Ironman Brazil and Mourning a Friend

Leaving T1

One of the hard truths about Ironman racing is that we have to accept the hand we are dealt on race day. We spend weeks and months preparing, trying to limit the variables, and take control of the things we can control. For the average age group athlete this means that you can literally spend your whole year focused on one race and then catch the bubonic plaque the night before. This doesnt happen often and the chances are very slim, so we continue to train, to plan, to race.

I came to Brazil in the shape of my life with expectations for a good race. I truly enjoy my trips to Florianopolis, which is why i have returned 4 times in the last 6 years. The thing that really makes the trip enjoyable is the group dynamic created by Ken Glah with Endurance Sport Travel. I have travelled to this race solo the last two years and each time have had a thoroughly enjoyable time with the old friends I see and new ones i meet. This makes for an extremely relaxed race week, which is always a good thing.

I dont want to ramble on too much about the details of swim, bike and run, but i will share some highlights/lowlights. I had a good swim. 52-something. Thats a good strong swim for me. On the bike i was riding well and sitting about 3-5mins behind the leaders when i punctured at km 50 (ish). Last year I started using clinchers on my race wheels so i could make the change quickly on just such an occasion, so i fixed it up and got back on my bike. From the splits it looks like i lost about 5-6mins. Not bad, but it could be better!!

One of the things i did lose with the puncture though was my proximity to the front of the race. I never did find what was in my tire and felt it deflating slowly through the remainder of the ride. I got off the bike about 20mins down. Even before i started the run I knew i was in trouble, GI-wise. I later found out they served tap water on the bike course and I drank 2 big bottles. Whoa!!! What a mistake! When situations like this arise, you arent just dealing with the time spent in the porta-potties, but also the loss of nutrition, the time spent running slowly, butt cheeks clenched while looking desperately for the next toilet stop. It can get messy. So, all things considered, i was quite pleased to cross the line in 4th place. Not the day I wanted, but the day i had. I cant be disappointed by the way i handled things and I certainly will not drink water on the bike if i come back next year!!

Back in the hotel after the race, I got the news that a childhood friend who had been fighting brain cancer had passed away that morning. Sometime during the second half of my bike ride, 3 times zones and half a world away, Alyson slipped away peacefully in a Calgary hospice, surrounded by family. Anyone who met Alyson knew that from the time of her diagnosis to her passing she dealt with the hand she was given with humility and took on the project of fundraising for future cancer-suffers with an energy and vigour that most of us can only conjure during childhood on Christmas morning. It has been oft said but it is so true that Alyson was a very special woman and will be missed by many.

Alyson and I became close in about grade 2, a time when many of my important friendships were forged. I remember that we would embark on various creative projects and games, as you do when you are 7 years old. One such project, that we would still laugh about as adults, was a book of songs that we had composed together in French class. I dont think it was an official class project but a task we simply took on for the fun of it. I can remember creating the tunes in our heads and carefully laying out the lyrics in a booklet that we stapled together with hand-drawn pictures. The center-piece of our booklet was a simple song called "Alyson joue au domino" and i can remember a day when Alyson and I took control of the class while a subsitute teacher was on duty. We each took half the class and sang "Alyson joue au domino" in a round. The last time I saw Alyson before she began to decline, we took great pleasure in singing that same song (in a round!) for ol' times sake.

So, back to Brazil. As i assess the ebb and flow of my race career, the good races, the bad races, the in-between, its difficult not to be effected by Alyson's story, her perspective on life and the value of the time we have. Somehow, flying to Australia and having my bike crushed by the airline, getting sick and having GI issues on a run course are all very managable problems that can be easily solved by accepting the way things are and moving forward to the next task simply because i am lucky enough to be here and do the things I love and hang out with the people i love and watch the sunrise on the day after and the day after that.

My deepest condolences go to those who were closest to Alyson. Her family and friends from Kitchener who i remember fondly and her partner Jared. I only met Jared once but i knew from the way Alyson spoke of him that she had a very special guy. My heart is with those who loved her most.

Goodbye my friend.

