I mentioned to one of my Coeur Sports tri sisters a while back that I feel like I’m starting over in 2024 because I took 2023 off from Ironman racing + REALLY stepped back from running. Her perspective was exactly what I needed to hear…I have a blank canvas to draw on and I am so excited to intentionally draw + create a magical 2024!
I am currently creating my new groove…figuring out what works for my schedule + this perimenopausal body. Lifting heavy sh!t has become a must and something that will continue to be a weekly priority. My focus for 2024 is to be intentional…to do things on purpose + with purpose and be deliberate in where I am putting my time, energy, and focus.
I have big, bold goals for 2024 that I am SO FREAKING PUMPED about! ⚡️ I have created one podium finish at an Ironman branded race (Ironman 70.3 Muncie in 2022). The amount of pride and joy that came with standing on that podium is something I have been dreaming about experiencing again! I am going to give my best effort day in and day out as I intentionally work toward standing on more podiums in 2024!
My race schedule for 2024 is pretty much dialed in and it has lit a massive fire inside me! 🔥 The goal is to always give my best effort and push myself to stand on as many podiums as possible. This is what’s on tap for 2024:
St. Paddy’s Day 1/2 Marathon – March 16
Drake 1/2 Marathon – April 21
Women’s 1/2 Marathon – May 5
Tri Clear Lake Olympic distance – May 25
Pigman Olympic distance Triathlon – June 2
Ironman 70.3 Des Moines – June 9
Okoboji Triathlon – July 20
Ironman 70.3 Louisville – August 18
Ironman Chattanooga – September 29 (my A race with a podium finish as my big, bold goal for 2024 ⚡️)
Hillbilly Hike 1/2 Marathon – November 2
I am dialing in my mental focus by setting intentional thoughts to focus on each week while training. Some sessions it’s really easy to keep the mental focus on those intentional thoughts and other sessions it is a bit more challenging. I write these intentional thoughts on “love notes” to myself to see while training so that they are front and center.
Writing myself “love notes” to have by my while I workout.
I love looking back and thinking about all of the amazing things that I’ve accomplished and all of the challenges I’ve overcome! I’ve reflected for the last 10 years and now it’s time to reflect on 2023! You can look back at my previous posts if you’d like: the best of 2013, the best of 2014, the best of 2015, the best of 2016, the best of 2017, the best of 2018, the best of 2019, the best of 2020, the best of 2021, and the best of 2022. 2023 was full of a lot of darkness, but I am not going to focus on that. Instead, I am going to reminisce my favs from 2023.
Best adventure?
In September I visited family + friends and got to experience Lake Tahoe for the first time. What an absolutely amazing place! It is a place I will definitely go back to and one that now holds a special place in my heart!
feeling small next to the vastness of Lake Tahoe
Best swim?
OMG…did I mention I got to spend Labor Day weekend with my sister and her family in Lake Tahoe?!?! As a result, I got to swim in Lake Tahoe (more than once) and it was seriously the most amazing swim(s) EVER! The water was so crystal clear (you could see FOREVER) and was so refreshing (hint…cold). If we had the time, I would have swam here for hours at a time without getting bored!
Look at how crystal clear this water is!
Best bike?
Biking from Mom and Dad’s in Okoboji up into Minnesota with my fav. The roads up in Minnesota are so peaceful with little traffic and smooth surfaces. It is definitely one of my most favorite routes!
riding from Iowa into Minnesota
Best run?
Getting to run with Isabella for her first ever 1/2 marathon! There were highs and there were lows, but the grit and determination she displayed was so inspirational! We are all already signed up for next year!
We did it!! Isabella’s first 1/2 marathon!! SO PROUD OF HER!!
Best finish line?
I decided spur of the moment (literally 3 days before race day) to race the Okoboji Triathlon. I love racing at home-home, but getting to cross the finish line with family and friends surrounding you is the BEST! Oh…and then finding out you won your age group and were in the top 5 overall female finishers was icing on the cake!
Friends make the world a better place!
Best race-cation?
Sadly we didn’t travel far this year for races, but we did take a week off work and spent it at home-home with Mom and Dad to relax, swim, bike, play on the water, and enjoy life.
swimming with our baby girl
Best moment out of my comfort zone?
This was the first time ever racing two 70.3 races one week apart. It definitely pushed me out of my comfort zone and challenged me in new and different ways than ever before! I raced Ironman 70.3 Des Moines on Sunday, June 11 and then followed it up with Milkman 70.3 on Sunday, June 18. You can read more about the double challenge here.
