(4688,9,'2021-06-03 02:34:55','2021-06-03 02:34:55','<h2>Achieving Higher Goals at My Third Ironman</h2>\r\n<div class=\"col-md-8\">\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_134\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"581\"]<img class=\"wp-image-134 \" title=\"Third Ironman\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman-canada-logo.jpg\" alt=\"Ironman Canada Logo\" width=\"581\" height=\"256\" /> <em>                  Sunday, August 25, 2013:     2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike, 26.2-mile run</em>[/caption]\r\n<p class=\"text-center\"><em>Third Ironman Quote for the Day:<strong> One cannot achieve higher goals in life without some struggle.</strong></em></p>\r\n\r\n<h3><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-138\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/cozumel-2013-pre-race.jpg\" alt=\"Cozumel 2013 Pre Race\" width=\"160\" height=\"213\" /><strong class=\"subhead\">Before the Race</strong></h3>\r\nI woke up at 3:30 am so I could have breakfast by 4 am. That way I would have three hours before the start of the race so my food could be properly digested. I already had my gear ready to go plus the two special needs bags for the bike and the run. Then off to the village center to drop off the special needs bags and onto the buses that transported 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.\r\n\r\nWhen we got there it was still dark and about 45 degrees. It was cold! But at least the rain from the previous day had stopped and no more was predicted. Fortunately, I had planned well for the cold.\r\n\r\nThere is always a lot of tension floating around as over 2200 athletes check their gear. Everyone tries their 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\n\r\nThe only thing one brings in the morning is one\'s 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 down to the waterfront.\r\n<h3><img class=\"alignleft wp-image-140\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/cozumel-2013-swim.jpg\" alt=\"Cozumel 2013 Swim\" width=\"243\" height=\"324\" /><strong class=\"subhead\">The Swim in My Third Ironman</strong></h3>\r\nThe lake is surrounded by mountains and the water temperature was about 68 degrees. That temperature 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 7 am, the gun went off. It would be a long day.\r\n\r\nAs always, I go out fast at the beginning of the swim, since swimming is my best part. I try and get away from the majority of the crowd, and then I try and settle back into a good pace. There were a few turns prior to turning back on the first loop of the two-loop course.\r\n\r\nIt got really jammed and crowded...more jammed than usual, which meant I couldn\'t really get into a 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. My swim was therefore a bit slower at 1hr and 7 minutes, but still pretty good overall.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3>Transition One</h3>\r\nI took a bit longer in the change tent as I put on knee warmers, a wind vest, a riding jacket, a skull cap for under my helmet, and longliner gloves over my riding gloves (I get cold easy!!).\r\n<h3><img class=\"alignleft wp-image-142\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/cozumel-2013-bike.jpg\" alt=\"Cozumel 2013 Bike\" width=\"251\" height=\"335\" /><strong class=\"subhead\">The Bike</strong></h3>\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 were really spectacular.\r\n\r\n<strong>Riding through the crowds was invigorating.</strong> They really cheered us on. I took off my gloves since it was now above 60. Then some uphills and lots of downhills for the next 20 miles.\r\n\r\nAfter 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.\r\n\r\nI took off the leg warmers, vest, and skull cap, gave them 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. <strong>Wow, a business referral in an Ironman!</strong> 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.\r\n\r\nThen back to the hills. <strong>The last part from mile 85 to 112, was essentially all uphill.</strong> The first climb was the longest and the steepest, which wore a lot of people down. Then mostly uphill with some slight downhill riding all the way back to town. It was tough on the legs.\r\n\r\nAs we approached the 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 previously in the <a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/about/the-athletic-doc/my-second-ironman-competition-took-place-in-cozumel-mexico/\">Cozumel Ironman</a>. But with the hills here I was not disappointed.\r\n<h3>Transition Two</h3>\r\nAfter handing off my bike to a handler, it was off the change tent to put on my running shoes. No need to change clothing because what I wear under my wetsuit is what I ride and run in. Then a quick restock of a few gel packs. <strong>On the way out, volunteers with grass skirts put sunscreen on the runners.</strong> This would be helpful as it was hot, sunny, and getting warm.\r\n<h3><img class=\"alignleft wp-image-143\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/cozumel-2013-run.jpg\" alt=\"Cozumel 2013 Run\" width=\"263\" height=\"350\" /><strong class=\"subhead\">The Run</strong></h3>\r\nThe run had over 1100 feet of climbing. Added to the very hilly ride, making this a hard run. There was constant up and down of hills. Tough on already tired legs. Some of the runs went thru the woods on dirt trails, which was good for the legs.\r\n\r\nWe ran around a lake, over a wooden 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.\r\n\r\nAt mile four I developed a blister on my left foot-right in the arch- ouch! I got a Tegaderm patch (a wound covering) from a paramedic at mile 8, which eventually stopped the blister from getting worse.\r\n\r\nThen, 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. The extra weight got transferred laterally to my third and fourth toes. So, I altered my gait and it became a lot easier to run.\r\n\r\nAt 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.\r\n\r\nThe blister pain I just put in the back of my mind and it never got worse. All in all, <strong>I eventually figured out I would not break 14 hours as I had done last year.</strong> 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. So the ice at the aid stations was a help.\r\n\r\nI 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.\r\n<h3><img class=\"alignleft wp-image-144\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/cozumel-2013-finish2.jpg\" alt=\"Cozumel 2013 Finish2\" width=\"288\" height=\"482\" /><strong class=\"subhead\">The Finish</strong></h3>\r\nAs I got closer to the finish line, all the aches just started to fade away. The last mile or so I just let it all go and ran at a good pace. And as I entered the final turn, the last 150 meters were jammed with the crowds cheering loudly. At this point,<strong> I knew I had made it. All the months of training were worth it.</strong> 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. The final run time was 5:52 with an overall time of 14:18.\r\n<h3><strong class=\"subhead\">Final Thoughts on My Third Ironman:</strong></h3>\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.\r\n\r\nI 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).\r\n\r\n<em><strong>\"Life can be pulled by goals just as surely as it can be pushed by drives\".</strong></em>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3><strong class=\"subhead\">Dedication:</strong></h3>\r\nAs many of you know, in 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.\r\n\r\nThanks to everyone for inquiring about me and cheering from near and far. I really appreciated all of it and words cannot say thank you enough.\r\n\r\nYour thoughts and well wishes helped me through my third Ironman.\r\n<p class=\"text-center\"><strong>Peter A. Fields, MD DC</strong>\r\n<strong id=\"athleticdoc\">The Athletic Doc<sup style=\"font-size: 14px;\">®</sup> and 3X Ironman Finisher</strong></p>\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<div id=\"sidebar2\" class=\"col-md-4\"><img class=\"alignleft\" style=\"padding-left: 5px;\" title=\"2013 Canada\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/cozumel-2013-finish.jpg\" alt=\"2013 Canada\" width=\"274\" height=\"358\" /></div>\r\n<div></div>\r\n<div></div>\r\n<div class=\"col-md-4\"><a href=\"/About/The-Athletic-Doc/Race-Report-9th-Ironman\"><strong style=\"color: #cc0000;\">2</strong></a><a href=\"/About/The-Athletic-Doc/Race-Report-9th-Ironman\"><strong style=\"color: #cc0000;\">01</strong></a><a href=\"/About/The-Athletic-Doc/Race-Report-9th-Ironman\"><strong style=\"color: #cc0000;\">7 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></div>','Achieving Higher Goals at My Third Ironman in Canada','','inherit','closed','closed','','131-revision-v1','','','2021-06-03 02:34:55','2021-06-03 02:34:55','',131,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=4688',0,'revision','',0),(4689,9,'2021-06-03 02:36:57','2021-06-03 02:36:57','<h2>Achieving Higher Goals at My Third Ironman</h2>\r\n<div class=\"col-md-8\">\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_134\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"581\"]<img class=\"wp-image-134 \" title=\"Third Ironman\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman-canada-logo.jpg\" alt=\"Ironman Canada Logo\" width=\"581\" height=\"256\" /> <em>                  Sunday, August 25, 2013:     2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike, 26.2-mile run</em>[/caption]\r\n<p class=\"text-center\"><em>Third Ironman Quote for the Day:<strong> One cannot achieve higher goals in life without some struggle.</strong></em></p>\r\n\r\n<h3><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-138\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/cozumel-2013-pre-race.jpg\" alt=\"Cozumel 2013 Pre Race\" width=\"160\" height=\"213\" /><strong class=\"subhead\">Before the Race</strong></h3>\r\nI woke up at 3:30 am so I could have breakfast by 4 am. That way I would have three hours before the start of the race so my food could be properly digested. I already had my gear ready to go plus the two special needs bags for the bike and the run. Then off to the village center to drop off the special needs bags and onto the buses that transported 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.\r\n\r\nWhen we got there it was still dark and about 45 degrees. It was cold! But at least the rain from the previous day had stopped and no more was predicted. Fortunately, I had planned well for the cold.\r\n\r\nThere is always a lot of tension floating around as over 2200 athletes check their gear. Everyone tries their 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\n\r\nThe only thing one brings in the morning is one\'s 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 down to the waterfront.\r\n<h3><img class=\"alignleft wp-image-140\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/cozumel-2013-swim.jpg\" alt=\"Cozumel 2013 Swim\" width=\"243\" height=\"324\" /><strong class=\"subhead\">The Swim in My Third Ironman</strong></h3>\r\nThe lake is surrounded by mountains and the water temperature was about 68 degrees. That temperature 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 7 am, the gun went off. It would be a long day.\r\n\r\nAs always, I go out fast at the beginning of the swim, since swimming is my best part. I try and get away from the majority of the crowd, and then I try and settle back into a good pace. There were a few turns prior to turning back on the first loop of the two-loop course.\r\n\r\nIt got really jammed and crowded...more jammed than usual, which meant I couldn\'t really get into a 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. My swim was therefore a bit slower at 1hr and 7 minutes, but still pretty good overall.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3>Transition One</h3>\r\nI took a bit longer in the change tent as I put on knee warmers, a wind vest, a riding jacket, a skull cap for under my helmet, and longliner gloves over my riding gloves (I get cold easy!!).\r\n<h3><img class=\"alignleft wp-image-142\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/cozumel-2013-bike.jpg\" alt=\"Cozumel 2013 Bike\" width=\"251\" height=\"335\" /><strong class=\"subhead\">The Bike</strong></h3>\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 were really spectacular.\r\n\r\n<strong>Riding through the crowds was invigorating.</strong> They really cheered us on. I took off my gloves since it was now above 60. Then some uphills and lots of downhills for the next 20 miles.\r\n\r\nAfter 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.\r\n\r\nI took off the leg warmers, vest, and skull cap, gave them 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. <strong>Wow, a business referral in an Ironman!</strong> 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.\r\n\r\nThen back to the hills. <strong>The last part from mile 85 to 112, was essentially all uphill.</strong> The first climb was the longest and the steepest, which wore a lot of people down. Then mostly uphill with some slight downhill riding all the way back to town. It was tough on the legs.\r\n\r\nAs we approached the 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 previously in the <a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/about/the-athletic-doc/my-second-ironman-competition-took-place-in-cozumel-mexico/\">Cozumel Ironman</a>. But with the hills here I was not disappointed.\r\n<h3>Transition Two</h3>\r\nAfter handing off my bike to a handler, it was off the change tent to put on my running shoes. No need to change clothing because what I wear under my wetsuit is what I ride and run in. Then a quick restock of a few gel packs. <strong>On the way out, volunteers with grass skirts put sunscreen on the runners.</strong> This would be helpful as it was hot, sunny, and getting warm.\r\n<h3><img class=\"alignleft wp-image-143\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/cozumel-2013-run.jpg\" alt=\"Cozumel 2013 Run\" width=\"263\" height=\"350\" /><strong class=\"subhead\">The Run</strong></h3>\r\nThe run had over 1100 feet of climbing. Added to the very hilly ride, making this a hard run. There was constant up and down of hills. Tough on already tired legs. Some of the runs went thru the woods on dirt trails, which was good for the legs.\r\n\r\nWe ran around a lake, over a wooden 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.\r\n\r\nAt mile four I developed a blister on my left foot-right in the arch- ouch! I got a Tegaderm patch (a wound covering) from a paramedic at mile 8, which eventually stopped the blister from getting worse.\r\n\r\nThen, 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. The extra weight got transferred laterally to my third and fourth toes. So, I altered my gait and it became a lot easier to run.\r\n\r\nAt 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.\r\n\r\nThe blister pain I just put in the back of my mind and it never got worse. All in all, <strong>I eventually figured out I would not break 14 hours as I had done last year.</strong> 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. So the ice at the aid stations was a help.\r\n\r\nI 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.\r\n<h3><img class=\"alignleft wp-image-144\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/cozumel-2013-finish2.jpg\" alt=\"Cozumel 2013 Finish2\" width=\"288\" height=\"482\" /><strong class=\"subhead\">The Finish</strong></h3>\r\nAs I got closer to the finish line, all the aches just started to fade away. The last mile or so I just let it all go and ran at a good pace. And as I entered the final turn, the last 150 meters were jammed with the crowds cheering loudly. At this point,<strong> I knew I had made it. All the months of training were worth it.</strong> 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. The final run time was 5:52 with an overall time of 14:18.\r\n<h3><strong class=\"subhead\">Final Thoughts on My Third Ironman:</strong></h3>\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.\r\n\r\nI 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).\r\n\r\n<em><strong>\"Life can be pulled by goals just as surely as it can be pushed by drives\".</strong></em>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3><strong class=\"subhead\">Dedication:</strong></h3>\r\nAs many of you know, in 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.\r\n\r\nThanks to everyone for inquiring about me and cheering from near and far. I really appreciated all of it and words cannot say thank you enough.\r\n\r\nYour thoughts and well wishes helped me through my third Ironman.\r\n<p class=\"text-center\"><strong>Peter A. Fields, MD DC</strong>\r\n<strong id=\"athleticdoc\">The Athletic Doc<sup style=\"font-size: 14px;\">®</sup> and 3X Ironman Finisher</strong></p>\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<div id=\"sidebar2\" class=\"col-md-4\">\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"274\"]<img style=\"padding-left: 5px;\" title=\"My Third Ironman in 2013 Canada\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/cozumel-2013-finish.jpg\" alt=\"2013 Third Ironman \" width=\"274\" height=\"358\" />           My Third Ironman Completed[/caption]\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<div></div>\r\n<div></div>\r\n<div class=\"col-md-4\"><a href=\"/About/The-Athletic-Doc/Race-Report-9th-Ironman\"><strong style=\"color: #cc0000;\">2</strong></a><a href=\"/About/The-Athletic-Doc/Race-Report-9th-Ironman\"><strong style=\"color: #cc0000;\">01</strong></a><a href=\"/About/The-Athletic-Doc/Race-Report-9th-Ironman\"><strong style=\"color: #cc0000;\">7 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></div>','Achieving Higher Goals at My Third Ironman in Canada','','inherit','closed','closed','','131-revision-v1','','','2021-06-03 02:36:57','2021-06-03 02:36:57','',131,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=4689',0,'revision','',0),(4690,9,'2021-06-03 02:38:44','2021-06-03 02:38:44','<h2>Achieving Higher Goals at My Third Ironman</h2>\r\n<div class=\"col-md-8\">\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_134\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"581\"]<img class=\"wp-image-134 \" title=\"Third Ironman\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman-canada-logo.jpg\" alt=\"Ironman Canada Logo\" width=\"581\" height=\"256\" /> <em>                  Sunday, August 25, 2013:     2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike, 26.2-mile run</em>[/caption]\r\n<p class=\"text-center\"><em>Third Ironman Quote for the Day:<strong> One cannot achieve higher goals in life without some struggle.</strong></em></p>\r\n\r\n<h3><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-138\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/cozumel-2013-pre-race.jpg\" alt=\"Cozumel 2013 Pre Race\" width=\"160\" height=\"213\" /><strong class=\"subhead\">Before the Race</strong></h3>\r\nI woke up at 3:30 am so I could have breakfast by 4 am. That way I would have three hours before the start of the race so my food could be properly digested. I already had my gear ready to go plus the two special needs bags for the bike and the run. Then off to the village center to drop off the special needs bags and onto the buses that transported 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.\r\n\r\nWhen we got there it was still dark and about 45 degrees. It was cold! But at least the rain from the previous day had stopped and no more was predicted. Fortunately, I had planned well for the cold.\r\n\r\nThere is always a lot of tension floating around as over 2200 athletes check their gear. Everyone tries their 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\n\r\nThe only thing one brings in the morning is one\'s 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 down to the waterfront.\r\n<h3><img class=\"alignleft wp-image-140\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/cozumel-2013-swim.jpg\" alt=\"Cozumel 2013 Swim\" width=\"243\" height=\"324\" /><strong class=\"subhead\">The Swim in My Third Ironman</strong></h3>\r\nThe lake is surrounded by mountains and the water temperature was about 68 degrees. That temperature 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 7 am, the gun went off. It would be a long day.\r\n\r\nAs always, I go out fast at the beginning of the swim, since swimming is my best part. I try and get away from the majority of the crowd, and then I try and settle back into a good pace. There were a few turns prior to turning back on the first loop of the two-loop course.\r\n\r\nIt got really jammed and crowded...more jammed than usual, which meant I couldn\'t really get into a 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. My swim was therefore a bit slower at 1hr and 7 minutes, but still pretty good overall.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3>Transition One</h3>\r\nI took a bit longer in the change tent as I put on knee warmers, a wind vest, a riding jacket, a skull cap for under my helmet, and longliner gloves over my riding gloves (I get cold easy!!).\r\n<h3><img class=\"alignleft wp-image-142\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/cozumel-2013-bike.jpg\" alt=\"Cozumel 2013 Bike\" width=\"251\" height=\"335\" /><strong class=\"subhead\">The Bike</strong></h3>\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 were really spectacular.\r\n\r\n<strong>Riding through the crowds was invigorating.</strong> They really cheered us on. I took off my gloves since it was now above 60. Then some uphills and lots of downhills for the next 20 miles.\r\n\r\nAfter 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.\r\n\r\nI took off the leg warmers, vest, and skull cap, gave them to one of the volunteers along with the empty bottle I had gone thru. She was very surprised but happy, seeing my name on the bottle, and asked if that was me. When I said yes, she said that she had some knee problems and might call me. <strong>Wow, a business referral in an Ironman!</strong> 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.\r\n\r\nThen back to the hills. <strong>The last part from mile 85 to 112, was essentially all uphill.</strong> The first climb was the longest and the steepest, which wore a lot of people down. Then mostly uphill with some slight downhill riding all the way back to town. It was tough on the legs.\r\n\r\nAs we approached the 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 previously in the <a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/about/the-athletic-doc/my-second-ironman-competition-took-place-in-cozumel-mexico/\">Cozumel Ironman</a>. But with the hills here I was not disappointed.\r\n<h3>Transition Two</h3>\r\nAfter handing off my bike to a handler, it was off the change tent to put on my running shoes. No need to change clothing because what I wear under my wetsuit is what I ride and run in. Then a quick restock of a few gel packs. <strong>On the way out, volunteers with grass skirts put sunscreen on the runners.</strong> This would be helpful as it was hot, sunny, and getting warm.\r\n<h3><img class=\"alignleft wp-image-143\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/cozumel-2013-run.jpg\" alt=\"Cozumel 2013 Run\" width=\"263\" height=\"350\" /><strong class=\"subhead\">The Run</strong></h3>\r\nThe run had over 1100 feet of climbing. Added to the very hilly ride, making this a hard run. There was constant up and down of hills. Tough on already tired legs. Some of the runs went thru the woods on dirt trails, which was good for the legs.\r\n\r\nWe ran around a lake, over a wooden 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.\r\n\r\nAt mile four I developed a blister on my left foot-right in the arch- ouch! I got a Tegaderm patch (a wound covering) from a paramedic at mile 8, which eventually stopped the blister from getting worse.\r\n\r\nThen, 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. The extra weight got transferred laterally to my third and fourth toes. So, I altered my gait and it became a lot easier to run.\r\n\r\nAt 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.\r\n\r\nThe blister pain I just put in the back of my mind and it never got worse. All in all, <strong>I eventually figured out I would not break 14 hours as I had done last year.</strong> 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. So the ice at the aid stations was a help.\r\n\r\nI 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.\r\n<h3><img class=\"alignleft wp-image-144\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/cozumel-2013-finish2.jpg\" alt=\"Cozumel 2013 Finish2\" width=\"288\" height=\"482\" /><strong class=\"subhead\">The Finish</strong></h3>\r\nAs I got closer to the finish line, all the aches just started to fade away. The last mile or so I just let it all go and ran at a good pace. And as I entered the final turn, the last 150 meters were jammed with the crowds cheering loudly. At this point,<strong> I knew I had made it. All the months of training were worth it.</strong> 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. The final run time was 5:52 with an overall time of 14:18.\r\n<h3><strong class=\"subhead\">Final Thoughts on My Third Ironman:</strong></h3>\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.\r\n\r\nI 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).\r\n\r\n<em><strong>\"Life can be pulled by goals just as surely as it can be pushed by drives\".</strong></em>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3><strong class=\"subhead\">Dedication:</strong></h3>\r\nAs many of you know, in 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.\r\n\r\nThanks to everyone for inquiring about me and cheering from near and far. I really appreciated all of it and words cannot say thank you enough.\r\n\r\nYour thoughts and well wishes helped me through my third Ironman.\r\n<p class=\"text-center\"><strong>Peter A. Fields, MD DC</strong>\r\n<strong id=\"athleticdoc\">The Athletic Doc<sup style=\"font-size: 14px;\">®</sup> and 3X Ironman Finisher</strong></p>\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<div id=\"sidebar2\" class=\"col-md-4\">\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"274\"]<img style=\"padding-left: 5px;\" title=\"My Third Ironman in 2013 Canada\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/cozumel-2013-finish.jpg\" alt=\"2013 Third Ironman \" width=\"274\" height=\"358\" /> My Third Ironman Completed[/caption]\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<div></div>\r\n<div></div>\r\n<div class=\"col-md-4\"><a href=\"/About/The-Athletic-Doc/Race-Report-9th-Ironman\"><strong style=\"color: #cc0000;\">2</strong></a><a href=\"/About/The-Athletic-Doc/Race-Report-9th-Ironman\"><strong style=\"color: #cc0000;\">01</strong></a><a href=\"/About/The-Athletic-Doc/Race-Report-9th-Ironman\"><strong style=\"color: #cc0000;\">7 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></div>','Achieving Higher Goals at My Third Ironman in Canada','','inherit','closed','closed','','131-revision-v1','','','2021-06-03 02:38:44','2021-06-03 02:38:44','',131,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=4690',0,'revision','',0),(4691,9,'2021-06-03 02:39:27','2021-06-03 02:39:27','<h2>Achieving Higher Goals at My Third Ironman</h2>\r\n<div class=\"col-md-8\">\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_134\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"497\"]<img class=\"wp-image-134 \" title=\"Third Ironman\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman-canada-logo.jpg\" alt=\"Ironman Canada Logo\" width=\"497\" height=\"219\" /> <em>      Sunday, August 25, 2013:     2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike, 26.2-mile run</em>[/caption]\r\n<p class=\"text-center\"><em>Third Ironman Quote for the Day:<strong> One cannot achieve higher goals in life without some struggle.</strong></em></p>\r\n\r\n<h3><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-138\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/cozumel-2013-pre-race.jpg\" alt=\"Cozumel 2013 Pre Race\" width=\"160\" height=\"213\" /><strong class=\"subhead\">Before the Race</strong></h3>\r\nI woke up at 3:30 am so I could have breakfast by 4 am. That way I would have three hours before the start of the race so my food could be properly digested. I already had my gear ready to go plus the two special needs bags for the bike and the run. Then off to the village center to drop off the special needs bags and onto the buses that transported 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.\r\n\r\nWhen we got there it was still dark and about 45 degrees. It was cold! But at least the rain from the previous day had stopped and no more was predicted. Fortunately, I had planned well for the cold.\r\n\r\nThere is always a lot of tension floating around as over 2200 athletes check their gear. Everyone tries their 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\n\r\nThe only thing one brings in the morning is one\'s 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 down to the waterfront.\r\n<h3><img class=\"alignleft wp-image-140\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/cozumel-2013-swim.jpg\" alt=\"Cozumel 2013 Swim\" width=\"243\" height=\"324\" /><strong class=\"subhead\">The Swim in My Third Ironman</strong></h3>\r\nThe lake is surrounded by mountains and the water temperature was about 68 degrees. That temperature 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 7 am, the gun went off. It would be a long day.\r\n\r\nAs always, I go out fast at the beginning of the swim, since swimming is my best part. I try and get away from the majority of the crowd, and then I try and settle back into a good pace. There were a few turns prior to turning back on the first loop of the two-loop course.\r\n\r\nIt got really jammed and crowded...more jammed than usual, which meant I couldn\'t really get into a 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. My swim was therefore a bit slower at 1hr and 7 minutes, but still pretty good overall.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3>Transition One</h3>\r\nI took a bit longer in the change tent as I put on knee warmers, a wind vest, a riding jacket, a skull cap for under my helmet, and longliner gloves over my riding gloves (I get cold easy!!).\r\n<h3><img class=\"alignleft wp-image-142\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/cozumel-2013-bike.jpg\" alt=\"Cozumel 2013 Bike\" width=\"251\" height=\"335\" /><strong class=\"subhead\">The Bike</strong></h3>\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 were really spectacular.\r\n\r\n<strong>Riding through the crowds was invigorating.</strong> They really cheered us on. I took off my gloves since it was now above 60. Then some uphills and lots of downhills for the next 20 miles.\r\n\r\nAfter 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.\r\n\r\nI took off the leg warmers, vest, and skull cap, gave them to one of the volunteers along with the empty bottle I had gone thru. She was very surprised but happy, seeing my name on the bottle, and asked if that was me. When I said yes, she said that she had some knee problems and might call me. <strong>Wow, a business referral in an Ironman!</strong> 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.\r\n\r\nThen back to the hills. <strong>The last part from mile 85 to 112, was essentially all uphill.</strong> The first climb was the longest and the steepest, which wore a lot of people down. Then mostly uphill with some slight downhill riding all the way back to town. It was tough on the legs.\r\n\r\nAs we approached the 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 previously in the <a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/about/the-athletic-doc/my-second-ironman-competition-took-place-in-cozumel-mexico/\">Cozumel Ironman</a>. But with the hills here I was not disappointed.\r\n<h3>Transition Two</h3>\r\nAfter handing off my bike to a handler, it was off the change tent to put on my running shoes. No need to change clothing because what I wear under my wetsuit is what I ride and run in. Then a quick restock of a few gel packs. <strong>On the way out, volunteers with grass skirts put sunscreen on the runners.</strong> This would be helpful as it was hot, sunny, and getting warm.\r\n<h3><img class=\"alignleft wp-image-143\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/cozumel-2013-run.jpg\" alt=\"Cozumel 2013 Run\" width=\"263\" height=\"350\" /><strong class=\"subhead\">The Run</strong></h3>\r\nThe run had over 1100 feet of climbing. Added to the very hilly ride, making this a hard run. There was constant up and down of hills. Tough on already tired legs. Some of the runs went thru the woods on dirt trails, which was good for the legs.\r\n\r\nWe ran around a lake, over a wooden 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.\r\n\r\nAt mile four I developed a blister on my left foot-right in the arch- ouch! I got a Tegaderm patch (a wound covering) from a paramedic at mile 8, which eventually stopped the blister from getting worse.\r\n\r\nThen, 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. The extra weight got transferred laterally to my third and fourth toes. So, I altered my gait and it became a lot easier to run.\r\n\r\nAt 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.\r\n\r\nThe blister pain I just put in the back of my mind and it never got worse. All in all, <strong>I eventually figured out I would not break 14 hours as I had done last year.</strong> 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. So the ice at the aid stations was a help.\r\n\r\nI 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.\r\n<h3><img class=\"alignleft wp-image-144\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/cozumel-2013-finish2.jpg\" alt=\"Cozumel 2013 Finish2\" width=\"288\" height=\"482\" /><strong class=\"subhead\">The Finish</strong></h3>\r\nAs I got closer to the finish line, all the aches just started to fade away. The last mile or so I just let it all go and ran at a good pace. And as I entered the final turn, the last 150 meters were jammed with the crowds cheering loudly. At this point,<strong> I knew I had made it. All the months of training were worth it.</strong> 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. The final run time was 5:52 with an overall time of 14:18.\r\n<h3><strong class=\"subhead\">Final Thoughts on My Third Ironman:</strong></h3>\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.\r\n\r\nI 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).\r\n\r\n<em><strong>\"Life can be pulled by goals just as surely as it can be pushed by drives\".</strong></em>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3><strong class=\"subhead\">Dedication:</strong></h3>\r\nAs many of you know, in 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.\r\n\r\nThanks to everyone for inquiring about me and cheering from near and far. I really appreciated all of it and words cannot say thank you enough.\r\n\r\nYour thoughts and well wishes helped me through my third Ironman.\r\n<p class=\"text-center\"><strong>Peter A. Fields, MD DC</strong>\r\n<strong id=\"athleticdoc\">The Athletic Doc<sup style=\"font-size: 14px;\">®</sup> and 3X Ironman Finisher</strong></p>\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<div id=\"sidebar2\" class=\"col-md-4\">\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"274\"]<img style=\"padding-left: 5px;\" title=\"My Third Ironman in 2013 Canada\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/cozumel-2013-finish.jpg\" alt=\"2013 Third Ironman \" width=\"274\" height=\"358\" /> My Third Ironman Completed[/caption]\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<div></div>\r\n<div></div>\r\n<div class=\"col-md-4\"><a href=\"/About/The-Athletic-Doc/Race-Report-9th-Ironman\"><strong style=\"color: #cc0000;\">2</strong></a><a href=\"/About/The-Athletic-Doc/Race-Report-9th-Ironman\"><strong style=\"color: #cc0000;\">01</strong></a><a href=\"/About/The-Athletic-Doc/Race-Report-9th-Ironman\"><strong style=\"color: #cc0000;\">7 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></div>','Achieving Higher Goals at My Third Ironman in Canada','','inherit','closed','closed','','131-revision-v1','','','2021-06-03 02:39:27','2021-06-03 02:39:27','',131,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=4691',0,'revision','',0),(4692,9,'2021-06-03 02:40:23','2021-06-03 02:40:23','<h2>Achieving Higher Goals at My Third Ironman</h2>\r\n<div class=\"col-md-8\">\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_134\" align=\"alignright\" width=\"497\"]<img class=\"wp-image-134 \" title=\"Third Ironman\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman-canada-logo.jpg\" alt=\"Ironman Canada Logo\" width=\"497\" height=\"219\" /> <em>      Sunday, August 25, 2013:     2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike, 26.2-mile run</em>[/caption]\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<p class=\"text-center\"></p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n<em>Third Ironman Quote for the Day:<strong> One cannot achieve higher goals in life without some struggle.</strong></em>\r\n<div class=\"col-md-8\">\r\n<h3><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-138\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/cozumel-2013-pre-race.jpg\" alt=\"Cozumel 2013 Pre Race\" width=\"160\" height=\"213\" /><strong class=\"subhead\">Before the Race</strong></h3>\r\nI woke up at 3:30 am so I could have breakfast by 4 am. That way I would have three hours before the start of the race so my food could be properly digested. I already had my gear ready to go plus the two special needs bags for the bike and the run. Then off to the village center to drop off the special needs bags and onto the buses that transported 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.\r\n\r\nWhen we got there it was still dark and about 45 degrees. It was cold! But at least the rain from the previous day had stopped and no more was predicted. Fortunately, I had planned well for the cold.\r\n\r\nThere is always a lot of tension floating around as over 2200 athletes check their gear. Everyone tries their 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\n\r\nThe only thing one brings in the morning is one\'s 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 down to the waterfront.\r\n<h3><img class=\"alignleft wp-image-140\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/cozumel-2013-swim.jpg\" alt=\"Cozumel 2013 Swim\" width=\"243\" height=\"324\" /><strong class=\"subhead\">The Swim in My Third Ironman</strong></h3>\r\nThe lake is surrounded by mountains and the water temperature was about 68 degrees. That temperature 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 7 am, the gun went off. It would be a long day.\r\n\r\nAs always, I go out fast at the beginning of the swim, since swimming is my best part. I try and get away from the majority of the crowd, and then I try and settle back into a good pace. There were a few turns prior to turning back on the first loop of the two-loop course.