Myself, 3rd from left and Alyson (eating a giant hotdog) at what looks like my 8th (?) birthday party



St. Croix Race Report

 Lowery Hill (Photo by Justin Fabian)

My season did not start out as I would have liked, but the disaster in Australia gave me the opportunity to plan a new race schedule for 2012. It didn’t take long to decide where I wanted to go. St Croix! This was more a decision of the heart than the head. I love St. Croix; the place, the people, the laid back atmosphere of the race, not to mention my wonderful homestay couple Ed and Linda. The fact that its one of the hardest bike courses on the IM circuit could not deter me from heading once again to the US Virgin Islands. 

 Homestay Ed and I at the awards party.

A couple weeks earlier, I had come home from Oz sick, stressed and bike-less. And then I had to wait. Wait until I had a bike to ride, wait until I felt well enough to train again. Wait. Slowly but surely things started to get better, as they always do. Jasper Blake offered to lend me his Speed Concept in the same size as mine. I had some blood tests done and a long talk with my doctor and we figured a few things out. And when I was ready, Clint and I settled on a race plan, starting with 70.3 St. Croix. A couple weeks later I was packing up to go Tucson to get ready for a hot, hilly race.

On March 21^st, Rosalee and I headed south to meet my mom, sister and nephew in Arizona. Mom and Lisa helped out with babysitting while I swam, biked and ran in the sun. I was starting to feel good again.

Once in St. Croix, I felt relaxed and ready. Race week was filled with laughter and good times with friends new and old. The afternoon before the race the rain came down in buckets and the streets of St. Croix became rivers. As the rivers receded overnight, gravel and dirt covered the roads. Race morning the rain continued and it rained on and off all day.

I got in the water at 6am and started my warm up. I had a plan for the swim and was able to follow it to the letter. Last year, the swim had been a gong show. The group I was with swam all over the place and our time was slow. This year, I planned exactly how I was going to sight for each section of the course to make sure we stayed our course! As expected, Nina Kraft and Mary Beth Ellis got away and I led a small chase pack coming out of the water in 3^rd with Angela Naeth, Jenny Fletcher and Marie Danais.

Climbing the Beast (Photo by Justin Fabian)

Out of transition, Angela predictably took off and I was riding with Jenny. After a few miles it was clear that her and I were well-matched on the bike and we ended up spending the whole ride together. When I started to lose concentration, she would come past and get me going again and vice versa. We were a good duo. The course was still covered in debris from the rain and there were large puddles everywhere. Some covered the entire road and we had no choice but to ride right through. Others were more like streams. Near the end of the bike a couple girls overtook us, but they didn’t make up too much time. I came off the bike in about 5^th or 6^th.

Jen and I starting the run.

Starting the run I felt a little sluggish and wasn’t moving as well as I would have liked. Within a mile I became aware that I was making up ground on the lead male (who was a lap ahead). As I got closer I realized it was Lance. He was clearly suffering a little on his final lap and I could hear him breathing hard. As I went past I said “Come on Lance!” But I don’t think he heard me amidst all the cheering from the crown. Say what you will but that guy works hard! Part of me was thinking I should run with him for the whole lap just for the cheering and publicity. But, as I started to feel better and ready to kick my run up a notch, I slowly started to pull away.

After the first lap I had overtaken 2 girls and was running in 4^th. At the turn around I saw that I was close to Nina and was starting to feel good. I picked up the pace and finally got her just before mile 10. Angela and Mary Beth were running their own race in an entirely different time zone, so it was up to me to hold my own until the finish line. Needless to say, I was overjoyed to finish on the podium.

As always, I want to thank many special people for their contribution to my racing. Now that I have a little family, it takes a small village to support my training and travels. Let’s start with my husband Clint whose faith in me is greater than anyone I’ve known. “Aunty” Shelley who continues to be an important part of both my life and Rosalee’s. Grandma Pearl who makes my training possible in Victoria and also makes Clint’s life possible when I am not there. Jasper who generously lent me his Speed Concept and let me drag it across the world. All the people who shared their time and opinions on my bike set-up when I was seeking answers. The guys at the Trek shop who put up with my relentless phone calls and dropping by. My mom and sister who looked after Rosalee during some big training days in Tucson. Good friend and training partner Marilyn who picked me up each day for swimming in the ghetto van, and always shares her time, wisdom and vast cycling knowledge generously. Bob, whose crazy mental training techniques got me to the race feeling excited and ready. Ed and Linda who opened their home again this year in St. Croix. Angela, Jenny, Marisela, Terenzo and many others who shared all those well-needed pre-race laughs! Love you all!

