it slightly. The rest of the time was spent trying to stay calm and relaxed while not working out a lot.</p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>Saturday we checked in at the race which included leaving your bike and all your gear. The race number paper for my bike did not fit properly and I was advised not to tamper with it and ask an official when I went to check in my bike. When I got out of the van at the check in point I realized that I have left the number back in the hotel. In German I asked one of the check in officials what he could do about it. He said he could not do anything and that I would have to go to the registration area to have a thing done. Not an easy thing to do as it was one a mile away and I had all my gear with me in bags, so walking the bike would not be an easy thing. So I opted to go back to the van and have them take me back and get the number. As I was walking away one of the spectators came up to me and said in German that someone wants to talk to you back from where I came. I looked back and saw someone standing there who had a race official badge around his neck. So I walked back (not an easy thing to do with several thousand people there) and asked him in German if he could do anything about this. He said no problem he could help me. I was surprised as the first guy had said no. I asked again if he was sure about this since my van ride was about to leave. He turned over his badge which and it said race director.  He said \"I\'m the boss and I can do it for you\".  And within minutes everything was taken care of. He told me he travels to the states sometimes so I gave my card told him to look me up. He said he would.\r\nAll’s well that ends well. Plus a good omen for the race.</p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<p><strong><u>RACE DAY</u></strong></p>\r\n<p>I got up at my usual time of 3:30 am. Breakfast is at four am and we leave for the race at 4:45am. It was about 58 degrees (heading into the 70\'s) and very clear and no signs of rain. It has rained the last 2 days on and off so this was a good thing. Got to the transition area and prepped my bike for the last time. This is always a very exciting time with 3000 athletes plus spectators trying to stay calm. Since it was about a 500 meter walk to the water, we all took our wetsuits and changed over by the lake.\r\nAt the lake we were greeted by a rainbow over the lake.  It was very beautiful and again a good omen. In a short time, we were already go. The pros and another group of 800 people started 15 minutes early. These early starting non-pros for had signed up to start early. I missed this sign up and at first I was disappointed as I am a very strong swimmer. But Ken Glah, the former pro triathlete whose company I travel with, found out it was a good thing as I would be the fastest in the next group of 2200 athletes and not all bunched up with the fast group (it gets very jammed up at the beginning of the swim).\r\nSo after many months of training, I was ready to start my fourth Ironman. I was dedicating this race to two people.</p>\r\n\r\n<p>On my left arm I had head initials JP written. This was in memory of my friend Jeff Patterson. Dr Jeff started me off in the wonderful world Prolotherapy which helped save my back from surgery. He was my mentor and dear friend and died much too early only a few months ago at the age of 67.\r\nOn my right arm I had the initials FFF, for my father Fred F. Fields. Simply put, he was everything in the world to me. He would have been so proud of me, as he always was. It was with great honor and pride that I am able to call myself his son.  He died almost 10 years ago and there is not one day that goes by that I do not think of him.</p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"text-center\" ><strong>Peter A. Fields, MD DC</strong></span><br>\r\n<strong id=\"athleticdoc\">The Athletic Doc<sup style=\"font-size: 14px;\">®</sup> and 3X Ironman Finisher</strong></span></p>\r\n\r\n\r\n','Race Report 4th Ironman','','inherit','closed','closed','','153-revision-v1','','','2019-06-07 08:12:44','2019-06-07 08:12:44','',153,'https://www.drfields.com/uncategorized/153-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(170,8,'2019-06-07 08:16:00','2019-06-07 08:16:00','Bike Race2014','Bike Race2014','','inherit','open','closed','','bike-race2014','','','2019-06-07 08:16:08','2019-06-07 08:16:08','',153,'https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/bike-race2014.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(171,8,'2019-06-07 08:16:11','2019-06-07 08:16:11','<img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman-austria-logo.jpg\" alt=\"Ironman Austria Logo\" width=\"220\" height=\"82\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-154\" /> \r\n\r\n<p class=\"text-center\" id=\"athletic-event\">Sunday June 29, 2014<br>\r\n2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, 26.2 mile run</p>\r\n\r\n<p >My time was 13:32:36.  A new PR for me.\r\nFor the details, please read the story below.\r\nThank you</p>\r\n\r\n<p><strong><u>GETTING THERE</u></strong><br>\r\nIt started with a 12 hour flight from Los Angeles to Frankfurt going via Dallas. There was 3 hour delay in Dallas so it took even longer. I thought that I had missed my train connection in Frankfurt. Fortunately I got through customs very quickly.  35 minutes from arriving at the game, I was not only able to get through customs but pick up my bags, take a bus to the train station, then re-book my ticket and make my train with 5 minutes to spare!  Of course being able to speak German helped out a lot with getting directions. Then a 3 hour train ride to Munich where I switched trains and then a four hour train ride to Klagenfurt, Austria.  The views from the train in southern Germany and Austria were spectacular.\r\nThe next days were just getting settled in. Usually I\'m a very good sleeper but unfortunately, for about 4 days, I was unable to sleep a lot at night. I tried to make up with this naps during the day.  Sunday would come all too quickly. \r\nThe rest of the pre-event days were spent meeting everybody, seeing the triathlon expo and having a chance to swim in the lake and then take a van ride around part of the biking course. When my bike did arrive (I had it shipped), I rode it for about 20 miles and then had the mechanic adjust it slightly. The rest of the time was spent trying to stay calm and relaxed while not working out a lot.</p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>Saturday we checked in at the race which included leaving your bike and all your gear. The race number paper for my bike did not fit properly and I was advised not to tamper with it and ask an official when I went to check in my bike. When I got out of the van at the check in point I realized that I have left the number back in the hotel. In German I asked one of the check in officials what he could do about it. He said he could not do anything and that I would have to go to the registration area to have a thing done. Not an easy thing to do as it was one a mile away and I had all my gear with me in bags, so walking the bike would not be an easy thing. So I opted to go back to the van and have them take me back and get the number. As I was walking away one of the spectators came up to me and said in German that someone wants to talk to you back from where I came. I looked back and saw someone standing there who had a race official badge around his neck. So I walked back (not an easy thing to do with several thousand people there) and asked him in German if he could do anything about this. He said no problem he could help me. I was surprised as the first guy had said no. I asked again if he was sure about this since my van ride was about to leave. He turned over his badge which and it said race director.  He said \"I\'m the boss and I can do it for you\".  And within minutes everything was taken care of. He told me he travels to the states sometimes so I gave my card told him to look me up. He said he would.\r\nAll’s well that ends well. Plus a good omen for the race.</p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<p><strong><u>RACE DAY</u></strong><br>\r\nI got up at my usual time of 3:30 am. Breakfast is at four am and we leave for the race at 4:45am. It was about 58 degrees (heading into the 70\'s) and very clear and no signs of rain. It has rained the last 2 days on and off so this was a good thing. Got to the transition area and prepped my bike for the last time. This is always a very exciting time with 3000 athletes plus spectators trying to stay calm. Since it was about a 500 meter walk to the water, we all took our wetsuits and changed over by the lake.\r\nAt the lake we were greeted by a rainbow over the lake.  It was very beautiful and again a good omen. In a short time, we were already go. The pros and another group of 800 people started 15 minutes early. These early starting non-pros for had signed up to start early. I missed this sign up and at first I was disappointed as I am a very strong swimmer. But Ken Glah, the former pro triathlete whose company I travel with, found out it was a good thing as I would be the fastest in the next group of 2200 athletes and not all bunched up with the fast group (it gets very jammed up at the beginning of the swim).\r\nSo after many months of training, I was ready to start my fourth Ironman. I was dedicating this race to two people.</p>\r\n\r\n<p>On my left arm I had head initials JP written. This was in memory of my friend Jeff Patterson. Dr Jeff started me off in the wonderful world Prolotherapy which helped save my back from surgery. He was my mentor and dear friend and died much too early only a few months ago at the age of 67.\r\nOn my right arm I had the initials FFF, for my father Fred F. Fields. Simply put, he was everything in the world to me. He would have been so proud of me, as he always was. It was with great honor and pride that I am able to call myself his son.  He died almost 10 years ago and there is not one day that goes by that I do not think of him.</p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<p><strong><u>THE SWIM</u></strong><br>\r\nEven with 800 starting early, there still was 2200 starting in this pack. Since there were definitely going to be some really fast swimmers in this group,  I decided to stay behind the first group of people and go off a bit slower. The strategy worked to my advantage as I was able to answer save a little energy at the beginning. Once I got out about 400 or 500 meters I was able to get into my stride and swim well. It did get a little crowded but I was able to stay with the pack. This is good as when we turned back towards shore, we entered a canal that is about 1000 meters long. I had been warned that it can be extremely crowded in the canal and one can\'t really move at all. But due to the fact that I was with first group of only about 150 people there was plenty of room. In triathlons one lifts their head every four or five strokes to sight the land and make sure you are going straight (unlike in a pool, there are no black lines on the bottom of the lake!!).  When I picked up my head, I could see the sides of the canal where there were probably over 1000 people lining the canal yelling and cheering. This really was a unique experience as normally one can see or hear nothing\r\nWhen I got about 100 meters towards the end it got a little jammed up and I was not really  able  to  move ahead quickly or left or right. You just had to stay with the pack. Either way, I excited the water at a little over one hour and six minutes, which turned out to be first place in my age group (a first for me).  And there were no wetsuit strippers (volunteers who strip your wetsuit off you when you lay down on your back). So we just pulled the wetsuit off our shoulders and ran about 500 meters to transition one (T1), where we had to pull the rest of our wetsuits off (not an easy thing) and get ready for biking.\r\n\r\n\r\n<p><strong><u>THE BIKE</u><strong></p>\r\n<p><img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/bike-race2014.jpg\" alt=\"Bike Race2014\" width=\"382\" height=\"512\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-170\" />As one exits the T1 area, there were over a thousand people cheering us on.  We rode down a street for about 300 meters and made a U-turn back so the street was heavily lined with spectators. It was a beautiful day, sunny and probably about mid to upper sixty\'s with no clouds in sight.  As usual I did not eat anything after the swim for about 15 minutes to allow the blood to get into my legs. At the beginning this route is mostly flat with lots of curves going around the lake. As we left lake we went into the small town where there was a traffic circle and after that is where we started our first big hill climb.  At the traffic circle there was one of the race announcers announcing the race and cheering us on along with the spectators. And in all the small towns there were lots of people standing on the streets watching and cheering. As we started the steepest part of this climb, the street was lined with people probably 5 or6 deep on either side cheering and screaming to encourage us to get up the hill. This part was a big loop so we did not come back the same way. Going back was long downhill, so we went fast except for the towns where we had to make small turns which meant we had to slow down. All along here we had spectacular views of the mountains. At mile 45 or 46 miles, we started the biggest climb up the Ruperberg mountain.  As we approached this mountain climb, we made a sharp left in town and started going up. There were 100\'s of people lining the street and cheering us on along with a big loud speaker with a dj playing music. It was not too long but very steep. And again at the top were a lot of people and another dj play playing music over really big loud speakers. Then it was mostly downhill back to town to start a second loop.  As I came down the hill, I saw a large bee coming right at me. This happens quite often on the bike. I felt it hit my right shoulder and bounce. I suddenly felt a sharp sting in my left thigh this was under my bike shorts. I rolled back my bike shorts and there was a big red welt. It hurt but there was nothing I could do about. I just blocked it out of my mind. The pain subsided after about 15 or 20 minutes and I just went on with the race.</p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"text-center\" ><strong>Peter A. Fields, MD DC</strong></span><br>\r\n<strong id=\"athleticdoc\">The Athletic Doc<sup style=\"font-size: 14px;\">®</sup> and 3X Ironman Finisher</strong></span></p>\r\n\r\n\r\n','Race Report 4th Ironman','','inherit','closed','closed','','153-revision-v1','','','2019-06-07 08:16:11','2019-06-07 08:16:11','',153,'https://www.drfields.com/uncategorized/153-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(172,8,'2019-06-07 08:16:30','2019-06-07 08:16:30','<img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman-austria-logo.jpg\" alt=\"Ironman Austria Logo\" width=\"220\" height=\"82\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-154\" /> \r\n\r\n<p class=\"text-center\" id=\"athletic-event\">Sunday June 29, 2014<br>\r\n2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, 26.2 mile run</p>\r\n\r\n<p >My time was 13:32:36.  A new PR for me.\r\nFor the details, please read the story below.\r\nThank you</p>\r\n\r\n<p><strong><u>GETTING THERE</u></strong><br>\r\nIt started with a 12 hour flight from Los Angeles to Frankfurt going via Dallas. There was 3 hour delay in Dallas so it took even longer. I thought that I had missed my train connection in Frankfurt. Fortunately I got through customs very quickly.  35 minutes from arriving at the game, I was not only able to get through customs but pick up my bags, take a bus to the train station, then re-book my ticket and make my train with 5 minutes to spare!  Of course being able to speak German helped out a lot with getting directions. Then a 3 hour train ride to Munich where I switched trains and then a four hour train ride to Klagenfurt, Austria.  The views from the train in southern Germany and Austria were spectacular.\r\nThe next days were just getting settled in. Usually I\'m a very good sleeper but unfortunately, for about 4 days, I was unable to sleep a lot at night. I tried to make up with this naps during the day.  Sunday would come all too quickly. \r\nThe rest of the pre-event days were spent meeting everybody, seeing the triathlon expo and having a chance to swim in the lake and then take a van ride around part of the biking course. When my bike did arrive (I had it shipped), I rode it for about 20 miles and then had the mechanic adjust it slightly. The rest of the time was spent trying to stay calm and relaxed while not working out a lot.</p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>Saturday we checked in at the race which included leaving your bike and all your gear. The race number paper for my bike did not fit properly and I was advised not to tamper with it and ask an official when I went to check in my bike. When I got out of the van at the check in point I realized that I have left the number back in the hotel. In German I asked one of the check in officials what he could do about it. He said he could not do anything and that I would have to go to the registration area to have a thing done. Not an easy thing to do as it was one a mile away and I had all my gear with me in bags, so walking the bike would not be an easy thing. So I opted to go back to the van and have them take me back and get the number. As I was walking away one of the spectators came up to me and said in German that someone wants to talk to you back from where I came. I looked back and saw someone standing there who had a race official badge around his neck. So I walked back (not an easy thing to do with several thousand people there) and asked him in German if he could do anything about this. He said no problem he could help me. I was surprised as the first guy had said no. I asked again if he was sure about this since my van ride was about to leave. He turned over his badge which and it said race director.  He said \"I\'m the boss and I can do it for you\".  And within minutes everything was taken care of. He told me he travels to the states sometimes so I gave my card told him to look me up. He said he would.\r\nAll’s well that ends well. Plus a good omen for the race.</p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<p><strong><u>RACE DAY</u></strong><br>\r\nI got up at my usual time of 3:30 am. Breakfast is at four am and we leave for the race at 4:45am. It was about 58 degrees (heading into the 70\'s) and very clear and no signs of rain. It has rained the last 2 days on and off so this was a good thing. Got to the transition area and prepped my bike for the last time. This is always a very exciting time with 3000 athletes plus spectators trying to stay calm. Since it was about a 500 meter walk to the water, we all took our wetsuits and changed over by the lake.\r\nAt the lake we were greeted by a rainbow over the lake.  It was very beautiful and again a good omen. In a short time, we were already go. The pros and another group of 800 people started 15 minutes early. These early starting non-pros for had signed up to start early. I missed this sign up and at first I was disappointed as I am a very strong swimmer. But Ken Glah, the former pro triathlete whose company I travel with, found out it was a good thing as I would be the fastest in the next group of 2200 athletes and not all bunched up with the fast group (it gets very jammed up at the beginning of the swim).\r\nSo after many months of training, I was ready to start my fourth Ironman. I was dedicating this race to two people.</p>\r\n\r\n<p>On my left arm I had head initials JP written. This was in memory of my friend Jeff Patterson. Dr Jeff started me off in the wonderful world Prolotherapy which helped save my back from surgery. He was my mentor and dear friend and died much too early only a few months ago at the age of 67.\r\nOn my right arm I had the initials FFF, for my father Fred F. Fields. Simply put, he was everything in the world to me. He would have been so proud of me, as he always was. It was with great honor and pride that I am able to call myself his son.  He died almost 10 years ago and there is not one day that goes by that I do not think of him.</p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<p><strong><u>THE SWIM</u></strong><br>\r\nEven with 800 starting early, there still was 2200 starting in this pack. Since there were definitely going to be some really fast swimmers in this group,  I decided to stay behind the first group of people and go off a bit slower. The strategy worked to my advantage as I was able to answer save a little energy at the beginning. Once I got out about 400 or 500 meters I was able to get into my stride and swim well. It did get a little crowded but I was able to stay with the pack. This is good as when we turned back towards shore, we entered a canal that is about 1000 meters long. I had been warned that it can be extremely crowded in the canal and one can\'t really move at all. But due to the fact that I was with first group of only about 150 people there was plenty of room. In triathlons one lifts their head every four or five strokes to sight the land and make sure you are going straight (unlike in a pool, there are no black lines on the bottom of the lake!!).  When I picked up my head, I could see the sides of the canal where there were probably over 1000 people lining the canal yelling and cheering. This really was a unique experience as normally one can see or hear nothing\r\nWhen I got about 100 meters towards the end it got a little jammed up and I was not really  able  to  move ahead quickly or left or right. You just had to stay with the pack. Either way, I excited the water at a little over one hour and six minutes, which turned out to be first place in my age group (a first for me).  And there were no wetsuit strippers (volunteers who strip your wetsuit off you when you lay down on your back). So we just pulled the wetsuit off our shoulders and ran about 500 meters to transition one (T1), where we had to pull the rest of our wetsuits off (not an easy thing) and get ready for biking.\r\n\r\n\r\n<p><strong><u>THE BIKE</u></strong></p>\r\n<p><img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/bike-race2014.jpg\" alt=\"Bike Race2014\" width=\"382\" height=\"512\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-170\" />As one exits the T1 area, there were over a thousand people cheering us on.  We rode down a street for about 300 meters and made a U-turn back so the street was heavily lined with spectators. It was a beautiful day, sunny and probably about mid to upper sixty\'s with no clouds in sight.  As usual I did not eat anything after the swim for about 15 minutes to allow the blood to get into my legs. At the beginning this route is mostly flat with lots of curves going around the lake. As we left lake we went into the small town where there was a traffic circle and after that is where we started our first big hill climb.  At the traffic circle there was one of the race announcers announcing the race and cheering us on along with the spectators. And in all the small towns there were lots of people standing on the streets watching and cheering. As we started the steepest part of this climb, the street was lined with people probably 5 or6 deep on either side cheering and screaming to encourage us to get up the hill. This part was a big loop so we did not come back the same way. Going back was long downhill, so we went fast except for the towns where we had to make small turns which meant we had to slow down. All along here we had spectacular views of the mountains. At mile 45 or 46 miles, we started the biggest climb up the Ruperberg mountain.  As we approached this mountain climb, we made a sharp left in town and started going up. There were 100\'s of people lining the street and cheering us on along with a big loud speaker with a dj playing music. It was not too long but very steep. And again at the top were a lot of people and another dj play playing music over really big loud speakers. Then it was mostly downhill back to town to start a second loop.  As I came down the hill, I saw a large bee coming right at me. This happens quite often on the bike. I felt it hit my right shoulder and bounce. I suddenly felt a sharp sting in my left thigh this was under my bike shorts. I rolled back my bike shorts and there was a big red welt. It hurt but there was nothing I could do about. I just blocked it out of my mind. The pain subsided after about 15 or 20 minutes and I just went on with the race.</p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<p class=\"text-center\" ><strong>Peter A. Fields, MD DC</strong></span><br>\r\n<strong id=\"athleticdoc\">The Athletic Doc<sup style=\"font-size: 14px;\">®</sup> and 3X Ironman Finisher</strong></span></p>\r\n\r\n\r\n','Race Report 4th Ironman','','inherit','closed','closed','','153-revision-v1','','','2019-06-07 08:16:30','2019-06-07 08:16:30','',153,'https://www.drfields.com/uncategorized/153-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(173,8,'2019-06-07 08:18:39','2019-06-07 08:18:39','<img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman-austria-logo.jpg\" alt=\"Ironman Austria Logo\" width=\"220\" height=\"82\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-154\" /> \r\n\r\n<p class=\"text-center\" id=\"athletic-event\">Sunday June 29, 2014<br>\r\n2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, 26.2 mile run</p>\r\n\r\n<p >My time was 13:32:36.  A new PR for me.\r\nFor the details, please read the story below.\r\nThank you</p>\r\n\r\n<p><strong><u>GETTING THERE</u></strong><br>\r\nIt started with a 12 hour flight from Los Angeles to Frankfurt going via Dallas. There was 3 hour delay in Dallas so it took even longer. I thought that I had missed my train connection in Frankfurt. Fortunately I got through customs very quickly.  35 minutes from arriving at the game, I was not only able to get through customs but pick up my bags, take a bus to the train station, then re-book my ticket and make my train with 5 minutes to spare!  Of course being able to speak German helped out a lot with getting directions. Then a 3 hour train ride to Munich where I switched trains and then a four hour train ride to Klagenfurt, Austria.  The views from the train in southern Germany and Austria were spectacular.\r\nThe next days were just getting settled in. Usually I\'m a very good sleeper but unfortunately, for about 4 days, I was unable to sleep a lot at night. I tried to make up with this naps during the day.  Sunday would come all too quickly. \r\nThe rest of the pre-event days were spent meeting everybody, seeing the triathlon expo and having a chance to swim in the lake and then take a van ride around part of the biking course. When my bike did arrive (I had it shipped), I rode it for about 20 miles and then had the mechanic adjust it slightly. The rest of the time was spent trying to stay calm and relaxed while not working out a lot.</p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>Saturday we checked in at the race which included leaving your bike and all your gear. The race number paper for my bike did not fit properly and I was advised not to tamper with it and ask an official when I went to check in my bike. When I got out of the van at the check in point I realized that I have left the number back in the hotel. In German I asked one of the check in officials what he could do about it. He said he could not do anything and that I would have to go to the registration area to have a thing done. Not an easy thing to do as it was one a mile away and I had all my gear with me in bags, so walking the bike would not be an easy thing. So I opted to go back to the van and have them take me back and get the number. As I was walking away one of the spectators came up to me and said in German that someone wants to talk to you back from where I came. I looked back and saw someone standing there who had a race official badge around his neck. So I walked back (not an easy thing to do with several thousand people there) and asked him in German if he could do anything about this. He said no problem he could help me. I was surprised as the first guy had said no. I asked again if he was sure about this since my van ride was about to leave. He turned over his badge which and it said race director.  He said \"I\'m the boss and I can do it for you\".  And within minutes everything was taken care of. He told me he travels to the states sometimes so I gave my card told him to look me up. He said he would.\r\nAll’s well that ends well. Plus a good omen for the race.</p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<p><strong><u>RACE DAY</u></strong><br>\r\nI got up at my usual time of 3:30 am. Breakfast is at four am and we leave for the race at 4:45am. It was about 58 degrees (heading into the 70\'s) and very clear and no signs of rain. It has rained the last 2 days on and off so this was a good thing. Got to the transition area and prepped my bike for the last time. This is always a very exciting time with 3000 athletes plus spectators trying to stay calm. Since it was about a 500 meter walk to the water, we all took our wetsuits and changed over by the lake.\r\nAt the lake we were greeted by a rainbow over the lake.  It was very beautiful and again a good omen. In a short time, we were already go. The pros and another group of 800 people started 15 minutes early. These early starting non-pros for had signed up to start early. I missed this sign up and at first I was disappointed as I am a very strong swimmer. But Ken Glah, the former pro triathlete whose company I travel with, found out it was a good thing as I would be the fastest in the next group of 2200 athletes and not all bunched up with the fast group (it gets very jammed up at the beginning of the swim).\r\nSo after many months of training, I was ready to start my fourth Ironman. I was dedicating this race to two people.</p>\r\n\r\n<p>On my left arm I had head initials JP written. This was in memory of my friend Jeff Patterson. Dr Jeff started me off in the wonderful world Prolotherapy which helped save my back from surgery. He was my mentor and dear friend and died much too early only a few months ago at the age of 67.\r\nOn my right arm I had the initials FFF, for my father Fred F. Fields. Simply put, he was everything in the world to me. He would have been so proud of me, as he always was. It was with great honor and pride that I am able to call myself his son.  He died almost 10 years ago and there is not one day that goes by that I do not think of him.</p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<p><strong><u>THE SWIM</u></strong><br>\r\nEven with 800 starting early, there still was 2200 starting in this pack. Since there were definitely going to be some really fast swimmers in this group,  I decided to stay behind the first group of people and go off a bit slower. The strategy worked to my advantage as I was able to answer save a little energy at the beginning. Once I got out about 400 or 500 meters I was able to get into my stride and swim well. It did get a little crowded but I was able to stay with the pack. This is good as when we turned back towards shore, we entered a canal that is about 1000 meters long. I had been warned that it can be extremely crowded in the canal and one can\'t really move at all. But due to the fact that I was with first group of only about 150 people there was plenty of room. In triathlons one lifts their head every four or five strokes to sight the land and make sure you are going straight (unlike in a pool, there are no black lines on the bottom of the lake!!).  When I picked up my head, I could see the sides of the canal where there were probably over 1000 people lining the canal yelling and cheering. This really was a unique experience as normally one can see or hear nothing\r\nWhen I got about 100 meters towards the end it got a little jammed up and I was not really  able  to  move ahead quickly or left or right. You just had to stay with the pack. Either way, I excited the water at a little over one hour and six minutes, which turned out to be first place in my age group (a first for me).  And there were no wetsuit strippers (volunteers who strip your wetsuit off you when you lay down on your back). So we just pulled the wetsuit off our shoulders and ran about 500 meters to transition one (T1), where we had to pull the rest of our wetsuits off (not an easy thing) and get ready for biking.\r\n\r\n\r\n<p><strong><u>THE BIKE</u></strong></p>\r\n<p><img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/bike-race2014.jpg\" alt=\"Bike Race2014\" width=\"382\" height=\"512\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-170\" />As one exits the T1 area, there were over a thousand people cheering us on.  We rode down a street for about 300 meters and made a U-turn back so the street was heavily lined with spectators. It was a beautiful day, sunny and probably about mid to upper sixty\'s with no clouds in sight.  As usual I did not eat anything after the swim for about 15 minutes to allow the blood to get into my legs. At the beginning this route is mostly flat with lots of curves going around the lake. As we left lake we went into the small town where there was a traffic circle and after that is where we started our first big hill climb.  At the traffic circle there was one of the race announcers announcing the race and cheering us on along with the spectators. And in all the small towns there were lots of people standing on the streets watching and cheering. As we started the steepest part of this climb, the street was lined with people probably 5 or6 deep on either side cheering and screaming to encourage us to get up the hill. This part was a big loop so we did not come back the same way. Going back was long downhill, so we went fast except for the towns where we had to make small turns which meant we had to slow down. All along here we had spectacular views of the mountains. At mile 45 or 46 miles, we started the biggest climb up the Ruperberg mountain.  As we approached this mountain climb, we made a sharp left in town and started going up. There were 100\'s of people lining the street and cheering us on along with a big loud speaker with a dj playing music. It was not too long but very steep. And again at the top were a lot of people and another dj play playing music over really big loud speakers. Then it was mostly downhill back to town to start a second loop.  As I came down the hill, I saw a large bee coming right at me. This happens quite often on the bike. I felt it hit my right shoulder and bounce. I suddenly felt a sharp sting in my left thigh this was under my bike shorts. I rolled back my bike shorts and there was a big red welt. It hurt but there was nothing I could do about. I just blocked it out of my mind. The pain subsided after about 15 or 20 minutes and I just went on with the race.</p>\r\n\r\n<p>As we came into town they had us make a180 degree turn again (like at the beginning) so we hat to really slow down But this was good thing as the street leading to this turn was lined with thousands of spectators cheering us on.  Occasionally at this point and other ones where there was an announcer I would hear \"and here is Peter from the United States\".  Always nice to hear to keep one going. My usual time is about 3hrs 25 mins for half of the ride but this time I did it in 3 hours 10 mins. I was feeling very good.</p>\r\n\r\n<p>As we started back out on the second loop, I stopped at special needs and refueled myself. Special needs is where one can leave a bag that morning of anything they may want or need at that point. It is at the halfway point of the bike and another one at the halfway point of the run.  I tossed my fuel bottle out and took a new one from the bag I had left. I also resupplied myself with my gels and other nutrition. I carry my own nutrition so as not to try anything new on race day.  When I tossed the bottle away, it rolled to the feet of the small boy about 6 or 7 years old. His mom looked at him.  He just looked at it. I told him, in German, here\'s a present for you.  Take it home and clean it! It is yours. He just smiled at me as he reached for it.\r\nThen 8 miles into the second loop miles drizzle started that got a bit heavier with time. Now the streets were wet and there were puddles. This meant we all had to slow down.\r\nAll in all, it went well on the second loop.  The crowds were less due to the rain but there were, still crowds out there. At about mile 80 my stomach had a little bit of trouble. Nothing big, just that I could not eat for about 20 or 30 minutes. But I got over it without any problems. \r\nMy second loop time was a bit slower due to the rain.\r\n It was 3 hours in 25 minutes. All in all I felt strong for the run. This was a good thing.\r\nIn town near T2, the crowds were there cheering loudly.</p>\r\n\r\n<p>Got off my bike in and ran thru the transition area to rack my bike. It was good to be off the bike after 112 miles.  Got my running shoes on and started off to run a marathon.</p>\r\n\r\n<p>PS several places on the bike course (and later on the run course) there were people from Endurance Sports Travel. This is the group I went with. They were cheering me on loudly. This was much appreciated.</p>\r\n\r\n<p class=\"text-center\" ><strong>Peter A. Fields, MD DC</strong></span><br>\r\n<strong id=\"athleticdoc\">The Athletic Doc<sup style=\"font-size: 14px;\">®</sup> and 3X Ironman Finisher</strong></span></p>\r\n\r\n\r\n','Race Report 4th Ironman','','inherit','closed','closed','','153-revision-v1','','','2019-06-07 08:18:39','2019-06-07 08:18:39','',153,'https://www.drfields.com/uncategorized/153-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(174,8,'2019-06-07 08:20:29','2019-06-07 08:20:29','Running Smile','Running Smile','','inherit','open','closed','','running-smile','','','2019-06-07 08:20:37','2019-06-07 08:20:37','',153,'https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/running-smile.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(175,8,'2019-06-07 08:21:54','2019-06-07 08:21:54','<img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman-austria-logo.jpg\" alt=\"Ironman Austria Logo\" width=\"220\" height=\"82\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-154\" /> \r\n\r\n<p class=\"text-center\" id=\"athletic-event\">Sunday June 29, 2014<br>\r\n2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, 26.2 mile run</p>\r\n\r\n<p >My time was 13:32:36.  A new PR for me.\r\nFor the details, please read the story below.\r\nThank you</p>\r\n\r\n<p><strong><u>GETTING THERE</u></strong><br>\r\nIt started with a 12 hour flight from Los Angeles to Frankfurt going via Dallas. There was 3 hour delay in Dallas so it took even longer. I thought that I had missed my train connection in Frankfurt. Fortunately I got through customs very quickly.  35 minutes from arriving at the game, I was not only able to get through customs but pick up my bags, take a bus to the train station, then re-book my ticket and make my train with 5 minutes to spare!  Of course being able to speak German helped out a lot with getting directions. Then a 3 hour train ride to Munich where I switched trains and then a four hour train ride to Klagenfurt, Austria.  The views from the train in southern Germany and Austria were spectacular.\r\nThe next days were just getting settled in. Usually I\'m a very good sleeper but unfortunately, for about 4 days, I was unable to sleep a lot at night. I tried to make up with this naps during the day.  Sunday would come all too quickly. \r\nThe rest of the pre-event days were spent meeting everybody, seeing the triathlon expo and having a chance to swim in the lake and then take a van ride around part of the biking course. When my bike did arrive (I had it shipped), I rode it for about 20 miles and then had the mechanic adjust it slightly. The rest of the time was spent trying to stay calm and relaxed while not working out a lot.</p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>Saturday we checked in at the race which included leaving your bike and all your gear. The race number paper for my bike did not fit properly and I was advised not to tamper with it and ask an official when I went to check in my bike. When I got out of the van at the check in point I realized that I have left the number back in the hotel. In German I asked one of the check in officials what he could do about it. He said he could not do anything and that I would have to go to the registration area to have a thing done. Not an easy thing to do as it was one a mile away and I had all my gear with me in bags, so walking the bike would not be an easy thing. So I opted to go back to the van and have them take me back and get the number. As I was walking away one of the spectators came up to me and said in German that someone wants to talk to you back from where I came. I looked back and saw someone standing there who had a race official badge around his neck. So I walked back (not an easy thing to do with several thousand people there) and asked him in German if he could do anything about this. He said no problem he could help me. I was surprised as the first guy had said no. I asked again if he was sure about this since my van ride was about to leave. He turned over his badge which and it said race director.  He said \"I\'m the boss and I can do it for you\".  And within minutes everything was taken care of. He told me he travels to the states sometimes so I gave my card told him to look me up. He said he would.\r\nAll’s well that ends well. Plus a good omen for the race.</p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<p><strong><u>RACE DAY</u></strong><br>\r\nI got up at my usual time of 3:30 am. Breakfast is at four am and we leave for the race at 4:45am. It was about 58 degrees (heading into the 70\'s) and very clear and no signs of rain. It has rained the last 2 days on and off so this was a good thing. Got to the transition area and prepped my bike for the last time. This is always a very exciting time with 3000 athletes plus spectators trying to stay calm. Since it was about a 500 meter walk to the water, we all took our wetsuits and changed over by the lake.\r\nAt the lake we were greeted by a rainbow over the lake.  It was very beautiful and again a good omen. In a short time, we were already go. The pros and another group of 800 people started 15 minutes early. These early starting non-pros for had signed up to start early. I missed this sign up and at first I was disappointed as I am a very strong swimmer. But Ken Glah, the former pro triathlete whose company I travel with, found out it was a good thing as I would be the fastest in the next group of 2200 athletes and not all bunched up with the fast group (it gets very jammed up at the beginning of the swim).\r\nSo after many months of training, I was ready to start my fourth Ironman. I was dedicating this race to two people.</p>\r\n\r\n<p>On my left arm I had head initials JP written. This was in memory of my friend Jeff Patterson. Dr Jeff started me off in the wonderful world Prolotherapy which helped save my back from surgery. He was my mentor and dear friend and died much too early only a few months ago at the age of 67.\r\nOn my right arm I had the initials FFF, for my father Fred F. Fields. Simply put, he was everything in the world to me. He would have been so proud of me, as he always was. It was with great honor and pride that I am able to call myself his son.  He died almost 10 years ago and there is not one day that goes by that I do not think of him.</p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<p><strong><u>THE SWIM</u></strong><br>\r\nEven with 800 starting early, there still was 2200 starting in this pack. Since there were definitely going to be some really fast swimmers in this group,  I decided to stay behind the first group of people and go off a bit slower. The strategy worked to my advantage as I was able to answer save a little energy at the beginning. Once I got out about 400 or 500 meters I was able to get into my stride and swim well. It did get a little crowded but I was able to stay with the pack. This is good as when we turned back towards shore, we entered a canal that is about 1000 meters long. I had been warned that it can be extremely crowded in the canal and one can\'t really move at all. But due to the fact that I was with first group of only about 150 people there was plenty of room. In triathlons one lifts their head every four or five strokes to sight the land and make sure you are going straight (unlike in a pool, there are no black lines on the bottom of the lake!!).  When I picked up my head, I could see the sides of the canal where there were probably over 1000 people lining the canal yelling and cheering. This really was a unique experience as normally one can see or hear nothing\r\nWhen I got about 100 meters towards the end it got a little jammed up and I was not really  able  to  move ahead quickly or left or right. You just had to stay with the pack. Either way, I excited the water at a little over one hour and six minutes, which turned out to be first place in my age group (a first for me).  And there were no wetsuit strippers (volunteers who strip your wetsuit off you when you lay down on your back). So we just pulled the wetsuit off our shoulders and ran about 500 meters to transition one (T1), where we had to pull the rest of our wetsuits off (not an easy thing) and get ready for biking.\r\n\r\n\r\n<p><strong><u>THE BIKE</u></strong></p>\r\n<p><img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/bike-race2014.jpg\" alt=\"Bike Race2014\" width=\"382\" height=\"512\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-170\" />As one exits the T1 area, there were over a thousand people cheering us on.  We rode down a street for about 300 meters and made a U-turn back so the street was heavily lined with spectators. It was a beautiful day, sunny and probably about mid to upper sixty\'s with no clouds in sight.  As usual I did not eat anything after the swim for about 15 minutes to allow the blood to get into my legs. At the beginning this route is mostly flat with lots of curves going around the lake. As we left lake we went into the small town where there was a traffic circle and after that is where we started our first big hill climb.  At the traffic circle there was one of the race announcers announcing the race and cheering us on along with the spectators. And in all the small towns there were lots of people standing on the streets watching and cheering. As we started the steepest part of this climb, the street was lined with people probably 5 or6 deep on either side cheering and screaming to encourage us to get up the hill. This part was a big loop so we did not come back the same way. Going back was long downhill, so we went fast except for the towns where we had to make small turns which meant we had to slow down. All along here we had spectacular views of the mountains. At mile 45 or 46 miles, we started the biggest climb up the Ruperberg mountain.  