\r\n\r\nIt got really jammed and crowded...more jammed than usual, which meant I couldn\'t really get into a 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. My swim was therefore a bit slower at 1hr and 7 minutes, but still pretty good overall.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3>Transition One</h3>\r\nI took a bit longer in the change tent as I put on knee warmers, a wind vest, a riding jacket, a skull cap for under my helmet, and longliner gloves over my riding gloves (I get cold easy!!).\r\n<h3><img class=\"alignleft wp-image-142\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/cozumel-2013-bike.jpg\" alt=\"Cozumel 2013 Bike\" width=\"251\" height=\"335\" /><strong class=\"subhead\">The Bike</strong></h3>\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 were really spectacular.\r\n\r\n<strong>Riding through the crowds was invigorating.</strong> They really cheered us on. I took off my gloves since it was now above 60. Then some uphills and lots of downhills for the next 20 miles.\r\n\r\nAfter 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.\r\n\r\nI took off the leg warmers, vest, and skull cap, gave them to one of the volunteers along with the empty bottle I had gone thru. She was very surprised but happy, seeing my name on the bottle, and asked if that was me. When I said yes, she said that she had some knee problems and might call me. <strong>Wow, a business referral in an Ironman!</strong> 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.\r\n\r\nThen back to the hills. <strong>The last part from mile 85 to 112, was essentially all uphill.</strong> The first climb was the longest and the steepest, which wore a lot of people down. Then mostly uphill with some slight downhill riding all the way back to town. It was tough on the legs.\r\n\r\nAs we approached the 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 previously in the <a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/about/the-athletic-doc/my-second-ironman-competition-took-place-in-cozumel-mexico/\">Cozumel Ironman</a>. But with the hills here I was not disappointed.\r\n<h3>Transition Two</h3>\r\nAfter handing off my bike to a handler, it was off the change tent to put on my running shoes. No need to change clothing because what I wear under my wetsuit is what I ride and run in. Then a quick restock of a few gel packs. <strong>On the way out, volunteers with grass skirts put sunscreen on the runners.</strong> This would be helpful as it was hot, sunny, and getting warm.\r\n<h3><img class=\"alignleft wp-image-143\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/cozumel-2013-run.jpg\" alt=\"Cozumel 2013 Run\" width=\"263\" height=\"350\" /><strong class=\"subhead\">The Run</strong></h3>\r\nThe run had over 1100 feet of climbing. Added to the very hilly ride, making this a hard run. There was constant up and down of hills. Tough on already tired legs. Some of the runs went thru the woods on dirt trails, which was good for the legs.\r\n\r\nWe ran around a lake, over a wooden 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.\r\n\r\nAt mile four I developed a blister on my left foot-right in the arch- ouch! I got a Tegaderm patch (a wound covering) from a paramedic at mile 8, which eventually stopped the blister from getting worse.\r\n\r\nThen, 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. The extra weight got transferred laterally to my third and fourth toes. So, I altered my gait and it became a lot easier to run.\r\n\r\nAt 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.\r\n\r\nThe blister pain I just put in the back of my mind and it never got worse. All in all, <strong>I eventually figured out I would not break 14 hours as I had done last year.</strong> 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. So the ice at the aid stations was a help.\r\n\r\nI 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.\r\n<h3><img class=\"alignleft wp-image-144\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/cozumel-2013-finish2.jpg\" alt=\"Cozumel 2013 Finish2\" width=\"288\" height=\"482\" /><strong class=\"subhead\">The Finish</strong></h3>\r\nAs I got closer to the finish line, all the aches just started to fade away. The last mile or so I just let it all go and ran at a good pace. And as I entered the final turn, the last 150 meters were jammed with the crowds cheering loudly. At this point,<strong> I knew I had made it. All the months of training were worth it.</strong> 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. The final run time was 5:52 with an overall time of 14:18.\r\n<h3><strong class=\"subhead\">Final Thoughts on My Third Ironman:</strong></h3>\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.\r\n\r\nI 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).\r\n\r\n<em><strong>\"Life can be pulled by goals just as surely as it can be pushed by drives\".</strong></em>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3><strong class=\"subhead\">Dedication:</strong></h3>\r\nAs many of you know, in 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.\r\n\r\nThanks to everyone for inquiring about me and cheering from near and far. I really appreciated all of it and words cannot say thank you enough.\r\n\r\nYour thoughts and well wishes helped me through my third Ironman.\r\n<p class=\"text-center\"><strong>Peter A. Fields, MD DC</strong>\r\n<strong id=\"athleticdoc\">The Athletic Doc<sup style=\"font-size: 14px;\">®</sup> and 3X Ironman Finisher</strong></p>\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<div id=\"sidebar2\" class=\"col-md-4\">\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"274\"]<img style=\"padding-left: 5px;\" title=\"My Third Ironman in 2013 Canada\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/cozumel-2013-finish.jpg\" alt=\"2013 Third Ironman \" width=\"274\" height=\"358\" /> My Third Ironman Completed[/caption]\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<div></div>\r\n<div></div>\r\n<div class=\"col-md-4\"><a href=\"/About/The-Athletic-Doc/Race-Report-9th-Ironman\"><strong style=\"color: #cc0000;\">2</strong></a><a href=\"/About/The-Athletic-Doc/Race-Report-9th-Ironman\"><strong style=\"color: #cc0000;\">01</strong></a><a href=\"/About/The-Athletic-Doc/Race-Report-9th-Ironman\"><strong style=\"color: #cc0000;\">7 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></div>','Achieving Higher Goals at My Third Ironman in Canada','','inherit','closed','closed','','131-revision-v1','','','2021-06-03 02:40:23','2021-06-03 02:40:23','',131,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=4692',0,'revision','',0),(4693,9,'2021-06-03 02:41:07','2021-06-03 02:41:07','<h2>Achieving Higher Goals at My Third Ironman</h2>\r\n<div class=\"col-md-8\">\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_134\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"497\"]<img class=\"wp-image-134 \" title=\"Third Ironman\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman-canada-logo.jpg\" alt=\"Ironman Canada Logo\" width=\"497\" height=\"219\" /> <em>      Sunday, August 25, 2013:     2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike, 26.2-mile run</em>[/caption]\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<em>Third Ironman Quote for the Day:<strong> One cannot achieve higher goals in life without some struggle.</strong></em>\r\n<div class=\"col-md-8\">\r\n<h3><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-138\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/cozumel-2013-pre-race.jpg\" alt=\"Cozumel 2013 Pre Race\" width=\"160\" height=\"213\" /><strong class=\"subhead\">Before the Race</strong></h3>\r\nI woke up at 3:30 am so I could have breakfast by 4 am. That way I would have three hours before the start of the race so my food could be properly digested. I already had my gear ready to go plus the two special needs bags for the bike and the run. Then off to the village center to drop off the special needs bags and onto the buses that transported 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.\r\n\r\nWhen we got there it was still dark and about 45 degrees. It was cold! But at least the rain from the previous day had stopped and no more was predicted. Fortunately, I had planned well for the cold.\r\n\r\nThere is always a lot of tension floating around as over 2200 athletes check their gear. Everyone tries their 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\n\r\nThe only thing one brings in the morning is one\'s 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 down to the waterfront.\r\n<h3><img class=\"alignleft wp-image-140\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/cozumel-2013-swim.jpg\" alt=\"Cozumel 2013 Swim\" width=\"243\" height=\"324\" /><strong class=\"subhead\">The Swim in My Third Ironman</strong></h3>\r\nThe lake is surrounded by mountains and the water temperature was about 68 degrees. That temperature 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 7 am, the gun went off. It would be a long day.\r\n\r\nAs always, I go out fast at the beginning of the swim, since swimming is my best part. I try and get away from the majority of the crowd, and then I try and settle back into a good pace. There were a few turns prior to turning back on the first loop of the two-loop course.\r\n\r\nIt got really jammed and crowded...more jammed than usual, which meant I couldn\'t really get into a 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. My swim was therefore a bit slower at 1hr and 7 minutes, but still pretty good overall.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3>Transition One</h3>\r\nI took a bit longer in the change tent as I put on knee warmers, a wind vest, a riding jacket, a skull cap for under my helmet, and longliner gloves over my riding gloves (I get cold easy!!).\r\n<h3><img class=\"alignleft wp-image-142\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/cozumel-2013-bike.jpg\" alt=\"Cozumel 2013 Bike\" width=\"251\" height=\"335\" /><strong class=\"subhead\">The Bike</strong></h3>\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 were really spectacular.\r\n\r\n<strong>Riding through the crowds was invigorating.</strong> They really cheered us on. I took off my gloves since it was now above 60. Then some uphills and lots of downhills for the next 20 miles.\r\n\r\nAfter 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.\r\n\r\nI took off the leg warmers, vest, and skull cap, gave them to one of the volunteers along with the empty bottle I had gone thru. She was very surprised but happy, seeing my name on the bottle, and asked if that was me. When I said yes, she said that she had some knee problems and might call me. <strong>Wow, a business referral in an Ironman!</strong> 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.\r\n\r\nThen back to the hills. <strong>The last part from mile 85 to 112, was essentially all uphill.</strong> The first climb was the longest and the steepest, which wore a lot of people down. Then mostly uphill with some slight downhill riding all the way back to town. It was tough on the legs.\r\n\r\nAs we approached the 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 previously in the <a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/about/the-athletic-doc/my-second-ironman-competition-took-place-in-cozumel-mexico/\">Cozumel Ironman</a>. But with the hills here I was not disappointed.\r\n<h3>Transition Two</h3>\r\nAfter handing off my bike to a handler, it was off the change tent to put on my running shoes. No need to change clothing because what I wear under my wetsuit is what I ride and run in. Then a quick restock of a few gel packs. <strong>On the way out, volunteers with grass skirts put sunscreen on the runners.</strong> This would be helpful as it was hot, sunny, and getting warm.\r\n<h3><img class=\"alignleft wp-image-143\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/cozumel-2013-run.jpg\" alt=\"Cozumel 2013 Run\" width=\"263\" height=\"350\" /><strong class=\"subhead\">The Run</strong></h3>\r\nThe run had over 1100 feet of climbing. Added to the very hilly ride, making this a hard run. There was constant up and down of hills. Tough on already tired legs. Some of the runs went thru the woods on dirt trails, which was good for the legs.\r\n\r\nWe ran around a lake, over a wooden 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.\r\n\r\nAt mile four I developed a blister on my left foot-right in the arch- ouch! I got a Tegaderm patch (a wound covering) from a paramedic at mile 8, which eventually stopped the blister from getting worse.\r\n\r\nThen, 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. The extra weight got transferred laterally to my third and fourth toes. So, I altered my gait and it became a lot easier to run.\r\n\r\nAt 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.\r\n\r\nThe blister pain I just put in the back of my mind and it never got worse. All in all, <strong>I eventually figured out I would not break 14 hours as I had done last year.</strong> 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. So the ice at the aid stations was a help.\r\n\r\nI 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.\r\n<h3><img class=\"alignleft wp-image-144\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/cozumel-2013-finish2.jpg\" alt=\"Cozumel 2013 Finish2\" width=\"288\" height=\"482\" /><strong class=\"subhead\">The Finish</strong></h3>\r\nAs I got closer to the finish line, all the aches just started to fade away. The last mile or so I just let it all go and ran at a good pace. And as I entered the final turn, the last 150 meters were jammed with the crowds cheering loudly. At this point,<strong> I knew I had made it. All the months of training were worth it.</strong> 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. The final run time was 5:52 with an overall time of 14:18.\r\n<h3><strong class=\"subhead\">Final Thoughts on My Third Ironman:</strong></h3>\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.\r\n\r\nI 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).\r\n\r\n<em><strong>\"Life can be pulled by goals just as surely as it can be pushed by drives\".</strong></em>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3><strong class=\"subhead\">Dedication:</strong></h3>\r\nAs many of you know, in 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.\r\n\r\nThanks to everyone for inquiring about me and cheering from near and far. I really appreciated all of it and words cannot say thank you enough.\r\n\r\nYour thoughts and well wishes helped me through my third Ironman.\r\n<p class=\"text-center\"><strong>Peter A. Fields, MD DC</strong>\r\n<strong id=\"athleticdoc\">The Athletic Doc<sup style=\"font-size: 14px;\">®</sup> and 3X Ironman Finisher</strong></p>\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<div id=\"sidebar2\" class=\"col-md-4\">\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"274\"]<img style=\"padding-left: 5px;\" title=\"My Third Ironman in 2013 Canada\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/cozumel-2013-finish.jpg\" alt=\"2013 Third Ironman \" width=\"274\" height=\"358\" /> My Third Ironman Completed[/caption]\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<div></div>\r\n<div></div>\r\n<div class=\"col-md-4\"><a href=\"/About/The-Athletic-Doc/Race-Report-9th-Ironman\"><strong style=\"color: #cc0000;\">2</strong></a><a href=\"/About/The-Athletic-Doc/Race-Report-9th-Ironman\"><strong style=\"color: #cc0000;\">01</strong></a><a href=\"/About/The-Athletic-Doc/Race-Report-9th-Ironman\"><strong style=\"color: #cc0000;\">7 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></div>','Achieving Higher Goals at My Third Ironman in Canada','','inherit','closed','closed','','131-revision-v1','','','2021-06-03 02:41:07','2021-06-03 02:41:07','',131,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=4693',0,'revision','',0),(4694,9,'2021-06-03 02:42:08','2021-06-03 02:42:08','<h2>Achieving Higher Goals at My Third Ironman</h2>\r\n<div class=\"col-md-8\">\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_134\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"497\"]<img class=\"wp-image-134 \" title=\"Third Ironman\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman-canada-logo.jpg\" alt=\"Ironman Canada Logo\" width=\"497\" height=\"219\" /> <em>  Sunday, August 25, 2013:     2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike, 26.2-mile run</em>[/caption]\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<h3><em>Third Ironman Quote for the Day:<strong> \"One cannot achieve higher goals in life without some struggle.\"</strong></em></h3>\r\n<div class=\"col-md-8\">\r\n<h3><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-138\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/cozumel-2013-pre-race.jpg\" alt=\"Cozumel 2013 Pre Race\" width=\"160\" height=\"213\" /><strong class=\"subhead\">Before the Race</strong></h3>\r\nI woke up at 3:30 am so I could have breakfast by 4 am. That way I would have three hours before the start of the race so my food could be properly digested. I already had my gear ready to go plus the two special needs bags for the bike and the run. Then off to the village center to drop off the special needs bags and onto the buses that transported 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.\r\n\r\nWhen we got there it was still dark and about 45 degrees. It was cold! But at least the rain from the previous day had stopped and no more was predicted. Fortunately, I had planned well for the cold.\r\n\r\nThere is always a lot of tension floating around as over 2200 athletes check their gear. Everyone tries their 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\n\r\nThe only thing one brings in the morning is one\'s 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 down to the waterfront.\r\n<h3><img class=\"alignleft wp-image-140\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/cozumel-2013-swim.jpg\" alt=\"Cozumel 2013 Swim\" width=\"243\" height=\"324\" /><strong class=\"subhead\">The Swim in My Third Ironman</strong></h3>\r\nThe lake is surrounded by mountains and the water temperature was about 68 degrees. That temperature 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 7 am, the gun went off. It would be a long day.\r\n\r\nAs always, I go out fast at the beginning of the swim, since swimming is my best part. I try and get away from the majority of the crowd, and then I try and settle back into a good pace. There were a few turns prior to turning back on the first loop of the two-loop course.\r\n\r\nIt got really jammed and crowded...more jammed than usual, which meant I couldn\'t really get into a 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. My swim was therefore a bit slower at 1hr and 7 minutes, but still pretty good overall.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3>Transition One</h3>\r\nI took a bit longer in the change tent as I put on knee warmers, a wind vest, a riding jacket, a skull cap for under my helmet, and longliner gloves over my riding gloves (I get cold easy!!).\r\n<h3><img class=\"alignleft wp-image-142\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/cozumel-2013-bike.jpg\" alt=\"Cozumel 2013 Bike\" width=\"251\" height=\"335\" /><strong class=\"subhead\">The Bike</strong></h3>\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 were really spectacular.\r\n\r\n<strong>Riding through the crowds was invigorating.</strong> They really cheered us on. I took off my gloves since it was now above 60. Then some uphills and lots of downhills for the next 20 miles.\r\n\r\nAfter 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.\r\n\r\nI took off the leg warmers, vest, and skull cap, gave them to one of the volunteers along with the empty bottle I had gone thru. She was very surprised but happy, seeing my name on the bottle, and asked if that was me. When I said yes, she said that she had some knee problems and might call me. <strong>Wow, a business referral in an Ironman!</strong> 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.\r\n\r\nThen back to the hills. <strong>The last part from mile 85 to 112, was essentially all uphill.</strong> The first climb was the longest and the steepest, which wore a lot of people down. Then mostly uphill with some slight downhill riding all the way back to town. It was tough on the legs.\r\n\r\nAs we approached the 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 previously in the <a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/about/the-athletic-doc/my-second-ironman-competition-took-place-in-cozumel-mexico/\">Cozumel Ironman</a>. But with the hills here I was not disappointed.\r\n<h3>Transition Two</h3>\r\nAfter handing off my bike to a handler, it was off the change tent to put on my running shoes. No need to change clothing because what I wear under my wetsuit is what I ride and run in. Then a quick restock of a few gel packs. <strong>On the way out, volunteers with grass skirts put sunscreen on the runners.</strong> This would be helpful as it was hot, sunny, and getting warm.\r\n<h3><img class=\"alignleft wp-image-143\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/cozumel-2013-run.jpg\" alt=\"Cozumel 2013 Run\" width=\"263\" height=\"350\" /><strong class=\"subhead\">The Run</strong></h3>\r\nThe run had over 1100 feet of climbing. Added to the very hilly ride, making this a hard run. There was constant up and down of hills. Tough on already tired legs. Some of the runs went thru the woods on dirt trails, which was good for the legs.\r\n\r\nWe ran around a lake, over a wooden 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.\r\n\r\nAt mile four I developed a blister on my left foot-right in the arch- ouch! I got a Tegaderm patch (a wound covering) from a paramedic at mile 8, which eventually stopped the blister from getting worse.\r\n\r\nThen, 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. The extra weight got transferred laterally to my third and fourth toes. So, I altered my gait and it became a lot easier to run.\r\n\r\nAt 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.\r\n\r\nThe blister pain I just put in the back of my mind and it never got worse. All in all, <strong>I eventually figured out I would not break 14 hours as I had done last year.</strong> 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. So the ice at the aid stations was a help.\r\n\r\nI 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.\r\n<h3><img class=\"alignleft wp-image-144\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/cozumel-2013-finish2.jpg\" alt=\"Cozumel 2013 Finish2\" width=\"288\" height=\"482\" /><strong class=\"subhead\">The Finish</strong></h3>\r\nAs I got closer to the finish line, all the aches just started to fade away. The last mile or so I just let it all go and ran at a good pace. And as I entered the final turn, the last 150 meters were jammed with the crowds cheering loudly. At this point,<strong> I knew I had made it. All the months of training were worth it.</strong> 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. The final run time was 5:52 with an overall time of 14:18.\r\n<h3><strong class=\"subhead\">Final Thoughts on My Third Ironman:</strong></h3>\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.\r\n\r\nI 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).\r\n\r\n<em><strong>\"Life can be pulled by goals just as surely as it can be pushed by drives\".</strong></em>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3><strong class=\"subhead\">Dedication:</strong></h3>\r\nAs many of you know, in 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.\r\n\r\nThanks to everyone for inquiring about me and cheering from near and far. I really appreciated all of it and words cannot say thank you enough.\r\n\r\nYour thoughts and well wishes helped me through my third Ironman.\r\n<p class=\"text-center\"><strong>Peter A. Fields, MD DC</strong>\r\n<strong id=\"athleticdoc\">The Athletic Doc<sup style=\"font-size: 14px;\">®</sup> and 3X Ironman Finisher</strong></p>\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<div id=\"sidebar2\" class=\"col-md-4\">\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"274\"]<img style=\"padding-left: 5px;\" title=\"My Third Ironman in 2013 Canada\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/cozumel-2013-finish.jpg\" alt=\"2013 Third Ironman \" width=\"274\" height=\"358\" /> My Third Ironman Completed[/caption]\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<div></div>\r\n<div></div>\r\n<div class=\"col-md-4\"><a href=\"/About/The-Athletic-Doc/Race-Report-9th-Ironman\"><strong style=\"color: #cc0000;\">2</strong></a><a href=\"/About/The-Athletic-Doc/Race-Report-9th-Ironman\"><strong style=\"color: #cc0000;\">01</strong></a><a href=\"/About/The-Athletic-Doc/Race-Report-9th-Ironman\"><strong style=\"color: #cc0000;\">7 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></div>','Achieving Higher Goals at My Third Ironman in Canada','','inherit','closed','closed','','131-revision-v1','','','2021-06-03 02:42:08','2021-06-03 02:42:08','',131,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=4694',0,'revision','',0),(4695,9,'2021-06-03 02:43:42','2021-06-03 02:43:42','<h2>Achieving Higher Goals at My Third Ironman</h2>\r\n<div class=\"col-md-8\">\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_134\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"497\"]<img class=\"wp-image-134 \" title=\"Third Ironman\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman-canada-logo.jpg\" alt=\"Ironman Canada Logo\" width=\"497\" height=\"219\" /> <em> Sunday, August 25, 2013:     2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike, 26.2-mile run</em>[/caption]\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<h3><em>Third Ironman Quote:<strong> \"One cannot achieve higher goals in life without some struggle.\"</strong></em></h3>\r\n<div class=\"col-md-8\">\r\n<h3><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-138\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/cozumel-2013-pre-race.jpg\" alt=\"Cozumel 2013 Pre Race\" width=\"160\" height=\"213\" /><strong class=\"subhead\">Before the Race</strong></h3>\r\nI woke up at 3:30 am so I could have breakfast by 4 am. That way I would have three hours before the start of the race so my food could be properly digested. I already had my gear ready to go plus the two special needs bags for the bike and the run. Then off to the village center to drop off the special needs bags and onto the buses that transported 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.\r\n\r\nWhen we got there it was still dark and about 45 degrees. It was cold! But at least the rain from the previous day had stopped and no more was predicted. Fortunately, I had planned well for the cold.\r\n\r\nThere is always a lot of tension floating around as over 2200 athletes check their gear. Everyone tries their 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\n\r\nThe only thing one brings in the morning is one\'s 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 down to the waterfront.\r\n<h3><img class=\"alignleft wp-image-140\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/cozumel-2013-swim.jpg\" alt=\"Cozumel 2013 Swim\" width=\"243\" height=\"324\" /><strong class=\"subhead\">The Swim in My Third Ironman</strong></h3>\r\nThe lake is surrounded by mountains and the water temperature was about 68 degrees. That temperature 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 7 am, the gun went off. It would be a long day.\r\n\r\nAs always, I go out fast at the beginning of the swim, since swimming is my best part. I try and get away from the majority of the crowd, and then I try and settle back into a good pace. There were a few turns prior to turning back on the first loop of the two-loop course.\r\n\r\nIt got really jammed and crowded...more jammed than usual, which meant I couldn\'t really get into a 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. My swim was therefore a bit slower at 1hr and 7 minutes, but still pretty good overall.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3>Transition One</h3>\r\nI took a bit longer in the change tent as I put on knee warmers, a wind vest, a riding jacket, a skull cap for under my helmet, and longliner gloves over my riding gloves (I get cold easy!!).\r\n<h3><img class=\"alignleft wp-image-142\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/cozumel-2013-bike.jpg\" alt=\"Cozumel 2013 Bike\" width=\"251\" height=\"335\" /><strong class=\"subhead\">The Bike</strong></h3>\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 were really spectacular.\r\n\r\n<strong>Riding through the crowds was invigorating.</strong> They really cheered us on. I took off my gloves since it was now above 60. Then some uphills and lots of downhills for the next 20 miles.\r\n\r\nAfter 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.\r\n\r\nI took off the leg warmers, vest, and skull cap, gave them to one of the volunteers along with the empty bottle I had gone thru. She was very surprised but happy, seeing my name on the bottle, and asked if that was me. When I said yes, she said that she had some knee problems and might call me. <strong>Wow, a business referral in an Ironman!</strong> 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.\r\n\r\nThen back to the hills. <strong>The last part from mile 85 to 112, was essentially all uphill.</strong> The first climb was the longest and the steepest, which wore a lot of people down. Then mostly uphill with some slight downhill riding all the way back to town. It was tough on the legs.\r\n\r\nAs we approached the 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 previously in the <a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/about/the-athletic-doc/my-second-ironman-competition-took-place-in-cozumel-mexico/\">Cozumel Ironman</a>. But with the hills here I was not disappointed.\r\n<h3>Transition Two</h3>\r\nAfter handing off my bike to a handler, it was off the change tent to put on my running shoes. No need to change clothing because what I wear under my wetsuit is what I ride and run in. Then a quick restock of a few gel packs. <strong>On the way out, volunteers with grass skirts put sunscreen on the runners.</strong> This would be helpful as it was hot, sunny, and getting warm.\r\n<h3><img class=\"alignleft wp-image-143\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/cozumel-2013-run.jpg\" alt=\"Cozumel 2013 Run\" width=\"263\" height=\"350\" /><strong class=\"subhead\">The Run</strong></h3>\r\nThe run had over 1100 feet of climbing. Added to the very hilly ride, making this a hard run. There was constant up and down of hills. Tough on already tired legs. Some of the runs went thru the woods on dirt trails, which was good for the legs.\r\n\r\nWe ran around a lake, over a wooden 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.\r\n\r\nAt mile four I developed a blister on my left foot-right in the arch- ouch! I got a Tegaderm patch (a wound covering) from a paramedic at mile 8, which eventually stopped the blister from getting worse.\r\n\r\nThen, 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. The extra weight got transferred laterally to my third and fourth toes. So, I altered my gait and it became a lot easier to run.\r\n\r\nAt 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.\r\n\r\nThe blister pain I just put in the back of my mind and it never got worse. All in all, <strong>I eventually figured out I would not break 14 hours as I had done last year.</strong> 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. So the ice at the aid stations was a help.\r\n\r\nI 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.\r\n<h3><img class=\"alignleft wp-image-144\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/cozumel-2013-finish2.jpg\" alt=\"Cozumel 2013 Finish2\" width=\"288\" height=\"482\" /><strong class=\"subhead\">The Finish</strong></h3>\r\nAs I got closer to the finish line, all the aches just started to fade away. The last mile or so I just let it all go and ran at a good pace. And as I entered the final turn, the last 150 meters were jammed with the crowds cheering loudly. At this point,<strong> I knew I had made it. All the months of training were worth it.</strong> 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. The final run time was 5:52 with an overall time of 14:18.\r\n<h3><strong class=\"subhead\">Final Thoughts on My Third Ironman:</strong></h3>\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.\r\n\r\nI 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).\r\n\r\n<em><strong>\"Life can be pulled by goals just as surely as it can be pushed by drives\".</strong></em>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3><strong class=\"subhead\">Dedication:</strong></h3>\r\nAs many of you know, in 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.\r\n\r\nThanks to everyone for inquiring about me and cheering from near and far. I really appreciated all of it and words cannot say thank you enough.\r\n\r\nYour thoughts and well wishes helped me through my third Ironman.\r\n<p class=\"text-center\"><strong>Peter A. Fields, MD DC</strong>\r\n<strong id=\"athleticdoc\">The Athletic Doc<sup style=\"font-size: 14px;\">®</sup> and 3X Ironman Finisher</strong></p>\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<div id=\"sidebar2\" class=\"col-md-4\">\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"274\"]<img style=\"padding-left: 5px;\" title=\"My Third Ironman in 2013 Canada\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/cozumel-2013-finish.jpg\" alt=\"2013 Third Ironman \" width=\"274\" height=\"358\" /> My Third Ironman Completed[/caption]\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<div></div>\r\n<div></div>\r\n<div class=\"col-md-4\"><a href=\"/About/The-Athletic-Doc/Race-Report-9th-Ironman\"><strong style=\"color: #cc0000;\">2</strong></a><a href=\"/About/The-Athletic-Doc/Race-Report-9th-Ironman\"><strong style=\"color: #cc0000;\">01</strong></a><a href=\"/About/The-Athletic-Doc/Race-Report-9th-Ironman\"><strong style=\"color: #cc0000;\">7 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></div>','Achieving Higher Goals at My Third Ironman in Canada','','inherit','closed','closed','','131-revision-v1','','','2021-06-03 02:43:42','2021-06-03 02:43:42','',131,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=4695',0,'revision','',0),(4696,9,'2021-06-03 02:44:18','2021-06-03 02:44:18','<h2>Achieving Higher Goals at My Third Ironman</h2>\r\n<div class=\"col-md-8\">\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_134\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"528\"]<img class=\"wp-image-134 \" title=\"Third Ironman\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman-canada-logo.jpg\" alt=\"Ironman Canada Logo\" width=\"528\" height=\"233\" /> <em> Sunday, August 25, 2013:     2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike, 26.2-mile run</em>[/caption]\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<h3><em>Third Ironman Quote:<strong> \"One cannot achieve higher goals in life without some struggle.\"</strong></em></h3>\r\n<div class=\"col-md-8\">\r\n<h3><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-138\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/cozumel-2013-pre-race.jpg\" alt=\"Cozumel 2013 Pre Race\" width=\"160\" height=\"213\" /><strong class=\"subhead\">Before the Race</strong></h3>\r\nI woke up at 3:30 am so I could have breakfast by 4 am. That way I would have three hours before the start of the race so my food could be properly digested. I already had my gear ready to go plus the two special needs bags for the bike and the run. Then off to the village center to drop off the special needs bags and onto the buses that transported 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.\r\n\r\nWhen we got there it was still dark and about 45 degrees. It was cold! But at least the rain from the previous day had stopped and no more was predicted. Fortunately, I had planned well for the cold.\r\n\r\nThere is always a lot of tension floating around as over 2200 athletes check their gear. Everyone tries their 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\n\r\nThe only thing one brings in the morning is one\'s 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 down to the waterfront.\r\n<h3><img class=\"alignleft wp-image-140\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/cozumel-2013-swim.jpg\" alt=\"Cozumel 2013 Swim\" width=\"243\" height=\"324\" /><strong class=\"subhead\">The Swim in My Third Ironman</strong></h3>\r\nThe lake is surrounded by mountains and the water temperature was about 68 degrees. That temperature 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 7 am, the gun went off. It would be a long day.\r\n\r\nAs always, I go out fast at the beginning of the swim, since swimming is my best part. I try and get away from the majority of the crowd, and then I try and settle back into a good pace. There were a few turns prior to turning back on the first loop of the two-loop course.\r\n\r\nIt got really jammed and crowded...more jammed than usual, which meant I couldn\'t really get into a 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. My swim was therefore a bit slower at 1hr and 7 minutes, but still pretty good overall.\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3>Transition One</h3>\r\nI took a bit longer in the change tent as I put on knee warmers, a wind vest, a riding jacket, a skull cap for under my helmet, and longliner gloves over my riding gloves (I get cold easy!!).\r\n<h3><img class=\"alignleft wp-image-142\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/cozumel-2013-bike.jpg\" alt=\"Cozumel 2013 Bike\" width=\"251\" height=\"335\" /><strong class=\"subhead\">The Bike</strong></h3>\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 were really spectacular.\r\n\r\n<strong>Riding through the crowds was invigorating.</strong> They really cheered us on. I took off my gloves since it was now above 60. Then some uphills and lots of downhills for the next 20 miles.\r\n\r\nAfter 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.\r\n\r\nI took off the leg warmers, vest, and skull cap, gave them to one of the volunteers along with the empty bottle I had gone thru. She was very surprised but happy, seeing my name on the bottle, and asked if that was me. When I said yes, she said that she had some knee problems and might call me. <strong>Wow, a business referral in an Ironman!</strong> 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.\r\n\r\nThen back to the hills. <strong>The last part from mile 85 to 112, was essentially all uphill.</strong> The first climb was the longest and the steepest, which wore a lot of people down. Then mostly uphill with some slight downhill riding all the way back to town. It was tough on the legs.