Getting Here

So here I am in Melbourne Australia counting down to another Ironman race day (the count is at 2 days) I am sitting in the kitchen at Luke and Meg Gillmer's place (best people ever, BTW) eating a cinnamon bun (because Peter Reid said to eat whatever you want on the Friday before race day, so best not to argue) and drinking a very good long black (an awesome coffee drink in which you run an espresso through the machine but keep it running until the cup is full... like an americano, but better). (Peter Reid also said not to drink coffee for a couple weeks until race day, but whatever.)

The time since my last race has passed very quickly and is easily divided in my mind between 3 distinct training blocks. The first started just before Christmas and involved about 20h/week of base volume with nothing too hard or specific. The highlight was all the mountain biking and cross country skiing I did in Ontario. The second block started with Houshang's bike camp (see previous blog) and included 2 long rides a week with his group, often in the pissing rain. I also started doing weights again, which i love! The third block is the most recent. In mid-February I packed up my baby girl and Shelley (my volunteer-nanny and swim-training partner) packed up her dog and we all travelled to Tucson for some warmer and drier times.

The Tucson camp was an especially good one for me on many levels. I started to see good times in the pool, good watts on the bike and good average paces on the garmin. I got fitter. It was also a time when many friendships were created or made deeper and many laughs were had. I am especially grateful for the support of Shelley, Clint and Pearl who all helped take care of my baby girl while i trained. I was also very lucky to have a strong group of girls to swim, bike and run with; Rachel, Julie, Shelley, Marilyn and Linsey, thank you all. For anyone who hasn't seen Julie's fun little video of our trip, here it is;

And a few photos:

Here i am testing out my new bike position.

Shelley tries to get Rosalee to eat while Koko waits patiently for anything that might drop.

Grandma Pearl and Rosalee out for a walk.

And another shot on the bike!

 

thanks everyone!

S.

Game Changers



Clint, Rosie, myself and Gramma Rosaleen on Boxing Day



After Ironman Arizona and Cozumel, I took a 3-week break. Clint and I started planning for 2012. We spent Christmas in Ontario with my Dad and his wife Mary, who had never met Rosalee. And Rosalee got to meet her namesake, my 101-year-old grandmother Rosaleen. I amused myself with big days of mountain biking and cross country skiing, not to mention a lot of family visiting.



Rosalee, age 1 and Rosaleen, age 101



On our return to Vic the plan was simple, improve my cycling. One of the things we did was talk to some knowledgable people about how to reach my goals. One of the people we talked to is Clint's friend Patrick, who also happens to coach Paula Findlay. Among other things, Patrick said that I need to find 2 or 3 Game Changers and implement them in training. For some reason I loved this phrase and it stayed with me.

One of the Game Changers we decided on was to attend a camp put on by the Pacific Sport Cycing Centre's Houshang Amiri, who is generally regarded as one the best cycling coaches in Victoria. This meant attending a 5-day, big-volume bike camp with some of the best riders in town. For me, this felt akin to jumping off a cliff, at least in terms of fear, and the possibility of pain. Its safe to say, I would be outside of my comfort zone.

Nervous as I was, I rolled up to the camp feeling positive about what i would learn. The first couple days were a bit of a struggle, especially in terms of my pack-riding skills which are negligable especially compared to guys and girls who race bikes at a high level. It took 2 days of falling off the group on corners, riding 2 feet behind the wheel infront and generally having to focus so hard i couldnt make conversation, before I settled into a reasonable skill level. Its still a work in progress, but at least i can now talk and ride at the same time!

On the first day, we did a couple time trials. One was a 12-minute quad-buster up a big hill that got steep at the top, and the other was an undulating 20-minute effort. Following the advice of another girl on the camp, I turned off my brain and went as hard as i could. I found out later that my times fell right in with the other girls, which i was quite pleased about. On the second day, we did some hill climbs. I was hurting and was already partially blown before we even started climbing. The second day was the roughest for me. I wondered if i could survive 3 more days.



