grit, resilience, and perseverance

“Grit is having the courage to push through, no matter what the obstacles are, because it’s worth it.”

~Chris Morris

Cliff Notes Version: I GOT to race Ironman Arizona on Sunday, November 20, 2022! 💙💛

• I was SO ready to create an experience I had never had before
• this is a one transition race
• ALL gear (bike, bike bag/gear, run bag/gear) was dropped off on Saturday
• according to IRONMAN, the water temp was 61F on race morning (wetsuit legal race…I wore my Roka Maverick Pro II Wetsuit)…according to everyone’s Garmin devices the water temp was 56-57F
• pro men started at 6:40 am, pro women started at 6:45 am, and age group athletes started at 6:50 am
• the swim start was a self seeded based on expected swim time finish with 5 athletes sent off every 4 seconds
• the swim was one big loop with very choppy water due to strong winds and boats zooming around picking people up out of the water
• the swim buoys were a little difficult to see due to swimming directly into the sunrise, but I wore the perfect goggles for this race (Roka X1 dark amber mirrored goggles)
• I kept my effort high in the swim
• there were wetsuit strippers
• there were a few volunteers to help change in T1, but they were needed to help warm up many of the athletes who were hypothermic
• the air temp was 53F coming out of the water
• the bike course was 3 out and back loops
• there was a strong headwind climbing out of town on the Beeline Highway to the turnaround, which meant an amazing tailwind on the descent to town
• the road surfaces were REALLY rough
• there were three water/aid stations on each loop of the bike course
• there was a bad head on collision between two athletes near the 15 mile mark of the bike course that messed with my head for a bit
• I got a flat tire between miles 25 and 30…I am confident in my tire changing skills, so the flat was not a problem
• there were a few volunteers to help change in T2
• the run course was 2 loops
• there were aid stations on the run nearly every mile with water, gatorade, gels, ice, bananas, grapes, Coke, Red Bull, etc.
• they brought chicken broth out after dark on the run
• I felt great on the run until about mile 18 and then my legs said, “I’m done” but my mind said, “OH HELL NO! Keep running!”
• this was my 2nd fastest IRONMAN finish

Things I’m celebrating:
⚡️not letting the cold water temperatures be a problem
⚡️swimming on the buoys
⚡️not letting the high winds be a problem
⚡️being confident in my flat changing skills (they were needed between miles 25 and 30)
⚡️not letting witnessing of a major crash in the first 18 miles of the bike put me in a negative headspace
⚡️staying connected to the pedals
⚡️my grit, resilience, and perseverance were on point
⚡️smiling all day long
⚡️giving my absolute best on the day
⚡️crossing the finish line of IRONMAN #10 and got to hear Mike Reilly call me an IRONMAN one last time
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Thanks @ironmanvoice for all the memories! Wishing you the best in your retirement! 🥰

Longer Version: I GOT to race Ironman Arizona on Sunday, November 20, 2022 in Tempe, Arizona! 💙💛

The alarm went off at 3:30 am. After doing all of my morning rituals and consuming my breakfast smoothie, we made our way to the transition area (we drove to the parking garage closest to transition). When I got to the transition area, aired up Mojo’s tires, loaded Mojo with my bike bottles, lubed up her chain, I put bike and run nutrition in each of my gear bags that I would pick up in T1 and T2, emptied my bladder, and exited the transition area with our friend Steve (who was also racing). I’m grateful to Tim for taking my bike and run special needs bags to their drop off location. I got love from random puppies, ate my Skratch bar at 5:45, donned my Roka Maverick Pro II Wetsuit, took in a gel at 6:30, and made my way to the swim start. I lined up behind the sign for 1:15-1:20 swim time and was so grateful that I thought to put some throw away flips in my morning clothes bag to keep my feet off of the very cold pavement. Right before getting in the starting coral, I got a high five from Mike Reilly…ok, now I’m definitely ready for the day ahead.

Swim: (1:17:22 for 2.4 miles at 2:01/100 m average pace…21/83 F40-44, 144/530 F, 570/1994 overall)

I was SO grateful that I got into the water on Saturday to get a feel for just how cold the water would really feel. The water temp was 61F according to IRONMAN. Most athletes had temps of 56-57F recorded on their Garmin devices. I eased into the swim by remaining calm and focused on my strokes + breathing… “1, 2, breathe…1, 2, breathe…1, 2, breathe.” At the first turn buoy I kicked the effort up a few notches and found my groove. I struggled throughout this swim with my goggles leaking (only on the right side). I am still uncertain why they leaked…I had a brand new pair of goggles that had been worn in the pool on Wednesday and Friday and in the lake on Saturday to test them and there was ZERO leaking during those swims. While this was super frustrating, I just kept swimming and would occasionally flip over on my back to clear them out before suctioning them to my eye socket even harder than the last time, but it didn’t work…they still leaked. There was a lot of chop on the water due to the strong winds and the boats zooming around pulling athletes from the water, but gratitude moment: thankfully choppy water isn’t a problem for me. As we swam along the back of the course, we were swimming into direct sunlight due to the sunrise. I was anticipating not being able to see the buoys because of this. Despite swimming directly into the sunrise, I swam one of the straightest swims on the buoy line that I’ve ever swam in a race. Gratitude moment: yay for swimming a straight line and on the buoys. I expected my hands and feet to get cold by the end of the swim to the point that I wouldn’t be able feel them, but…gratitude moment: my hands and feet were not nearly as cold as I expected coming out of the water. I spent the majority of the swim staying in the moment, playing chase, having fun, and focusing on my effort. ⚡️

So grateful to not have cold water affect me like it did so many during this swim.
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📸 Finisher Pix

T1: (9:59)

It was a little bit of a jog from the swim exit to T1 and with the colder air (53F) + ground temps, my feet were FROZEN by the time I got to the changing tent. I moved as quickly as I could while cold. I started to get my 4 peanut butter Oreos down the hatch while pulling on my socks + bike shoes, donned my helmet + sunnies, gave my mylar blanket (I had packed one in my T1 bag thinking I might stuff it down the inside of my kit to keep me warmer while cycling, but decided I didn’t need it) to another athlete who was hypothermic in transition, and ran to grab Mojo. New this year…we had to carry our T1 bags to our bikes and leave them there to utilize fewer volunteers and streamline things for gear checkout later in the day.

Bike: (6:31:58 for 112 miles at 17.4 mph average speed…31/83 F40-44, 160/530 F, 778/1994 overall)

The bike course is three laps that are out and back, which gave us the perfect amount of challenge + fun! We got the challenge of climbing into the headwind on the way out of town, but once we reached the turn around, we got to rocket back to town thanks to the descent and tailwind. This course can get pretty congested (especially in the 2nd lap) as more athletes are crammed into a smaller space, but I was prepared for it. Aside from the VERY, VERY ROUGH road surfaces, it was a lot of FUN!

Time to spend some quality time with Mojo!
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📸 Tim Fencl

During the first lap, I settled into the ride while taking in all of the scenery, noticing landmarks I could use to get me through the 18+ mile stretch to the turnaround, and fueling + hydrating like it was my job…because let’s be honest…it was my job on this day! At about mile 15 ish, there was a really bad head-on crash between two cyclists, which was so scary as both athletes appeared to be unconscious. A few athletes stopped to help them, but I kept pedaling forward as I knew someone needed to call 911. As athletes, we are not allowed to have our cell phones with us, but the only way to get medical help would be to get that phone call made. About a 1/2 mile up the road, I saw a spectator and gave her as much information as I could so she could call 911. I made it to the turnaround on the first lap and kept my eyes peeled for the crash ahead. When I got there and saw the medical help they were receiving, I knew there was nothing more I could do, so I tried to change my mindset and pull myself mentally back into the race. It wasn’t easy and it took some time, but I was eventually forced to refocus my mental energy because I got a flat between miles 25 and 30. Gratitude moment: I have LOTS of experience changing a flat and am confident in my skills, so this wasn’t a problem. Good thing, because the officer near me asked if I needed help and when I told him I was good he responded with, “that’s good, because I know nothing about changing a bike tire.” 🤣 At the turnaround in town, I was greeted by cheers from my #1and Ellen. I let them know I had a flat and was good to go.

Here we go!!
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📸 Finisher Pix

Here we go…lap two! As I made my way back through town and out to the Beeline, my mind went dark for a bit as I was REALLY annoyed and frustrated with the lady who drafted off of me for the ENTIRE way out to the turn around. I really wish I had taken in enough fluids to give her a much deserved “shower”, but I just didn’t have enough in me at this point in the day. After the turn around, I rocketed back to town and dropped her like a bad habit. 

Just keep smiling!!
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📸 Finisher Pix

Here we go…last lap! This lap was all about staying gritty and getting back to transition. The headwinds at this point were dragging me down a bit, but I did my best to keep my mind focused and strong. ⚡️

This scenery is 😍!!
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📸 Justin Luau

T2: (4:33)

An amazing volunteer took Mojo from me as I dismounted. I grabbed my T2 bag, quickly stopped to empty my bladder (boy did I finally have to pee 🤪), and made my way into the change tent. I changed my socks and shoes, thanked the volunteer as she took my bag while I set out for the run. As I was running out of transition, this is when I put on my race belt + visor, and got all of my nutrition situated in the various places while on the move.

Run: (5:11:34 for 26.2 miles at 11:48/mile average pace…30/83 F40-44, 163/530 F, 734/1994 overall)

I was so happy to be off the bike and ready to run. My goal was to hold back at the start of the run and keep a solid + strong effort throughout the entire run while only walking through aid stations to ensure proper fueling and hydration.

Feels good to be off the bike and running!
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📸 Tim Fencl

The run course was a 2 loop route this year with multiple out and back sections, which was awesome because we got to see other athletes and spectators so many times! I set out with the intention to focus on the mile I was in. I quickly settled into my pace and started knocking off the miles. I stayed connected to my pace, took in my nutrition and hydration as planned, stayed mentally + physically strong and felt really good until about mile 18.