\r\n\r\nAs we approached the 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 previously in the <a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/about/the-athletic-doc/my-second-ironman-competition-took-place-in-cozumel-mexico/\">Cozumel Ironman</a>. But with the hills here I was not disappointed.\r\n<h3>Transition Two</h3>\r\nAfter handing off my bike to a handler, it was off the change tent to put on my running shoes. No need to change clothing because what I wear under my wetsuit is what I ride and run in. Then a quick restock of a few gel packs. <strong>On the way out, volunteers with grass skirts put sunscreen on the runners.</strong> This would be helpful as it was hot, sunny, and getting warm.\r\n<h3><img class=\"alignleft wp-image-143\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/cozumel-2013-run.jpg\" alt=\"Cozumel 2013 Run\" width=\"263\" height=\"350\" /><strong class=\"subhead\">The Run</strong></h3>\r\nThe run had over 1100 feet of climbing. Added to the very hilly ride, making this a hard run. There was constant up and down of hills. Tough on already tired legs. Some of the runs went thru the woods on dirt trails, which was good for the legs.\r\n\r\nWe ran around a lake, over a wooden 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.\r\n\r\nAt mile four I developed a blister on my left foot-right in the arch- ouch! I got a Tegaderm patch (a wound covering) from a paramedic at mile 8, which eventually stopped the blister from getting worse.\r\n\r\nThen, 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. The extra weight got transferred laterally to my third and fourth toes. So, I altered my gait and it became a lot easier to run.\r\n\r\nAt 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.\r\n\r\nThe blister pain I just put in the back of my mind and it never got worse. All in all, <strong>I eventually figured out I would not break 14 hours as I had done last year.</strong> 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. So the ice at the aid stations was a help.\r\n\r\nI 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.\r\n<h3><img class=\"alignleft wp-image-144\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/cozumel-2013-finish2.jpg\" alt=\"Cozumel 2013 Finish2\" width=\"288\" height=\"482\" /><strong class=\"subhead\">The Finish</strong></h3>\r\nAs I got closer to the finish line, all the aches just started to fade away. The last mile or so I just let it all go and ran at a good pace. And as I entered the final turn, the last 150 meters were jammed with the crowds cheering loudly. At this point,<strong> I knew I had made it. All the months of training were worth it.</strong> 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. The final run time was 5:52 with an overall time of 14:18.\r\n<h3><strong class=\"subhead\">Final Thoughts on My Third Ironman:</strong></h3>\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.\r\n\r\nI 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).\r\n\r\n<em><strong>\"Life can be pulled by goals just as surely as it can be pushed by drives\".</strong></em>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3><strong class=\"subhead\">Dedication:</strong></h3>\r\nAs many of you know, in 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.\r\n\r\nThanks to everyone for inquiring about me and cheering from near and far. I really appreciated all of it and words cannot say thank you enough.\r\n\r\nYour thoughts and well wishes helped me through my third Ironman.\r\n<p class=\"text-center\"><strong>Peter A. Fields, MD DC</strong>\r\n<strong id=\"athleticdoc\">The Athletic Doc<sup style=\"font-size: 14px;\">®</sup> and 3X Ironman Finisher</strong></p>\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<div id=\"sidebar2\" class=\"col-md-4\">\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"274\"]<img style=\"padding-left: 5px;\" title=\"My Third Ironman in 2013 Canada\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/cozumel-2013-finish.jpg\" alt=\"2013 Third Ironman \" width=\"274\" height=\"358\" /> My Third Ironman Completed[/caption]\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<div></div>\r\n<div></div>\r\n<div class=\"col-md-4\"><a href=\"/About/The-Athletic-Doc/Race-Report-9th-Ironman\"><strong style=\"color: #cc0000;\">2</strong></a><a href=\"/About/The-Athletic-Doc/Race-Report-9th-Ironman\"><strong style=\"color: #cc0000;\">01</strong></a><a href=\"/About/The-Athletic-Doc/Race-Report-9th-Ironman\"><strong style=\"color: #cc0000;\">7 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></div>','Achieving Higher Goals at My Third Ironman in Canada','','inherit','closed','closed','','131-revision-v1','','','2021-06-03 02:44:18','2021-06-03 02:44:18','',131,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=4696',0,'revision','',0),(4697,9,'2021-06-03 02:45:53','2021-06-03 02:45:53','<h2>Achieving Higher Goals at My Third Ironman</h2>\r\n<div class=\"col-md-8\">\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_134\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"528\"]<img class=\"wp-image-134 \" title=\"Third Ironman\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman-canada-logo.jpg\" alt=\"Ironman Canada Logo\" width=\"528\" height=\"233\" /> <em> Sunday, August 25, 2013:     2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike, 26.2-mile run</em>[/caption]\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<h3><em>Third Ironman Quote:<strong> \"One cannot achieve higher goals in life without some struggle.\"</strong></em></h3>\r\n<div class=\"col-md-8\">\r\n<h3><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-138\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/cozumel-2013-pre-race.jpg\" alt=\"Cozumel 2013 Pre Race\" width=\"160\" height=\"213\" /><strong class=\"subhead\">Before the Race</strong></h3>\r\nI woke up at 3:30 am so I could have breakfast by 4 am. That way I would have three hours before the start of the race so my food could be properly digested. I already had my gear ready to go plus the two special needs bags for the bike and the run. Then off to the village center to drop off the special needs bags and onto the buses that transported 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.\r\n\r\nWhen we got there it was still dark and about 45 degrees. It was cold! But at least the rain from the previous day had stopped and no more was predicted. Fortunately, I had planned well for the cold.\r\n\r\nThere is always a lot of tension floating around as over 2200 athletes check their gear. Everyone tries their 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\n\r\nThe only thing one brings in the morning is one\'s 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 down to the waterfront.\r\n<h3><img class=\"alignleft wp-image-140\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/cozumel-2013-swim.jpg\" alt=\"Cozumel 2013 Swim\" width=\"243\" height=\"324\" /><strong class=\"subhead\">The Swim in My Third Ironman</strong></h3>\r\nThe lake is surrounded by mountains and the water temperature was about 68 degrees. That temperature 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 7 am, the gun went off. It would be a long day.\r\n\r\nAs always, I go out fast at the beginning of the swim, since swimming is my best part. I try and get away from the majority of the crowd, and then I try and settle back into a good pace. There were a few turns prior to turning back on the first loop of the two-loop course.\r\n\r\nIt got really jammed and crowded...more jammed than usual, which meant I couldn\'t really get into a 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. My swim was therefore a bit slower at 1hr and 7 minutes, but still pretty good overall.\r\n<h3>Transition One</h3>\r\nI took a bit longer in the change tent as I put on knee warmers, a wind vest, a riding jacket, a skull cap for under my helmet, and longliner gloves over my riding gloves (I get cold easy!!).\r\n<h3><img class=\"alignleft wp-image-142\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/cozumel-2013-bike.jpg\" alt=\"Cozumel 2013 Bike\" width=\"251\" height=\"335\" /><strong class=\"subhead\">The Bike</strong></h3>\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 were really spectacular.\r\n\r\n<strong>Riding through the crowds was invigorating.</strong> They really cheered us on. I took off my gloves since it was now above 60. Then some uphills and lots of downhills for the next 20 miles.\r\n\r\nAfter 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.\r\n\r\nI took off the leg warmers, vest, and skull cap, gave them to one of the volunteers along with the empty bottle I had gone thru. She was very surprised but happy, seeing my name on the bottle, and asked if that was me. When I said yes, she said that she had some knee problems and might call me. <strong>Wow, a business referral in an Ironman!</strong> 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.\r\n\r\nThen back to the hills. <strong>The last part from mile 85 to 112, was essentially all uphill.</strong> The first climb was the longest and the steepest, which wore a lot of people down. Then mostly uphill with some slight downhill riding all the way back to town. It was tough on the legs.\r\n\r\nAs we approached the 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 previously in the <a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/about/the-athletic-doc/my-second-ironman-competition-took-place-in-cozumel-mexico/\">Cozumel Ironman</a>. But with the hills here I was not disappointed.\r\n<h3>Transition Two</h3>\r\nAfter handing off my bike to a handler, it was off the change tent to put on my running shoes. No need to change clothing because what I wear under my wetsuit is what I ride and run in. Then a quick restock of a few gel packs. <strong>On the way out, volunteers with grass skirts put sunscreen on the runners.</strong> This would be helpful as it was hot, sunny, and getting warm.\r\n<h3><img class=\"alignleft wp-image-143\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/cozumel-2013-run.jpg\" alt=\"Cozumel 2013 Run\" width=\"263\" height=\"350\" /><strong class=\"subhead\">The Run</strong></h3>\r\nThe run had over 1100 feet of climbing. Added to the very hilly ride, making this a hard run. There was constant up and down of hills. Tough on already tired legs. Some of the runs went thru the woods on dirt trails, which was good for the legs.\r\n\r\nWe ran around a lake, over a wooden 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.\r\n\r\nAt mile four I developed a blister on my left foot-right in the arch- ouch! I got a Tegaderm patch (a wound covering) from a paramedic at mile 8, which eventually stopped the blister from getting worse.\r\n\r\nThen, 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. The extra weight got transferred laterally to my third and fourth toes. So, I altered my gait and it became a lot easier to run.\r\n\r\nAt 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.\r\n\r\nThe blister pain I just put in the back of my mind and it never got worse. All in all, <strong>I eventually figured out I would not break 14 hours as I had done last year.</strong> 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. So the ice at the aid stations was a help.\r\n\r\nI 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.\r\n<h3><img class=\"alignleft wp-image-144\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/cozumel-2013-finish2.jpg\" alt=\"Cozumel 2013 Finish2\" width=\"288\" height=\"482\" /><strong class=\"subhead\">The Finish</strong></h3>\r\nAs I got closer to the finish line, all the aches just started to fade away. The last mile or so I just let it all go and ran at a good pace. And as I entered the final turn, the last 150 meters were jammed with the crowds cheering loudly. At this point,<strong> I knew I had made it. All the months of training were worth it.</strong> 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. The final run time was 5:52 with an overall time of 14:18.\r\n<h3><strong class=\"subhead\">Final Thoughts on My Third Ironman:</strong></h3>\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.\r\n\r\nI 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).\r\n\r\n<em><strong>\"Life can be pulled by goals just as surely as it can be pushed by drives\".</strong></em>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3><strong class=\"subhead\">Dedication:</strong></h3>\r\nAs many of you know, in 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.\r\n\r\nThanks to everyone for inquiring about me and cheering from near and far. I really appreciated all of it and words cannot say thank you enough.\r\n\r\nYour thoughts and well wishes helped me through my third Ironman.\r\n<p class=\"text-center\"><strong>Peter A. Fields, MD DC</strong>\r\n<strong id=\"athleticdoc\">The Athletic Doc<sup style=\"font-size: 14px;\">®</sup> and 3X Ironman Finisher</strong></p>\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<div id=\"sidebar2\" class=\"col-md-4\">\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"274\"]<img style=\"padding-left: 5px;\" title=\"My Third Ironman in 2013 Canada\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/cozumel-2013-finish.jpg\" alt=\"2013 Third Ironman \" width=\"274\" height=\"358\" /> My Third Ironman Completed[/caption]\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<div></div>\r\n<div></div>\r\n<div class=\"col-md-4\"><a href=\"/About/The-Athletic-Doc/Race-Report-9th-Ironman\"><strong style=\"color: #cc0000;\">2</strong></a><a href=\"/About/The-Athletic-Doc/Race-Report-9th-Ironman\"><strong style=\"color: #cc0000;\">01</strong></a><a href=\"/About/The-Athletic-Doc/Race-Report-9th-Ironman\"><strong style=\"color: #cc0000;\">7 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></div>','Achieving Higher Goals at My Third Ironman in Canada','','inherit','closed','closed','','131-revision-v1','','','2021-06-03 02:45:53','2021-06-03 02:45:53','',131,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=4697',0,'revision','',0),(4698,9,'2021-06-03 02:46:50','2021-06-03 02:46:50','<h2>Achieving Higher Goals at My Third Ironman</h2>\r\n<div class=\"col-md-8\">\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_134\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"528\"]<img class=\"wp-image-134 \" title=\"Third Ironman\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman-canada-logo.jpg\" alt=\"Ironman Canada Logo\" width=\"528\" height=\"233\" /> <em> Sunday, August 25, 2013:     2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike, 26.2-mile run</em>[/caption]\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<h3><em>Third Ironman Quote:<strong> \"One cannot achieve higher goals in life without some struggle.\"</strong></em></h3>\r\n<div class=\"col-md-8\">\r\n<h3><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-138\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/cozumel-2013-pre-race.jpg\" alt=\"Cozumel 2013 Pre Race\" width=\"160\" height=\"213\" /><strong class=\"subhead\">Before the Race</strong></h3>\r\nI woke up at 3:30 am so I could have breakfast by 4 am. That way I would have three hours before the start of the race so my food could be properly digested. I already had my gear ready to go plus the two special needs bags for the bike and the run. Then off to the village center to drop off the special needs bags and onto the buses that transported 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.\r\n\r\nWhen we got there it was still dark and about 45 degrees. It was cold! But at least the rain from the previous day had stopped and no more was predicted. Fortunately, I had planned well for the cold.\r\n\r\nThere is always a lot of tension floating around as over 2200 athletes check their gear. Everyone tries their 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\n\r\nThe only thing one brings in the morning is one\'s 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 down to the waterfront.\r\n<h3><img class=\"alignleft wp-image-140\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/cozumel-2013-swim.jpg\" alt=\"Cozumel 2013 Swim\" width=\"243\" height=\"324\" /><strong class=\"subhead\">The Swim in My Third Ironman</strong></h3>\r\nThe lake is surrounded by mountains and the water temperature was about 68 degrees. That temperature 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 7 am, the gun went off. It would be a long day.\r\n\r\nAs always, I go out fast at the beginning of the swim, since swimming is my best part. I try and get away from the majority of the crowd, and then I try and settle back into a good pace. There were a few turns prior to turning back on the first loop of the two-loop course.\r\n\r\nIt got really jammed and crowded...more jammed than usual, which meant I couldn\'t really get into a 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. My swim was therefore a bit slower at 1hr and 7 minutes, but still pretty good overall.\r\n<h3>Transition One</h3>\r\nI took a bit longer in the change tent as I put on knee warmers, a wind vest, a riding jacket, a skull cap for under my helmet, and longliner gloves over my riding gloves (I get cold easy!!).\r\n<h3><img class=\"alignleft wp-image-142\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/cozumel-2013-bike.jpg\" alt=\"Cozumel 2013 Bike\" width=\"251\" height=\"335\" /><strong class=\"subhead\">The Bike</strong></h3>\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 were really spectacular.\r\n\r\n<strong>Riding through the crowds was invigorating.</strong> They really cheered us on. I took off my gloves since it was now above 60. Then some uphills and lots of downhills for the next 20 miles.\r\n\r\nAfter 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.\r\n\r\nI took off the leg warmers, vest, and skull cap, gave them to one of the volunteers along with the empty bottle I had gone thru. She was very surprised but happy, seeing my name on the bottle, and asked if that was me. When I said yes, she said that she had some knee problems and might call me. <strong>Wow, a business referral in an Ironman!</strong> 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.\r\n\r\nThen back to the hills. <strong>The last part from mile 85 to 112, was essentially all uphill.</strong> The first climb was the longest and the steepest, which wore a lot of people down. Then mostly uphill with some slight downhill riding all the way back to town. It was tough on the legs.\r\n\r\nAs we approached the 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 previously in the <a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/about/the-athletic-doc/my-second-ironman-competition-took-place-in-cozumel-mexico/\">Cozumel Ironman</a>. But with the hills here I was not disappointed.\r\n<h3>Transition Two</h3>\r\nAfter handing off my bike to a handler, it was off the change tent to put on my running shoes. No need to change clothing because what I wear under my wetsuit is what I ride and run in. Then a quick restock of a few gel packs. <strong>On the way out, volunteers with grass skirts put sunscreen on the runners.</strong> This would be helpful as it was hot, sunny, and getting warm.\r\n<h3><img class=\"alignleft wp-image-143\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/cozumel-2013-run.jpg\" alt=\"Cozumel 2013 Run\" width=\"263\" height=\"350\" /><strong class=\"subhead\">The Run</strong></h3>\r\nThe run had over 1100 feet of climbing. Added to the very hilly ride, making this a hard run. There was constant up and down of hills. Tough on already tired legs. Some of the runs went thru the woods on dirt trails, which was good for the legs.\r\n\r\nWe ran around a lake, over a wooden 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.\r\n\r\nAt mile four I developed a blister on my left foot-right in the arch- ouch! I got a Tegaderm patch (a wound covering) from a paramedic at mile 8, which eventually stopped the blister from getting worse.\r\n\r\nThen, 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. The extra weight got transferred laterally to my third and fourth toes. So, I altered my gait and it became a lot easier to run.\r\n\r\nAt 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.\r\n\r\nThe blister pain I just put in the back of my mind and it never got worse. All in all, <strong>I eventually figured out I would not break 14 hours as I had done last year.</strong> 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. So the ice at the aid stations was a help.\r\n\r\nI 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.\r\n<h3><img class=\"alignleft wp-image-144\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/cozumel-2013-finish2.jpg\" alt=\"Cozumel 2013 Finish2\" width=\"288\" height=\"482\" /><strong class=\"subhead\">The Finish</strong></h3>\r\nAs I got closer to the finish line, all the aches just started to fade away. The last mile or so I just let it all go and ran at a good pace. And as I entered the final turn, the last 150 meters were jammed with the crowds cheering loudly. At this point,<strong> I knew I had made it. All the months of training were worth it.</strong> 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. The final run time was 5:52 with an overall time of 14:18.\r\n<h3><strong class=\"subhead\">Final Thoughts on My Third Ironman:</strong></h3>\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.\r\n\r\nI 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).\r\n\r\n<em><strong>\"Life can be pulled by goals just as surely as it can be pushed by drives\".</strong></em>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3><strong class=\"subhead\">Dedication:</strong></h3>\r\nAs many of you know, in 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.\r\n\r\nThanks to everyone for inquiring about me and cheering from near and far. I really appreciated all of it and words cannot say thank you enough.\r\n\r\nYour thoughts and well wishes helped me through my third Ironman.\r\n<p class=\"text-center\"><strong>Peter A. Fields, MD DC</strong>\r\n<strong id=\"athleticdoc\">The Athletic Doc<sup style=\"font-size: 14px;\">®</sup> and 3X Ironman Finisher</strong></p>\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<div id=\"sidebar2\" class=\"col-md-4\">\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"274\"]<img style=\"padding-left: 5px;\" title=\"My Third Ironman in 2013 Canada\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/cozumel-2013-finish.jpg\" alt=\"2013 Third Ironman \" width=\"274\" height=\"358\" />         My Third Ironman Completed[/caption]\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<div></div>\r\n<div></div>\r\n<div class=\"col-md-4\"><a href=\"/About/The-Athletic-Doc/Race-Report-9th-Ironman\"><strong style=\"color: #cc0000;\">2</strong></a><a href=\"/About/The-Athletic-Doc/Race-Report-9th-Ironman\"><strong style=\"color: #cc0000;\">01</strong></a><a href=\"/About/The-Athletic-Doc/Race-Report-9th-Ironman\"><strong style=\"color: #cc0000;\">7 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></div>','Achieving Higher Goals at My Third Ironman in Canada','','inherit','closed','closed','','131-revision-v1','','','2021-06-03 02:46:50','2021-06-03 02:46:50','',131,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=4698',0,'revision','',0),(4699,9,'2021-06-03 02:47:55','2021-06-03 02:47:55','<h2>Achieving Higher Goals at My Third Ironman</h2>\r\n<div class=\"col-md-8\">\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_134\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"528\"]<img class=\"wp-image-134 \" title=\"Third Ironman\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman-canada-logo.jpg\" alt=\"Ironman Canada Logo\" width=\"528\" height=\"233\" /> <em> Sunday, August 25, 2013:     2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike, 26.2-mile run</em>[/caption]\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<h3><em>Third Ironman Quote:<strong> \"One cannot achieve higher goals in life without some struggle.\"</strong></em></h3>\r\n<div class=\"col-md-8\">\r\n<h3><img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-138\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/cozumel-2013-pre-race.jpg\" alt=\"Cozumel 2013 Pre Race\" width=\"160\" height=\"213\" /><strong class=\"subhead\">Before the Race</strong></h3>\r\nI woke up at 3:30 am so I could have breakfast by 4 am. That way I would have three hours before the start of the race so my food could be properly digested. I already had my gear ready to go plus the two special needs bags for the bike and the run. Then off to the village center to drop off the special needs bags and onto the buses that transported 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.\r\n\r\nWhen we got there it was still dark and about 45 degrees. It was cold! But at least the rain from the previous day had stopped and no more was predicted. Fortunately, I had planned well for the cold.\r\n\r\nThere is always a lot of tension floating around as over 2200 athletes check their gear. Everyone tries their 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\n\r\nThe only thing one brings in the morning is one\'s 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 down to the waterfront.\r\n<h3><img class=\"alignleft wp-image-140\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/cozumel-2013-swim.jpg\" alt=\"Cozumel 2013 Swim\" width=\"243\" height=\"324\" /><strong class=\"subhead\">The Swim in My Third Ironman</strong></h3>\r\nThe lake is surrounded by mountains and the water temperature was about 68 degrees. That temperature 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 7 am, the gun went off. It would be a long day.\r\n\r\nAs always, I go out fast at the beginning of the swim, since swimming is my best part. I try and get away from the majority of the crowd, and then I try and settle back into a good pace. There were a few turns prior to turning back on the first loop of the two-loop course.\r\n\r\nIt got really jammed and crowded...more jammed than usual, which meant I couldn\'t really get into a 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. My swim was therefore a bit slower at 1hr and 7 minutes, but still pretty good overall.\r\n<h3>Transition One</h3>\r\nI took a bit longer in the change tent as I put on knee warmers, a wind vest, a riding jacket, a skull cap for under my helmet, and longliner gloves over my riding gloves (I get cold easy!!).\r\n<h3><img class=\"alignleft wp-image-142\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/cozumel-2013-bike.jpg\" alt=\"Cozumel 2013 Bike\" width=\"251\" height=\"335\" /><strong class=\"subhead\">The Bike</strong></h3>\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 were really spectacular.\r\n\r\n<strong>Riding through the crowds was invigorating.</strong> They really cheered us on. I took off my gloves since it was now above 60. Then some uphills and lots of downhills for the next 20 miles.\r\n\r\nAfter 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.\r\n\r\nI took off the leg warmers, vest, and skull cap, gave them to one of the volunteers along with the empty bottle I had gone thru. She was very surprised but happy, seeing my name on the bottle, and asked if that was me. When I said yes, she said that she had some knee problems and might call me. <strong>Wow, a business referral in an Ironman!</strong> 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.\r\n\r\nThen back to the hills. <strong>The last part from mile 85 to 112, was essentially all uphill.</strong> The first climb was the longest and the steepest, which wore a lot of people down. Then mostly uphill with some slight downhill riding all the way back to town. It was tough on the legs.\r\n\r\nAs we approached the 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 previously in the <a href=\"https://www.drfields.com/about/the-athletic-doc/my-second-ironman-competition-took-place-in-cozumel-mexico/\">Cozumel Ironman</a>. But with the hills here I was not disappointed.\r\n<h3>Transition Two</h3>\r\nAfter handing off my bike to a handler, it was off the change tent to put on my running shoes. No need to change clothing because what I wear under my wetsuit is what I ride and run in. Then a quick restock of a few gel packs. <strong>On the way out, volunteers with grass skirts put sunscreen on the runners.</strong> This would be helpful as it was hot, sunny, and getting warm.\r\n<h3><img class=\"alignleft wp-image-143\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/cozumel-2013-run.jpg\" alt=\"Cozumel 2013 Run\" width=\"263\" height=\"350\" /><strong class=\"subhead\">The Run</strong></h3>\r\nThe run had over 1100 feet of climbing. Added to the very hilly ride, making this a hard run. There was constant up and down of hills. Tough on already tired legs. Some of the runs went thru the woods on dirt trails, which was good for the legs.\r\n\r\nWe ran around a lake, over a wooden 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.\r\n\r\nAt mile four I developed a blister on my left foot-right in the arch- ouch! I got a Tegaderm patch (a wound covering) from a paramedic at mile 8, which eventually stopped the blister from getting worse.\r\n\r\nThen, 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. The extra weight got transferred laterally to my third and fourth toes. So, I altered my gait and it became a lot easier to run.\r\n\r\nAt 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.\r\n\r\nThe blister pain I just put in the back of my mind and it never got worse. All in all, <strong>I eventually figured out I would not break 14 hours as I had done last year.</strong> 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. So the ice at the aid stations was a help.\r\n\r\nI 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.\r\n<h3><img class=\"alignleft wp-image-144\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/cozumel-2013-finish2.jpg\" alt=\"Cozumel 2013 Finish2\" width=\"261\" height=\"437\" /><strong class=\"subhead\">The Finish</strong></h3>\r\nAs I got closer to the finish line, all the aches just started to fade away. The last mile or so I just let it all go and ran at a good pace. And as I entered the final turn, the last 150 meters were jammed with the crowds cheering loudly. At this point,<strong> I knew I had made it. All the months of training were worth it.</strong> 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. The final run time was 5:52 with an overall time of 14:18.\r\n<h3><strong class=\"subhead\">Final Thoughts on My Third Ironman:</strong></h3>\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.\r\n\r\nI 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).\r\n\r\n<em><strong>\"Life can be pulled by goals just as surely as it can be pushed by drives\".</strong></em>\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3><strong class=\"subhead\">Dedication:</strong></h3>\r\nAs many of you know, in 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.\r\n\r\nThanks to everyone for inquiring about me and cheering from near and far. I really appreciated all of it and words cannot say thank you enough.\r\n\r\nYour thoughts and well wishes helped me through my third Ironman.\r\n<p class=\"text-center\"><strong>Peter A. Fields, MD DC</strong>\r\n<strong id=\"athleticdoc\">The Athletic Doc<sup style=\"font-size: 14px;\">®</sup> and 3X Ironman Finisher</strong></p>\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<div id=\"sidebar2\" class=\"col-md-4\">\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"274\"]<img style=\"padding-left: 5px;\" title=\"My Third Ironman in 2013 Canada\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/cozumel-2013-finish.jpg\" alt=\"2013 Third Ironman \" width=\"274\" height=\"358\" /> My Third Ironman Completed[/caption]\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<div></div>\r\n<div></div>\r\n<div class=\"col-md-4\"><a href=\"/About/The-Athletic-Doc/Race-Report-9th-Ironman\"><strong style=\"color: #cc0000;\">2</strong></a><a href=\"/About/The-Athletic-Doc/Race-Report-9th-Ironman\"><strong style=\"color: #cc0000;\">01</strong></a><a href=\"/About/The-Athletic-Doc/Race-Report-9th-Ironman\"><strong style=\"color: #cc0000;\">7 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></div>','Achieving Higher Goals at My Third Ironman in Canada','','inherit','closed','closed','','131-revision-v1','','','2021-06-03 02:47:55','2021-06-03 02:47:55','',131,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=4699',0,'revision','',0),(4700,9,'2021-06-04 01:34:07','2021-06-04 01:34:07','<h2>Ironman #4 and a New Personal Record</h2>\n<img class=\"wp-image-154 alignright\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman-austria-logo.jpg\" alt=\"Ironman Austria Logo\" width=\"429\" height=\"160\" />\n<h3></h3>\n<h3><em><strong class=\"subhead\">Travel and Pre-Race for Ironman #4</strong></em></h3>\n<p class=\"col-md-8\"><em>    My Ironman #4 experience started with a 12-hour flight from Los Angeles to Frankfurt. The 3-hour delay in Dallas made it even longer. Then, I almost missed my train connection in Frankfurt. Fortunately, I got through customs very quickly. I picked up my bags, took a bus to the train station, </em></p>\n<p class=\"col-md-8\"><em>re-booked my </em></p>\n<em>ticket, and made my train with 5 minutes to spare!</em>\n<p class=\"col-md-8\"><em>Of course, being able to speak German helped out a lot with getting directions, such as the train ride to Munich where I switched trains to Klagenfurt, Austria. The views from the train in southern Germany and Austria were spectacular. The 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, so I tried to make up with naps during the day. Sunday would come all too quickly.</em></p>\n<p class=\"col-md-8\"><em>The rest of the pre-event days were spent meeting everybody, seeing the triathlon expo, and having a chance to swim in the lake. There was also a van ride around part of the biking course. When my shipped bike arrived, 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.</em></p>\n<p class=\"col-md-8\"><em>Saturday we checked in at the race which included leaving the bike and 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 had left the number back in the hotel.</em></p>\n<p class=\"col-md-8\"><em>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 something done. But it was 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.</em></p>\n<p class=\"col-md-8\"><em>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 (which wasn\'t easy either 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.</em></p>\n<p class=\"col-md-8\"><em>I asked again if he was sure about this since my van ride was about to leave. He turned over his badge which said <strong>Race Director</strong>. 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 him my card and told him to look me up. He said he would. All’s well that ends well. Plus a good omen for the race.</em></p>\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n\n&nbsp;\n<h3><strong class=\"subhead\">RACE DAY FOR IRONMAN #4</strong></h3>\nI got up at my usual time of 3:30 am. It was about 58 degrees, very clear, and with no signs of rain. It had rained the last 2 days on and off so this was a good thing. So I prepped my bike at the transition area for the last time. This is always a very exciting time with 3000 athletes plus spectators trying to stay calm.\n\nSince it was about a 500-meter walk to the water, we all took our wetsuits and changed over by the lake, where we were greeted by a rainbow over the lake. It was very beautiful and again a good omen. In a short time, we were all ready to go. The pros and another group of 800 people started 15 minutes early. These early starting non-pros had signed up to start early.\n\nI missed this sign-up and at first, was disappointed as I am a very strong swimmer. But Ken Glah, the former pro triathlete whose company I travel with, found out. It ended up being 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.\n\nSo after many months of training, I was ready to start my Ironman #4. I was dedicating this race to two people. On my left arm, I had the initials JP written. This was in memory of my friend Jeff Patterson. Dr. Jeff started me off in the wonderful world of Prolotherapy which helped save my back from surgery. He was my mentor and dear friend. But he died much too early only a few months ago at the age of 67.\n\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.\n\n&nbsp;\n<h3><strong class=\"subhead\">THE SWIM</strong></h3>\nEven with 800 starting early, there still were 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 save a little energy at the beginning.\n\nOnce 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 a group of only about 150 people, there was plenty of room.\n\nIn 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!!). <strong>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\'t see or hear anything!</strong>\n\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 to the left or right. I just had to stay with the pack. Either way, I exited 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.\n\n&nbsp;\n<h3><strong class=\"subhead\">THE BIKE</strong></h3>\n<img class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-170\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/bike-race2014.jpg\" alt=\"Bike Race2014\" width=\"382\" height=\"512\" />As we exited 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. <strong>The street was heavily lined with spectators.</strong>\n\nIt 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. In the beginning, this route is mostly flat with lots of curves going around the lake.\n\nAs we left the 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.\n\nIn 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 or 6 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.\n\nGoing back was a long downhill ride, so we went fast except for the towns where we had to make small turns. 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.\n\nThere were 100\'s of people lining the street and cheering us on. Plus there was a big loudspeaker 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 loudspeakers.\n\nThen 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. And then suddenly, I felt a sharp sting in my left thigh 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 it. 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.\n\nAs we came into town they had us make a 180-degree turn again (like at the beginning), so we had to really slow down. But this was a 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, there was an announcer, and I would hear, \"and here is Peter from the United States\". Always nice to hear to keep one going. <strong>My usual time is about 3 hrs 25 mins for half of the ride but this time I did it in 3 hours 10 mins.</strong> I was feeling very good.\n\nAs we started back out on the second loop, I stopped at special needs and refueled myself. Special needs are where we can leave a bag of anything we need at that point. There is one 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. And then also resupplied myself with my gels and other nutrition. I carry my own nutrition so as not to try anything new on race day.