Enough with the boring cycling talk Mom!



On the third day I started to come into my own, felt more comfortable with the group and was really starting to enjoy all the time in the saddle. We did team time trials that day, which were very fun, especially because i didnt get dropped. The fourth day was hills again, and my legs were getting heavy after 4-5hours of hard riding each day. I did my best, but still got lapped by the boys on the hill repeats. At least i know what i have to work on!

The last day of the camp got snowed out, and I was more than happy to go for a run and rest up. I came out of the camp having learned a ton, and also gained a new riding group. We met today for some more hill repeats and I fared a lot better than last week!

Here's a list of my "Game Changers" from the week;

1. A new skill level for riding in a group, cornering and generally being comfy on my bike.

2. A new group to do long rides with on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

3. Some great advice from Coach Houshang about my cycling training.

4. The feeling that maybe, just maybe, I can kick an ass or two on the bike.



Are you done writing yet? Can we play chase?

Happy Training everyone!!



An Interview with Julie

A couple months ago I started working with Julie as our team manager for Mercury Rising. Julie has a wonderful blog chronicling her triathlon journey (see link below) and has recently started a video log full of great triathlon tips (http://trivlogger.blogspot.com/). After I finished the two Ironman races this past November Julie had some great questions for me, which in time became an interview for our coaching website. I thought I would repost it here. Thanks to Julie for her great writing and inquisitive mind!

Julie on her way to a 2h30 bike split at Great White North 1/2 Iron!

Doing the Double

By Julie Anderson

For many iron-distance triathletes, the transition from finisher to competitor is often years in the making. Training, recovery, tapering, racing. Lather, rinse, repeat. But every once in awhile something challenges the way we view our sport in terms of recovery and performance. Outside of the box kind of stuff – like racing two Ironman races only 1 week apart for example.

In November 2011, professional triathlete Sara Gross (http://www.saragross.ca/ and www.saragross.blogspot.com/) did just this. (Keep in mind that Sara gave birth to her daughter Rosalee last year. So, not only did Sara train to regain the fitness required to compete at an elite level, she did so with all the challenges of being a new Mom!) On November 20, 2011, Sara competed at Ironman Arizona. One week later she raced Ironman Cozumel. At both races, she placed in the top ten: 8th female overall in Arizona and 6th female overall in Cozumel.

The following is an interview I had with Sara about her successful execution of the Ironman Double:

1. How did you feel after IMAZ? In other words, do you feel as crappy as the rest of us mortals after an IM race? How I was going to feel during the week between races was actually one of my main concerns going in. After Ironman Canada this year I felt terrible for more than a week, so I worried this would happen again. Before deciding to do the double, I talked to Chris McDonald (and wife Marilyn) to pick his brain and get the low-down on doing the double. (Chris was very successful at it and actually won the second race, Ironman Wisconsin 2008, ed.) He told me that recovering from the first race is all about what you do (or don’t do) during the first 72 hours after the race. This includes getting hydrated, massage, using compression, recovery food, and the little bit of exercise that you do to keep things firing. To answer your question, I felt great after IMAZ. A lot better than after most IM races, and I contribute that to being more diligent with my recovery. I was also in a very positive frame of mind, which always helps.

2. Why did you decide to do another IM only 7 days after IMAZ? Have you ever done this before? I have never done back-to-back Ironman races before but I did race two long-course distances (4k-120k-30k) 8 days apart in 2005. I finished 2nd at the first race in Gerardmer France and won the second race in Sweden 8 days later. So, I had a good feeling about racing back to back. I am not sure exactly what made me decide to do both this time. I was signed up for both races and was having trouble deciding which race to do. Arizona is always very competitive and I really love racing against a tough field. That always motivates me, though it isn’t a wise choice if you are after Kona points! Once the idea of doing both popped into my head I just couldn’t shake it. I was worried that Clint (my husband and coach) wouldn't go for it, but he got completely behind me. I guess the short answer is; because I wanted to. It really is as simple as that. I thought I was fit enough to pull it off and it was a challenge that excited me.