It would be so awesome if they served curry on Curry hill!! 🤣
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📸 Finisher Pix

That’s when the wheels started to fall off. Good thing I have been training my mind to push through in instances like this because I did far less walking in those last 8 miles than I have in previous marathons when the legs and feet go deep in the hurt box. “The mind gives up before the body” and I was not going to let that happen. Yes my pace slowed, but I kept “running” to the red carpet. ⚡️

This view was amazing as the sunset and the city scape lit up the night sky during the last loop of the run.
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📸 Tim Fencl

Overall: (13:15:25…32/83 F40-44, 205/530 F, 872/1994 overall)

You’re never the same after running down the red carpet and crossing the IRONMAN finish line as you were when you toed the start line…even after crossing 10 IRONMAN finish lines there is still room to learn and grow. IRONMAN teaches you tenacity, grit, patience, problem solving skills, resilience, perseverance, and fortitude. It shows you just how strong you really are mentally, physically, and emotionally. It allows you to push your boundaries. It teaches you that discomfort is temporary. It challenges you to reach new highs and weather new lows. It shows you that adversity is not a problem. It teaches you that even in those dark moments, you can still be your best and that the light is just ahead. It allows you to feel it ALL…proud, powerful, disappointed, grateful, joyful, frustrated, self-confident, ecstatic. And IMAZ was no different. ⚡️
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📸 Finisher Pix

Getting to that red carpet on this day took all of the grit, resilience, and perseverance I had. As I ran down the red carpet into the spotlights with the cheers of family, friends, and random strangers surrounding me, I was full of emotions. I was so grateful for the privilege to run down another red carpet and cross the finish line to IRONMAN #10. I was disappointed to not have the race that I had prepared for. I was grateful for a strong body and an even stronger mind. I was surprised to cross the finish line with my 2nd fastest Ironman finish time. I was so thankful to hear Mike Reilly say “Kecia Place-Fenci YOU ARE AN IRONMAN” one last time (I don’t think my name has ever been properly pronounced, but I always know he is talking to me! 🤣) as he steps into retirement. I have lots of things to celebrate, lots of learnings to carry with me into future racing, and gratitude for all of the progress made in this sport. Crossing the IRONMAN finish line is always a privilege and one I NEVER take for granted! ⚡️

I’m grateful for the privilege to race, for the privilege of a healthy body and mind, for the privilege to push my boundaries, for the privilege to run down another red carpet, and for the privilege to cross the finish line at IRONMAN #10! ⚡️
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📸 Finisher Pix

Gear: Coeur Sports triathlon shorts, Coeur Sports sports bra, Coeur Sports aero top, Roka X-1 Goggles, Roka Maverick Pro II Wetsuit, Specialized Transition tri bike, Specialized S-works Evade helmet, Specialized Torch 2.0 Road Shoes, Coeur Sports visor, Newton Kismet running shoes, Roka SL-1X sunnies, Orange Mud hand held water bottle

hard and heavy racing

“It can be hard and heavy, but still be right.”

~Vanessa Faye Foerster

Cliff Notes Version: I raced the Drake 1/2 marathon on Sunday! 💙💛

• This was my first race of 2022
• At the race start, the windchill was in the upper 30s with actual temps in the mid 40s, it was sunny, and SUPER windy (~30 mph sustained winds with higher gusts)
• This is a hilly course
• I felt “heavy” with pressure going into this race…pressure I was inflicting on myself

I am here for it! #LFG ⚡️

Longer Version:

After a shake out run to warm up, I made my way up to “corral A” shortly before the official race start. I barely heard the National Anthem (and I’m quite certain the people behind me had no clue it was being sung) due to the high winds and poor speaker quality/positioning. While standing there waiting for the race to start, I realized something was missing…excitement. The excitement I typically feel before the start of a race was absent. I felt “heavy.” I was carrying the weight of so much unnecessary pressure on my shoulders…pressure I was inflicting on myself. Pressure of needing to do more. Pressure of needing to be more. Pressure of needing to be somewhere I’m not yet. Pressure of thinking I should be…blah, blah, blah. I was in a state of discomfort before the race even started.

When the horn beeped to signal the start of the race, the “elite” + “corral A” runners were set loose. Having run this course multiple times in the past, I know the terrain, turns, etc. throughout the course, so I knew to take it easy out of the gate as the start is uphill with a right hand turn a few blocks into the start of the race.

I kept a comfortable (ish) pace in the beginning miles while looking for carrots…people to pick off in front of me. At around mile 3 there is a significant downhill that is about a mile long. I used this stretch to check in with myself…how is my effort? How is my fueling? How is my body temperature? What do I need in this moment? The emotional discomfort was still there…”I’m not enough.” I decided not to fight or ignore these thoughts causing me to feel insecure. Instead, I “sat” with them and tried to move through them. Why am I having these thoughts? Where are they coming from? How can I change the way these thoughts make me feel?

As I started the climb back up at mile 4, I removed my gloves and took in a gel. I was starting to heat up just a bit with the winds at my back, but decided to keep my long sleeved tech shirt on for a while longer. I kept picking off people one by one in front of me, but those thoughts of “I am not enough. I am not fast enough. I am not good enough. I am not strong enough. I should be x, y, z” were still plaguing my brain, so I continued to “sit” with them. Why am I having these thoughts? Where are they coming from? How can I change the way these thoughts make me feel?

Somewhere between miles 5 and 6, I was feeling really warm, so I took off my long sleeved tech shirt and tied it around my waist. I tried strategies I have used in the past to try to pull my brain back in the present moment and enjoy what was left of this race experience, but they just weren’t sticking.

At about mile 9, I took in my second gel. And then as I crested the last big hill at mile 10, I reminded myself that I GET to do this. Sadly that was a fleeting thought that didn’t stick and I was back to feeling the heavy weight of “I am not enough” shortly after. My legs toyed with the possibility of cramping multiple times from this point through to the finish line. As a result, I slowed my pace a bit to allow myself to continue running and avoid cramping which might cause me to walk (or worse…completely stop moving).

As I made my way back toward the stadium and the finish line, I had so many emotions…I was sad, disappointed, and humiliated with myself and my finish time. I had spent the majority of this race in a mental space that I don’t typically experience on race day; the discomfort was real.

The Drake 1/2 Marathon had loads of discomfort, burning in my legs, a pounding heart, heavy breathing, salty sweat in my eyes, exhaustion, emotional discomfort, challenges, learning, and growing, AND you know what?! I’m S O D A M N P R O U D of experiencing all of it because all of this helps me create the best version of myself! I am here for it! #LFG ⚡️

As I walked to the car, I thought about and processed the emotions I was feeling. I thought about what I had overcome during the race and found a whole list of things to celebrate:

• I showed up to race despite feeling “heavy” the week before…therefore, I AM MORE THAN ENOUGH!
• I was full of discomfort for the majority of the race (physically, mentally, and emotionally), but I didn’t try to fight the discomfort or put a temporary blanket over it to hide it…instead I sat with the discomfort and moved through it (and I continued to process the emotional discomfort yesterday at counseling)…therefore, I AM MORE THAN ENOUGH!
• I didn’t quit…therefore, I AM MORE THAN ENOUGH!
• I didn’t walk except for a few steps at aid stations to avoid spilling my water while drinking it…therefore, I AM MORE THAN ENOUGH!
• I problem solved to fight off the possibility of cramps in my legs…therefore, I AM MORE THAN ENOUGH!

While this may not have been one of my best races (physically, mentally, or emotionally), it was the race I needed in this moment on my journey to my next level. And ya know what?! I’m SO DAMN PROUD that I allowed myself to experience all of it, to “sit” with it, and to move through it because I will be so much stronger for it. This experience will aid in my ability to create the best version of myself that I can be because I AM MORE THAN ENOUGH!

Finish time: 1:59:55 (9:09/mile average pace) AG: 7/30, Females: 121/360, Overall: 390/793
Gear: Coeur Sports fitted run shorts, Coeur Sports triathlon tank with shelf bra, Coeur Sports visor, Newton Kismet running shoes, Roka SL-1X sunnies

ready + create

“You are READY, trust the work you have done!”

~Ironman Arizona Team

Cliff Notes Version: I GOT to race Ironman Arizona on Sunday, November 21! 💙💛

• I was SO ready to create an experience I had never had before, and that is EXACTLY what I did!
• this is a one transition race
• ALL gear (bike, bike bag/gear, run bag/gear) was dropped off on Friday
• the water temp was 64.2F on race morning (wetsuit legal race…I wore my Roka Maverick Pro II Wetsuit)
• there were no pro athletes at this race, so age group athletes started at 6:45 am
• the swim start was a self seeded based on expected swim time finish with 5 athletes sent off every 4 seconds
• the swim was one big loop with very choppy water, but I focused on my effort
• there was a lot of talk about the swim buoys being difficult to see due to swimming directly into the sunrise, but it was a cloudy morning so we weren’t swimming into direct sunlight
• I created an Ironman swim PR
• there were wetsuit strippers
• there were a few volunteers to help change in T1
• the bike course was 3 loops
• there was a strong headwind climbing out of town on the Beeline Highway to the turnaround, which meant an amazing tailwind on the descent to town
• there were three water/aid stations on each loop of the bike course
• I created an Ironman bike PR
• there were a few volunteers to help change in T2
• the run course was 3 loops
• there were aid stations on the run nearly every mile with water, gatorade, gels, ice, bananas, grapes, Coke, Red Bull, etc.
• they brought chicken broth out during my last loop in the run
• I missed an Ironman run PR by less than 6 minutes
• I created a 52 minute overall Ironman PR

I was R E A D Y to toe the start line. I was R E A D Y to challenge myself. I was R E A D Y to put it all together and create a performance I had never had before. And that is E X A C T L Y what I did! I created an experience I’ve never had and it was A M A Z I N G! I had an overall PR of 52 minutes, finishing in 12:44:56. #LFG ⚡️⚡️⚡️
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I’m grateful for the privilege to race, for the privilege to challenge myself in new ways, for the privilege to run down another red carpet, and for the privilege to cross another finish line!

Longer Version: I GOT to race Ironman Arizona on Sunday, November 21 in Tempe, Arizona! 💙💛

The alarm went off at 3:30 am. After doing all of my morning rituals and consuming my breakfast smoothie, we made our way to the transition area (we drove to the parking garage closest to transition). There was an amazing spectator willing to tote all of my stuff to transition for me in his wagon so that I didn’t have to carry it from the parking garage to transition. Thank you random stranger! When I got to the transition area, it wasn’t open quite yet, so I walked my run special needs and bike special needs bags over to the designated drop off area before making my way back to the transition area. I put bike and run nutrition in each of my gear bags that I would pick up in T1 and T2, emptied my bladder, aired up Mojo’s tires, loaded Mojo with my bike bottles, lubed up her chain, helped a friend from back home do the same to his bike, squeezed another friend from back home, and exited the transition area. I got love from random puppies, ate my Skratch bar at 5:45, donned my Roka Maverick Pro II Wetsuit, took in a gel at 6:15, and made my way to the swim start. As I lined up behind the sign for 1:15-1:20 swim time, I found my friend Lil. It was so great to see her, squeeze her, and chat with her before starting our day.