As we approached this mountain climb, we made a sharp left in town and started going up. There were 100\'s of people lining the street and cheering us on along with a big loud speaker with a dj playing music. It was not too long but very steep. And again at the top were a lot of people and another dj play playing music over really big loud speakers. Then it was mostly downhill back to town to start a second loop.  As I came down the hill, I saw a large bee coming right at me. This happens quite often on the bike. I felt it hit my right shoulder and bounce. I suddenly felt a sharp sting in my left thigh this was under my bike shorts. I rolled back my bike shorts and there was a big red welt. It hurt but there was nothing I could do about. I just blocked it out of my mind. The pain subsided after about 15 or 20 minutes and I just went on with the race.</p>\r\n\r\n<p>As we came into town they had us make a180 degree turn again (like at the beginning) so we hat to really slow down But this was good thing as the street leading to this turn was lined with thousands of spectators cheering us on.  Occasionally at this point and other ones where there was an announcer I would hear \"and here is Peter from the United States\".  Always nice to hear to keep one going. My usual time is about 3hrs 25 mins for half of the ride but this time I did it in 3 hours 10 mins. I was feeling very good.</p>\r\n\r\n<p>As we started back out on the second loop, I stopped at special needs and refueled myself. Special needs is where one can leave a bag that morning of anything they may want or need at that point. It is at the halfway point of the bike and another one at the halfway point of the run.  I tossed my fuel bottle out and took a new one from the bag I had left. I also resupplied myself with my gels and other nutrition. I carry my own nutrition so as not to try anything new on race day.  When I tossed the bottle away, it rolled to the feet of the small boy about 6 or 7 years old. His mom looked at him.  He just looked at it. I told him, in German, here\'s a present for you.  Take it home and clean it! It is yours. He just smiled at me as he reached for it.\r\nThen 8 miles into the second loop miles drizzle started that got a bit heavier with time. Now the streets were wet and there were puddles. This meant we all had to slow down.\r\nAll in all, it went well on the second loop.  The crowds were less due to the rain but there were, still crowds out there. At about mile 80 my stomach had a little bit of trouble. Nothing big, just that I could not eat for about 20 or 30 minutes. But I got over it without any problems. \r\nMy second loop time was a bit slower due to the rain.\r\n It was 3 hours in 25 minutes. All in all I felt strong for the run. This was a good thing.\r\nIn town near T2, the crowds were there cheering loudly.</p>\r\n\r\n<p>Got off my bike in and ran thru the transition area to rack my bike. It was good to be off the bike after 112 miles.  Got my running shoes on and started off to run a marathon.</p>\r\n\r\n<p>PS several places on the bike course (and later on the run course) there were people from Endurance Sports Travel. This is the group I went with. They were cheering me on loudly. This was much appreciated.</p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<p><strong><u>THE RUN</u></strong></p>\r\n<p><img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/running-smile.jpg\" alt=\"Running Smile\" width=\"335\" height=\"504\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-174\" />When one leaves transition area two (T2) in an Ironman, you cannot think marathon. You just say are running from here to there and play this mental games with yourself the whole way. It was warm and sunny and about 75 degrees but not too hot. Plus there was tree cover on at least 60% of the run course. The run was a double loop. It was actually a figure 8 that we had to do twice. So therefore I would pass the finish line 4 times. In this area were thousands of people yelling and screaming. After a mile or two, I started to feel a bit tired in my legs. So I just told myself I would run to the end the first turn around about 4.5 miles out. I had my Garmin (GPS) on so I was able to see my pace and keep it where I knew I could maintain it. We ran along the lake the beginning of each loop, so although brief, it was a nice view. After only 2.5 miles, I came upon a woman that was having trouble running so I ran for a little bit with her to keep her going. At 4.5 miles we turned around and headed back to town. Now I felt strong again and my legs were loosening up. In training I had problems with my foot and also slightly with my hamstring (the hamstring had been my Achilles heel in the last two races).  I trained part of the time in the water for my run (deep water running).  This was very helpful as it took the stress of these two areas.  At this point everything was good and I had no pain.  As we passed through the finish line area (middle of the figure eight), we headed out again along a canal. Then we ran under a small foot bridge and onto a small (in width) cobblestone street lined with houses. We ran along this for about 3/4 of a mile then into the town square. People were sitting in cafes and cheering us on. Lots and lots of people. It was about 6 or 7 o\'clock at night and since the sun stays up until about 9 o\'clock the cafes are very, very crowded. We continued on into the town square where there was a large TV screen where people were watching football (soccer). Here we turned to begin the last part of the figure eight and run back to the starting area. I got back to starting point again and got my special needs bag - some extra nutrition. On the second loop my stomach started to feel little funny.  This is something that is very common with Ironman triathletes. Mine only lasted about again 15 or 20 minutes. Many runners were walking due to this or muscle cramps, dehydration or other things. I felt fairly lucky.  I would cheer these fellow athlete on when I went past them and told them to just keep going. Everyone appreciates that. I had been in their situation in the past and know what it feels like when someone gives you a shout of support.</p>\r\n\r\n<p>I just kept telling myself to keep going.  One foot after another...just keep going... Part of the way it was shady so that helped a lot too. The sun stays up until 9 o’clock so it never went down while I was running. Mile 18, I got a second wind. Felt very upbeat and in a good place so I was able to pick up pace.\r\nAt that point I started to run alongside someone a little bit faster than me. After only two miles, I could not keep up with him and told him so. He told me that you normally he runs a lot faster but not today. He told me to try to stay with him and we could talk so the time with go faster. So for the rest of the marathon (about 6 miles), we ran together. We ran back along the canal and into the city square again where there still lots of people. His pace was definitely faster than I would have gone but he was pushing me thru all the aches and pains one has after racing for over 13 hours. There was a small archway as one entered into the city square. There was a small bell on a string that it was hanging from. If you rung the bell (by tapping it with your hand) they would donate money to charity, so I rang it every time I passed it. At the final turn around, it was very exciting knowing that I only had 3 miles left. I had never developed any pain from my foot or my hamstring. And I was very pleased with my run. The guy I was running with and I just kept talking. He was from Prague where I was going after the race so we were going to exchange numbers after we finished. So as we got near the finish line area, the noise of the crowd got louder and louder. Since they take your picture as you cross the finish line, he said I should go ahead of him to be alone. I thanked him very much for helping me along.</p>\r\n\r\n<p>So at about 100 meters away, I took off from him. The crowd was very loud; almost deafening. There was a cheerleading squad there along with photographers and a local TV crew. As one comes with closer to the finish line, the noise level is incredible with cheering, cowbells and more. I then heard the announcer say:\r\n<strong>\"Peter Fields, you are an Ironman!\"</strong></p>\r\n\r\n<p class=\"text-center\" ><strong>Peter A. Fields, MD DC</strong></span><br>\r\n<strong id=\"athleticdoc\">The Athletic Doc<sup style=\"font-size: 14px;\">®</sup> and 3X Ironman Finisher</strong></span></p>\r\n\r\n\r\n','Race Report 4th Ironman','','inherit','closed','closed','','153-revision-v1','','','2019-06-07 08:21:54','2019-06-07 08:21:54','',153,'https://www.drfields.com/uncategorized/153-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(176,8,'2019-06-07 08:22:22','2019-06-07 08:22:22','<img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman-austria-logo.jpg\" alt=\"Ironman Austria Logo\" width=\"220\" height=\"82\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-154\" /> \r\n\r\n<p class=\"text-center\" id=\"athletic-event\">Sunday June 29, 2014<br>\r\n2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, 26.2 mile run</p>\r\n\r\n<p >My time was 13:32:36.  A new PR for me.\r\nFor the details, please read the story below.\r\nThank you</p>\r\n\r\n<p><strong><u>GETTING THERE</u></strong><br>\r\nIt started with a 12 hour flight from Los Angeles to Frankfurt going via Dallas. There was 3 hour delay in Dallas so it took even longer. I thought that I had missed my train connection in Frankfurt. Fortunately I got through customs very quickly.  35 minutes from arriving at the game, I was not only able to get through customs but pick up my bags, take a bus to the train station, then re-book my ticket and make my train with 5 minutes to spare!  Of course being able to speak German helped out a lot with getting directions. Then a 3 hour train ride to Munich where I switched trains and then a four hour train ride to Klagenfurt, Austria.  The views from the train in southern Germany and Austria were spectacular.\r\nThe next days were just getting settled in. Usually I\'m a very good sleeper but unfortunately, for about 4 days, I was unable to sleep a lot at night. I tried to make up with this naps during the day.  Sunday would come all too quickly. \r\nThe rest of the pre-event days were spent meeting everybody, seeing the triathlon expo and having a chance to swim in the lake and then take a van ride around part of the biking course. When my bike did arrive (I had it shipped), I rode it for about 20 miles and then had the mechanic adjust it slightly. The rest of the time was spent trying to stay calm and relaxed while not working out a lot.</p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>Saturday we checked in at the race which included leaving your bike and all your gear. The race number paper for my bike did not fit properly and I was advised not to tamper with it and ask an official when I went to check in my bike. When I got out of the van at the check in point I realized that I have left the number back in the hotel. In German I asked one of the check in officials what he could do about it. He said he could not do anything and that I would have to go to the registration area to have a thing done. Not an easy thing to do as it was one a mile away and I had all my gear with me in bags, so walking the bike would not be an easy thing. So I opted to go back to the van and have them take me back and get the number. As I was walking away one of the spectators came up to me and said in German that someone wants to talk to you back from where I came. I looked back and saw someone standing there who had a race official badge around his neck. So I walked back (not an easy thing to do with several thousand people there) and asked him in German if he could do anything about this. He said no problem he could help me. I was surprised as the first guy had said no. I asked again if he was sure about this since my van ride was about to leave. He turned over his badge which and it said race director.  He said \"I\'m the boss and I can do it for you\".  And within minutes everything was taken care of. He told me he travels to the states sometimes so I gave my card told him to look me up. He said he would.\r\nAll’s well that ends well. Plus a good omen for the race.</p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<p><strong><u>RACE DAY</u></strong><br>\r\nI got up at my usual time of 3:30 am. Breakfast is at four am and we leave for the race at 4:45am. It was about 58 degrees (heading into the 70\'s) and very clear and no signs of rain. It has rained the last 2 days on and off so this was a good thing. Got to the transition area and prepped my bike for the last time. This is always a very exciting time with 3000 athletes plus spectators trying to stay calm. Since it was about a 500 meter walk to the water, we all took our wetsuits and changed over by the lake.\r\nAt the lake we were greeted by a rainbow over the lake.  It was very beautiful and again a good omen. In a short time, we were already go. The pros and another group of 800 people started 15 minutes early. These early starting non-pros for had signed up to start early. I missed this sign up and at first I was disappointed as I am a very strong swimmer. But Ken Glah, the former pro triathlete whose company I travel with, found out it was a good thing as I would be the fastest in the next group of 2200 athletes and not all bunched up with the fast group (it gets very jammed up at the beginning of the swim).\r\nSo after many months of training, I was ready to start my fourth Ironman. I was dedicating this race to two people.</p>\r\n\r\n<p>On my left arm I had head initials JP written. This was in memory of my friend Jeff Patterson. Dr Jeff started me off in the wonderful world Prolotherapy which helped save my back from surgery. He was my mentor and dear friend and died much too early only a few months ago at the age of 67.\r\nOn my right arm I had the initials FFF, for my father Fred F. Fields. Simply put, he was everything in the world to me. He would have been so proud of me, as he always was. It was with great honor and pride that I am able to call myself his son.  He died almost 10 years ago and there is not one day that goes by that I do not think of him.</p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<p><strong><u>THE SWIM</u></strong><br>\r\nEven with 800 starting early, there still was 2200 starting in this pack. Since there were definitely going to be some really fast swimmers in this group,  I decided to stay behind the first group of people and go off a bit slower. The strategy worked to my advantage as I was able to answer save a little energy at the beginning. Once I got out about 400 or 500 meters I was able to get into my stride and swim well. It did get a little crowded but I was able to stay with the pack. This is good as when we turned back towards shore, we entered a canal that is about 1000 meters long. I had been warned that it can be extremely crowded in the canal and one can\'t really move at all. But due to the fact that I was with first group of only about 150 people there was plenty of room. In triathlons one lifts their head every four or five strokes to sight the land and make sure you are going straight (unlike in a pool, there are no black lines on the bottom of the lake!!).  When I picked up my head, I could see the sides of the canal where there were probably over 1000 people lining the canal yelling and cheering. This really was a unique experience as normally one can see or hear nothing\r\nWhen I got about 100 meters towards the end it got a little jammed up and I was not really  able  to  move ahead quickly or left or right. You just had to stay with the pack. Either way, I excited the water at a little over one hour and six minutes, which turned out to be first place in my age group (a first for me).  And there were no wetsuit strippers (volunteers who strip your wetsuit off you when you lay down on your back). So we just pulled the wetsuit off our shoulders and ran about 500 meters to transition one (T1), where we had to pull the rest of our wetsuits off (not an easy thing) and get ready for biking.\r\n\r\n\r\n<p><strong><u>THE BIKE</u></strong></p>\r\n<p><img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/bike-race2014.jpg\" alt=\"Bike Race2014\" width=\"382\" height=\"512\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-170\" />As one exits the T1 area, there were over a thousand people cheering us on.  We rode down a street for about 300 meters and made a U-turn back so the street was heavily lined with spectators. It was a beautiful day, sunny and probably about mid to upper sixty\'s with no clouds in sight.  As usual I did not eat anything after the swim for about 15 minutes to allow the blood to get into my legs. At the beginning this route is mostly flat with lots of curves going around the lake. As we left lake we went into the small town where there was a traffic circle and after that is where we started our first big hill climb.  At the traffic circle there was one of the race announcers announcing the race and cheering us on along with the spectators. And in all the small towns there were lots of people standing on the streets watching and cheering. As we started the steepest part of this climb, the street was lined with people probably 5 or6 deep on either side cheering and screaming to encourage us to get up the hill. This part was a big loop so we did not come back the same way. Going back was long downhill, so we went fast except for the towns where we had to make small turns which meant we had to slow down. All along here we had spectacular views of the mountains. At mile 45 or 46 miles, we started the biggest climb up the Ruperberg mountain.  As we approached this mountain climb, we made a sharp left in town and started going up. There were 100\'s of people lining the street and cheering us on along with a big loud speaker with a dj playing music. It was not too long but very steep. And again at the top were a lot of people and another dj play playing music over really big loud speakers. Then it was mostly downhill back to town to start a second loop.  As I came down the hill, I saw a large bee coming right at me. This happens quite often on the bike. I felt it hit my right shoulder and bounce. I suddenly felt a sharp sting in my left thigh this was under my bike shorts. I rolled back my bike shorts and there was a big red welt. It hurt but there was nothing I could do about. I just blocked it out of my mind. The pain subsided after about 15 or 20 minutes and I just went on with the race.</p>\r\n\r\n<p>As we came into town they had us make a180 degree turn again (like at the beginning) so we hat to really slow down But this was good thing as the street leading to this turn was lined with thousands of spectators cheering us on.  Occasionally at this point and other ones where there was an announcer I would hear \"and here is Peter from the United States\".  Always nice to hear to keep one going. My usual time is about 3hrs 25 mins for half of the ride but this time I did it in 3 hours 10 mins. I was feeling very good.</p>\r\n\r\n<p>As we started back out on the second loop, I stopped at special needs and refueled myself. Special needs is where one can leave a bag that morning of anything they may want or need at that point. It is at the halfway point of the bike and another one at the halfway point of the run.  I tossed my fuel bottle out and took a new one from the bag I had left. I also resupplied myself with my gels and other nutrition. I carry my own nutrition so as not to try anything new on race day.  When I tossed the bottle away, it rolled to the feet of the small boy about 6 or 7 years old. His mom looked at him.  He just looked at it. I told him, in German, here\'s a present for you.  Take it home and clean it! It is yours. He just smiled at me as he reached for it.\r\nThen 8 miles into the second loop miles drizzle started that got a bit heavier with time. Now the streets were wet and there were puddles. This meant we all had to slow down.\r\nAll in all, it went well on the second loop.  The crowds were less due to the rain but there were, still crowds out there. At about mile 80 my stomach had a little bit of trouble. Nothing big, just that I could not eat for about 20 or 30 minutes. But I got over it without any problems. \r\nMy second loop time was a bit slower due to the rain.\r\n It was 3 hours in 25 minutes. All in all I felt strong for the run. This was a good thing.\r\nIn town near T2, the crowds were there cheering loudly.</p>\r\n\r\n<p>Got off my bike in and ran thru the transition area to rack my bike. It was good to be off the bike after 112 miles.  Got my running shoes on and started off to run a marathon.</p>\r\n\r\n<p>PS several places on the bike course (and later on the run course) there were people from Endurance Sports Travel. This is the group I went with. They were cheering me on loudly. This was much appreciated.</p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<p><strong><u>THE RUN</u></strong></p>\r\n<p><img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/running-smile.jpg\" alt=\"Running Smile\" width=\"335\" height=\"504\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-174\" />When one leaves transition area two (T2) in an Ironman, you cannot think marathon. You just say are running from here to there and play this mental games with yourself the whole way. It was warm and sunny and about 75 degrees but not too hot. Plus there was tree cover on at least 60% of the run course. The run was a double loop. It was actually a figure 8 that we had to do twice. So therefore I would pass the finish line 4 times. In this area were thousands of people yelling and screaming. After a mile or two, I started to feel a bit tired in my legs. So I just told myself I would run to the end the first turn around about 4.5 miles out. I had my Garmin (GPS) on so I was able to see my pace and keep it where I knew I could maintain it. We ran along the lake the beginning of each loop, so although brief, it was a nice view. After only 2.5 miles, I came upon a woman that was having trouble running so I ran for a little bit with her to keep her going. At 4.5 miles we turned around and headed back to town. Now I felt strong again and my legs were loosening up. In training I had problems with my foot and also slightly with my hamstring (the hamstring had been my Achilles heel in the last two races).  I trained part of the time in the water for my run (deep water running).  This was very helpful as it took the stress of these two areas.  At this point everything was good and I had no pain.  As we passed through the finish line area (middle of the figure eight), we headed out again along a canal. Then we ran under a small foot bridge and onto a small (in width) cobblestone street lined with houses. We ran along this for about 3/4 of a mile then into the town square. People were sitting in cafes and cheering us on. Lots and lots of people. It was about 6 or 7 o\'clock at night and since the sun stays up until about 9 o\'clock the cafes are very, very crowded. We continued on into the town square where there was a large TV screen where people were watching football (soccer). Here we turned to begin the last part of the figure eight and run back to the starting area. I got back to starting point again and got my special needs bag - some extra nutrition. On the second loop my stomach started to feel little funny.  This is something that is very common with Ironman triathletes. Mine only lasted about again 15 or 20 minutes. Many runners were walking due to this or muscle cramps, dehydration or other things. I felt fairly lucky.  I would cheer these fellow athlete on when I went past them and told them to just keep going. Everyone appreciates that. I had been in their situation in the past and know what it feels like when someone gives you a shout of support.</p>\r\n\r\n<p>I just kept telling myself to keep going.  One foot after another...just keep going... Part of the way it was shady so that helped a lot too. The sun stays up until 9 o’clock so it never went down while I was running. Mile 18, I got a second wind. Felt very upbeat and in a good place so I was able to pick up pace.\r\nAt that point I started to run alongside someone a little bit faster than me. After only two miles, I could not keep up with him and told him so. He told me that you normally he runs a lot faster but not today. He told me to try to stay with him and we could talk so the time with go faster. So for the rest of the marathon (about 6 miles), we ran together. We ran back along the canal and into the city square again where there still lots of people. His pace was definitely faster than I would have gone but he was pushing me thru all the aches and pains one has after racing for over 13 hours. There was a small archway as one entered into the city square. There was a small bell on a string that it was hanging from. If you rung the bell (by tapping it with your hand) they would donate money to charity, so I rang it every time I passed it. At the final turn around, it was very exciting knowing that I only had 3 miles left. I had never developed any pain from my foot or my hamstring. And I was very pleased with my run. The guy I was running with and I just kept talking. He was from Prague where I was going after the race so we were going to exchange numbers after we finished. So as we got near the finish line area, the noise of the crowd got louder and louder. Since they take your picture as you cross the finish line, he said I should go ahead of him to be alone. I thanked him very much for helping me along.</p>\r\n\r\n<p>So at about 100 meters away, I took off from him. The crowd was very loud; almost deafening. There was a cheerleading squad there along with photographers and a local TV crew. As one comes with closer to the finish line, the noise level is incredible with cheering, cowbells and more. I then heard the announcer say:\r\n<strong>\"Peter Fields, you are an Ironman!\"</strong></p>\r\n\r\nThe feeling one has when you hear that never gets old.\r\nI was exhausted but very elated. The feeling I had is indescribable.\r\nAnd at 13 hrs. 32 minutes and 36 seconds I had a new personal best for me by 18 minutes\r\nMy friend I met on the run the finished right behind me. I then met his wife and three kids.\r\nAfter a few minutes of walking around it was off to the massage tent and get some food.\r\n\r\n<p class=\"text-center\" ><strong>Peter A. Fields, MD DC</strong></span><br>\r\n<strong id=\"athleticdoc\">The Athletic Doc<sup style=\"font-size: 14px;\">®</sup> and 3X Ironman Finisher</strong></span></p>\r\n\r\n','Race Report 4th Ironman','','inherit','closed','closed','','153-revision-v1','','','2019-06-07 08:22:22','2019-06-07 08:22:22','',153,'https://www.drfields.com/uncategorized/153-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(177,8,'2019-06-07 08:23:45','2019-06-07 08:23:45','<img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman-austria-logo.jpg\" alt=\"Ironman Austria Logo\" width=\"220\" height=\"82\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-154\" /> \r\n\r\n<p class=\"text-center\" id=\"athletic-event\">Sunday June 29, 2014<br>\r\n2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, 26.2 mile run</p>\r\n\r\n<p >My time was 13:32:36.  A new PR for me.\r\nFor the details, please read the story below.\r\nThank you</p>\r\n\r\n<p><strong><u>GETTING THERE</u></strong><br>\r\nIt started with a 12 hour flight from Los Angeles to Frankfurt going via Dallas. There was 3 hour delay in Dallas so it took even longer. I thought that I had missed my train connection in Frankfurt. Fortunately I got through customs very quickly.  35 minutes from arriving at the game, I was not only able to get through customs but pick up my bags, take a bus to the train station, then re-book my ticket and make my train with 5 minutes to spare!  Of course being able to speak German helped out a lot with getting directions. Then a 3 hour train ride to Munich where I switched trains and then a four hour train ride to Klagenfurt, Austria.  The views from the train in southern Germany and Austria were spectacular.\r\nThe next days were just getting settled in. Usually I\'m a very good sleeper but unfortunately, for about 4 days, I was unable to sleep a lot at night. I tried to make up with this naps during the day.  Sunday would come all too quickly. \r\nThe rest of the pre-event days were spent meeting everybody, seeing the triathlon expo and having a chance to swim in the lake and then take a van ride around part of the biking course. When my bike did arrive (I had it shipped), I rode it for about 20 miles and then had the mechanic adjust it slightly. The rest of the time was spent trying to stay calm and relaxed while not working out a lot.</p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>Saturday we checked in at the race which included leaving your bike and all your gear. The race number paper for my bike did not fit properly and I was advised not to tamper with it and ask an official when I went to check in my bike. When I got out of the van at the check in point I realized that I have left the number back in the hotel. In German I asked one of the check in officials what he could do about it. He said he could not do anything and that I would have to go to the registration area to have a thing done. Not an easy thing to do as it was one a mile away and I had all my gear with me in bags, so walking the bike would not be an easy thing. So I opted to go back to the van and have them take me back and get the number. As I was walking away one of the spectators came up to me and said in German that someone wants to talk to you back from where I came. I looked back and saw someone standing there who had a race official badge around his neck. So I walked back (not an easy thing to do with several thousand people there) and asked him in German if he could do anything about this. He said no problem he could help me. I was surprised as the first guy had said no. I asked again if he was sure about this since my van ride was about to leave. He turned over his badge which and it said race director.  He said \"I\'m the boss and I can do it for you\".  And within minutes everything was taken care of. He told me he travels to the states sometimes so I gave my card told him to look me up. He said he would.\r\nAll’s well that ends well. Plus a good omen for the race.</p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<p><strong><u>RACE DAY</u></strong><br>\r\nI got up at my usual time of 3:30 am. Breakfast is at four am and we leave for the race at 4:45am. It was about 58 degrees (heading into the 70\'s) and very clear and no signs of rain. It has rained the last 2 days on and off so this was a good thing. Got to the transition area and prepped my bike for the last time. This is always a very exciting time with 3000 athletes plus spectators trying to stay calm. Since it was about a 500 meter walk to the water, we all took our wetsuits and changed over by the lake.\r\nAt the lake we were greeted by a rainbow over the lake.  It was very beautiful and again a good omen. In a short time, we were already go. The pros and another group of 800 people started 15 minutes early. These early starting non-pros for had signed up to start early. I missed this sign up and at first I was disappointed as I am a very strong swimmer. But Ken Glah, the former pro triathlete whose company I travel with, found out it was a good thing as I would be the fastest in the next group of 2200 athletes and not all bunched up with the fast group (it gets very jammed up at the beginning of the swim).\r\nSo after many months of training, I was ready to start my fourth Ironman. I was dedicating this race to two people.</p>\r\n\r\n<p>On my left arm I had head initials JP written. This was in memory of my friend Jeff Patterson. Dr Jeff started me off in the wonderful world Prolotherapy which helped save my back from surgery. He was my mentor and dear friend and died much too early only a few months ago at the age of 67.\r\nOn my right arm I had the initials FFF, for my father Fred F. Fields. Simply put, he was everything in the world to me. He would have been so proud of me, as he always was. It was with great honor and pride that I am able to call myself his son.  He died almost 10 years ago and there is not one day that goes by that I do not think of him.</p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<p><strong><u>THE SWIM</u></strong><br>\r\nEven with 800 starting early, there still was 2200 starting in this pack. Since there were definitely going to be some really fast swimmers in this group,  I decided to stay behind the first group of people and go off a bit slower. The strategy worked to my advantage as I was able to answer save a little energy at the beginning. Once I got out about 400 or 500 meters I was able to get into my stride and swim well. It did get a little crowded but I was able to stay with the pack. This is good as when we turned back towards shore, we entered a canal that is about 1000 meters long. I had been warned that it can be extremely crowded in the canal and one can\'t really move at all. But due to the fact that I was with first group of only about 150 people there was plenty of room. In triathlons one lifts their head every four or five strokes to sight the land and make sure you are going straight (unlike in a pool, there are no black lines on the bottom of the lake!!).  When I picked up my head, I could see the sides of the canal where there were probably over 1000 people lining the canal yelling and cheering. This really was a unique experience as normally one can see or hear nothing\r\nWhen I got about 100 meters towards the end it got a little jammed up and I was not really  able  to  move ahead quickly or left or right. You just had to stay with the pack. Either way, I excited the water at a little over one hour and six minutes, which turned out to be first place in my age group (a first for me).  And there were no wetsuit strippers (volunteers who strip your wetsuit off you when you lay down on your back). So we just pulled the wetsuit off our shoulders and ran about 500 meters to transition one (T1), where we had to pull the rest of our wetsuits off (not an easy thing) and get ready for biking.\r\n\r\n\r\n<p><strong><u>THE BIKE</u></strong></p>\r\n<p><img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/bike-race2014.jpg\" alt=\"Bike Race2014\" width=\"382\" height=\"512\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-170\" />As one exits the T1 area, there were over a thousand people cheering us on.  We rode down a street for about 300 meters and made a U-turn back so the street was heavily lined with spectators. It was a beautiful day, sunny and probably about mid to upper sixty\'s with no clouds in sight.  As usual I did not eat anything after the swim for about 15 minutes to allow the blood to get into my legs. At the beginning this route is mostly flat with lots of curves going around the lake. As we left lake we went into the small town where there was a traffic circle and after that is where we started our first big hill climb.  At the traffic circle there was one of the race announcers announcing the race and cheering us on along with the spectators. And in all the small towns there were lots of people standing on the streets watching and cheering. As we started the steepest part of this climb, the street was lined with people probably 5 or6 deep on either side cheering and screaming to encourage us to get up the hill. This part was a big loop so we did not come back the same way. Going back was long downhill, so we went fast except for the towns where we had to make small turns which meant we had to slow down. All along here we had spectacular views of the mountains. At mile 45 or 46 miles, we started the biggest climb up the Ruperberg mountain.  As we approached this mountain climb, we made a sharp left in town and started going up. There were 100\'s of people lining the street and cheering us on along with a big loud speaker with a dj playing music. It was not too long but very steep. And again at the top were a lot of people and another dj play playing music over really big loud speakers. Then it was mostly downhill back to town to start a second loop.  As I came down the hill, I saw a large bee coming right at me. This happens quite often on the bike. I felt it hit my right shoulder and bounce. I suddenly felt a sharp sting in my left thigh this was under my bike shorts. I rolled back my bike shorts and there was a big red welt. It hurt but there was nothing I could do about. I just blocked it out of my mind. The pain subsided after about 15 or 20 minutes and I just went on with the race.</p>\r\n\r\n<p>As we came into town they had us make a180 degree turn again (like at the beginning) so we hat to really slow down But this was good thing as the street leading to this turn was lined with thousands of spectators cheering us on.  Occasionally at this point and other ones where there was an announcer I would hear \"and here is Peter from the United States\".  Always nice to hear to keep one going. My usual time is about 3hrs 25 mins for half of the ride but this time I did it in 3 hours 10 mins. I was feeling very good.</p>\r\n\r\n<p>As we started back out on the second loop, I stopped at special needs and refueled myself. Special needs is where one can leave a bag that morning of anything they may want or need at that point. It is at the halfway point of the bike and another one at the halfway point of the run.  I tossed my fuel bottle out and took a new one from the bag I had left. I also resupplied myself with my gels and other nutrition. I carry my own nutrition so as not to try anything new on race day.  When I tossed the bottle away, it rolled to the feet of the small boy about 6 or 7 years old. His mom looked at him.  He just looked at it. I told him, in German, here\'s a present for you.  Take it home and clean it! It is yours. He just smiled at me as he reached for it.\r\nThen 8 miles into the second loop miles drizzle started that got a bit heavier with time. Now the streets were wet and there were puddles. This meant we all had to slow down.\r\nAll in all, it went well on the second loop.  The crowds were less due to the rain but there were, still crowds out there. At about mile 80 my stomach had a little bit of trouble. Nothing big, just that I could not eat for about 20 or 30 minutes. But I got over it without any problems. \r\nMy second loop time was a bit slower due to the rain.\r\n It was 3 hours in 25 minutes. All in all I felt strong for the run. This was a good thing.\r\nIn town near T2, the crowds were there cheering loudly.</p>\r\n\r\n<p>Got off my bike in and ran thru the transition area to rack my bike. It was good to be off the bike after 112 miles.  Got my running shoes on and started off to run a marathon.</p>\r\n\r\n<p>PS several places on the bike course (and later on the run course) there were people from Endurance Sports Travel. This is the group I went with. They were cheering me on loudly. This was much appreciated.</p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<p><strong><u>THE RUN</u></strong></p>\r\n<p><img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/running-smile.jpg\" alt=\"Running Smile\" width=\"335\" height=\"504\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-174\" />When one leaves transition area two (T2) in an Ironman, you cannot think marathon. You just say are running from here to there and play this mental games with yourself the whole way. It was warm and sunny and about 75 degrees but not too hot. Plus there was tree cover on at least 60% of the run course. The run was a double loop. It was actually a figure 8 that we had to do twice. So therefore I would pass the finish line 4 times. In this area were thousands of people yelling and screaming. After a mile or two, I started to feel a bit tired in my legs. So I just told myself I would run to the end the first turn around about 4.5 miles out. I had my Garmin (GPS) on so I was able to see my pace and keep it where I knew I could maintain it. We ran along the lake the beginning of each loop, so although brief, it was a nice view. After only 2.5 miles, I came upon a woman that was having trouble running so I ran for a little bit with her to keep her going. At 4.5 miles we turned around and headed back to town. Now I felt strong again and my legs were loosening up. In training I had problems with my foot and also slightly with my hamstring (the hamstring had been my Achilles heel in the last two races).  I trained part of the time in the water for my run (deep water running).  This was very helpful as it took the stress of these two areas.  At this point everything was good and I had no pain.  As we passed through the finish line area (middle of the figure eight), we headed out again along a canal. Then we ran under a small foot bridge and onto a small (in width) cobblestone street lined with houses. We ran along this for about 3/4 of a mile then into the town square. People were sitting in cafes and cheering us on. Lots and lots of people. It was about 6 or 7 o\'clock at night and since the sun stays up until about 9 o\'clock the cafes are very, very crowded. We continued on into the town square where there was a large TV screen where people were watching football (soccer). Here we turned to begin the last part of the figure eight and run back to the starting area. I got back to starting point again and got my special needs bag - some extra nutrition. On the second loop my stomach started to feel little funny.  This is something that is very common with Ironman triathletes. Mine only lasted about again 15 or 20 minutes. Many runners were walking due to this or muscle cramps, dehydration or other things. I felt fairly lucky.  I would cheer these fellow athlete on when I went past them and told them to just keep going. Everyone appreciates that. I had been in their situation in the past and know what it feels like when someone gives you a shout of support.</p>\r\n\r\n<p>I just kept telling myself to keep going.  One foot after another...just keep going... Part of the way it was shady so that helped a lot too. The sun stays up until 9 o’clock so it never went down while I was running. Mile 18, I got a second wind. Felt very upbeat and in a good place so I was able to pick up pace.\r\nAt that point I started to run alongside someone a little bit faster than me. After only two miles, I could not keep up with him and told him so. He told me that you normally he runs a lot faster but not today. He told me to try to stay with him and we could talk so the time with go faster. So for the rest of the marathon (about 6 miles), we ran together. We ran back along the canal and into the city square again where there still lots of people. His pace was definitely faster than I would have gone but he was pushing me thru all the aches and pains one has after racing for over 13 hours. There was a small archway as one entered into the city square. There was a small bell on a string that it was hanging from. If you rung the bell (by tapping it with your hand) they would donate money to charity, so I rang it every time I passed it. At the final turn around, it was very exciting knowing that I only had 3 miles left. I had never developed any pain from my foot or my hamstring. And I was very pleased with my run. The guy I was running with and I just kept talking. He was from Prague where I was going after the race so we were going to exchange numbers after we finished. So as we got near the finish line area, the noise of the crowd got louder and louder. Since they take your picture as you cross the finish line, he said I should go ahead of him to be alone. I thanked him very much for helping me along.</p>\r\n\r\n<p>So at about 100 meters away, I took off from him. The crowd was very loud; almost deafening. There was a cheerleading squad there along with photographers and a local TV crew. As one comes with closer to the finish line, the noise level is incredible with cheering, cowbells and more. I then heard the announcer say:\r\n<strong>\"Peter Fields, you are an Ironman!\"</strong></p>\r\n\r\nThe feeling one has when you hear that never gets old.\r\nI was exhausted but very elated. The feeling I had is indescribable.\r\nAnd at 13 hrs. 32 minutes and 36 seconds I had a new personal best for me by 18 minutes\r\nMy friend I met on the run the finished right behind me. I then met his wife and three kids.\r\nAfter a few minutes of walking around it was off to the massage tent and get some food.\r\n\r\nPS I finished around 8:30 pm. At 9 pm the sky opened up and it rained hard for about an hour.\r\n I was very fortunate not to go through that.\r\n\r\nI want to make everybody who took the time and effort to watch the update that were on the internet during the race. I appreciate every one of you. And for everyone else, your thoughts and cheers before and after the race were heard. There are lots and lots of people I need to thank but the list is too long. You know who you are and a big thank you goes out to all.\r\nCollectively, I want to thank massage therapist, my acupuncturist and my chiropractor. You all helped get me through.  And wonderful office staff who always took a great interest in what I was doing and put up with my long workouts that made me late sometimes.\r\n\r\nThere a few individuals that need to be singled out individually.\r\n I want to thank my coach, Cherie Gruenfeld, as she pushed me hard and helped me a lot.\r\n\r\nAnd then there is the world’s best podiatrist, Dr Dan Altchuler. Without his help and caring, my foot would have never made it through the race. \r\n\r\nI want to thank my very special friend Angela Past.  Several years ago she got me into this wonderful world of Ironman triathlons (she became an Ironman before I did).  She actually got up in the middle of the night in California to follow me as the race began at 10pm west coast time.  Wow!  Thank you so much for your emotional support when I needed it the most.\r\n\r\nAnd last but not least, I want to thank my mom and dad as they taught me not to give up even when the times get tough. And although my dad is no longer with us, his thoughts are with me in spirit every day.  My mom is 88 years young and is active and vibrant. She\'s an inspiration to me every day.  She has never lost faith in me and my abilities... Thank you mom!