3. In terms of recovery after an IM, what did you do differently, if anything, to prepare for IMCoz? The differences in what I did after IMAZ compared to what I normally do after IM were subtle. It was more a mindset that kept me focused after the race. I did everything a little bit more quickly and efficiently. I ate the post-race pizza immediately even though I wasn’t hungry. I went to the massage tent right away instead of hanging around and chatting with my friends. It was mostly little things like that. I had my Zoot compression socks ready to put on in the car on the way home. I ate lots of protein. I went to bed and actually slept for 8 or 9 hours. I stretched the next day. I had multiple massages. I walked around and didn’t allow my muscles to seize up.

4. Racing 2 IMs only a week apart goes against the widely held notion of training, tapering, racing and recovering. Do you think you were fully recovered for IM Cozumel? Lol! Well, you only have to look at my bike time to see that I was not fully recovered! I was however, recovered enough to finish in 6th place, so I consider it to be a success. So many things can go wrong in an event that takes all day that a little fatigue was not a great concern for me on race day. You know, this little experiment has really challenged the way I see myself and our sport. My performance at IM Cozumel was pretty much exactly what I would expect it to be if I were to do a full Ironman in the middle of a big training block (ie, with no taper). Its amazing how it panned out in such a predictable way. And, the fact that I wasn’t fully recovered sort of makes me want to try again. The whole challenge of racing back-to-back Ironmans is about how well you can recover in 7 days. I think I could do better. I could use my compression clothing from Zoot more effectively or try to get my hands on some of those compression boots that people are using. My daughter really kept me on my toes in the week between the races, so I would recruit more people to help out with that. There are a few bits and pieces that I would change.

5. Did you do any “training” in the week between the two races? Based on advice from Chris, I kept moving in the days after the race and also listened to my body. The morning after IMAZ I rode my bike for 30mins. On Tuesday I did an 800m swim and a short water run and on Wednesday I did a 1200m swim and was able to do some short surges of 15m or so. I also did a fair bit of walking (with my daughter in the stroller). If I did this again, it might be entirely different, but this was the right amount for me that week. My legs and energy levels started to come around on Thursday and from there on I proceeded with my normal taper week. I ended up taking Friday off and did the “biggest” day of the week on Saturday with a 20min swim, 1h bike and 20min run. My total volume for the week between the races was 4h30mins.

6. How much food did you eat after IMAZ? Did you eat even more (the day after and the days following) after IM Coz? Lol!! Yes Julie, if you do 2 Ironmans in a row, you can eat as many bananas and sweet potatoes as you like!! Seriously, one of the things I was thankful for was that I had a good appetite the night after IMAZ. I often feel too sick to eat after an IM. Clint took me to Chipotle after the race for a giant burrito. During the week after Ironman, I normally eat whatever I want. And I did that this time as well, but I also made sure I was eating enough protein for my muscles to recover. I thought that I would be painfully hungry for weeks after the second race, but shockingly, I just had a “normal” post-race appetite after Cozumel. Actually, this applies to how I felt after IMCoz in general. It really felt like I had just done 1 race. I had been warned that I may feel a lot of systemic fatigue in the weeks after the second race, but its been weeks now and I feel great! I am very happy about that.

6. How on earth did you run a 3:07, and then a 3:18 in an IM only 7 days apart? WOW! Ok. You always have to see things like this in relation to how fit you are and what you are capable of. So, In Arizona I ran 3.07 and had a couple minutes of walking break in there. In Cozumel, I had a low patch that lasted 4-5hours smack in the middle of the race, so I was running slowly at the beginning and built into it until I was running at a more suitable pace. The same would apply to the difference in my bike times when compared to my ability, the conditions etc.

7. Did the new Hawaii qualification system effect your decision to race back-to-back? Will we see more of these double IM races in the future? To be honest, the points system was a factor, but not the main reason I decided to try the double. If I had done only Cozumel, I would have likely had a faster day, got decent points from that race and made more prize money. For me, it was mostly about the challenge of it. I love Ironman and just really liked the idea of the double. I don’t know if we will see more of it in the future as many people worry (and rightly so!) that they would not recover in time for the second race. Though I did feel that by playing my cards right it was easier than I thought it would be. I was excited about it and had fun executing it. The race in Cozumel just felt like a celebration to me. It was the right thing to do.