Swim: (1:16:14 for 2.4 miles at 1:58/100 m average pace…22/89 F40-44, 100/480 F, 510/1928 overall)

I eased into the swim by remaining calm and focused on my strokes + breathing… “1, 2, breathe…1, 2, breathe…1, 2, breathe.” At the first turn buoy I kicked the effort up a few notches and found my groove. The water was a bit choppy, but gratitude moment: thankfully choppy water isn’t a problem for me. As we swam along the back of the course, we were supposed to be swimming into direct sunlight due to the sunrise, but gratitude moment: yay for a pretty cloudy morning, so there wasn’t much sun shining in our eyes to make sighting the buoys extra difficult. I spent the majority of the swim staying in the moment, playing chase, having fun, and focusing on my effort. My effort was right where I wanted it to be, which allowed me to create a swim PR! ⚡️

Who had fun during that swim?! THIS GIRL!!! ⚡️
📸 credit: Finisher Pix

T1: (8:13)

It was a little bit of a jog from the swim exit to T1, but when I got to the change tent with my T1 bag, I quickly started to get my 4 peanut butter Oreos down the hatch, changed into my bike shoes, donned my helmet + sunnies, and ran to grab Mojo.

Oh yeah! I created that swim PR! ⚡️
📸 credit: Erika or my #1 (I don’t really know who snapped this one)

Bike: (6:18:11 for 112 miles at 17.8 mph average speed…23/89 F40-44, 116/480 F, 739/1928 overall)

The three loop bike course gave us the perfect amount of challenge + fun! We got the challenge of climbing into the headwind on the way out of town, but once we reached the turn around, we got to rocket back to town thanks to the descent and tailwind…SO FUN!

During the first loop, I settled into the ride while taking in all of the scenery, noticing landmarks I could use to get me through the 18+ mile stretch to the turnaround, and fueling + hydrating like it was my job…because let’s be honest…it was my job on this day! Cheers to and from Vanessa as we went in opposite directions! Once I made it to the turnaround on the first loop, I had so much fun rocketing back to town. Sure, the road surfaces were a little bumpy, but the descent + tailwind were AMAZING!!

In my element + taking it all in! ⚡️
📸 credit: Finisher Pix

As I cruised back into town, I saw Dad and Aunt Patty out on the bike course. They convinced a group of random strangers to cheer for me. It was a great boost of energy in that moment! At the turnaround in town, I was greeted by cheers from my #1, my good friend Erika, and OJ. So much gratitude for my support crew!

Getting some cheers from OJ! ⚡️
📸 credit: my #1

Here we go…lap two! Wait a minute…where did this wind come from? I thought the winds were supposed to be less than 10 mph all day…that’s clearly not the case. Oh well…gratitude moment: good thing I’ve done this before and train in headwind all the time in Iowa! This is my kind of challenge! As I got to the Beeline Highway, I focused on getting to the next landmark to get me to the turnaround (it’s only 4 miles to the Gilbert Road, it’s only 4 miles to the mountain, it’s only 2 miles to the turnaround). I played chase and commented to other athletes I passed (and athletes who passed me), “it’s a good thing there isn’t any headwind today!” They didn’t think I was funny. 🤪 I sang songs out loud: “I feel good,” “Life is a highway,” “This girl is on fire,” and “I won’t back down”…sorry to those athletes who heard me and wondered where that screeching was coming from! 🤪 Cheers to and from Leslie as we were going in opposite directions…I’m going to try and catch her! And just like that, we were at the turnaround! Cheers to Lil as we were going in opposite directions. Gratitude moment: AWWWW YEAH! That tailwind + descent is AWESOME! LFG! ⚡️

I saw Dad and Patty on my way back into town and then saw my #1, Erika, and OJ at the turnaround in town, but this time they were joined by our good friends Jeff and Deb. Oh the cheers! Thanks support crew!

LFG! ⚡️
📸 credit: Finisher Pix

Here we go…last lap! I caught up with Leslie on my way out to the Beeline Highway. We chatted for a bit and then we each continued on our separate ways to the turnaround. The wind hadn’t died down, so I again focused on making it to one landmark at a time while singing, smiling, and enjoying every minute of this ride. As I rounded the cone at the turnaround, I thanked the volunteers and put the hammer down all the way back to town. Oh…and that last loop was faster than loop #2. BOOM! ⚡️

I spent the majority of the bike staying in the moment, playing chase, and focusing on my effort. My effort and focus were right where I wanted them to be. I rolled into transition creating a bike PR by almost 30 minutes. ⚡️

I had SO MUCH FUN on this bike course! ⚡️
📸 credit: Finisher Pix

T2: (4:59)

An amazing volunteer took Mojo from me as I dismounted. I grabbed my T2 bag and made my way into the change tent. As I was changing my shoes, the Women’s Change Captain was talking to me saying how I looked familiar. I told her I was the Women’s Change Captain at Ironman Wisconsin and we worked together this year as she was a co-captain for gear bags in Wisconsin. I thanked Joanna as she took my bag while I set out for the run, but not before a quick stop to empty my bladder (boy did I have to pee 🤪).

Here we go! Time to run!
📸 credit: my #1

Run: (4:57:21 for 26.2 miles at 11:21/mile average pace…30/89 F40-44, 163/480 F, 734/1928 overall)

My goal was to hold back at the start of the run and keep a solid + strong effort throughout the entire run while only walking through aid stations to ensure proper fueling and hydration. In all of my Ironman races in the past, I have started out too fast causing lots of walking in later parts of the marathon. This time I wanted to make sure I wasn’t burning too many candles at the start of my run so that I had candles to burn in the later parts of the marathon. I saw my #1 and Erika immediately after I exited transition and set out on the run. They let me know I had a massive PR on the bike and asked how I was feeling for the run. And guess what?! I was feeling AMAZING!! This is what I had trained for! This is where the fun begins!

Running strong and feeling good! ⚡️
📸 credit: Finisher Pix

The run course was also a 3 loop course, which was awesome because we got to see spectators so many times! During the first loop, I kept my pace steady and focused on the mile I was in. I continually asked myself, “how is my effort?” so that I wasn’t pushing too hard early on. I took in my nutrition and hydration as planned. I saw Dad and Patty at about mile 3 and then saw my #1 and Erika between miles 5 and 6 twice. As I made my way to mile 7, I felt my stomach gurgling, so I made a quick Kybo stop to 💩 and headed on my way back around the lake to start loop #2.

Gratitude moment: my first two loops of the run were before the sun went down! ⚡️
📸 credit: Finisher Pix

As I made it back to the transition area to start loop 2, I again saw my #1 and Erika. They cheered me on and gave me updates for where I was against my competitors. I was still feeling really good and keeping a steady pace. My stomach felt extremely full; I kind of wanted to vomit so that I wouldn’t have a sloshy stomach, but apparently my body wanted to hold on to all that liquid. At about mile 10.5, I saw OJ for the first time and she was FULL of cheers! She asked how I was doing and I told her I was keeping a steady pace + constantly checking in with “how is my effort?” to remind myself to not burn too many candles. I continued to hydrate and fuel according to plan which helped me stay strong and energized. I saw Dad and Patty again at about mile 12 and then crossed over to the other side of Tempe Town Lake where OJ was like “Where’s Waldo” out on the course. She had her bike, so she was able to bounce all over the place cheering me on and keeping me motivated. I again saw my #1 and Erika around mile 14 and then saw OJ again before heading back around to the other side of the lake to start loop #3.

Surprise! OJ found me! 🤪
📸 credit: OJ

I saw my #1 and Erika near the transition area. They asked how I was feeling (the answer…GREAT!) and told me they would see me at the finish as they were going to get my bike + gear and take it to the car so we wouldn’t have to do it after the race. I thanked them and powered on. OJ continued to bounce around the course cheering me on, which I really appreciated. At about mile 18, my body decided it was done with gels, so I switched to eating grapes at the aid stations. I still had plenty of energy and was feeling strong, just couldn’t choke down one more gel. As I made my way to the other side of the lake for the last time, I was surprised to see my #1 and Erika at about mile 23. Tim told me he would give me an update on where I was against my competitors when I crossed the timing mat and came back to them, but I told him I didn’t want one. I was in such a good mental space that I didn’t want to fracture that in any way by adding pressure to myself knowing where I was against other women in my age group. I just wanted to continue to love this race and enjoy every moment of it!

Creating the day of my dreams! ⚡️
📸 credit: Finisher Pix

I was overcome with gratitude for having such an amazing race from start to finish as I made my way back around the lake toward the finish line! For the first time ever, I executed my run goal perfectly! I had SO much support out on the run course, which made it extremely easy to stay in the present mile and tick off each mile one at a time. While my pace slowed a bit during the 2nd and 3rd loops, my effort was still as high as it had been throughout the swim and the bike. I created a run performance I had only dreamed of and finished just about 6 minutes short of a run PR. ⚡️

Overall: (12:44:56…23/89 F40-44, 117/480 F, 622/1928 overall)

Lots of emotions! ⚡️
📸 credit: Finisher Pix

As I ran down the red carpet into the spotlights with the cheers of family, friends, and random strangers surrounding me, I was full of emotions. I had created a race experience that fell together like nothing I had experienced before and it was MAGICAL! I had created the race experience of my dreams! I was SO F’ING PROUD as I crossed that finish line in 12:44:56 creating a shiny new PR by 52 minutes! ⚡️

I was SO DAMN PROUD to have created a shiny new PR by 52 minutes! ⚡️
📸 credit: Finisher Pix

Gear: Coeur Sports triathlon shorts, Coeur Sports sports bra, Coeur Sports aero top, Roka X-1 Goggles, Roka Maverick Pro II Wetsuit, Specialized Transition tri bike, Specialized S-works Evade helmet, Specialized Torch 2.0 Road Shoes, Coeur Sports visor, Newton Kismet running shoes, Roka SL-1X sunnies, Orange Mud hand held water bottle

turn up the volume!

“Racing teaches us to challenge ourselves. It teaches us to push beyond where we thought we could go. It helps us to find out what we are made of. This is what we do. This is what it’s all about.”

~PattiSue Plumer

Cliff Notes Version: I GOT to race the Hillbilly Hike 1/2 Marathon on Saturday, November 6! 💙💛

Things seemed to be back to “normal” for this race. There weren’t any Covid measures in place, but we still wore masks on the bus ride to the start line to keep ourselves as healthy as possible before IMAZ.

• this is a point to point race (starting in Indianola and finishing in Carlisle)
• you park near the finish line and busses transport you to the start line (we wore masks on the bus, but many did not wear them)
• they transport a morning clothes bag from the start area back to the finish line for you with any gear you don’t want to run in/with
• the temps were in the low 40s at race start with mostly blue skies + strong tailwinds pushing us the whole way to the Carlisle finish line
• there were aid stations with volunteers handing out water (and a few stations had Gatorade) every 2ish miles, but I carried water with me to practice for IMAZ race day
• I took in a Science in Sport (SIS) gel before the start and then at miles 3.5, 7, and 10.5 to keep me strong all the way to the finish line
• there was quite the spread of food at the finish…biscuits and gravy, pie, chips, bananas, and many beverage options

Longer Version: We arrived in Carlisle at about 6:45 am, got our race bib (with timing chip) and race shirts from packet pick up, got all of our gear ready for our race, packed up our morning clothes bag, and boarded a bus to take us to Indianola at about 7:15 am. This was plenty of time to arrive in Indianola, use the Kybo to empty the bladder, chat with friends, do an easy warm up, strip down to racing gear, drop our morning clothes bag for transport to the finish line, and get to the start line for the 8:30 am start.

