Going into the Ironman World Championship, Brent McMahon had the bonafides to finish in the top 10: two sub-8 hour Ironmans, no weakness in his swim, bike, or run, and a love for heat and humidity. Still, as those who have raced in Kona can attest, the results from a maiden attempt can be hard to predict.
Brent tells us what went down during the Big Dance, and how he wants to come back for Kona 2016.
Race morning I felt very calm and confident that I had done everything I could to prepare for my first time in Kona. Though I had some hiccups in training leading up to the race and even race week, that didn't change the fact I knew the course and believed I could win. That is how I approached the race and I put myself in the right place to go for the win.
I was feeling comfortable and smooth the whole 3.8 kilometers and exited in the first main group coming out of the water. I had a smooth and fast transition and with a quick mount I got onto the bike course third in my group only a minute or so down on the front three out of the water.
Through the bike I tried to stay near the front as much as possible so I could stabilize my power output but also keep an eye on the front of the race. There was a lot of firepower in the group and some calmer wind conditions this year. As a result, the group stayed together all the way down from Hawi and partway to Mauna Lani.
 Brent McMahon(Photo: Delly Carr / Bahrain Endurance Media; click to enlarge) |
It was at this point that Jan Frodeno and Sebastian Kienle inched away up the road to catch up to O'Donnell who had opened a gap solo. Once the gaps started to form I worked my way toward the front three on my own as we approached Waikaloa. I was able to open a sizeable gap and close some time on the front three. Eneko Llanos came up slowly from the group behind and we rode together for a while but I focused on my pace and staying hydrated and cool and let him inch away with 45+ kilometers to go. As we neared town, Frederik van Lierde came up and closing out the final 20 kilometers together I felt strong and confident heading to the run 90 seconds down from the leader in fifth place.
In and out of T2 I had my usual quick, smooth changeover and came out ahead of van Lierde and only 20 seconds down on Llanos who was in fourth. The opening kilometers were tough: I was moving all right but the effort was high. Typically this lasts the first three to five kilometers and then my run legs come around.
As I headed towards the 8-kilometer turn around on Ali’i, my run legs were not coming around and I was feeling worse and worse. I was struggling to keep a pace slower than my warm-up runs. I was in a world of hurt just focusing on getting to each aid station and then walking through them to get water and aid. I had my whole support crew cheering me on and telling me to stick with it. I have never felt so bad for so long as I did in this race.
I jogged along and just focused on all the hard work I had done and all the people that had gotten me to the start line. There were many times I almost gave up and I was just in the opening 10 kilometers of 42.
As I headed towards the Energy Lab -- arguably the toughest part of the marathon -- I started to find some rhythm. I wasn't running much faster; it just came a little smoother. At this same point, I started to see guys ahead starting to falter on the long straight rolls of the Queen K. I had persevered to this point and gotten that deep into an ugly place. I had to keep going and reaching for those spots ahead.
I slowly clawed back time and moved up into tenth and as I moved past van Lierde at the bottom of the Energy Lab, he made a sound as if to say, "Where on earth did you come from? I thought you were dead on gone." It was this moment that I knew I had overcome so much to this point that nothing was going to stop me from getting to the finish and I was going to push and suffer all of the final 14 kilometers still to go.
I emerged out of the Energy Lab in ninth with a renewed sense of willpower that I was going to need every step of the way to the finish. Within a couple of kilometers of leaving the Energy Lab I was back to misery and battling every stride, but I knew I could make it now.
I was being chased by Boris Stein in those final kilometers and as I hit the top of Palani I let it all hang out going downhill. In the final mile I opened one minute on Stein and gained a minute on Kienle in eighth to finish within 30 seconds.
At the finish line I was spent and relieved to have finally finished and come across in ninth place. It was not how I saw the day playing out, whether it be from losing eight days of training or a misjudgement of calories, but I was so happy to have been tough and persevered through the ugliest run I have ever done.
I am so satisfied but all too hungry to come back next year to execute a better race and have the marathon I know I can run.
What a race. I am so happy to have been part of this great endurance team. Kona, what a journey it has been to my first Ironman World Championships. Just like the Olympics, it was many years in the making and I can't wait to take on the challenge again. All of you were a part of this journey and without your support I could not have done it. For that I am very thankful.