8. Anything else you would like to say? First of all, thanks for the questions Julie! At the risk of sounding a little cheesy, doing back-to-back Ironman races has had a subtle effect on my worldview. It has reinforced the idea that we really can do anything we set our minds to. Once I got my mind linked into the idea of doing the double, it was easy to just follow the path and get the job done. It stretched me as a person and as an athlete. It has had a positive effect on how I feel about my future and on the attitude I bring to my coaching as well. All in all, it was a great experience.

Julie Anderson is the Team Manager for Mercury Rising Triathlon (www.mercuryrisingtriathloncom). She is also a successful age group triathlete and dedicated student of the sport. Julie writes extensively on her blog (www.runningwithdoggies.blogspot.com). She lives in Crowsnest Pass, Alberta, Canada with her partner Mike and cats Mandalay and Peanut.

IM Cozumel Race Report

Before i start my report, let me just say that Cozumel is one of the coolest places i have ever been. And the whole island came out to cheer us on. It is a really special Ironman. I could go on about the place, but this is a race report, not a travel guide and I suspect the report itself will be long enough!

I have a lot to say about this race, about doing 2 Ironman races 7 days apart, what i did in between and what i learned about myself and my sport. I thought i would start with the race itself.

I arrived in Cozumel on Friday afternoon, a bit late in the week compared to my norm, but in time to register and get settled. The legendary Ben Cotter (a fellow pro from Victoria) had hooked us up with amazing accomodations right by the finish line. We each had a rooftop bedroom overlooking the water. The rooms were simple and "mexico" all-over, but they were 1/3 the price of the regular hotel rooms below.

Saturday I got myself aquainted with the swim course, walked through the transition areas, did a quick interview with TSN and generally felt ready to go. I was feeling recovered and very relaxed. My legs weren't as fresh as they had been the previous Saturday, but they weren't too bad either.

Race morning came and I was so relaxed i almost fell asleep in the taxi on the way to the start. But by the time i set up my bike and waited in line for the porta-potties, i had built up plenty of nerves. As I stood with the other pros in the starting area I realized that this was the first time in long time that i really didn't know if i was going to be able to complete the task I had set for myself. And to be clear, the task was as follows;

To compete at 2 Ironman races in 8 days. Note the word compete. I was not there to complete the race, but to compete in it. I was not looking for a 12h finish, i wanted to race. And i have to say, it felt really good to step into the unknown. It felt good to be in that grey area where i knew i was going to be tested physically and mentally. This was the challenge i was looking for and I knew i would get it.

We got in the water for a quick warm and then we were off. Almost immediately, I got dropped by the first pack. I was swimming ok, but just didnt have the sharpness required for the sprint off the line. This didnt really phase me, i just got into my groove and trusted my own swim ability. It quickly became apparent that i was one of the better swimmers in the group I was with, so i made my way to the front and started to chase a small group that was about 100m infront of us.

The swim in Cozumel is non-wetsuit and the water is as clear as you can imagine. You can see every ripple of sand of the ocean floor. Its beautiful. Even though i led the pack most of the way, I came out of the water feeling good.

On the first lap of the bike I felt great. My legs felt strong and fresh. I overtook a couple girls without much effort and started to get excited about how well the day was going. On Thursday before the race, I had a last-minute tune-up with Bob from Sportexcel via Skype. Bob told me that when we feel fatigue or pain, our vision starts to narrow and darken. So everytime i felt myself going into "the cave", I would consciously expand my vision by focusing on the periphery and "brightening" my field of vision. This really worked!! It kept me in the moment and time was just flying by.

At some point during the second lap, I started to feel really uncomfortable on by bike. My shoulders were hurting, my butt was sore, and worst of all, lots of age groupers were blowing by me. I started to get the impression that i was losing ground. The course in Cozumel is 3 loops, bone flat and windy as heck. By the third lap i knew i was really slowing down and had become incredibly uncomfortable. I kept trying to pull myself out of the cave, but it was a battle now. It was also very hot by this point in the day. A number of women passed me on the 3rd lap.
In 19 Ironman races, I can honestly say that i have never been so happy to see T2. The time on the clock said 6.38 which was exactly 30mins slower than i had entered T2 the week before. Feeling lightheaded, discouraged, hot and grumpy, I entered T2 and really had no choice but to take my time. Some cute, 12-year-old Mexican girls lathered me with suncream as I gathered myself and tried to face the marathon. The thing that actually got me out of my funk was a fellow pro woman who was in T2 at the same time as i was. She was cramping up and being carried away on a stretcher. It was a good reminder that things could be a whole lot worse. Her pain became my gain (Ben called this side of me "cold Sara"... I secretly like her).