Making my way home with the Capitol building in the background!
Best enCOEURaging moment?
The Ames Triathlon was so fun!! It is always great to see people achieve their goals and do things they once thought were impossible. The absolute best part of my day was creating an opportunity for first time athletes to complete their first triathlon ever. If you want to experience the Ames Triathlon for yourself, come to Ames in June 2024! You won’t be disappointed!
Race directors having fun at the Ames Triathlon!
Best new gear?
Coeur Sports recently started producing the Merino Wool Long Sleeved Run Top which has become a clear fav for fall/winter/spring running. This shirt is super soft, light weight, warm, and has amazing moisture wicking capabilities. If you live in a cooler climate, this is a MUST HAVE!
loving the fall weather running 💙
Best help with perimenopause?
Acupuncture…this year has been rough with the symptoms of perimenopause, but I was able to finally get some relief with acupuncture. I have since been sleeping better, experiencing fewer hot flashes, and overall feeling more and more like “myself.”
getting acupuncture to try to help my foot…thankfully it is helping perimenopause symptoms 🥰
If you could sum up your year in a couple of words, what would they be?
challenging, dark, ebb, lost…2023 was a rough year, but even in the darkest of times, there were times of light that shone through and that is something to be grateful for.
Tell me about your 2023 year!! What are your “bests” from 2023?!
I love looking back and thinking about all of the amazing things that I’ve accomplished and all of the challenges I’ve overcome! I’ve reflected for the last 9 years and now it’s time to reflect on 2022! You can look back at my previous posts if you’d like: the best of 2013, the best of 2014, the best of 2015, the best of 2016, the best of 2017, the best of 2018, the best of 2019, the best of 2020, and the best of 2021. Now it’s time to reminisce my favs from 2022! 🙂
Best race performance?
Ironman 70.3 Muncie was hands down my best race performance of 2022. The race started with a cold, choppy, foggy swim, but I was determined to not let the circumstances of the swim hijack my brain. I kept my effort high while staying focused and present on doing everything I could to make sure I would be so damn proud of myself later in the day. I raced the bike in a way I have never raced before. I intentionally planned to focus on my power output instead of going by perceived effort on the bike. In order to “bike my legs off,” I really needed to stay connected to the pedals, stay aero, and monitor my power output, so that is what I set out to do. I ran my heart out while hydrating and fueling solidly. I stayed connected to my effort, laying one brick at a time while racing for Anne. I was determined to not walk one step, I stayed focused on the mile I was in, and I reminded myself that I have everything I need to succeed. All of this allowed me to create something I’ve never had before! I had left it all out on the course…my legs were trashed more than they have ever been, my heart was so full that it was overflowing, and my soul was lit up! I had truly raced from start to finish and I was SO F’ING PROUD! I created something I’ve never had before. Icing on the cake…creating a 12 minute PR and a 4th place age group finish landing me on the podium for the FIRST TIME EVER at an IRONMAN race! ⚡️ Here is the link for my race recap.
4th place podium 📸 Tim Fencl
Best swim?
I swam my longest swim EVER this summer in the 50 m pool…6 km (3.7 miles). Some may say, “Why?! You don’t NEED to swim that far” and they would be correct…I didn’t NEED to swim that far, but I WANTED to go for it! I wanted to challenge myself in a new way. So why the hell not go for it?!?!
The last morning of outdoor long course swimming for the season I set out for the opportunity to challenge myself in a new way. I WANTED to soak it all in, so I did just that! #LFG ⚡️
Best bike?
Getting to ride a large portion (100 miles) of the Ironman Des Moines course with my dear friend + Coeur Sports sister, Michelle, was definitely a highlight of my season. So grateful for the time we got to spend together, the support of Tim chasing us around all day, and our safety on the open roads.
Any day on two wheels and the open roads is a great day! Today I had the privilege of previewing a large portion of the #IMDSM bike course with Michelle ⚡️
Best run?
Any run that I got to do with our niece was a great run!! I think running with her as she crossed the finish line of her first ever 5K race was a definite favorite this year!!
My cup runneth over! I am beyond proud of our niece for running her first road race at a local 5K and taking 1st place in her age group today, but most importantly giving her absolute best and not backing down when it got uncomfortable. ⚡️
Best finish line?
Running down the red carpet to the finish line at Ironman Des Moines in June was my first ever daylight finish for an Ironman distance race. I executed a solid race that allowed me to cross the finish line of Ironman #9 on an incredibly tough day and with a very challenging lead up (see below)! Icing on the cake…knowing I had given my best on this day while creating an 11th place age group finish (my highest AG finish placement yet in a full Ironman race)! ⚡️ Here is the link for my race recap.