\n\nWhen I tossed the bottle away, it rolled to the feet of a 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\'s yours. He just smiled at me as he reached for it.\n\nThen 8 miles into the second loop, the 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. All in all, it went well on the second loop. The crowds were less due to the rain. But there were still crowds out there.\n\nAt 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. My second loop time was a bit slower due to the rain. It was 3 hours in 25 minutes. All in all, I felt strong for the run. This was a good thing.\n\nIn the town near T2, the crowds were there cheering loudly. I got off my bike and ran thru the transition area to rack my bike. It was good to be off the bike after 112 miles. Then I put on my running shoes and started off to run a marathon.\n\nP.S. 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.\n<h3><strong class=\"subhead\">THE RUN</strong></h3>\n<img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-174\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/running-smile.jpg\" alt=\"Running Smile\" width=\"335\" height=\"504\" />When leaving transition area two (T2) in an Ironman, you cannot think marathon. You just say to yourself, you are running from here to there and play these mental games the whole way.\n\nIt 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 we would pass the finish line 4 times.\n\nAt the finish line area, there 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 first turnaround about 4.5 miles out.\n\nI 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 at the beginning of each loop. So although brief, it was a nice view.\n\nAfter 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 off these two areas.\n\nAt this point everything was good and I had no pain. As we passed through the finish line area, we headed out again along a canal. Then we ran under a small footbridge and onto a narrow cobblestone street lined with houses. We ran along this street for about 3/4 of a mile then into the town square.\n\n<strong> People were sitting in cafes and cheering us on. Lots and lots of people.</strong> 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 ran back to the starting area.\n\nI got back to the starting point again and got my special needs bag - some extra nutrition. On the second loop, my stomach started to feel a little funny. This is something that is very common with Ironman triathletes. Mine only lasted about 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 athletes 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.\n\n<strong>I just kept telling myself to keep going. One foot after another. And just kept going.</strong> Part of the way it was shady, so that helped a lot too. Since the sun stays up so late, it never went down while I was running.\n\nAt mile 18, I got a second wind. Feeling very upbeat and in a good place, I was able to pick up my pace. Plus, 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 he normally runs a lot faster, but not today. And he told me to try to stay with him and we could talk so the time with go faster.\n\nSo 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 were 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 from racing for over 13 hours.\n\nThere was a small archway when entering into the city square. And a small bell on a string hanging from it. If you rang 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 turnaround, 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.\n\nWe continued to talk and run. He was from Prague where I was going after the race and we planned 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.\n\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 I ran closer to the finish line, the noise level became incredible with cheering, cowbells, and more. I then heard the announcer say: <strong>\"Peter Fields, you are an Ironman!\"</strong>\n\nThe feeling when you hear that never gets old.\n\nI was exhausted but very elated. The feeling I had is indescribable.\n\n<strong>For Ironman #4, I finished at 13 hours, 32 minutes, and 36 seconds with a new personal best for me by 18 minutes.</strong>\n\nMy new friend I had met on the run finished right behind me. I was able to meet his wife and three kids.\n\nAfter a few minutes of walking around, I was off to the massage tent and to get some food.\n\nP.S. At 9 pm, thirty minutes after finishing, the sky opened up and it rained hard for about an hour. I was very fortunate not to go through that.\n<h3 class=\"col-md-8\"><em><strong>APPRECIATIONS:</strong></em></h3>\n<em>I want to thank everybody who took the time and effort to watch the update that was 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.</em>\n\n<em>Collectively, I want to thank my massage therapist, my acupuncturist, and my chiropractor. You all helped get me through. And my wonderful office staff who always took a great interest in what I was doing and put up with the long workouts that made me late sometimes.</em>\n\n<em>There a few individuals that need to be singled out individually:</em>\n<em>I want to thank my coach, Cherie Gruenfeld, as she pushed me hard and helped me a lot.</em>\n\n<em>And 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.</em>\n\n<em>I 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 10 pm west coast time. Wow! Thank you so much for your emotional support when I needed it the most.</em>\n\n<em>And 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!</em>\n\n<strong>Thank you all again for your well wishes and support.</strong>\n\n<strong>Peter A. Fields, MD DC\nThe Athletic Doc<sup>®</sup> and 4X Ironman Triathlete</strong>\n<div id=\"sidebar2\" class=\"col-md-4\">\n\n<img class=\"alignleft\" style=\"text-align: center;\" title=\"Race Report 4th Ironman\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman2014-large-1.jpg\" alt=\"Race Report 4th Ironman\" width=\"389\" height=\"662\" />\n\n<a href=\"https://goo.gl/photos/BBwqL4H48qpXLAZw6\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">2014 Austria\nClick For More Photos</a>\n\nClick below for Pictures &amp; Story\n<a href=\"/About/The-Athletic-Doc/Race-Report-9th-Ironman\"><strong style=\"color: #cc0000;\">2017 Ironman Santa Rosa</strong></a>\n<a href=\"/About/The-Athletic-Doc/Race-Report-8th-Ironman\"><strong style=\"color: #cc0000;\">2016 Ironman Cozumel</strong></a>\n<a href=\"/About/The-Athletic-Doc/Race-Report-7th-Ironman\"><strong style=\"color: #cc0000;\">2016 Ironman Switzerland</strong></a>\n<a href=\"/About/The-Athletic-Doc/Race-Report-6th-Ironman\"><strong style=\"color: #cc0000;\">2015 Ironman Cozumel</strong></a>\n<a href=\"/About/The-Athletic-Doc/Race-Report-5th-Ironman\"><strong style=\"color: #cc0000;\">2015 Ironman Brazil</strong></a>\n<a href=\"/About/The-Athletic-Doc/Race-Report-4th-Ironman\"><strong style=\"color: #cc0000;\">2014 Ironman Austria</strong></a>\n<a href=\"/About/The-Athletic-Doc/Race-Report-3rd-Ironman\"><strong style=\"color: #cc0000;\">2013 Ironman Canada</strong></a>\n<a href=\"/about/the-athletic-doc/race-report-2nd-ironman/\"><strong style=\"color: #cc0000;\">2012 Ironman Cozumel</strong></a>\n<a href=\"/about/the-athletic-doc/race-report-1st-ironman/\"><strong style=\"color: #cc0000;\">2011 Ironman Cozumel</strong></a>\n\n</div>\n&nbsp;','Ironman #4 and a New Personal Record','','inherit','closed','closed','','153-autosave-v1','','','2021-06-04 01:34:07','2021-06-04 01:34:07','',153,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=4700',0,'revision','',0),(4701,9,'2021-06-03 22:16:08','2021-06-03 22:16:08','<div class=\"col-md-8\">\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_154\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"478\"]<img class=\"wp-image-154\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman-austria-logo.jpg\" alt=\"Ironman Austria Logo\" width=\"478\" height=\"178\" /> Sunday, June 29, 2014 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike, 26.2-mile run[/caption]\r\n<h2>Ironman #4 and a New PR</h2>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3><strong class=\"subhead\">Before the Race</strong></h3>\r\nIt started with a 12-hour flight from Los Angeles to Frankfurt. The 3-hour delay in Dallas made it even longer. Then, I almost missed my train connection in Frankfurt. Fortunately, I got through customs very quickly.\r\n\r\nI picked up my bags, took a bus to the train station, re-booked my ticket, and made my train with 5 minutes to spare! Of course, being able to speak German helped out a lot with getting directions, such as the train ride to Munich where I switched trains to Klagenfurt, Austria. The views from the train in southern Germany and Austria were spectacular.\r\n\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, so I tried to make up with naps during the day. Sunday would come all too quickly.\r\n\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. There was also a van ride around part of the biking course. When my shipped bike arrived, 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 the bike and 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 had left the number back in the hotel.\r\n\r\nIn 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 something done. But it was 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.\r\n\r\nAs 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 (which wasn\'t easy either 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 said <strong>Race Director</strong>. 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 him my card and 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<h3><strong class=\"subhead\">RACE DAY FOR IRONMAN #4</strong></h3>\r\nI got up at my usual time of 3:30 am. It was about 58 degrees, very clear, and with no signs of rain. It had rained the last 2 days on and off so this was a good thing. So I prepped my bike at the transition area for the last time. This is always a very exciting time with 3000 athletes plus spectators trying to stay calm.\r\n\r\nSince it was about a 500-meter walk to the water, we all took our wetsuits and changed over by the lake, where we were greeted by a rainbow over the lake. It was very beautiful and again a good omen. In a short time, we were all ready to go. The pros and another group of 800 people started 15 minutes early. These early starting non-pros had signed up to start early.\r\n\r\nI missed this sign-up and at first, was disappointed as I am a very strong swimmer. But Ken Glah, the former pro triathlete whose company I travel with, found out. It ended up being 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.\r\n\r\nSo after many months of training, I was ready to start my Ironman #4. I was dedicating this race to two people. On my left arm, I had the initials JP written. This was in memory of my friend Jeff Patterson. Dr. Jeff started me off in the wonderful world of Prolotherapy which helped save my back from surgery. He was my mentor and dear friend. But he died much too early only a few months ago at the age of 67.\r\n\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<h3><strong class=\"subhead\">THE SWIM</strong></h3>\r\nEven with 800 starting early, there still were 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 save a little energy at the beginning.\r\n\r\nOnce 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 a group of only about 150 people, there was plenty of room.\r\n\r\nIn 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!!). <strong>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\'t see or hear anything!</strong>\r\n\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 to the left or right. I just had to stay with the pack. Either way, I exited 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<h3><strong class=\"subhead\">THE BIKE</strong></h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-170\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/bike-race2014.jpg\" alt=\"Bike Race2014\" width=\"382\" height=\"512\" />As we exited 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. <strong>The street was heavily lined with spectators.</strong>\r\n\r\nIt 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. In the beginning, this route is mostly flat with lots of curves going around the lake.\r\n\r\nAs we left the 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.\r\n\r\nIn 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 or 6 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.\r\n\r\nGoing back was a long downhill ride, so we went fast except for the towns where we had to make small turns. 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.\r\n\r\nThere were 100\'s of people lining the street and cheering us on. Plus there was a big loudspeaker 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 loudspeakers.\r\n\r\nThen 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 it. 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 a 180-degree turn again (like at the beginning), so we had to really slow down. But this was a 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, there was an announcer, and I would hear, \"and here is Peter from the United States\". Always nice to hear to keep one going. <strong>My usual time is about 3 hrs 25 mins for half of the ride but this time I did it in 3 hours 10 mins.</strong> 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 are where we can leave a bag of anything we need at that point. There is one 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.\r\n\r\nWhen I tossed the bottle away, it rolled to the feet of a 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\'s yours. He just smiled at me as he reached for it.\r\n\r\nThen 8 miles into the second loop, the 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. All in all, it went well on the second loop. The crowds were less due to the rain. But there were still crowds out there.\r\n\r\nAt 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. My second loop time was a bit slower due to the rain. It was 3 hours in 25 minutes. All in all, I felt strong for the run. This was a good thing.\r\n\r\nIn the town near T2, the crowds were there cheering loudly. I got off my bike and ran thru the transition area to rack my bike. It was good to be off the bike after 112 miles. Then I put on my running shoes and started off to run a marathon.\r\n\r\nP.S. 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<h3><strong class=\"subhead\">THE RUN</strong></h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-174\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/running-smile.jpg\" alt=\"Running Smile\" width=\"335\" height=\"504\" />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\nI 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\nI 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\r\nThe Athletic Doc<sup>®</sup> and 4X Ironman Triathlete</strong>\r\n\r\n</div>\r\n<div id=\"sidebar2\" class=\"col-md-4\">\r\n\r\n<img style=\"text-align: center;\" title=\"Race Report 4th Ironman\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman2014-large-1.jpg\" alt=\"Race Report 4th Ironman\" width=\"204\" height=\"370\" />\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://goo.gl/photos/BBwqL4H48qpXLAZw6\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">2014 Austria\r\nClick For More Photos</a>\r\n\r\nClick below for Pictures &amp; Story\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>','Ironman #4 and a New PR','','inherit','closed','closed','','153-revision-v1','','','2021-06-03 22:16:08','2021-06-03 22:16:08','',153,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=4701',0,'revision','',0),(4702,9,'2021-06-04 01:06:31','2021-06-04 01:06:31','[caption id=\"attachment_154\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"478\"]<img class=\"wp-image-154\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman-austria-logo.jpg\" alt=\"Ironman Austria Logo\" width=\"478\" height=\"178\" /> Sunday, June 29, 2014 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike, 26.2-mile run[/caption]\r\n<h2>Ironman #4 and a New PR</h2>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3><strong class=\"subhead\">Before the Race</strong></h3>\r\n<p class=\"col-md-8\">    <em>It</em> started with a 12-hour flight from Los Angeles to Frankfurt. The 3-hour delay in Dallas made it even longer. Then, I almost missed my train connection in Frankfurt. Fortunately, I got through customs very quickly.I picked up my bags, took a bus to the train station, re-booked my ticket, and made my train with 5 minutes to spare! Of course, being able to speak German helped out a lot with getting directions, such as the train ride to Munich where I switched trains to Klagenfurt, Austria. The views from the train in southern Germany and Austria were spectacular.The 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, so I tried to make up with naps during the day. Sunday would come all too quickly.The rest of the pre-event days were spent meeting everybody, seeing the triathlon expo, and having a chance to swim in the lake. There was also a van ride around part of the biking course. When my shipped bike arrived, 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.Saturday we checked in at the race which included leaving the bike and 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 had 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 something done. But it was 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 (which wasn\'t easy either 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 said <strong>Race Director</strong>. 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 him my card and told him to look me up. He said he would.All’s well that ends well. Plus a good omen for the race.</p>\r\n\r\n<h3><strong class=\"subhead\">RACE DAY FOR IRONMAN #4</strong></h3>\r\nI got up at my usual time of 3:30 am. It was about 58 degrees, very clear, and with no signs of rain. It had rained the last 2 days on and off so this was a good thing. So I prepped my bike at the transition area for the last time. This is always a very exciting time with 3000 athletes plus spectators trying to stay calm.\r\n\r\nSince it was about a 500-meter walk to the water, we all took our wetsuits and changed over by the lake, where we were greeted by a rainbow over the lake. It was very beautiful and again a good omen. In a short time, we were all ready to go. The pros and another group of 800 people started 15 minutes early. These early starting non-pros had signed up to start early.\r\n\r\nI missed this sign-up and at first, was disappointed as I am a very strong swimmer. But Ken Glah, the former pro triathlete whose company I travel with, found out. It ended up being 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.\r\n\r\nSo after many months of training, I was ready to start my Ironman #4. I was dedicating this race to two people. On my left arm, I had the initials JP written. This was in memory of my friend Jeff Patterson. Dr. Jeff started me off in the wonderful world of Prolotherapy which helped save my back from surgery. He was my mentor and dear friend. But he died much too early only a few months ago at the age of 67.\r\n\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<h3><strong class=\"subhead\">THE SWIM</strong></h3>\r\nEven with 800 starting early, there still were 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 save a little energy at the beginning.\r\n\r\nOnce 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 a group of only about 150 people, there was plenty of room.\r\n\r\nIn 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!!). <strong>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\'t see or hear anything!</strong>\r\n\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 to the left or right. I just had to stay with the pack. Either way, I exited 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<h3><strong class=\"subhead\">THE BIKE</strong></h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-170\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/bike-race2014.jpg\" alt=\"Bike Race2014\" width=\"382\" height=\"512\" />As we exited 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. <strong>The street was heavily lined with spectators.</strong>\r\n\r\nIt 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. In the beginning, this route is mostly flat with lots of curves going around the lake.\r\n\r\nAs we left the 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.\r\n\r\nIn 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 or 6 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.\r\n\r\nGoing back was a long downhill ride, so we went fast except for the towns where we had to make small turns. 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.\r\n\r\nThere were 100\'s of people lining the street and cheering us on. Plus there was a big loudspeaker 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 loudspeakers.\r\n\r\nThen 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 it. 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 a 180-degree turn again (like at the beginning), so we had to really slow down. But this was a 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, there was an announcer, and I would hear, \"and here is Peter from the United States\". Always nice to hear to keep one going. <strong>My usual time is about 3 hrs 25 mins for half of the ride but this time I did it in 3 hours 10 mins.</strong> 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 are where we can leave a bag of anything we need at that point. There is one 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.\r\n\r\nWhen I tossed the bottle away, it rolled to the feet of a 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\'s yours. He just smiled at me as he reached for it.\r\n\r\nThen 8 miles into the second loop, the 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. All in all, it went well on the second loop. The crowds were less due to the rain. But there were still crowds out there.\r\n\r\nAt 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. My second loop time was a bit slower due to the rain. It was 3 hours in 25 minutes. All in all, I felt strong for the run. This was a good thing.\r\n\r\nIn the town near T2, the crowds were there cheering loudly. I got off my bike and ran thru the transition area to rack my bike. It was good to be off the bike after 112 miles. Then I put on my running shoes and started off to run a marathon.\r\n\r\nP.S. 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<h3><strong class=\"subhead\">THE RUN</strong></h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-174\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/running-smile.jpg\" alt=\"Running Smile\" width=\"335\" height=\"504\" />When leaving transition area two (T2) in an Ironman, you cannot think marathon. You just say to yourself, you are running from here to there and play these mental games the whole way.\r\n\r\nIt 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 we would pass the finish line 4 times.\r\n\r\nAt the finish line area, there 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 first turnaround about 4.5 miles out.\r\n\r\nI 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 at the beginning of each loop. So although brief, it was a nice view.\r\n\r\nAfter 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 off these two areas.\r\n\r\nAt this point everything was good and I had no pain. As we passed through the finish line area, we headed out again along a canal. Then we ran under a small footbridge and onto a narrow cobblestone street lined with houses. We ran along this street for about 3/4 of a mile then into the town square.\r\n\r\n<strong> People were sitting in cafes and cheering us on. Lots and lots of people.</strong> 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 ran back to the starting area.\r\n\r\nI got back to the starting point again and got my special needs bag - some extra nutrition. On the second loop, my stomach started to feel a little funny. This is something that is very common with Ironman triathletes. Mine only lasted about 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 athletes 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\n<strong>I just kept telling myself to keep going. One foot after another. And just kept going.</strong> Part of the way it was shady, so that helped a lot too. Since the sun stays up so late, it never went down while I was running.\r\n\r\nAt mile 18, I got a second wind. Feeling very upbeat and in a good place, I was able to pick up my pace. Plus, 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 he normally runs a lot faster, but not today. And he told me to try to stay with him and we could talk so the time with go faster.\r\n\r\nSo 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 were 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 from racing for over 13 hours.\r\n\r\nThere was a small archway when entering into the city square. And a small bell on a string hanging from it. If you rang 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 turnaround, 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.\r\n\r\nWe continued to talk and run. He was from Prague where I was going after the race and we planned 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 I ran closer to the finish line, the noise level became incredible with cheering, cowbells, and more. I then heard the announcer say: <strong>\"Peter Fields, you are an Ironman!\"</strong>\r\n\r\nThe feeling when you hear that never gets old.\r\n\r\nI was exhausted but very elated. The feeling I had is indescribable.\r\n\r\n<strong>And at 13 hrs. 32 minutes and 36 seconds I had a new personal best for me by 18 minutes.</strong>\r\n\r\nMy new friend I had met on the run finished right behind me. I was able to meet his wife and three kids.\r\n\r\nAfter a few minutes of walking around, I was off to the massage tent and to get some food.\r\n\r\nP.S. At 9 pm, thirty minutes after finishing, the sky opened up and it rained hard for about an hour. I was very fortunate not to go through that.\r\n<p class=\"col-md-8\"><strong>THANK YOU</strong></p>\r\nI want to thank everybody who took the time and effort to watch the update that was 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\n\r\nCollectively, I want to thank my massage therapist, my acupuncturist, and my chiropractor. You all helped get me through. And my wonderful office staff who always took a great interest in what I was doing and put up with the long workouts that made me late sometimes.\r\n\r\nThere a few individuals that need to be singled out individually:\r\nI 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\r\nThe Athletic Doc<sup>®</sup> and 4X Ironman Triathlete</strong>\r\n<div id=\"sidebar2\" class=\"col-md-4\">\r\n\r\n<img style=\"text-align: center;\" title=\"Race Report 4th Ironman\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman2014-large-1.jpg\" alt=\"Race Report 4th Ironman\" width=\"204\" height=\"370\" />\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://goo.gl/photos/BBwqL4H48qpXLAZw6\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">2014 Austria\r\nClick For More Photos</a>\r\n\r\nClick below for Pictures &amp; Story\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>','Ironman #4 and a New PR','','inherit','closed','closed','','153-revision-v1','','','2021-06-04 01:06:31','2021-06-04 01:06:31','',153,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=4702',0,'revision','',0),(4703,9,'2021-06-04 01:14:46','2021-06-04 01:14:46','[caption id=\"attachment_154\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"478\"]<img class=\"wp-image-154\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman-austria-logo.jpg\" alt=\"Ironman Austria Logo\" width=\"478\" height=\"178\" /> Sunday, June 29, 2014:  2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike, 26.2-mile run[/caption]\r\n<h2>Ironman #4 and a New Personal Record</h2>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3><strong class=\"subhead\">Before Ironman #4</strong></h3>\r\n<p class=\"col-md-8\">    My <em>Ironman #4</em> experience started with a 12-hour flight from Los Angeles to Frankfurt. The 3-hour delay in Dallas made it even longer. Then, I almost missed my train connection in Frankfurt. Fortunately, I got through customs very quickly. I picked up my bags, took a bus to the train station, re-booked my ticket, and made my train with 5 minutes to spare!</p>\r\n<p class=\"col-md-8\">Of course, being able to speak German helped out a lot with getting directions, such as the train ride to Munich where I switched trains to Klagenfurt, Austria. The views from the train in southern Germany and Austria were spectacular.The 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, so I tried to make up with naps during the day. Sunday would come all too quickly.</p>\r\n<p class=\"col-md-8\">The rest of the pre-event days were spent meeting everybody, seeing the triathlon expo, and having a chance to swim in the lake. There was also a van ride around part of the biking course. When my shipped bike arrived, 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<p class=\"col-md-8\">Saturday we checked in at the race which included leaving the bike and 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 had left the number back in the hotel.</p>\r\n<p class=\"col-md-8\">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 something done. But it was 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.</p>\r\n<p class=\"col-md-8\">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 (which wasn\'t easy either 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.</p>\r\n<p class=\"col-md-8\">I asked again if he was sure about this since my van ride was about to leave. He turned over his badge which said <strong>Race Director</strong>. 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 him my card and told him to look me up. He said he would. All’s well that ends well. Plus a good omen for the race.</p>\r\n\r\n<h3><strong class=\"subhead\">RACE DAY FOR IRONMAN #4</strong></h3>\r\nI got up at my usual time of 3:30 am. It was about 58 degrees, very clear, and with no signs of rain. It had rained the last 2 days on and off so this was a good thing. So I prepped my bike at the transition area for the last time. This is always a very exciting time with 3000 athletes plus spectators trying to stay calm.\r\n\r\nSince it was about a 500-meter walk to the water, we all took our wetsuits and changed over by the lake, where we were greeted by a rainbow over the lake. It was very beautiful and again a good omen. In a short time, we were all ready to go. The pros and another group of 800 people started 15 minutes early. These early starting non-pros had signed up to start early.\r\n\r\nI missed this sign-up and at first, was disappointed as I am a very strong swimmer. But Ken Glah, the former pro triathlete whose company I travel with, found out. It ended up being 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.\r\n\r\nSo after many months of training, I was ready to start my Ironman #4. I was dedicating this race to two people. On my left arm, I had the initials JP written. This was in memory of my friend Jeff Patterson. Dr. Jeff started me off in the wonderful world of Prolotherapy which helped save my back from surgery. He was my mentor and dear friend. But he died much too early only a few months ago at the age of 67.\r\n\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<h3><strong class=\"subhead\">THE SWIM</strong></h3>\r\nEven with 800 starting early, there still were 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 save a little energy at the beginning.\r\n\r\nOnce 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 a group of only about 150 people, there was plenty of room.\r\n\r\nIn 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!!). <strong>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\'t see or hear anything!</strong>\r\n\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 to the left or right. I just had to stay with the pack. Either way, I exited 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<h3><strong class=\"subhead\">THE BIKE</strong></h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-170\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/bike-race2014.jpg\" alt=\"Bike Race2014\" width=\"382\" height=\"512\" />As we exited 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. <strong>The street was heavily lined with spectators.</strong>\r\n\r\nIt 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. In the beginning, this route is mostly flat with lots of curves going around the lake.\r\n\r\nAs we left the 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.\r\n\r\nIn 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 or 6 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.\r\n\r\nGoing back was a long downhill ride, so we went fast except for the towns where we had to make small turns. 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.\r\n\r\nThere were 100\'s of people lining the street and cheering us on. Plus there was a big loudspeaker 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 loudspeakers.\r\n\r\nThen 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 it. 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 a 180-degree turn again (like at the beginning), so we had to really slow down. But this was a 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, there was an announcer, and I would hear, \"and here is Peter from the United States\". Always nice to hear to keep one going. <strong>My usual time is about 3 hrs 25 mins for half of the ride but this time I did it in 3 hours 10 mins.</strong> 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 are where we can leave a bag of anything we need at that point. There is one 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.\r\n\r\nWhen I tossed the bottle away, it rolled to the feet of a 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\'s yours. He just smiled at me as he reached for it.\r\n\r\nThen 8 miles into the second loop, the 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. All in all, it went well on the second loop. The crowds were less due to the rain. But there were still crowds out there.\r\n\r\nAt 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. My second loop time was a bit slower due to the rain. It was 3 hours in 25 minutes. All in all, I felt strong for the run. This was a good thing.\r\n\r\nIn the town near T2, the crowds were there cheering loudly. I got off my bike and ran thru the transition area to rack my bike. It was good to be off the bike after 112 miles. Then I put on my running shoes and started off to run a marathon.\r\n\r\nP.S. 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<h3><strong class=\"subhead\">THE RUN</strong></h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-174\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/running-smile.jpg\" alt=\"Running Smile\" width=\"335\" height=\"504\" />When leaving transition area two (T2) in an Ironman, you cannot think marathon. You just say to yourself, you are running from here to there and play these mental games the whole way.\r\n\r\nIt 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 we would pass the finish line 4 times.\r\n\r\nAt the finish line area, there 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 first turnaround about 4.5 miles out.\r\n\r\nI 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 at the beginning of each loop. So although brief, it was a nice view.\r\n\r\nAfter 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 off these two areas.\r\n\r\nAt this point everything was good and I had no pain. As we passed through the finish line area, we headed out again along a canal. Then we ran under a small footbridge and onto a narrow cobblestone street lined with houses. We ran along this street for about 3/4 of a mile then into the town square.\r\n\r\n<strong> People were sitting in cafes and cheering us on. Lots and lots of people.</strong> 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 ran back to the starting area.\r\n\r\nI got back to the starting point again and got my special needs bag - some extra nutrition. On the second loop, my stomach started to feel a little funny. This is something that is very common with Ironman triathletes. Mine only lasted about 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 athletes 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\n<strong>I just kept telling myself to keep going. One foot after another. And just kept going.</strong> Part of the way it was shady, so that helped a lot too. Since the sun stays up so late, it never went down while I was running.\r\n\r\nAt mile 18, I got a second wind. Feeling very upbeat and in a good place, I was able to pick up my pace. Plus, 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 he normally runs a lot faster, but not today. And he told me to try to stay with him and we could talk so the time with go faster.\r\n\r\nSo 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 were 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 from racing for over 13 hours.\r\n\r\nThere was a small archway when entering into the city square. And a small bell on a string hanging from it. If you rang 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 turnaround, 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.\r\n\r\nWe continued to talk and run. He was from Prague where I was going after the race and we planned 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 I ran closer to the finish line, the noise level became incredible with cheering, cowbells, and more. I then heard the announcer say: <strong>\"Peter Fields, you are an Ironman!\"</strong>\r\n\r\nThe feeling when you hear that never gets old.\r\n\r\nI was exhausted but very elated. The feeling I had is indescribable.\r\n\r\n<strong>And at 13 hrs. 32 minutes and 36 seconds I had a new personal best for me by 18 minutes.</strong>\r\n\r\nMy new friend I had met on the run finished right behind me. I was able to meet his wife and three kids.\r\n\r\nAfter a few minutes of walking around, I was off to the massage tent and to get some food.\r\n\r\nP.S. At 9 pm, thirty minutes after finishing, the sky opened up and it rained hard for about an hour. I was very fortunate not to go through that.\r\n<h3 class=\"col-md-8\"><em><strong>APPRECIATIONS:</strong></em></h3>\r\n<em>I want to thank everybody who took the time and effort to watch the update that was 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.</em>\r\n\r\n<em>Collectively, I want to thank my massage therapist, my acupuncturist, and my chiropractor. You all helped get me through. And my wonderful office staff who always took a great interest in what I was doing and put up with the long workouts that made me late sometimes.