\r\n\r\n<p class=\"text-center\" ><strong>Peter A. Fields, MD DC</strong></span><br>\r\n<strong id=\"athleticdoc\">The Athletic Doc<sup style=\"font-size: 14px;\">®</sup> and 3X Ironman Finisher</strong></span></p>\r\n\r\n','Race Report 4th Ironman','','inherit','closed','closed','','153-revision-v1','','','2019-06-07 08:23:45','2019-06-07 08:23:45','',153,'https://www.drfields.com/uncategorized/153-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(178,8,'2019-06-07 08:26:17','2019-06-07 08:26:17','<img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman-austria-logo.jpg\" alt=\"Ironman Austria Logo\" width=\"220\" height=\"82\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-154\" /> \r\n\r\n<p class=\"text-center\" id=\"athletic-event\">Sunday June 29, 2014<br>\r\n2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, 26.2 mile run</p>\r\n\r\nMy time was 13:32:36.  A new PR for me.\r\nFor the details, please read the story below.\r\nThank you\r\n\r\n<strong><u>GETTING THERE</u></strong><br>\r\nIt started with a 12 hour flight from Los Angeles to Frankfurt going via Dallas. There was 3 hour delay in Dallas so it took even longer. I thought that I had missed my train connection in Frankfurt. Fortunately I got through customs very quickly.  35 minutes from arriving at the game, I was not only able to get through customs but pick up my bags, take a bus to the train station, then re-book my ticket and make my train with 5 minutes to spare!  Of course being able to speak German helped out a lot with getting directions. Then a 3 hour train ride to Munich where I switched trains and then a four hour train ride to Klagenfurt, Austria.  The views from the train in southern Germany and Austria were spectacular.\r\nThe next days were just getting settled in. Usually I\'m a very good sleeper but unfortunately, for about 4 days, I was unable to sleep a lot at night. I tried to make up with this naps during the day.  Sunday would come all too quickly. \r\nThe rest of the pre-event days were spent meeting everybody, seeing the triathlon expo and having a chance to swim in the lake and then take a van ride around part of the biking course. When my bike did arrive (I had it shipped), I rode it for about 20 miles and then had the mechanic adjust it slightly. The rest of the time was spent trying to stay calm and relaxed while not working out a lot.\r\n\r\nSaturday we checked in at the race which included leaving your bike and all your gear. The race number paper for my bike did not fit properly and I was advised not to tamper with it and ask an official when I went to check in my bike. When I got out of the van at the check in point I realized that I have left the number back in the hotel. In German I asked one of the check in officials what he could do about it. He said he could not do anything and that I would have to go to the registration area to have a thing done. Not an easy thing to do as it was one a mile away and I had all my gear with me in bags, so walking the bike would not be an easy thing. So I opted to go back to the van and have them take me back and get the number. As I was walking away one of the spectators came up to me and said in German that someone wants to talk to you back from where I came. I looked back and saw someone standing there who had a race official badge around his neck. So I walked back (not an easy thing to do with several thousand people there) and asked him in German if he could do anything about this. He said no problem he could help me. I was surprised as the first guy had said no. I asked again if he was sure about this since my van ride was about to leave. He turned over his badge which and it said race director.  He said \"I\'m the boss and I can do it for you\".  And within minutes everything was taken care of. He told me he travels to the states sometimes so I gave my card told him to look me up. He said he would.\r\nAll’s well that ends well. Plus a good omen for the race.\r\n\r\n\r\n<strong><u>RACE DAY</u></strong><br>\r\nI got up at my usual time of 3:30 am. Breakfast is at four am and we leave for the race at 4:45am. It was about 58 degrees (heading into the 70\'s) and very clear and no signs of rain. It has rained the last 2 days on and off so this was a good thing. Got to the transition area and prepped my bike for the last time. This is always a very exciting time with 3000 athletes plus spectators trying to stay calm. Since it was about a 500 meter walk to the water, we all took our wetsuits and changed over by the lake.\r\nAt the lake we were greeted by a rainbow over the lake.  It was very beautiful and again a good omen. In a short time, we were already go. The pros and another group of 800 people started 15 minutes early. These early starting non-pros for had signed up to start early. I missed this sign up and at first I was disappointed as I am a very strong swimmer. But Ken Glah, the former pro triathlete whose company I travel with, found out it was a good thing as I would be the fastest in the next group of 2200 athletes and not all bunched up with the fast group (it gets very jammed up at the beginning of the swim).\r\nSo after many months of training, I was ready to start my fourth Ironman. I was dedicating this race to two people.\r\nOn my left arm I had head initials JP written. This was in memory of my friend Jeff Patterson. Dr Jeff started me off in the wonderful world Prolotherapy which helped save my back from surgery. He was my mentor and dear friend and died much too early only a few months ago at the age of 67.\r\nOn my right arm I had the initials FFF, for my father Fred F. Fields. Simply put, he was everything in the world to me. He would have been so proud of me, as he always was. It was with great honor and pride that I am able to call myself his son.  He died almost 10 years ago and there is not one day that goes by that I do not think of him.\r\n\r\n\r\n<strong><u>THE SWIM</u></strong><br>\r\nEven with 800 starting early, there still was 2200 starting in this pack. Since there were definitely going to be some really fast swimmers in this group,  I decided to stay behind the first group of people and go off a bit slower. The strategy worked to my advantage as I was able to answer save a little energy at the beginning. Once I got out about 400 or 500 meters I was able to get into my stride and swim well. It did get a little crowded but I was able to stay with the pack. This is good as when we turned back towards shore, we entered a canal that is about 1000 meters long. I had been warned that it can be extremely crowded in the canal and one can\'t really move at all. But due to the fact that I was with first group of only about 150 people there was plenty of room. In triathlons one lifts their head every four or five strokes to sight the land and make sure you are going straight (unlike in a pool, there are no black lines on the bottom of the lake!!).  When I picked up my head, I could see the sides of the canal where there were probably over 1000 people lining the canal yelling and cheering. This really was a unique experience as normally one can see or hear nothing\r\nWhen I got about 100 meters towards the end it got a little jammed up and I was not really  able  to  move ahead quickly or left or right. You just had to stay with the pack. Either way, I excited the water at a little over one hour and six minutes, which turned out to be first place in my age group (a first for me).  And there were no wetsuit strippers (volunteers who strip your wetsuit off you when you lay down on your back). So we just pulled the wetsuit off our shoulders and ran about 500 meters to transition one (T1), where we had to pull the rest of our wetsuits off (not an easy thing) and get ready for biking.\r\n\r\n\r\n<strong><u>THE BIKE</u></strong>\r\n\r\n<img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/bike-race2014.jpg\" alt=\"Bike Race2014\" width=\"382\" height=\"512\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-170\" />As one exits the T1 area, there were over a thousand people cheering us on.  We rode down a street for about 300 meters and made a U-turn back so the street was heavily lined with spectators. It was a beautiful day, sunny and probably about mid to upper sixty\'s with no clouds in sight.  As usual I did not eat anything after the swim for about 15 minutes to allow the blood to get into my legs. At the beginning this route is mostly flat with lots of curves going around the lake. As we left lake we went into the small town where there was a traffic circle and after that is where we started our first big hill climb.  At the traffic circle there was one of the race announcers announcing the race and cheering us on along with the spectators. And in all the small towns there were lots of people standing on the streets watching and cheering. As we started the steepest part of this climb, the street was lined with people probably 5 or6 deep on either side cheering and screaming to encourage us to get up the hill. This part was a big loop so we did not come back the same way. Going back was long downhill, so we went fast except for the towns where we had to make small turns which meant we had to slow down. All along here we had spectacular views of the mountains. At mile 45 or 46 miles, we started the biggest climb up the Ruperberg mountain.  As we approached this mountain climb, we made a sharp left in town and started going up. There were 100\'s of people lining the street and cheering us on along with a big loud speaker with a dj playing music. It was not too long but very steep. And again at the top were a lot of people and another dj play playing music over really big loud speakers. Then it was mostly downhill back to town to start a second loop.  As I came down the hill, I saw a large bee coming right at me. This happens quite often on the bike. I felt it hit my right shoulder and bounce. I suddenly felt a sharp sting in my left thigh this was under my bike shorts. I rolled back my bike shorts and there was a big red welt. It hurt but there was nothing I could do about. I just blocked it out of my mind. The pain subsided after about 15 or 20 minutes and I just went on with the race.\r\n\r\nAs we came into town they had us make a180 degree turn again (like at the beginning) so we hat to really slow down But this was good thing as the street leading to this turn was lined with thousands of spectators cheering us on.  Occasionally at this point and other ones where there was an announcer I would hear \"and here is Peter from the United States\".  Always nice to hear to keep one going. My usual time is about 3hrs 25 mins for half of the ride but this time I did it in 3 hours 10 mins. I was feeling very good.\r\n\r\nAs we started back out on the second loop, I stopped at special needs and refueled myself. Special needs is where one can leave a bag that morning of anything they may want or need at that point. It is at the halfway point of the bike and another one at the halfway point of the run.  I tossed my fuel bottle out and took a new one from the bag I had left. I also resupplied myself with my gels and other nutrition. I carry my own nutrition so as not to try anything new on race day.  When I tossed the bottle away, it rolled to the feet of the small boy about 6 or 7 years old. His mom looked at him.  He just looked at it. I told him, in German, here\'s a present for you.  Take it home and clean it! It is yours. He just smiled at me as he reached for it.\r\nThen 8 miles into the second loop miles drizzle started that got a bit heavier with time. Now the streets were wet and there were puddles. This meant we all had to slow down.\r\nAll in all, it went well on the second loop.  The crowds were less due to the rain but there were, still crowds out there. At about mile 80 my stomach had a little bit of trouble. Nothing big, just that I could not eat for about 20 or 30 minutes. But I got over it without any problems. \r\nMy second loop time was a bit slower due to the rain.\r\n It was 3 hours in 25 minutes. All in all I felt strong for the run. This was a good thing.\r\nIn town near T2, the crowds were there cheering loudly.\r\n\r\nGot off my bike in and ran thru the transition area to rack my bike. It was good to be off the bike after 112 miles.  Got my running shoes on and started off to run a marathon.\r\n\r\nPS several places on the bike course (and later on the run course) there were people from Endurance Sports Travel. This is the group I went with. They were cheering me on loudly. This was much appreciated.\r\n\r\n\r\n<p><strong><u>THE RUN</u></strong></p>\r\n\r\n<img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/running-smile.jpg\" alt=\"Running Smile\" width=\"335\" height=\"504\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-174\" />When one leaves transition area two (T2) in an Ironman, you cannot think marathon. You just say are running from here to there and play this mental games with yourself the whole way. It was warm and sunny and about 75 degrees but not too hot. Plus there was tree cover on at least 60% of the run course. The run was a double loop. It was actually a figure 8 that we had to do twice. So therefore I would pass the finish line 4 times. In this area were thousands of people yelling and screaming. After a mile or two, I started to feel a bit tired in my legs. So I just told myself I would run to the end the first turn around about 4.5 miles out. I had my Garmin (GPS) on so I was able to see my pace and keep it where I knew I could maintain it. We ran along the lake the beginning of each loop, so although brief, it was a nice view. After only 2.5 miles, I came upon a woman that was having trouble running so I ran for a little bit with her to keep her going. At 4.5 miles we turned around and headed back to town. Now I felt strong again and my legs were loosening up. In training I had problems with my foot and also slightly with my hamstring (the hamstring had been my Achilles heel in the last two races).  I trained part of the time in the water for my run (deep water running).  This was very helpful as it took the stress of these two areas.  At this point everything was good and I had no pain.  As we passed through the finish line area (middle of the figure eight), we headed out again along a canal. Then we ran under a small foot bridge and onto a small (in width) cobblestone street lined with houses. We ran along this for about 3/4 of a mile then into the town square. People were sitting in cafes and cheering us on. Lots and lots of people. It was about 6 or 7 o\'clock at night and since the sun stays up until about 9 o\'clock the cafes are very, very crowded. We continued on into the town square where there was a large TV screen where people were watching football (soccer). Here we turned to begin the last part of the figure eight and run back to the starting area. I got back to starting point again and got my special needs bag - some extra nutrition. On the second loop my stomach started to feel little funny.  This is something that is very common with Ironman triathletes. Mine only lasted about again 15 or 20 minutes. Many runners were walking due to this or muscle cramps, dehydration or other things. I felt fairly lucky.  I would cheer these fellow athlete on when I went past them and told them to just keep going. Everyone appreciates that. I had been in their situation in the past and know what it feels like when someone gives you a shout of support.\r\n\r\nI just kept telling myself to keep going.  One foot after another...just keep going... Part of the way it was shady so that helped a lot too. The sun stays up until 9 o’clock so it never went down while I was running. Mile 18, I got a second wind. Felt very upbeat and in a good place so I was able to pick up pace.\r\nAt that point I started to run alongside someone a little bit faster than me. After only two miles, I could not keep up with him and told him so. He told me that you normally he runs a lot faster but not today. He told me to try to stay with him and we could talk so the time with go faster. So for the rest of the marathon (about 6 miles), we ran together. We ran back along the canal and into the city square again where there still lots of people. His pace was definitely faster than I would have gone but he was pushing me thru all the aches and pains one has after racing for over 13 hours. There was a small archway as one entered into the city square. There was a small bell on a string that it was hanging from. If you rung the bell (by tapping it with your hand) they would donate money to charity, so I rang it every time I passed it. At the final turn around, it was very exciting knowing that I only had 3 miles left. I had never developed any pain from my foot or my hamstring. And I was very pleased with my run. The guy I was running with and I just kept talking. He was from Prague where I was going after the race so we were going to exchange numbers after we finished. So as we got near the finish line area, the noise of the crowd got louder and louder. Since they take your picture as you cross the finish line, he said I should go ahead of him to be alone. I thanked him very much for helping me along.\r\n\r\nSo at about 100 meters away, I took off from him. The crowd was very loud; almost deafening. There was a cheerleading squad there along with photographers and a local TV crew. As one comes with closer to the finish line, the noise level is incredible with cheering, cowbells and more. I then heard the announcer say:\r\n<strong>\"Peter Fields, you are an Ironman!\"</strong>\r\n\r\nThe feeling one has when you hear that never gets old.\r\nI was exhausted but very elated. The feeling I had is indescribable.\r\nAnd at 13 hrs. 32 minutes and 36 seconds I had a new personal best for me by 18 minutes\r\nMy friend I met on the run the finished right behind me. I then met his wife and three kids.\r\nAfter a few minutes of walking around it was off to the massage tent and get some food.\r\n\r\nPS I finished around 8:30 pm. At 9 pm the sky opened up and it rained hard for about an hour.\r\n I was very fortunate not to go through that.\r\n\r\nI want to make everybody who took the time and effort to watch the update that were on the internet during the race. I appreciate every one of you. And for everyone else, your thoughts and cheers before and after the race were heard. There are lots and lots of people I need to thank but the list is too long. You know who you are and a big thank you goes out to all.\r\nCollectively, I want to thank massage therapist, my acupuncturist and my chiropractor. You all helped get me through.  And wonderful office staff who always took a great interest in what I was doing and put up with my long workouts that made me late sometimes.\r\n\r\nThere a few individuals that need to be singled out individually.\r\n I want to thank my coach, Cherie Gruenfeld, as she pushed me hard and helped me a lot.\r\n\r\nAnd then there is the world’s best podiatrist, Dr Dan Altchuler. Without his help and caring, my foot would have never made it through the race. \r\n\r\nI want to thank my very special friend Angela Past.  Several years ago she got me into this wonderful world of Ironman triathlons (she became an Ironman before I did).  She actually got up in the middle of the night in California to follow me as the race began at 10pm west coast time.  Wow!  Thank you so much for your emotional support when I needed it the most.\r\n\r\nAnd last but not least, I want to thank my mom and dad as they taught me not to give up even when the times get tough. And although my dad is no longer with us, his thoughts are with me in spirit every day.  My mom is 88 years young and is active and vibrant. She\'s an inspiration to me every day.  She has never lost faith in me and my abilities... Thank you mom!\r\n\r\n<p class=\"text-center\" ><strong>Peter A. Fields, MD DC</strong></span><br>\r\n<strong id=\"athleticdoc\">The Athletic Doc<sup style=\"font-size: 14px;\">®</sup> and 3X Ironman Finisher</strong></span></p>\r\n\r\n','Race Report 4th Ironman','','inherit','closed','closed','','153-revision-v1','','','2019-06-07 08:26:17','2019-06-07 08:26:17','',153,'https://www.drfields.com/uncategorized/153-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(179,8,'2019-06-07 08:29:02','2019-06-07 08:29:02','<img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman-austria-logo.jpg\" alt=\"Ironman Austria Logo\" width=\"220\" height=\"82\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-154\" /> \r\n\r\n<p class=\"text-center\" id=\"athletic-event\">Sunday June 29, 2014<br>\r\n2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, 26.2 mile run</p>\r\n\r\nMy time was 13:32:36.  A new PR for me.\r\nFor the details, please read the story below.\r\nThank you\r\n\r\n<strong><u>GETTING THERE</u></strong><br>\r\nIt started with a 12 hour flight from Los Angeles to Frankfurt going via Dallas. There was 3 hour delay in Dallas so it took even longer. I thought that I had missed my train connection in Frankfurt. Fortunately I got through customs very quickly.  35 minutes from arriving at the game, I was not only able to get through customs but pick up my bags, take a bus to the train station, then re-book my ticket and make my train with 5 minutes to spare!  Of course being able to speak German helped out a lot with getting directions. Then a 3 hour train ride to Munich where I switched trains and then a four hour train ride to Klagenfurt, Austria.  The views from the train in southern Germany and Austria were spectacular.\r\nThe next days were just getting settled in. Usually I\'m a very good sleeper but unfortunately, for about 4 days, I was unable to sleep a lot at night. I tried to make up with this naps during the day.  Sunday would come all too quickly. \r\nThe rest of the pre-event days were spent meeting everybody, seeing the triathlon expo and having a chance to swim in the lake and then take a van ride around part of the biking course. When my bike did arrive (I had it shipped), I rode it for about 20 miles and then had the mechanic adjust it slightly. The rest of the time was spent trying to stay calm and relaxed while not working out a lot.\r\n\r\nSaturday we checked in at the race which included leaving your bike and all your gear. The race number paper for my bike did not fit properly and I was advised not to tamper with it and ask an official when I went to check in my bike. When I got out of the van at the check in point I realized that I have left the number back in the hotel. In German I asked one of the check in officials what he could do about it. He said he could not do anything and that I would have to go to the registration area to have a thing done. Not an easy thing to do as it was one a mile away and I had all my gear with me in bags, so walking the bike would not be an easy thing. So I opted to go back to the van and have them take me back and get the number. As I was walking away one of the spectators came up to me and said in German that someone wants to talk to you back from where I came. I looked back and saw someone standing there who had a race official badge around his neck. So I walked back (not an easy thing to do with several thousand people there) and asked him in German if he could do anything about this. He said no problem he could help me. I was surprised as the first guy had said no. I asked again if he was sure about this since my van ride was about to leave. He turned over his badge which and it said race director.  He said \"I\'m the boss and I can do it for you\".  And within minutes everything was taken care of. He told me he travels to the states sometimes so I gave my card told him to look me up. He said he would.\r\nAll’s well that ends well. Plus a good omen for the race.\r\n\r\n\r\n<strong><u>RACE DAY</u></strong><br>\r\nI got up at my usual time of 3:30 am. Breakfast is at four am and we leave for the race at 4:45am. It was about 58 degrees (heading into the 70\'s) and very clear and no signs of rain. It has rained the last 2 days on and off so this was a good thing. Got to the transition area and prepped my bike for the last time. This is always a very exciting time with 3000 athletes plus spectators trying to stay calm. Since it was about a 500 meter walk to the water, we all took our wetsuits and changed over by the lake.\r\nAt the lake we were greeted by a rainbow over the lake.  It was very beautiful and again a good omen. In a short time, we were already go. The pros and another group of 800 people started 15 minutes early. These early starting non-pros for had signed up to start early. I missed this sign up and at first I was disappointed as I am a very strong swimmer. But Ken Glah, the former pro triathlete whose company I travel with, found out it was a good thing as I would be the fastest in the next group of 2200 athletes and not all bunched up with the fast group (it gets very jammed up at the beginning of the swim).\r\nSo after many months of training, I was ready to start my fourth Ironman. I was dedicating this race to two people.\r\nOn my left arm I had head initials JP written. This was in memory of my friend Jeff Patterson. Dr Jeff started me off in the wonderful world Prolotherapy which helped save my back from surgery. He was my mentor and dear friend and died much too early only a few months ago at the age of 67.\r\nOn my right arm I had the initials FFF, for my father Fred F. Fields. Simply put, he was everything in the world to me. He would have been so proud of me, as he always was. It was with great honor and pride that I am able to call myself his son.  He died almost 10 years ago and there is not one day that goes by that I do not think of him.\r\n\r\n\r\n<strong><u>THE SWIM</u></strong><br>\r\nEven with 800 starting early, there still was 2200 starting in this pack. Since there were definitely going to be some really fast swimmers in this group,  I decided to stay behind the first group of people and go off a bit slower. The strategy worked to my advantage as I was able to answer save a little energy at the beginning. Once I got out about 400 or 500 meters I was able to get into my stride and swim well. It did get a little crowded but I was able to stay with the pack. This is good as when we turned back towards shore, we entered a canal that is about 1000 meters long. I had been warned that it can be extremely crowded in the canal and one can\'t really move at all. But due to the fact that I was with first group of only about 150 people there was plenty of room. In triathlons one lifts their head every four or five strokes to sight the land and make sure you are going straight (unlike in a pool, there are no black lines on the bottom of the lake!!).  When I picked up my head, I could see the sides of the canal where there were probably over 1000 people lining the canal yelling and cheering. This really was a unique experience as normally one can see or hear nothing\r\nWhen I got about 100 meters towards the end it got a little jammed up and I was not really  able  to  move ahead quickly or left or right. You just had to stay with the pack. Either way, I excited the water at a little over one hour and six minutes, which turned out to be first place in my age group (a first for me).  And there were no wetsuit strippers (volunteers who strip your wetsuit off you when you lay down on your back). So we just pulled the wetsuit off our shoulders and ran about 500 meters to transition one (T1), where we had to pull the rest of our wetsuits off (not an easy thing) and get ready for biking.\r\n\r\n\r\n<strong><u>THE BIKE</u></strong>\r\n\r\n<img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/bike-race2014.jpg\" alt=\"Bike Race2014\" width=\"382\" height=\"512\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-170\" />As one exits the T1 area, there were over a thousand people cheering us on.  We rode down a street for about 300 meters and made a U-turn back so the street was heavily lined with spectators. It was a beautiful day, sunny and probably about mid to upper sixty\'s with no clouds in sight.  As usual I did not eat anything after the swim for about 15 minutes to allow the blood to get into my legs. At the beginning this route is mostly flat with lots of curves going around the lake. As we left lake we went into the small town where there was a traffic circle and after that is where we started our first big hill climb.  At the traffic circle there was one of the race announcers announcing the race and cheering us on along with the spectators. And in all the small towns there were lots of people standing on the streets watching and cheering. As we started the steepest part of this climb, the street was lined with people probably 5 or6 deep on either side cheering and screaming to encourage us to get up the hill. This part was a big loop so we did not come back the same way. Going back was long downhill, so we went fast except for the towns where we had to make small turns which meant we had to slow down. All along here we had spectacular views of the mountains. At mile 45 or 46 miles, we started the biggest climb up the Ruperberg mountain.  As we approached this mountain climb, we made a sharp left in town and started going up. There were 100\'s of people lining the street and cheering us on along with a big loud speaker with a dj playing music. It was not too long but very steep. And again at the top were a lot of people and another dj play playing music over really big loud speakers. Then it was mostly downhill back to town to start a second loop.  As I came down the hill, I saw a large bee coming right at me. This happens quite often on the bike. I felt it hit my right shoulder and bounce. I suddenly felt a sharp sting in my left thigh this was under my bike shorts. I rolled back my bike shorts and there was a big red welt. It hurt but there was nothing I could do about. I just blocked it out of my mind. The pain subsided after about 15 or 20 minutes and I just went on with the race.\r\n\r\nAs we came into town they had us make a180 degree turn again (like at the beginning) so we hat to really slow down But this was good thing as the street leading to this turn was lined with thousands of spectators cheering us on.  Occasionally at this point and other ones where there was an announcer I would hear \"and here is Peter from the United States\".  Always nice to hear to keep one going. My usual time is about 3hrs 25 mins for half of the ride but this time I did it in 3 hours 10 mins. I was feeling very good.\r\n\r\nAs we started back out on the second loop, I stopped at special needs and refueled myself. Special needs is where one can leave a bag that morning of anything they may want or need at that point. It is at the halfway point of the bike and another one at the halfway point of the run.  I tossed my fuel bottle out and took a new one from the bag I had left. I also resupplied myself with my gels and other nutrition. I carry my own nutrition so as not to try anything new on race day.  When I tossed the bottle away, it rolled to the feet of the small boy about 6 or 7 years old. His mom looked at him.  He just looked at it. I told him, in German, here\'s a present for you.  Take it home and clean it! It is yours. He just smiled at me as he reached for it.\r\nThen 8 miles into the second loop miles drizzle started that got a bit heavier with time. Now the streets were wet and there were puddles. This meant we all had to slow down.\r\nAll in all, it went well on the second loop.  The crowds were less due to the rain but there were, still crowds out there. At about mile 80 my stomach had a little bit of trouble. Nothing big, just that I could not eat for about 20 or 30 minutes. But I got over it without any problems. \r\nMy second loop time was a bit slower due to the rain.\r\n It was 3 hours in 25 minutes. All in all I felt strong for the run. This was a good thing.\r\nIn town near T2, the crowds were there cheering loudly.\r\n\r\nGot off my bike in and ran thru the transition area to rack my bike. It was good to be off the bike after 112 miles.  Got my running shoes on and started off to run a marathon.\r\n\r\nPS several places on the bike course (and later on the run course) there were people from Endurance Sports Travel. This is the group I went with. They were cheering me on loudly. This was much appreciated.\r\n\r\n\r\n<p><strong><u>THE RUN</u></strong></p>\r\n\r\n<img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/running-smile.jpg\" alt=\"Running Smile\" width=\"335\" height=\"504\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-174\" />When one leaves transition area two (T2) in an Ironman, you cannot think marathon. You just say are running from here to there and play this mental games with yourself the whole way. It was warm and sunny and about 75 degrees but not too hot. Plus there was tree cover on at least 60% of the run course. The run was a double loop. It was actually a figure 8 that we had to do twice. So therefore I would pass the finish line 4 times. In this area were thousands of people yelling and screaming. After a mile or two, I started to feel a bit tired in my legs. So I just told myself I would run to the end the first turn around about 4.5 miles out. I had my Garmin (GPS) on so I was able to see my pace and keep it where I knew I could maintain it. We ran along the lake the beginning of each loop, so although brief, it was a nice view. After only 2.5 miles, I came upon a woman that was having trouble running so I ran for a little bit with her to keep her going. At 4.5 miles we turned around and headed back to town. Now I felt strong again and my legs were loosening up. In training I had problems with my foot and also slightly with my hamstring (the hamstring had been my Achilles heel in the last two races).  I trained part of the time in the water for my run (deep water running).  This was very helpful as it took the stress of these two areas.  At this point everything was good and I had no pain.  As we passed through the finish line area (middle of the figure eight), we headed out again along a canal. Then we ran under a small foot bridge and onto a small (in width) cobblestone street lined with houses. We ran along this for about 3/4 of a mile then into the town square. People were sitting in cafes and cheering us on. Lots and lots of people. It was about 6 or 7 o\'clock at night and since the sun stays up until about 9 o\'clock the cafes are very, very crowded. We continued on into the town square where there was a large TV screen where people were watching football (soccer). Here we turned to begin the last part of the figure eight and run back to the starting area. I got back to starting point again and got my special needs bag - some extra nutrition. On the second loop my stomach started to feel little funny.  This is something that is very common with Ironman triathletes. Mine only lasted about again 15 or 20 minutes. Many runners were walking due to this or muscle cramps, dehydration or other things. I felt fairly lucky.  I would cheer these fellow athlete on when I went past them and told them to just keep going. Everyone appreciates that. I had been in their situation in the past and know what it feels like when someone gives you a shout of support.\r\n\r\nI just kept telling myself to keep going.  One foot after another...just keep going... Part of the way it was shady so that helped a lot too. The sun stays up until 9 o’clock so it never went down while I was running. Mile 18, I got a second wind. Felt very upbeat and in a good place so I was able to pick up pace.\r\nAt that point I started to run alongside someone a little bit faster than me. After only two miles, I could not keep up with him and told him so. He told me that you normally he runs a lot faster but not today. He told me to try to stay with him and we could talk so the time with go faster. So for the rest of the marathon (about 6 miles), we ran together. We ran back along the canal and into the city square again where there still lots of people. His pace was definitely faster than I would have gone but he was pushing me thru all the aches and pains one has after racing for over 13 hours. There was a small archway as one entered into the city square. There was a small bell on a string that it was hanging from. If you rung the bell (by tapping it with your hand) they would donate money to charity, so I rang it every time I passed it. At the final turn around, it was very exciting knowing that I only had 3 miles left. I had never developed any pain from my foot or my hamstring. And I was very pleased with my run. The guy I was running with and I just kept talking. He was from Prague where I was going after the race so we were going to exchange numbers after we finished. So as we got near the finish line area, the noise of the crowd got louder and louder. Since they take your picture as you cross the finish line, he said I should go ahead of him to be alone. I thanked him very much for helping me along.\r\n\r\nSo at about 100 meters away, I took off from him. The crowd was very loud; almost deafening. There was a cheerleading squad there along with photographers and a local TV crew. As one comes with closer to the finish line, the noise level is incredible with cheering, cowbells and more. I then heard the announcer say:\r\n<strong>\"Peter Fields, you are an Ironman!\"</strong>\r\n\r\nThe feeling one has when you hear that never gets old.\r\nI was exhausted but very elated. The feeling I had is indescribable.\r\nAnd at 13 hrs. 32 minutes and 36 seconds I had a new personal best for me by 18 minutes\r\nMy friend I met on the run the finished right behind me. I then met his wife and three kids.\r\nAfter a few minutes of walking around it was off to the massage tent and get some food.\r\n\r\nPS I finished around 8:30 pm. At 9 pm the sky opened up and it rained hard for about an hour.\r\n I was very fortunate not to go through that.\r\n\r\nI want to make everybody who took the time and effort to watch the update that were on the internet during the race. I appreciate every one of you. And for everyone else, your thoughts and cheers before and after the race were heard. There are lots and lots of people I need to thank but the list is too long. You know who you are and a big thank you goes out to all.\r\nCollectively, I want to thank massage therapist, my acupuncturist and my chiropractor. You all helped get me through.  And wonderful office staff who always took a great interest in what I was doing and put up with my long workouts that made me late sometimes.\r\n\r\nThere a few individuals that need to be singled out individually.\r\n I want to thank my coach, Cherie Gruenfeld, as she pushed me hard and helped me a lot.\r\n\r\nAnd then there is the world’s best podiatrist, Dr Dan Altchuler. Without his help and caring, my foot would have never made it through the race. \r\n\r\nI want to thank my very special friend Angela Past.  Several years ago she got me into this wonderful world of Ironman triathlons (she became an Ironman before I did).  She actually got up in the middle of the night in California to follow me as the race began at 10pm west coast time.  Wow!  Thank you so much for your emotional support when I needed it the most.\r\n\r\nAnd last but not least, I want to thank my mom and dad as they taught me not to give up even when the times get tough. And although my dad is no longer with us, his thoughts are with me in spirit every day.  My mom is 88 years young and is active and vibrant. She\'s an inspiration to me every day.  She has never lost faith in me and my abilities... Thank you mom!\r\n\r\n<strong>Thank you all again for your well wishes and support.</strong>\r\n\r\n<strong><span style=\"font-size: 18px;\">Peter A. Fields, MD DC</span></strong>\r\n<strong><span style=\"font-size: 18px;\">The Athletic Doc®&nbsp;and 4X Ironman Triathlete</span></strong>\r\n\r\n','Race Report 4th Ironman','','inherit','closed','closed','','153-revision-v1','','','2019-06-07 08:29:02','2019-06-07 08:29:02','',153,'https://www.drfields.com/uncategorized/153-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(180,8,'2022-12-02 06:01:38','2019-06-07 08:38:07',' ','','','publish','closed','closed','','180','','','2022-12-02 06:01:38','2022-12-02 06:01:38','',0,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=180',14,'nav_menu_item','',0),(181,8,'2022-12-02 06:01:38','2019-06-07 08:38:07',' ','','','publish','closed','closed','','181','','','2022-12-02 06:01:38','2022-12-02 06:01:38','',0,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=181',13,'nav_menu_item','',0),(182,8,'2019-06-07 08:59:24','2019-06-07 08:59:24','<img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman-austria-logo.jpg\" alt=\"Ironman Austria Logo\" width=\"220\" height=\"82\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-154\" /> \r\n\r\n<h6 class=\"text-center\" id=\"athletic-event\">Sunday June 29, 2014<br>\r\n2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, 26.2 mile run</h6>\r\n\r\nMy time was 13:32:36.  A new PR for me.\r\nFor the details, please read the story below.\r\nThank you\r\n\r\n<strong><u>GETTING THERE</u></strong><br>\r\nIt started with a 12 hour flight from Los Angeles to Frankfurt going via Dallas. There was 3 hour delay in Dallas so it took even longer. I thought that I had missed my train connection in Frankfurt. Fortunately I got through customs very quickly.  35 minutes from arriving at the game, I was not only able to get through customs but pick up my bags, take a bus to the train station, then re-book my ticket and make my train with 5 minutes to spare!  Of course being able to speak German helped out a lot with getting directions. Then a 3 hour train ride to Munich where I switched trains and then a four hour train ride to Klagenfurt, Austria.  The views from the train in southern Germany and Austria were spectacular.\r\nThe next days were just getting settled in. Usually I\'m a very good sleeper but unfortunately, for about 4 days, I was unable to sleep a lot at night. I tried to make up with this naps during the day.  Sunday would come all too quickly. \r\nThe rest of the pre-event days were spent meeting everybody, seeing the triathlon expo and having a chance to swim in the lake and then take a van ride around part of the biking course. When my bike did arrive (I had it shipped), I rode it for about 20 miles and then had the mechanic adjust it slightly. The rest of the time was spent trying to stay calm and relaxed while not working out a lot.\r\n\r\nSaturday we checked in at the race which included leaving your bike and all your gear. The race number paper for my bike did not fit properly and I was advised not to tamper with it and ask an official when I went to check in my bike. When I got out of the van at the check in point I realized that I have left the number back in the hotel. In German I asked one of the check in officials what he could do about it. He said he could not do anything and that I would have to go to the registration area to have a thing done. Not an easy thing to do as it was one a mile away and I had all my gear with me in bags, so walking the bike would not be an easy thing. So I opted to go back to the van and have them take me back and get the number. As I was walking away one of the spectators came up to me and said in German that someone wants to talk to you back from where I came. I looked back and saw someone standing there who had a race official badge around his neck. So I walked back (not an easy thing to do with several thousand people there) and asked him in German if he could do anything about this. He said no problem he could help me. I was surprised as the first guy had said no. I asked again if he was sure about this since my van ride was about to leave. He turned over his badge which and it said race director.  He said \"I\'m the boss and I can do it for you\".  And within minutes everything was taken care of. He told me he travels to the states sometimes so I gave my card told him to look me up. He said he would.\r\nAll’s well that ends well. Plus a good omen for the race.\r\n\r\n\r\n<strong><u>RACE DAY</u></strong><br>\r\nI got up at my usual time of 3:30 am. Breakfast is at four am and we leave for the race at 4:45am. It was about 58 degrees (heading into the 70\'s) and very clear and no signs of rain. It has rained the last 2 days on and off so this was a good thing. Got to the transition area and prepped my bike for the last time. This is always a very exciting time with 3000 athletes plus spectators trying to stay calm. Since it was about a 500 meter walk to the water, we all took our wetsuits and changed over by the lake.\r\nAt the lake we were greeted by a rainbow over the lake.  It was very beautiful and again a good omen. In a short time, we were already go. The pros and another group of 800 people started 15 minutes early. These early starting non-pros for had signed up to start early. I missed this sign up and at first I was disappointed as I am a very strong swimmer. But Ken Glah, the former pro triathlete whose company I travel with, found out it was a good thing as I would be the fastest in the next group of 2200 athletes and not all bunched up with the fast group (it gets very jammed up at the beginning of the swim).\r\nSo after many months of training, I was ready to start my fourth Ironman. I was dedicating this race to two people.\r\nOn my left arm I had head initials JP written. This was in memory of my friend Jeff Patterson. Dr Jeff started me off in the wonderful world Prolotherapy which helped save my back from surgery. He was my mentor and dear friend and died much too early only a few months ago at the age of 67.\r\nOn my right arm I had the initials FFF, for my father Fred F. Fields. Simply put, he was everything in the world to me. He would have been so proud of me, as he always was. It was with great honor and pride that I am able to call myself his son.  He died almost 10 years ago and there is not one day that goes by that I do not think of him.\r\n\r\n\r\n<strong><u>THE SWIM</u></strong><br>\r\nEven with 800 starting early, there still was 2200 starting in this pack. Since there were definitely going to be some really fast swimmers in this group,  I decided to stay behind the first group of people and go off a bit slower. The strategy worked to my advantage as I was able to answer save a little energy at the beginning. Once I got out about 400 or 500 meters I was able to get into my stride and swim well. It did get a little crowded but I was able to stay with the pack. This is good as when we turned back towards shore, we entered a canal that is about 1000 meters long. I had been warned that it can be extremely crowded in the canal and one can\'t really move at all. But due to the fact that I was with first group of only about 150 people there was plenty of room. In triathlons one lifts their head every four or five strokes to sight the land and make sure you are going straight (unlike in a pool, there are no black lines on the bottom of the lake!!).  When I picked up my head, I could see the sides of the canal where there were probably over 1000 people lining the canal yelling and cheering. This really was a unique experience as normally one can see or hear nothing\r\nWhen I got about 100 meters towards the end it got a little jammed up and I was not really  able  to  move ahead quickly or left or right. You just had to stay with the pack. Either way, I excited the water at a little over one hour and six minutes, which turned out to be first place in my age group (a first for me).  