The weather was really ideal for a 1/2 marathon…42*F, mostly sunny, winds from the S at 15 mph. When it was time to start, we didn’t hear any sound to indicate the start of the race…we simply saw people starting to run in front of us, so we followed them.

We ran on a few streets before making our way to the paved trail that would take us all the way to Carlisle. I decided to take it easy for the first few miles to ease into it before kicking it up a notch (or two).

I decided I was not going to look at my Garmin to see where I was for pace or overall time for the duration of the race. I was running by feel and enjoying the opportunity to race in person. I wanted to see just how my race would unfold while monitoring my effort as that is my plan for race day at IMAZ. The first aid station was just past mile 2. This is where I kicked it up a notch. I really wanted to see what I could do on this day. I took in my first Science in Sport (SIS) gel at about mile 3.5 (there was paint on the trail every 1/2 mile with how far we were to the end of the trail), washed it down, and continued to run strong!

At mile 4 I kicked it up another notch. I stayed in the present mile I was in and tapped into my intentional thoughts to keep me focused and in control of my race. I was so happy to be racing! I continued to run strong and smile big for the duration of the race. It was fun to chase down other athletes and do what I love again!

As I turned toward the lake shortly before mile 7, I took in my second SIS gel. This is such a fun section of the race. With it being a short out and back section, you get to see other athletes, cheer them on, and enjoy the glorious fall scenery along the lake.

Feeling SO strong!

After exiting the lake area and getting back on the trail, it was time to put the head down to do work. With 5miles to the finish line, this is where I wanted to see just how fart I could take myself. I took in my final SIS gel shortly after mile 10 to keep me running strong all the way through to the finish.

As I approached the end of the trail in Carlisle (where the finish line is), I was so full of joy…the weather was perfect, I GOT to race, I got to push my limits without looking at my Garmin once, I felt the strongest physically and mentally while racing that I’ve felt in years! There was so much to be grateful for!

SO much joy for racing!

As I crossed the finish line with a smile on my face, fatigue in my legs, happiness in my heart, fuel in my soul, and excitement for what is to come, all was right in the world! I had SO MUCH JOY! Oh…and the icing on the cake…I ran my second fastest 1/2 marathon EVER (my fastest was 14.5 years ago and I only missed that finish time by 2 minutes).

Finish time: 1:50:26 (8:25/mile average pace) AG: 6/35, Females: 38/171, Overall: 106/310
Gear: Coeur Sports fitted run shorts, Coeur Sports sports bra, Coeur Sports running tank top, Coeur Sports visor, Newton Kismet running shoes, Roka SL-1X sunnies, Orange Mud hand held water bottle

rise to it

“The land of endurance is calling – rise to it.”

~Ironman 70.3 World Championship marketing

Cliff Notes Version: I GOT to race Ironman 70.3 World Championships on Saturday, September 18! 💙💛

• I had the will to try and the belief it was possible so I got to achieve my dreams by racing in the Ironman 70.3 World Championships
• this is a two transition race
• ALL gear (bike, bike bag/gear, run bag/gear) was dropped off on Friday
• shuttle buses shuttled all athletes and spectators out to Sand Hollow Reservoir on race morning
• the water temp was 78.3F (non-wetsuit race…I wore my Roka swimskin)
• the pro men, pro women, and para athletes started first, followed by all of the age group men by age group waves, and then the age group women by age group waves
• I was in the first women’s wave and started that started at 8:58 am MT
• the swim start was a self seeded within our age group 10 athletes sent off every 15 seconds
• the swim was the beautiful and the calm before the storm…quite literally
• there were no volunteers to help change in T1
• you had to put all of your stuff in your T1 bag and give it to a volunteer so your gear would be transported to T2
• the bike was interesting…lightening, dust storm, hail, rain, wind (gusting up to 40 mph), cloudy, torrential downpour
• there were four water/aid stations on the bike
• there were no volunteers to help change in T2
• the sun came out on the run and got HOT AF…we were in the desert after all
• there were aid stations on the run nearly every mile with water, gatorade, gels, ice, bananas, oranges, Coke, Red Bull, etc.
• there was a buffet line with pizza or a chicken salad, chips, bananas, and a few beverage options

Longer Version: I GOT to race Ironman 70.3 World Championships on Saturday, September 18 in St. George, Utah! 💙💛

Reminders for the day!

We got on a shuttle at about 6:45 am from near the finish area to Sand Hollow Reservoir. Once we arrived at the Reservoir, I had plenty of time to go potty, get my tires aired up, and my bike bottles on Mojo. I helped a fellow Coeur Sports sister air up her tires and then consumed some extra calories while waiting for my swim wave. At about 8:10 am, I noticed our swim sign was moving toward the front of the swim line, so I put my Roka swimskin on and made my way into the starting coral with the other F40-44 athletes. I was a bit worried as I didn’t see Steena, but knew that our wave was moving, so I needed to move also. Eventually Steena made her way to me and we chatted while we waited for our swim wave to actually start the swim. We commented that it was a bit warm standing in the sun waiting…hind sight is 20/20 for what was to come! 😜

Swim: (42:36 for 1.2 miles at 2:12/100 m average pace…146/225 F40-44, 789/1254 F, 2434/3441 overall)

I entered the water on the far left, instead of along the buoy line. As I dived into the water, I immediately thought, “WOW! This water is clear and cool!” It wasn’t actually as cool as I prefer, but it felt cool after standing in the sun waiting to start the swim. I found my rhythm and made my way toward the line of buoys by the 5th buoy. There wasn’t much contact (if any) as I swam past slower swimmers in front of me. When I turned to breathe, I soaked in the absolutely gorgeous views. When I rounded the first turn buoy, I started passing slower athletes in different colored swim caps from the waves before me. I made my way through the swim arch (timing device), rounded turn buoy #2, and headed for the shore. With about 500 meters to go, I started getting passed by faster athletes in swim waves behind me. I tried to jump on the feet of a few of them to get as much free speed as possible, but they were much faster and I was unable to stick with them. I felt strong + solid during the swim giving my best on this day! “I GET to race in the Ironman 70.3 World Championships!”

📸 Finisher Pix

T1: (5:38)

As I exited the water, I noticed the black sky off in the distance and said, “Oh shit!” I got my swimskin off just below my hips, removed my goggles + swim cap, and ran to my gear bag. I quickly stripped off my swimskin, put on my socks + bike shoes, stuffed all my swim gear in my bag, grabbed my helmet and sunnies and started running to meet Mojo at her spot. I dropped my gear bag off to some wonderful volunteers and donned my helmet and sunnies as I ran to get Mojo. I quickly grabbed Mojo, and ran a REALLY long way to the bike exit. Once at the mount line, we were off!

I may have drank too much water during the swim. 🤪
📸 John Cirves

Bike: (3:39:25 for 56 miles at 15.3 mph average speed…200/225 F40-44, 1142/1254 F, 3290/3441 overall)

I was excited to get on the bike and rise to the challenge that the Ironman 70.3 St. George terrain would provide. It is notoriously hilly including a 4 mile climb up Snow Canyon National Park at mile 40ish of the 56 mile bike course, but I was excited for the challenge! “I GET to race in the Ironman 70.3 World Championships!”

At about mile 6, I noticed lightening off in the distance + those black skies getting closer and closer to me. I thought, “Oh no! That’s not good! What is going to happen to those poor ladies in the water swimming right now?!” I put my head down and pushed on reminding myself that I GET to race in the Ironman 70.3 World Championships! At about mile 8, the winds picked up out of no where blowing tumble weeds across the road and creating a big dust storm. The next thing I knew, ladies in front of me were getting blown right off the road on their bikes into the ditch. I held on to Mojo for dear life and continued to move forward. “I GET to race in the Ironman 70.3 World Championships!”

📸 Finisher Pix

At about mile 10, the rain + hail started and the winds weren’t letting up. I laughed a bit, as I remembered the slogan for this race was “rise to it” and Mother Nature was giving us a bit more to rise to. I was a bit nervous about the speed with which other athletes were flying past me in aero on these slick roads with the wind blowing us sideways, but I kept focusing on myself and what I could control as I pushed on. My biceps, triceps, and forearms were SO tired and sore from the death grip I was giving Mojo. “I GET to race in the Ironman 70.3 World Championships!”

Eventually Mother Nature adjusted her attitude a bit to give us a temporary break before I started climbing Snow Canyon. While climbing the 4 miles up Snow Canyon, I just kept soaking up the views! It was so gorgeous! I anticipated the climb up Snow Canyon to be more challenging than it actually was. The whole climb, I just kept repeating… “Rise to it! I GET to race in the Ironman 70.3 World Championships!” When I crested the top of Snow Canyon, I knew I could have pushed a little harder up that climb, so I decided to really hammer on the 8% descent back into town and to transition. “I GET to race in the Ironman 70.3 World Championships!”

📸 Finisher Pix

With about 2 miles to go, Mother Nature threw another challenge our way. She turned the faucet on full speed creating a torrential downpour. I couldn’t see much of anything, so all I could do was laugh out loud and ask, “What is next?!” as I wheeled into transition. “I GET to race in the Ironman 70.3 World Championships!”

📸 The Iron Hippie

T2: (3:22)

I was SOOOOO glad to be on two feet! Just getting through that bike in one piece was a HUGE WIN! I handed Mojo off to an amazing volunteer who put her in her new spot in T2. I grabbed my gear bag + took off my helmet on my way to the changing area. During this time, the torrential downpour quit and a nice steady rain persisted. I quickly took off my shoes and socks…I was SO grateful I put a dry pair of socks in my run bag. I pulled my visor, race belt, and handheld water bottle out of my gear bag, then shoved my helmet bike shoes, and soaked socks in the bag. I handed my gear bag off to a wonderful volunteer who took it to be with Mojo and put my race belt + visor on while running out of T2.

📸 The Iron Hippie

Run: (2:19:54 for 13.1 miles at 10:50/mile average pace…179/225 F40-44, 955/1254 F, 3010/3441 overall)

📸 Finisher Pix

As I exited T2, the Iron Hippie told me I was 6 minutes down from Laura (a friend of mine from back home that I often see at the races). After looking at the run profile, I knew the first 4 miles of the run would be a continuous climb, so I settled in…hello glutes and hammies! By about mile 2 the skies opened up and the sun came out in full force and got HOT AF…welcome to the desert! This is what I had trained for…full sun + heat! “I GET to race in the Ironman 70.3 World Championships!”

