Sunday, September 10, 6:40 a.m. (30 minutes to go)

I attached the pump to the tire valve & started pumping. My foot was on the base of the pump, to keep it stead; my arms locked like I was administering CPR. That was when I realized…I dropped my nutrition.

(What did you mean, “dropped”?)

I had my gel, my swim calories tucked into my waist band & now it was gone.

(Why didn’t you put it in your pockets?)

Pockets? I’m wearing skintight swim trunks. What pockets?

(You need those calories for the swim. You have to find that gel)

I had no time to get down on all fours, in the dimly lit area & search. I had to keep pumping.

My dad taught me to focus on finishing what I start before I start another project or nothing gets completed.

(Aren’t you “Mr. Multitask?”)

Yes, when I’m cooking for shabbat I can have 3 separate dishes cooking at different speeds, simultaneously.

(Like a restaurant?)

I did learn to cook when I worked at Gan Aisia, Kosher Chinese, back in the 2000s. The danger at that moment was if I didn’t finish what I was doing, I could get dysregulated trying to play catch up.

With the tires pumped, I left the tire pump near the aisle so someone else could use it.

(Someone else? Wasn’t the race starting?)

It was, but the 2,200 competitors were being launched by age groups, so that we went off in groups of 100.

(When were you leaving?)

7:10, 20 minutes after the pros. This way there was no chance of us amateurs getting in their way.

(I don’t understand)

There are some very fast amateurs, like my friend Ari Baum. By separating the pros from the rest of us, the mere mortals, Ironman has enabled spectators to see the pros unencumbered. Plus, the pros have different rules.

(How different?)

On the bike, they can draft off each other, but we can’t.

(Draft?)

The pros can ride in packs, like the Tour de France riders. That’s called a “peloton.”

(Like the stationary bike in people’s homes?)

Peloton is French for “ball,” but it is most often used with the meaning “group.”

Tour de France riders ride in groups to save energy for the sprint to the finish of each of the 21 days of racing. Riding in a pack saves energy for the riders due to aerodynamics.

(But amateur triathletes can’t ride in packs?)

It’s a safety issue. I almost crashed at Ironman Lake Placid one year due to other riders’ recklessness. There are some people who should not be riding at 50 miles an hour, on a 9% decline.

(So, at this point, how much time was left before the start of Ironman World Championships?)

20 minutes which gave me just enough time to…

Sunday, September 10, 6:50 a.m. (20 minutes to go)

With 20 minutes before my swim start, I decided to use the bathroom.

(Didn’t you already do that?)

I did, but this was going to be my chance for some time.

(For the whole race?)

No, there would be one when I emerged from the swim, but I had the time now.

I waited in line for the port-o-john…& I waited….waited…

(How long were you standing in line?)

Long enough that I no longer needed those flood lights to illuminate my way.

(The sun was up?)

It was about to rise over the horizon. Finally, the line melted away & I was able to step into one of a dozen temporary bathrooms.

(How many were there?)

Waaay more than I realized in the early morning darkness, or this would have been done earlier.

(Do we really need to know about this part of your race?)

I was about to leave the port-o-john when I heard my age group called up.

(How far were you from the start line?)

Maybe a quarter of a mile. I bolted past the cheering crowds in the hope that I wasn’t too late.

(Too late for what?)

Too late that I missed my race start.

(What happens if you miss a race start?)

Normally, you just go in the next wave.

(& here at the Ironman World Championships?)

Wait for the next wave? Wait for the last wave? Lost my spot all together? I had no idea.

With goggles and swim cap in one hand…

(…& hopefully your nutrition in the other hand)

I sprinted onto the beach in the hope that I wasn’t too late.

David Roher is a USAT certified triathlon and marathon coach. He is a multi-Ironman finisher and veteran special education teacher. He is on Instagram @David Roher140.6. He can be reached at [email protected].