And there were no wetsuit strippers (volunteers who strip your wetsuit off you when you lay down on your back). So we just pulled the wetsuit off our shoulders and ran about 500 meters to transition one (T1), where we had to pull the rest of our wetsuits off (not an easy thing) and get ready for biking.\r\n\r\n\r\n<strong><u>THE BIKE</u></strong>\r\n\r\n<img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/bike-race2014.jpg\" alt=\"Bike Race2014\" width=\"382\" height=\"512\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-170\" />As one exits the T1 area, there were over a thousand people cheering us on.  We rode down a street for about 300 meters and made a U-turn back so the street was heavily lined with spectators. It was a beautiful day, sunny and probably about mid to upper sixty\'s with no clouds in sight.  As usual I did not eat anything after the swim for about 15 minutes to allow the blood to get into my legs. At the beginning this route is mostly flat with lots of curves going around the lake. As we left lake we went into the small town where there was a traffic circle and after that is where we started our first big hill climb.  At the traffic circle there was one of the race announcers announcing the race and cheering us on along with the spectators. And in all the small towns there were lots of people standing on the streets watching and cheering. As we started the steepest part of this climb, the street was lined with people probably 5 or6 deep on either side cheering and screaming to encourage us to get up the hill. This part was a big loop so we did not come back the same way. Going back was long downhill, so we went fast except for the towns where we had to make small turns which meant we had to slow down. All along here we had spectacular views of the mountains. At mile 45 or 46 miles, we started the biggest climb up the Ruperberg mountain.  As we approached this mountain climb, we made a sharp left in town and started going up. There were 100\'s of people lining the street and cheering us on along with a big loud speaker with a dj playing music. It was not too long but very steep. And again at the top were a lot of people and another dj play playing music over really big loud speakers. Then it was mostly downhill back to town to start a second loop.  As I came down the hill, I saw a large bee coming right at me. This happens quite often on the bike. I felt it hit my right shoulder and bounce. I suddenly felt a sharp sting in my left thigh this was under my bike shorts. I rolled back my bike shorts and there was a big red welt. It hurt but there was nothing I could do about. I just blocked it out of my mind. The pain subsided after about 15 or 20 minutes and I just went on with the race.\r\n\r\nAs we came into town they had us make a180 degree turn again (like at the beginning) so we hat to really slow down But this was good thing as the street leading to this turn was lined with thousands of spectators cheering us on.  Occasionally at this point and other ones where there was an announcer I would hear \"and here is Peter from the United States\".  Always nice to hear to keep one going. My usual time is about 3hrs 25 mins for half of the ride but this time I did it in 3 hours 10 mins. I was feeling very good.\r\n\r\nAs we started back out on the second loop, I stopped at special needs and refueled myself. Special needs is where one can leave a bag that morning of anything they may want or need at that point. It is at the halfway point of the bike and another one at the halfway point of the run.  I tossed my fuel bottle out and took a new one from the bag I had left. I also resupplied myself with my gels and other nutrition. I carry my own nutrition so as not to try anything new on race day.  When I tossed the bottle away, it rolled to the feet of the small boy about 6 or 7 years old. His mom looked at him.  He just looked at it. I told him, in German, here\'s a present for you.  Take it home and clean it! It is yours. He just smiled at me as he reached for it.\r\nThen 8 miles into the second loop miles drizzle started that got a bit heavier with time. Now the streets were wet and there were puddles. This meant we all had to slow down.\r\nAll in all, it went well on the second loop.  The crowds were less due to the rain but there were, still crowds out there. At about mile 80 my stomach had a little bit of trouble. Nothing big, just that I could not eat for about 20 or 30 minutes. But I got over it without any problems. \r\nMy second loop time was a bit slower due to the rain.\r\n It was 3 hours in 25 minutes. All in all I felt strong for the run. This was a good thing.\r\nIn town near T2, the crowds were there cheering loudly.\r\n\r\nGot off my bike in and ran thru the transition area to rack my bike. It was good to be off the bike after 112 miles.  Got my running shoes on and started off to run a marathon.\r\n\r\nPS several places on the bike course (and later on the run course) there were people from Endurance Sports Travel. This is the group I went with. They were cheering me on loudly. This was much appreciated.\r\n\r\n\r\n<p><strong><u>THE RUN</u></strong></p>\r\n\r\n<img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/running-smile.jpg\" alt=\"Running Smile\" width=\"335\" height=\"504\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-174\" />When one leaves transition area two (T2) in an Ironman, you cannot think marathon. You just say are running from here to there and play this mental games with yourself the whole way. It was warm and sunny and about 75 degrees but not too hot. Plus there was tree cover on at least 60% of the run course. The run was a double loop. It was actually a figure 8 that we had to do twice. So therefore I would pass the finish line 4 times. In this area were thousands of people yelling and screaming. After a mile or two, I started to feel a bit tired in my legs. So I just told myself I would run to the end the first turn around about 4.5 miles out. I had my Garmin (GPS) on so I was able to see my pace and keep it where I knew I could maintain it. We ran along the lake the beginning of each loop, so although brief, it was a nice view. After only 2.5 miles, I came upon a woman that was having trouble running so I ran for a little bit with her to keep her going. At 4.5 miles we turned around and headed back to town. Now I felt strong again and my legs were loosening up. In training I had problems with my foot and also slightly with my hamstring (the hamstring had been my Achilles heel in the last two races).  I trained part of the time in the water for my run (deep water running).  This was very helpful as it took the stress of these two areas.  At this point everything was good and I had no pain.  As we passed through the finish line area (middle of the figure eight), we headed out again along a canal. Then we ran under a small foot bridge and onto a small (in width) cobblestone street lined with houses. We ran along this for about 3/4 of a mile then into the town square. People were sitting in cafes and cheering us on. Lots and lots of people. It was about 6 or 7 o\'clock at night and since the sun stays up until about 9 o\'clock the cafes are very, very crowded. We continued on into the town square where there was a large TV screen where people were watching football (soccer). Here we turned to begin the last part of the figure eight and run back to the starting area. I got back to starting point again and got my special needs bag - some extra nutrition. On the second loop my stomach started to feel little funny.  This is something that is very common with Ironman triathletes. Mine only lasted about again 15 or 20 minutes. Many runners were walking due to this or muscle cramps, dehydration or other things. I felt fairly lucky.  I would cheer these fellow athlete on when I went past them and told them to just keep going. Everyone appreciates that. I had been in their situation in the past and know what it feels like when someone gives you a shout of support.\r\n\r\nI just kept telling myself to keep going.  One foot after another...just keep going... Part of the way it was shady so that helped a lot too. The sun stays up until 9 o’clock so it never went down while I was running. Mile 18, I got a second wind. Felt very upbeat and in a good place so I was able to pick up pace.\r\nAt that point I started to run alongside someone a little bit faster than me. After only two miles, I could not keep up with him and told him so. He told me that you normally he runs a lot faster but not today. He told me to try to stay with him and we could talk so the time with go faster. So for the rest of the marathon (about 6 miles), we ran together. We ran back along the canal and into the city square again where there still lots of people. His pace was definitely faster than I would have gone but he was pushing me thru all the aches and pains one has after racing for over 13 hours. There was a small archway as one entered into the city square. There was a small bell on a string that it was hanging from. If you rung the bell (by tapping it with your hand) they would donate money to charity, so I rang it every time I passed it. At the final turn around, it was very exciting knowing that I only had 3 miles left. I had never developed any pain from my foot or my hamstring. And I was very pleased with my run. The guy I was running with and I just kept talking. He was from Prague where I was going after the race so we were going to exchange numbers after we finished. So as we got near the finish line area, the noise of the crowd got louder and louder. Since they take your picture as you cross the finish line, he said I should go ahead of him to be alone. I thanked him very much for helping me along.\r\n\r\nSo at about 100 meters away, I took off from him. The crowd was very loud; almost deafening. There was a cheerleading squad there along with photographers and a local TV crew. As one comes with closer to the finish line, the noise level is incredible with cheering, cowbells and more. I then heard the announcer say:\r\n<strong>\"Peter Fields, you are an Ironman!\"</strong>\r\n\r\nThe feeling one has when you hear that never gets old.\r\nI was exhausted but very elated. The feeling I had is indescribable.\r\nAnd at 13 hrs. 32 minutes and 36 seconds I had a new personal best for me by 18 minutes\r\nMy friend I met on the run the finished right behind me. I then met his wife and three kids.\r\nAfter a few minutes of walking around it was off to the massage tent and get some food.\r\n\r\nPS I finished around 8:30 pm. At 9 pm the sky opened up and it rained hard for about an hour.\r\n I was very fortunate not to go through that.\r\n\r\nI want to make everybody who took the time and effort to watch the update that were on the internet during the race. I appreciate every one of you. And for everyone else, your thoughts and cheers before and after the race were heard. There are lots and lots of people I need to thank but the list is too long. You know who you are and a big thank you goes out to all.\r\nCollectively, I want to thank massage therapist, my acupuncturist and my chiropractor. You all helped get me through.  And wonderful office staff who always took a great interest in what I was doing and put up with my long workouts that made me late sometimes.\r\n\r\nThere a few individuals that need to be singled out individually.\r\n I want to thank my coach, Cherie Gruenfeld, as she pushed me hard and helped me a lot.\r\n\r\nAnd then there is the world’s best podiatrist, Dr Dan Altchuler. Without his help and caring, my foot would have never made it through the race. \r\n\r\nI want to thank my very special friend Angela Past.  Several years ago she got me into this wonderful world of Ironman triathlons (she became an Ironman before I did).  She actually got up in the middle of the night in California to follow me as the race began at 10pm west coast time.  Wow!  Thank you so much for your emotional support when I needed it the most.\r\n\r\nAnd last but not least, I want to thank my mom and dad as they taught me not to give up even when the times get tough. And although my dad is no longer with us, his thoughts are with me in spirit every day.  My mom is 88 years young and is active and vibrant. She\'s an inspiration to me every day.  She has never lost faith in me and my abilities... Thank you mom!\r\n\r\n<strong>Thank you all again for your well wishes and support.</strong>\r\n\r\n<h6><span style=\"font-size: 18px;\">Peter A. Fields, MD DC</span></h6>\r\n<h6><span style=\"font-size: 18px;\">The Athletic Doc®&nbsp;and 4X Ironman Triathlete</span></h6>\r\n\r\n','Race Report 4th Ironman','','inherit','closed','closed','','153-revision-v1','','','2019-06-07 08:59:24','2019-06-07 08:59:24','',153,'https://www.drfields.com/uncategorized/153-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(183,8,'2019-06-07 09:00:30','2019-06-07 09:00:30','<img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman-austria-logo.jpg\" alt=\"Ironman Austria Logo\" width=\"220\" height=\"82\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-154\" /> \r\n\r\n<h6 class=\"text-center\" id=\"athletic-event\">Sunday June 29, 2014<br>\r\n2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, 26.2 mile run</h6>\r\n\r\nMy time was 13:32:36.  A new PR for me.\r\nFor the details, please read the story below.\r\nThank you\r\n\r\n<strong><u>GETTING THERE</u></strong><br>\r\nIt started with a 12 hour flight from Los Angeles to Frankfurt going via Dallas. There was 3 hour delay in Dallas so it took even longer. I thought that I had missed my train connection in Frankfurt. Fortunately I got through customs very quickly.  35 minutes from arriving at the game, I was not only able to get through customs but pick up my bags, take a bus to the train station, then re-book my ticket and make my train with 5 minutes to spare!  Of course being able to speak German helped out a lot with getting directions. Then a 3 hour train ride to Munich where I switched trains and then a four hour train ride to Klagenfurt, Austria.  The views from the train in southern Germany and Austria were spectacular.\r\nThe next days were just getting settled in. Usually I\'m a very good sleeper but unfortunately, for about 4 days, I was unable to sleep a lot at night. I tried to make up with this naps during the day.  Sunday would come all too quickly. \r\nThe rest of the pre-event days were spent meeting everybody, seeing the triathlon expo and having a chance to swim in the lake and then take a van ride around part of the biking course. When my bike did arrive (I had it shipped), I rode it for about 20 miles and then had the mechanic adjust it slightly. The rest of the time was spent trying to stay calm and relaxed while not working out a lot.\r\n\r\nSaturday we checked in at the race which included leaving your bike and all your gear. The race number paper for my bike did not fit properly and I was advised not to tamper with it and ask an official when I went to check in my bike. When I got out of the van at the check in point I realized that I have left the number back in the hotel. In German I asked one of the check in officials what he could do about it. He said he could not do anything and that I would have to go to the registration area to have a thing done. Not an easy thing to do as it was one a mile away and I had all my gear with me in bags, so walking the bike would not be an easy thing. So I opted to go back to the van and have them take me back and get the number. As I was walking away one of the spectators came up to me and said in German that someone wants to talk to you back from where I came. I looked back and saw someone standing there who had a race official badge around his neck. So I walked back (not an easy thing to do with several thousand people there) and asked him in German if he could do anything about this. He said no problem he could help me. I was surprised as the first guy had said no. I asked again if he was sure about this since my van ride was about to leave. He turned over his badge which and it said race director.  He said \"I\'m the boss and I can do it for you\".  And within minutes everything was taken care of. He told me he travels to the states sometimes so I gave my card told him to look me up. He said he would.\r\nAll’s well that ends well. Plus a good omen for the race.\r\n\r\n\r\n<strong><u>RACE DAY</u></strong><br>\r\nI got up at my usual time of 3:30 am. Breakfast is at four am and we leave for the race at 4:45am. It was about 58 degrees (heading into the 70\'s) and very clear and no signs of rain. It has rained the last 2 days on and off so this was a good thing. Got to the transition area and prepped my bike for the last time. This is always a very exciting time with 3000 athletes plus spectators trying to stay calm. Since it was about a 500 meter walk to the water, we all took our wetsuits and changed over by the lake.\r\nAt the lake we were greeted by a rainbow over the lake.  It was very beautiful and again a good omen. In a short time, we were already go. The pros and another group of 800 people started 15 minutes early. These early starting non-pros for had signed up to start early. I missed this sign up and at first I was disappointed as I am a very strong swimmer. But Ken Glah, the former pro triathlete whose company I travel with, found out it was a good thing as I would be the fastest in the next group of 2200 athletes and not all bunched up with the fast group (it gets very jammed up at the beginning of the swim).\r\nSo after many months of training, I was ready to start my fourth Ironman. I was dedicating this race to two people.\r\nOn my left arm I had head initials JP written. This was in memory of my friend Jeff Patterson. Dr Jeff started me off in the wonderful world Prolotherapy which helped save my back from surgery. He was my mentor and dear friend and died much too early only a few months ago at the age of 67.\r\nOn my right arm I had the initials FFF, for my father Fred F. Fields. Simply put, he was everything in the world to me. He would have been so proud of me, as he always was. It was with great honor and pride that I am able to call myself his son.  He died almost 10 years ago and there is not one day that goes by that I do not think of him.\r\n\r\n\r\n<strong><u>THE SWIM</u></strong><br>\r\nEven with 800 starting early, there still was 2200 starting in this pack. Since there were definitely going to be some really fast swimmers in this group,  I decided to stay behind the first group of people and go off a bit slower. The strategy worked to my advantage as I was able to answer save a little energy at the beginning. Once I got out about 400 or 500 meters I was able to get into my stride and swim well. It did get a little crowded but I was able to stay with the pack. This is good as when we turned back towards shore, we entered a canal that is about 1000 meters long. I had been warned that it can be extremely crowded in the canal and one can\'t really move at all. But due to the fact that I was with first group of only about 150 people there was plenty of room. In triathlons one lifts their head every four or five strokes to sight the land and make sure you are going straight (unlike in a pool, there are no black lines on the bottom of the lake!!).  When I picked up my head, I could see the sides of the canal where there were probably over 1000 people lining the canal yelling and cheering. This really was a unique experience as normally one can see or hear nothing\r\nWhen I got about 100 meters towards the end it got a little jammed up and I was not really  able  to  move ahead quickly or left or right. You just had to stay with the pack. Either way, I excited the water at a little over one hour and six minutes, which turned out to be first place in my age group (a first for me).  And there were no wetsuit strippers (volunteers who strip your wetsuit off you when you lay down on your back). So we just pulled the wetsuit off our shoulders and ran about 500 meters to transition one (T1), where we had to pull the rest of our wetsuits off (not an easy thing) and get ready for biking.\r\n\r\n\r\n<strong><u>THE BIKE</u></strong>\r\n\r\n<img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/bike-race2014.jpg\" alt=\"Bike Race2014\" width=\"382\" height=\"512\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-170\" />As one exits the T1 area, there were over a thousand people cheering us on.  We rode down a street for about 300 meters and made a U-turn back so the street was heavily lined with spectators. It was a beautiful day, sunny and probably about mid to upper sixty\'s with no clouds in sight.  As usual I did not eat anything after the swim for about 15 minutes to allow the blood to get into my legs. At the beginning this route is mostly flat with lots of curves going around the lake. As we left lake we went into the small town where there was a traffic circle and after that is where we started our first big hill climb.  At the traffic circle there was one of the race announcers announcing the race and cheering us on along with the spectators. And in all the small towns there were lots of people standing on the streets watching and cheering. As we started the steepest part of this climb, the street was lined with people probably 5 or6 deep on either side cheering and screaming to encourage us to get up the hill. This part was a big loop so we did not come back the same way. Going back was long downhill, so we went fast except for the towns where we had to make small turns which meant we had to slow down. All along here we had spectacular views of the mountains. At mile 45 or 46 miles, we started the biggest climb up the Ruperberg mountain.  As we approached this mountain climb, we made a sharp left in town and started going up. There were 100\'s of people lining the street and cheering us on along with a big loud speaker with a dj playing music. It was not too long but very steep. And again at the top were a lot of people and another dj play playing music over really big loud speakers. Then it was mostly downhill back to town to start a second loop.  As I came down the hill, I saw a large bee coming right at me. This happens quite often on the bike. I felt it hit my right shoulder and bounce. I suddenly felt a sharp sting in my left thigh this was under my bike shorts. I rolled back my bike shorts and there was a big red welt. It hurt but there was nothing I could do about. I just blocked it out of my mind. The pain subsided after about 15 or 20 minutes and I just went on with the race.\r\n\r\nAs we came into town they had us make a180 degree turn again (like at the beginning) so we hat to really slow down But this was good thing as the street leading to this turn was lined with thousands of spectators cheering us on.  Occasionally at this point and other ones where there was an announcer I would hear \"and here is Peter from the United States\".  Always nice to hear to keep one going. My usual time is about 3hrs 25 mins for half of the ride but this time I did it in 3 hours 10 mins. I was feeling very good.\r\n\r\nAs we started back out on the second loop, I stopped at special needs and refueled myself. Special needs is where one can leave a bag that morning of anything they may want or need at that point. It is at the halfway point of the bike and another one at the halfway point of the run.  I tossed my fuel bottle out and took a new one from the bag I had left. I also resupplied myself with my gels and other nutrition. I carry my own nutrition so as not to try anything new on race day.  When I tossed the bottle away, it rolled to the feet of the small boy about 6 or 7 years old. His mom looked at him.  He just looked at it. I told him, in German, here\'s a present for you.  Take it home and clean it! It is yours. He just smiled at me as he reached for it.\r\nThen 8 miles into the second loop miles drizzle started that got a bit heavier with time. Now the streets were wet and there were puddles. This meant we all had to slow down.\r\nAll in all, it went well on the second loop.  The crowds were less due to the rain but there were, still crowds out there. At about mile 80 my stomach had a little bit of trouble. Nothing big, just that I could not eat for about 20 or 30 minutes. But I got over it without any problems. \r\nMy second loop time was a bit slower due to the rain.\r\n It was 3 hours in 25 minutes. All in all I felt strong for the run. This was a good thing.\r\nIn town near T2, the crowds were there cheering loudly.\r\n\r\nGot off my bike in and ran thru the transition area to rack my bike. It was good to be off the bike after 112 miles.  Got my running shoes on and started off to run a marathon.\r\n\r\nPS several places on the bike course (and later on the run course) there were people from Endurance Sports Travel. This is the group I went with. They were cheering me on loudly. This was much appreciated.\r\n\r\n\r\n<p><strong><u>THE RUN</u></strong></p>\r\n\r\n<img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/running-smile.jpg\" alt=\"Running Smile\" width=\"335\" height=\"504\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-174\" />When one leaves transition area two (T2) in an Ironman, you cannot think marathon. You just say are running from here to there and play this mental games with yourself the whole way. It was warm and sunny and about 75 degrees but not too hot. Plus there was tree cover on at least 60% of the run course. The run was a double loop. It was actually a figure 8 that we had to do twice. So therefore I would pass the finish line 4 times. In this area were thousands of people yelling and screaming. After a mile or two, I started to feel a bit tired in my legs. So I just told myself I would run to the end the first turn around about 4.5 miles out. I had my Garmin (GPS) on so I was able to see my pace and keep it where I knew I could maintain it. We ran along the lake the beginning of each loop, so although brief, it was a nice view. After only 2.5 miles, I came upon a woman that was having trouble running so I ran for a little bit with her to keep her going. At 4.5 miles we turned around and headed back to town. Now I felt strong again and my legs were loosening up. In training I had problems with my foot and also slightly with my hamstring (the hamstring had been my Achilles heel in the last two races).  I trained part of the time in the water for my run (deep water running).  This was very helpful as it took the stress of these two areas.  At this point everything was good and I had no pain.  As we passed through the finish line area (middle of the figure eight), we headed out again along a canal. Then we ran under a small foot bridge and onto a small (in width) cobblestone street lined with houses. We ran along this for about 3/4 of a mile then into the town square. People were sitting in cafes and cheering us on. Lots and lots of people. It was about 6 or 7 o\'clock at night and since the sun stays up until about 9 o\'clock the cafes are very, very crowded. We continued on into the town square where there was a large TV screen where people were watching football (soccer). Here we turned to begin the last part of the figure eight and run back to the starting area. I got back to starting point again and got my special needs bag - some extra nutrition. On the second loop my stomach started to feel little funny.  This is something that is very common with Ironman triathletes. Mine only lasted about again 15 or 20 minutes. Many runners were walking due to this or muscle cramps, dehydration or other things. I felt fairly lucky.  I would cheer these fellow athlete on when I went past them and told them to just keep going. Everyone appreciates that. I had been in their situation in the past and know what it feels like when someone gives you a shout of support.\r\n\r\nI just kept telling myself to keep going.  One foot after another...just keep going... Part of the way it was shady so that helped a lot too. The sun stays up until 9 o’clock so it never went down while I was running. Mile 18, I got a second wind. Felt very upbeat and in a good place so I was able to pick up pace.\r\nAt that point I started to run alongside someone a little bit faster than me. After only two miles, I could not keep up with him and told him so. He told me that you normally he runs a lot faster but not today. He told me to try to stay with him and we could talk so the time with go faster. So for the rest of the marathon (about 6 miles), we ran together. We ran back along the canal and into the city square again where there still lots of people. His pace was definitely faster than I would have gone but he was pushing me thru all the aches and pains one has after racing for over 13 hours. There was a small archway as one entered into the city square. There was a small bell on a string that it was hanging from. If you rung the bell (by tapping it with your hand) they would donate money to charity, so I rang it every time I passed it. At the final turn around, it was very exciting knowing that I only had 3 miles left. I had never developed any pain from my foot or my hamstring. And I was very pleased with my run. The guy I was running with and I just kept talking. He was from Prague where I was going after the race so we were going to exchange numbers after we finished. So as we got near the finish line area, the noise of the crowd got louder and louder. Since they take your picture as you cross the finish line, he said I should go ahead of him to be alone. I thanked him very much for helping me along.\r\n\r\nSo at about 100 meters away, I took off from him. The crowd was very loud; almost deafening. There was a cheerleading squad there along with photographers and a local TV crew. As one comes with closer to the finish line, the noise level is incredible with cheering, cowbells and more. I then heard the announcer say:\r\n<strong>\"Peter Fields, you are an Ironman!\"</strong>\r\n\r\nThe feeling one has when you hear that never gets old.\r\nI was exhausted but very elated. The feeling I had is indescribable.\r\nAnd at 13 hrs. 32 minutes and 36 seconds I had a new personal best for me by 18 minutes\r\nMy friend I met on the run the finished right behind me. I then met his wife and three kids.\r\nAfter a few minutes of walking around it was off to the massage tent and get some food.\r\n\r\nPS I finished around 8:30 pm. At 9 pm the sky opened up and it rained hard for about an hour.\r\n I was very fortunate not to go through that.\r\n\r\nI want to make everybody who took the time and effort to watch the update that were on the internet during the race. I appreciate every one of you. And for everyone else, your thoughts and cheers before and after the race were heard. There are lots and lots of people I need to thank but the list is too long. You know who you are and a big thank you goes out to all.\r\nCollectively, I want to thank massage therapist, my acupuncturist and my chiropractor. You all helped get me through.  And wonderful office staff who always took a great interest in what I was doing and put up with my long workouts that made me late sometimes.\r\n\r\nThere a few individuals that need to be singled out individually.\r\n I want to thank my coach, Cherie Gruenfeld, as she pushed me hard and helped me a lot.\r\n\r\nAnd then there is the world’s best podiatrist, Dr Dan Altchuler. Without his help and caring, my foot would have never made it through the race. \r\n\r\nI want to thank my very special friend Angela Past.  Several years ago she got me into this wonderful world of Ironman triathlons (she became an Ironman before I did).  She actually got up in the middle of the night in California to follow me as the race began at 10pm west coast time.  Wow!  Thank you so much for your emotional support when I needed it the most.\r\n\r\nAnd last but not least, I want to thank my mom and dad as they taught me not to give up even when the times get tough. And although my dad is no longer with us, his thoughts are with me in spirit every day.  My mom is 88 years young and is active and vibrant. She\'s an inspiration to me every day.  She has never lost faith in me and my abilities... Thank you mom!\r\n\r\n<strong>Thank you all again for your well wishes and support.</strong>\r\n\r\n<h6>Peter A. Fields, MD DC<br>\r\nThe Athletic Doc®&nbsp;and 4X Ironman Triathlete</h6>\r\n\r\n','Race Report 4th Ironman','','inherit','closed','closed','','153-revision-v1','','','2019-06-07 09:00:30','2019-06-07 09:00:30','',153,'https://www.drfields.com/uncategorized/153-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(184,8,'2019-06-07 09:06:53','2019-06-07 09:06:53','<div class=\"col-md-8\">\r\n<img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman-brazil-logo.png\" alt=\"Ironman Brazil Logo\" width=\"220\" height=\"130\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-185\" />\r\n\r\n<h6 class=\"text-center\">Sunday May 31, 2015<br>\r\n2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, 26.2 mile run</h6>\r\n\r\n<strong class=\"subhead\">GETTING THERE</strong>\r\n\r\nIt is a 12 hour flight nonstop from Los Angeles to Sao Paulo. The flight left at 6:30 p.m. and went smoothly allowing me to get a good nights sleep. It is a four hour difference between Los Angeles and Brazil. After arriving at 11 a.m. in the morning, I waited about six hours and was able to connect on my 5 p.m. flight to Florianopolis.\r\nThe next four days were the usual getting settled in and resting. In addition I would meet many of the competitors that are staying at the guest hotel. The Saturday before the race one must get all ones gear together and leave it down at the transition area. In an Ironman triathlon, all your gear, including your bike, has to be in the transition area on the Saturday before the race. I also took a van tour of the bike course so I could become familiar with it. Sunday morning the only thing one brings down to the start are the things that you\'re going to swim with including your wetsuit. You are also allowed to bring down 2 bags with special needs for half way on the bike and half way through the run. Here you put any food or other gear that you might want during the race and they are placed at the appropriate half way marks.\r\n\r\n<strong class=\"subhead\">RACE DAY</strong>\r\n\r\n<img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman-brazil-swim-2.jpg\" alt=\"Ironman Brazil Swim 2\" width=\"160\" height=\"301\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-187\" />I woke at my usual time of 3:30 a.m. This allows me plenty of time to have breakfast, stretch out and get all the final gear in place. And I then arrived at the transition area about 4:30 a.m. At this point it’s just about keeping one\'s nerves down, getting your tires pumped on your bike and making all final checks of your gear for the day. Then we headed down to the ocean. It was about a 10 to 15 minute walk down to the starting point on the beach. The swim was in the ocean (Atlantic that is!). Everybody is trying to just keep their nerves down. Before heading down, I had someone take a picture of me. On my right arm I put the initials of my beloved mother, Yvette Simon Fields, who passed away last August. On my left arm I had the initials of my 89 year old uncle, Andre Jamar, who lives in Belgium and had just spent 30 days in the hospital and had recovered successfully. And on my stomach I had the initials of my dear father, Fred F. Fields, who I lost 11 years ago. All three of them would be in my heart during the race. This was very inspiring and encouraging for me.\r\n<div class=\"clear\"></div>\r\n<br>\r\n<strong class=\"subhead\">THE SWIM: 2.4 Miles</strong>\r\n\r\n<img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman-brazil-swim.jpg\" alt=\"Ironman Brazil Swim\" width=\"160\" height=\"301\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-190\" />This was a beach start. All 2,000 athletes started at once (approximately 40 pros go off first). Being a very good swimmer, I get right behind the lead pack and go out strong. Even with that, there is always a surge at the beginning with everyone swimming into each other (like salmon spawning up stream!). After several hundred yards, the pack thinned out and I was able to get into my rhythm. I was wearing a wetsuit which irritated my neck and I had to stop several times to readjust it so I would not get a burn mark. In spite of this, I was feeling very good. It was a two loop swim. The first loop was a little longer than the second loop. After the first loop you exited the water, ran about 30 to 40 yards on the sand through the cheering crowds and were handed water by the race volunteers. Although a bit exhausting to run, I found this very encouraging with the crowd yelling and screaming. Then it was back in the water to do a second shorter loop. All along I felt very good. I exited the water and found out later I was only nine seconds behind the leader in my age group. So much for stretching my neck! I was feeling very good. You had to run about 300 to 400 yards to the transition area to get your bike. Right before you got to this area, they had wetsuit strippers there. These are basically volunteers to help you to get off your wetsuit. You peel it down to your waist and when you get there you lay on your back and they just pull it off your legs. This is very helpful as this is a hard part of the transition trying to get the wetsuit off. Then it was off to the change tent to put on my bike shoes, helmet and get going on the bike. \r\n<div class=\"clear\"></div>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<strong class=\"subhead\">THE BIKE: 112 Miles</strong>\r\n\r\n<img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman-brazil-bike.jpg\" alt=\"Ironman Brazil Bike\" width=\"160\" height=\"301\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-191\" />Since it was in the low sixties and I was still wet, I wore a vest and arm warmers ( I get cold easy) as I exited the bike transition area. I later would get rid of all this gear as it went into the upper 60\'s and mid 70\'s. The area right around this transition area, known as T1, is crowded with people yelling and cheering. This is always very encouraging. Then it was on to do the bike ride, which would be two loops of the course. This event turned out to be more of an urban event than the other Ironman Triathlons I had done. That meant we were riding amongst traffic a lot. We did have one lane blocked off just for us but a lot of the time there were cars going by. There was also a total of about four thousand four hundred feet of climbing. But the hills were pretty evenly spread out, so nothing was all at once. Plus we did have some very nice views of the ocean and bays as Florianopolis is an island. I felt very strong on the bike. At one point one of my age group competitors who had seen me in the transition area came up to me on the bike and asked me if I was going to go to Hawaii (the World Championships, where you have to qualify). I laughed and said no, but thanks for the encouragement (going to Hawaii meant that I would finish in the top one or two in my age group which I certainly do not do). Nonetheless, it was very encouraging to hear this as he thought I was biking very well. After the first loop, you ended up back in town with the crowds cheering and yelling. Then it was back out for the second loop. Again, I was feeling very strong. I did stop at special needs to pick up my water bottle with my energy drink in it and some other food. All along I felt very strong and was racing well. I found out later that when I got off the bike I was in 7th place in my age group. This is a big improvement for me as usually the bike is my weakest link and I fall back many places. Then it was into the change tent to change into my running shoes. This time I did not need sunglasses as it had partially clouded over and the sun was not brightly shining. Since it was around 3pm and the sun would set around 5:30pm (it is almost wintertime in the southern hemisphere), this was helpful as after that time you have to put the sunglasses on your hat or somewhere else as you don\'t need them because it gets dark outside. This was also very good as that would mean it would not get too hot and one would not get sunburned.\r\n\r\n<strong class=\"subhead\">THE RUN: 26.2 Miles</strong>\r\n\r\n<img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman-brazil-running.jpg\" alt=\"Ironman Brazil Running\" width=\"160\" height=\"301\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-197\" />As we started to run out of the transition area, there were lots of crowds. They would eventually dissipate and you would just be running with the other triathletes. After only a mile, my feet started to bother me. I had to stop and readjust my shoes several times. I even put on little toe gel caps that help protect your toes. After several miles I knew that this was going to be a tough day as somehow I was having pains in my feet which I had never experienced before. At about mile two and a half miles, there was an extremely steep hill that most people had to walk up. On the way back this hill was so steep that you also had to walk down. It was not that long, so it wasn\'t that bad. The first loop was out and back. It was 6.5 mile each way, so when done this is the first 13 miles. I tried to put the pain in my feet out of my mind and keep going. It was slowing me down, but I just kept moving forward. I also kept smiling as all-in-all I was just happy to be out there competing. Plus smiling makes me feel good on the inside. In the next few miles, I had to stop several more times to readjust my shoes. By the end of the first loop, I knew this was not going to be an easy day. For the next 10 kilometers (6.2 miles), I pushed myself very hard to stay in the game. I thought of my mother, my father and my uncle whose names I had written on my body. They’ve all had tough struggles in their lives and just kept going, so I did too. Their strength kept me going through this very tough time. Of course now it was after 6:30pm and it was dark. I had now completed 13 miles and knew and if I could just get past the next 6.2 mile (10 kilometer) segment, I would be able to finish the race. I pushed hard and kept my focus. After getting thru this segment, I knew I was good to go and had only one more loop to the finish line.\r\n\r\nI had to walk and run at times due to the pain I was having in my feet, but you just put it out of your mind and keep going. Finally, as I rounded the corner and could see the finish line, I knew I had done it. This was my 5th Ironman and probably the toughest one, at least on the run. Ironman races are all about staying in the game and I had conquered this one. As I crossed the finish line and they said:\r\n\"Peter Fields, you are an Ironman”,\r\nI knew it was all worthwhile. \r\n\r\n\r\n<strong class=\"subhead\">FINAL THOUGHTS</strong>\r\n\r\n<img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman-brazil-finish-200x200.jpg\" alt=\"Ironman Brazil Finish\" width=\"200\" height=\"200\" class=\"alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-199\" />My race may have been slowed down by the problems I had on the run, but I was never discouraged. As my former coach told me, Ironman races are all about damage control. That thought helped me get through this race. I was very pleased that I did not get the two most common problems that affect athletes in an Ironman: stomach problems and/or mechanical problems on the bike.\r\nI felt exhausted and drained but nevertheless very satisfied to have finished my 5th Ironman. Some may ask why I punish my body? I was not punishing it; just challenging it. When one is prepared, it is not a punishment. Plus an Ironman is as much a mental challenge as a physical one.\r\n\r\nI leave you with a quote by the author Viktor Frankl, MD, holocaust survivor and world famous author from his book Man\'s Search For Meaning, which was my dad\'s favorite:\r\n\"Life can be pulled by goals just as surely as it can be pushed by drives.\"\r\n\r\nThere are too many to name, but I want to thank everybody out there who followed me during this race and offered me encouragement. I’d also like to thank everyone else who has written to me and even just thought about me before, during and/or after the race.\r\n\r\nThis race was dedicated to my mother who I lost last year, to my father who I lost 11 years ago and to my uncle who, at 89yo, survived a very tough time recently being in the hospital for 30 days. All three of them have meant a lot to me during my life and have encouraged me to never give up.\r\n\r\nLastly, a big shout out to my brother Norman. No matter where I have raced, he has always followed me the entire race on the computer. I heard him cheering me on the whole way; he has never forgotten his little brother.\r\nThanks bro!\r\n\r\n<strong>Peter A. Fields, MD DC<br>\r\nThe Athletic Doc<sup>®</sup> and 5X Ironman Triathlete</strong>\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"col-md-4\" id=\"sidebar2\">\r\n\r\n<a class=\"youtube\" href=\"https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-qqF2d40Tw\"><img alt=\"2015 Ironman Brazil Finish\" title=\"2015 Ironman Brazil Finish\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman-brazil-finish-1.jpg\"></a>\r\n<strong><em>2015 Ironman Brazil Finish</em></strong>\r\n<br>\r\n<em><strong style=\"color: #3dbc5e;\">Click image above to view video</strong></em></p>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"clear\">\r\n<a href=\"https://photos.app.goo.gl/l3vcnRmnAzjUIFjy1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">2015 Cozumel<br>\r\nClick For More Photos</a>\r\n\r\nClick below for Pictures &amp; Story&nbsp;\r\n<a href=\"/About/The-Athletic-Doc/Race-Report-9th-Ironman\"><strong style=\"color: #cc0000;\">2017 Ironman Santa Rosa</strong></a>\r\n<a href=\"/About/The-Athletic-Doc/Race-Report-8th-Ironman\"><strong style=\"color: #cc0000;\">2016 Ironman Cozumel</strong></a>\r\n<a href=\"/About/The-Athletic-Doc/Race-Report-7th-Ironman\"><strong style=\"color: #cc0000;\">2016 Ironman Switzerland</strong></a>\r\n<a href=\"/About/The-Athletic-Doc/Race-Report-6th-Ironman\"><strong style=\"color: #cc0000;\">2015 Ironman Cozumel</strong></a>\r\n<a href=\"/About/The-Athletic-Doc/Race-Report-5th-Ironman\"><strong style=\"color: #cc0000;\">2015 Ironman Brazil</strong></a>\r\n<a href=\"/About/The-Athletic-Doc/Race-Report-4th-Ironman\"><strong style=\"color: #cc0000;\">2014 Ironman Austria</strong></a>\r\n<a href=\"/About/The-Athletic-Doc/Race-Report-3rd-Ironman\"><strong style=\"color: #cc0000;\">2013 Ironman Canada</strong></a>\r\n<a href=\"/about/the-athletic-doc/race-report-2nd-ironman/\"><strong style=\"color: #cc0000;\">2012 Ironman Cozumel</strong></a>\r\n<a href=\"/about/the-athletic-doc/race-report-1st-ironman/\"><strong style=\"color: #cc0000;\">2011 Ironman Cozumel</strong></a>\r\n\r\n</div>','Race Report 5th Ironman','','publish','open','closed','','race-report-5th-ironman','','','2020-06-30 17:48:36','2020-06-30 17:48:36','',0,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=184',0,'post','',0),(185,8,'2019-06-07 09:02:48','2019-06-07 09:02:48','Ironman Brazil Logo','Ironman Brazil Logo','Ironman Brazil Logo','inherit','open','closed','','ironman-brazil-logo','','','2019-06-07 09:02:48','2019-06-07 09:02:48','',184,'https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman-brazil-logo.png',0,'attachment','image/png',0),(186,8,'2019-06-07 09:03:44','2019-06-07 09:03:44','<img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman-austria-logo.jpg\" alt=\"Ironman Austria Logo\" width=\"220\" height=\"82\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-154\" /> \r\n\r\n<h6 class=\"text-center\">Sunday June 29, 2014<br>\r\n2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, 26.2 mile run</h6>\r\n\r\nMy time was 13:32:36.  