📸 Finisher Pix

I focused on monitoring my HR for the duration of the run. When it jumped above 160 bpm, I would take a short walk break until it fell back below 140 bpm. When I got to mile 4, I was feeling strong and ready for the descent back into town. I had no idea just how steep of a descent it would be…hello quad burner! “I GET to race in the Ironman 70.3 World Championships!”

📸 The Iron Hippie

As I made my way to the roundabout for lap two, the Iron Hippie updated me that I was now 3 minutes behind Laura and that I could totally catch her. I felt so strong heading into that second lap, so I knew I could catch her. I continued monitoring my HR following my run/walk strategy, which worked beautifully because at about mile 9, I finally caught up with Laura. I walked with her for a minute so we could chat. I told her to finish strong and continued on. At about mile 10.5 I quit monitoring my HR and left it all out there pushing myself to the limit all the way to the finish line.

📸 Finisher Pix

Overall: (6:50:54…192/225 F40-44, 1051/1254 F, 3148/3441 overall)

📸 Finisher Pix

This race was a celebration! I was so grateful to be racing on the Ironman 70.3 World stage with some of the best athletes in the world. This race challenged me in SO many ways forcing me to “rise to it!” I am beginning to learn that I am strongest when given the most challenging circumstances…hello IMLou 2018 AND I preform my best when I remove internal pressure + expectations while focusing on the present moment. What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger! I am beyond grateful that my body + mind showed up to play at the Ironman 70.3 World Championships! Oh…and when can we do this again (with the EXACT same conditions)?! 😜

📸 Finisher Pix

Gear: Coeur Sports triathlon shorts, Coeur Sports sports bra, Coeur Sports aero top, Roka X-1 Goggles, Roka Viper x2 Short Sleeve Swimskin, Specialized Transition tri bike, Specialized S-works Evade helmet, Specialized Torch 2.0 Road Shoes, Coeur Sports visor, Newton Kismet running shoes, Roka SL-1X sunnies, Orange Mud hand held water bottle

“if you are an Olympian go around me”

“If you are an Olympian, go around me.”

~volunteer on the run course

Cliff Notes Version: I GOT to race the Bluff Creek Olympic-distance Triathlon on Sunday, August 15, 2021! 💙💛

• this is a small local race
• parking is about 1/2 mile from transition
• the air temp was in the low 60s by race start, sunny, very low humidity, and very little wind
• the water temp was ~77F so I wore my Roka swimskin
• the swim course this year was changed so shuttles would not be needed to transport athletes around the lake for the swim start
• the swim start was self seeded with 1 athlete entering the water approximately every 3-4 seconds
• the swim was out and back twice with buoys on the left
• the bike has two big climbs of Twister hill (where the movie Twister was filmed)
• there were no water/aid stations on the bike, which is typical for a 24.8 mile bike course
• the run course is two out and backs with a decent hill climb done twice
• there were aid stations on the run with water and Gatorade
• there was food and beverage options available at the finish, but I didn’t go scope it out, so I don’t know what was offered

Longer Version: I GOT to push myself to the 2nd overall female place on Sunday (with first place going to professional triathlete, Jess Smith)!

We had a 40 minute drive from home on Saturday morning to the race site. It was a BEAUTIFUL morning with temps in the upper 50s/low 60s…drastically different from Wednesday where the heat index topped out at 106F. When we arrived at Don Williams Recreation Area, we got all of our gear ready at the car before hauling it to the transition area. We had completed packet pick up on Saturday at a local bike shop, so when wee arrived at transition, we got body marked and put everything in transition at our spots. I used the kybo before setting up my transition area. Once my area was set, I chatted with friends and former students before getting my Roka swimskin on and heading to the boat ramp for the athlete meeting.

Getting to squeeze and race with my Coeur Sports sistas!

Swim: (34:19 for 1500 meters at 2:17/100 m average pace)

We self seeded on the boat ramp for how confident and fast we thought we’d swim, so I stayed toward the front of the line of Olympic distance triathletes. When it was my turn, I dove into the water. I felt so strong and confident as I made my way to the first turn buoy. The water felt really warm, so I was grateful to have the swim skin on and not a wetsuit. As I made my way around the first turn buoy, I was swimming directly into the sunlight. This made it a bit challenging to site, but I did a great job of swimming straight. There were some athletes in front of me swimming on the wrong side of the buoys after making their way around the 2nd turn buoy, so I collided head on with them. They apologized as I forged on. After turning around the 2nd swim buoy, the sun was no longer in my eye and I was able to quickly and easily make my way back to the 1st turn buoy (which would be turn buoy #3). As I approached this turn buoy, the traffic became much more congested as the sprint triathletes were making their way into the water and around the turn buoy. We had the sprint triathletes in the mix with us until about the 1/2 way point back into the sun toward the 2nd turn buoy (which would be turn buoy #4), but then the traffic thinned out for a bit. I easily and quickly made my way around the 4th swim buoy and headed back to the boat ramp. At about that 1/2 way point we encountered more traffic again as the slower sprint triathletes made their way around their turn buoy and toward the boat ramp. It was nice to have the big swim exit arch to site off of at the boat ramp.

***Side note…the timing mat for the swim exit was actually up at transition, so my slower time/pace is reflective my swim + a decent run to get to the timing mat.

T1: (1:29)

As I exited the water, I got my swimskin off just below my hips, removed my goggles + swim cap, and ran all the way through transition since my bike was right next to bike exit. When I arrived at my transition spot, I stripped off my swimskin, put on my socks + bike shoes, donned my helmet and sunnies, grabbed Mojo, and off we went!

Bike: (1:21:34 for 24.8 miles at 18.2 mph average speed)

After crossing the mount line and getting on Mojo, we cruised our way out of Don Williams Recreation Area. This course was nothing like Saturday’s super flat course! We had some rolling hills before reaching the first big climb at about mile 7. Those rollers primed the legs for what was to come. As we were climbing Twister Hill for the first time, a few of us were chatting a bit (people I was passing and those passing me) about how beautiful the weather was…and some complained about how big and steep this hill was, but I didn’t let their negative chatter impact me. I LOVE A CHALLENGE! At the top of the climb, it was time to put the hammer down and work to make gains on the people I saw in front of me. After all, playing chase on the bike lights my fire! I got to cheer on my Coeur Sports sister (and professional triathlete), Jess Smith, as she was making her way back to Twister Hill for the last time. There were some more rolling hills before making it to the turn around at mile 12.4 and again after the turn around as we made our way back to Twister Hill. Before making it back to Twister Hill for the second time, I got to cheer on my Coeur Sports sister, Sarah, as she had just crested the top of Twister Hill. I asked her if she liked that climb and she relayed that she wasn’t a fan. Who ever said Iowa was flat clearly hasn’t experienced Twister Hill. 🤪 As I was going down Twister Hill the second time, I saw an athlete walking up the hill with his bike…that’s how big/steep of a climb it is. I powered my way back up the climb and was making my way back toward transition when our friend Steve passed me with about 2 miles to go on the bike. I was determined to keep him in my sites as we approached Don Williams Recreation Area. I absolutely LOVE a good challenge! I had SO MUCH FUN on this course! I was smiling and giddy the whole time!

LFG! ⚡️
Photo credit: Dave Mable

T2: (0:40)

As I came into T2, saw the Iron Hippie walking on the road near bike dismount, so I knew he was done with his sprint race. I yelled “hi” at him as I rolled into the bike dismount and ran into the transition area. I quickly racked my bike, dropped my helmet, changed into my Newton running shoes, grabbed my visor + race belt, and ran out of T2. I had only seen a couple of women in front of me on the bike course, so I wanted to hunt them down! I knew I would never catch Jess Smith…hello professional triathlete…but the rest of them were my rabbits to chase down!

Run: (52:04 for 6.2 miles at 8:24/mile average pace)

As we exited T2, we ran on trails through the wooded area that eventually spit us out on to the paved campground roads. This route had a mix of sun, shade, flats, hills, and spectators in the campground + lots of fun! I could see our friends Mindy and Steve in front of me. It was time to chase them down! Mindy and I chatted briefly as I passed her. Just after mile 1, I took water from the aid station…thank you ISU Physics club! The ISU Physics club had brought volunteers out in full force and it was fun to see a bunch of them on the course. After the aid station, I put the hammer down on the slight climb to catch Steve who was just ahead of me. I caught up to him just before the turn around out in the campground. We chatted as we ran together briefly and then I forged ahead. I took in water at the aid station again before climbing my way up the steep hill. I tapped into my intentional thinking to not allow myself to walk…”I set goals on purpose and with purpose. I like a good challenge. This is good prep for worlds. Just keep running.”

As I came to the turn around, the volunteer at the cone said, “if you are an Olympian go around me. If you are finishing, turn right.” I smiled big as I rounded the cone to head back out for lap two. I again grabbed water at the aid station on the dam, made my way to the turn around out at the campground, back to the aid station for water before climbing the steep hill for the last time. I kept the intentional thinking strong and focused…”I set goal on purpose and with purpose. I like a good challenge. This is good prep for worlds. Just keep running.”

This time when I got to the volunteer at the cone saying, “if you are an Olympian go around me. If you are finishing, turn right,” I got to turn right back through the wooded area toward the finish line. This is where I saw Dave Mable who briefly ran with me for some video footage before I got to that finish line.

So much heart and courage running into that 2nd place finish!
Photo credit: Dave Mable

Overall: (2:50:07…2/16 Female, 35/81 overall)

I am SOOOO incredibly grateful for a strong body and mind! I never would have dreamed that I would ever get 2nd overall female at an Olympic distance triathlon the day after taking 1st overall female at a sprint triathlon, but here I am…and it feels AMAZING!

That 2nd place medal at Bluff Creek
Photo credit: The Iron Hippie

Gear: Coeur Sports triathlon shorts, Coeur Sports sports bra, Coeur Sports aero top, Roka X-1 Goggles, Roka Viper x2 Short Sleeve Swimskin, Specialized Transition tri bike, Specialized S-works Evade helmet, Specialized Torch 2.0 Road Shoes, Coeur Sports visor, Newton Kismet running shoes, Roka SL-1X sunnies

sprinting to the overall female win

“An overall title is one of the biggest things you can win in our sport.”