As I ran down the red carpet in my first ever daylight finish with the cheers of family, friends, and random strangers surrounding me, I was full of emotions. I was SO drained, but also SO F’ING PROUD! 13:53:58⚡️
Best race-cation?
Our travels around IMAZ allowed us to experience Arches National Park, the Grand Canyon, Flagstaff, South Mountain, Thanksgiving in Denver, and so much more. It truly was a great time!
Running at 5000+ feet in Arches National Park
Tim’s first visit to the Grand Canyon was a success!
Best moment out of my comfort zone?
Four days before Ironman Des Moines, Tim woke up with a fever, body aches, and a bad cough. He decided to stay home from work. Midday I received a text message from our 82 year old neighbor across the street (she is like family to us) that she tested positive for Covid. About a minute later, Tim texted me that he also tested positive for Covid. I had a complete meltdown and pity party (thankfully they texted me right before my therapy session). I am 4 days out from IMDSM…what am I going to do?! After about 15 minutes of feeling all the emotions, I went into problem solving mode with my therapist. After therapy, I called our neighbor and asked her if Tim could “move in with her” until after my race to keep me as healthy as possible. She was fully on board and was glad I had asked (it was either that or I get a hotel room and move out temporarily). So Tim packed up everything he needed for the next 4 days and moved across the street. After work Wednesday, I came home to an empty house (except the girls were still home), tested negative for Covid, and continued my plan for my IM race (now having to shift my plans around for race weekend because I would be doing everything solo…taking care of our girls, driving myself down to the race which was thankfully only 35 minutes away from home, getting all my gear post race, etc.). I ran some errands for each of them on Thursday and Friday, checked in to the IM race, did some race week workouts, made them meals and did literal door dashes (setting the food outside, ringing the doorbell and dashing back across the street), got all my gear together for IM, and tried to relax and reduce my anxiety as much as possible. Saturday morning I still tested negative for Covid, so I took all my gear down to transition and continued to relax and doordash. Having Tim live with our neighbor was the best worst case scenario and I am grateful to the both of them for making it work! Sunday was race day. My anxiety was a bit high going into the race as this was my first full IM race without my husband (either racing it with me or being there to support me), but I kept reminding myself that I have done this before and know what to do. Getting to run down that red carpet and cross the finish line was one I am SO DAMN PROUD of for all of the adversity I had to overcome in the lead up to the race.
Pure relief and completely drained
Best nutritional find?
Later in the year I experimented with Skratch Labs super high-carb. I used Skratch super high-carb during Ironman 70.3 Muncie with huge success, so I decided to use it for Ironman Arizona and for the first time in 10 full Ironman finish lines I did not have GI distress, hyponatremia, or dehydration. This was a HUGE win for me!
Best enCOEURaging moment?
The Ames Triathlon was so fun!! It is always great to see people achieve their goals and do things they once thought were impossible. The absolute best part of my day was creating an opportunity for our friend, Leisa, to start + finish her first triathlon ever. If you want to experience the Ames Triathlon for yourself, come to Ames in June 2023! You won’t be disappointed!
We are SO proud of our friend who completed her FIRST EVER triathlon at the Ames Triathlon. She did this 10 years post paralysis. ⚡️🔥
Best new gear?
The Coeur Sports Wind Vest isn’t new, but it is hands down the best gear for getting outside and riding + running on those chilly fall/winter/spring days! Signing up for an Ironman that took place in November meant I had to bundle up to get my 100 mile rides done outside…because let’s be honest…riding 100 miles in the basement on the trainer is definitely not as much fun as riding outside! And the wind vest definitely makes running outside in the cold + wind much more bearable!
Decide ahead of time that it won’t be so bad and it will all be fine! • Rain, wind, 27F windchill, and another finish line at the Hillbilly Hike 1/2 marathon. There weren’t enough layers (even though I was wearing all the thermal gear…4 layers on top) in those last 5 miles, but it was fine! It was all fine! • 2 weeks to #IMAZ and I hope that finish line looks MUCH different! SO MUCH mental endurance added to the bank Saturday!
Best piece of racing advice you received?
“Be calm; focus on what you are going to do. Don’t get distracted, don’t get overwhelmed, take it all as it comes. You are ready for this; you’ve prepared for years. This is it, your time to shine. Go forth with all your powers. Go forth with everything in you. Make it work.”