A new PR for me.\r\nFor the details, please read the story below.\r\nThank you\r\n\r\n<strong><u>GETTING THERE</u></strong><br>\r\nIt started with a 12 hour flight from Los Angeles to Frankfurt going via Dallas. There was 3 hour delay in Dallas so it took even longer. I thought that I had missed my train connection in Frankfurt. Fortunately I got through customs very quickly.  35 minutes from arriving at the game, I was not only able to get through customs but pick up my bags, take a bus to the train station, then re-book my ticket and make my train with 5 minutes to spare!  Of course being able to speak German helped out a lot with getting directions. Then a 3 hour train ride to Munich where I switched trains and then a four hour train ride to Klagenfurt, Austria.  The views from the train in southern Germany and Austria were spectacular.\r\nThe next days were just getting settled in. Usually I\'m a very good sleeper but unfortunately, for about 4 days, I was unable to sleep a lot at night. I tried to make up with this naps during the day.  Sunday would come all too quickly. \r\nThe rest of the pre-event days were spent meeting everybody, seeing the triathlon expo and having a chance to swim in the lake and then take a van ride around part of the biking course. When my bike did arrive (I had it shipped), I rode it for about 20 miles and then had the mechanic adjust it slightly. The rest of the time was spent trying to stay calm and relaxed while not working out a lot.\r\n\r\nSaturday we checked in at the race which included leaving your bike and all your gear. The race number paper for my bike did not fit properly and I was advised not to tamper with it and ask an official when I went to check in my bike. When I got out of the van at the check in point I realized that I have left the number back in the hotel. In German I asked one of the check in officials what he could do about it. He said he could not do anything and that I would have to go to the registration area to have a thing done. Not an easy thing to do as it was one a mile away and I had all my gear with me in bags, so walking the bike would not be an easy thing. So I opted to go back to the van and have them take me back and get the number. As I was walking away one of the spectators came up to me and said in German that someone wants to talk to you back from where I came. I looked back and saw someone standing there who had a race official badge around his neck. So I walked back (not an easy thing to do with several thousand people there) and asked him in German if he could do anything about this. He said no problem he could help me. I was surprised as the first guy had said no. I asked again if he was sure about this since my van ride was about to leave. He turned over his badge which and it said race director.  He said \"I\'m the boss and I can do it for you\".  And within minutes everything was taken care of. He told me he travels to the states sometimes so I gave my card told him to look me up. He said he would.\r\nAll’s well that ends well. Plus a good omen for the race.\r\n\r\n\r\n<strong><u>RACE DAY</u></strong><br>\r\nI got up at my usual time of 3:30 am. Breakfast is at four am and we leave for the race at 4:45am. It was about 58 degrees (heading into the 70\'s) and very clear and no signs of rain. It has rained the last 2 days on and off so this was a good thing. Got to the transition area and prepped my bike for the last time. This is always a very exciting time with 3000 athletes plus spectators trying to stay calm. Since it was about a 500 meter walk to the water, we all took our wetsuits and changed over by the lake.\r\nAt the lake we were greeted by a rainbow over the lake.  It was very beautiful and again a good omen. In a short time, we were already go. The pros and another group of 800 people started 15 minutes early. These early starting non-pros for had signed up to start early. I missed this sign up and at first I was disappointed as I am a very strong swimmer. But Ken Glah, the former pro triathlete whose company I travel with, found out it was a good thing as I would be the fastest in the next group of 2200 athletes and not all bunched up with the fast group (it gets very jammed up at the beginning of the swim).\r\nSo after many months of training, I was ready to start my fourth Ironman. I was dedicating this race to two people.\r\nOn my left arm I had head initials JP written. This was in memory of my friend Jeff Patterson. Dr Jeff started me off in the wonderful world Prolotherapy which helped save my back from surgery. He was my mentor and dear friend and died much too early only a few months ago at the age of 67.\r\nOn my right arm I had the initials FFF, for my father Fred F. Fields. Simply put, he was everything in the world to me. He would have been so proud of me, as he always was. It was with great honor and pride that I am able to call myself his son.  He died almost 10 years ago and there is not one day that goes by that I do not think of him.\r\n\r\n\r\n<strong><u>THE SWIM</u></strong><br>\r\nEven with 800 starting early, there still was 2200 starting in this pack. Since there were definitely going to be some really fast swimmers in this group,  I decided to stay behind the first group of people and go off a bit slower. The strategy worked to my advantage as I was able to answer save a little energy at the beginning. Once I got out about 400 or 500 meters I was able to get into my stride and swim well. It did get a little crowded but I was able to stay with the pack. This is good as when we turned back towards shore, we entered a canal that is about 1000 meters long. I had been warned that it can be extremely crowded in the canal and one can\'t really move at all. But due to the fact that I was with first group of only about 150 people there was plenty of room. In triathlons one lifts their head every four or five strokes to sight the land and make sure you are going straight (unlike in a pool, there are no black lines on the bottom of the lake!!).  When I picked up my head, I could see the sides of the canal where there were probably over 1000 people lining the canal yelling and cheering. This really was a unique experience as normally one can see or hear nothing\r\nWhen I got about 100 meters towards the end it got a little jammed up and I was not really  able  to  move ahead quickly or left or right. You just had to stay with the pack. Either way, I excited the water at a little over one hour and six minutes, which turned out to be first place in my age group (a first for me).  And there were no wetsuit strippers (volunteers who strip your wetsuit off you when you lay down on your back). So we just pulled the wetsuit off our shoulders and ran about 500 meters to transition one (T1), where we had to pull the rest of our wetsuits off (not an easy thing) and get ready for biking.\r\n\r\n\r\n<strong><u>THE BIKE</u></strong>\r\n\r\n<img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/bike-race2014.jpg\" alt=\"Bike Race2014\" width=\"382\" height=\"512\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-170\" />As one exits the T1 area, there were over a thousand people cheering us on.  We rode down a street for about 300 meters and made a U-turn back so the street was heavily lined with spectators. It was a beautiful day, sunny and probably about mid to upper sixty\'s with no clouds in sight.  As usual I did not eat anything after the swim for about 15 minutes to allow the blood to get into my legs. At the beginning this route is mostly flat with lots of curves going around the lake. As we left lake we went into the small town where there was a traffic circle and after that is where we started our first big hill climb.  At the traffic circle there was one of the race announcers announcing the race and cheering us on along with the spectators. And in all the small towns there were lots of people standing on the streets watching and cheering. As we started the steepest part of this climb, the street was lined with people probably 5 or6 deep on either side cheering and screaming to encourage us to get up the hill. This part was a big loop so we did not come back the same way. Going back was long downhill, so we went fast except for the towns where we had to make small turns which meant we had to slow down. All along here we had spectacular views of the mountains. At mile 45 or 46 miles, we started the biggest climb up the Ruperberg mountain.  As we approached this mountain climb, we made a sharp left in town and started going up. There were 100\'s of people lining the street and cheering us on along with a big loud speaker with a dj playing music. It was not too long but very steep. And again at the top were a lot of people and another dj play playing music over really big loud speakers. Then it was mostly downhill back to town to start a second loop.  As I came down the hill, I saw a large bee coming right at me. This happens quite often on the bike. I felt it hit my right shoulder and bounce. I suddenly felt a sharp sting in my left thigh this was under my bike shorts. I rolled back my bike shorts and there was a big red welt. It hurt but there was nothing I could do about. I just blocked it out of my mind. The pain subsided after about 15 or 20 minutes and I just went on with the race.\r\n\r\nAs we came into town they had us make a180 degree turn again (like at the beginning) so we hat to really slow down But this was good thing as the street leading to this turn was lined with thousands of spectators cheering us on.  Occasionally at this point and other ones where there was an announcer I would hear \"and here is Peter from the United States\".  Always nice to hear to keep one going. My usual time is about 3hrs 25 mins for half of the ride but this time I did it in 3 hours 10 mins. I was feeling very good.\r\n\r\nAs we started back out on the second loop, I stopped at special needs and refueled myself. Special needs is where one can leave a bag that morning of anything they may want or need at that point. It is at the halfway point of the bike and another one at the halfway point of the run.  I tossed my fuel bottle out and took a new one from the bag I had left. I also resupplied myself with my gels and other nutrition. I carry my own nutrition so as not to try anything new on race day.  When I tossed the bottle away, it rolled to the feet of the small boy about 6 or 7 years old. His mom looked at him.  He just looked at it. I told him, in German, here\'s a present for you.  Take it home and clean it! It is yours. He just smiled at me as he reached for it.\r\nThen 8 miles into the second loop miles drizzle started that got a bit heavier with time. Now the streets were wet and there were puddles. This meant we all had to slow down.\r\nAll in all, it went well on the second loop.  The crowds were less due to the rain but there were, still crowds out there. At about mile 80 my stomach had a little bit of trouble. Nothing big, just that I could not eat for about 20 or 30 minutes. But I got over it without any problems. \r\nMy second loop time was a bit slower due to the rain.\r\n It was 3 hours in 25 minutes. All in all I felt strong for the run. This was a good thing.\r\nIn town near T2, the crowds were there cheering loudly.\r\n\r\nGot off my bike in and ran thru the transition area to rack my bike. It was good to be off the bike after 112 miles.  Got my running shoes on and started off to run a marathon.\r\n\r\nPS several places on the bike course (and later on the run course) there were people from Endurance Sports Travel. This is the group I went with. They were cheering me on loudly. This was much appreciated.\r\n\r\n\r\n<p><strong><u>THE RUN</u></strong></p>\r\n\r\n<img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/running-smile.jpg\" alt=\"Running Smile\" width=\"335\" height=\"504\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-174\" />When one leaves transition area two (T2) in an Ironman, you cannot think marathon. You just say are running from here to there and play this mental games with yourself the whole way. It was warm and sunny and about 75 degrees but not too hot. Plus there was tree cover on at least 60% of the run course. The run was a double loop. It was actually a figure 8 that we had to do twice. So therefore I would pass the finish line 4 times. In this area were thousands of people yelling and screaming. After a mile or two, I started to feel a bit tired in my legs. So I just told myself I would run to the end the first turn around about 4.5 miles out. I had my Garmin (GPS) on so I was able to see my pace and keep it where I knew I could maintain it. We ran along the lake the beginning of each loop, so although brief, it was a nice view. After only 2.5 miles, I came upon a woman that was having trouble running so I ran for a little bit with her to keep her going. At 4.5 miles we turned around and headed back to town. Now I felt strong again and my legs were loosening up. In training I had problems with my foot and also slightly with my hamstring (the hamstring had been my Achilles heel in the last two races).  I trained part of the time in the water for my run (deep water running).  This was very helpful as it took the stress of these two areas.  At this point everything was good and I had no pain.  As we passed through the finish line area (middle of the figure eight), we headed out again along a canal. Then we ran under a small foot bridge and onto a small (in width) cobblestone street lined with houses. We ran along this for about 3/4 of a mile then into the town square. People were sitting in cafes and cheering us on. Lots and lots of people. It was about 6 or 7 o\'clock at night and since the sun stays up until about 9 o\'clock the cafes are very, very crowded. We continued on into the town square where there was a large TV screen where people were watching football (soccer). Here we turned to begin the last part of the figure eight and run back to the starting area. I got back to starting point again and got my special needs bag - some extra nutrition. On the second loop my stomach started to feel little funny.  This is something that is very common with Ironman triathletes. Mine only lasted about again 15 or 20 minutes. Many runners were walking due to this or muscle cramps, dehydration or other things. I felt fairly lucky.  I would cheer these fellow athlete on when I went past them and told them to just keep going. Everyone appreciates that. I had been in their situation in the past and know what it feels like when someone gives you a shout of support.\r\n\r\nI just kept telling myself to keep going.  One foot after another...just keep going... Part of the way it was shady so that helped a lot too. The sun stays up until 9 o’clock so it never went down while I was running. Mile 18, I got a second wind. Felt very upbeat and in a good place so I was able to pick up pace.\r\nAt that point I started to run alongside someone a little bit faster than me. After only two miles, I could not keep up with him and told him so. He told me that you normally he runs a lot faster but not today. He told me to try to stay with him and we could talk so the time with go faster. So for the rest of the marathon (about 6 miles), we ran together. We ran back along the canal and into the city square again where there still lots of people. His pace was definitely faster than I would have gone but he was pushing me thru all the aches and pains one has after racing for over 13 hours. There was a small archway as one entered into the city square. There was a small bell on a string that it was hanging from. If you rung the bell (by tapping it with your hand) they would donate money to charity, so I rang it every time I passed it. At the final turn around, it was very exciting knowing that I only had 3 miles left. I had never developed any pain from my foot or my hamstring. And I was very pleased with my run. The guy I was running with and I just kept talking. He was from Prague where I was going after the race so we were going to exchange numbers after we finished. So as we got near the finish line area, the noise of the crowd got louder and louder. Since they take your picture as you cross the finish line, he said I should go ahead of him to be alone. I thanked him very much for helping me along.\r\n\r\nSo at about 100 meters away, I took off from him. The crowd was very loud; almost deafening. There was a cheerleading squad there along with photographers and a local TV crew. As one comes with closer to the finish line, the noise level is incredible with cheering, cowbells and more. I then heard the announcer say:\r\n<strong>\"Peter Fields, you are an Ironman!\"</strong>\r\n\r\nThe feeling one has when you hear that never gets old.\r\nI was exhausted but very elated. The feeling I had is indescribable.\r\nAnd at 13 hrs. 32 minutes and 36 seconds I had a new personal best for me by 18 minutes\r\nMy friend I met on the run the finished right behind me. I then met his wife and three kids.\r\nAfter a few minutes of walking around it was off to the massage tent and get some food.\r\n\r\nPS I finished around 8:30 pm. At 9 pm the sky opened up and it rained hard for about an hour.\r\n I was very fortunate not to go through that.\r\n\r\nI want to make everybody who took the time and effort to watch the update that were on the internet during the race. I appreciate every one of you. And for everyone else, your thoughts and cheers before and after the race were heard. There are lots and lots of people I need to thank but the list is too long. You know who you are and a big thank you goes out to all.\r\nCollectively, I want to thank massage therapist, my acupuncturist and my chiropractor. You all helped get me through.  And wonderful office staff who always took a great interest in what I was doing and put up with my long workouts that made me late sometimes.\r\n\r\nThere a few individuals that need to be singled out individually.\r\n I want to thank my coach, Cherie Gruenfeld, as she pushed me hard and helped me a lot.\r\n\r\nAnd then there is the world’s best podiatrist, Dr Dan Altchuler. Without his help and caring, my foot would have never made it through the race. \r\n\r\nI want to thank my very special friend Angela Past.  Several years ago she got me into this wonderful world of Ironman triathlons (she became an Ironman before I did).  She actually got up in the middle of the night in California to follow me as the race began at 10pm west coast time.  Wow!  Thank you so much for your emotional support when I needed it the most.\r\n\r\nAnd last but not least, I want to thank my mom and dad as they taught me not to give up even when the times get tough. And although my dad is no longer with us, his thoughts are with me in spirit every day.  My mom is 88 years young and is active and vibrant. She\'s an inspiration to me every day.  She has never lost faith in me and my abilities... Thank you mom!\r\n\r\n<strong>Thank you all again for your well wishes and support.</strong>\r\n\r\n<h6>Peter A. Fields, MD DC<br>\r\nThe Athletic Doc®&nbsp;and 4X Ironman Triathlete</h6>\r\n\r\n','Race Report 4th Ironman','','inherit','closed','closed','','153-revision-v1','','','2019-06-07 09:03:44','2019-06-07 09:03:44','',153,'https://www.drfields.com/uncategorized/153-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(187,8,'2019-06-07 09:06:24','2019-06-07 09:06:24','Ironman Brazil Swim 2','Ironman Brazil Swim 2','Ironman Brazil Swim 2','inherit','open','closed','','ironman-brazil-swim-2','','','2019-06-07 09:06:24','2019-06-07 09:06:24','',184,'https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman-brazil-swim-2.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(188,8,'2019-06-07 09:06:53','2019-06-07 09:06:53','<img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman-brazil-logo.png\" alt=\"Ironman Brazil Logo\" width=\"220\" height=\"130\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-185\" />\r\n\r\n<h6 class=\"text-center\">Sunday May 31, 2015<br>\r\n2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, 26.2 mile run</h6>\r\n\r\n<strong><u>GETTING THERE</u></strong>\r\n\r\nIt is a 12 hour flight nonstop from Los Angeles to Sao Paulo. The flight left at 6:30 p.m. and went smoothly allowing me to get a good nights sleep. It is a four hour difference between Los Angeles and Brazil. After arriving at 11 a.m. in the morning, I waited about six hours and was able to connect on my 5 p.m. flight to Florianopolis.\r\nThe next four days were the usual getting settled in and resting. In addition I would meet many of the competitors that are staying at the guest hotel. The Saturday before the race one must get all ones gear together and leave it down at the transition area. In an Ironman triathlon, all your gear, including your bike, has to be in the transition area on the Saturday before the race. I also took a van tour of the bike course so I could become familiar with it. Sunday morning the only thing one brings down to the start are the things that you\'re going to swim with including your wetsuit. You are also allowed to bring down 2 bags with special needs for half way on the bike and half way through the run. Here you put any food or other gear that you might want during the race and they are placed at the appropriate half way marks.\r\n\r\n<strong><u>RACE DAY</u></strong>\r\n\r\n<img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman-brazil-swim-2.jpg\" alt=\"Ironman Brazil Swim 2\" width=\"160\" height=\"314\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-187\" /> \r\nI woke at my usual time of 3:30 a.m. This allows me plenty of time to have breakfast, stretch out and get all the final gear in place. And I then arrived at the transition area about 4:30 a.m. At this point it’s just about keeping one\'s nerves down, getting your tires pumped on your bike and making all final checks of your gear for the day. Then we headed down to the ocean. It was about a 10 to 15 minute walk down to the starting point on the beach. The swim was in the ocean (Atlantic that is!). Everybody is trying to just keep their nerves down. Before heading down, I had someone take a picture of me. On my right arm I put the initials of my beloved mother, Yvette Simon Fields, who passed away last August. On my left arm I had the initials of my 89 year old uncle, Andre Jamar, who lives in Belgium and had just spent 30 days in the hospital and had recovered successfully. And on my stomach I had the initials of my dear father, Fred F. Fields, who I lost 11 years ago. All three of them would be in my heart during the race. This was very inspiring and encouraging for me.\r\n\r\n','Race Report 5th Ironman','','inherit','closed','closed','','184-revision-v1','','','2019-06-07 09:06:53','2019-06-07 09:06:53','',184,'https://www.drfields.com/uncategorized/184-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(189,8,'2019-06-17 08:11:58','2019-06-17 08:11:58','<div class=\"col-md-8\">\n<img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman-brazil-logo.png\" alt=\"Ironman Brazil Logo\" width=\"220\" height=\"130\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-185\" />\n\n<h6 class=\"text-center\">Sunday May 31, 2015<br>\n2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, 26.2 mile run</h6>\n\n<strong class=\"subhead\">GETTING THERE</strong>\n\nIt is a 12 hour flight nonstop from Los Angeles to Sao Paulo. The flight left at 6:30 p.m. and went smoothly allowing me to get a good nights sleep. It is a four hour difference between Los Angeles and Brazil. After arriving at 11 a.m. in the morning, I waited about six hours and was able to connect on my 5 p.m. flight to Florianopolis.\nThe next four days were the usual getting settled in and resting. In addition I would meet many of the competitors that are staying at the guest hotel. The Saturday before the race one must get all ones gear together and leave it down at the transition area. In an Ironman triathlon, all your gear, including your bike, has to be in the transition area on the Saturday before the race. I also took a van tour of the bike course so I could become familiar with it. Sunday morning the only thing one brings down to the start are the things that you\'re going to swim with including your wetsuit. You are also allowed to bring down 2 bags with special needs for half way on the bike and half way through the run. Here you put any food or other gear that you might want during the race and they are placed at the appropriate half way marks.\n\n<strong class=\"subhead\">RACE DAY</strong>\n\n<img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman-brazil-swim-2.jpg\" alt=\"Ironman Brazil Swim 2\" width=\"160\" height=\"301\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-187\" />I woke at my usual time of 3:30 a.m. This allows me plenty of time to have breakfast, stretch out and get all the final gear in place. And I then arrived at the transition area about 4:30 a.m. At this point it’s just about keeping one\'s nerves down, getting your tires pumped on your bike and making all final checks of your gear for the day. Then we headed down to the ocean. It was about a 10 to 15 minute walk down to the starting point on the beach. The swim was in the ocean (Atlantic that is!). Everybody is trying to just keep their nerves down. Before heading down, I had someone take a picture of me. On my right arm I put the initials of my beloved mother, Yvette Simon Fields, who passed away last August. On my left arm I had the initials of my 89 year old uncle, Andre Jamar, who lives in Belgium and had just spent 30 days in the hospital and had recovered successfully. And on my stomach I had the initials of my dear father, Fred F. Fields, who I lost 11 years ago. All three of them would be in my heart during the race. This was very inspiring and encouraging for me.\n<div class=\"clear\"></div>\n<br>\n<strong class=\"subhead\">THE SWIM: 2.4 Miles</strong>\n\n<img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman-brazil-swim.jpg\" alt=\"Ironman Brazil Swim\" width=\"160\" height=\"301\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-190\" />This was a beach start. All 2,000 athletes started at once (approximately 40 pros go off first). Being a very good swimmer, I get right behind the lead pack and go out strong. Even with that, there is always a surge at the beginning with everyone swimming into each other (like salmon spawning up stream!). After several hundred yards, the pack thinned out and I was able to get into my rhythm. I was wearing a wetsuit which irritated my neck and I had to stop several times to readjust it so I would not get a burn mark. In spite of this, I was feeling very good. It was a two loop swim. The first loop was a little longer than the second loop. After the first loop you exited the water, ran about 30 to 40 yards on the sand through the cheering crowds and were handed water by the race volunteers. Although a bit exhausting to run, I found this very encouraging with the crowd yelling and screaming. Then it was back in the water to do a second shorter loop. All along I felt very good. I exited the water and found out later I was only nine seconds behind the leader in my age group. So much for stretching my neck! I was feeling very good. You had to run about 300 to 400 yards to the transition area to get your bike. Right before you got to this area, they had wetsuit strippers there. These are basically volunteers to help you to get off your wetsuit. You peel it down to your waist and when you get there you lay on your back and they just pull it off your legs. This is very helpful as this is a hard part of the transition trying to get the wetsuit off. Then it was off to the change tent to put on my bike shoes, helmet and get going on the bike. \n<div class=\"clear\"></div>\n\n&nbsp;\n\n<strong class=\"subhead\">THE BIKE: 112 Miles</strong>\n\n<img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman-brazil-bike.jpg\" alt=\"Ironman Brazil Bike\" width=\"160\" height=\"301\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-191\" />Since it was in the low sixties and I was still wet, I wore a vest and arm warmers ( I get cold easy) as I exited the bike transition area. I later would get rid of all this gear as it went into the upper 60\'s and mid 70\'s. The area right around this transition area, known as T1, is crowded with people yelling and cheering. This is always very encouraging. Then it was on to do the bike ride, which would be two loops of the course. This event turned out to be more of an urban event than the other Ironman Triathlons I had done. That meant we were riding amongst traffic a lot. We did have one lane blocked off just for us but a lot of the time there were cars going by. There was also a total of about four thousand four hundred feet of climbing. But the hills were pretty evenly spread out, so nothing was all at once. Plus we did have some very nice views of the ocean and bays as Florianopolis is an island. I felt very strong on the bike. At one point one of my age group competitors who had seen me in the transition area came up to me on the bike and asked me if I was going to go to Hawaii (the World Championships, where you have to qualify). I laughed and said no, but thanks for the encouragement (going to Hawaii meant that I would finish in the top one or two in my age group which I certainly do not do). Nonetheless, it was very encouraging to hear this as he thought I was biking very well. After the first loop, you ended up back in town with the crowds cheering and yelling. Then it was back out for the second loop. Again, I was feeling very strong. I did stop at special needs to pick up my water bottle with my energy drink in it and some other food. All along I felt very strong and was racing well. I found out later that when I got off the bike I was in 7th place in my age group. This is a big improvement for me as usually the bike is my weakest link and I fall back many places. Then it was into the change tent to change into my running shoes. This time I did not need sunglasses as it had partially clouded over and the sun was not brightly shining. Since it was around 3pm and the sun would set around 5:30pm (it is almost wintertime in the southern hemisphere), this was helpful as after that time you have to put the sunglasses on your hat or somewhere else as you don\'t need them because it gets dark outside. This was also very good as that would mean it would not get too hot and one would not get sunburned.\n\n<strong class=\"subhead\">THE RUN: 26.2 Miles</strong>\n\n<img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman-brazil-running.jpg\" alt=\"Ironman Brazil Running\" width=\"160\" height=\"301\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-197\" />As we started to run out of the transition area, there were lots of crowds. They would eventually dissipate and you would just be running with the other triathletes. After only a mile, my feet started to bother me. I had to stop and readjust my shoes several times. I even put on little toe gel caps that help protect your toes. After several miles I knew that this was going to be a tough day as somehow I was having pains in my feet which I had never experienced before. At about mile two and a half miles, there was an extremely steep hill that most people had to walk up. On the way back this hill was so steep that you also had to walk down. It was not that long, so it wasn\'t that bad. The first loop was out and back. It was 6.5 mile each way, so when done this is the first 13 miles. I tried to put the pain in my feet out of my mind and keep going. It was slowing me down, but I just kept moving forward. I also kept smiling as all-in-all I was just happy to be out there competing. Plus smiling makes me feel good on the inside. In the next few miles, I had to stop several more times to readjust my shoes. By the end of the first loop, I knew this was not going to be an easy day. For the next 10 kilometers (6.2 miles), I pushed myself very hard to stay in the game. I thought of my mother, my father and my uncle whose names I had written on my body. They’ve all had tough struggles in their lives and just kept going, so I did too. Their strength kept me going through this very tough time. Of course now it was after 6:30pm and it was dark. I had now completed 13 miles and knew and if I could just get past the next 6.2 mile (10 kilometer) segment, I would be able to finish the race. I pushed hard and kept my focus. After getting thru this segment, I knew I was good to go and had only one more loop to the finish line.\n\nI had to walk and run at times due to the pain I was having in my feet, but you just put it out of your mind and keep going. Finally, as I rounded the corner and could see the finish line, I knew I had done it. This was my 5th Ironman and probably the toughest one, at least on the run. Ironman races are all about staying in the game and I had conquered this one. As I crossed the finish line and they said:\n\"Peter Fields, you are an Ironman”,\nI knew it was all worthwhile. \n\n\n<strong class=\"subhead\">FINAL THOUGHTS</strong>\n\n<img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman-brazil-finish-200x200.jpg\" alt=\"Ironman Brazil Finish\" width=\"200\" height=\"200\" class=\"alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-199\" />My race may have been slowed down by the problems I had on the run, but I was never discouraged. As my former coach told me, Ironman races are all about damage control. That thought helped me get through this race. I was very pleased that I did not get the two most common problems that affect athletes in an Ironman: stomach problems and/or mechanical problems on the bike.\nI felt exhausted and drained but nevertheless very satisfied to have finished my 5th Ironman. Some may ask why I punish my body? I was not punishing it; just challenging it. When one is prepared, it is not a punishment. Plus an Ironman is as much a mental challenge as a physical one.\n\nI leave you with a quote by the author Viktor Frankl, MD, holocaust survivor and world famous author from his book Man\'s Search For Meaning, which was my dad\'s favorite:\n\"Life can be pulled by goals just as surely as it can be pushed by drives.\"\n\nThere are too many to name, but I want to thank everybody out there who followed me during this race and offered me encouragement. I’d also like to thank everyone else who has written to me and even just thought about me before, during and/or after the race.\n\nThis race was dedicated to my mother who I lost last year, to my father who I lost 11 years ago and to my uncle who, at 89yo, survived a very tough time recently being in the hospital for 30 days. All three of them have meant a lot to me during my life and have encouraged me to never give up.\n\nLastly, a big shout out to my brother Norman. No matter where I have raced, he has always followed me the entire race on the computer. I heard him cheering me on the whole way; he has never forgotten his little brother.\nThanks bro!\n\n<strong>Peter A. Fields, MD DC<br>\nThe Athletic Doc® and 5X Ironman Triathlete</strong>\n</div>\n<div class','Race Report 5th Ironman','','inherit','closed','closed','','184-autosave-v1','','','2019-06-17 08:11:58','2019-06-17 08:11:58','',184,'https://www.drfields.com/uncategorized/184-autosave-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(190,8,'2019-06-07 09:16:06','2019-06-07 09:16:06','Ironman Brazil Swim','Ironman Brazil Swim','','inherit','open','closed','','ironman-brazil-swim','','','2019-06-07 09:16:11','2019-06-07 09:16:11','',184,'https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman-brazil-swim.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(191,8,'2019-06-07 09:17:29','2019-06-07 09:17:29','Ironman Brazil Bike','Ironman Brazil Bike','','inherit','open','closed','','ironman-brazil-bike','','','2019-06-07 09:17:34','2019-06-07 09:17:34','',184,'https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman-brazil-bike.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(192,8,'2019-06-07 09:17:53','2019-06-07 09:17:53','<img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman-brazil-logo.png\" alt=\"Ironman Brazil Logo\" width=\"220\" height=\"130\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-185\" />\r\n\r\n<h6 class=\"text-center\">Sunday May 31, 2015<br>\r\n2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, 26.2 mile run</h6>\r\n\r\n<strong><u>GETTING THERE</u></strong>\r\n\r\nIt is a 12 hour flight nonstop from Los Angeles to Sao Paulo. The flight left at 6:30 p.m. and went smoothly allowing me to get a good nights sleep. It is a four hour difference between Los Angeles and Brazil. After arriving at 11 a.m. in the morning, I waited about six hours and was able to connect on my 5 p.m. flight to Florianopolis.\r\nThe next four days were the usual getting settled in and resting. In addition I would meet many of the competitors that are staying at the guest hotel. The Saturday before the race one must get all ones gear together and leave it down at the transition area. In an Ironman triathlon, all your gear, including your bike, has to be in the transition area on the Saturday before the race. I also took a van tour of the bike course so I could become familiar with it. Sunday morning the only thing one brings down to the start are the things that you\'re going to swim with including your wetsuit. You are also allowed to bring down 2 bags with special needs for half way on the bike and half way through the run. Here you put any food or other gear that you might want during the race and they are placed at the appropriate half way marks.\r\n\r\n<strong><u>RACE DAY</u></strong>\r\n<img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman-brazil-swim-2.jpg\" alt=\"Ironman Brazil Swim 2\" width=\"160\" height=\"314\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-187\" /> \r\nI woke at my usual time of 3:30 a.m. This allows me plenty of time to have breakfast, stretch out and get all the final gear in place. And I then arrived at the transition area about 4:30 a.m. At this point it’s just about keeping one\'s nerves down, getting your tires pumped on your bike and making all final checks of your gear for the day. Then we headed down to the ocean. It was about a 10 to 15 minute walk down to the starting point on the beach. The swim was in the ocean (Atlantic that is!). Everybody is trying to just keep their nerves down. Before heading down, I had someone take a picture of me. On my right arm I put the initials of my beloved mother, Yvette Simon Fields, who passed away last August. On my left arm I had the initials of my 89 year old uncle, Andre Jamar, who lives in Belgium and had just spent 30 days in the hospital and had recovered successfully. And on my stomach I had the initials of my dear father, Fred F. Fields, who I lost 11 years ago. All three of them would be in my heart during the race. This was very inspiring and encouraging for me.\r\n\r\n<strong><u>THE SWIM: 2.4 Miles</ul></strong>\r\n<img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman-brazil-swim.jpg\" alt=\"Ironman Brazil Swim\" width=\"275\" height=\"450\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-190\" />\r\nThis was a beach start. All 2,000 athletes started at once (approximately 40 pros go off first). Being a very good swimmer, I get right behind the lead pack and go out strong. Even with that, there is always a surge at the beginning with everyone swimming into each other (like salmon spawning up stream!). After several hundred yards, the pack thinned out and I was able to get into my rhythm. I was wearing a wetsuit which irritated my neck and I had to stop several times to readjust it so I would not get a burn mark. In spite of this, I was feeling very good. It was a two loop swim. The first loop was a little longer than the second loop. After the first loop you exited the water, ran about 30 to 40 yards on the sand through the cheering crowds and were handed water by the race volunteers. Although a bit exhausting to run, I found this very encouraging with the crowd yelling and screaming. Then it was back in the water to do a second shorter loop. All along I felt very good. I exited the water and found out later I was only nine seconds behind the leader in my age group. So much for stretching my neck! I was feeling very good. You had to run about 300 to 400 yards to the transition area to get your bike. Right before you got to this area, they had wetsuit strippers there. These are basically volunteers to help you to get off your wetsuit. You peel it down to your waist and when you get there you lay on your back and they just pull it off your legs. This is very helpful as this is a hard part of the transition trying to get the wetsuit off. Then it was off to the change tent to put on my bike shoes, helmet and get going on the bike. \r\n\r\n<strong><u>THE BIKE: 112 Miles</ul></strong>\r\n<img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman-brazil-bike.jpg\" alt=\"Ironman Brazil Bike\" width=\"275\" height=\"516\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-191\" />\r\nSince it was in the low sixties and I was still wet, I wore a vest and arm warmers ( I get cold easy) as I exited the bike transition area. I later would get rid of all this gear as it went into the upper 60\'s and mid 70\'s. The area right around this transition area, known as T1, is crowded with people yelling and cheering. This is always very encouraging. Then it was on to do the bike ride, which would be two loops of the course. This event turned out to be more of an urban event than the other Ironman Triathlons I had done. That meant we were riding amongst traffic a lot. We did have one lane blocked off just for us but a lot of the time there were cars going by. There was also a total of about four thousand four hundred feet of climbing. But the hills were pretty evenly spread out, so nothing was all at once. Plus we did have some very nice views of the ocean and bays as Florianopolis is an island. I felt very strong on the bike. At one point one of my age group competitors who had seen me in the transition area came up to me on the bike and asked me if I was going to go to Hawaii (the World Championships, where you have to qualify). I laughed and said no, but thanks for the encouragement (going to Hawaii meant that I would finish in the top one or two in my age group which I certainly do not do). Nonetheless, it was very encouraging to hear this as he thought I was biking very well. After the first loop, you ended up back in town with the crowds cheering and yelling. Then it was back out for the second loop. Again, I was feeling very strong. I did stop at special needs to pick up my water bottle with my energy drink in it and some other food. All along I felt very strong and was racing well. I found out later that when I got off the bike I was in 7th place in my age group. This is a big improvement for me as usually the bike is my weakest link and I fall back many places. Then it was into the change tent to change into my running shoes. This time I did not need sunglasses as it had partially clouded over and the sun was not brightly shining. Since it was around 3pm and the sun would set around 5:30pm (it is almost wintertime in the southern hemisphere), this was helpful as after that time you have to put the sunglasses on your hat or somewhere else as you don\'t need them because it gets dark outside. This was also very good as that would mean it would not get too hot and one would not get sunburned.\r\n','Race Report 5th Ironman','','inherit','closed','closed','','184-revision-v1','','','2019-06-07 09:17:53','2019-06-07 09:17:53','',184,'https://www.drfields.com/uncategorized/184-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(193,8,'2019-06-07 09:18:36','2019-06-07 09:18:36','<img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman-brazil-logo.png\" alt=\"Ironman Brazil Logo\" width=\"220\" height=\"130\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-185\" />\r\n\r\n<h6 class=\"text-center\">Sunday May 31, 2015<br>\r\n2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, 26.2 mile run</h6>\r\n\r\n<strong><u>GETTING THERE</u></strong>\r\n\r\nIt is a 12 hour flight nonstop from Los Angeles to Sao Paulo. The flight left at 6:30 p.m. and went smoothly allowing me to get a good nights sleep. It is a four hour difference between Los Angeles and Brazil. After arriving at 11 a.m. in the morning, I waited about six hours and was able to connect on my 5 p.m. flight to Florianopolis.\r\nThe next four days were the usual getting settled in and resting. In addition I would meet many of the competitors that are staying at the guest hotel. The Saturday before the race one must get all ones gear together and leave it down at the transition area. In an Ironman triathlon, all your gear, including your bike, has to be in the transition area on the Saturday before the race. I also took a van tour of the bike course so I could become familiar with it. Sunday morning the only thing one brings down to the start are the things that you\'re going to swim with including your wetsuit. You are also allowed to bring down 2 bags with special needs for half way on the bike and half way through the run. Here you put any food or other gear that you might want during the race and they are placed at the appropriate half way marks.\r\n\r\n<strong><u>RACE DAY</u></strong>\r\n<img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman-brazil-swim-2.jpg\" alt=\"Ironman Brazil Swim 2\" width=\"160\" height=\"314\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-187\" /> \r\nI woke at my usual time of 3:30 a.m. This allows me plenty of time to have breakfast, stretch out and get all the final gear in place. And I then arrived at the transition area about 4:30 a.m. At this point it’s just about keeping one\'s nerves down, getting your tires pumped on your bike and making all final checks of your gear for the day. Then we headed down to the ocean. It was about a 10 to 15 minute walk down to the starting point on the beach. The swim was in the ocean (Atlantic that is!). Everybody is trying to just keep their nerves down. Before heading down, I had someone take a picture of me. On my right arm I put the initials of my beloved mother, Yvette Simon Fields, who passed away last August. On my left arm I had the initials of my 89 year old uncle, Andre Jamar, who lives in Belgium and had just spent 30 days in the hospital and had recovered successfully. And on my stomach I had the initials of my dear father, Fred F. Fields, who I lost 11 years ago. All three of them would be in my heart during the race. This was very inspiring and encouraging for me.