~Lindsey Vonn

Cliff Notes Version: I GOT to race the Twin Lakes Sprint Triathlon on Saturday, August 14, 2021! 💙💛

• this is a small local race
• the air temp was in the mid 50s by race start, sunny, very low humidity, and very little wind
• the water temp was ~77F so I wore my Roka swimskin
• the swim was a 750 m swim distance
• the swim start was numerical entry based on bib number with 1 athlete entering the water approximately every 3-4 seconds
• the swim was a triangle-ish shape with buoys on the left
• the bike was FLAT
• there were no water/aid stations on the bike, which is typical for a 12.4 mile bike course
• there were aid stations on the run with water only
• there was a buffet line with sandwiches, fruit, and a few beverage options at the finish
• the finish line is on the opposite side of the lake from transition, so you take the shuttle back to the transition area (a truck pulls a big open air cart for people to ride on)

Longer Version: I GOT to push myself to the overall female win on Saturday!

We had a 90 minute drive from home on Saturday morning to the race site. It was a BEAUTIFUL morning with temps in the low 50s…drastically different from Wednesday where the heat index topped out at 106F. When we arrived at the Twin Lakes State Park, we used the restrooms, picked up our packet, got everything set in transition, and hung around transition waiting until the athlete meeting (which happened at transition…not the beach).

Look at this gorgeous sunrise that greeted us on Saturday morning.

I put on my Roka swimskin before the athlete meeting, listened to the National Anthem and prayer, then made my way down to the beach for the swim start. Once at the beach, we were given some brief instructions for the swim course before lining up.

Swim: (17:35 for 750 meters at 2:20/100 m average pace)

We lined up on the beach in numerical order based on our bib number. When it was my turn, I dove into the water. I felt so strong and confident as I swam past many of the people in front of me. The water felt really warm, so I was grateful to have the swim skin on and not a wetsuit. As I made my way around the last turn buoy to head into the shore, it was difficult to site as there was no swim arch to look for. Thankfully the volunteers were all donning bright neon yellow shirts, which stood out well against the natural backdrop.

***Side note…the timing mat for the swim exit was actually up at transition, so my slower time/pace is reflective of my swim + a decent run to get to the timing mat.

SOOOO ready! LFG ⚡️

T1: (1:17)

As I exited the water, I got my swimskin off just below my hips, removed my goggles + swim cap, and ran all the way through transition since my bike was right next to bike exit. When I arrived at my transition spot, I stripped off my swimskin, put on my socks + bike shoes, donned my helmet and sunnies, grabbed Mojo, and off we went!

Bike: (34:58 for 12.4 miles at 21.3 mph average speed)

After crossing the mount line and getting on Mojo, we cruised our way out of Twin Lakes State Park. This course is SUPER flat! We rode completely around the lake twice before returning to the transition area at Twin Lakes State Park. This was a small race field, so I didn’t get to play chase like I normally would, but I did pick off the only female athlete to beat me out of the water. This course was SO MUCH FUN! I was smiling and giddy the whole time!

T2: (0:41)

As I came into T2, I quickly racked my bike, dropped my helmet, changed into my Newton running shoes, grabbed my visor + race belt, and ran out of T2. I suspected I was in first place and wanted to make my lead even bigger!

Run: (25:55 for 3.16 miles at 8:13/mile average pace)

As we exited T2, I put on my visor + race belt. We were directed to run on the paved trail that goes around the lake. This was such a nice running route. It had areas of sun and areas of shade, but the surface was top notch! I had a little bit of stomach cramps on the run, so I felt like I was holding back effort wise just a little bit, but I kept my pace solid and strong. I passed a couple of men back on the run (who had passed me toward the end of the bike) as I made my way to the finish line.

GETTING to break the tape as I take 1st overall female! ⚡️⚡️⚡️

Overall: (1:20:29…1/13 Female, 6/47 overall)

I am SOOOO incredibly grateful for a strong body and mind! I never would have dreamed that I would ever stand on the top step of the podium by taking the overall female win, but here I am…and it feels AMAZING!

This was my first time stepping up on the top step of a podium to take the overall female win! Photo credit: The Iron Hippie

Gear: Coeur Sports triathlon shorts, Coeur Sports tank top with built in shelf bra, Roka X-1 Goggles, Roka Viper x2 Sleeveless Swimskin, Specialized Transition tri bike, Specialized S-works Evade helmet, Specialized Torch 2.0 Road Shoes, Coeur Sports visor, Newton Kismet running shoes, Roka SL-1X sunnies

grieving the race I trained for

“Grief is real because loss is real. Grief is the healing process that ultimately brings us comfort in our pain.”

~Elisabeth Kubler-Ross

Cliff Notes Version: I GOT to race Ironman 70.3 Ohio on Sunday, July 25! 💙💛

• this is a two transition race, so both our bike and run bag/gear were dropped off on Saturday
• there was a short delay (~30 minutes) because of backed up traffic…shuttle buses couldn’t get to the park
• the water temp was 77.4F (wetsuit optional…Roka swimskin was worn for me)
• the swim start was a self seeded with 3 athletes sent off every 4 seconds
• the swim was cloudy, but not rainy
• if you put all of your stuff in your T1 bag, they transported everything to T2 for you so you didn’t have to go back out to the park to get your swim stuff
• the bike was also cloudy, but not rainy
• the air was VERY thick (high humidity)
• there were three water/aid stations on the bike
• it was a VERY soupy day with the dew point at 72, very little wind, and the temp at 95F when I finished the run
• I had to rally on the run to finish as I was in physical distress
• there were aid stations on the run nearly every mile with water, gatorade, gels, ice, bananas, etc.
• the sun came out on the run cranking the furnace up to high
• there was a buffet line with burgers, chicken burritos, chips, bananas, and a few beverage options…but the best were shots of pickle juice!

Whew! That was rough!
Photo credit: FinisherPix

Longer Version: I GOT to race my first 70.3 distance race since July 2018.

We had some storms roll through in the overnight hours on Saturday, but thankfully it was all out of the area in time for the race start on Sunday morning.

We arrived at Delaware State Park where the swim and T1 are located by about 4:45 am. Plenty of time for me to potty, get my transition area set up, and put everything back in the car that I didn’t need before the race start at 6:30 am. At about 6:10 am, I put my Roka swimskin on only to find out about 20 minutes later that we would be delayed a bit as there was a traffic jam causing the shuttle buses bringing athletes to the park to be stuck in traffic.

Swim: (41:02 for 1.2 miles at 2:07/100 m average pace…35/114 F40-44, 173/593 F, 600/1871 overall)

After the National Anthem, I lined up at the back of the 33-35 minute swim start field. I knew if I was having a solid day 35 minutes would be achievable. I was near my friends, Steena and John, as we entered the starting corrals. When the beep sounded for me to start, I was off. This swim is basically a big triangle with two right hand turns.

The goal was to swim straight and gamify this swim by chasing down athletes in front of me. I did a really good job of swimming straight and staying close to the buoys. I was surprised at how little swim traffic was next to the buoys. This was the best place to be for this swim. I had very little contact with others and didn’t swim extra yardage. WIN #1! I can also say I did a really good job of gamifying the swim. I played chase! I passed people in the water. I felt strong and confident as I checked in on my effort multiple times throughout this swim. WIN #2!

Swim felt good!
Photo credit: FinisherPix

T1: (4:21)

As I exited the water, I got my swimskin off just below my hips, removed my goggles + swim cap, and ran all the way through transition since my bike was right next to bike exit. The positive of having my bike right next to bike exit…I didn’t have to run with my bike all the way through the transition area and around other athletes. The negative…I had to run barefoot throughout transition and that surface was not friendly on the bare feet. When I arrived at my transition spot, I stripped off my swimskin, stuffed all of my swim gear in my T1 bag (so it would be transported to the finish area for pick up later in the day), put on my socks + bike shoes, donned my helmet and sunnies, grabbed Mojo, and off we went!

Stripping off the swim skin…see that rough pavement?! Ouchie on the bare feet!
Photo credit: The Ironhippie

Bike: (2:57:52 for 56 miles at 18.80 mph average speed…47/114 F40-44, 202/593 F, 872/1871 overall)

After crossing the mount line Mojo and I cruised our way out of Delaware State Park. This course is SUPER flat! It was a big loop that took us north out of the park for about 18 miles before we turned east and the road surfaces turned to chip seal. The goal for this ride was to stay in aero, play chase, have fun, be grateful, and hammer. I did a great job of this for the first ~30 miles. WIN #3! And then…

Riding strong…for now.
Photo credit: FinisherPix

At about mile 30, my body began to enter distress mode…I was seeing double. No idea what actually caused it, but I have a theory (which was out of my control). I did my best, kept my head in the game, and kept moving forward. I took in my calories every 5 miles and continued to sip water (since it was SO HUMID). I rode in aero when I felt it was safe for me to do so. My mental game was strong, so it was disappointing to have my body in physical distress. I made the decision to get to T2 and evaluate what I needed to do at that point.

Getting water…although there was so much in the air I was probably taking it in with every breath. You can see how thick the air is in this pic.

T2: (4:45)

As I came into T2, I staggered a bit as I ran with my bike through transition to my spot. I quickly racked my bike and nearly fell over when I bent down to change into my Newton running shoes. Thankfully another athlete offered to help hold me up while I changed my socks and shoes. I thanked the other athlete for his help, grabbed my visor + race belt + hand-held water bottle, and walked out of T2 trying to evaluate if I would actually be able to run.

Run: (2:54:58 for 13.1 miles at 13:22/mile average pace…71/114 F40-44, 343/593 F, 1199/1871 overall)

As I exited T2, I waited until I was out of the tunnel under the stadium to try to run. I was able to run for a short while before the bouncing became too much causing me to resort to walking. At the first aid station, one of the kind volunteers filled my water bottle so that I would have plenty of fluids with me at all times. I continued walking until just past the 1 mile mark where I tried to run again in a downhill section. I quickly realized this wasn’t a good idea and returned to walking.

I saw the Ironhippie at about the 1.5 mile mark. He asked what was going on and I told him. All I wanted to do was lay down in the ditch and throw up (I didn’t feel full or nauseous, but the double vision was making me motion sick). He told me I had to decide how I wanted my day to end and that there was an aid station just ahead at the 2 mile mark. He suggested I walk to the next aid station, take in Coke (to help with the feeling of wanting to throw up) and re-evaluate. I debated the Coke thing…as caffeine and my body are not friends, but in the end, I took a couple of sips of Coke at the 2nd aid station. The Ironhippie was on his bike, so he would check in with me, and then ride ahead a bit before checking in with me again. I continued to walk and eventually started sobbing. I was sobbing because I didn’t know if I should continue or pull the plug. I was sobbing because my mental game was strong, but physically my body was in distress. I was sobbing because I was not able to physically execute the race I had trained for. I was sobbing because the race I know exists inside me was not going to happen on this day. I was sobbing because I had to decide how I wanted my day to end. I was sobbing because…loss is real.