~Lynne Cox in her book “Swimming to Antarctica”
Most inspirational athlete?
Vanessa Faye Foerster is such an inspiration…not only as an athlete, but as a human being. Her grit, determination, resilience, strength, bravery, and relentless pursuit to be the best version of herself she can be is so admirable. If you didn’t get a chance to hear about her LONG T2 at Kona this year, set aside 1 hour + 40 minutes to listen, and be prepared to be inspired! You won’t regret it!
This amazing, beautiful human helped me transform my self belief from superficial belief to belief down to my core. THANK YOU VANESSA! ❤️
Best support crew?
I am so damn lucky to have the most amazing support of my #1! He has supported me not only on race day(s), but day in and day out throughout my entire journey. He has driven around on long rides to make sure I could ditch layers + get extra fluids + fuel, made sure I had food to refuel after long workouts, did many household chores, and so much more. I am forever grateful to have him on this journey with me. ❤️ you!
I have the BEST support crew around! Thank you for coming to pick up all the layers so I didn’t have to carry them on the bike with me.
If you could sum up your year in a couple of words, what would they be?
PROUD + gratitude + create + fun
Tell me about your 2022 year!! What are your “bests” from 2022?!
“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 • 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. • 📸 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! • 📸 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!! • 📸 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!! • 📸 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 😍!! • 📸 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! • 📸 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!! 🤣 • 📸 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. • 📸 Tim Fencl
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. ⚡️ • 📸 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! ⚡️ • 📸 Finisher Pix
“If we only take risks that make us most comfortable, we’re likely missing out on some great opportunities.”
~Amy Morin
Cliff Notes Version: I GOT to race at IRONMAN 70.3 Muncie on Saturday, October 1, 2022! 💙💛
I was SO READY to create an experience I had never had before
I decided ahead of time that my race plan for Ironman 70.3 Muncie was to “swim my face off, bike my legs off, and hold on for as long as I can on the run”
this was an age group only race that started at 7:30 am
the swim start was self seeded based on expected swim time finish with 3 athletes sent off every 5 seconds
the swim was one loop
the air temp was 43F on race morning with a high temp of about 65F by the time I was done running
It was sunny and windy (about 15 mph)
the bike course was an out and back with one section going out and back twice before heading back to transition
there was an aid station about every 15 miles on the bike course
I created a bike PR by 6 minutes
the run course was one out and back with rolling hills
there were aid stations on the run nearly every mile with water, gatorade, gels, ice, bananas, grapes, Coke, Red Bull, chips, etc.
I created an overall PR by 12 minutes
I created a 4th place age group finish, which landed me on the podium for the first time ever at an IRONMAN event ⚡️
4th place podium
📸 Tim Fencl
Longer Version: I GOT to race at IRONMAN 70.3 Muncie on Saturday, October 1, 2022! 💙💛
The alarm went off at 4:00 am. After doing my morning routine, we got some devastating news that made me immediately decide to race for my friend Anne. I texted her and told her I was thinking of her and the family and would be racing for her. She had done the full IM Indiana in 2021 and was grateful I had reached out. We loaded the gear in the car and headed toward the race venue. I ate my smoothie in the car on the way to the venue. We were about a mile away from the race site when we heard a “thud thud, thud thud”…yep the car had a flat tire. It was about 5:15 am and PITCH BLACK outside, so we drove the one mile to the race site and got parked before trying to change the tire. This turned out to work in our favor. After parking, we tried to get the jack out to change the tire, but it wouldn’t budge…at all. It had never been removed from the car, so we didn’t realize that it had somehow expanded in the compartment where it is stored. Thankfully there were some really nice guys parked a few cars away from us who were there as spectators and had absolutely everything imaginable to help us out. We had the tire changed, everything cleaned up, and were walking to the transition area by 6 am. Through all of this, I remained calm, collected, and focused…I did not allow these circumstances to hijack my brain. This was not going to negatively impact my race. Bonus…we have a full size tire as a spare, so we could drive back to Iowa without having to get it checked out in Indiana.
So grateful for help changing our flat tire on race morning before the race even started!
When I got into transition, I set up my area with all of my bike and run gear. Since it was a very chilly morning (43F with the high expected to be around 70F after I’d finish the race), I knew I would need gloves on the bike and possibly arm warmers, so I got them ready and added them to my bike gear. (PRO TIP: If you are going to wear arm warmers, put them on ahead of time and roll them down so you can roll them up your wet arms. It is much easier than trying to tug them on wet arms.) I was racked right next to the kybos and the bike/run exit, so it was super convenient for me to empty my bladder before checking that Mojo’s tires were still full, loading Mojo with my bike bottles, and lubing up her chain. I donned my Roka Maverick Pro II Wetsuit at about 6:45 am (mostly to keep warm), ate my Skratch bar at about 7 am, and exited the transition area to head to the reservoir. I took in a gel at about 7:15 am while I lined up behind the sign for 35-37 minute swim time waiting for the start of the day.
