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Lionel Sanders “OK, but frustrated” after nutrition issues at Ironman Coeur d’Alene

Canadian Ironman star updates fans on issues that sidelined him in today's race

Photo by: Kevin Mackinnon

After a tough day at Ironman Couer d’Alene earlier today, Lionel Sanders posted a video on his Instagram account letting his fans know he’s OK, and offering up some immediate thoughts from the race. Heading into Ironman Couer d’Alene Sanders was the prohibitive favourite and, after a fantastic swim, looked to be in complete control through the bike and early stages of the run.

Later in the run, though, he had real issues that saw him move from contender for the win to simply struggling to keep moving. In the end Sanders managed to walk and jog to the finish line. Tonight we learned how difficult that ended up being.

“Admitedly today was very frustrating,” Sanders said in tonight’s video update. “It was probably the best Ironman preparation I’ve ever done, the most consistent. No overtraining, just very good quality, to the best of my knowledge. (The) Team agreed. I even practiced nutrition – everything, (but) I seem to be struggling with the fourth discipline right now, nutrition, and I don’t have answers, for whatever reason.”

“I got really weak at about six and a half hours and started to lose muscle function,” he continued. “(I) started to cramp up and, honestly, I spent the final five miles actually wondering if I was going to finish because I was having trouble walking and I was having trouble holding my own torso up.”

“That’s something I’m going to continue to stew on and its just really, really frustrating when you devote your life to something,” he said. “I can’t even get mad at myself, ’cause I did a really good job, to the best of my knowledge, and it failed.”

“A lot of people were enquiring if I was OK, and I am OK, just a little defeated and frustrated.”

Related: Long takes Ironman Couer d’Alene while Jason Pohl takes fourth as top Canadian

 

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