</em>\r\n\r\n<em>There a few individuals that need to be singled out individually:</em>\r\n<em>I want to thank my coach, Cherie Gruenfeld, as she pushed me hard and helped me a lot.</em>\r\n\r\n<em>And 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.</em>\r\n\r\n<em>I 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.</em>\r\n\r\n<em>And 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!</em>\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\r\nThe Athletic Doc<sup>®</sup> and 4X Ironman Triathlete</strong>\r\n<div id=\"sidebar2\" class=\"col-md-4\">\r\n\r\n<img style=\"text-align: center;\" title=\"Race Report 4th Ironman\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman2014-large-1.jpg\" alt=\"Race Report 4th Ironman\" width=\"204\" height=\"370\" />\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://goo.gl/photos/BBwqL4H48qpXLAZw6\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">2014 Austria\r\nClick For More Photos</a>\r\n\r\nClick below for Pictures &amp; Story\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>','Ironman #4 and a New Personal Record','','inherit','closed','closed','','153-revision-v1','','','2021-06-04 01:14:46','2021-06-04 01:14:46','',153,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=4703',0,'revision','',0),(4704,9,'2021-06-04 01:16:42','2021-06-04 01:16:42','[caption id=\"attachment_154\" align=\"alignleft\" width=\"478\"]<img class=\"wp-image-154\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman-austria-logo.jpg\" alt=\"Ironman Austria Logo\" width=\"478\" height=\"178\" /> Sunday, June 29, 2014:  2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike, 26.2-mile run[/caption]\r\n<h2>Ironman #4 and a New Personal Record</h2>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3><strong class=\"subhead\">Before Ironman #4</strong></h3>\r\n<p class=\"col-md-8\">    My <em>Ironman #4</em> experience started with a 12-hour flight from Los Angeles to Frankfurt. The 3-hour delay in Dallas made it even longer. Then, I almost missed my train connection in Frankfurt. Fortunately, I got through customs very quickly. I picked up my bags, took a bus to the train station, re-booked my ticket, and made my train with 5 minutes to spare!</p>\r\n<p class=\"col-md-8\">Of course, being able to speak German helped out a lot with getting directions, such as the train ride to Munich where I switched trains to Klagenfurt, Austria. The views from the train in southern Germany and Austria were spectacular.The 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, so I tried to make up with naps during the day. Sunday would come all too quickly.</p>\r\n<p class=\"col-md-8\">The rest of the pre-event days were spent meeting everybody, seeing the triathlon expo, and having a chance to swim in the lake. There was also a van ride around part of the biking course. When my shipped bike arrived, 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<p class=\"col-md-8\">Saturday we checked in at the race which included leaving the bike and 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 had left the number back in the hotel.</p>\r\n<p class=\"col-md-8\">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 something done. But it was 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.</p>\r\n<p class=\"col-md-8\">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 (which wasn\'t easy either 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.</p>\r\n<p class=\"col-md-8\">I asked again if he was sure about this since my van ride was about to leave. He turned over his badge which said <strong>Race Director</strong>. 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 him my card and told him to look me up. He said he would. All’s well that ends well. Plus a good omen for the race.</p>\r\n\r\n<h3><strong class=\"subhead\">RACE DAY FOR IRONMAN #4</strong></h3>\r\nI got up at my usual time of 3:30 am. It was about 58 degrees, very clear, and with no signs of rain. It had rained the last 2 days on and off so this was a good thing. So I prepped my bike at the transition area for the last time. This is always a very exciting time with 3000 athletes plus spectators trying to stay calm.\r\n\r\nSince it was about a 500-meter walk to the water, we all took our wetsuits and changed over by the lake, where we were greeted by a rainbow over the lake. It was very beautiful and again a good omen. In a short time, we were all ready to go. The pros and another group of 800 people started 15 minutes early. These early starting non-pros had signed up to start early.\r\n\r\nI missed this sign-up and at first, was disappointed as I am a very strong swimmer. But Ken Glah, the former pro triathlete whose company I travel with, found out. It ended up being 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.\r\n\r\nSo after many months of training, I was ready to start my Ironman #4. I was dedicating this race to two people. On my left arm, I had the initials JP written. This was in memory of my friend Jeff Patterson. Dr. Jeff started me off in the wonderful world of Prolotherapy which helped save my back from surgery. He was my mentor and dear friend. But he died much too early only a few months ago at the age of 67.\r\n\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<h3><strong class=\"subhead\">THE SWIM</strong></h3>\r\nEven with 800 starting early, there still were 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 save a little energy at the beginning.\r\n\r\nOnce 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 a group of only about 150 people, there was plenty of room.\r\n\r\nIn 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!!). <strong>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\'t see or hear anything!</strong>\r\n\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 to the left or right. I just had to stay with the pack. Either way, I exited 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<h3><strong class=\"subhead\">THE BIKE</strong></h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-170\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/bike-race2014.jpg\" alt=\"Bike Race2014\" width=\"382\" height=\"512\" />As we exited 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. <strong>The street was heavily lined with spectators.</strong>\r\n\r\nIt 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. In the beginning, this route is mostly flat with lots of curves going around the lake.\r\n\r\nAs we left the 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.\r\n\r\nIn 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 or 6 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.\r\n\r\nGoing back was a long downhill ride, so we went fast except for the towns where we had to make small turns. 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.\r\n\r\nThere were 100\'s of people lining the street and cheering us on. Plus there was a big loudspeaker 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 loudspeakers.\r\n\r\nThen 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 it. 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 a 180-degree turn again (like at the beginning), so we had to really slow down. But this was a 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, there was an announcer, and I would hear, \"and here is Peter from the United States\". Always nice to hear to keep one going. <strong>My usual time is about 3 hrs 25 mins for half of the ride but this time I did it in 3 hours 10 mins.</strong> 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 are where we can leave a bag of anything we need at that point. There is one 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.\r\n\r\nWhen I tossed the bottle away, it rolled to the feet of a 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\'s yours. He just smiled at me as he reached for it.\r\n\r\nThen 8 miles into the second loop, the 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. All in all, it went well on the second loop. The crowds were less due to the rain. But there were still crowds out there.\r\n\r\nAt 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. My second loop time was a bit slower due to the rain. It was 3 hours in 25 minutes. All in all, I felt strong for the run. This was a good thing.\r\n\r\nIn the town near T2, the crowds were there cheering loudly. I got off my bike and ran thru the transition area to rack my bike. It was good to be off the bike after 112 miles. Then I put on my running shoes and started off to run a marathon.\r\n\r\nP.S. 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<h3><strong class=\"subhead\">THE RUN</strong></h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-174\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/running-smile.jpg\" alt=\"Running Smile\" width=\"335\" height=\"504\" />When leaving transition area two (T2) in an Ironman, you cannot think marathon. You just say to yourself, you are running from here to there and play these mental games the whole way.\r\n\r\nIt 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 we would pass the finish line 4 times.\r\n\r\nAt the finish line area, there 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 first turnaround about 4.5 miles out.\r\n\r\nI 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 at the beginning of each loop. So although brief, it was a nice view.\r\n\r\nAfter 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 off these two areas.\r\n\r\nAt this point everything was good and I had no pain. As we passed through the finish line area, we headed out again along a canal. Then we ran under a small footbridge and onto a narrow cobblestone street lined with houses. We ran along this street for about 3/4 of a mile then into the town square.\r\n\r\n<strong> People were sitting in cafes and cheering us on. Lots and lots of people.</strong> 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 ran back to the starting area.\r\n\r\nI got back to the starting point again and got my special needs bag - some extra nutrition. On the second loop, my stomach started to feel a little funny. This is something that is very common with Ironman triathletes. Mine only lasted about 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 athletes 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\n<strong>I just kept telling myself to keep going. One foot after another. And just kept going.</strong> Part of the way it was shady, so that helped a lot too. Since the sun stays up so late, it never went down while I was running.\r\n\r\nAt mile 18, I got a second wind. Feeling very upbeat and in a good place, I was able to pick up my pace. Plus, 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 he normally runs a lot faster, but not today. And he told me to try to stay with him and we could talk so the time with go faster.\r\n\r\nSo 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 were 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 from racing for over 13 hours.\r\n\r\nThere was a small archway when entering into the city square. And a small bell on a string hanging from it. If you rang 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 turnaround, 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.\r\n\r\nWe continued to talk and run. He was from Prague where I was going after the race and we planned 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 I ran closer to the finish line, the noise level became incredible with cheering, cowbells, and more. I then heard the announcer say: <strong>\"Peter Fields, you are an Ironman!\"</strong>\r\n\r\nThe feeling when you hear that never gets old.\r\n\r\nI was exhausted but very elated. The feeling I had is indescribable.\r\n\r\n<strong>For Ironman #4, I finished at 13 hours, 32 minutes, and 36 seconds with a new personal best for me by 18 minutes.</strong>\r\n\r\nMy new friend I had met on the run finished right behind me. I was able to meet his wife and three kids.\r\n\r\nAfter a few minutes of walking around, I was off to the massage tent and to get some food.\r\n\r\nP.S. At 9 pm, thirty minutes after finishing, the sky opened up and it rained hard for about an hour. I was very fortunate not to go through that.\r\n<h3 class=\"col-md-8\"><em><strong>APPRECIATIONS:</strong></em></h3>\r\n<em>I want to thank everybody who took the time and effort to watch the update that was 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.</em>\r\n\r\n<em>Collectively, I want to thank my massage therapist, my acupuncturist, and my chiropractor. You all helped get me through. And my wonderful office staff who always took a great interest in what I was doing and put up with the long workouts that made me late sometimes.</em>\r\n\r\n<em>There a few individuals that need to be singled out individually:</em>\r\n<em>I want to thank my coach, Cherie Gruenfeld, as she pushed me hard and helped me a lot.</em>\r\n\r\n<em>And 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.</em>\r\n\r\n<em>I 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.</em>\r\n\r\n<em>And 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!</em>\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\r\nThe Athletic Doc<sup>®</sup> and 4X Ironman Triathlete</strong>\r\n<div id=\"sidebar2\" class=\"col-md-4\">\r\n\r\n<img style=\"text-align: center;\" title=\"Race Report 4th Ironman\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman2014-large-1.jpg\" alt=\"Race Report 4th Ironman\" width=\"204\" height=\"370\" />\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://goo.gl/photos/BBwqL4H48qpXLAZw6\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">2014 Austria\r\nClick For More Photos</a>\r\n\r\nClick below for Pictures &amp; Story\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>','Ironman #4 and a New Personal Record','','inherit','closed','closed','','153-revision-v1','','','2021-06-04 01:16:42','2021-06-04 01:16:42','',153,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=4704',0,'revision','',0),(4705,9,'2021-06-04 01:20:05','2021-06-04 01:20:05','<h2>Ironman #4 and a New Personal Record</h2>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3><strong class=\"subhead\">Before Ironman #4</strong></h3>\r\n<p class=\"col-md-8\">    My <em>Ironman #4</em> experience started with a 12-hour flight from Los Angeles to Frankfurt. The 3-hour delay in Dallas made it even longer. Then, I almost missed my train connection in Frankfurt. Fortunately, I got through customs very quickly. I picked up my bags, took a bus to the train station, re-booked my ticket, and made my train with 5 minutes to spare!</p>\r\n<p class=\"col-md-8\">Of course, being able to speak German helped out a lot with getting directions, such as the train ride to Munich where I switched trains to Klagenfurt, Austria. The views from the train in southern Germany and Austria were spectacular. The 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, so I tried to make up with naps during the day. Sunday would come all too quickly.</p>\r\n<p class=\"col-md-8\">The rest of the pre-event days were spent meeting everybody, seeing the triathlon expo, and having a chance to swim in the lake. There was also a van ride around part of the biking course. When my shipped bike arrived, 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<p class=\"col-md-8\">Saturday we checked in at the race which included leaving the bike and 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 had left the number back in the hotel.</p>\r\n<p class=\"col-md-8\">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 something done. But it was 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.</p>\r\n<p class=\"col-md-8\">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 (which wasn\'t easy either 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.</p>\r\n<p class=\"col-md-8\">I asked again if he was sure about this since my van ride was about to leave. He turned over his badge which said <strong>Race Director</strong>. 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 him my card and told him to look me up. He said he would. All’s well that ends well. Plus a good omen for the race.</p>\r\n\r\n<h3><strong class=\"subhead\">RACE DAY FOR IRONMAN #4</strong></h3>\r\nI got up at my usual time of 3:30 am. It was about 58 degrees, very clear, and with no signs of rain. It had rained the last 2 days on and off so this was a good thing. So I prepped my bike at the transition area for the last time. This is always a very exciting time with 3000 athletes plus spectators trying to stay calm.\r\n\r\nSince it was about a 500-meter walk to the water, we all took our wetsuits and changed over by the lake, where we were greeted by a rainbow over the lake. It was very beautiful and again a good omen. In a short time, we were all ready to go. The pros and another group of 800 people started 15 minutes early. These early starting non-pros had signed up to start early.\r\n\r\nI missed this sign-up and at first, was disappointed as I am a very strong swimmer. But Ken Glah, the former pro triathlete whose company I travel with, found out. It ended up being 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.\r\n\r\nSo after many months of training, I was ready to start my Ironman #4. I was dedicating this race to two people. On my left arm, I had the initials JP written. This was in memory of my friend Jeff Patterson. Dr. Jeff started me off in the wonderful world of Prolotherapy which helped save my back from surgery. He was my mentor and dear friend. But he died much too early only a few months ago at the age of 67.\r\n\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<h3><strong class=\"subhead\">THE SWIM</strong></h3>\r\nEven with 800 starting early, there still were 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 save a little energy at the beginning.\r\n\r\nOnce 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 a group of only about 150 people, there was plenty of room.\r\n\r\nIn 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!!). <strong>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\'t see or hear anything!</strong>\r\n\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 to the left or right. I just had to stay with the pack. Either way, I exited 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<h3><strong class=\"subhead\">THE BIKE</strong></h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-170\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/bike-race2014.jpg\" alt=\"Bike Race2014\" width=\"382\" height=\"512\" />As we exited 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. <strong>The street was heavily lined with spectators.</strong>\r\n\r\nIt 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. In the beginning, this route is mostly flat with lots of curves going around the lake.\r\n\r\nAs we left the 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.\r\n\r\nIn 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 or 6 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.\r\n\r\nGoing back was a long downhill ride, so we went fast except for the towns where we had to make small turns. 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.\r\n\r\nThere were 100\'s of people lining the street and cheering us on. Plus there was a big loudspeaker 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 loudspeakers.\r\n\r\nThen 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. And then suddenly, I felt a sharp sting in my left thigh 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 it. 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 a 180-degree turn again (like at the beginning), so we had to really slow down. But this was a 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, there was an announcer, and I would hear, \"and here is Peter from the United States\". Always nice to hear to keep one going. <strong>My usual time is about 3 hrs 25 mins for half of the ride but this time I did it in 3 hours 10 mins.</strong> 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 are where we can leave a bag of anything we need at that point. There is one 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.\r\n\r\nWhen I tossed the bottle away, it rolled to the feet of a 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\'s yours. He just smiled at me as he reached for it.\r\n\r\nThen 8 miles into the second loop, the 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. All in all, it went well on the second loop. The crowds were less due to the rain. But there were still crowds out there.\r\n\r\nAt 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. My second loop time was a bit slower due to the rain. It was 3 hours in 25 minutes. All in all, I felt strong for the run. This was a good thing.\r\n\r\nIn the town near T2, the crowds were there cheering loudly. I got off my bike and ran thru the transition area to rack my bike. It was good to be off the bike after 112 miles. Then I put on my running shoes and started off to run a marathon.\r\n\r\nP.S. 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<h3><strong class=\"subhead\">THE RUN</strong></h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-174\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/running-smile.jpg\" alt=\"Running Smile\" width=\"335\" height=\"504\" />When leaving transition area two (T2) in an Ironman, you cannot think marathon. You just say to yourself, you are running from here to there and play these mental games the whole way.\r\n\r\nIt 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 we would pass the finish line 4 times.\r\n\r\nAt the finish line area, there 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 first turnaround about 4.5 miles out.\r\n\r\nI 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 at the beginning of each loop. So although brief, it was a nice view.\r\n\r\nAfter 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 off these two areas.\r\n\r\nAt this point everything was good and I had no pain. As we passed through the finish line area, we headed out again along a canal. Then we ran under a small footbridge and onto a narrow cobblestone street lined with houses. We ran along this street for about 3/4 of a mile then into the town square.\r\n\r\n<strong> People were sitting in cafes and cheering us on. Lots and lots of people.</strong> 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 ran back to the starting area.\r\n\r\nI got back to the starting point again and got my special needs bag - some extra nutrition. On the second loop, my stomach started to feel a little funny. This is something that is very common with Ironman triathletes. Mine only lasted about 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 athletes 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\n<strong>I just kept telling myself to keep going. One foot after another. And just kept going.</strong> Part of the way it was shady, so that helped a lot too. Since the sun stays up so late, it never went down while I was running.\r\n\r\nAt mile 18, I got a second wind. Feeling very upbeat and in a good place, I was able to pick up my pace. Plus, 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 he normally runs a lot faster, but not today. And he told me to try to stay with him and we could talk so the time with go faster.\r\n\r\nSo 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 were 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 from racing for over 13 hours.\r\n\r\nThere was a small archway when entering into the city square. And a small bell on a string hanging from it. If you rang 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 turnaround, 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.\r\n\r\nWe continued to talk and run. He was from Prague where I was going after the race and we planned 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 I ran closer to the finish line, the noise level became incredible with cheering, cowbells, and more. I then heard the announcer say: <strong>\"Peter Fields, you are an Ironman!\"</strong>\r\n\r\nThe feeling when you hear that never gets old.\r\n\r\nI was exhausted but very elated. The feeling I had is indescribable.\r\n\r\n<strong>For Ironman #4, I finished at 13 hours, 32 minutes, and 36 seconds with a new personal best for me by 18 minutes.</strong>\r\n\r\nMy new friend I had met on the run finished right behind me. I was able to meet his wife and three kids.\r\n\r\nAfter a few minutes of walking around, I was off to the massage tent and to get some food.\r\n\r\nP.S. At 9 pm, thirty minutes after finishing, the sky opened up and it rained hard for about an hour. I was very fortunate not to go through that.\r\n<h3 class=\"col-md-8\"><em><strong>APPRECIATIONS:</strong></em></h3>\r\n<em>I want to thank everybody who took the time and effort to watch the update that was 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.</em>\r\n\r\n<em>Collectively, I want to thank my massage therapist, my acupuncturist, and my chiropractor. You all helped get me through. And my wonderful office staff who always took a great interest in what I was doing and put up with the long workouts that made me late sometimes.</em>\r\n\r\n<em>There a few individuals that need to be singled out individually:</em>\r\n<em>I want to thank my coach, Cherie Gruenfeld, as she pushed me hard and helped me a lot.</em>\r\n\r\n<em>And 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.</em>\r\n\r\n<em>I 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 10 pm west coast time. Wow! Thank you so much for your emotional support when I needed it the most.</em>\r\n\r\n<em>And 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!</em>\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\r\nThe Athletic Doc<sup>®</sup> and 4X Ironman Triathlete</strong>\r\n<div id=\"sidebar2\" class=\"col-md-4\">\r\n\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" style=\"text-align: center;\" title=\"Race Report 4th Ironman\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman2014-large-1.jpg\" alt=\"Race Report 4th Ironman\" width=\"389\" height=\"662\" />\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://goo.gl/photos/BBwqL4H48qpXLAZw6\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">2014 Austria\r\nClick For More Photos</a>\r\n\r\nClick below for Pictures &amp; Story\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>\r\n&nbsp;','Ironman #4 and a New Personal Record','','inherit','closed','closed','','153-revision-v1','','','2021-06-04 01:20:05','2021-06-04 01:20:05','',153,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=4705',0,'revision','',0),(4706,9,'2021-06-04 01:20:57','2021-06-04 01:20:57','<h2>Ironman #4 and a New Personal Record</h2>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3><strong class=\"subhead\">Before Ironman #4</strong></h3>\r\n<p class=\"col-md-8\">    My <em>Ironman #4</em> experience started with a 12-hour flight from Los Angeles to Frankfurt. The 3-hour delay in Dallas made it even longer. Then, I almost missed my train connection in Frankfurt. Fortunately, I got through customs very quickly. I picked up my bags, took a bus to the train station, re-booked my ticket, and made my train with 5 minutes to spare!</p>\r\n<p class=\"col-md-8\">Of course, being able to speak German helped out a lot with getting directions, such as the train ride to Munich where I switched trains to Klagenfurt, Austria. The views from the train in southern Germany and Austria were spectacular. The 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, so I tried to make up with naps during the day. Sunday would come all too quickly.</p>\r\n<p class=\"col-md-8\">The rest of the pre-event days were spent meeting everybody, seeing the triathlon expo, and having a chance to swim in the lake. There was also a van ride around part of the biking course. When my shipped bike arrived, 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<p class=\"col-md-8\">Saturday we checked in at the race which included leaving the bike and 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 had left the number back in the hotel.</p>\r\n<p class=\"col-md-8\">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 something done. But it was 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.</p>\r\n<p class=\"col-md-8\">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 (which wasn\'t easy either 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.</p>\r\n<p class=\"col-md-8\">I asked again if he was sure about this since my van ride was about to leave. He turned over his badge which said <strong>Race Director</strong>. 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 him my card and told him to look me up. He said he would. All’s well that ends well. Plus a good omen for the race.</p>\r\n\r\n<h3><strong class=\"subhead\">RACE DAY FOR IRONMAN #4</strong></h3>\r\nI got up at my usual time of 3:30 am. It was about 58 degrees, very clear, and with no signs of rain. It had rained the last 2 days on and off so this was a good thing. So I prepped my bike at the transition area for the last time. This is always a very exciting time with 3000 athletes plus spectators trying to stay calm.\r\n\r\nSince it was about a 500-meter walk to the water, we all took our wetsuits and changed over by the lake, where we were greeted by a rainbow over the lake. It was very beautiful and again a good omen. In a short time, we were all ready to go. The pros and another group of 800 people started 15 minutes early. These early starting non-pros had signed up to start early.\r\n\r\nI missed this sign-up and at first, was disappointed as I am a very strong swimmer. But Ken Glah, the former pro triathlete whose company I travel with, found out. It ended up being 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.\r\n\r\nSo after many months of training, I was ready to start my Ironman #4. I was dedicating this race to two people. On my left arm, I had the initials JP written. This was in memory of my friend Jeff Patterson. Dr. Jeff started me off in the wonderful world of Prolotherapy which helped save my back from surgery. He was my mentor and dear friend. But he died much too early only a few months ago at the age of 67.\r\n\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<h3><strong class=\"subhead\">THE SWIM</strong></h3>\r\nEven with 800 starting early, there still were 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 save a little energy at the beginning.\r\n\r\nOnce 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 a group of only about 150 people, there was plenty of room.\r\n\r\nIn 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!!). <strong>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\'t see or hear anything!</strong>\r\n\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 to the left or right. I just had to stay with the pack. Either way, I exited 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<h3><strong class=\"subhead\">THE BIKE</strong></h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-170\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/bike-race2014.jpg\" alt=\"Bike Race2014\" width=\"382\" height=\"512\" />As we exited 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. <strong>The street was heavily lined with spectators.</strong>\r\n\r\nIt 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. In the beginning, this route is mostly flat with lots of curves going around the lake.\r\n\r\nAs we left the 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.\r\n\r\nIn 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 or 6 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.\r\n\r\nGoing back was a long downhill ride, so we went fast except for the towns where we had to make small turns. 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.\r\n\r\nThere were 100\'s of people lining the street and cheering us on. Plus there was a big loudspeaker 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 loudspeakers.\r\n\r\nThen 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. And then suddenly, I felt a sharp sting in my left thigh 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 it. 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 a 180-degree turn again (like at the beginning), so we had to really slow down. But this was a 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, there was an announcer, and I would hear, \"and here is Peter from the United States\". Always nice to hear to keep one going. <strong>My usual time is about 3 hrs 25 mins for half of the ride but this time I did it in 3 hours 10 mins.</strong> 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 are where we can leave a bag of anything we need at that point. There is one 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. And then also resupplied myself with my gels and other nutrition. I carry my own nutrition so as not to try anything new on race day.\r\n\r\nWhen I tossed the bottle away, it rolled to the feet of a 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\'s yours. He just smiled at me as he reached for it.\r\n\r\nThen 8 miles into the second loop, the 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. All in all, it went well on the second loop. The crowds were less due to the rain. But there were still crowds out there.\r\n\r\nAt 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. My second loop time was a bit slower due to the rain. It was 3 hours in 25 minutes. All in all, I felt strong for the run. This was a good thing.\r\n\r\nIn the town near T2, the crowds were there cheering loudly. I got off my bike and ran thru the transition area to rack my bike. It was good to be off the bike after 112 miles. Then I put on my running shoes and started off to run a marathon.\r\n\r\nP.S. 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<h3><strong class=\"subhead\">THE RUN</strong></h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-174\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/running-smile.jpg\" alt=\"Running Smile\" width=\"335\" height=\"504\" />When leaving transition area two (T2) in an Ironman, you cannot think marathon. You just say to yourself, you are running from here to there and play these mental games the whole way.\r\n\r\nIt 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 we would pass the finish line 4 times.\r\n\r\nAt the finish line area, there 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 first turnaround about 4.5 miles out.\r\n\r\nI 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 at the beginning of each loop. So although brief, it was a nice view.\r\n\r\nAfter 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 off these two areas.\r\n\r\nAt this point everything was good and I had no pain. As we passed through the finish line area, we headed out again along a canal. Then we ran under a small footbridge and onto a narrow cobblestone street lined with houses. We ran along this street for about 3/4 of a mile then into the town square.\r\n\r\n<strong> People were sitting in cafes and cheering us on. Lots and lots of people.</strong> 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 ran back to the starting area.\r\n\r\nI got back to the starting point again and got my special needs bag - some extra nutrition. On the second loop, my stomach started to feel a little funny. This is something that is very common with Ironman triathletes. Mine only lasted about 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 athletes 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\n<strong>I just kept telling myself to keep going. One foot after another. And just kept going.</strong> Part of the way it was shady, so that helped a lot too. Since the sun stays up so late, it never went down while I was running.\r\n\r\nAt mile 18, I got a second wind. Feeling very upbeat and in a good place, I was able to pick up my pace. Plus, 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 he normally runs a lot faster, but not today. And he told me to try to stay with him and we could talk so the time with go faster.\r\n\r\nSo 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 were 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 from racing for over 13 hours.\r\n\r\nThere was a small archway when entering into the city square. And a small bell on a string hanging from it. If you rang 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 turnaround, 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.\r\n\r\nWe continued to talk and run. He was from Prague where I was going after the race and we planned 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 I ran closer to the finish line, the noise level became incredible with cheering, cowbells, and more. I then heard the announcer say: <strong>\"Peter Fields, you are an Ironman!\"</strong>\r\n\r\nThe feeling when you hear that never gets old.\r\n\r\nI was exhausted but very elated. The feeling I had is indescribable.\r\n\r\n<strong>For Ironman #4, I finished at 13 hours, 32 minutes, and 36 seconds with a new personal best for me by 18 minutes.</strong>\r\n\r\nMy new friend I had met on the run finished right behind me. I was able to meet his wife and three kids.\r\n\r\nAfter a few minutes of walking around, I was off to the massage tent and to get some food.\r\n\r\nP.S. At 9 pm, thirty minutes after finishing, the sky opened up and it rained hard for about an hour. I was very fortunate not to go through that.\r\n<h3 class=\"col-md-8\"><em><strong>APPRECIATIONS:</strong></em></h3>\r\n<em>I want to thank everybody who took the time and effort to watch the update that was 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.</em>\r\n\r\n<em>Collectively, I want to thank my massage therapist, my acupuncturist, and my chiropractor. You all helped get me through. And my wonderful office staff who always took a great interest in what I was doing and put up with the long workouts that made me late sometimes.</em>\r\n\r\n<em>There a few individuals that need to be singled out individually:</em>\r\n<em>I want to thank my coach, Cherie Gruenfeld, as she pushed me hard and helped me a lot.</em>\r\n\r\n<em>And 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.</em>\r\n\r\n<em>I 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 10 pm west coast time. Wow! Thank you so much for your emotional support when I needed it the most.</em>\r\n\r\n<em>And 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!