How can one grieve something they never had?! I grieved the race I trained for. Grieved the anticipation of the joy I wanted to feel crossing that finish line knowing I put it all out there. Grieved the anticipation of what could have been a different outcome.
•
It’s ok to take time to feel the emotions. How you feel is yours and no one has the right to tell you how to feel, what to feel, or how long to feel it. “Grief is real because loss is real. Grief is the healing process that ultimately brings us comfort in our pain.” ~Elisabeth Kubler-Ross
•
What better way to heal from the pain of this loss than to hop back on the saddle and prepare for Ironman 70.3 World Championships! ⚡️ #LFG

It was while I was sobbing that I got passed by two of my Coeur Sports teammies. Thank you Heidi for the slap on the ass + encouragement and to Melissa for the support. I continued walking past mile 3 where I eventually started to notice my double vision getting better. Let’s be clear it wasn’t gone, but the two images I would concentrate on became closer together. I decided to try and run at this point. It worked for a bit, but then I needed to walk as my HR skyrocketed (remember how I said caffeine and my body are not friends…yep this is what happens when I consume caffeine). My goal for this run was to monitor my HR and not let it get out of Z3 while running for the first 10 miles. With the addition of caffeine in my system, it was a run/walk combo from this point on to get me to the finish line. HR monitoring = WIN #4!

The silver lining was that I got to meet new friends on the run course, take some steps with Coeur Sports teammates that I wouldn’t otherwise have gotten to be with, and cross another finish line. WIN #5!

I finally got to meet Mike Ergo in person!
Photo credit: The Ironhippie

I got to run some steps with my Coeur Sports teammate, Yoli. (That smile = fake it ’til you make it)
Photo Credit: The Ironhippie

I got to walk some steps with my Coeur Sports sister, Akira. So much love for this girl! (That smile = only 1.5 miles to the finish line…I can do this!)
Photo credit: Dylan

I’m grateful for a strong mind to get me to that finish line. Grit, determination, mental fortitude, and relentless perseverance were my secret weapon on Sunday.

So grateful for my #1!!
Photo credit: Kimra Sutton

Coming back into the stadium for the finish.
Photo credit: FinisherPix

Fake it ’til ya make it!
Photo credit: FinisherPix

Overall: (6:42:58…71/114 F40-44, 343/593 F, 1199/1871 overall)

I have mixed emotions after having crossed this finish line. I am so incredibly grateful to have had the privilege to race, that I crossed another finish line, and that my mind was so strong. But the grief is real. I am sad for what could have been. I am sad I was not able to execute the race I had trained for and the race I know exists inside me. This race does not define me and will not hold me back. Onward to Ironman 70.3 World Championships! ⚡️ #LFG

Whew! Glad that’s over!
Photo credit: FinisherPix

Gear: Coeur Sports triathlon shorts, Coeur Sports sports bra, Coeur Sports aero top, Roka X-1 Goggles, Roka Viper x2 Short Sleeve Swimskin, Specialized Transition tri bike, Specialized S-works Evade helmet, Specialized Torch 2.0 Road Shoes, Coeur Sports visor, Newton Kismet running shoes, Roka SL-1X sunnies, Orange Mud hand held water bottle

privilege

“Racing is a privilege and nothing is guaranteed. Putting myself in discomfort is a privilege.”

~ME

Cliff Notes Version: I GOT to race Ironman “70.3” Des Moines IN REAL LIFE on Sunday, June 20! 💙💛

• logistically, things were spread WAY OUT and there was a LOT of walking before and after the race
• athletes had to park about 1.5 miles from transition area and walk in
• there was nearly a 3 hour delay from the original start time due to storms (with thunder and lightening)
• the swim was 1.2 miles, the bike was 27.1 miles, and the run was 13.1 miles (the bike was shortened due to road closure permits not being able to be extended)
• transition opened at 8:45 am and was spaced out normally (pre-Covid)
• by 9:00 am they were already walking athletes down to Gray’s Lake
• the walk from transition to the swim start was about 1 mile
• the water temp was 78.3 (wetsuit optional…I wore my Roka swimskin)
• the swim start was self seeded with 3 athletes sent off every 3 seconds
• the swim was cloudy, but not rainy
• it was 0.58 miles from the swim exit to T1
• the roads for the 27.1 mile bike were smooth with rolling bumps (hills)
• there was one water/aid station on the bike somewhere between mile 15 and 20
• the run was HOT AF with full sun and SO HUMID after the morning rains…felt like we were running on the surface of the sun
• there were aid stations on the run nearly every mile with water, gatorade, gels, ice, bananas, cookies, etc.
• there was a buffet line with burgers, hot dogs, veggie burgers, chips, bananas, and lots of beverage options at the finish
• there was a 2 mile walk (or shuttles would take masked athletes only…no spectators/volunteers) back to transition to get gear and then another 1.5 mile walk back to the parking lot

Stepping onto the red carpet was a privilege! ⚡️
Photo credit: FinisherPix

Longer Version: I GOT to race my first “70.3” distance race since July 2018.

Saturday night we got notification that the race start would be delayed one hour due to the strong possibility of thunderstorms, so we got to sleep in an extra hour on race morning. Since we live about 40 miles from the race, we stayed at home. Sleeping in your own bed before a big race (and crazy day) is priceless! We were up by 4 am and on the road by 5 am. At about 5:15 am as we were driving south and watching the MAGNIFICENT lightening show, we received notification that we were further delayed, to stay in a sheltered location, and to wait for further updates to come by 7:30 am.

Once we arrived at the parking lot, we listened to music, danced a little (as much as you can in a car), and chilled listening to the rain + thunder as we continued to watch an amazing lightening show. We joked that we haven’t had rain in over month and Mother Nature chose race day to finally bless us with a little rain (not nearly enough to even turn the grass from brown to green, but hey…we’ll take what we can get). As we were waiting in the Volunteer parking lot (the Iron Hippie was kayak support again for this race), a volunteer came by in the pouring rain and gave him a breakfast sandwich. Such a great way to take care of the volunteers.

Here we wait! So grateful for the amazing communication from the race committee as they prioritized safety while trying to get as much of the race in as possible.

We eventually left the parking lot and headed to a gas station to use the restrooms and then decided to park in the athlete parking lot (as it was paved…not gravel…and was a closer walk to transition).

At 7:23 am we received notification that transition would open at 8:45 am and the race would start at 9:30 am for the professional athletes with the age group athletes starting at 9:40 am. The Iron Hippie had to be to the water by 8:00 am, so he headed out shortly after this announcement. I did some last minute fueling and race prep before making my way to transition. I was incredibly conscious of not getting sucked into the mind drama of the surrounding athletes…so much complaining about things out of our control. Hey folks…we GET to race today! Privilege! ⚡️ I put everything inside of the garbage bag so that it would stay mostly dry until I was ready for it at my transition location.

Garbage bags to keep things as dry as possible.

I hit the Kybo one more time, donned my Roka swimskin, and made my way to the swim line up in transition. There was about a one mile walk from transition to the swim start during which time it quit raining. Once we were at the swim start, I used the Kybo one last time and then got in line for the swim start.

Swim: (42:25 for 1.2 miles at 2:12/100 m average pace…58/168 F40-44, 225/828 F, 875/2352 overall)

After the National Anthem, the professional men were off, followed by the professional women 5 minutes later. When the age group athletes started at 9:40 am, athletes were sent off every 3 seconds. I felt strong and confident in the water, passing lots of green swim caps along the way. I didn’t have much congestion in the water, which made me feel good about where I had self seeded. As we made our way around the last swim buoy, the chop on the water was very noticeable! I think the winds had picked up quite a bit. It was great to plant my feet on the ground and make the long trek to Mojo.

I felt strong in the water as I passed lots of green swim caps. Privilege! ⚡️
Photo credit: FinisherPix

T1: (7:06)

T1 was 0.58 miles long…hence the LONG transition time! As I exited the swim, and ran up onto the trail toward transition, I got my swimskin off just below my hips as I was running, stopped quick to strip it all the way off so I didn’t have to run in it, and removed my goggles + swim cap while I continued running to my transition spot. I put on my socks + bike shoes, donned my helmet and clear glasses, threw my run nutrition in my (wrong) pockets, grabbed Mojo, and off we went!

Let’s do this! ⚡️
Photo Credit: Elaina Wild

Bike: (1:21:36 for 27.1 miles at 20.19 mph average speed…46/168 F40-44, 204/828 F, 1065/2352 overall)

The sky was a bit ominous at the start of the bike, but the clouds parted and really heated things up.
Photo credit: Ruth Rickey

After crossing the mount line and getting on Mojo, we cruised our way out of Water Works. The majority of the road surfaces were SO smooth! Shortly after starting the ride, the clouds separated and the sun came out. I wished I would have put my Roka SL-1X sunnies out in transition instead of my clears, but I couldn’t change it, so I went with it. I saw about 5 people riding who had forgotten to take their swimskin all the way off in T1. I also passed a lady on a B cycle bike cruising along. She was killing it!

Enjoying the privilege of racing! ⚡️
Photo Credit: FinisherPix

It was an out and back course that was shortened to 27.1 due to the delayed start and not being able to extend road closure permits. Being an out and back course was a great way to cheer on friends who were also racing. I didn’t look at my power output/speed/cadence at all during this ride. I was so grateful to be racing that I only focused on playing and having fun. As I played chase trying to catch different people in front of me, I kept asking myself if I could go just a little bit harder in that moment. I felt SO strong on this bike ride, which put me in a great mental state heading back into T2.

This was a super fast and fun ride where I really pushed myself! Privilege! ⚡️
Photo credit: FinisherPix

T2: (2:49)

I quickly racked my bike, changed into my Newton running shoes, grabbed my visor + race belt + hand-held water bottle, and exited T2.

Run: (2:11:10 for 13.1 miles at 10:01/mile average pace…45/168 F40-44, 212/828 F, 857/2352 overall)

As I exited T2, I knew I would have to be smart about my pacing and monitor my HR as it was HOT + HUMID…Like running on the surface of the sun HOT!

This run was a 2 loop course. Shortly after leaving Water Works and entering the trails around Gray’s Lake, I saw the Iron Hippie. He had just finished up with swim support and was going to load the kayak onto the car. It was nice to see him as I started the run. After seeing him, I was adjusting my tri top + race belt when I noticed that I didn’t have any of my run nutrition with me. I had put 3 gels in my tri top pocket in T1 before heading out on the bike. (I always take my run nutrition with me on the bike so that I can’t accidentally forget it in T2 when my brain becomes more foggy.) I know not to put my gels in my tri top pockets because they are not snug enough to hold them safely, but for whatever reason I didn’t put them in my tri shorts while in T1 and I lost all of them somewhere out on the bike course without my knowing. So here I am out on the run course with no run nutrition while running on the surface of the sun. Oh…and those Roka sunnies I wished I’d had on the bike, now I was really wishing I’d had them on the run! I knew there was nothing I could do to change the fact that I had no run nutrition nor Roka sunnies, so I let those negative thoughts go and reminded myself that I GET to race today. When I approached the first aid station, I looked to see what was offered so I could problem solve before needing nutrition at mile 3.5/4…bananas…that became my fuel for the rest of the day. Thank you Ironman for providing fuel out on the run course!