\r\n\r\n<strong><u>THE SWIM: 2.4 Miles</u></strong>\r\n<img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman-brazil-swim.jpg\" alt=\"Ironman Brazil Swim\" width=\"275\" height=\"450\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-190\" />\r\nThis was a beach start. All 2,000 athletes started at once (approximately 40 pros go off first). Being a very good swimmer, I get right behind the lead pack and go out strong. Even with that, there is always a surge at the beginning with everyone swimming into each other (like salmon spawning up stream!). After several hundred yards, the pack thinned out and I was able to get into my rhythm. I was wearing a wetsuit which irritated my neck and I had to stop several times to readjust it so I would not get a burn mark. In spite of this, I was feeling very good. It was a two loop swim. The first loop was a little longer than the second loop. After the first loop you exited the water, ran about 30 to 40 yards on the sand through the cheering crowds and were handed water by the race volunteers. Although a bit exhausting to run, I found this very encouraging with the crowd yelling and screaming. Then it was back in the water to do a second shorter loop. All along I felt very good. I exited the water and found out later I was only nine seconds behind the leader in my age group. So much for stretching my neck! I was feeling very good. You had to run about 300 to 400 yards to the transition area to get your bike. Right before you got to this area, they had wetsuit strippers there. These are basically volunteers to help you to get off your wetsuit. You peel it down to your waist and when you get there you lay on your back and they just pull it off your legs. This is very helpful as this is a hard part of the transition trying to get the wetsuit off. Then it was off to the change tent to put on my bike shoes, helmet and get going on the bike. \r\n\r\n<strong><u>THE BIKE: 112 Miles</u></strong>\r\n<img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman-brazil-bike.jpg\" alt=\"Ironman Brazil Bike\" width=\"275\" height=\"516\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-191\" />\r\nSince it was in the low sixties and I was still wet, I wore a vest and arm warmers ( I get cold easy) as I exited the bike transition area. I later would get rid of all this gear as it went into the upper 60\'s and mid 70\'s. The area right around this transition area, known as T1, is crowded with people yelling and cheering. This is always very encouraging. Then it was on to do the bike ride, which would be two loops of the course. This event turned out to be more of an urban event than the other Ironman Triathlons I had done. That meant we were riding amongst traffic a lot. We did have one lane blocked off just for us but a lot of the time there were cars going by. There was also a total of about four thousand four hundred feet of climbing. But the hills were pretty evenly spread out, so nothing was all at once. Plus we did have some very nice views of the ocean and bays as Florianopolis is an island. I felt very strong on the bike. At one point one of my age group competitors who had seen me in the transition area came up to me on the bike and asked me if I was going to go to Hawaii (the World Championships, where you have to qualify). I laughed and said no, but thanks for the encouragement (going to Hawaii meant that I would finish in the top one or two in my age group which I certainly do not do). Nonetheless, it was very encouraging to hear this as he thought I was biking very well. After the first loop, you ended up back in town with the crowds cheering and yelling. Then it was back out for the second loop. Again, I was feeling very strong. I did stop at special needs to pick up my water bottle with my energy drink in it and some other food. All along I felt very strong and was racing well. I found out later that when I got off the bike I was in 7th place in my age group. This is a big improvement for me as usually the bike is my weakest link and I fall back many places. Then it was into the change tent to change into my running shoes. This time I did not need sunglasses as it had partially clouded over and the sun was not brightly shining. Since it was around 3pm and the sun would set around 5:30pm (it is almost wintertime in the southern hemisphere), this was helpful as after that time you have to put the sunglasses on your hat or somewhere else as you don\'t need them because it gets dark outside. This was also very good as that would mean it would not get too hot and one would not get sunburned.\r\n','Race Report 5th Ironman','','inherit','closed','closed','','184-revision-v1','','','2019-06-07 09:18:36','2019-06-07 09:18:36','',184,'https://www.drfields.com/uncategorized/184-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(194,8,'2019-06-07 09:20:12','2019-06-07 09:20:12','<img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman-brazil-logo.png\" alt=\"Ironman Brazil Logo\" width=\"220\" height=\"130\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-185\" />\r\n\r\n<h6 class=\"text-center\">Sunday May 31, 2015<br>\r\n2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, 26.2 mile run</h6>\r\n\r\n<strong><u>GETTING THERE</u></strong>\r\n\r\nIt is a 12 hour flight nonstop from Los Angeles to Sao Paulo. The flight left at 6:30 p.m. and went smoothly allowing me to get a good nights sleep. It is a four hour difference between Los Angeles and Brazil. After arriving at 11 a.m. in the morning, I waited about six hours and was able to connect on my 5 p.m. flight to Florianopolis.\r\nThe next four days were the usual getting settled in and resting. In addition I would meet many of the competitors that are staying at the guest hotel. The Saturday before the race one must get all ones gear together and leave it down at the transition area. In an Ironman triathlon, all your gear, including your bike, has to be in the transition area on the Saturday before the race. I also took a van tour of the bike course so I could become familiar with it. Sunday morning the only thing one brings down to the start are the things that you\'re going to swim with including your wetsuit. You are also allowed to bring down 2 bags with special needs for half way on the bike and half way through the run. Here you put any food or other gear that you might want during the race and they are placed at the appropriate half way marks.\r\n\r\n<strong><u>RACE DAY</u></strong>\r\n<img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman-brazil-swim-2.jpg\" alt=\"Ironman Brazil Swim 2\" width=\"160\" height=\"314\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-187\" /> \r\nI woke at my usual time of 3:30 a.m. This allows me plenty of time to have breakfast, stretch out and get all the final gear in place. And I then arrived at the transition area about 4:30 a.m. At this point it’s just about keeping one\'s nerves down, getting your tires pumped on your bike and making all final checks of your gear for the day. Then we headed down to the ocean. It was about a 10 to 15 minute walk down to the starting point on the beach. The swim was in the ocean (Atlantic that is!). Everybody is trying to just keep their nerves down. Before heading down, I had someone take a picture of me. On my right arm I put the initials of my beloved mother, Yvette Simon Fields, who passed away last August. On my left arm I had the initials of my 89 year old uncle, Andre Jamar, who lives in Belgium and had just spent 30 days in the hospital and had recovered successfully. And on my stomach I had the initials of my dear father, Fred F. Fields, who I lost 11 years ago. All three of them would be in my heart during the race. This was very inspiring and encouraging for me.\r\n\r\n<strong><u>THE SWIM: 2.4 Miles</u></strong>\r\n<img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman-brazil-swim.jpg\" alt=\"Ironman Brazil Swim\" width=\"275\" height=\"450\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-190\" />\r\nThis was a beach start. All 2,000 athletes started at once (approximately 40 pros go off first). Being a very good swimmer, I get right behind the lead pack and go out strong. Even with that, there is always a surge at the beginning with everyone swimming into each other (like salmon spawning up stream!). After several hundred yards, the pack thinned out and I was able to get into my rhythm. I was wearing a wetsuit which irritated my neck and I had to stop several times to readjust it so I would not get a burn mark. In spite of this, I was feeling very good. It was a two loop swim. The first loop was a little longer than the second loop. After the first loop you exited the water, ran about 30 to 40 yards on the sand through the cheering crowds and were handed water by the race volunteers. Although a bit exhausting to run, I found this very encouraging with the crowd yelling and screaming. Then it was back in the water to do a second shorter loop. All along I felt very good. I exited the water and found out later I was only nine seconds behind the leader in my age group. So much for stretching my neck! I was feeling very good. You had to run about 300 to 400 yards to the transition area to get your bike. Right before you got to this area, they had wetsuit strippers there. These are basically volunteers to help you to get off your wetsuit. You peel it down to your waist and when you get there you lay on your back and they just pull it off your legs. This is very helpful as this is a hard part of the transition trying to get the wetsuit off. Then it was off to the change tent to put on my bike shoes, helmet and get going on the bike. \r\n\r\n<strong><u>THE BIKE: 112 Miles</u></strong>\r\n<img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman-brazil-bike.jpg\" alt=\"Ironman Brazil Bike\" width=\"160\" height=\"301\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-191\" />\r\nSince it was in the low sixties and I was still wet, I wore a vest and arm warmers ( I get cold easy) as I exited the bike transition area. I later would get rid of all this gear as it went into the upper 60\'s and mid 70\'s. The area right around this transition area, known as T1, is crowded with people yelling and cheering. This is always very encouraging. Then it was on to do the bike ride, which would be two loops of the course. This event turned out to be more of an urban event than the other Ironman Triathlons I had done. That meant we were riding amongst traffic a lot. We did have one lane blocked off just for us but a lot of the time there were cars going by. There was also a total of about four thousand four hundred feet of climbing. But the hills were pretty evenly spread out, so nothing was all at once. Plus we did have some very nice views of the ocean and bays as Florianopolis is an island. I felt very strong on the bike. At one point one of my age group competitors who had seen me in the transition area came up to me on the bike and asked me if I was going to go to Hawaii (the World Championships, where you have to qualify). I laughed and said no, but thanks for the encouragement (going to Hawaii meant that I would finish in the top one or two in my age group which I certainly do not do). Nonetheless, it was very encouraging to hear this as he thought I was biking very well. After the first loop, you ended up back in town with the crowds cheering and yelling. Then it was back out for the second loop. Again, I was feeling very strong. I did stop at special needs to pick up my water bottle with my energy drink in it and some other food. All along I felt very strong and was racing well. I found out later that when I got off the bike I was in 7th place in my age group. This is a big improvement for me as usually the bike is my weakest link and I fall back many places. Then it was into the change tent to change into my running shoes. This time I did not need sunglasses as it had partially clouded over and the sun was not brightly shining. Since it was around 3pm and the sun would set around 5:30pm (it is almost wintertime in the southern hemisphere), this was helpful as after that time you have to put the sunglasses on your hat or somewhere else as you don\'t need them because it gets dark outside. This was also very good as that would mean it would not get too hot and one would not get sunburned.\r\n','Race Report 5th Ironman','','inherit','closed','closed','','184-revision-v1','','','2019-06-07 09:20:12','2019-06-07 09:20:12','',184,'https://www.drfields.com/uncategorized/184-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(195,8,'2019-06-07 09:20:44','2019-06-07 09:20:44','<img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman-brazil-logo.png\" alt=\"Ironman Brazil Logo\" width=\"220\" height=\"130\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-185\" />\r\n\r\n<h6 class=\"text-center\">Sunday May 31, 2015<br>\r\n2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, 26.2 mile run</h6>\r\n\r\n<strong><u>GETTING THERE</u></strong>\r\n\r\nIt is a 12 hour flight nonstop from Los Angeles to Sao Paulo. The flight left at 6:30 p.m. and went smoothly allowing me to get a good nights sleep. It is a four hour difference between Los Angeles and Brazil. After arriving at 11 a.m. in the morning, I waited about six hours and was able to connect on my 5 p.m. flight to Florianopolis.\r\nThe next four days were the usual getting settled in and resting. In addition I would meet many of the competitors that are staying at the guest hotel. The Saturday before the race one must get all ones gear together and leave it down at the transition area. In an Ironman triathlon, all your gear, including your bike, has to be in the transition area on the Saturday before the race. I also took a van tour of the bike course so I could become familiar with it. Sunday morning the only thing one brings down to the start are the things that you\'re going to swim with including your wetsuit. You are also allowed to bring down 2 bags with special needs for half way on the bike and half way through the run. Here you put any food or other gear that you might want during the race and they are placed at the appropriate half way marks.\r\n\r\n<strong><u>RACE DAY</u></strong>\r\n<img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman-brazil-swim-2.jpg\" alt=\"Ironman Brazil Swim 2\" width=\"160\" height=\"301\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-187\" /> \r\nI woke at my usual time of 3:30 a.m. This allows me plenty of time to have breakfast, stretch out and get all the final gear in place. And I then arrived at the transition area about 4:30 a.m. At this point it’s just about keeping one\'s nerves down, getting your tires pumped on your bike and making all final checks of your gear for the day. Then we headed down to the ocean. It was about a 10 to 15 minute walk down to the starting point on the beach. The swim was in the ocean (Atlantic that is!). Everybody is trying to just keep their nerves down. Before heading down, I had someone take a picture of me. On my right arm I put the initials of my beloved mother, Yvette Simon Fields, who passed away last August. On my left arm I had the initials of my 89 year old uncle, Andre Jamar, who lives in Belgium and had just spent 30 days in the hospital and had recovered successfully. And on my stomach I had the initials of my dear father, Fred F. Fields, who I lost 11 years ago. All three of them would be in my heart during the race. This was very inspiring and encouraging for me.\r\n\r\n<strong><u>THE SWIM: 2.4 Miles</u></strong>\r\n<img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman-brazil-swim.jpg\" alt=\"Ironman Brazil Swim\" width=\"160\" height=\"301\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-190\" />\r\nThis was a beach start. All 2,000 athletes started at once (approximately 40 pros go off first). Being a very good swimmer, I get right behind the lead pack and go out strong. Even with that, there is always a surge at the beginning with everyone swimming into each other (like salmon spawning up stream!). After several hundred yards, the pack thinned out and I was able to get into my rhythm. I was wearing a wetsuit which irritated my neck and I had to stop several times to readjust it so I would not get a burn mark. In spite of this, I was feeling very good. It was a two loop swim. The first loop was a little longer than the second loop. After the first loop you exited the water, ran about 30 to 40 yards on the sand through the cheering crowds and were handed water by the race volunteers. Although a bit exhausting to run, I found this very encouraging with the crowd yelling and screaming. Then it was back in the water to do a second shorter loop. All along I felt very good. I exited the water and found out later I was only nine seconds behind the leader in my age group. So much for stretching my neck! I was feeling very good. You had to run about 300 to 400 yards to the transition area to get your bike. Right before you got to this area, they had wetsuit strippers there. These are basically volunteers to help you to get off your wetsuit. You peel it down to your waist and when you get there you lay on your back and they just pull it off your legs. This is very helpful as this is a hard part of the transition trying to get the wetsuit off. Then it was off to the change tent to put on my bike shoes, helmet and get going on the bike. \r\n\r\n<strong><u>THE BIKE: 112 Miles</u></strong>\r\n<img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman-brazil-bike.jpg\" alt=\"Ironman Brazil Bike\" width=\"160\" height=\"301\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-191\" />\r\nSince it was in the low sixties and I was still wet, I wore a vest and arm warmers ( I get cold easy) as I exited the bike transition area. I later would get rid of all this gear as it went into the upper 60\'s and mid 70\'s. The area right around this transition area, known as T1, is crowded with people yelling and cheering. This is always very encouraging. Then it was on to do the bike ride, which would be two loops of the course. This event turned out to be more of an urban event than the other Ironman Triathlons I had done. That meant we were riding amongst traffic a lot. We did have one lane blocked off just for us but a lot of the time there were cars going by. There was also a total of about four thousand four hundred feet of climbing. But the hills were pretty evenly spread out, so nothing was all at once. Plus we did have some very nice views of the ocean and bays as Florianopolis is an island. I felt very strong on the bike. At one point one of my age group competitors who had seen me in the transition area came up to me on the bike and asked me if I was going to go to Hawaii (the World Championships, where you have to qualify). I laughed and said no, but thanks for the encouragement (going to Hawaii meant that I would finish in the top one or two in my age group which I certainly do not do). Nonetheless, it was very encouraging to hear this as he thought I was biking very well. After the first loop, you ended up back in town with the crowds cheering and yelling. Then it was back out for the second loop. Again, I was feeling very strong. I did stop at special needs to pick up my water bottle with my energy drink in it and some other food. All along I felt very strong and was racing well. I found out later that when I got off the bike I was in 7th place in my age group. This is a big improvement for me as usually the bike is my weakest link and I fall back many places. Then it was into the change tent to change into my running shoes. This time I did not need sunglasses as it had partially clouded over and the sun was not brightly shining. Since it was around 3pm and the sun would set around 5:30pm (it is almost wintertime in the southern hemisphere), this was helpful as after that time you have to put the sunglasses on your hat or somewhere else as you don\'t need them because it gets dark outside. This was also very good as that would mean it would not get too hot and one would not get sunburned.\r\n','Race Report 5th Ironman','','inherit','closed','closed','','184-revision-v1','','','2019-06-07 09:20:44','2019-06-07 09:20:44','',184,'https://www.drfields.com/uncategorized/184-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(196,8,'2019-06-07 09:22:10','2019-06-07 09:22:10','<img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman-brazil-logo.png\" alt=\"Ironman Brazil Logo\" width=\"220\" height=\"130\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-185\" />\r\n\r\n<h6 class=\"text-center\">Sunday May 31, 2015<br>\r\n2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, 26.2 mile run</h6>\r\n\r\n<strong><u>GETTING THERE</u></strong>\r\n\r\nIt is a 12 hour flight nonstop from Los Angeles to Sao Paulo. The flight left at 6:30 p.m. and went smoothly allowing me to get a good nights sleep. It is a four hour difference between Los Angeles and Brazil. After arriving at 11 a.m. in the morning, I waited about six hours and was able to connect on my 5 p.m. flight to Florianopolis.\r\nThe next four days were the usual getting settled in and resting. In addition I would meet many of the competitors that are staying at the guest hotel. The Saturday before the race one must get all ones gear together and leave it down at the transition area. In an Ironman triathlon, all your gear, including your bike, has to be in the transition area on the Saturday before the race. I also took a van tour of the bike course so I could become familiar with it. Sunday morning the only thing one brings down to the start are the things that you\'re going to swim with including your wetsuit. You are also allowed to bring down 2 bags with special needs for half way on the bike and half way through the run. Here you put any food or other gear that you might want during the race and they are placed at the appropriate half way marks.\r\n\r\n<strong><u>RACE DAY</u></strong>\r\n<img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman-brazil-swim-2.jpg\" alt=\"Ironman Brazil Swim 2\" width=\"160\" height=\"301\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-187\" />I woke at my usual time of 3:30 a.m. This allows me plenty of time to have breakfast, stretch out and get all the final gear in place. And I then arrived at the transition area about 4:30 a.m. At this point it’s just about keeping one\'s nerves down, getting your tires pumped on your bike and making all final checks of your gear for the day. Then we headed down to the ocean. It was about a 10 to 15 minute walk down to the starting point on the beach. The swim was in the ocean (Atlantic that is!). Everybody is trying to just keep their nerves down. Before heading down, I had someone take a picture of me. On my right arm I put the initials of my beloved mother, Yvette Simon Fields, who passed away last August. On my left arm I had the initials of my 89 year old uncle, Andre Jamar, who lives in Belgium and had just spent 30 days in the hospital and had recovered successfully. And on my stomach I had the initials of my dear father, Fred F. Fields, who I lost 11 years ago. All three of them would be in my heart during the race. This was very inspiring and encouraging for me.\r\n\r\n<strong><u>THE SWIM: 2.4 Miles</u></strong>\r\n<img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman-brazil-swim.jpg\" alt=\"Ironman Brazil Swim\" width=\"160\" height=\"301\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-190\" />This was a beach start. All 2,000 athletes started at once (approximately 40 pros go off first). Being a very good swimmer, I get right behind the lead pack and go out strong. Even with that, there is always a surge at the beginning with everyone swimming into each other (like salmon spawning up stream!). After several hundred yards, the pack thinned out and I was able to get into my rhythm. I was wearing a wetsuit which irritated my neck and I had to stop several times to readjust it so I would not get a burn mark. In spite of this, I was feeling very good. It was a two loop swim. The first loop was a little longer than the second loop. After the first loop you exited the water, ran about 30 to 40 yards on the sand through the cheering crowds and were handed water by the race volunteers. Although a bit exhausting to run, I found this very encouraging with the crowd yelling and screaming. Then it was back in the water to do a second shorter loop. All along I felt very good. I exited the water and found out later I was only nine seconds behind the leader in my age group. So much for stretching my neck! I was feeling very good. You had to run about 300 to 400 yards to the transition area to get your bike. Right before you got to this area, they had wetsuit strippers there. These are basically volunteers to help you to get off your wetsuit. You peel it down to your waist and when you get there you lay on your back and they just pull it off your legs. This is very helpful as this is a hard part of the transition trying to get the wetsuit off. Then it was off to the change tent to put on my bike shoes, helmet and get going on the bike. \r\n\r\n<strong><u>THE BIKE: 112 Miles</u></strong>\r\n<img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman-brazil-bike.jpg\" alt=\"Ironman Brazil Bike\" width=\"160\" height=\"301\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-191\" />Since it was in the low sixties and I was still wet, I wore a vest and arm warmers ( I get cold easy) as I exited the bike transition area. I later would get rid of all this gear as it went into the upper 60\'s and mid 70\'s. The area right around this transition area, known as T1, is crowded with people yelling and cheering. This is always very encouraging. Then it was on to do the bike ride, which would be two loops of the course. This event turned out to be more of an urban event than the other Ironman Triathlons I had done. That meant we were riding amongst traffic a lot. We did have one lane blocked off just for us but a lot of the time there were cars going by. There was also a total of about four thousand four hundred feet of climbing. But the hills were pretty evenly spread out, so nothing was all at once. Plus we did have some very nice views of the ocean and bays as Florianopolis is an island. I felt very strong on the bike. At one point one of my age group competitors who had seen me in the transition area came up to me on the bike and asked me if I was going to go to Hawaii (the World Championships, where you have to qualify). I laughed and said no, but thanks for the encouragement (going to Hawaii meant that I would finish in the top one or two in my age group which I certainly do not do). Nonetheless, it was very encouraging to hear this as he thought I was biking very well. After the first loop, you ended up back in town with the crowds cheering and yelling. Then it was back out for the second loop. Again, I was feeling very strong. I did stop at special needs to pick up my water bottle with my energy drink in it and some other food. All along I felt very strong and was racing well. I found out later that when I got off the bike I was in 7th place in my age group. This is a big improvement for me as usually the bike is my weakest link and I fall back many places. Then it was into the change tent to change into my running shoes. This time I did not need sunglasses as it had partially clouded over and the sun was not brightly shining. Since it was around 3pm and the sun would set around 5:30pm (it is almost wintertime in the southern hemisphere), this was helpful as after that time you have to put the sunglasses on your hat or somewhere else as you don\'t need them because it gets dark outside. This was also very good as that would mean it would not get too hot and one would not get sunburned.\r\n','Race Report 5th Ironman','','inherit','closed','closed','','184-revision-v1','','','2019-06-07 09:22:10','2019-06-07 09:22:10','',184,'https://www.drfields.com/uncategorized/184-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(197,8,'2019-06-07 09:24:52','2019-06-07 09:24:52','Ironman Brazil Running','Ironman Brazil Running','','inherit','open','closed','','ironman-brazil-running','','','2019-06-07 09:24:57','2019-06-07 09:24:57','',184,'https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman-brazil-running.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(198,8,'2019-06-07 09:25:30','2019-06-07 09:25:30','<img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman-brazil-logo.png\" alt=\"Ironman Brazil Logo\" width=\"220\" height=\"130\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-185\" />\r\n\r\n<h6 class=\"text-center\">Sunday May 31, 2015<br>\r\n2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, 26.2 mile run</h6>\r\n\r\n<strong><u>GETTING THERE</u></strong>\r\n\r\nIt is a 12 hour flight nonstop from Los Angeles to Sao Paulo. The flight left at 6:30 p.m. and went smoothly allowing me to get a good nights sleep. It is a four hour difference between Los Angeles and Brazil. After arriving at 11 a.m. in the morning, I waited about six hours and was able to connect on my 5 p.m. flight to Florianopolis.\r\nThe next four days were the usual getting settled in and resting. In addition I would meet many of the competitors that are staying at the guest hotel. The Saturday before the race one must get all ones gear together and leave it down at the transition area. In an Ironman triathlon, all your gear, including your bike, has to be in the transition area on the Saturday before the race. I also took a van tour of the bike course so I could become familiar with it. Sunday morning the only thing one brings down to the start are the things that you\'re going to swim with including your wetsuit. You are also allowed to bring down 2 bags with special needs for half way on the bike and half way through the run. Here you put any food or other gear that you might want during the race and they are placed at the appropriate half way marks.\r\n\r\n<strong><u>RACE DAY</u></strong>\r\n\r\n<img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman-brazil-swim-2.jpg\" alt=\"Ironman Brazil Swim 2\" width=\"160\" height=\"301\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-187\" />I woke at my usual time of 3:30 a.m. This allows me plenty of time to have breakfast, stretch out and get all the final gear in place. And I then arrived at the transition area about 4:30 a.m. At this point it’s just about keeping one\'s nerves down, getting your tires pumped on your bike and making all final checks of your gear for the day. Then we headed down to the ocean. It was about a 10 to 15 minute walk down to the starting point on the beach. The swim was in the ocean (Atlantic that is!). Everybody is trying to just keep their nerves down. Before heading down, I had someone take a picture of me. On my right arm I put the initials of my beloved mother, Yvette Simon Fields, who passed away last August. On my left arm I had the initials of my 89 year old uncle, Andre Jamar, who lives in Belgium and had just spent 30 days in the hospital and had recovered successfully. And on my stomach I had the initials of my dear father, Fred F. Fields, who I lost 11 years ago. All three of them would be in my heart during the race. This was very inspiring and encouraging for me.\r\n\r\n<strong><u>THE SWIM: 2.4 Miles</u></strong>\r\n\r\n<img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman-brazil-swim.jpg\" alt=\"Ironman Brazil Swim\" width=\"160\" height=\"301\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-190\" />This was a beach start. All 2,000 athletes started at once (approximately 40 pros go off first). Being a very good swimmer, I get right behind the lead pack and go out strong. Even with that, there is always a surge at the beginning with everyone swimming into each other (like salmon spawning up stream!). After several hundred yards, the pack thinned out and I was able to get into my rhythm. I was wearing a wetsuit which irritated my neck and I had to stop several times to readjust it so I would not get a burn mark. In spite of this, I was feeling very good. It was a two loop swim. The first loop was a little longer than the second loop. After the first loop you exited the water, ran about 30 to 40 yards on the sand through the cheering crowds and were handed water by the race volunteers. Although a bit exhausting to run, I found this very encouraging with the crowd yelling and screaming. Then it was back in the water to do a second shorter loop. All along I felt very good. I exited the water and found out later I was only nine seconds behind the leader in my age group. So much for stretching my neck! I was feeling very good. You had to run about 300 to 400 yards to the transition area to get your bike. Right before you got to this area, they had wetsuit strippers there. These are basically volunteers to help you to get off your wetsuit. You peel it down to your waist and when you get there you lay on your back and they just pull it off your legs. This is very helpful as this is a hard part of the transition trying to get the wetsuit off. Then it was off to the change tent to put on my bike shoes, helmet and get going on the bike. \r\n\r\n<strong><u>THE BIKE: 112 Miles</u></strong>\r\n\r\n<img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman-brazil-bike.jpg\" alt=\"Ironman Brazil Bike\" width=\"160\" height=\"301\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-191\" />Since it was in the low sixties and I was still wet, I wore a vest and arm warmers ( I get cold easy) as I exited the bike transition area. I later would get rid of all this gear as it went into the upper 60\'s and mid 70\'s. The area right around this transition area, known as T1, is crowded with people yelling and cheering. This is always very encouraging. Then it was on to do the bike ride, which would be two loops of the course. This event turned out to be more of an urban event than the other Ironman Triathlons I had done. That meant we were riding amongst traffic a lot. We did have one lane blocked off just for us but a lot of the time there were cars going by. There was also a total of about four thousand four hundred feet of climbing. But the hills were pretty evenly spread out, so nothing was all at once. Plus we did have some very nice views of the ocean and bays as Florianopolis is an island. I felt very strong on the bike. At one point one of my age group competitors who had seen me in the transition area came up to me on the bike and asked me if I was going to go to Hawaii (the World Championships, where you have to qualify). I laughed and said no, but thanks for the encouragement (going to Hawaii meant that I would finish in the top one or two in my age group which I certainly do not do). Nonetheless, it was very encouraging to hear this as he thought I was biking very well. After the first loop, you ended up back in town with the crowds cheering and yelling. Then it was back out for the second loop. Again, I was feeling very strong. I did stop at special needs to pick up my water bottle with my energy drink in it and some other food. All along I felt very strong and was racing well. I found out later that when I got off the bike I was in 7th place in my age group. This is a big improvement for me as usually the bike is my weakest link and I fall back many places. Then it was into the change tent to change into my running shoes. This time I did not need sunglasses as it had partially clouded over and the sun was not brightly shining. Since it was around 3pm and the sun would set around 5:30pm (it is almost wintertime in the southern hemisphere), this was helpful as after that time you have to put the sunglasses on your hat or somewhere else as you don\'t need them because it gets dark outside. This was also very good as that would mean it would not get too hot and one would not get sunburned.\r\n\r\n<strong><u>THE RUN: 26.2 Miles</u></strong>\r\n\r\n<img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman-brazil-running.jpg\" alt=\"Ironman Brazil Running\" width=\"275\" height=\"579\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-197\" />As we started to run out of the transition area, there were lots of crowds. They would eventually dissipate and you would just be running with the other triathletes. After only a mile, my feet started to bother me. I had to stop and readjust my shoes several times. I even put on little toe gel caps that help protect your toes. After several miles I knew that this was going to be a tough day as somehow I was having pains in my feet which I had never experienced before. At about mile two and a half miles, there was an extremely steep hill that most people had to walk up. On the way back this hill was so steep that you also had to walk down. It was not that long, so it wasn\'t that bad. The first loop was out and back. It was 6.5 mile each way, so when done this is the first 13 miles. I tried to put the pain in my feet out of my mind and keep going. It was slowing me down, but I just kept moving forward. I also kept smiling as all-in-all I was just happy to be out there competing. Plus smiling makes me feel good on the inside. In the next few miles, I had to stop several more times to readjust my shoes. By the end of the first loop, I knew this was not going to be an easy day. For the next 10 kilometers (6.2 miles), I pushed myself very hard to stay in the game. I thought of my mother, my father and my uncle whose names I had written on my body. They’ve all had tough struggles in their lives and just kept going, so I did too. Their strength kept me going through this very tough time. Of course now it was after 6:30pm and it was dark. I had now completed 13 miles and knew and if I could just get past the next 6.2 mile (10 kilometer) segment, I would be able to finish the race. I pushed hard and kept my focus. After getting thru this segment, I knew I was good to go and had only one more loop to the finish line.\r\n\r\nI had to walk and run at times due to the pain I was having in my feet, but you just put it out of your mind and keep going. Finally, as I rounded the corner and could see the finish line, I knew I had done it. This was my 5th Ironman and probably the toughest one, at least on the run. Ironman races are all about staying in the game and I had conquered this one. As I crossed the finish line and they said:\r\n\"Peter Fields, you are an Ironman”,\r\nI knew it was all worthwhile. \r\n\r\n\r\n','Race Report 5th Ironman','','inherit','closed','closed','','184-revision-v1','','','2019-06-07 09:25:30','2019-06-07 09:25:30','',184,'https://www.drfields.com/uncategorized/184-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(199,8,'2019-06-07 09:26:12','2019-06-07 09:26:12','Ironman Brazil Finish','Ironman Brazil Finish','','inherit','open','closed','','ironman-brazil-finish','','','2019-06-07 09:26:16','2019-06-07 09:26:16','',184,'https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman-brazil-finish.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),(200,8,'2019-06-07 09:27:16','2019-06-07 09:27:16','<img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman-brazil-logo.png\" alt=\"Ironman Brazil Logo\" width=\"220\" height=\"130\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-185\" />\r\n\r\n<h6 class=\"text-center\">Sunday May 31, 2015<br>\r\n2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, 26.2 mile run</h6>\r\n\r\n<strong><u>GETTING THERE</u></strong>\r\n\r\nIt is a 12 hour flight nonstop from Los Angeles to Sao Paulo. The flight left at 6:30 p.m. and went smoothly allowing me to get a good nights sleep. It is a four hour difference between Los Angeles and Brazil. After arriving at 11 a.m. in the morning, I waited about six hours and was able to connect on my 5 p.m. flight to Florianopolis.\r\nThe next four days were the usual getting settled in and resting. In addition I would meet many of the competitors that are staying at the guest hotel. The Saturday before the race one must get all ones gear together and leave it down at the transition area. In an Ironman triathlon, all your gear, including your bike, has to be in the transition area on the Saturday before the race. I also took a van tour of the bike course so I could become familiar with it. Sunday morning the only thing one brings down to the start are the things that you\'re going to swim with including your wetsuit. You are also allowed to bring down 2 bags with special needs for half way on the bike and half way through the run. Here you put any food or other gear that you might want during the race and they are placed at the appropriate half way marks.\r\n\r\n<strong><u>RACE DAY</u></strong>\r\n\r\n<img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman-brazil-swim-2.jpg\" alt=\"Ironman Brazil Swim 2\" width=\"160\" height=\"301\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-187\" />I woke at my usual time of 3:30 a.m. This allows me plenty of time to have breakfast, stretch out and get all the final gear in place. And I then arrived at the transition area about 4:30 a.m. At this point it’s just about keeping one\'s nerves down, getting your tires pumped on your bike and making all final checks of your gear for the day. Then we headed down to the ocean. It was about a 10 to 15 minute walk down to the starting point on the beach. The swim was in the ocean (Atlantic that is!). Everybody is trying to just keep their nerves down. Before heading down, I had someone take a picture of me. On my right arm I put the initials of my beloved mother, Yvette Simon Fields, who passed away last August. On my left arm I had the initials of my 89 year old uncle, Andre Jamar, who lives in Belgium and had just spent 30 days in the hospital and had recovered successfully. And on my stomach I had the initials of my dear father, Fred F. Fields, who I lost 11 years ago. All three of them would be in my heart during the race. This was very inspiring and encouraging for me.\r\n\r\n<strong><u>THE SWIM: 2.4 Miles</u></strong>\r\n\r\n<img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman-brazil-swim.jpg\" alt=\"Ironman Brazil Swim\" width=\"160\" height=\"301\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-190\" />This was a beach start. All 2,000 athletes started at once (approximately 40 pros go off first). Being a very good swimmer, I get right behind the lead pack and go out strong. Even with that, there is always a surge at the beginning with everyone swimming into each other (like salmon spawning up stream!). After several hundred yards, the pack thinned out and I was able to get into my rhythm. I was wearing a wetsuit which irritated my neck and I had to stop several times to readjust it so I would not get a burn mark. In spite of this, I was feeling very good. It was a two loop swim. The first loop was a little longer than the second loop. After the first loop you exited the water, ran about 30 to 40 yards on the sand through the cheering crowds and were handed water by the race volunteers. Although a bit exhausting to run, I found this very encouraging with the crowd yelling and screaming. Then it was back in the water to do a second shorter loop. All along I felt very good. I exited the water and found out later I was only nine seconds behind the leader in my age group. So much for stretching my neck! I was feeling very good. You had to run about 300 to 400 yards to the transition area to get your bike. Right before you got to this area, they had wetsuit strippers there. These are basically volunteers to help you to get off your wetsuit. You peel it down to your waist and when you get there you lay on your back and they just pull it off your legs. This is very helpful as this is a hard part of the transition trying to get the wetsuit off. Then it was off to the change tent to put on my bike shoes, helmet and get going on the bike. \r\n\r\n<strong><u>THE BIKE: 112 Miles</u></strong>\r\n\r\n<img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman-brazil-bike.jpg\" alt=\"Ironman Brazil Bike\" width=\"160\" height=\"301\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-191\" />Since it was in the low sixties and I was still wet, I wore a vest and arm warmers ( I get cold easy) as I exited the bike transition area. I later would get rid of all this gear as it went into the upper 60\'s and mid 70\'s. The area right around this transition area, known as T1, is crowded with people yelling and cheering. This is always very encouraging. Then it was on to do the bike ride, which would be two loops of the course. This event turned out to be more of an urban event than the other Ironman Triathlons I had done. That meant we were riding amongst traffic a lot. We did have one lane blocked off just for us but a lot of the time there were cars going by. There was also a total of about four thousand four hundred feet of climbing. But the hills were pretty evenly spread out, so nothing was all at once. Plus we did have some very nice views of the ocean and bays as Florianopolis is an island. I felt very strong on the bike. At one point one of my age group competitors who had seen me in the transition area came up to me on the bike and asked me if I was going to go to Hawaii (the World Championships, where you have to qualify). I laughed and said no, but thanks for the encouragement (going to Hawaii meant that I would finish in the top one or two in my age group which I certainly do not do). Nonetheless, it was very encouraging to hear this as he thought I was biking very well. After the first loop, you ended up back in town with the crowds cheering and yelling. Then it was back out for the second loop. Again, I was feeling very strong. I did stop at special needs to pick up my water bottle with my energy drink in it and some other food. All along I felt very strong and was racing well. I found out later that when I got off the bike I was in 7th place in my age group. This is a big improvement for me as usually the bike is my weakest link and I fall back many places. Then it was into the change tent to change into my running shoes. This time I did not need sunglasses as it had partially clouded over and the sun was not brightly shining. Since it was around 3pm and the sun would set around 5:30pm (it is almost wintertime in the southern hemisphere), this was helpful as after that time you have to put the sunglasses on your hat or somewhere else as you don\'t need them because it gets dark outside. This was also very good as that would mean it would not get too hot and one would not get sunburned.