</em>\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\r\nThe Athletic Doc<sup>®</sup> and 4X Ironman Triathlete</strong>\r\n<div id=\"sidebar2\" class=\"col-md-4\">\r\n\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" style=\"text-align: center;\" title=\"Race Report 4th Ironman\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman2014-large-1.jpg\" alt=\"Race Report 4th Ironman\" width=\"389\" height=\"662\" />\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://goo.gl/photos/BBwqL4H48qpXLAZw6\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">2014 Austria\r\nClick For More Photos</a>\r\n\r\nClick below for Pictures &amp; Story\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>\r\n&nbsp;','Ironman #4 and a New Personal Record','','inherit','closed','closed','','153-revision-v1','','','2021-06-04 01:20:57','2021-06-04 01:20:57','',153,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=4706',0,'revision','',0),(4707,9,'2021-06-04 01:23:37','2021-06-04 01:23:37','<h2>Ironman #4 and a New Personal Record</h2>\r\n<img class=\" wp-image-154\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman-austria-logo.jpg\" alt=\"Ironman Austria Logo\" width=\"467\" height=\"174\" />\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3><strong class=\"subhead\">Travel and Pre-Race for Ironman #4</strong></h3>\r\n<p class=\"col-md-8\">    My <em>Ironman #4</em> experience started with a 12-hour flight from Los Angeles to Frankfurt. The 3-hour delay in Dallas made it even longer. Then, I almost missed my train connection in Frankfurt. Fortunately, I got through customs very quickly. I picked up my bags, took a bus to the train station, re-booked my ticket, and made my train with 5 minutes to spare!</p>\r\n<p class=\"col-md-8\">Of course, being able to speak German helped out a lot with getting directions, such as the train ride to Munich where I switched trains to Klagenfurt, Austria. The views from the train in southern Germany and Austria were spectacular. The 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, so I tried to make up with naps during the day. Sunday would come all too quickly.</p>\r\n<p class=\"col-md-8\">The rest of the pre-event days were spent meeting everybody, seeing the triathlon expo, and having a chance to swim in the lake. There was also a van ride around part of the biking course. When my shipped bike arrived, 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<p class=\"col-md-8\">Saturday we checked in at the race which included leaving the bike and 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 had left the number back in the hotel.</p>\r\n<p class=\"col-md-8\">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 something done. But it was 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.</p>\r\n<p class=\"col-md-8\">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 (which wasn\'t easy either 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.</p>\r\n<p class=\"col-md-8\">I asked again if he was sure about this since my van ride was about to leave. He turned over his badge which said <strong>Race Director</strong>. 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 him my card and told him to look me up. He said he would. All’s well that ends well. Plus a good omen for the race.</p>\r\n\r\n<h3><strong class=\"subhead\">RACE DAY FOR IRONMAN #4</strong></h3>\r\nI got up at my usual time of 3:30 am. It was about 58 degrees, very clear, and with no signs of rain. It had rained the last 2 days on and off so this was a good thing. So I prepped my bike at the transition area for the last time. This is always a very exciting time with 3000 athletes plus spectators trying to stay calm.\r\n\r\nSince it was about a 500-meter walk to the water, we all took our wetsuits and changed over by the lake, where we were greeted by a rainbow over the lake. It was very beautiful and again a good omen. In a short time, we were all ready to go. The pros and another group of 800 people started 15 minutes early. These early starting non-pros had signed up to start early.\r\n\r\nI missed this sign-up and at first, was disappointed as I am a very strong swimmer. But Ken Glah, the former pro triathlete whose company I travel with, found out. It ended up being 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.\r\n\r\nSo after many months of training, I was ready to start my Ironman #4. I was dedicating this race to two people. On my left arm, I had the initials JP written. This was in memory of my friend Jeff Patterson. Dr. Jeff started me off in the wonderful world of Prolotherapy which helped save my back from surgery. He was my mentor and dear friend. But he died much too early only a few months ago at the age of 67.\r\n\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<h3><strong class=\"subhead\">THE SWIM</strong></h3>\r\nEven with 800 starting early, there still were 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 save a little energy at the beginning.\r\n\r\nOnce 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 a group of only about 150 people, there was plenty of room.\r\n\r\nIn 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!!). <strong>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\'t see or hear anything!</strong>\r\n\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 to the left or right. I just had to stay with the pack. Either way, I exited 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<h3><strong class=\"subhead\">THE BIKE</strong></h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-170\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/bike-race2014.jpg\" alt=\"Bike Race2014\" width=\"382\" height=\"512\" />As we exited 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. <strong>The street was heavily lined with spectators.</strong>\r\n\r\nIt 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. In the beginning, this route is mostly flat with lots of curves going around the lake.\r\n\r\nAs we left the 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.\r\n\r\nIn 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 or 6 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.\r\n\r\nGoing back was a long downhill ride, so we went fast except for the towns where we had to make small turns. 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.\r\n\r\nThere were 100\'s of people lining the street and cheering us on. Plus there was a big loudspeaker 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 loudspeakers.\r\n\r\nThen 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. And then suddenly, I felt a sharp sting in my left thigh 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 it. 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 a 180-degree turn again (like at the beginning), so we had to really slow down. But this was a 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, there was an announcer, and I would hear, \"and here is Peter from the United States\". Always nice to hear to keep one going. <strong>My usual time is about 3 hrs 25 mins for half of the ride but this time I did it in 3 hours 10 mins.</strong> 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 are where we can leave a bag of anything we need at that point. There is one 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. And then also resupplied myself with my gels and other nutrition. I carry my own nutrition so as not to try anything new on race day.\r\n\r\nWhen I tossed the bottle away, it rolled to the feet of a 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\'s yours. He just smiled at me as he reached for it.\r\n\r\nThen 8 miles into the second loop, the 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. All in all, it went well on the second loop. The crowds were less due to the rain. But there were still crowds out there.\r\n\r\nAt 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. My second loop time was a bit slower due to the rain. It was 3 hours in 25 minutes. All in all, I felt strong for the run. This was a good thing.\r\n\r\nIn the town near T2, the crowds were there cheering loudly. I got off my bike and ran thru the transition area to rack my bike. It was good to be off the bike after 112 miles. Then I put on my running shoes and started off to run a marathon.\r\n\r\nP.S. 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<h3><strong class=\"subhead\">THE RUN</strong></h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-174\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/running-smile.jpg\" alt=\"Running Smile\" width=\"335\" height=\"504\" />When leaving transition area two (T2) in an Ironman, you cannot think marathon. You just say to yourself, you are running from here to there and play these mental games the whole way.\r\n\r\nIt 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 we would pass the finish line 4 times.\r\n\r\nAt the finish line area, there 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 first turnaround about 4.5 miles out.\r\n\r\nI 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 at the beginning of each loop. So although brief, it was a nice view.\r\n\r\nAfter 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 off these two areas.\r\n\r\nAt this point everything was good and I had no pain. As we passed through the finish line area, we headed out again along a canal. Then we ran under a small footbridge and onto a narrow cobblestone street lined with houses. We ran along this street for about 3/4 of a mile then into the town square.\r\n\r\n<strong> People were sitting in cafes and cheering us on. Lots and lots of people.</strong> 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 ran back to the starting area.\r\n\r\nI got back to the starting point again and got my special needs bag - some extra nutrition. On the second loop, my stomach started to feel a little funny. This is something that is very common with Ironman triathletes. Mine only lasted about 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 athletes 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\n<strong>I just kept telling myself to keep going. One foot after another. And just kept going.</strong> Part of the way it was shady, so that helped a lot too. Since the sun stays up so late, it never went down while I was running.\r\n\r\nAt mile 18, I got a second wind. Feeling very upbeat and in a good place, I was able to pick up my pace. Plus, 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 he normally runs a lot faster, but not today. And he told me to try to stay with him and we could talk so the time with go faster.\r\n\r\nSo 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 were 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 from racing for over 13 hours.\r\n\r\nThere was a small archway when entering into the city square. And a small bell on a string hanging from it. If you rang 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 turnaround, 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.\r\n\r\nWe continued to talk and run. He was from Prague where I was going after the race and we planned 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 I ran closer to the finish line, the noise level became incredible with cheering, cowbells, and more. I then heard the announcer say: <strong>\"Peter Fields, you are an Ironman!\"</strong>\r\n\r\nThe feeling when you hear that never gets old.\r\n\r\nI was exhausted but very elated. The feeling I had is indescribable.\r\n\r\n<strong>For Ironman #4, I finished at 13 hours, 32 minutes, and 36 seconds with a new personal best for me by 18 minutes.</strong>\r\n\r\nMy new friend I had met on the run finished right behind me. I was able to meet his wife and three kids.\r\n\r\nAfter a few minutes of walking around, I was off to the massage tent and to get some food.\r\n\r\nP.S. At 9 pm, thirty minutes after finishing, the sky opened up and it rained hard for about an hour. I was very fortunate not to go through that.\r\n<h3 class=\"col-md-8\"><em><strong>APPRECIATIONS:</strong></em></h3>\r\n<em>I want to thank everybody who took the time and effort to watch the update that was 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.</em>\r\n\r\n<em>Collectively, I want to thank my massage therapist, my acupuncturist, and my chiropractor. You all helped get me through. And my wonderful office staff who always took a great interest in what I was doing and put up with the long workouts that made me late sometimes.</em>\r\n\r\n<em>There a few individuals that need to be singled out individually:</em>\r\n<em>I want to thank my coach, Cherie Gruenfeld, as she pushed me hard and helped me a lot.</em>\r\n\r\n<em>And 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.</em>\r\n\r\n<em>I 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 10 pm west coast time. Wow! Thank you so much for your emotional support when I needed it the most.</em>\r\n\r\n<em>And 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!</em>\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\r\nThe Athletic Doc<sup>®</sup> and 4X Ironman Triathlete</strong>\r\n<div id=\"sidebar2\" class=\"col-md-4\">\r\n\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" style=\"text-align: center;\" title=\"Race Report 4th Ironman\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman2014-large-1.jpg\" alt=\"Race Report 4th Ironman\" width=\"389\" height=\"662\" />\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://goo.gl/photos/BBwqL4H48qpXLAZw6\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">2014 Austria\r\nClick For More Photos</a>\r\n\r\nClick below for Pictures &amp; Story\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>\r\n&nbsp;','Ironman #4 and a New Personal Record','','inherit','closed','closed','','153-revision-v1','','','2021-06-04 01:23:37','2021-06-04 01:23:37','',153,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=4707',0,'revision','',0),(4708,9,'2021-06-04 01:23:55','2021-06-04 01:23:55','<h2>Ironman #4 and a New Personal Record</h2>\r\n<img class=\"wp-image-154 alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman-austria-logo.jpg\" alt=\"Ironman Austria Logo\" width=\"467\" height=\"174\" />\r\n<h3><strong class=\"subhead\">Travel and Pre-Race for Ironman #4</strong></h3>\r\n<p class=\"col-md-8\">    My <em>Ironman #4</em> experience started with a 12-hour flight from Los Angeles to Frankfurt. The 3-hour delay in Dallas made it even longer. Then, I almost missed my train connection in Frankfurt. Fortunately, I got through customs very quickly. I picked up my bags, took a bus to the train station, re-booked my ticket, and made my train with 5 minutes to spare!</p>\r\n<p class=\"col-md-8\">Of course, being able to speak German helped out a lot with getting directions, such as the train ride to Munich where I switched trains to Klagenfurt, Austria. The views from the train in southern Germany and Austria were spectacular. The 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, so I tried to make up with naps during the day. Sunday would come all too quickly.</p>\r\n<p class=\"col-md-8\">The rest of the pre-event days were spent meeting everybody, seeing the triathlon expo, and having a chance to swim in the lake. There was also a van ride around part of the biking course. When my shipped bike arrived, 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<p class=\"col-md-8\">Saturday we checked in at the race which included leaving the bike and 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 had left the number back in the hotel.</p>\r\n<p class=\"col-md-8\">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 something done. But it was 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.</p>\r\n<p class=\"col-md-8\">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 (which wasn\'t easy either 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.</p>\r\n<p class=\"col-md-8\">I asked again if he was sure about this since my van ride was about to leave. He turned over his badge which said <strong>Race Director</strong>. 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 him my card and told him to look me up. He said he would. All’s well that ends well. Plus a good omen for the race.</p>\r\n\r\n<h3><strong class=\"subhead\">RACE DAY FOR IRONMAN #4</strong></h3>\r\nI got up at my usual time of 3:30 am. It was about 58 degrees, very clear, and with no signs of rain. It had rained the last 2 days on and off so this was a good thing. So I prepped my bike at the transition area for the last time. This is always a very exciting time with 3000 athletes plus spectators trying to stay calm.\r\n\r\nSince it was about a 500-meter walk to the water, we all took our wetsuits and changed over by the lake, where we were greeted by a rainbow over the lake. It was very beautiful and again a good omen. In a short time, we were all ready to go. The pros and another group of 800 people started 15 minutes early. These early starting non-pros had signed up to start early.\r\n\r\nI missed this sign-up and at first, was disappointed as I am a very strong swimmer. But Ken Glah, the former pro triathlete whose company I travel with, found out. It ended up being 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.\r\n\r\nSo after many months of training, I was ready to start my Ironman #4. I was dedicating this race to two people. On my left arm, I had the initials JP written. This was in memory of my friend Jeff Patterson. Dr. Jeff started me off in the wonderful world of Prolotherapy which helped save my back from surgery. He was my mentor and dear friend. But he died much too early only a few months ago at the age of 67.\r\n\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<h3><strong class=\"subhead\">THE SWIM</strong></h3>\r\nEven with 800 starting early, there still were 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 save a little energy at the beginning.\r\n\r\nOnce 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 a group of only about 150 people, there was plenty of room.\r\n\r\nIn 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!!). <strong>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\'t see or hear anything!</strong>\r\n\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 to the left or right. I just had to stay with the pack. Either way, I exited 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<h3><strong class=\"subhead\">THE BIKE</strong></h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-170\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/bike-race2014.jpg\" alt=\"Bike Race2014\" width=\"382\" height=\"512\" />As we exited 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. <strong>The street was heavily lined with spectators.</strong>\r\n\r\nIt 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. In the beginning, this route is mostly flat with lots of curves going around the lake.\r\n\r\nAs we left the 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.\r\n\r\nIn 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 or 6 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.\r\n\r\nGoing back was a long downhill ride, so we went fast except for the towns where we had to make small turns. 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.\r\n\r\nThere were 100\'s of people lining the street and cheering us on. Plus there was a big loudspeaker 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 loudspeakers.\r\n\r\nThen 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. And then suddenly, I felt a sharp sting in my left thigh 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 it. 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 a 180-degree turn again (like at the beginning), so we had to really slow down. But this was a 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, there was an announcer, and I would hear, \"and here is Peter from the United States\". Always nice to hear to keep one going. <strong>My usual time is about 3 hrs 25 mins for half of the ride but this time I did it in 3 hours 10 mins.</strong> 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 are where we can leave a bag of anything we need at that point. There is one 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. And then also resupplied myself with my gels and other nutrition. I carry my own nutrition so as not to try anything new on race day.\r\n\r\nWhen I tossed the bottle away, it rolled to the feet of a 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\'s yours. He just smiled at me as he reached for it.\r\n\r\nThen 8 miles into the second loop, the 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. All in all, it went well on the second loop. The crowds were less due to the rain. But there were still crowds out there.\r\n\r\nAt 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. My second loop time was a bit slower due to the rain. It was 3 hours in 25 minutes. All in all, I felt strong for the run. This was a good thing.\r\n\r\nIn the town near T2, the crowds were there cheering loudly. I got off my bike and ran thru the transition area to rack my bike. It was good to be off the bike after 112 miles. Then I put on my running shoes and started off to run a marathon.\r\n\r\nP.S. 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<h3><strong class=\"subhead\">THE RUN</strong></h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-174\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/running-smile.jpg\" alt=\"Running Smile\" width=\"335\" height=\"504\" />When leaving transition area two (T2) in an Ironman, you cannot think marathon. You just say to yourself, you are running from here to there and play these mental games the whole way.\r\n\r\nIt 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 we would pass the finish line 4 times.\r\n\r\nAt the finish line area, there 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 first turnaround about 4.5 miles out.\r\n\r\nI 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 at the beginning of each loop. So although brief, it was a nice view.\r\n\r\nAfter 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 off these two areas.\r\n\r\nAt this point everything was good and I had no pain. As we passed through the finish line area, we headed out again along a canal. Then we ran under a small footbridge and onto a narrow cobblestone street lined with houses. We ran along this street for about 3/4 of a mile then into the town square.\r\n\r\n<strong> People were sitting in cafes and cheering us on. Lots and lots of people.</strong> 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 ran back to the starting area.\r\n\r\nI got back to the starting point again and got my special needs bag - some extra nutrition. On the second loop, my stomach started to feel a little funny. This is something that is very common with Ironman triathletes. Mine only lasted about 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 athletes 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\n<strong>I just kept telling myself to keep going. One foot after another. And just kept going.</strong> Part of the way it was shady, so that helped a lot too. Since the sun stays up so late, it never went down while I was running.\r\n\r\nAt mile 18, I got a second wind. Feeling very upbeat and in a good place, I was able to pick up my pace. Plus, 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 he normally runs a lot faster, but not today. And he told me to try to stay with him and we could talk so the time with go faster.\r\n\r\nSo 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 were 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 from racing for over 13 hours.\r\n\r\nThere was a small archway when entering into the city square. And a small bell on a string hanging from it. If you rang 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 turnaround, 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.\r\n\r\nWe continued to talk and run. He was from Prague where I was going after the race and we planned 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 I ran closer to the finish line, the noise level became incredible with cheering, cowbells, and more. I then heard the announcer say: <strong>\"Peter Fields, you are an Ironman!\"</strong>\r\n\r\nThe feeling when you hear that never gets old.\r\n\r\nI was exhausted but very elated. The feeling I had is indescribable.\r\n\r\n<strong>For Ironman #4, I finished at 13 hours, 32 minutes, and 36 seconds with a new personal best for me by 18 minutes.</strong>\r\n\r\nMy new friend I had met on the run finished right behind me. I was able to meet his wife and three kids.\r\n\r\nAfter a few minutes of walking around, I was off to the massage tent and to get some food.\r\n\r\nP.S. At 9 pm, thirty minutes after finishing, the sky opened up and it rained hard for about an hour. I was very fortunate not to go through that.\r\n<h3 class=\"col-md-8\"><em><strong>APPRECIATIONS:</strong></em></h3>\r\n<em>I want to thank everybody who took the time and effort to watch the update that was 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.</em>\r\n\r\n<em>Collectively, I want to thank my massage therapist, my acupuncturist, and my chiropractor. You all helped get me through. And my wonderful office staff who always took a great interest in what I was doing and put up with the long workouts that made me late sometimes.</em>\r\n\r\n<em>There a few individuals that need to be singled out individually:</em>\r\n<em>I want to thank my coach, Cherie Gruenfeld, as she pushed me hard and helped me a lot.</em>\r\n\r\n<em>And 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.</em>\r\n\r\n<em>I 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 10 pm west coast time. Wow! Thank you so much for your emotional support when I needed it the most.</em>\r\n\r\n<em>And 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!</em>\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\r\nThe Athletic Doc<sup>®</sup> and 4X Ironman Triathlete</strong>\r\n<div id=\"sidebar2\" class=\"col-md-4\">\r\n\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" style=\"text-align: center;\" title=\"Race Report 4th Ironman\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman2014-large-1.jpg\" alt=\"Race Report 4th Ironman\" width=\"389\" height=\"662\" />\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://goo.gl/photos/BBwqL4H48qpXLAZw6\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">2014 Austria\r\nClick For More Photos</a>\r\n\r\nClick below for Pictures &amp; Story\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>\r\n&nbsp;','Ironman #4 and a New Personal Record','','inherit','closed','closed','','153-revision-v1','','','2021-06-04 01:23:55','2021-06-04 01:23:55','',153,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=4708',0,'revision','',0),(4709,9,'2021-06-04 01:24:45','2021-06-04 01:24:45','<h2>Ironman #4 and a New Personal Record</h2>\r\n<img class=\"wp-image-154 alignleft\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman-austria-logo.jpg\" alt=\"Ironman Austria Logo\" width=\"467\" height=\"174\" />\r\n<h3><strong class=\"subhead\">Travel and Pre-Race for Ironman #4</strong></h3>\r\n<p class=\"col-md-8\">    My <em>Ironman #4</em> experience started with a 12-hour flight from Los Angeles to Frankfurt. The 3-hour delay in Dallas made it even longer. Then, I almost missed my train connection in Frankfurt. Fortunately, I got through customs very quickly. I picked up my bags, took a bus to the train station, re-booked my ticket, and made my train with 5 minutes to spare!</p>\r\n<p class=\"col-md-8\">Of course, being able to speak German helped out a lot with getting directions, such as the train ride to Munich where I switched trains to Klagenfurt, Austria. The views from the train in southern Germany and Austria were spectacular. The 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, so I tried to make up with naps during the day. Sunday would come all too quickly.</p>\r\n<p class=\"col-md-8\">The rest of the pre-event days were spent meeting everybody, seeing the triathlon expo, and having a chance to swim in the lake. There was also a van ride around part of the biking course. When my shipped bike arrived, 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<p class=\"col-md-8\">Saturday we checked in at the race which included leaving the bike and 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 had left the number back in the hotel.</p>\r\n<p class=\"col-md-8\">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 something done. But it was 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.</p>\r\n<p class=\"col-md-8\">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 (which wasn\'t easy either 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.</p>\r\n<p class=\"col-md-8\">I asked again if he was sure about this since my van ride was about to leave. He turned over his badge which said <strong>Race Director</strong>. 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 him my card and told him to look me up. He said he would. All’s well that ends well. Plus a good omen for the race.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3><strong class=\"subhead\">RACE DAY FOR IRONMAN #4</strong></h3>\r\nI got up at my usual time of 3:30 am. It was about 58 degrees, very clear, and with no signs of rain. It had rained the last 2 days on and off so this was a good thing. So I prepped my bike at the transition area for the last time. This is always a very exciting time with 3000 athletes plus spectators trying to stay calm.\r\n\r\nSince it was about a 500-meter walk to the water, we all took our wetsuits and changed over by the lake, where we were greeted by a rainbow over the lake. It was very beautiful and again a good omen. In a short time, we were all ready to go. The pros and another group of 800 people started 15 minutes early. These early starting non-pros had signed up to start early.\r\n\r\nI missed this sign-up and at first, was disappointed as I am a very strong swimmer. But Ken Glah, the former pro triathlete whose company I travel with, found out. It ended up being 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.\r\n\r\nSo after many months of training, I was ready to start my Ironman #4. I was dedicating this race to two people. On my left arm, I had the initials JP written. This was in memory of my friend Jeff Patterson. Dr. Jeff started me off in the wonderful world of Prolotherapy which helped save my back from surgery. He was my mentor and dear friend. But he died much too early only a few months ago at the age of 67.\r\n\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<h3><strong class=\"subhead\">THE SWIM</strong></h3>\r\nEven with 800 starting early, there still were 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 save a little energy at the beginning.\r\n\r\nOnce 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 a group of only about 150 people, there was plenty of room.\r\n\r\nIn 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!!). <strong>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\'t see or hear anything!</strong>\r\n\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 to the left or right. I just had to stay with the pack. Either way, I exited 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<h3><strong class=\"subhead\">THE BIKE</strong></h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-170\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/bike-race2014.jpg\" alt=\"Bike Race2014\" width=\"382\" height=\"512\" />As we exited 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. <strong>The street was heavily lined with spectators.</strong>\r\n\r\nIt 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. In the beginning, this route is mostly flat with lots of curves going around the lake.\r\n\r\nAs we left the 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.\r\n\r\nIn 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 or 6 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.\r\n\r\nGoing back was a long downhill ride, so we went fast except for the towns where we had to make small turns. 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.\r\n\r\nThere were 100\'s of people lining the street and cheering us on. Plus there was a big loudspeaker 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 loudspeakers.\r\n\r\nThen 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. And then suddenly, I felt a sharp sting in my left thigh 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 it. 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 a 180-degree turn again (like at the beginning), so we had to really slow down. But this was a 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, there was an announcer, and I would hear, \"and here is Peter from the United States\". Always nice to hear to keep one going. <strong>My usual time is about 3 hrs 25 mins for half of the ride but this time I did it in 3 hours 10 mins.</strong> 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 are where we can leave a bag of anything we need at that point. There is one 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. And then also resupplied myself with my gels and other nutrition. I carry my own nutrition so as not to try anything new on race day.\r\n\r\nWhen I tossed the bottle away, it rolled to the feet of a 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\'s yours. He just smiled at me as he reached for it.\r\n\r\nThen 8 miles into the second loop, the 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. All in all, it went well on the second loop. The crowds were less due to the rain. But there were still crowds out there.\r\n\r\nAt 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. My second loop time was a bit slower due to the rain. It was 3 hours in 25 minutes. All in all, I felt strong for the run. This was a good thing.\r\n\r\nIn the town near T2, the crowds were there cheering loudly. I got off my bike and ran thru the transition area to rack my bike. It was good to be off the bike after 112 miles. Then I put on my running shoes and started off to run a marathon.\r\n\r\nP.S. 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<h3><strong class=\"subhead\">THE RUN</strong></h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-174\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/running-smile.jpg\" alt=\"Running Smile\" width=\"335\" height=\"504\" />When leaving transition area two (T2) in an Ironman, you cannot think marathon. You just say to yourself, you are running from here to there and play these mental games the whole way.\r\n\r\nIt 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 we would pass the finish line 4 times.\r\n\r\nAt the finish line area, there 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 first turnaround about 4.5 miles out.\r\n\r\nI 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 at the beginning of each loop. So although brief, it was a nice view.\r\n\r\nAfter 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 off these two areas.\r\n\r\nAt this point everything was good and I had no pain. As we passed through the finish line area, we headed out again along a canal. Then we ran under a small footbridge and onto a narrow cobblestone street lined with houses. We ran along this street for about 3/4 of a mile then into the town square.\r\n\r\n<strong> People were sitting in cafes and cheering us on. Lots and lots of people.</strong> 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 ran back to the starting area.\r\n\r\nI got back to the starting point again and got my special needs bag - some extra nutrition. On the second loop, my stomach started to feel a little funny. This is something that is very common with Ironman triathletes. Mine only lasted about 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 athletes 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\n<strong>I just kept telling myself to keep going. One foot after another. And just kept going.</strong> Part of the way it was shady, so that helped a lot too. Since the sun stays up so late, it never went down while I was running.\r\n\r\nAt mile 18, I got a second wind. Feeling very upbeat and in a good place, I was able to pick up my pace. Plus, 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 he normally runs a lot faster, but not today. And he told me to try to stay with him and we could talk so the time with go faster.\r\n\r\nSo 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 were 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 from racing for over 13 hours.\r\n\r\nThere was a small archway when entering into the city square. And a small bell on a string hanging from it. If you rang 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 turnaround, 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.\r\n\r\nWe continued to talk and run. He was from Prague where I was going after the race and we planned 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 I ran closer to the finish line, the noise level became incredible with cheering, cowbells, and more. I then heard the announcer say: <strong>\"Peter Fields, you are an Ironman!\"</strong>\r\n\r\nThe feeling when you hear that never gets old.\r\n\r\nI was exhausted but very elated. The feeling I had is indescribable.\r\n\r\n<strong>For Ironman #4, I finished at 13 hours, 32 minutes, and 36 seconds with a new personal best for me by 18 minutes.</strong>\r\n\r\nMy new friend I had met on the run finished right behind me. I was able to meet his wife and three kids.\r\n\r\nAfter a few minutes of walking around, I was off to the massage tent and to get some food.\r\n\r\nP.S. At 9 pm, thirty minutes after finishing, the sky opened up and it rained hard for about an hour. I was very fortunate not to go through that.\r\n<h3 class=\"col-md-8\"><em><strong>APPRECIATIONS:</strong></em></h3>\r\n<em>I want to thank everybody who took the time and effort to watch the update that was 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.</em>\r\n\r\n<em>Collectively, I want to thank my massage therapist, my acupuncturist, and my chiropractor. You all helped get me through. And my wonderful office staff who always took a great interest in what I was doing and put up with the long workouts that made me late sometimes.</em>\r\n\r\n<em>There a few individuals that need to be singled out individually:</em>\r\n<em>I want to thank my coach, Cherie Gruenfeld, as she pushed me hard and helped me a lot.</em>\r\n\r\n<em>And 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.</em>\r\n\r\n<em>I 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 10 pm west coast time. Wow! Thank you so much for your emotional support when I needed it the most.</em>\r\n\r\n<em>And 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!