So out i went onto the run course. At this point, I was reassessing my goals. I came into the race looking for a top 5 finish, but at this point i thought I would be happy just to finish under 10 hours. So, with this new mindset, I set out. At first, all i could do was jog.

I jogged out the first lap and the heat and wind continued. I don't think i mentioned, but Cozumel has a similar climate to Hawaii, but with more humidity. Oh, and windier. I usually hold off on drinking Coke until halfway through the marathon, but the way things were going i thought, screw that, I need it now. So, at about mile 9 I took my first sip of coke and it might as well have been cocaine. It was ice cold, still fizzy and absolutely awesome. Sometime, not long after this, the clouds rolled in offering some much-needed respite from the heat. I continued to take Coke at almost every aid station and life got a whole lot better. Then the skies opened and torrential rain poured about as much as rain can pour during hurricane season on a small island off the coast of Mexico. And not long after it started, a section of the run course flooded and we were all wading through knee-deep water. Other parts just turned into big puddles. It was actually kind of funny.

I spent most of the run thinking I was out of the money placings and was just trucking along trying to get my sub-10h finish. The route was 3 out-and-back loops and I hadnt bothered to count the number of women infront of me. As i started the third loop, I was really starting to come around. Marino Vanhoenacker was standing by the side of the road, looked at me and said, You are in 8th and you look good. 8th? Really? I was pleasantly surprised to learn that i was that far up the field. And so i ran faster. The last loop of the run was definitely the best part of my day. I was feeling human again and really running. I overtook 2 more women and ended up just one spot shy of my goal of Top 5. I got a little choked up in the finishing chute as i allowed myself to remember that i had done 2 Ironman races 2 weekends in a row and was about to finish the 2nd one. 9 hours and 56 minutes.

It was an interesting experiment and I look forward to expounding on what i learned. I will save that for another day.

I wont repeat my list of thank yous since you can find them below in last week's race report, but i will say this: Thank you to everyone who supported me the last few weeks in big ways and small ways. Thank you to everyone who encouraged me on email, Facebook and Twitter. I appreciate you all.

Sara



Ironman Arizona and Stuff

I knew i was fairly fit going into this Ironman and coming out the other side I feel that my 9.18 finish is about right. I ran a 3.07, a PB for me (my previous best was 3.10) and I swam and rode solidly. The only time I've gone faster was in IM Western Autralia in 2006, which was not only a long time ago, but also pre-baby. The course in Arizona is a bit more challenging than WA, so 9.18 is pretty darn close to my best race ever. And i finished 8th. 8th. Yes, you read that correctly, 8th. The last girl to get a paycheck that day. It reminds me of the time I broke the course record at Ironman Florida, but unfortunately, so did 6 other women infront of me that day. Sigh. So I am content with my performance but the fire in my belly has also been stoked.

As for the race itself. I felt good in the morning when i woke up. I had been sleeping well in the week leading up to the race, so i was healthy and strong. I had virtually no warm up for the swim, but felt confident. I got in with a good group and was swimming well, at the right intensity. After the turn around at about the 2k-mark, the guy infront of me fell off the group and a gap opened up. I was lucky enough to be right there and see what had happened. I put in a hard effort for about 200m, swam around him and got back on the pack. Phew!! I was not surprised to learn i had swum a low-54. Thats what it felt like.

I left transition pretty quickly and felt good starting the bike. It always bodes well if the first few kms on the bike feel strong. Then i know i am in for a good day. The 3-lap, out-and-back bike course is well-paved and fast. There is a slight uphill grade going out and coming back is fast. There was some wind out there, so it was not without some challenges.