Here we go! ⚡️
Photo credit: The Iron Hippie

It was fun to see other athletes and cheer them on. After I turned around the first cone, I saw a Coeur Sports teammate, Michelle, making her way out to the first turn around. “Love you Michelle!” Shortly after mile 2, I saw another one of my Coeur Sports teammates, Jess (also a pro triathlete). She was on her second loop and running for a top 10 finish amongst the pro women. It was great to cheer for her! I continued to race from a place of fun + gratitude and reminded myself that it was a privilege to GET to race today. I took in water at every aid station and sipped from my water bottle throughout the run to stay hydrated. At mile 4 I took in about 3/4 of a banana (that was all I could get down the hatch before having entering the last trash zone). This is where Jess passed me as she was at mile 11. GO JESS GO!

There wasn’t much shade on this run course. As I was climbing up over the bridge by MLK Parkway heading toward downtown, I could feel my HR really climbing. When I looked down at my HR, it was nearing 170 bpm. My goal was to keep my HR between 155-165 for the duration of the run, so I knew I needed to take a quick walking break to let my HR come back down just a bit.

Downtown felt like a sauna, but there were so many cheers downtown from people I knew and strangers I didn’t. What a great distraction from that heat! After turning around the cone downtown to head back out for loop #2, I saw a sign that made me giggle… “Dig deeper than a kid going for boogers.” Thank you random stranger for that boost!

Run felt like we were running on the surface of the sun, so I raced smart and got it done. Privilege! ⚡️
Photo credit: FinisherPix

At about mile 7, I hammered down another 3/4 of a banana to get in the calories. It was shortly after this that I needed to let my HR come down a bit, so I walked and helped a fellow athlete by carrying her water bottle while she adjusted her onesie. I trudged on and eventually saw the Iron Hippie again before briefly walking with another friend on the bridge of Gray’s Lake to encourage and support her for just a minute before continuing on. The second half of the run had more walk breaks, but I kept them short as I reminded myself often that I am here to do my best. I have goals, which I set on purpose and with purpose.

At mile 10, I took in another 3/4 of a banana and continued to mostly run with short walking stints toward the finish. Making the last turn toward the finish chute was the best feeling in the world! I tried to pick up my pace just a bit as I hit the red carpet, but my legs immediately cramped and said, “Nope! We’ll get you across the finish at this pace, but don’t you dare try to go any faster!”

I GOT the privilege of racing and stepping onto that red carpet for the first time in 23 months! ⚡️

Overall: (4:25:05…34/168 F40-44, 156/828 F, 773/2352 overall)

I am incredibly grateful that I had the privilege to race on Sunday! I am super happy with how the day unfolded, the adjustments I made throughout the day to get to that red carpet, and the challenges I overcame to get to this finish line. I have some things to improve on before the next one, but this experience at Ironman “70.3” Des Moines lit a fire under my ass. The fires are burning HOT inside of me for what is to come!

I’m so grateful for races, finish lines, friends, and the privilege we were given on Sunday! ⚡️
Photo credit: The Iron Hippie

Gear: Coeur Sports triathlon shorts, Coeur Sports triathlon tank with shelf bra, Roka X-1 Goggles, Roka Women’s Viper Swimskin, Specialized Transition tri bike, Specialized S-works Evade helmet, Specialized Torch 2.0 Road Shoes, Coeur Sports visor, Newton Kismet running shoes, Orange Mud hand held water bottle

#LFG

“Racing teaches us to challenge ourselves. It teaches us to push beyond where we thought we could go. It helps us to find out what we are made of. This is what we do. This is what it’s all about.”

~PattiSue Plumer

Cliff Notes Version: I GOT to race the Pigman Olympic distance triathlon IN REAL LIFE Sunday, June 6! 💙💛

• it was hot…the air temp by the end of the race was in the upper 80s with mostly sunny skies and pretty gusty winds
• the swim start was a self seeded rolling start
• transition was spaced out normally (pre-Covid)
• there was no water/aid station on the bike (as is pretty typical for shorter distance triathlons)
• there were two self-serve aid stations on the run (volunteers were filling cups, but not handing them out)
• we were given disposable timing chips
• there was a buffet line with pasta, bread, chips, bananas, and lots of beverage options
• there was an award ceremony with people getting to stand on “podiums” again
• there were lots of door prizes that were given away

Longer Version: I GOT to race two weekends in a row! Since racing from a place of fun + gratitude served me so well last week, I opted to race with this same focus for this Oly.

We were able to park right next to the transition area, which was super convenient. I went to packet pick-up (by transition), saw my Coeur sister Sarah, got checked-in, then walked back to the car to get all of the stickers on the bikes, helmets, etc. The Iron Hippie wasn’t racing this event, but instead volunteering as kayak support in the water, so I was on my own to get everything all ready to race.

I got to set up a transition area again! Oh…and how lucky am I that I was right on the end of our transition row?!

As we were setting up our transition area, they made the announcement that the water temp was 70*F so it would be a wetsuit legal swim. After hugging friends I haven’t seen in person since before the pandemic, setting up my transition area, doing the neoprene shimmy in my Roka wetsuit, and taking in a gel, I was ready for a practice swim. The water in this lake was much warmer than last week. It was nice to get a little warm up swim done. While we were at the practice swim, Sarah and I met a new friend…Natasha.

Meeting new friends is THE BEST!! Photo credit: Dave Mable

Swim: (33:34 for 1500 m at 2:14/100 m average pace…3/10 F40-44, 18/53 F, 62/157 overall)

After the National Anthem, I lined up toward the front of the rolling start as I knew that’s where I belonged and wanted to get going to beat as much heat as possible. I entered the water confident and immediately started bilateral breathing (so I didn’t have a panic attack like last week). Making our way to the first turn buoy was DIRECTLY into the sun, so sighting was a real challenge. When I got to the first turn buoy, I saw the Iron Hippie in his kayak, so without altering my swim stroke, I waved as I swam around the buoy. The swim was pretty uneventful for me until I got back toward the swim exit where the sprint triathlon swimmers were REALLY congested, but I just fought my way through all the way to the swim exit.

Swim exit focus! Photo credit: Dave Mable

T1: (2:47…5/10 F40-44, 30/53 F, 83/157 overall)

As I exited the swim, and ran up the beach, I saw our friend Nancy who came out to cheer me on. It was SO nice to see her! I got my wetsuit off just below my hips and removed my goggles + swim cap as I was running to my transition spot so that when I arrived to my bike, I could quickly get my legs out of my wetsuit. I put on my socks + bike shoes, donned my helmet and Roka sunnies, grabbed Mojo, and off we went!

Bike: (1:16:47 for 24.8 miles at 19.4 mph average speed…2/10 F40-44, 8/53 F, 63/157 overall)

After crossing the mount line and getting on Mojo, we cruised our way out of Pleasant Creek State Recreation Area. This course was the opposite of last week with lots of rolling hills, which I LOVE! It was an out and back course that was done twice, so we got to see a lot of other athletes. It was great to cheer on friends who were also racing. I didn’t look at my power output/speed/cadence at all during this ride. I was so grateful to be racing that I only focused on playing and having fun. As I played chase trying to catch different people in front of me, I kept asking myself if I could go just a little bit harder in that moment.

There was a bit of headwind as we headed back toward Pleasant Creek State Recreation Area, but thankfully the bluff blocked a fair amount of it and it was early enough in the morning that the winds weren’t too strong…yet.

T2: (1:19…2/10 F40-44, 6/53 F, 26/157 overall)

I quickly racked my bike, changed into my Newton running shoes, grabbed my visor + race belt + hand-held water bottle, and exited T2.

Run: (54:40 for 6.2 miles at 8:49/mile average pace…3/10 F40-44, 15/53 F, 73/157 overall)

As I exited T2, I knew this run would be a bit different from last week’s race as it was HOT. Thankfully those winds that the bluff blocked on the bike were out in full force on the run, so we had a built in air conditioning of sorts.

Running is a gift. A gift that has gotten me through many lows and brought me many highs. A gift I will continue to give myself for as long as I physically can. A gift that gives way more than it takes. 💙💛 Photo credit: The Iron Hippie

This run was a 3 loop course. It was fun to see other athletes and cheer them on. During the run, I continued to race from a place of fun + gratitude even as the temps climbed. I kept reminding myself to take it easy for the first loop, build in the second loop, and finish strong in the third loop. I took in water at the aid station and sipped from my water bottle throughout the run to stay hydrated. I also consumed one gel at about mile 2 to give me the energy to stay strong to the end.

Home stretch…right after my spill. Photo credit: The Iron Hippie

As I was running into the finish, I tripped over a cone about 100 m from the finish line. Why?! Well…I was looking backward and talking to a friend who was spectating…basically not looking where I was going. I went down hard, but popped right back up and ran into the finish shoot. Thankfully I only ended up with some minor scrapes and bruising, but that little blunder cost me. While I set another new bike split PR for the Oly distance, I missed an overall Oly distance PR by 4 seconds. That spill…yep…more than a 4 second blunder. Oh…and I missed 1st place by 24 seconds. I have been trying to catch Laura (who got 1st place) for years. I am getting much closer and it won’t be long before I’m on that top step. Laura, I’m coming for ya!

SO MUCH JOY for racing again, finish lines, and pushing my limits! Photo credit: Dave Mable

Overall: (2:49:07…2/10 F40-44, 12/53 F, 60/157 overall)

I raced with a focus on fun + gratitude at the Pigman Olympic Distance Triathlon on Sunday and as a result I got to kiss a pig (my 2nd place AG award was a piggy bank). Photo credit: The Iron Hippie

After the awards ceremony, Sarah and I went out to find Natasha who was struggling to support her to the finish line, which was by far one major highlight to my day!

The best parts of race day were hugging Sarah + meeting Natasha and helping her cross the finish line when the day gave her many challenges. She was the true winner of this race! I love this sport! ⚡️💙💛 Photo credit: The Iron Hippie

Gear: Coeur Sports triathlon shorts, Coeur Sports triathlon tank with shelf bra, Roka X-1 Goggles, Roka Women’s Maverick X Wetsuit, Specialized Transition tri bike, Specialized S-works Evade helmet, Specialized Torch 2.0 Road Shoes, Coeur Sports visor, Newton Kismet running shoes, Roka SL-1X sunnies, Orange Mud hand held water bottle