</em>\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\r\nThe Athletic Doc<sup>®</sup> and 4X Ironman Triathlete</strong>\r\n<div id=\"sidebar2\" class=\"col-md-4\">\r\n\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" style=\"text-align: center;\" title=\"Race Report 4th Ironman\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman2014-large-1.jpg\" alt=\"Race Report 4th Ironman\" width=\"389\" height=\"662\" />\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://goo.gl/photos/BBwqL4H48qpXLAZw6\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">2014 Austria\r\nClick For More Photos</a>\r\n\r\nClick below for Pictures &amp; Story\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>\r\n&nbsp;','Ironman #4 and a New Personal Record','','inherit','closed','closed','','153-revision-v1','','','2021-06-04 01:24:45','2021-06-04 01:24:45','',153,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=4709',0,'revision','',0),(4710,9,'2021-06-04 01:25:35','2021-06-04 01:25:35','<h2>Ironman #4 and a New Personal Record</h2>\r\n<img class=\"wp-image-154 alignright\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman-austria-logo.jpg\" alt=\"Ironman Austria Logo\" width=\"467\" height=\"174\" />\r\n<h3><strong class=\"subhead\">Travel and Pre-Race for Ironman #4</strong></h3>\r\n<p class=\"col-md-8\">    My <em>Ironman #4</em> experience started with a 12-hour flight from Los Angeles to Frankfurt. The 3-hour delay in Dallas made it even longer. Then, I almost missed my train connection in Frankfurt. Fortunately, I got through customs very quickly. I picked up my bags, took a bus to the train station, re-booked my ticket, and made my train with 5 minutes to spare!</p>\r\n<p class=\"col-md-8\">Of course, being able to speak German helped out a lot with getting directions, such as the train ride to Munich where I switched trains to Klagenfurt, Austria. The views from the train in southern Germany and Austria were spectacular. The 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, so I tried to make up with naps during the day. Sunday would come all too quickly.</p>\r\n<p class=\"col-md-8\">The rest of the pre-event days were spent meeting everybody, seeing the triathlon expo, and having a chance to swim in the lake. There was also a van ride around part of the biking course. When my shipped bike arrived, 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<p class=\"col-md-8\">Saturday we checked in at the race which included leaving the bike and 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 had left the number back in the hotel.</p>\r\n<p class=\"col-md-8\">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 something done. But it was 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.</p>\r\n<p class=\"col-md-8\">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 (which wasn\'t easy either 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.</p>\r\n<p class=\"col-md-8\">I asked again if he was sure about this since my van ride was about to leave. He turned over his badge which said <strong>Race Director</strong>. 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 him my card and told him to look me up. He said he would. All’s well that ends well. Plus a good omen for the race.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3><strong class=\"subhead\">RACE DAY FOR IRONMAN #4</strong></h3>\r\nI got up at my usual time of 3:30 am. It was about 58 degrees, very clear, and with no signs of rain. It had rained the last 2 days on and off so this was a good thing. So I prepped my bike at the transition area for the last time. This is always a very exciting time with 3000 athletes plus spectators trying to stay calm.\r\n\r\nSince it was about a 500-meter walk to the water, we all took our wetsuits and changed over by the lake, where we were greeted by a rainbow over the lake. It was very beautiful and again a good omen. In a short time, we were all ready to go. The pros and another group of 800 people started 15 minutes early. These early starting non-pros had signed up to start early.\r\n\r\nI missed this sign-up and at first, was disappointed as I am a very strong swimmer. But Ken Glah, the former pro triathlete whose company I travel with, found out. It ended up being 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.\r\n\r\nSo after many months of training, I was ready to start my Ironman #4. I was dedicating this race to two people. On my left arm, I had the initials JP written. This was in memory of my friend Jeff Patterson. Dr. Jeff started me off in the wonderful world of Prolotherapy which helped save my back from surgery. He was my mentor and dear friend. But he died much too early only a few months ago at the age of 67.\r\n\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<h3><strong class=\"subhead\">THE SWIM</strong></h3>\r\nEven with 800 starting early, there still were 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 save a little energy at the beginning.\r\n\r\nOnce 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 a group of only about 150 people, there was plenty of room.\r\n\r\nIn 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!!). <strong>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\'t see or hear anything!</strong>\r\n\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 to the left or right. I just had to stay with the pack. Either way, I exited 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<h3><strong class=\"subhead\">THE BIKE</strong></h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-170\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/bike-race2014.jpg\" alt=\"Bike Race2014\" width=\"382\" height=\"512\" />As we exited 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. <strong>The street was heavily lined with spectators.</strong>\r\n\r\nIt 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. In the beginning, this route is mostly flat with lots of curves going around the lake.\r\n\r\nAs we left the 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.\r\n\r\nIn 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 or 6 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.\r\n\r\nGoing back was a long downhill ride, so we went fast except for the towns where we had to make small turns. 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.\r\n\r\nThere were 100\'s of people lining the street and cheering us on. Plus there was a big loudspeaker 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 loudspeakers.\r\n\r\nThen 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. And then suddenly, I felt a sharp sting in my left thigh 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 it. 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 a 180-degree turn again (like at the beginning), so we had to really slow down. But this was a 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, there was an announcer, and I would hear, \"and here is Peter from the United States\". Always nice to hear to keep one going. <strong>My usual time is about 3 hrs 25 mins for half of the ride but this time I did it in 3 hours 10 mins.</strong> 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 are where we can leave a bag of anything we need at that point. There is one 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. And then also resupplied myself with my gels and other nutrition. I carry my own nutrition so as not to try anything new on race day.\r\n\r\nWhen I tossed the bottle away, it rolled to the feet of a 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\'s yours. He just smiled at me as he reached for it.\r\n\r\nThen 8 miles into the second loop, the 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. All in all, it went well on the second loop. The crowds were less due to the rain. But there were still crowds out there.\r\n\r\nAt 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. My second loop time was a bit slower due to the rain. It was 3 hours in 25 minutes. All in all, I felt strong for the run. This was a good thing.\r\n\r\nIn the town near T2, the crowds were there cheering loudly. I got off my bike and ran thru the transition area to rack my bike. It was good to be off the bike after 112 miles. Then I put on my running shoes and started off to run a marathon.\r\n\r\nP.S. 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<h3><strong class=\"subhead\">THE RUN</strong></h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-174\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/running-smile.jpg\" alt=\"Running Smile\" width=\"335\" height=\"504\" />When leaving transition area two (T2) in an Ironman, you cannot think marathon. You just say to yourself, you are running from here to there and play these mental games the whole way.\r\n\r\nIt 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 we would pass the finish line 4 times.\r\n\r\nAt the finish line area, there 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 first turnaround about 4.5 miles out.\r\n\r\nI 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 at the beginning of each loop. So although brief, it was a nice view.\r\n\r\nAfter 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 off these two areas.\r\n\r\nAt this point everything was good and I had no pain. As we passed through the finish line area, we headed out again along a canal. Then we ran under a small footbridge and onto a narrow cobblestone street lined with houses. We ran along this street for about 3/4 of a mile then into the town square.\r\n\r\n<strong> People were sitting in cafes and cheering us on. Lots and lots of people.</strong> 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 ran back to the starting area.\r\n\r\nI got back to the starting point again and got my special needs bag - some extra nutrition. On the second loop, my stomach started to feel a little funny. This is something that is very common with Ironman triathletes. Mine only lasted about 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 athletes 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\n<strong>I just kept telling myself to keep going. One foot after another. And just kept going.</strong> Part of the way it was shady, so that helped a lot too. Since the sun stays up so late, it never went down while I was running.\r\n\r\nAt mile 18, I got a second wind. Feeling very upbeat and in a good place, I was able to pick up my pace. Plus, 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 he normally runs a lot faster, but not today. And he told me to try to stay with him and we could talk so the time with go faster.\r\n\r\nSo 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 were 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 from racing for over 13 hours.\r\n\r\nThere was a small archway when entering into the city square. And a small bell on a string hanging from it. If you rang 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 turnaround, 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.\r\n\r\nWe continued to talk and run. He was from Prague where I was going after the race and we planned 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 I ran closer to the finish line, the noise level became incredible with cheering, cowbells, and more. I then heard the announcer say: <strong>\"Peter Fields, you are an Ironman!\"</strong>\r\n\r\nThe feeling when you hear that never gets old.\r\n\r\nI was exhausted but very elated. The feeling I had is indescribable.\r\n\r\n<strong>For Ironman #4, I finished at 13 hours, 32 minutes, and 36 seconds with a new personal best for me by 18 minutes.</strong>\r\n\r\nMy new friend I had met on the run finished right behind me. I was able to meet his wife and three kids.\r\n\r\nAfter a few minutes of walking around, I was off to the massage tent and to get some food.\r\n\r\nP.S. At 9 pm, thirty minutes after finishing, the sky opened up and it rained hard for about an hour. I was very fortunate not to go through that.\r\n<h3 class=\"col-md-8\"><em><strong>APPRECIATIONS:</strong></em></h3>\r\n<em>I want to thank everybody who took the time and effort to watch the update that was 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.</em>\r\n\r\n<em>Collectively, I want to thank my massage therapist, my acupuncturist, and my chiropractor. You all helped get me through. And my wonderful office staff who always took a great interest in what I was doing and put up with the long workouts that made me late sometimes.</em>\r\n\r\n<em>There a few individuals that need to be singled out individually:</em>\r\n<em>I want to thank my coach, Cherie Gruenfeld, as she pushed me hard and helped me a lot.</em>\r\n\r\n<em>And 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.</em>\r\n\r\n<em>I 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 10 pm west coast time. Wow! Thank you so much for your emotional support when I needed it the most.</em>\r\n\r\n<em>And 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!</em>\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\r\nThe Athletic Doc<sup>®</sup> and 4X Ironman Triathlete</strong>\r\n<div id=\"sidebar2\" class=\"col-md-4\">\r\n\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" style=\"text-align: center;\" title=\"Race Report 4th Ironman\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman2014-large-1.jpg\" alt=\"Race Report 4th Ironman\" width=\"389\" height=\"662\" />\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://goo.gl/photos/BBwqL4H48qpXLAZw6\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">2014 Austria\r\nClick For More Photos</a>\r\n\r\nClick below for Pictures &amp; Story\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>\r\n&nbsp;','Ironman #4 and a New Personal Record','','inherit','closed','closed','','153-revision-v1','','','2021-06-04 01:25:35','2021-06-04 01:25:35','',153,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=4710',0,'revision','',0),(4711,9,'2021-06-04 01:26:00','2021-06-04 01:26:00','<h2>Ironman #4 and a New Personal Record</h2>\r\n<img class=\"wp-image-154 alignnone\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman-austria-logo.jpg\" alt=\"Ironman Austria Logo\" width=\"467\" height=\"174\" />\r\n<h3><strong class=\"subhead\">Travel and Pre-Race for Ironman #4</strong></h3>\r\n<p class=\"col-md-8\">    My <em>Ironman #4</em> experience started with a 12-hour flight from Los Angeles to Frankfurt. The 3-hour delay in Dallas made it even longer. Then, I almost missed my train connection in Frankfurt. Fortunately, I got through customs very quickly. I picked up my bags, took a bus to the train station, re-booked my ticket, and made my train with 5 minutes to spare!</p>\r\n<p class=\"col-md-8\">Of course, being able to speak German helped out a lot with getting directions, such as the train ride to Munich where I switched trains to Klagenfurt, Austria. The views from the train in southern Germany and Austria were spectacular. The 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, so I tried to make up with naps during the day. Sunday would come all too quickly.</p>\r\n<p class=\"col-md-8\">The rest of the pre-event days were spent meeting everybody, seeing the triathlon expo, and having a chance to swim in the lake. There was also a van ride around part of the biking course. When my shipped bike arrived, 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<p class=\"col-md-8\">Saturday we checked in at the race which included leaving the bike and 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 had left the number back in the hotel.</p>\r\n<p class=\"col-md-8\">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 something done. But it was 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.</p>\r\n<p class=\"col-md-8\">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 (which wasn\'t easy either 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.</p>\r\n<p class=\"col-md-8\">I asked again if he was sure about this since my van ride was about to leave. He turned over his badge which said <strong>Race Director</strong>. 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 him my card and told him to look me up. He said he would. All’s well that ends well. Plus a good omen for the race.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3><strong class=\"subhead\">RACE DAY FOR IRONMAN #4</strong></h3>\r\nI got up at my usual time of 3:30 am. It was about 58 degrees, very clear, and with no signs of rain. It had rained the last 2 days on and off so this was a good thing. So I prepped my bike at the transition area for the last time. This is always a very exciting time with 3000 athletes plus spectators trying to stay calm.\r\n\r\nSince it was about a 500-meter walk to the water, we all took our wetsuits and changed over by the lake, where we were greeted by a rainbow over the lake. It was very beautiful and again a good omen. In a short time, we were all ready to go. The pros and another group of 800 people started 15 minutes early. These early starting non-pros had signed up to start early.\r\n\r\nI missed this sign-up and at first, was disappointed as I am a very strong swimmer. But Ken Glah, the former pro triathlete whose company I travel with, found out. It ended up being 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.\r\n\r\nSo after many months of training, I was ready to start my Ironman #4. I was dedicating this race to two people. On my left arm, I had the initials JP written. This was in memory of my friend Jeff Patterson. Dr. Jeff started me off in the wonderful world of Prolotherapy which helped save my back from surgery. He was my mentor and dear friend. But he died much too early only a few months ago at the age of 67.\r\n\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<h3><strong class=\"subhead\">THE SWIM</strong></h3>\r\nEven with 800 starting early, there still were 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 save a little energy at the beginning.\r\n\r\nOnce 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 a group of only about 150 people, there was plenty of room.\r\n\r\nIn 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!!). <strong>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\'t see or hear anything!</strong>\r\n\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 to the left or right. I just had to stay with the pack. Either way, I exited 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<h3><strong class=\"subhead\">THE BIKE</strong></h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-170\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/bike-race2014.jpg\" alt=\"Bike Race2014\" width=\"382\" height=\"512\" />As we exited 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. <strong>The street was heavily lined with spectators.</strong>\r\n\r\nIt 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. In the beginning, this route is mostly flat with lots of curves going around the lake.\r\n\r\nAs we left the 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.\r\n\r\nIn 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 or 6 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.\r\n\r\nGoing back was a long downhill ride, so we went fast except for the towns where we had to make small turns. 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.\r\n\r\nThere were 100\'s of people lining the street and cheering us on. Plus there was a big loudspeaker 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 loudspeakers.\r\n\r\nThen 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. And then suddenly, I felt a sharp sting in my left thigh 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 it. 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 a 180-degree turn again (like at the beginning), so we had to really slow down. But this was a 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, there was an announcer, and I would hear, \"and here is Peter from the United States\". Always nice to hear to keep one going. <strong>My usual time is about 3 hrs 25 mins for half of the ride but this time I did it in 3 hours 10 mins.</strong> 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 are where we can leave a bag of anything we need at that point. There is one 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. And then also resupplied myself with my gels and other nutrition. I carry my own nutrition so as not to try anything new on race day.\r\n\r\nWhen I tossed the bottle away, it rolled to the feet of a 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\'s yours. He just smiled at me as he reached for it.\r\n\r\nThen 8 miles into the second loop, the 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. All in all, it went well on the second loop. The crowds were less due to the rain. But there were still crowds out there.\r\n\r\nAt 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. My second loop time was a bit slower due to the rain. It was 3 hours in 25 minutes. All in all, I felt strong for the run. This was a good thing.\r\n\r\nIn the town near T2, the crowds were there cheering loudly. I got off my bike and ran thru the transition area to rack my bike. It was good to be off the bike after 112 miles. Then I put on my running shoes and started off to run a marathon.\r\n\r\nP.S. 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<h3><strong class=\"subhead\">THE RUN</strong></h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-174\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/running-smile.jpg\" alt=\"Running Smile\" width=\"335\" height=\"504\" />When leaving transition area two (T2) in an Ironman, you cannot think marathon. You just say to yourself, you are running from here to there and play these mental games the whole way.\r\n\r\nIt 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 we would pass the finish line 4 times.\r\n\r\nAt the finish line area, there 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 first turnaround about 4.5 miles out.\r\n\r\nI 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 at the beginning of each loop. So although brief, it was a nice view.\r\n\r\nAfter 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 off these two areas.\r\n\r\nAt this point everything was good and I had no pain. As we passed through the finish line area, we headed out again along a canal. Then we ran under a small footbridge and onto a narrow cobblestone street lined with houses. We ran along this street for about 3/4 of a mile then into the town square.\r\n\r\n<strong> People were sitting in cafes and cheering us on. Lots and lots of people.</strong> 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 ran back to the starting area.\r\n\r\nI got back to the starting point again and got my special needs bag - some extra nutrition. On the second loop, my stomach started to feel a little funny. This is something that is very common with Ironman triathletes. Mine only lasted about 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 athletes 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\n<strong>I just kept telling myself to keep going. One foot after another. And just kept going.</strong> Part of the way it was shady, so that helped a lot too. Since the sun stays up so late, it never went down while I was running.\r\n\r\nAt mile 18, I got a second wind. Feeling very upbeat and in a good place, I was able to pick up my pace. Plus, 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 he normally runs a lot faster, but not today. And he told me to try to stay with him and we could talk so the time with go faster.\r\n\r\nSo 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 were 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 from racing for over 13 hours.\r\n\r\nThere was a small archway when entering into the city square. And a small bell on a string hanging from it. If you rang 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 turnaround, 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.\r\n\r\nWe continued to talk and run. He was from Prague where I was going after the race and we planned 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 I ran closer to the finish line, the noise level became incredible with cheering, cowbells, and more. I then heard the announcer say: <strong>\"Peter Fields, you are an Ironman!\"</strong>\r\n\r\nThe feeling when you hear that never gets old.\r\n\r\nI was exhausted but very elated. The feeling I had is indescribable.\r\n\r\n<strong>For Ironman #4, I finished at 13 hours, 32 minutes, and 36 seconds with a new personal best for me by 18 minutes.</strong>\r\n\r\nMy new friend I had met on the run finished right behind me. I was able to meet his wife and three kids.\r\n\r\nAfter a few minutes of walking around, I was off to the massage tent and to get some food.\r\n\r\nP.S. At 9 pm, thirty minutes after finishing, the sky opened up and it rained hard for about an hour. I was very fortunate not to go through that.\r\n<h3 class=\"col-md-8\"><em><strong>APPRECIATIONS:</strong></em></h3>\r\n<em>I want to thank everybody who took the time and effort to watch the update that was 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.</em>\r\n\r\n<em>Collectively, I want to thank my massage therapist, my acupuncturist, and my chiropractor. You all helped get me through. And my wonderful office staff who always took a great interest in what I was doing and put up with the long workouts that made me late sometimes.</em>\r\n\r\n<em>There a few individuals that need to be singled out individually:</em>\r\n<em>I want to thank my coach, Cherie Gruenfeld, as she pushed me hard and helped me a lot.</em>\r\n\r\n<em>And 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.</em>\r\n\r\n<em>I 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 10 pm west coast time. Wow! Thank you so much for your emotional support when I needed it the most.</em>\r\n\r\n<em>And 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!</em>\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\r\nThe Athletic Doc<sup>®</sup> and 4X Ironman Triathlete</strong>\r\n<div id=\"sidebar2\" class=\"col-md-4\">\r\n\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" style=\"text-align: center;\" title=\"Race Report 4th Ironman\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman2014-large-1.jpg\" alt=\"Race Report 4th Ironman\" width=\"389\" height=\"662\" />\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://goo.gl/photos/BBwqL4H48qpXLAZw6\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">2014 Austria\r\nClick For More Photos</a>\r\n\r\nClick below for Pictures &amp; Story\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>\r\n&nbsp;','Ironman #4 and a New Personal Record','','inherit','closed','closed','','153-revision-v1','','','2021-06-04 01:26:00','2021-06-04 01:26:00','',153,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=4711',0,'revision','',0),(4712,9,'2021-06-04 01:26:44','2021-06-04 01:26:44','<h2>Ironman #4 and a New Personal Record</h2>\r\n<img class=\"wp-image-154 alignnone\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman-austria-logo.jpg\" alt=\"Ironman Austria Logo\" width=\"467\" height=\"174\" />\r\n<h3><strong class=\"subhead\">Travel and Pre-Race for Ironman #4</strong></h3>\r\n<p class=\"col-md-8\">    My <em>Ironman #4</em> experience started with a 12-hour flight from Los Angeles to Frankfurt. The 3-hour delay in Dallas made it even longer. Then, I almost missed my train connection in Frankfurt. Fortunately, I got through customs very quickly. I picked up my bags, took a bus to the train station, re-booked my ticket, and made my train with 5 minutes to spare!</p>\r\n<p class=\"col-md-8\">Of course, being able to speak German helped out a lot with getting directions, such as the train ride to Munich where I switched trains to Klagenfurt, Austria. The views from the train in southern Germany and Austria were spectacular. The 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, so I tried to make up with naps during the day. Sunday would come all too quickly.</p>\r\n<p class=\"col-md-8\">The rest of the pre-event days were spent meeting everybody, seeing the triathlon expo, and having a chance to swim in the lake. There was also a van ride around part of the biking course. When my shipped bike arrived, 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<p class=\"col-md-8\">Saturday we checked in at the race which included leaving the bike and 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 had left the number back in the hotel.</p>\r\n<p class=\"col-md-8\">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 something done. But it was 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.</p>\r\n<p class=\"col-md-8\">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 (which wasn\'t easy either 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.</p>\r\n<p class=\"col-md-8\">I asked again if he was sure about this since my van ride was about to leave. He turned over his badge which said <strong>Race Director</strong>. 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 him my card and told him to look me up. He said he would. All’s well that ends well. Plus a good omen for the race.</p>\r\n&nbsp;\r\n<h3><strong class=\"subhead\">RACE DAY FOR IRONMAN #4</strong></h3>\r\nI got up at my usual time of 3:30 am. It was about 58 degrees, very clear, and with no signs of rain. It had rained the last 2 days on and off so this was a good thing. So I prepped my bike at the transition area for the last time. This is always a very exciting time with 3000 athletes plus spectators trying to stay calm.\r\n\r\nSince it was about a 500-meter walk to the water, we all took our wetsuits and changed over by the lake, where we were greeted by a rainbow over the lake. It was very beautiful and again a good omen. In a short time, we were all ready to go. The pros and another group of 800 people started 15 minutes early. These early starting non-pros had signed up to start early.\r\n\r\nI missed this sign-up and at first, was disappointed as I am a very strong swimmer. But Ken Glah, the former pro triathlete whose company I travel with, found out. It ended up being 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.\r\n\r\nSo after many months of training, I was ready to start my Ironman #4. I was dedicating this race to two people. On my left arm, I had the initials JP written. This was in memory of my friend Jeff Patterson. Dr. Jeff started me off in the wonderful world of Prolotherapy which helped save my back from surgery. He was my mentor and dear friend. But he died much too early only a few months ago at the age of 67.\r\n\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&nbsp;\r\n<h3><strong class=\"subhead\">THE SWIM</strong></h3>\r\nEven with 800 starting early, there still were 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 save a little energy at the beginning.\r\n\r\nOnce 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 a group of only about 150 people, there was plenty of room.\r\n\r\nIn 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!!). <strong>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\'t see or hear anything!</strong>\r\n\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 to the left or right. I just had to stay with the pack. Either way, I exited 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&nbsp;\r\n<h3><strong class=\"subhead\">THE BIKE</strong></h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-170\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/bike-race2014.jpg\" alt=\"Bike Race2014\" width=\"382\" height=\"512\" />As we exited 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. <strong>The street was heavily lined with spectators.</strong>\r\n\r\nIt 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. In the beginning, this route is mostly flat with lots of curves going around the lake.\r\n\r\nAs we left the 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.\r\n\r\nIn 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 or 6 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.\r\n\r\nGoing back was a long downhill ride, so we went fast except for the towns where we had to make small turns. 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.\r\n\r\nThere were 100\'s of people lining the street and cheering us on. Plus there was a big loudspeaker 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 loudspeakers.\r\n\r\nThen 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. And then suddenly, I felt a sharp sting in my left thigh 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 it. 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 a 180-degree turn again (like at the beginning), so we had to really slow down. But this was a 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, there was an announcer, and I would hear, \"and here is Peter from the United States\". Always nice to hear to keep one going. <strong>My usual time is about 3 hrs 25 mins for half of the ride but this time I did it in 3 hours 10 mins.</strong> 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 are where we can leave a bag of anything we need at that point. There is one 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. And then also resupplied myself with my gels and other nutrition. I carry my own nutrition so as not to try anything new on race day.\r\n\r\nWhen I tossed the bottle away, it rolled to the feet of a 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\'s yours. He just smiled at me as he reached for it.\r\n\r\nThen 8 miles into the second loop, the 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. All in all, it went well on the second loop. The crowds were less due to the rain. But there were still crowds out there.\r\n\r\nAt 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. My second loop time was a bit slower due to the rain. It was 3 hours in 25 minutes. All in all, I felt strong for the run. This was a good thing.\r\n\r\nIn the town near T2, the crowds were there cheering loudly. I got off my bike and ran thru the transition area to rack my bike. It was good to be off the bike after 112 miles. Then I put on my running shoes and started off to run a marathon.\r\n\r\nP.S. 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<h3><strong class=\"subhead\">THE RUN</strong></h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-174\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/running-smile.jpg\" alt=\"Running Smile\" width=\"335\" height=\"504\" />When leaving transition area two (T2) in an Ironman, you cannot think marathon. You just say to yourself, you are running from here to there and play these mental games the whole way.\r\n\r\nIt 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 we would pass the finish line 4 times.\r\n\r\nAt the finish line area, there 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 first turnaround about 4.5 miles out.\r\n\r\nI 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 at the beginning of each loop. So although brief, it was a nice view.\r\n\r\nAfter 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 off these two areas.\r\n\r\nAt this point everything was good and I had no pain. As we passed through the finish line area, we headed out again along a canal. Then we ran under a small footbridge and onto a narrow cobblestone street lined with houses. We ran along this street for about 3/4 of a mile then into the town square.\r\n\r\n<strong> People were sitting in cafes and cheering us on. Lots and lots of people.</strong> 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 ran back to the starting area.\r\n\r\nI got back to the starting point again and got my special needs bag - some extra nutrition. On the second loop, my stomach started to feel a little funny. This is something that is very common with Ironman triathletes. Mine only lasted about 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 athletes 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\n<strong>I just kept telling myself to keep going. One foot after another. And just kept going.</strong> Part of the way it was shady, so that helped a lot too. Since the sun stays up so late, it never went down while I was running.\r\n\r\nAt mile 18, I got a second wind. Feeling very upbeat and in a good place, I was able to pick up my pace. Plus, 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 he normally runs a lot faster, but not today. And he told me to try to stay with him and we could talk so the time with go faster.\r\n\r\nSo 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 were 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 from racing for over 13 hours.\r\n\r\nThere was a small archway when entering into the city square. And a small bell on a string hanging from it. If you rang 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 turnaround, 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.\r\n\r\nWe continued to talk and run. He was from Prague where I was going after the race and we planned 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 I ran closer to the finish line, the noise level became incredible with cheering, cowbells, and more. I then heard the announcer say: <strong>\"Peter Fields, you are an Ironman!\"</strong>\r\n\r\nThe feeling when you hear that never gets old.\r\n\r\nI was exhausted but very elated. The feeling I had is indescribable.\r\n\r\n<strong>For Ironman #4, I finished at 13 hours, 32 minutes, and 36 seconds with a new personal best for me by 18 minutes.</strong>\r\n\r\nMy new friend I had met on the run finished right behind me. I was able to meet his wife and three kids.\r\n\r\nAfter a few minutes of walking around, I was off to the massage tent and to get some food.\r\n\r\nP.S. At 9 pm, thirty minutes after finishing, the sky opened up and it rained hard for about an hour. I was very fortunate not to go through that.\r\n<h3 class=\"col-md-8\"><em><strong>APPRECIATIONS:</strong></em></h3>\r\n<em>I want to thank everybody who took the time and effort to watch the update that was 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.</em>\r\n\r\n<em>Collectively, I want to thank my massage therapist, my acupuncturist, and my chiropractor. You all helped get me through. And my wonderful office staff who always took a great interest in what I was doing and put up with the long workouts that made me late sometimes.</em>\r\n\r\n<em>There a few individuals that need to be singled out individually:</em>\r\n<em>I want to thank my coach, Cherie Gruenfeld, as she pushed me hard and helped me a lot.</em>\r\n\r\n<em>And 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.</em>\r\n\r\n<em>I 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 10 pm west coast time. Wow! Thank you so much for your emotional support when I needed it the most.</em>\r\n\r\n<em>And 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!