I was riding strong and girls just kept coming by me. The good news is that most of them weren't blowing by like i was standing still, but still A LOT of women passed me. The weird thing is, i was riding well. Going into the race, i expected to ride about 5.10 on a good day and i knew i was doing that. So many girls were riding under 5h out there! Its great to see, great for the sport and great for woman-kind in general, but WAIT UP GIRLS!!! It took me about 30mins post-race to start plotting how to improve my ride for 2012.

Starting the run, I saw Clint and knew he thought i was having a bad race because of the sheer number of women in front of me off the bike (i think i was in 17th or 18th then?). I could tell by the look on his face that he wasn't feeling great about it (Clint would not do well in a game of poker). If i there had been time for a chat i would have explained that i was actually having a decent race and that i cant really control what everyone else is doing, but keep the faith. Its going well!!

Out on the run and I started at about 3h marathon pace, which i knew i was fit enough to hold. At mile 6, a salt tab exploded in my throat. I know, stupid right? It was the most painful bloody thing. It was like someone detonated a small bomb in my larinx. ouch. I walked and coughed and walked and coughed. White powder was blowing out of my mouth. Water just made it feel worse, but i knew i had to drink it!! Two women ran by me while i was having this little episode and just as the paramedics reached me, i came good and started jogging again and then running properly. My throat still hurts as i write this.

Once that nonsense was over, the rest of the run went by without a hitch. I felt strong and enjoyed striding my way past 10 or so women to finally grab that last paycheck and 8th place overall. HUGE kudos to the 7 fantastic ladies in front of me who continue to set the bar higher and higher! I love how fast the women are going these days. Special thanks to Linsey, Meredith and Amanda for their encouraging words post-race. They are classy girls and great competitors.

In October, when i was in Kona, I sent out an email to my support crew saying I wanted to do a training camp in Tucson and take Rosalee (my 11-month old daughter) with me. It sorta seemed crazy at the time, but I had a simple mantra in my head "lets make this happen," and so we did. That means that after all is said and done, there are a number of people without whom i couldn't have even raced and another group without whom I would not have raced as well as i did. Unfortunately, the $1000 paycheck is not enough to share, but if it was, a number of people would be worthy of a cut. Here is a short list (apologies to those who didnt make the list... I appreciate each and every one of you, I just dont want to bore my readers):

Shelley Thomson (without a "p")- Nanny, friend and swimming partner extraodinaire. There is no one kinder in this world.. at least not that i've met.

My Mom- My brave mother took the plunge and bought a condo in Tucson, allowed me and my crew to take over the place, babysat during some long training days and trips to Mt. Lemmon. Thanks Grandma D.

Rachel Kiers- This girl was all things when required, training partner, babysitter, chef, laundry folder, cheerleader, smoothie-maker, the list could go on forever. I have never known anyone who can figure out how to read the needs of others and help them more than Rachel. And husband Mike is not far behind. Thank you. Thank you.

Marilyn and Chris McDonald- Now here is a fabulous couple. So generous in every way, they helped myself and Clint dozens of times over the last few weeks. I am lucky to know them.

Angela Naeth- Angela showed me where to ride, and put up with me knocking on her door with a sheepish face saying "Can i borrow this? Can i borrow that?". Much appreciated.

Bill Kruse- Massage therapist to pretty much every pro in Tucson. Bill will talk your ear off about everything under the sun and you leave feeling not only physically good, but having learned a thing or two as well.

The Husband- My dear Clinton always makes sacrifices for me so that i can race to my potential and for that I am extraordinarily thankful. Without him there would be no triathlon.

My Sponsors- Zoot, Rudy Project, The Trek Store (Victoria), Sportexcel and Altitudetech. Without their ongoing support i could not afford to chase my dreams.

Mercury Rising Triathlon- Thanks to the team for all the pre-race wishes and post-race kudos! Its great to share my tri-journey with such an enthusiastic group. Lets go flaming squids!!

And lastly, thank you for reading my report. I also love comments and questions.

Sara
 
Photos above courtesy of Zoot Sports.
Photos below courtesy of Rachel Kiers.
 

Rosalee and Grandma D.

 

Shelley and I after a swim workout

 
 

A view from a training ride on Mt Lemmon