\r\n\r\n<strong><u>THE RUN: 26.2 Miles</u></strong>\r\n\r\n<img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman-brazil-running.jpg\" alt=\"Ironman Brazil Running\" width=\"160\" height=\"301\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-197\" />As we started to run out of the transition area, there were lots of crowds. They would eventually dissipate and you would just be running with the other triathletes. After only a mile, my feet started to bother me. I had to stop and readjust my shoes several times. I even put on little toe gel caps that help protect your toes. After several miles I knew that this was going to be a tough day as somehow I was having pains in my feet which I had never experienced before. At about mile two and a half miles, there was an extremely steep hill that most people had to walk up. On the way back this hill was so steep that you also had to walk down. It was not that long, so it wasn\'t that bad. The first loop was out and back. It was 6.5 mile each way, so when done this is the first 13 miles. I tried to put the pain in my feet out of my mind and keep going. It was slowing me down, but I just kept moving forward. I also kept smiling as all-in-all I was just happy to be out there competing. Plus smiling makes me feel good on the inside. In the next few miles, I had to stop several more times to readjust my shoes. By the end of the first loop, I knew this was not going to be an easy day. For the next 10 kilometers (6.2 miles), I pushed myself very hard to stay in the game. I thought of my mother, my father and my uncle whose names I had written on my body. They’ve all had tough struggles in their lives and just kept going, so I did too. Their strength kept me going through this very tough time. Of course now it was after 6:30pm and it was dark. I had now completed 13 miles and knew and if I could just get past the next 6.2 mile (10 kilometer) segment, I would be able to finish the race. I pushed hard and kept my focus. After getting thru this segment, I knew I was good to go and had only one more loop to the finish line.\r\n\r\nI had to walk and run at times due to the pain I was having in my feet, but you just put it out of your mind and keep going. Finally, as I rounded the corner and could see the finish line, I knew I had done it. This was my 5th Ironman and probably the toughest one, at least on the run. Ironman races are all about staying in the game and I had conquered this one. As I crossed the finish line and they said:\r\n\"Peter Fields, you are an Ironman”,\r\nI knew it was all worthwhile. \r\n\r\n\r\n<strong><u>FINAL THOUGHTS</u></strong>\r\n\r\n<img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman-brazil-finish-200x200.jpg\" alt=\"Ironman Brazil Finish\" width=\"200\" height=\"200\" class=\"alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-199\" />','Race Report 5th Ironman','','inherit','closed','closed','','184-revision-v1','','','2019-06-07 09:27:16','2019-06-07 09:27:16','',184,'https://www.drfields.com/uncategorized/184-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(201,8,'2019-06-07 09:27:39','2019-06-07 09:27:39','<img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman-brazil-logo.png\" alt=\"Ironman Brazil Logo\" width=\"220\" height=\"130\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-185\" />\r\n\r\n<h6 class=\"text-center\">Sunday May 31, 2015<br>\r\n2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, 26.2 mile run</h6>\r\n\r\n<strong><u>GETTING THERE</u></strong>\r\n\r\nIt is a 12 hour flight nonstop from Los Angeles to Sao Paulo. The flight left at 6:30 p.m. and went smoothly allowing me to get a good nights sleep. It is a four hour difference between Los Angeles and Brazil. After arriving at 11 a.m. in the morning, I waited about six hours and was able to connect on my 5 p.m. flight to Florianopolis.\r\nThe next four days were the usual getting settled in and resting. In addition I would meet many of the competitors that are staying at the guest hotel. The Saturday before the race one must get all ones gear together and leave it down at the transition area. In an Ironman triathlon, all your gear, including your bike, has to be in the transition area on the Saturday before the race. I also took a van tour of the bike course so I could become familiar with it. Sunday morning the only thing one brings down to the start are the things that you\'re going to swim with including your wetsuit. You are also allowed to bring down 2 bags with special needs for half way on the bike and half way through the run. Here you put any food or other gear that you might want during the race and they are placed at the appropriate half way marks.\r\n\r\n<strong><u>RACE DAY</u></strong>\r\n\r\n<img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman-brazil-swim-2.jpg\" alt=\"Ironman Brazil Swim 2\" width=\"160\" height=\"301\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-187\" />I woke at my usual time of 3:30 a.m. This allows me plenty of time to have breakfast, stretch out and get all the final gear in place. And I then arrived at the transition area about 4:30 a.m. At this point it’s just about keeping one\'s nerves down, getting your tires pumped on your bike and making all final checks of your gear for the day. Then we headed down to the ocean. It was about a 10 to 15 minute walk down to the starting point on the beach. The swim was in the ocean (Atlantic that is!). Everybody is trying to just keep their nerves down. Before heading down, I had someone take a picture of me. On my right arm I put the initials of my beloved mother, Yvette Simon Fields, who passed away last August. On my left arm I had the initials of my 89 year old uncle, Andre Jamar, who lives in Belgium and had just spent 30 days in the hospital and had recovered successfully. And on my stomach I had the initials of my dear father, Fred F. Fields, who I lost 11 years ago. All three of them would be in my heart during the race. This was very inspiring and encouraging for me.\r\n\r\n<strong><u>THE SWIM: 2.4 Miles</u></strong>\r\n\r\n<img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman-brazil-swim.jpg\" alt=\"Ironman Brazil Swim\" width=\"160\" height=\"301\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-190\" />This was a beach start. All 2,000 athletes started at once (approximately 40 pros go off first). Being a very good swimmer, I get right behind the lead pack and go out strong. Even with that, there is always a surge at the beginning with everyone swimming into each other (like salmon spawning up stream!). After several hundred yards, the pack thinned out and I was able to get into my rhythm. I was wearing a wetsuit which irritated my neck and I had to stop several times to readjust it so I would not get a burn mark. In spite of this, I was feeling very good. It was a two loop swim. The first loop was a little longer than the second loop. After the first loop you exited the water, ran about 30 to 40 yards on the sand through the cheering crowds and were handed water by the race volunteers. Although a bit exhausting to run, I found this very encouraging with the crowd yelling and screaming. Then it was back in the water to do a second shorter loop. All along I felt very good. I exited the water and found out later I was only nine seconds behind the leader in my age group. So much for stretching my neck! I was feeling very good. You had to run about 300 to 400 yards to the transition area to get your bike. Right before you got to this area, they had wetsuit strippers there. These are basically volunteers to help you to get off your wetsuit. You peel it down to your waist and when you get there you lay on your back and they just pull it off your legs. This is very helpful as this is a hard part of the transition trying to get the wetsuit off. Then it was off to the change tent to put on my bike shoes, helmet and get going on the bike. \r\n\r\n<strong><u>THE BIKE: 112 Miles</u></strong>\r\n\r\n<img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman-brazil-bike.jpg\" alt=\"Ironman Brazil Bike\" width=\"160\" height=\"301\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-191\" />Since it was in the low sixties and I was still wet, I wore a vest and arm warmers ( I get cold easy) as I exited the bike transition area. I later would get rid of all this gear as it went into the upper 60\'s and mid 70\'s. The area right around this transition area, known as T1, is crowded with people yelling and cheering. This is always very encouraging. Then it was on to do the bike ride, which would be two loops of the course. This event turned out to be more of an urban event than the other Ironman Triathlons I had done. That meant we were riding amongst traffic a lot. We did have one lane blocked off just for us but a lot of the time there were cars going by. There was also a total of about four thousand four hundred feet of climbing. But the hills were pretty evenly spread out, so nothing was all at once. Plus we did have some very nice views of the ocean and bays as Florianopolis is an island. I felt very strong on the bike. At one point one of my age group competitors who had seen me in the transition area came up to me on the bike and asked me if I was going to go to Hawaii (the World Championships, where you have to qualify). I laughed and said no, but thanks for the encouragement (going to Hawaii meant that I would finish in the top one or two in my age group which I certainly do not do). Nonetheless, it was very encouraging to hear this as he thought I was biking very well. After the first loop, you ended up back in town with the crowds cheering and yelling. Then it was back out for the second loop. Again, I was feeling very strong. I did stop at special needs to pick up my water bottle with my energy drink in it and some other food. All along I felt very strong and was racing well. I found out later that when I got off the bike I was in 7th place in my age group. This is a big improvement for me as usually the bike is my weakest link and I fall back many places. Then it was into the change tent to change into my running shoes. This time I did not need sunglasses as it had partially clouded over and the sun was not brightly shining. Since it was around 3pm and the sun would set around 5:30pm (it is almost wintertime in the southern hemisphere), this was helpful as after that time you have to put the sunglasses on your hat or somewhere else as you don\'t need them because it gets dark outside. This was also very good as that would mean it would not get too hot and one would not get sunburned.\r\n\r\n<strong><u>THE RUN: 26.2 Miles</u></strong>\r\n\r\n<img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman-brazil-running.jpg\" alt=\"Ironman Brazil Running\" width=\"160\" height=\"301\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-197\" />As we started to run out of the transition area, there were lots of crowds. They would eventually dissipate and you would just be running with the other triathletes. After only a mile, my feet started to bother me. I had to stop and readjust my shoes several times. I even put on little toe gel caps that help protect your toes. After several miles I knew that this was going to be a tough day as somehow I was having pains in my feet which I had never experienced before. At about mile two and a half miles, there was an extremely steep hill that most people had to walk up. On the way back this hill was so steep that you also had to walk down. It was not that long, so it wasn\'t that bad. The first loop was out and back. It was 6.5 mile each way, so when done this is the first 13 miles. I tried to put the pain in my feet out of my mind and keep going. It was slowing me down, but I just kept moving forward. I also kept smiling as all-in-all I was just happy to be out there competing. Plus smiling makes me feel good on the inside. In the next few miles, I had to stop several more times to readjust my shoes. By the end of the first loop, I knew this was not going to be an easy day. For the next 10 kilometers (6.2 miles), I pushed myself very hard to stay in the game. I thought of my mother, my father and my uncle whose names I had written on my body. They’ve all had tough struggles in their lives and just kept going, so I did too. Their strength kept me going through this very tough time. Of course now it was after 6:30pm and it was dark. I had now completed 13 miles and knew and if I could just get past the next 6.2 mile (10 kilometer) segment, I would be able to finish the race. I pushed hard and kept my focus. After getting thru this segment, I knew I was good to go and had only one more loop to the finish line.\r\n\r\nI had to walk and run at times due to the pain I was having in my feet, but you just put it out of your mind and keep going. Finally, as I rounded the corner and could see the finish line, I knew I had done it. This was my 5th Ironman and probably the toughest one, at least on the run. Ironman races are all about staying in the game and I had conquered this one. As I crossed the finish line and they said:\r\n\"Peter Fields, you are an Ironman”,\r\nI knew it was all worthwhile. \r\n\r\n\r\n<strong><u>FINAL THOUGHTS</u></strong>\r\n\r\n<img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman-brazil-finish-200x200.jpg\" alt=\"Ironman Brazil Finish\" width=\"200\" height=\"200\" class=\"alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-199\" />My race may have been slowed down by the problems I had on the run, but I was never discouraged. As my former coach told me, Ironman races are all about damage control. That thought helped me get through this race. I was very pleased that I did not get the two most common problems that affect athletes in an Ironman: stomach problems and/or mechanical problems on the bike.\r\nI felt exhausted and drained but nevertheless very satisfied to have finished my 5th Ironman. Some may ask why I punish my body? I was not punishing it; just challenging it. When one is prepared, it is not a punishment. Plus an Ironman is as much a mental challenge as a physical one.','Race Report 5th Ironman','','inherit','closed','closed','','184-revision-v1','','','2019-06-07 09:27:39','2019-06-07 09:27:39','',184,'https://www.drfields.com/uncategorized/184-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(202,8,'2019-06-07 09:42:07','2019-06-07 09:42:07','<h6>Fees</h6>\r\n\r\nFor your first visit:\r\nA complete Regenerative Orthopedics history and physical is done at that time. \r\nThis takes approximately 30-40 minutes.\r\nThen the treatment options are explained (prices below).\r\n<a href=\"https://www.carecredit.com/go/762HNB/bb3poscustacqbtnclk08132020/?dtc=Ds5X&promocode=CLT/\"><img width=\"275\" class=\"alignright\" style=\"max-width:100%;\" src=\"https://www.carecredit.com/sites/pc/image/carecredit_button_applynow_tile_v2.png\"/></a>\r\nInitial Regenerative Orthopedic Consultation: <strong>$300</strong>\r\n<h6>Prolotherapy Charges</h6>\r\nSmall Joint (Foot, hand, fingers, toes, ankle, elbow, TMJ ): <strong>$400</strong>\r\nMedium Joint (knee, hip, shoulder, ribs): <strong>$550</strong>\r\nLarge Joint (Groin, Neck, Mid Back or Low Back): <strong>$700</strong>\r\nPRP (in addition to the above joint charges): <strong>$550</strong>\r\nStem Cell Therapy: <strong>Please call for pricing</strong>\r\n\r\n<a class=\"buttonlink\" href=\"https://www.drfields.com/contact/\">  Schedule Your Appointment Today!</a>\r\n\r\n<strong>Payment Policy</strong>\r\n\r\nInvesting in your health should be very important to you. Since the future of health care is changing, you should be involved with this investment. When you make a financial investment, you measure it by how much it grows each year. Investing in your health pays off in many different ways: wellness, health stability, quality of life, energy, happiness and more.\r\n\r\nOnly you can decide what is fair and if it is worth the investment even if you instil pay out-of-pocket costs for your health care.\r\n\r\nWe will make every effort to instill the feeling that your time with us is worth it.\r\nWoman Paying\r\n\r\nAs a <strong>Fee for Service Office</strong> we request that the <u><strong>fee is paid in full at the time of service</strong></u>. \r\nWe accept credit cards, checks, or cash for payment of services.\r\nWe will provide you with a detailed invoice that you can submit to your insurance company for possible reimbursement. <u><strong>We cannot guarantee insurance reimbursement.</strong></u>\r\n\r\nWe <u>do not subscribe to any insurance networks.</u> Insurance billing can be up to 40 percent of a medical office\'s overhead. It involves a lot of time and effort. We would rather put that time and effort into caring for our patients instead of billing insurance companies. It also helps us keep our prices reasonable.\r\n\r\nRemember that health insurance is a contract between you and your insurance carrier.\r\n\r\nIf so inclined, you can contact your insurance carrier and ask them if they cover an MD office visit (codes: 99203 or 4; 99213 or 4.) They will not tell you how much they cover - only whether they cover it or not. Most insurance companies cover MD\'s office visits. This is what we bill for.\r\n\r\nAll bills are issued under Dr Fields\' medical license (MD). Unfortunately, there is still no guarantee that insurance companies will reimburse you for your treatments even after they have said yes to complete or partial coverage.\r\n\r\n<u><strong>We cannot bill Medicare or Medi-cal since we are not a provider.</strong></u>\r\nPlease do not ask us to attempt this as it is not possible.\r\n\r\n<a class=\"buttonlink\" href=\"https://www.drfields.com/contact/\">  Schedule Your Appointment Today!</a>','Fees & Policies','','publish','open','closed','','fees-policies','','','2021-01-25 23:50:27','2021-01-25 23:50:27','',0,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=202',0,'post','',0),(203,8,'2019-06-07 09:42:07','2019-06-07 09:42:07','<strong>Fees</strong>\r\n\r\nFor your first visit:\r\nA complete Regenerative Orthopedics history and physical is done at that time. \r\nThis takes approximately 30-40 minutes.\r\nThen the treatment options are explained (prices below).\r\n\r\nInitial Regenerative Orthopedic Consultation: <strong>$300</strong>\r\n\r\nProlotherapy Charges\r\nSmall Joint (Foot, hand, fingers, toes, ankle, elbow, TMJ ): <strong>$400</strong>\r\nMedium Joint (knee, hip, shoulder, ribs): <strong>$550</strong>\r\nLarge Joint (Groin, Neck, Mid Back or Low Back): <strong>$700</strong>\r\nPRP (in addition to the above joint charges): <strong>$550</strong>\r\nStem Cell Therapy: <strong>Please call for pricing</strong>\r\n\r\n  <a href=\"#\">Schedule Your Appointment Today!</a>\r\n\r\n<strong>Payment Policy</strong>\r\n\r\nInvesting in your health should be very important to you. Since the future of health care is changing, you should be involved with this investment. When you make a financial investment, you measure it by how much it grows each year. Investing in your health pays off in many different ways: wellness, health stability, quality of life, energy, happiness and more.\r\n\r\nOnly you can decide what is fair and if it is worth the investment even if you instil pay out-of-pocket costs for your health care.\r\n\r\nWe will make every effort to instill the feeling that your time with us is worth it.\r\nWoman Paying\r\n\r\nAs a <strong>Fee for Service Office</strong> we request that the <u><strong>fee is paid in full at the time of service</strong></u>. \r\nWe accept credit cards, checks, or cash for payment of services.\r\nWe will provide you with a detailed invoice that you can submit to your insurance company for possible reimbursement. <u><strong>We cannot guarantee insurance reimbursement.</strong></u>\r\n\r\nWe <u>do not subscribe to any insurance networks.</u> Insurance billing can be up to 40 percent of a medical office\'s overhead. It involves a lot of time and effort. We would rather put that time and effort into caring for our patients instead of billing insurance companies. It also helps us keep our prices reasonable.\r\n\r\nRemember that health insurance is a contract between you and your insurance carrier.\r\n\r\nIf so inclined, you can contact your insurance carrier and ask them if they cover an MD office visit (codes: 99203 or 4; 99213 or 4.) They will not tell you how much they cover - only whether they cover it or not. Most insurance companies cover MD\'s office visits. This is what we bill for.\r\n\r\nAll bills are issued under Dr Fields\' medical license (MD). Unfortunately, there is still no guarantee that insurance companies will reimburse you for your treatments even after they have said yes to complete or partial coverage.\r\n\r\n<u><strong>We cannot bill Medicare or Medi-cal since we are not a provider.</strong></u>\r\nPlease do not ask us to attempt this as it is not possible.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"#\">Schedule Your Appointment Today!</a>','Fees & Policies','','inherit','closed','closed','','202-revision-v1','','','2019-06-07 09:42:07','2019-06-07 09:42:07','',202,'https://www.drfields.com/uncategorized/202-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(204,8,'2019-06-07 09:51:24','2019-06-07 09:51:24','<strong>Fees</strong>\r\n\r\nFor your first visit:\r\nA complete Regenerative Orthopedics history and physical is done at that time. \r\nThis takes approximately 30-40 minutes.\r\nThen the treatment options are explained (prices below).\r\n\r\nInitial Regenerative Orthopedic Consultation: <strong>$300</strong>\r\n\r\nProlotherapy Charges\r\nSmall Joint (Foot, hand, fingers, toes, ankle, elbow, TMJ ): <strong>$400</strong>\r\nMedium Joint (knee, hip, shoulder, ribs): <strong>$550</strong>\r\nLarge Joint (Groin, Neck, Mid Back or Low Back): <strong>$700</strong>\r\nPRP (in addition to the above joint charges): <strong>$550</strong>\r\nStem Cell Therapy: <strong>Please call for pricing</strong>\r\n\r\n  <a href=\"#\">Schedule Your Appointment Today!</a>\r\n\r\n<strong>Payment Policy</strong>\r\n\r\nInvesting in your health should be very important to you. Since the future of health care is changing, you should be involved with this investment. When you make a financial investment, you measure it by how much it grows each year. Investing in your health pays off in many different ways: wellness, health stability, quality of life, energy, happiness and more.\r\n\r\nOnly you can decide what is fair and if it is worth the investment even if you instil pay out-of-pocket costs for your health care.\r\n\r\nWe will make every effort to instill the feeling that your time with us is worth it.\r\nWoman Paying\r\n\r\nAs a <strong>Fee for Service Office</strong> we request that the <u><strong>fee is paid in full at the time of service</strong></u>. \r\nWe accept credit cards, checks, or cash for payment of services.\r\nWe will provide you with a detailed invoice that you can submit to your insurance company for possible reimbursement. <u><strong>We cannot guarantee insurance reimbursement.</strong></u>\r\n\r\nWe <u>do not subscribe to any insurance networks.</u> Insurance billing can be up to 40 percent of a medical office\'s overhead. It involves a lot of time and effort. We would rather put that time and effort into caring for our patients instead of billing insurance companies. It also helps us keep our prices reasonable.\r\n\r\nRemember that health insurance is a contract between you and your insurance carrier.\r\n\r\nIf so inclined, you can contact your insurance carrier and ask them if they cover an MD office visit (codes: 99203 or 4; 99213 or 4.) They will not tell you how much they cover - only whether they cover it or not. Most insurance companies cover MD\'s office visits. This is what we bill for.\r\n\r\nAll bills are issued under Dr Fields\' medical license (MD). Unfortunately, there is still no guarantee that insurance companies will reimburse you for your treatments even after they have said yes to complete or partial coverage.\r\n\r\n<u><strong>We cannot bill Medicare or Medi-cal since we are not a provider.</strong></u>\r\nPlease do not ask us to attempt this as it is not possible.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"#\">Schedule Your Appointment Today!</a>','Fees & Policies','','inherit','closed','closed','','202-autosave-v1','','','2019-06-07 09:51:24','2019-06-07 09:51:24','',202,'https://www.drfields.com/uncategorized/202-autosave-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(205,8,'2019-06-07 09:43:14','2019-06-07 09:43:14','<img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman-brazil-logo.png\" alt=\"Ironman Brazil Logo\" width=\"220\" height=\"130\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-185\" />\r\n\r\n<h6 class=\"text-center\">Sunday May 31, 2015<br>\r\n2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, 26.2 mile run</h6>\r\n\r\n<strong><u>GETTING THERE</u></strong>\r\n\r\nIt is a 12 hour flight nonstop from Los Angeles to Sao Paulo. The flight left at 6:30 p.m. and went smoothly allowing me to get a good nights sleep. It is a four hour difference between Los Angeles and Brazil. After arriving at 11 a.m. in the morning, I waited about six hours and was able to connect on my 5 p.m. flight to Florianopolis.\r\nThe next four days were the usual getting settled in and resting. In addition I would meet many of the competitors that are staying at the guest hotel. The Saturday before the race one must get all ones gear together and leave it down at the transition area. In an Ironman triathlon, all your gear, including your bike, has to be in the transition area on the Saturday before the race. I also took a van tour of the bike course so I could become familiar with it. Sunday morning the only thing one brings down to the start are the things that you\'re going to swim with including your wetsuit. You are also allowed to bring down 2 bags with special needs for half way on the bike and half way through the run. Here you put any food or other gear that you might want during the race and they are placed at the appropriate half way marks.\r\n\r\n<strong><u>RACE DAY</u></strong>\r\n\r\n<img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman-brazil-swim-2.jpg\" alt=\"Ironman Brazil Swim 2\" width=\"160\" height=\"301\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-187\" />I woke at my usual time of 3:30 a.m. This allows me plenty of time to have breakfast, stretch out and get all the final gear in place. And I then arrived at the transition area about 4:30 a.m. At this point it’s just about keeping one\'s nerves down, getting your tires pumped on your bike and making all final checks of your gear for the day. Then we headed down to the ocean. It was about a 10 to 15 minute walk down to the starting point on the beach. The swim was in the ocean (Atlantic that is!). Everybody is trying to just keep their nerves down. Before heading down, I had someone take a picture of me. On my right arm I put the initials of my beloved mother, Yvette Simon Fields, who passed away last August. On my left arm I had the initials of my 89 year old uncle, Andre Jamar, who lives in Belgium and had just spent 30 days in the hospital and had recovered successfully. And on my stomach I had the initials of my dear father, Fred F. Fields, who I lost 11 years ago. All three of them would be in my heart during the race. This was very inspiring and encouraging for me.\r\n\r\n<strong><u>THE SWIM: 2.4 Miles</u></strong>\r\n\r\n<img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman-brazil-swim.jpg\" alt=\"Ironman Brazil Swim\" width=\"160\" height=\"301\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-190\" />This was a beach start. All 2,000 athletes started at once (approximately 40 pros go off first). Being a very good swimmer, I get right behind the lead pack and go out strong. Even with that, there is always a surge at the beginning with everyone swimming into each other (like salmon spawning up stream!). After several hundred yards, the pack thinned out and I was able to get into my rhythm. I was wearing a wetsuit which irritated my neck and I had to stop several times to readjust it so I would not get a burn mark. In spite of this, I was feeling very good. It was a two loop swim. The first loop was a little longer than the second loop. After the first loop you exited the water, ran about 30 to 40 yards on the sand through the cheering crowds and were handed water by the race volunteers. Although a bit exhausting to run, I found this very encouraging with the crowd yelling and screaming. Then it was back in the water to do a second shorter loop. All along I felt very good. I exited the water and found out later I was only nine seconds behind the leader in my age group. So much for stretching my neck! I was feeling very good. You had to run about 300 to 400 yards to the transition area to get your bike. Right before you got to this area, they had wetsuit strippers there. These are basically volunteers to help you to get off your wetsuit. You peel it down to your waist and when you get there you lay on your back and they just pull it off your legs. This is very helpful as this is a hard part of the transition trying to get the wetsuit off. Then it was off to the change tent to put on my bike shoes, helmet and get going on the bike. \r\n\r\n<strong><u>THE BIKE: 112 Miles</u></strong>\r\n\r\n<img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman-brazil-bike.jpg\" alt=\"Ironman Brazil Bike\" width=\"160\" height=\"301\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-191\" />Since it was in the low sixties and I was still wet, I wore a vest and arm warmers ( I get cold easy) as I exited the bike transition area. I later would get rid of all this gear as it went into the upper 60\'s and mid 70\'s. The area right around this transition area, known as T1, is crowded with people yelling and cheering. This is always very encouraging. Then it was on to do the bike ride, which would be two loops of the course. This event turned out to be more of an urban event than the other Ironman Triathlons I had done. That meant we were riding amongst traffic a lot. We did have one lane blocked off just for us but a lot of the time there were cars going by. There was also a total of about four thousand four hundred feet of climbing. But the hills were pretty evenly spread out, so nothing was all at once. Plus we did have some very nice views of the ocean and bays as Florianopolis is an island. I felt very strong on the bike. At one point one of my age group competitors who had seen me in the transition area came up to me on the bike and asked me if I was going to go to Hawaii (the World Championships, where you have to qualify). I laughed and said no, but thanks for the encouragement (going to Hawaii meant that I would finish in the top one or two in my age group which I certainly do not do). Nonetheless, it was very encouraging to hear this as he thought I was biking very well. After the first loop, you ended up back in town with the crowds cheering and yelling. Then it was back out for the second loop. Again, I was feeling very strong. I did stop at special needs to pick up my water bottle with my energy drink in it and some other food. All along I felt very strong and was racing well. I found out later that when I got off the bike I was in 7th place in my age group. This is a big improvement for me as usually the bike is my weakest link and I fall back many places. Then it was into the change tent to change into my running shoes. This time I did not need sunglasses as it had partially clouded over and the sun was not brightly shining. Since it was around 3pm and the sun would set around 5:30pm (it is almost wintertime in the southern hemisphere), this was helpful as after that time you have to put the sunglasses on your hat or somewhere else as you don\'t need them because it gets dark outside. This was also very good as that would mean it would not get too hot and one would not get sunburned.\r\n\r\n<strong><u>THE RUN: 26.2 Miles</u></strong>\r\n\r\n<img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman-brazil-running.jpg\" alt=\"Ironman Brazil Running\" width=\"160\" height=\"301\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-197\" />As we started to run out of the transition area, there were lots of crowds. They would eventually dissipate and you would just be running with the other triathletes. After only a mile, my feet started to bother me. I had to stop and readjust my shoes several times. I even put on little toe gel caps that help protect your toes. After several miles I knew that this was going to be a tough day as somehow I was having pains in my feet which I had never experienced before. At about mile two and a half miles, there was an extremely steep hill that most people had to walk up. On the way back this hill was so steep that you also had to walk down. It was not that long, so it wasn\'t that bad. The first loop was out and back. It was 6.5 mile each way, so when done this is the first 13 miles. I tried to put the pain in my feet out of my mind and keep going. It was slowing me down, but I just kept moving forward. I also kept smiling as all-in-all I was just happy to be out there competing. Plus smiling makes me feel good on the inside. In the next few miles, I had to stop several more times to readjust my shoes. By the end of the first loop, I knew this was not going to be an easy day. For the next 10 kilometers (6.2 miles), I pushed myself very hard to stay in the game. I thought of my mother, my father and my uncle whose names I had written on my body. They’ve all had tough struggles in their lives and just kept going, so I did too. Their strength kept me going through this very tough time. Of course now it was after 6:30pm and it was dark. I had now completed 13 miles and knew and if I could just get past the next 6.2 mile (10 kilometer) segment, I would be able to finish the race. I pushed hard and kept my focus. After getting thru this segment, I knew I was good to go and had only one more loop to the finish line.\r\n\r\nI had to walk and run at times due to the pain I was having in my feet, but you just put it out of your mind and keep going. Finally, as I rounded the corner and could see the finish line, I knew I had done it. This was my 5th Ironman and probably the toughest one, at least on the run. Ironman races are all about staying in the game and I had conquered this one. As I crossed the finish line and they said:\r\n\"Peter Fields, you are an Ironman”,\r\nI knew it was all worthwhile. \r\n\r\n\r\n<strong><u>FINAL THOUGHTS</u></strong>\r\n\r\n<img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman-brazil-finish-200x200.jpg\" alt=\"Ironman Brazil Finish\" width=\"200\" height=\"200\" class=\"alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-199\" />My race may have been slowed down by the problems I had on the run, but I was never discouraged. As my former coach told me, Ironman races are all about damage control. That thought helped me get through this race. I was very pleased that I did not get the two most common problems that affect athletes in an Ironman: stomach problems and/or mechanical problems on the bike.\r\nI felt exhausted and drained but nevertheless very satisfied to have finished my 5th Ironman. Some may ask why I punish my body? I was not punishing it; just challenging it. When one is prepared, it is not a punishment. Plus an Ironman is as much a mental challenge as a physical one.\r\n\r\nI leave you with a quote by the author Viktor Frankl, MD, holocaust survivor and world famous author from his book Man\'s Search For Meaning, which was my dad\'s favorite:\r\n\"Life can be pulled by goals just as surely as it can be pushed by drives.\"\r\n\r\nThere are too many to name, but I want to thank everybody out there who followed me during this race and offered me encouragement. I’d also like to thank everyone else who has written to me and even just thought about me before, during and/or after the race.\r\n\r\nThis race was dedicated to my mother who I lost last year, to my father who I lost 11 years ago and to my uncle who, at 89yo, survived a very tough time recently being in the hospital for 30 days. All three of them have meant a lot to me during my life and have encouraged me to never give up.','Race Report 5th Ironman','','inherit','closed','closed','','184-revision-v1','','','2019-06-07 09:43:14','2019-06-07 09:43:14','',184,'https://www.drfields.com/uncategorized/184-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(206,8,'2019-06-07 09:44:31','2019-06-07 09:44:31','<img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman-brazil-logo.png\" alt=\"Ironman Brazil Logo\" width=\"220\" height=\"130\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-185\" />\r\n\r\n<h6 class=\"text-center\">Sunday May 31, 2015<br>\r\n2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, 26.2 mile run</h6>\r\n\r\n<strong><u>GETTING THERE</u></strong>\r\n\r\nIt is a 12 hour flight nonstop from Los Angeles to Sao Paulo. The flight left at 6:30 p.m. and went smoothly allowing me to get a good nights sleep. It is a four hour difference between Los Angeles and Brazil. After arriving at 11 a.m. in the morning, I waited about six hours and was able to connect on my 5 p.m. flight to Florianopolis.\r\nThe next four days were the usual getting settled in and resting. In addition I would meet many of the competitors that are staying at the guest hotel. The Saturday before the race one must get all ones gear together and leave it down at the transition area. In an Ironman triathlon, all your gear, including your bike, has to be in the transition area on the Saturday before the race. I also took a van tour of the bike course so I could become familiar with it. Sunday morning the only thing one brings down to the start are the things that you\'re going to swim with including your wetsuit. You are also allowed to bring down 2 bags with special needs for half way on the bike and half way through the run. Here you put any food or other gear that you might want during the race and they are placed at the appropriate half way marks.\r\n\r\n<strong><u>RACE DAY</u></strong>\r\n\r\n<img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman-brazil-swim-2.jpg\" alt=\"Ironman Brazil Swim 2\" width=\"160\" height=\"301\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-187\" />I woke at my usual time of 3:30 a.m. This allows me plenty of time to have breakfast, stretch out and get all the final gear in place. And I then arrived at the transition area about 4:30 a.m. At this point it’s just about keeping one\'s nerves down, getting your tires pumped on your bike and making all final checks of your gear for the day. Then we headed down to the ocean. It was about a 10 to 15 minute walk down to the starting point on the beach. The swim was in the ocean (Atlantic that is!). Everybody is trying to just keep their nerves down. Before heading down, I had someone take a picture of me. On my right arm I put the initials of my beloved mother, Yvette Simon Fields, who passed away last August. On my left arm I had the initials of my 89 year old uncle, Andre Jamar, who lives in Belgium and had just spent 30 days in the hospital and had recovered successfully. And on my stomach I had the initials of my dear father, Fred F. Fields, who I lost 11 years ago. All three of them would be in my heart during the race. This was very inspiring and encouraging for me.\r\n\r\n<strong><u>THE SWIM: 2.4 Miles</u></strong>\r\n\r\n<img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman-brazil-swim.jpg\" alt=\"Ironman Brazil Swim\" width=\"160\" height=\"301\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-190\" />This was a beach start. All 2,000 athletes started at once (approximately 40 pros go off first). Being a very good swimmer, I get right behind the lead pack and go out strong. Even with that, there is always a surge at the beginning with everyone swimming into each other (like salmon spawning up stream!). After several hundred yards, the pack thinned out and I was able to get into my rhythm. I was wearing a wetsuit which irritated my neck and I had to stop several times to readjust it so I would not get a burn mark. In spite of this, I was feeling very good. It was a two loop swim. The first loop was a little longer than the second loop. After the first loop you exited the water, ran about 30 to 40 yards on the sand through the cheering crowds and were handed water by the race volunteers. Although a bit exhausting to run, I found this very encouraging with the crowd yelling and screaming. Then it was back in the water to do a second shorter loop. All along I felt very good. I exited the water and found out later I was only nine seconds behind the leader in my age group. So much for stretching my neck! I was feeling very good. You had to run about 300 to 400 yards to the transition area to get your bike. Right before you got to this area, they had wetsuit strippers there. These are basically volunteers to help you to get off your wetsuit. You peel it down to your waist and when you get there you lay on your back and they just pull it off your legs. This is very helpful as this is a hard part of the transition trying to get the wetsuit off. Then it was off to the change tent to put on my bike shoes, helmet and get going on the bike. \r\n\r\n<strong><u>THE BIKE: 112 Miles</u></strong>\r\n\r\n<img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman-brazil-bike.jpg\" alt=\"Ironman Brazil Bike\" width=\"160\" height=\"301\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-191\" />Since it was in the low sixties and I was still wet, I wore a vest and arm warmers ( I get cold easy) as I exited the bike transition area. I later would get rid of all this gear as it went into the upper 60\'s and mid 70\'s. The area right around this transition area, known as T1, is crowded with people yelling and cheering. This is always very encouraging. Then it was on to do the bike ride, which would be two loops of the course. This event turned out to be more of an urban event than the other Ironman Triathlons I had done. That meant we were riding amongst traffic a lot. We did have one lane blocked off just for us but a lot of the time there were cars going by. There was also a total of about four thousand four hundred feet of climbing. But the hills were pretty evenly spread out, so nothing was all at once. Plus we did have some very nice views of the ocean and bays as Florianopolis is an island. I felt very strong on the bike. At one point one of my age group competitors who had seen me in the transition area came up to me on the bike and asked me if I was going to go to Hawaii (the World Championships, where you have to qualify). I laughed and said no, but thanks for the encouragement (going to Hawaii meant that I would finish in the top one or two in my age group which I certainly do not do). Nonetheless, it was very encouraging to hear this as he thought I was biking very well. After the first loop, you ended up back in town with the crowds cheering and yelling. Then it was back out for the second loop. Again, I was feeling very strong. I did stop at special needs to pick up my water bottle with my energy drink in it and some other food. All along I felt very strong and was racing well. I found out later that when I got off the bike I was in 7th place in my age group. This is a big improvement for me as usually the bike is my weakest link and I fall back many places. Then it was into the change tent to change into my running shoes. This time I did not need sunglasses as it had partially clouded over and the sun was not brightly shining. Since it was around 3pm and the sun would set around 5:30pm (it is almost wintertime in the southern hemisphere), this was helpful as after that time you have to put the sunglasses on your hat or somewhere else as you don\'t need them because it gets dark outside. This was also very good as that would mean it would not get too hot and one would not get sunburned.\r\n\r\n<strong><u>THE RUN: 26.2 Miles</u></strong>\r\n\r\n<img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman-brazil-running.jpg\" alt=\"Ironman Brazil Running\" width=\"160\" height=\"301\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-197\" />As we started to run out of the transition area, there were lots of crowds. They would eventually dissipate and you would just be running with the other triathletes. After only a mile, my feet started to bother me. I had to stop and readjust my shoes several times. I even put on little toe gel caps that help protect your toes. After several miles I knew that this was going to be a tough day as somehow I was having pains in my feet which I had never experienced before. At about mile two and a half miles, there was an extremely steep hill that most people had to walk up. On the way back this hill was so steep that you also had to walk down. It was not that long, so it wasn\'t that bad. The first loop was out and back. It was 6.5 mile each way, so when done this is the first 13 miles. I tried to put the pain in my feet out of my mind and keep going. It was slowing me down, but I just kept moving forward. I also kept smiling as all-in-all I was just happy to be out there competing. Plus smiling makes me feel good on the inside. In the next few miles, I had to stop several more times to readjust my shoes. By the end of the first loop, I knew this was not going to be an easy day. For the next 10 kilometers (6.2 miles), I pushed myself very hard to stay in the game. I thought of my mother, my father and my uncle whose names I had written on my body. They’ve all had tough struggles in their lives and just kept going, so I did too. Their strength kept me going through this very tough time. Of course now it was after 6:30pm and it was dark. I had now completed 13 miles and knew and if I could just get past the next 6.2 mile (10 kilometer) segment, I would be able to finish the race. I pushed hard and kept my focus. After getting thru this segment, I knew I was good to go and had only one more loop to the finish line.\r\n\r\nI had to walk and run at times due to the pain I was having in my feet, but you just put it out of your mind and keep going. Finally, as I rounded the corner and could see the finish line, I knew I had done it. This was my 5th Ironman and probably the toughest one, at least on the run. Ironman races are all about staying in the game and I had conquered this one. As I crossed the finish line and they said:\r\n\"Peter Fields, you are an Ironman”,\r\nI knew it was all worthwhile. \r\n\r\n\r\n<strong><u>FINAL THOUGHTS</u></strong>\r\n\r\n<img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman-brazil-finish-200x200.jpg\" alt=\"Ironman Brazil Finish\" width=\"200\" height=\"200\" class=\"alignright size-thumbnail wp-image-199\" />My race may have been slowed down by the problems I had on the run, but I was never discouraged. As my former coach told me, Ironman races are all about damage control. That thought helped me get through this race. I was very pleased that I did not get the two most common problems that affect athletes in an Ironman: stomach problems and/or mechanical problems on the bike.\r\nI felt exhausted and drained but nevertheless very satisfied to have finished my 5th Ironman. Some may ask why I punish my body? I was not punishing it; just challenging it. When one is prepared, it is not a punishment. Plus an Ironman is as much a mental challenge as a physical one.\r\n\r\nI leave you with a quote by the author Viktor Frankl, MD, holocaust survivor and world famous author from his book Man\'s Search For Meaning, which was my dad\'s favorite:\r\n\"Life can be pulled by goals just as surely as it can be pushed by drives.