</em>\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\r\nThe Athletic Doc<sup>®</sup> and 4X Ironman Triathlete</strong>\r\n<div id=\"sidebar2\" class=\"col-md-4\">\r\n\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" style=\"text-align: center;\" title=\"Race Report 4th Ironman\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman2014-large-1.jpg\" alt=\"Race Report 4th Ironman\" width=\"389\" height=\"662\" />\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://goo.gl/photos/BBwqL4H48qpXLAZw6\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">2014 Austria\r\nClick For More Photos</a>\r\n\r\nClick below for Pictures &amp; Story\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>\r\n&nbsp;','Ironman #4 and a New Personal Record','','inherit','closed','closed','','153-revision-v1','','','2021-06-04 01:26:44','2021-06-04 01:26:44','',153,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=4712',0,'revision','',0),(4713,9,'2021-06-04 01:29:41','2021-06-04 01:29:41','<h2>Ironman #4 and a New Personal Record</h2>\r\n<img class=\"wp-image-154 alignnone\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman-austria-logo.jpg\" alt=\"Ironman Austria Logo\" width=\"467\" height=\"174\" />\r\n<h3><strong class=\"subhead\">Travel and Pre-Race for Ironman #4</strong></h3>\r\n<p class=\"col-md-8\">    My <em>Ironman #4</em> experience started with a 12-hour flight from Los Angeles to Frankfurt. The 3-hour delay in Dallas made it even longer. Then, I almost missed my train connection in Frankfurt. Fortunately, I got through customs very quickly. I picked up my bags, took a bus to the train station, re-booked my ticket, and made my train with 5 minutes to spare!</p>\r\n<p class=\"col-md-8\">Of course, being able to speak German helped out a lot with getting directions, such as the train ride to Munich where I switched trains to Klagenfurt, Austria. The views from the train in southern Germany and Austria were spectacular. The 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, so I tried to make up with naps during the day. Sunday would come all too quickly.</p>\r\n<p class=\"col-md-8\">The rest of the pre-event days were spent meeting everybody, seeing the triathlon expo, and having a chance to swim in the lake. There was also a van ride around part of the biking course. When my shipped bike arrived, 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<p class=\"col-md-8\">Saturday we checked in at the race which included leaving the bike and 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 had left the number back in the hotel.</p>\r\n<p class=\"col-md-8\">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 something done. But it was 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.</p>\r\n<p class=\"col-md-8\">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 (which wasn\'t easy either 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.</p>\r\n<p class=\"col-md-8\">I asked again if he was sure about this since my van ride was about to leave. He turned over his badge which said <strong>Race Director</strong>. 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 him my card and told him to look me up. He said he would. All’s well that ends well. Plus a good omen for the race.</p>\r\n\r\n<h3><strong class=\"subhead\">RACE DAY FOR IRONMAN #4</strong></h3>\r\nI got up at my usual time of 3:30 am. It was about 58 degrees, very clear, and with no signs of rain. It had rained the last 2 days on and off so this was a good thing. So I prepped my bike at the transition area for the last time. This is always a very exciting time with 3000 athletes plus spectators trying to stay calm.\r\n\r\nSince it was about a 500-meter walk to the water, we all took our wetsuits and changed over by the lake, where we were greeted by a rainbow over the lake. It was very beautiful and again a good omen. In a short time, we were all ready to go. The pros and another group of 800 people started 15 minutes early. These early starting non-pros had signed up to start early.\r\n\r\nI missed this sign-up and at first, was disappointed as I am a very strong swimmer. But Ken Glah, the former pro triathlete whose company I travel with, found out. It ended up being 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.\r\n\r\nSo after many months of training, I was ready to start my Ironman #4. I was dedicating this race to two people. On my left arm, I had the initials JP written. This was in memory of my friend Jeff Patterson. Dr. Jeff started me off in the wonderful world of Prolotherapy which helped save my back from surgery. He was my mentor and dear friend. But he died much too early only a few months ago at the age of 67.\r\n\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&nbsp;\r\n<h3><strong class=\"subhead\">THE SWIM</strong></h3>\r\nEven with 800 starting early, there still were 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 save a little energy at the beginning.\r\n\r\nOnce 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 a group of only about 150 people, there was plenty of room.\r\n\r\nIn 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!!). <strong>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\'t see or hear anything!</strong>\r\n\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 to the left or right. I just had to stay with the pack. Either way, I exited 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&nbsp;\r\n<h3><strong class=\"subhead\">THE BIKE</strong></h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-170\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/bike-race2014.jpg\" alt=\"Bike Race2014\" width=\"382\" height=\"512\" />As we exited 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. <strong>The street was heavily lined with spectators.</strong>\r\n\r\nIt 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. In the beginning, this route is mostly flat with lots of curves going around the lake.\r\n\r\nAs we left the 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.\r\n\r\nIn 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 or 6 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.\r\n\r\nGoing back was a long downhill ride, so we went fast except for the towns where we had to make small turns. 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.\r\n\r\nThere were 100\'s of people lining the street and cheering us on. Plus there was a big loudspeaker 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 loudspeakers.\r\n\r\nThen 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. And then suddenly, I felt a sharp sting in my left thigh 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 it. 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 a 180-degree turn again (like at the beginning), so we had to really slow down. But this was a 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, there was an announcer, and I would hear, \"and here is Peter from the United States\". Always nice to hear to keep one going. <strong>My usual time is about 3 hrs 25 mins for half of the ride but this time I did it in 3 hours 10 mins.</strong> 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 are where we can leave a bag of anything we need at that point. There is one 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. And then also resupplied myself with my gels and other nutrition. I carry my own nutrition so as not to try anything new on race day.\r\n\r\nWhen I tossed the bottle away, it rolled to the feet of a 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\'s yours. He just smiled at me as he reached for it.\r\n\r\nThen 8 miles into the second loop, the 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. All in all, it went well on the second loop. The crowds were less due to the rain. But there were still crowds out there.\r\n\r\nAt 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. My second loop time was a bit slower due to the rain. It was 3 hours in 25 minutes. All in all, I felt strong for the run. This was a good thing.\r\n\r\nIn the town near T2, the crowds were there cheering loudly. I got off my bike and ran thru the transition area to rack my bike. It was good to be off the bike after 112 miles. Then I put on my running shoes and started off to run a marathon.\r\n\r\nP.S. 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<h3><strong class=\"subhead\">THE RUN</strong></h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-174\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/running-smile.jpg\" alt=\"Running Smile\" width=\"335\" height=\"504\" />When leaving transition area two (T2) in an Ironman, you cannot think marathon. You just say to yourself, you are running from here to there and play these mental games the whole way.\r\n\r\nIt 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 we would pass the finish line 4 times.\r\n\r\nAt the finish line area, there 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 first turnaround about 4.5 miles out.\r\n\r\nI 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 at the beginning of each loop. So although brief, it was a nice view.\r\n\r\nAfter 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 off these two areas.\r\n\r\nAt this point everything was good and I had no pain. As we passed through the finish line area, we headed out again along a canal. Then we ran under a small footbridge and onto a narrow cobblestone street lined with houses. We ran along this street for about 3/4 of a mile then into the town square.\r\n\r\n<strong> People were sitting in cafes and cheering us on. Lots and lots of people.</strong> 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 ran back to the starting area.\r\n\r\nI got back to the starting point again and got my special needs bag - some extra nutrition. On the second loop, my stomach started to feel a little funny. This is something that is very common with Ironman triathletes. Mine only lasted about 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 athletes 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\n<strong>I just kept telling myself to keep going. One foot after another. And just kept going.</strong> Part of the way it was shady, so that helped a lot too. Since the sun stays up so late, it never went down while I was running.\r\n\r\nAt mile 18, I got a second wind. Feeling very upbeat and in a good place, I was able to pick up my pace. Plus, 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 he normally runs a lot faster, but not today. And he told me to try to stay with him and we could talk so the time with go faster.\r\n\r\nSo 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 were 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 from racing for over 13 hours.\r\n\r\nThere was a small archway when entering into the city square. And a small bell on a string hanging from it. If you rang 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 turnaround, 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.\r\n\r\nWe continued to talk and run. He was from Prague where I was going after the race and we planned 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 I ran closer to the finish line, the noise level became incredible with cheering, cowbells, and more. I then heard the announcer say: <strong>\"Peter Fields, you are an Ironman!\"</strong>\r\n\r\nThe feeling when you hear that never gets old.\r\n\r\nI was exhausted but very elated. The feeling I had is indescribable.\r\n\r\n<strong>For Ironman #4, I finished at 13 hours, 32 minutes, and 36 seconds with a new personal best for me by 18 minutes.</strong>\r\n\r\nMy new friend I had met on the run finished right behind me. I was able to meet his wife and three kids.\r\n\r\nAfter a few minutes of walking around, I was off to the massage tent and to get some food.\r\n\r\nP.S. At 9 pm, thirty minutes after finishing, the sky opened up and it rained hard for about an hour. I was very fortunate not to go through that.\r\n<h3 class=\"col-md-8\"><em><strong>APPRECIATIONS:</strong></em></h3>\r\n<em>I want to thank everybody who took the time and effort to watch the update that was 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.</em>\r\n\r\n<em>Collectively, I want to thank my massage therapist, my acupuncturist, and my chiropractor. You all helped get me through. And my wonderful office staff who always took a great interest in what I was doing and put up with the long workouts that made me late sometimes.</em>\r\n\r\n<em>There a few individuals that need to be singled out individually:</em>\r\n<em>I want to thank my coach, Cherie Gruenfeld, as she pushed me hard and helped me a lot.</em>\r\n\r\n<em>And 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.</em>\r\n\r\n<em>I 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 10 pm west coast time. Wow! Thank you so much for your emotional support when I needed it the most.</em>\r\n\r\n<em>And 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!</em>\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\r\nThe Athletic Doc<sup>®</sup> and 4X Ironman Triathlete</strong>\r\n<div id=\"sidebar2\" class=\"col-md-4\">\r\n\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" style=\"text-align: center;\" title=\"Race Report 4th Ironman\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman2014-large-1.jpg\" alt=\"Race Report 4th Ironman\" width=\"389\" height=\"662\" />\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://goo.gl/photos/BBwqL4H48qpXLAZw6\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">2014 Austria\r\nClick For More Photos</a>\r\n\r\nClick below for Pictures &amp; Story\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>\r\n&nbsp;','Ironman #4 and a New Personal Record','','inherit','closed','closed','','153-revision-v1','','','2021-06-04 01:29:41','2021-06-04 01:29:41','',153,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=4713',0,'revision','',0),(4714,9,'2021-06-04 01:30:03','2021-06-04 01:30:03','<h2>Ironman #4 and a New Personal Record</h2>\r\n<img class=\"wp-image-154 alignnone\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman-austria-logo.jpg\" alt=\"Ironman Austria Logo\" width=\"467\" height=\"174\" />\r\n<h3></h3>\r\n<h3><strong class=\"subhead\">Travel and Pre-Race for Ironman #4</strong></h3>\r\n<p class=\"col-md-8\">    My <em>Ironman #4</em> experience started with a 12-hour flight from Los Angeles to Frankfurt. The 3-hour delay in Dallas made it even longer. Then, I almost missed my train connection in Frankfurt. Fortunately, I got through customs very quickly. I picked up my bags, took a bus to the train station, re-booked my ticket, and made my train with 5 minutes to spare!</p>\r\n<p class=\"col-md-8\">Of course, being able to speak German helped out a lot with getting directions, such as the train ride to Munich where I switched trains to Klagenfurt, Austria. The views from the train in southern Germany and Austria were spectacular. The 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, so I tried to make up with naps during the day. Sunday would come all too quickly.</p>\r\n<p class=\"col-md-8\">The rest of the pre-event days were spent meeting everybody, seeing the triathlon expo, and having a chance to swim in the lake. There was also a van ride around part of the biking course. When my shipped bike arrived, 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<p class=\"col-md-8\">Saturday we checked in at the race which included leaving the bike and 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 had left the number back in the hotel.</p>\r\n<p class=\"col-md-8\">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 something done. But it was 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.</p>\r\n<p class=\"col-md-8\">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 (which wasn\'t easy either 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.</p>\r\n<p class=\"col-md-8\">I asked again if he was sure about this since my van ride was about to leave. He turned over his badge which said <strong>Race Director</strong>. 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 him my card and told him to look me up. He said he would. All’s well that ends well. Plus a good omen for the race.</p>\r\n\r\n<h3><strong class=\"subhead\">RACE DAY FOR IRONMAN #4</strong></h3>\r\nI got up at my usual time of 3:30 am. It was about 58 degrees, very clear, and with no signs of rain. It had rained the last 2 days on and off so this was a good thing. So I prepped my bike at the transition area for the last time. This is always a very exciting time with 3000 athletes plus spectators trying to stay calm.\r\n\r\nSince it was about a 500-meter walk to the water, we all took our wetsuits and changed over by the lake, where we were greeted by a rainbow over the lake. It was very beautiful and again a good omen. In a short time, we were all ready to go. The pros and another group of 800 people started 15 minutes early. These early starting non-pros had signed up to start early.\r\n\r\nI missed this sign-up and at first, was disappointed as I am a very strong swimmer. But Ken Glah, the former pro triathlete whose company I travel with, found out. It ended up being 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.\r\n\r\nSo after many months of training, I was ready to start my Ironman #4. I was dedicating this race to two people. On my left arm, I had the initials JP written. This was in memory of my friend Jeff Patterson. Dr. Jeff started me off in the wonderful world of Prolotherapy which helped save my back from surgery. He was my mentor and dear friend. But he died much too early only a few months ago at the age of 67.\r\n\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&nbsp;\r\n<h3><strong class=\"subhead\">THE SWIM</strong></h3>\r\nEven with 800 starting early, there still were 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 save a little energy at the beginning.\r\n\r\nOnce 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 a group of only about 150 people, there was plenty of room.\r\n\r\nIn 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!!). <strong>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\'t see or hear anything!</strong>\r\n\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 to the left or right. I just had to stay with the pack. Either way, I exited 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&nbsp;\r\n<h3><strong class=\"subhead\">THE BIKE</strong></h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-170\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/bike-race2014.jpg\" alt=\"Bike Race2014\" width=\"382\" height=\"512\" />As we exited 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. <strong>The street was heavily lined with spectators.</strong>\r\n\r\nIt 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. In the beginning, this route is mostly flat with lots of curves going around the lake.\r\n\r\nAs we left the 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.\r\n\r\nIn 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 or 6 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.\r\n\r\nGoing back was a long downhill ride, so we went fast except for the towns where we had to make small turns. 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.\r\n\r\nThere were 100\'s of people lining the street and cheering us on. Plus there was a big loudspeaker 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 loudspeakers.\r\n\r\nThen 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. And then suddenly, I felt a sharp sting in my left thigh 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 it. 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 a 180-degree turn again (like at the beginning), so we had to really slow down. But this was a 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, there was an announcer, and I would hear, \"and here is Peter from the United States\". Always nice to hear to keep one going. <strong>My usual time is about 3 hrs 25 mins for half of the ride but this time I did it in 3 hours 10 mins.</strong> 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 are where we can leave a bag of anything we need at that point. There is one 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. And then also resupplied myself with my gels and other nutrition. I carry my own nutrition so as not to try anything new on race day.\r\n\r\nWhen I tossed the bottle away, it rolled to the feet of a 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\'s yours. He just smiled at me as he reached for it.\r\n\r\nThen 8 miles into the second loop, the 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. All in all, it went well on the second loop. The crowds were less due to the rain. But there were still crowds out there.\r\n\r\nAt 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. My second loop time was a bit slower due to the rain. It was 3 hours in 25 minutes. All in all, I felt strong for the run. This was a good thing.\r\n\r\nIn the town near T2, the crowds were there cheering loudly. I got off my bike and ran thru the transition area to rack my bike. It was good to be off the bike after 112 miles. Then I put on my running shoes and started off to run a marathon.\r\n\r\nP.S. 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<h3><strong class=\"subhead\">THE RUN</strong></h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-174\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/running-smile.jpg\" alt=\"Running Smile\" width=\"335\" height=\"504\" />When leaving transition area two (T2) in an Ironman, you cannot think marathon. You just say to yourself, you are running from here to there and play these mental games the whole way.\r\n\r\nIt 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 we would pass the finish line 4 times.\r\n\r\nAt the finish line area, there 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 first turnaround about 4.5 miles out.\r\n\r\nI 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 at the beginning of each loop. So although brief, it was a nice view.\r\n\r\nAfter 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 off these two areas.\r\n\r\nAt this point everything was good and I had no pain. As we passed through the finish line area, we headed out again along a canal. Then we ran under a small footbridge and onto a narrow cobblestone street lined with houses. We ran along this street for about 3/4 of a mile then into the town square.\r\n\r\n<strong> People were sitting in cafes and cheering us on. Lots and lots of people.</strong> 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 ran back to the starting area.\r\n\r\nI got back to the starting point again and got my special needs bag - some extra nutrition. On the second loop, my stomach started to feel a little funny. This is something that is very common with Ironman triathletes. Mine only lasted about 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 athletes 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\n<strong>I just kept telling myself to keep going. One foot after another. And just kept going.</strong> Part of the way it was shady, so that helped a lot too. Since the sun stays up so late, it never went down while I was running.\r\n\r\nAt mile 18, I got a second wind. Feeling very upbeat and in a good place, I was able to pick up my pace. Plus, 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 he normally runs a lot faster, but not today. And he told me to try to stay with him and we could talk so the time with go faster.\r\n\r\nSo 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 were 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 from racing for over 13 hours.\r\n\r\nThere was a small archway when entering into the city square. And a small bell on a string hanging from it. If you rang 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 turnaround, 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.\r\n\r\nWe continued to talk and run. He was from Prague where I was going after the race and we planned 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 I ran closer to the finish line, the noise level became incredible with cheering, cowbells, and more. I then heard the announcer say: <strong>\"Peter Fields, you are an Ironman!\"</strong>\r\n\r\nThe feeling when you hear that never gets old.\r\n\r\nI was exhausted but very elated. The feeling I had is indescribable.\r\n\r\n<strong>For Ironman #4, I finished at 13 hours, 32 minutes, and 36 seconds with a new personal best for me by 18 minutes.</strong>\r\n\r\nMy new friend I had met on the run finished right behind me. I was able to meet his wife and three kids.\r\n\r\nAfter a few minutes of walking around, I was off to the massage tent and to get some food.\r\n\r\nP.S. At 9 pm, thirty minutes after finishing, the sky opened up and it rained hard for about an hour. I was very fortunate not to go through that.\r\n<h3 class=\"col-md-8\"><em><strong>APPRECIATIONS:</strong></em></h3>\r\n<em>I want to thank everybody who took the time and effort to watch the update that was 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.</em>\r\n\r\n<em>Collectively, I want to thank my massage therapist, my acupuncturist, and my chiropractor. You all helped get me through. And my wonderful office staff who always took a great interest in what I was doing and put up with the long workouts that made me late sometimes.</em>\r\n\r\n<em>There a few individuals that need to be singled out individually:</em>\r\n<em>I want to thank my coach, Cherie Gruenfeld, as she pushed me hard and helped me a lot.</em>\r\n\r\n<em>And 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.</em>\r\n\r\n<em>I 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 10 pm west coast time. Wow! Thank you so much for your emotional support when I needed it the most.</em>\r\n\r\n<em>And 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!</em>\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\r\nThe Athletic Doc<sup>®</sup> and 4X Ironman Triathlete</strong>\r\n<div id=\"sidebar2\" class=\"col-md-4\">\r\n\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" style=\"text-align: center;\" title=\"Race Report 4th Ironman\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman2014-large-1.jpg\" alt=\"Race Report 4th Ironman\" width=\"389\" height=\"662\" />\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://goo.gl/photos/BBwqL4H48qpXLAZw6\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">2014 Austria\r\nClick For More Photos</a>\r\n\r\nClick below for Pictures &amp; Story\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>\r\n&nbsp;','Ironman #4 and a New Personal Record','','inherit','closed','closed','','153-revision-v1','','','2021-06-04 01:30:03','2021-06-04 01:30:03','',153,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=4714',0,'revision','',0),(4715,9,'2021-06-04 01:30:59','2021-06-04 01:30:59','<h2>Ironman #4 and a New Personal Record</h2>\r\n<img class=\"wp-image-154 alignnone\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman-austria-logo.jpg\" alt=\"Ironman Austria Logo\" width=\"467\" height=\"174\" />\r\n<h3></h3>\r\n<h3><em><strong class=\"subhead\">Travel and Pre-Race for Ironman #4</strong></em></h3>\r\n<p class=\"col-md-8\"><em>    My Ironman #4 experience started with a 12-hour flight from Los Angeles to Frankfurt. The 3-hour delay in Dallas made it even longer. Then, I almost missed my train connection in Frankfurt. Fortunately, I got through customs very quickly. I picked up my bags, took a bus to the train station, re-booked my ticket, and made my train with 5 minutes to spare!</em></p>\r\n<p class=\"col-md-8\"><em>Of course, being able to speak German helped out a lot with getting directions, such as the train ride to Munich where I switched trains to Klagenfurt, Austria. The views from the train in southern Germany and Austria were spectacular. The 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, so I tried to make up with naps during the day. Sunday would come all too quickly.</em></p>\r\n<p class=\"col-md-8\"><em>The rest of the pre-event days were spent meeting everybody, seeing the triathlon expo, and having a chance to swim in the lake. There was also a van ride around part of the biking course. When my shipped bike arrived, 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.</em></p>\r\n<p class=\"col-md-8\"><em>Saturday we checked in at the race which included leaving the bike and 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 had left the number back in the hotel.</em></p>\r\n<p class=\"col-md-8\"><em>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 something done. But it was 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.</em></p>\r\n<p class=\"col-md-8\"><em>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 (which wasn\'t easy either 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.</em></p>\r\n<p class=\"col-md-8\"><em>I asked again if he was sure about this since my van ride was about to leave. He turned over his badge which said <strong>Race Director</strong>. 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 him my card and told him to look me up. He said he would. All’s well that ends well. Plus a good omen for the race.</em></p>\r\n\r\n<h3><strong class=\"subhead\">RACE DAY FOR IRONMAN #4</strong></h3>\r\nI got up at my usual time of 3:30 am. It was about 58 degrees, very clear, and with no signs of rain. It had rained the last 2 days on and off so this was a good thing. So I prepped my bike at the transition area for the last time. This is always a very exciting time with 3000 athletes plus spectators trying to stay calm.\r\n\r\nSince it was about a 500-meter walk to the water, we all took our wetsuits and changed over by the lake, where we were greeted by a rainbow over the lake. It was very beautiful and again a good omen. In a short time, we were all ready to go. The pros and another group of 800 people started 15 minutes early. These early starting non-pros had signed up to start early.\r\n\r\nI missed this sign-up and at first, was disappointed as I am a very strong swimmer. But Ken Glah, the former pro triathlete whose company I travel with, found out. It ended up being 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.\r\n\r\nSo after many months of training, I was ready to start my Ironman #4. I was dedicating this race to two people. On my left arm, I had the initials JP written. This was in memory of my friend Jeff Patterson. Dr. Jeff started me off in the wonderful world of Prolotherapy which helped save my back from surgery. He was my mentor and dear friend. But he died much too early only a few months ago at the age of 67.\r\n\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&nbsp;\r\n<h3><strong class=\"subhead\">THE SWIM</strong></h3>\r\nEven with 800 starting early, there still were 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 save a little energy at the beginning.\r\n\r\nOnce 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 a group of only about 150 people, there was plenty of room.\r\n\r\nIn 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!!). <strong>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\'t see or hear anything!</strong>\r\n\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 to the left or right. I just had to stay with the pack. Either way, I exited 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&nbsp;\r\n<h3><strong class=\"subhead\">THE BIKE</strong></h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-170\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/bike-race2014.jpg\" alt=\"Bike Race2014\" width=\"382\" height=\"512\" />As we exited 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. <strong>The street was heavily lined with spectators.</strong>\r\n\r\nIt 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. In the beginning, this route is mostly flat with lots of curves going around the lake.\r\n\r\nAs we left the 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.\r\n\r\nIn 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 or 6 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.\r\n\r\nGoing back was a long downhill ride, so we went fast except for the towns where we had to make small turns. 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.\r\n\r\nThere were 100\'s of people lining the street and cheering us on. Plus there was a big loudspeaker 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 loudspeakers.\r\n\r\nThen 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. And then suddenly, I felt a sharp sting in my left thigh 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 it. 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 a 180-degree turn again (like at the beginning), so we had to really slow down. But this was a 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, there was an announcer, and I would hear, \"and here is Peter from the United States\". Always nice to hear to keep one going. <strong>My usual time is about 3 hrs 25 mins for half of the ride but this time I did it in 3 hours 10 mins.</strong> 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 are where we can leave a bag of anything we need at that point. There is one 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. And then also resupplied myself with my gels and other nutrition. I carry my own nutrition so as not to try anything new on race day.\r\n\r\nWhen I tossed the bottle away, it rolled to the feet of a 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\'s yours. He just smiled at me as he reached for it.\r\n\r\nThen 8 miles into the second loop, the 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. All in all, it went well on the second loop. The crowds were less due to the rain. But there were still crowds out there.\r\n\r\nAt 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. My second loop time was a bit slower due to the rain. It was 3 hours in 25 minutes. All in all, I felt strong for the run. This was a good thing.\r\n\r\nIn the town near T2, the crowds were there cheering loudly. I got off my bike and ran thru the transition area to rack my bike. It was good to be off the bike after 112 miles. Then I put on my running shoes and started off to run a marathon.\r\n\r\nP.S. 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<h3><strong class=\"subhead\">THE RUN</strong></h3>\r\n<img class=\"alignleft size-full wp-image-174\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/running-smile.jpg\" alt=\"Running Smile\" width=\"335\" height=\"504\" />When leaving transition area two (T2) in an Ironman, you cannot think marathon. You just say to yourself, you are running from here to there and play these mental games the whole way.\r\n\r\nIt 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 we would pass the finish line 4 times.\r\n\r\nAt the finish line area, there 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 first turnaround about 4.5 miles out.\r\n\r\nI 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 at the beginning of each loop. So although brief, it was a nice view.\r\n\r\nAfter 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 off these two areas.\r\n\r\nAt this point everything was good and I had no pain. As we passed through the finish line area, we headed out again along a canal. Then we ran under a small footbridge and onto a narrow cobblestone street lined with houses. We ran along this street for about 3/4 of a mile then into the town square.\r\n\r\n<strong> People were sitting in cafes and cheering us on. Lots and lots of people.</strong> 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 ran back to the starting area.\r\n\r\nI got back to the starting point again and got my special needs bag - some extra nutrition. On the second loop, my stomach started to feel a little funny. This is something that is very common with Ironman triathletes. Mine only lasted about 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 athletes 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\n<strong>I just kept telling myself to keep going. One foot after another. And just kept going.</strong> Part of the way it was shady, so that helped a lot too. Since the sun stays up so late, it never went down while I was running.\r\n\r\nAt mile 18, I got a second wind. Feeling very upbeat and in a good place, I was able to pick up my pace. Plus, 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 he normally runs a lot faster, but not today. And he told me to try to stay with him and we could talk so the time with go faster.\r\n\r\nSo 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 were 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 from racing for over 13 hours.\r\n\r\nThere was a small archway when entering into the city square. And a small bell on a string hanging from it. If you rang 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 turnaround, 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.\r\n\r\nWe continued to talk and run. He was from Prague where I was going after the race and we planned 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 I ran closer to the finish line, the noise level became incredible with cheering, cowbells, and more. I then heard the announcer say: <strong>\"Peter Fields, you are an Ironman!\"</strong>\r\n\r\nThe feeling when you hear that never gets old.\r\n\r\nI was exhausted but very elated. The feeling I had is indescribable.\r\n\r\n<strong>For Ironman #4, I finished at 13 hours, 32 minutes, and 36 seconds with a new personal best for me by 18 minutes.</strong>\r\n\r\nMy new friend I had met on the run finished right behind me. I was able to meet his wife and three kids.\r\n\r\nAfter a few minutes of walking around, I was off to the massage tent and to get some food.\r\n\r\nP.S. At 9 pm, thirty minutes after finishing, the sky opened up and it rained hard for about an hour. I was very fortunate not to go through that.\r\n<h3 class=\"col-md-8\"><em><strong>APPRECIATIONS:</strong></em></h3>\r\n<em>I want to thank everybody who took the time and effort to watch the update that was 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.</em>\r\n\r\n<em>Collectively, I want to thank my massage therapist, my acupuncturist, and my chiropractor. You all helped get me through. And my wonderful office staff who always took a great interest in what I was doing and put up with the long workouts that made me late sometimes.</em>\r\n\r\n<em>There a few individuals that need to be singled out individually:</em>\r\n<em>I want to thank my coach, Cherie Gruenfeld, as she pushed me hard and helped me a lot.</em>\r\n\r\n<em>And 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.</em>\r\n\r\n<em>I 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 10 pm west coast time. Wow! Thank you so much for your emotional support when I needed it the most.</em>\r\n\r\n<em>And 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!</em>\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\r\nThe Athletic Doc<sup>®</sup> and 4X Ironman Triathlete</strong>\r\n<div id=\"sidebar2\" class=\"col-md-4\">\r\n\r\n<img class=\"alignleft\" style=\"text-align: center;\" title=\"Race Report 4th Ironman\" src=\"https://www.drfields.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/ironman2014-large-1.jpg\" alt=\"Race Report 4th Ironman\" width=\"389\" height=\"662\" />\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https://goo.gl/photos/BBwqL4H48qpXLAZw6\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">2014 Austria\r\nClick For More Photos</a>\r\n\r\nClick below for Pictures &amp; Story\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>\r\n&nbsp;','Ironman #4 and a New Personal Record','','inherit','closed','closed','','153-revision-v1','','','2021-06-04 01:30:59','2021-06-04 01:30:59','',153,'https://www.drfields.com/?p=4715',0,'revision','',0),