\"\r\n\r\nThere are too many to name, but I want to thank everybody out there who followed me during this race and offered me encouragement. I’d also like to thank everyone else who has written to me and even just thought about me before, during and/or after the race.\r\n\r\nThis race was dedicated to my mother who I lost last year, to my father who I lost 11 years ago and to my uncle who, at 89yo, survived a very tough time recently being in the hospital for 30 days. All three of them have meant a lot to me during my life and have encouraged me to never give up.\r\n\r\nLastly, a big shout out to my brother Norman. No matter where I have raced, he has always followed me the entire race on the computer. I heard him cheering me on the whole way; he has never forgotten his little brother.\r\nThanks bro!\r\n\r\n<h6>Peter A. Fields, MD DC<br>\r\nThe Athletic Doc® and 5X Ironman Triathlete</h6>','Race Report 5th Ironman','','inherit','closed','closed','','184-revision-v1','','','2019-06-07 09:44:31','2019-06-07 09:44:31','',184,'https://www.drfields.com/uncategorized/184-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(207,8,'2019-06-07 09:48:41','2019-06-07 09:48:41','<h2>Common Questions for Services at OrthoRegen<sup>®</sup></h2>\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4393\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"500\"]<img class=\"wp-image-4393 size-medium\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Prolotherapy-copy-2-500x500.png\" alt=\"Prolotherapy Copy 2\" width=\"500\" height=\"500\" /> <em><strong> Non-Surgical Services at OrthoRegen for Joint Pain</strong></em>[/caption]\r\n<h3><strong>What Is the Payment Policy for Service?</strong></h3>\r\nInvesting in your health should be very important to you. And we are so happy you have chosen to look into the services offered at OrthoRegen.<sup>® </sup>\r\n\r\nSince the future of health care is changing, you should be involved with this investment. When you make a financial investment, you measure it by how much it grows each year. Investing in your health pays off in many different ways: wellness, health stability, quality of life, energy, happiness, and more.\r\n\r\nOnly you can decide what is fair and if it is worth the investment even if you pay out-of-pocket costs for your health care.\r\n\r\nWe will make every effort to instill the feeling that your time with us is worth it.\r\n<h3>Is OrthoRegen<sup>® </sup>a Fee for Service Office?</h3>\r\nYes! And as a <strong>Fee for Service Office,</strong> we request that the <u><strong>fee is paid in full at the time of service</strong></u>.\r\n\r\n<em>We accept credit cards, checks, or cash for payment of services.</em>\r\n<h4>What Should I Expect at the First Visit?</h4>\r\nDuring your first visit to OrthoRegen,<sup>® </sup>a complete Regenerative Orthopedics history and physical is done. This takes approximately 30-40 minutes. Your regenerative medicine expert will then recommend the best treatment option according to your particular needs and case.\r\n<h4>The Regenerative Orthopedic treatment options are explained below with current fees:</h4>\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"586\"]<a class=\"enhancr_card_5084827434\" href=\"https://www.carecredit.com/go/762HNB/bb3poscustacqbtnclk08132020/?dtc=Ds5X&amp;promocode=CLT/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\"><img class=\"ydpb17459af\" src=\"https://www.carecredit.com/sites/pc/image/carecredit_button_applynow_tile_v2.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"586\" height=\"434\" data-inlineimagemanipulating=\"true\" data-id=\"1624650312930\" /></a> <em>We accept credit cards, checks, or cash for payment of services at OrthoRegen.</em>[/caption]\r\n<h3></h3>\r\n<h3>What Are the Regenerative Orthopedics Fees?</h3>\r\nInitial Regenerative Orthopedic Consultation: $550\r\n<h4>Prolotherapy Charges:</h4>\r\nSmall Joint (Foot, hand, fingers, toes, ankle, elbow, TMJ): $500\r\nMedium Joint (Knee, hip, shoulder, ribs): $600\r\nLarge Joint (Groin, neck, mid-back, or low back): $1600\r\n<h4></h4>\r\n<h4></h4>\r\n<h4></h4>\r\n<h4></h4>\r\n<h4></h4>\r\n<h4><strong>Platelet Rich Plasma:</strong></h4>\r\n<strong> </strong>$550 Plus, the above joint charges\r\n<h4>Stem Cell Therapy:</h4>\r\nPlease call for pricing\r\n<h3>What Is the Insurance Policy at OrthoRegen<sup>® </sup>for Services?</h3>\r\nWe will provide you with a detailed invoice that you can submit to your insurance company for possible reimbursement. As noted above, we are a <strong>Fee for Service Office. And as such,</strong> we request that the <u><strong>fee is paid in full at the time of service</strong></u>.\r\n\r\nSince <strong>we do not subscribe to any insurance networks</strong>, <strong>we</strong><u><strong> cannot guarantee insurance reimbursement.</strong></u>\r\n\r\nInsurance billing can be up to 40 percent of a medical office’s overhead. It involves a lot of time and effort. We would rather put that time and effort into caring for our patients instead of billing insurance companies. It also helps us keep our prices reasonable.\r\n<h4>Remember that health insurance is a contract between you and your insurance carrier.</h4>\r\nIf so inclined, you can contact your insurance carrier and ask them if they cover an MD office visit (codes: 99203 or 4; 99213 or 4.) They will not tell you how much they cover – only whether they cover it or not. Most insurance companies cover MD’s office visits. This is what we bill for.\r\n\r\nAll bills are issued under Dr. Fields’ medical license (MD). Unfortunately, there is still no guarantee that insurance companies will reimburse you for your treatments even after they have said yes to complete or partial coverage.\r\n<h3><u><strong>Are You a Medicare of Medi-cal Provider?</strong></u></h3>\r\n<u>No. And since we are not a Medicare or Medi-cal provider, <strong>we cannot bill Medicare or Medi-cal.</strong></u>\r\nPlease do not ask us to attempt this, as it is not possible.\r\n<h3><u><strong>Are Medical Records or MRI’s/X-rays Necessary?</strong></u></h3>\r\nAny pertinent medical records can be faxed [phone] to the office prior to your visit. The report of the MRI/X-ray can also be faxed or brought with you.\r\n\r\nActual MRIs or x-rays are not absolutely necessary but may be brought with you.\r\n<h3><u><strong>How Long Is Each Visit?</strong></u></h3>\r\nThe first visit is approximately one hour. Each additional visit is about half an hour unless there is more than one area being treated. You can discuss this with the doctor on your first visit.\r\n<h3><u><strong>Can I Receive Treatment at the Initial Visit?</strong></u></h3>\r\nIf after your history and examination it is determined that you are a good candidate for Regenerative Orthopedics treatments, then after reviewing the recommendations with your clinician, you can receive treatment on your first visit.\r\n\r\nWe are excited that you are looking into this non-surgical alternative. Are you ready to get back to all the things you loved doing before pain changed your life? We are here to help you get your life back. Call us soon!\r\n\r\n<a class=\"buttonlink\" href=\"https://www.drfields.com/contact/\"> Schedule Your Appointment Today!</a>','Common Questions','','publish','open','closed','','common-questions-for-services-at-orthoregen','','','2023-08-07 03:44:39','2023-08-07 03:44:39','',0,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=207',0,'post','',0),(208,8,'2019-06-07 09:47:22','2019-06-07 09:47:22','<h2 class=\"text-center\">Please fill out the form below for your inquiries!<h2>','Contact','','inherit','closed','closed','','29-revision-v1','','','2019-06-07 09:47:22','2019-06-07 09:47:22','',29,'https://www.drfields.com/uncategorized/29-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(209,8,'2019-06-07 09:48:41','2019-06-07 09:48:41','<u><strong>Fee’s and Payment/Insurance Policies</strong></u> <a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/about/fees-policies/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Click Here</a>\r\n\r\n<u><strong>Are medical records or MRI’s/X-rays necessary?</strong></u>\r\nAny pertinent medical records can be faxed (310) 453-1212 to the office prior to your visit. The report (reading) of the MRI/X-ray can also be faxed or brought with you.\r\n\r\nActual MRI’s or x-rays are not absolutely necessary but may be brought with you.\r\n\r\n<u><strong>How long is each visit?</strong></u>\r\nThe first visit is approximately one hour. Each additional visit is about half an hour unless there is more than one area being treated. You can discuss this with the doctor on your first visit.\r\n\r\n<u><strong>Do I receive a Prolotherapy treatment on the initial visit?</strong></u>\r\nIf after history and examination it is determined that you are a prolotherapy candidate, then you will receive Prolotherapy on your first visit.\r\n\r\n  <a href=\"#\">Schedule Your Appointment Today!</a>','Common Questions','','inherit','closed','closed','','207-revision-v1','','','2019-06-07 09:48:41','2019-06-07 09:48:41','',207,'https://www.drfields.com/uncategorized/207-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(210,8,'2019-06-07 11:18:14','2019-06-07 11:18:14','<p>&nbsp; </p>\n<img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/mother-child-reading.jpg\" alt=\"Mother Child Reading\" width=\"200\" height=\"300\" class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-288\" /><u><strong>Fee’s and Payment/Insurance Policies</strong></u> <a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/about/fees-policies/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Click Here</a>\n\n<u><strong>Are medical records or MRI’s/X-rays necessary?</strong></u>\nAny pertinent medical records can be faxed (310) 453-1212 to the office prior to your visit. The report (reading) of the MRI/X-ray can also be faxed or brought with you.\n\nActual MRI’s or x-rays are not absolutely necessary but may be brought with you.\n\n<u><strong>How long is each visit?</strong></u>\nThe first visit is approximately one hour. Each additional visit is about half an hour unless there is more than one area being treated. You can discuss this with the doctor on your first visit.\n\n<p class=\"text-center\"><u><strong>Do I receive a Prolotherapy treatment on the initial visit?</strong></u>\nIf after history and examination it is determined that you are a prolotherapy candidate, then you will receive Prolotherapy on your first visit.</p>\n\n  <a class=\"secondaryButton bglight\" href=\"#\">Schedule Your Appointment Today!</a>','Common Questions','','inherit','closed','closed','','207-autosave-v1','','','2019-06-07 11:18:14','2019-06-07 11:18:14','',207,'https://www.drfields.com/uncategorized/207-autosave-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(211,8,'2019-06-07 09:50:38','2019-06-07 09:50:38','<h2 class=\"text-center\">Please fill out the form below for your inquiries!<h2>\r\n\r\n[contact-form-7 id=\"4\" title=\"Contact form 1\"]','Contact','','inherit','closed','closed','','29-revision-v1','','','2019-06-07 09:50:38','2019-06-07 09:50:38','',29,'https://www.drfields.com/uncategorized/29-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(213,8,'2019-06-07 09:54:45','2019-06-07 09:54:45','<h3>Why Choose OrthoRegen<strong><sup>®</sup></strong>?</h3>\r\nAt OrthoRegen<strong><sup>®</sup></strong>, we want to help you achieve your goals of optimal health and sustained wellness. We will do so using the most effective, least invasive path. After all, this is your health that we are talking about.\r\n<h4><strong>The Future of Your Health in This Changing World</strong></h4>\r\nInvesting in your health is now more important than ever. Most of us are looking for ways to keep our immune system strong so we don\'t get sick. It is a new world out there! And we all want to do everything we can to avoid the hospital!  Since the future of health care is changing, you must know what choices are available to you.\r\n<h3>OrthoRegen<strong><sup>®</sup></strong> Is Exclusively a Regenerative Orthopedics Medical Office</h3>\r\nThe medical office of OrthoRegen<strong><sup>®</sup></strong> offers Regenerative Orthopedics exclusively. We don\'t do surgery. And we don\'t use anesthesia. Nor do we give out a bunch of medications. Plus, we don\'t just dabble in regenerative medicine or do a procedure once in a while. That\'s all we do. And we have been offering regenerative medicine options for many, many years. So that means your practitioners are very experienced.\r\n\r\nWith that in mind, our goal is to ensure that you will have an exceptional experience throughout your entire process. <strong>We offer safe, expedient, and effective treatments to resolve many painful conditions without the need for surgery.</strong> And when more advanced treatment is needed, such as in cases of very degenerated joints, OrthoRegen<strong><sup>®</sup></strong> offers the state-of-the-art Gold Standard in Stem Cell Therapy. What does that mean? The Gold Standard refers to four different types of regenerative therapies. That\'s four! Most clinics use just one.\r\n\r\nAnd that\'s why many Los Angeles residents choose us as their regenerative medicine alternative to surgery and joint replacement. With all of that regenerative capability, in most cases, we can resolve the majority of painful musculoskeletal conditions and ultimately enhance the quality of your life and get you back to the activities you love.\r\n<h4><em>If You Are An Athlete with an Injury, Peter A. Fields, MD, DC Understands, Because He Is An Athlete Too</em></h4>\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_4550\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"500\"]<img class=\"wp-image-4550 size-medium\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Why-Choose-OrthoRegen-copy-500x500.png\" alt=\"Why Choose OrthoRegen®\" width=\"500\" height=\"500\" /> <em>                             <strong>Why Choose OrthoRegen<sup>®</sup>: Our Philosophy</strong></em>[/caption]\r\n\r\nAs an athlete himself, Peter A. Fields, MD, DC, also understands how important it is to stay in the game.  That, along with his extensive expertise, ensures a higher level of ability and understanding as a regenerative medicine physician because his experience encompasses a much broader knowledge base.\r\n<h3>Peter A. Fields, MD, DC is Dual Degreed as Both a Medical Doctor <strong>and</strong> a Chiropractor</h3>\r\nAs a medical doctor and one of the leaders in regenerative medicine, Peter A. Fields, MD, DC, has years of experience in regenerative therapies. Therefore, he can seek out the best solution, recommend, and perform the optimal type of regenerative therapy that is right for you. And that means you get the treatment that\'s right for you and the best possible therapy to repair your joint.  And all of these regenerative therapies are available right in our clinic.\r\n\r\nPlus, Peter A. Fields, MD, DC, is dual degreed as both a<em> medical doctor <strong>and</strong> a chiropractor.</em> As a chiropractor, he understands the ins and out of every joint. That helps ensure that you won\'t need all of the imaging that many physicians order due to their lack of experience locating the problem via manual examination. Sure, if further testing is deemed necessary, it can be prescribed. But a chiropractor\'s familiarity with the joints and possible referral pain patterns makes imaging less necessary.\r\n\r\nOrthoRegen<strong><sup>® </sup></strong>has provided hope for patients from all over who are trying to avoid joint surgery. Even if surgery has already been done, Regenerative Orthopedics can provide pain relief. We have many <a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/articles/regenerative-orthopedics/\">articles</a> on this website that discuss the various conditions you may face and how Regenerative Orthopedics can help. We welcome you to <a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/articles/regenerative-orthopedics/\">search</a> through them to learn more about our treatments, research, and how we achieve outstanding patient results because of our unique approach. If you are looking for the top pain clinic in the Los Angeles area to actually resolve your pain and not just temporarily cover up the symptoms, let’s talk...<strong>Together, we can turn your case around!</strong>\r\n<h3>Regenerative Orthopedics Is Your Non-Surgical Option When You Injure Yourself?</h3>\r\nWe are thrilled to enable people to live fulfilling and active lives by resolving their joint pain and injury through comprehensive Regenerative Orthopedics. Why choose surgery when there is an alternative?\r\n\r\n<strong>Remember, once surgery is done, it can never be undone.</strong>\r\n\r\nAt OrthoRegen<strong><sup>®</sup></strong>, our team is dedicated to providing highly effective, individualized treatment plans that relieve pain and help you return to sports, work, and activities quickly and safely.\r\n\r\nPeter A. Fields, MD DC, is a <a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/regenerative-techniques/los-angeles-prolotherapy/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Los Angeles Prolotherapy doctor</a> and <a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/regenerative-techniques/los-angeles-prp/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">PRP Doctor</a> and the founder of OrthoRegen<strong><sup>®</sup></strong>.\r\n\r\n<a class=\"buttonlink\" href=\"https://www.drfields.com/contact/\"> Schedule Your Appointment Today!</a>','OrthoRegen®: Our Philosophy','','publish','open','closed','','orthoregen-our-philosophy','','','2021-03-12 03:48:44','2021-03-12 03:48:44','',0,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=213',0,'post','',0),(214,8,'2019-06-07 09:54:45','2019-06-07 09:54:45','<strong>The Future of Your Health – Your Best Investment</strong>\r\n\r\nInvesting in your health should be very important to you. Since the future of health care is changing, you should be involved with this investment. Some of the treatments out there promoted by conventional medicine are doing their job- that is getting people better. But some can actually make you worse, or affect different parts of the body in a negative way. What good is it if it cures your specific ailment only to give you a different one.\r\n\r\nWhen you make a financial investment, you measure it by how much it grows each year. Investing in your health pays off in many different ways: wellness, health stability, quality of life, energy, happiness and more. There is an underlying cause for each of your symptoms and that will take time and effort on our part and yours to find out what that may be. For this reason, more and more people are starting to get concerned about and involved in, their own health care. Just treating the symptoms will not make the problem go away; one must get to the cause of the problem and fix that. This approach is what Integrative/Holistic medicine is all about.\r\n\r\nThe U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that the key factors influencing an individual\'s state of health have not changed significantly over the past 20 years. Heredity accounts for 18% and environment is 19%. Everyday lifestyle choices are 53%. The decisions people make about their life and habits are therefore by far the largest factor in determining their state of wellness.\r\n\r\nPeter A. Fields, MD DC, is a Los Angeles Prolotherapy doctor<a href=\"#\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"></a> and <a href=\"#\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">PRP Doctor</a> and the founder of OrthoRegen.\r\n\r\nAt OrthoRegen we want to help you to achieve your goals of optimal health and sustained wellness. We will do so using the most effective, least invasive path. Only you can decide what is fair and worth this investment when it comes to out-of-pocket costs for your health care. We will make every effort to instill the feeling that what you spend was worth it. After all, this is your health that we are talking about.\r\n\r\n <a href=\"#\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"> Schedule Your Appointment Today! </a>','Our Philosophy','','inherit','closed','closed','','213-revision-v1','','','2019-06-07 09:54:45','2019-06-07 09:54:45','',213,'https://www.drfields.com/uncategorized/213-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(215,8,'2019-06-07 09:55:35','2019-06-07 09:55:35','<strong>The Future of Your Health – Your Best Investment</strong>\r\n\r\nInvesting in your health should be very important to you. Since the future of health care is changing, you should be involved with this investment. Some of the treatments out there promoted by conventional medicine are doing their job- that is getting people better. But some can actually make you worse, or affect different parts of the body in a negative way. What good is it if it cures your specific ailment only to give you a different one.\r\n\r\nWhen you make a financial investment, you measure it by how much it grows each year. Investing in your health pays off in many different ways: wellness, health stability, quality of life, energy, happiness and more. There is an underlying cause for each of your symptoms and that will take time and effort on our part and yours to find out what that may be. For this reason, more and more people are starting to get concerned about and involved in, their own health care. Just treating the symptoms will not make the problem go away; one must get to the cause of the problem and fix that. This approach is what Integrative/Holistic medicine is all about.\r\n\r\nThe U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that the key factors influencing an individual\'s state of health have not changed significantly over the past 20 years. Heredity accounts for 18% and environment is 19%. Everyday lifestyle choices are 53%. The decisions people make about their life and habits are therefore by far the largest factor in determining their state of wellness.\r\n\r\nPeter A. Fields, MD DC, is a <a href=\"#\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Los Angeles Prolotherapy doctor</a> and <a href=\"#\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">PRP Doctor</a> and the founder of OrthoRegen.\r\n\r\nAt OrthoRegen we want to help you to achieve your goals of optimal health and sustained wellness. We will do so using the most effective, least invasive path. Only you can decide what is fair and worth this investment when it comes to out-of-pocket costs for your health care. We will make every effort to instill the feeling that what you spend was worth it. After all, this is your health that we are talking about.\r\n\r\n <a href=\"#\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\"> Schedule Your Appointment Today! </a>','Our Philosophy','','inherit','closed','closed','','213-revision-v1','','','2019-06-07 09:55:35','2019-06-07 09:55:35','',213,'https://www.drfields.com/uncategorized/213-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(216,8,'2019-06-07 10:06:00','2019-06-07 10:06:00','<img class=\"alignleft wp-image-1685 size-medium\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Stem-Cell-Doctor-Peter-Fields-MD-DC-315x500.jpg\" alt=\"Stem Cell Doctor Peter Fields Md Dc\" width=\"315\" height=\"500\" />\r\n<h4>Peter A. Fields, MD, DC, The Athletic Doc<sup>®</sup></h4>\r\nPeter A. Fields, MD, DC, <a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/about/the-athletic-doc/about-the-athletic-doc/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">The Athletic Doc<sup>®</sup></a>, is a world-renowned expert in the field of Regenerative Orthopedics (non-surgical joint and spine repair). <strong>He is one of a handful of physicians in the nation that is both a Medical Physician and a Chiropractor.</strong> This combination of degrees gives Dr. Fields a broad area of knowledge and expertise that benefits his patients.\r\n<h4>Director of OrthoRegen<sup>®</sup></h4>\r\nDr. Fields is the Director of <a href=\"https://orthoregen.com/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">OrthoRegen<sup>®</sup></a> in Santa Monica, CA. which is one of the largest practices in the world dedicated solely to Regenerative Orthopedics. Athletes and non-athletes alike come from around the US and the world to receive treatment, because Dr. Fields helps them to avoid unnecessary joint surgeries. He is a leading expert in using <a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/regenerative-techniques/stem-cell-treatment/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Stem Cell Therapy</a> to help people avoid joint replacement.\r\n<h4>Regenerative Medicine Expert</h4>\r\nDr. Fields has appeared on national TV as a Regenerative Medicine Expert as well as several TV and radio stations in the Los Angeles area. Plus, he writes a column on Orthopedic/Sports Medicine for a <a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/category/articles/magazine-column/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">national magazine</a> as well as lecturing at various conferences around the world on these techniques.\r\n<h4>Hackett-Hemwall Foundation Instructor</h4>\r\nIn addition, Dr. Fields is a Clinical Instructor with the <a href=\"https://hhpfoundation.org/\">Hackett-Hemwall Foundation</a>, the largest teaching organization for Prolotherapy. And Dr. Fields has volunteered his time for two weeks nine different times on their medical trips to Honduras. There they not only treat the indigenous people for joint and spine problems but also teach 75 physicians from all over the world Prolotherapy. Also, Dr. Fields was the director of one of only three clinics in Honduras.\r\n\r\n<a class=\"buttonlink\" href=\"https://www.drfields.com/contact/\"> Schedule Your Appointment Today!</a>\r\n<h4>Regenerative Orthopedics Doctor</h4>\r\nDr. Fields is a leading expert in the field of Regenerative Orthopedics, which includes Stem Cell Therapy, Platelet Rich Plasma, and Prolotherapy. All of these treatments are natural non-surgical methods of assisting the body to heal weakened or injured joints, tendons and ligaments. With Regenerative Orthopedics, the weakened areas are injected with a solution that stimulates the growth of healthy, strong tissues. As the ligaments and tendons grow stronger and vibrant, the motion is restored and the pain is alleviated.\r\n<h4>The Athletic Doc<sup>®</sup></h4>\r\nDr. Fields is a very active and competitive triathlete, having completed eleven full <a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/about/the-athletic-doc/race-report-9th-ironman/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Ironman Triathlons</a> as well as numerous (half) Ironman Triathlons and many other triathlons. The Athletic Doc<sup>®</sup> has had his back and shoulder treated by these techniques and avoided surgery. In other words, this doc walks his talk!\r\n<div id=\"centrevideo\" class=\"text-center\">[video_lightbox_youtube video_id=\"JyzbZT3aZ9o\" width=\"640\" height=\"480\" anchor=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Interview-with-Dr.-Fields.jpg\" alt=\"Interview with Dr. Fields about Prolotherapy and PRP\"]\r\n<strong>Interview with Dr. Fields about Prolotherapy and PRP</strong></div>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<a class=\"buttonlink\" href=\"https://www.drfields.com/contact/\"> Schedule Your Appointment Today!</a>','Bio: Dr. Fields','','publish','open','closed','','dr-fields-bio','','','2022-01-06 00:59:38','2022-01-06 00:59:38','',0,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=216',0,'post','',0),(217,8,'2019-06-07 10:03:28','2019-06-07 10:03:28','<div class=\"col-md-8\">\r\n<img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Ironman-Cozumel-Mexico-2015-Logo.jpg\" alt=\"Ironman Cozumel Mexico 2015 Logo\" width=\"250\" height=\"126\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-224\" />\r\n\r\n<h6 class=\"text-center\">Sunday November 29, 2015\r\n2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, 26.2 mile run</h6>\r\n\r\n<strong class=\"subhead\">PROLOGUE</strong>\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_231\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"115\"]<img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/cozumel-2015-initials-115.jpg\" alt=\"Cozumel 2015 Initials 115\" width=\"115\" height=\"241\" class=\"size-full wp-image-231\" /><strong> Dr. Fields with his parents initials written on his forearms</strong>[/caption]<strong>Never say never</strong>\r\nMy parents taught me to never to give up no matter how difficult it may seem.\r\nThis, and all my races, are dedicated to their memory.\r\n\r\nThirteen years ago three different neurosurgeons told me that if I did not have surgery on my low back, exercise would no longer be an option in my life.\r\nThen I found out about the wonderful world of Regenerative Orthopedic Medicine. Sunday November 29th, 2015, I finished not only my 2nd Ironman race in 2015, but my sixth Ironman race overall.\r\n<strong><em>Regenerate First; Surgery Last!</em></strong>\r\n<p>&nbsp;</p>\r\n<strong class=\"subhead\">RACE DAY</strong>\r\nThe day started off like any other Ironman competition day. I woke up about 3:30 in the morning so that I could have enough time to have breakfast and get everything ready before I went down to the transition area around 5 o\'clock a.m. After getting everything settled at the transition area where my bike was, I then boarded a bus that took me approximately 2.4 miles down to where the swim started. This is because this race is a point-to-point race. That means you start at one point and end at another point on the swim. The same is for the bike. So after getting down to the swim start I put on my very thin and tight speedsuit (a suit similar to what they wear in the Olympics) over my racing suit. Wetsuits are not allowed in this race due to the temperature of the water. I then went to get in the appropriate corral for the start. \r\n\r\n<strong class=\"subhead\">THE SWIM: 2.4 Miles</strong>\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_243\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"160\"]<img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/cozumel-2015-swim-275.jpg\" alt=\"Cozumel 2015 Swim 275\" width=\"160\" height=\"301\" class=\"size-full wp-image-243\" /> Dr. Fields after the 2.4 mile swim[/caption]The start was being done in waves this year so to avoid the cluster of over 2500 competitors starting all at once.I seeded myself in the second corral, which is for competitors swimming between 1 hour and 1 hour 10 minutes. Most people told me that I should seed myself faster but I was very true to my time knowing I would finish between 1 hour and 1 hour 6 minutes. Due to the small size of the pier that we to go off of, they only let about five to seven competitors in at a time. This made for a very easy start since you did not have to swim over a lot of people. As soon as I got into my stride, which only takes me about 5 minutes or so, I started passing people. And ended up passing probably 50 people, which meant that a lot of people had seeded themselves faster than they actually were. The water was very warm at about 82 degrees and very clear. You could see the frogmen/lifeguards and photographers down below and also many colorful fish along the way. Halfway through the swim I looked at my Garmin watch, which I wear on my left wrist, and noticed it was glowing slightly green. I figured some water had leaked into it. I was going to stop and take a look but then realized that I was in the middle of the ocean and there was nothing I could do about it anyway!\r\n\r\nI swam very well and passed over 50 people, which was a lot as not many had started before me. As I made my way towards the finish and made the final turn two headed towards the pier I really picked up my strokes. My final time was about 1 hour and 4 minutes, which was good enough to make me first in my age group in the swim. As I climbed out of the water and looked down a my Garmin, I realized that the whole front face had somehow become detached and I was actually looking at the circuit board. Well, at that point, I knew the watch was useless. I ran through the shower and then grabbed my transition bag and into the transition area. I quickly dried off and stripped off my speed suit. Underneath this I had my tri suit so just I had to put on my socks, shoes, sunglasses, suntan lotion and grab some nutrition to carry on the bike and I was off to find my bike. I also left behind my Garmin watch, which was useless at this point.\r\n\r\n<strong class=\"subhead\">THE BIKE: 112 Miles</strong>\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_248\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"160\"]<img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/cozumel-2015-bike-2-275.jpg\" alt=\"Cozumel 2015 Bike 2 275\" width=\"160\" height=\"301\" class=\"size-full wp-image-248\" /> Dr. Fields during the 112 mile bike ride[/caption]\r\nI ran as quick as I could with my bike shoes on to my bike. You could carry them but then you end up getting gravel on your feet. I took the bike off the rack and ran towards the exit. You\'re not allowed to get on your bike until you leave the transition area. Immediately upon exiting, the transition area, I mounted my bike and took off to start the 112 mile ride.\r\n\r\nI had my power meet on the bike, which in addition to power, would provide me with my heart rate and speed which are essential when riding long distance. The roads were dry and the sun was shining bright and the temperature was in the low eighties. I felt pretty good on the first lap. As you head towards the back of the island the winds pick up. For this approximately 15 mile stretch the winds were about 20 miles an hour blowing on shore. It was tough but not that bad. As you turn towards town to end your first loop the winds were pushing you forward. This was a much needed relief. As you get to town, there were hundreds, if not more, people yelling and cheering. It was very exciting and invigorating. For lap two you again go by some of the hotels and there were people out there cheering.\r\n\r\nAs I got to the back of the island again, the wind picked up and was close to 30 miles an hour. It was getting pretty tough and you just hung in there. Unfortunately this meant that you were down on your triathlon riding bars ( the extended bars you put your forearms on so you can just about lie flat while riding) all the time so as not to let the wind hit you in the chest. It put a tremendous strain on my neck, which I found out later that everybody had the same. You just kept going and going. During this loop, I also stopped at the special needs station at mile 56. This is where you can pick up your nutritional supplies for the second half of the race so you do not need to carry all of them at once. Again as I looped through town the crowds were cheering and it was very nice to get words of encouragement.\r\n\r\nFor the third loop the temperature has risen towards the upper 80\'s and low 90\'s and the winds really were kicking in. Now they were close to 40 miles an hour. It was really brutal. I had ridden this course three times in the past but this time the winds were the strongest . But somehow I kept going and going and managed to endure it. As I made the last turn to head the 9 miles back to town I knew that I had completed this part. Slightly slower than I expected but with the wind it was a slower time for everyone. \r\n\r\n<strong class=\"subhead\">THE RUN: 26.2 Miles</strong>\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_263\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"160\"]<img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/cozumel-2015-run-160.jpg\" alt=\"Cozumel 2015 Run 160\" width=\"160\" height=\"301\" class=\"size-full wp-image-263\" /><strong> Dr. Fields during the 26.2 mile run</strong>[/caption]\r\nAs I came into town again the crowds were cheering and yelling loudly. I handed off my bike to one of the volunteers there and quickly grabbed my transition bag and ran into the tent. Off with the biking shoes, on with the running shoes, throw some water over myself to help cool me down, put on my running hat, grab some nutrition, go to the bathroom and I was out the door.\r\n\r\nOf course when you transition out of this tent there are thousands of people out there yelling and screaming. The sun was still up so it was still pretty hot with it being in the 90s, But I felt pretty good. For about the first four point 4.4 miles, which is the length of the course (you do this back and forth 3 times) I was a little tight and not so fluid in my running. Along the way of course there are people cheering for about a mile and a half as you get outside of town and then sporadically there were people at hotels who would come out along the road to cheer us on. When I hit the turn around I felt really good and for the next 8.8 miles my legs and body felt really strong. As I got back to town and finished the first 8.8 mile loop the sun was going down which was a blessing because it had been very hot outside.\r\n\r\nThe next 8.8 loop I felt good but the energy was starting to be drained. The bike had taken a tremendous toll, not only on me but on other runners too. But I persevered and kept going. The best thing was my hamstring was not bothering me which had slowed me down during my last two Ironman races. And in May 2015, I had raced Ironman Brazil, where I had a lot of feet problems. None of this came around this time.\r\n\r\nI saw many people out there that I knew from the Los Angeles area or other races. The camaraderie amongst the athletes is tremendous and it\'s something that we all rely on and count on. As I came into town finishing the second loop I knew I only had one more loop to go. I was tired and drained having been racing for almost 12 hrs., but just kept going. Of course along the way I took lots of nutrition and keep myself as hydrated as much as possible. There was no rain this year, which was also nice since the prior previous time I had done this race we were running through knee high puddles.\r\n\r\nAfter leaving town and getting to the final around, I knew only had 4.4 miles left to go and realized that it was in the bag for me. As I came back into town and saw the crowds again, I felt the exhilarating feeling that one can only feel when finishing an Ironman. At this point I only had about a mile to go and knew I have finally done it. That is not only finish my 6th Ironman but my second one in six months . This was a challenge that I set for myself. Like my parents had always told me, set your goals and go for it.\r\nNever say never.\r\n\r\nThe final 100 meters are unbelievable feeling. All ones aches and pains fade away. As I approached the finish line, which is slightly elevated and bathed in lights, I heard the announcer say for the sixth time,\r\n\"Peter Fields, you are an Ironman\".\r\nIt never gets old.\r\nI finally knew that I had completed my conquest of doing two Ironman races in one year.\r\n\r\nOf course the whole way during the race, I never forgot about my parents. I had my mom’s initials written on my left arm and on my right arm I had my dad\'s initials. Both of these people were so special in my life and I have never forgotten them for even one day since each of them passed. Whenever it got tough, I would place my hand on either forearm and feel their presence within me and hear their words of encouragement telling me never to give up. I know they would have been as proud of me as I am of them.\r\n\r\nI want to thank everybody who sent me good wishes, those who kept me in their thoughts and those who followed me on the internet. All your thoughts and wishes kept me strong the whole race.\r\nThere were a few very special people that never stopped thinking about me the whole race. You know who you are and words cannot say thank you enough. \r\n\r\n<strong>Peter A. Fields, MD DC\r\nThe Athletic Doc<sup>®</sup> and 6X Ironman Triathlete</strong>\r\n</div>\r\n<div class=\"col-md-4\" id=\"sidebar2\">\r\n<img alt=\"Ironman Cozumel Mexico\" title=\"Ironman Cozumel Mexico\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman-brazil-finish-1.jpg\" style=\"width: 204px; height: 345px;\">\r\nDr. Fields at the finish line\r\n<a href=\"https://goo.gl/photos/mMnjj9ioLVRkh56Q9\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">2015 Cozumel<br>\r\nClick For More Photos</a>\r\nClick below for Pictures &amp; Story&nbsp;\r\n<a href=\"/About/The-Athletic-Doc/Race-Report-9th-Ironman\"><strong style=\"color: #cc0000;\">2017 Ironman Santa Rosa</strong></a>\r\n<a href=\"/About/The-Athletic-Doc/Race-Report-8th-Ironman\"><strong style=\"color: #cc0000;\">2016 Ironman Cozumel</strong></a>\r\n<a href=\"/About/The-Athletic-Doc/Race-Report-7th-Ironman\"><strong style=\"color: #cc0000;\">2016 Ironman Switzerland</strong></a>\r\n<a href=\"/About/The-Athletic-Doc/Race-Report-6th-Ironman\"><strong style=\"color: #cc0000;\">2015 Ironman Cozumel</strong></a>\r\n<a href=\"/About/The-Athletic-Doc/Race-Report-5th-Ironman\"><strong style=\"color: #cc0000;\">2015 Ironman Brazil</strong></a>\r\n<a href=\"/About/The-Athletic-Doc/Race-Report-4th-Ironman\"><strong style=\"color: #cc0000;\">2014 Ironman Austria</strong></a>\r\n<a href=\"/About/The-Athletic-Doc/Race-Report-3rd-Ironman\"><strong style=\"color: #cc0000;\">2013 Ironman Canada</strong></a>\r\n<a href=\"/about/the-athletic-doc/race-report-2nd-ironman/\"><strong style=\"color: #cc0000;\">2012 Ironman Cozumel</strong></a>\r\n<a href=\"/about/the-athletic-doc/race-report-1st-ironman/\"><strong style=\"color: #cc0000;\">2011 Ironman Cozumel</strong></a>\r\n\r\n</div>','Race Report 6th Ironman','','publish','open','closed','','race-report-6th-ironman','','','2020-06-30 17:53:16','2020-06-30 17:53:16','',0,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=217',0,'post','',0),(219,8,'2019-06-07 10:03:28','2019-06-07 10:03:28','<img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Ironman-Cozumel-Mexico-2015-Logo-200x126.jpg\" alt=\"Ironman Cozumel Mexico 2015 Logo\" width=\"200\" height=\"126\" class=\"aligncenter size-thumbnail wp-image-218\" />','Race Report 6th Ironman','','inherit','closed','closed','','217-revision-v1','','','2019-06-07 10:03:28','2019-06-07 10:03:28','',217,'https://www.drfields.com/uncategorized/217-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(220,8,'2019-06-07 10:05:14','2019-06-07 10:05:14','<img src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Ironman-Cozumel-Mexico-2015-Logo.jpg\" alt=\"Ironman Cozumel Mexico 2015 Logo\" width=\"250\" height=\"126\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-218\" />','Race Report 6th Ironman','','inherit','closed','closed','','217-revision-v1','','','2019-06-07 10:05:14','2019-06-07 10:05:14','',217,'https://www.drfields.com/uncategorized/217-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(221,8,'2022-12-02 06:01:38','2019-06-07 10:05:49',' ','','','publish','closed','closed','','221','','','2022-12-02 06:01:38','2022-12-02 06:01:38','',0,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=221',16,'nav_menu_item','',0),(222,8,'2022-12-02 06:01:38','2019-06-07 10:05:49',' ','','','publish','closed','closed','','222','','','2022-12-02 06:01:38','2022-12-02 06:01:38','',0,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=222',15,'nav_menu_item','',0),(223,8,'2019-06-07 10:06:00','2019-06-07 10:06:00','<h6>Peter A. Fields, MD, DC, The Athletic Doc®</h6>\r\n\r\nPeter A. Fields, MD, DC, <a href=\"#\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">The Athletic Doc®</a>, is a world-renowned expert in the field of Regenerative Orthopedics (non-surgical joint and spine repair). <strong>He is one of a handful of physicians in the nation that is both a Medical Physician and Chiropractor.</strong> This combination of degrees gives Dr. Fields a broad area of knowledge and expertise that benefits his patients.\r\n\r\n<h6>Director of OrthoRegen</h6>\r\n\r\nDr. Fields is the Director of <a href=\"#\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">OrthoRegen</a> in Santa Monica, CA. which is one of the largest practices in the world dedicated solely to Regenerative Orthopedics. He treats patients from around the US and the world; from non-athletes to weekend warriors to competitive athletes and even professional athletes. Dr. Fields helps people avoid unnecessary orthopaedic surgeries whether arthroscopic or full surgery. He is a leading expert in using <a href=\"#\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Cellular Regeneration</a> (aka Cellular Prolotherapy) treatments to help people avoid full joint replacement.\r\n\r\n<h6>Regenerative Medicine Expert</h6> \r\n\r\nDr. Fields has appeared on national TV as a Regenerative Medicine Expert as well as several TV and radio stations in the Los Angeles area. He writes a column on Orthopedic/Sports Medicine for a <a href=\"#\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">national magazine</a> as well as lecturing at various conferences around the world on these techniques.\r\n\r\n<h6>Hackett-Hemwall Foundation Instructor</h6> \r\n\r\nIn addition, Dr. Fields is a Clinical Instructor with the Hackett-Hemwall Foundation, the largest teaching organization for Prolotherapy. Dr. Fields has volunteered his time for two weeks nine different times on their medical trip to Honduras. There they not only treat the indigenous people for joint and spine problems but also teach 75 physicians from all over the world Prolotherapy. Dr. Fields was the director of one of only three clinics in Honduras.\r\n\r\n<h6>Prolotherapy Doctor</h6>\r\n\r\nDr. Fields is the leading expert in the field or <a href=\"#\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Prolotherapy treatment</a>, Prolotherapy treatment is a natural non-surgical method of assisting the body to heal weakened or injured joints, tendons and ligaments. With Prolotherapy treatment, the weakened areas are injected with a solution that stimulates the growth of healthy, strong tissues. As the ligaments and tendons grow stronger and vibrant, the motion is restored and the pain is alleviated.\r\n\r\n<h6>The Athletic Doc®</h6>\r\n\r\nDr. Fields is a very active and competitive triathlete, having completed nine full <a href=\"#\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Ironman Triathlons</a> as well as nine 70.3 (half) Ironman Triathlons and over 40 other triathlons. The Athletic Doc® has had his back and shoulder treated by these techniques and avoided surgery. In other words, this doc walks his talk!\r\n\r\n  <a href=\"#\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Schedule Your Appointment Today!</a> ','Bio: Dr. Fields','','inherit','closed','closed','','216-revision-v1','','','2019-06-07 10:06:00','2019-06-07 10:06:00','',216,'https://www.drfields.com/uncategorized/216-revision-v1/',0,'revision','',0),(224,8,'2019-06-07 10:07:00','2019-06-07 10:07:00','Ironman Cozumel Mexico 2015 Logo','Ironman Cozumel Mexico 2015 Logo','','inherit','open','closed','','ironman-cozumel-mexico-2015-logo','','','2019-06-07 10:10:06','2019-06-07 10:10:06','',217,'https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/Ironman-Cozumel-Mexico-2015-Logo.jpg',0,'attachment','image/jpeg',0),