Swim:(42:21 for 1.2 miles at 2:12/100 m average pace…7/29 F45-49, 79/228 F, 384/870 overall)
Plunging into that water was a shock to the face/system…brrrrr!! I eased into the swim by remaining calm, certain, confident, and curious. I focused on my strokes + breathing… “1, 2, breathe…1, 2, breathe…1, 2, breathe” until I reached the first buoy where I kicked up the effort. The water was super choppy and there was low fog only on the water’s surface, which made sighting the buoys a bit of a challenge at times. Despite seeing many people pull themselves out of the swim, I kept forging ahead reminding myself that I am here for it and not letting the circumstances of the swim hijack my brain. I kept my effort high while staying focused and present on doing everything I could to make sure I would be so damn proud of myself later in the day. ⚡️
📸 Tim Fencl
T1: (6:24)
It was a little bit of a jog (ahem…about 0.25 miles) from the swim exit to T1, but when I got to Mojo, I quickly removed my wetsuit (which was already down around my waist) while starting to get some peanut butter Oreos down the hatch, I slid my feet into my socks + bike shoes, struggled to get my wet hands into rolled down arm warmers and gloves, donned my helmet + sunnies, grabbed Mojo and exited T1.
Bike: (2:50:59 for 56 miles at 19.71 mph average speed…4/29 F45-49, 26/228 F, 265/870 overall)
I raced in a way I have never raced before. I intentionally planned to focus on my power output instead of going by perceived effort on the bike. In order to “bike my legs off,” I really needed to stay connected to the pedals, stay aero, and monitor my power output, so that is what I set out to do.
I was a bit chilly during those first few miles exiting the park because I was moving into the headwind, while wet with air temps close to 50F, but I immediately settled into my target watts and started warming up. I didn’t look at any other data except my power output all day long. This would prove to be a wise move…focusing only on my effort meant the data wasn’t dictating my day. Oh and those arm warmers I struggled to get on during T1…yeah, that was a waste of time because I never rolled them up my arms. With the sun shining on me, I warmed up quickly and was warm enough without them.
📸 Finisher Pix
When I got to US35, I had the wind mostly at my back. I just kept reminding myself to stay aero, stay connected to the pedals, and that I was racing for Anne. This bike course was super flat, which meant I had to be super conscious of staying on the pedals for the duration of the bike. I made it to the first u-turn on US35 which gave me a slight headwind, but honestly the wind (while sustained at 15 mph) didn’t even bother me. I just kept focusing on my power output knowing that I only had to go about 12 miles before turning around again on US35. I had “Unstoppable” by Sia on repeat in my head with the key words of “unstoppable, powerful, and confident” keeping me going strong. After the second u-turn on US35, I noticed a crash up ahead in my lane. There was one athlete on the ground with his bike way off to the side and he was not moving. Thankfully multiple volunteers + a police officer were assisting him and more emergency personnel were on the way. They directed us over into the other lane, which caused us to have to slow down a bit as we had to ride single file around the crash. I was so grateful for the volunteers, emergency personnel, and the safety of the majority of athletes out on the course. Before the third u-turn, I caught myself starting to ease off the gas a bit, so I had to remind myself that I was out there to hold this effort (power) and that is exactly what I was going to do! I was willing to push so hard on the bike that I might blow up on the run. I remained curious…I wanted to discover where my edge was.
As I made my way back into the park, I was super proud of how I had executed the bike. I stayed on the pedals, stayed aero, monitored my power output for the majority of the bike, and kept my normalized power right in the middle of my target range. I stayed present and focused while making sure my fueling and hydration were on point to set myself up for a successful run. I was so grateful for the cooler temps, my solid mental endurance, and staying safe on the bike. And, I had SO MUCH fun pushing to my edge! All of this allowed me to create a super solid bike split that I’m oh so proud of! Bonus…my normalized power and average power were only separated by 4 watts, indicative of very little coasting which only occurred at turns. Double bonus…I rolled into transition with a shiny new bike split PR by 6 minutes. ⚡️
📸 Finisher Pix
T2:(2:54)
At dismount I saw the Iron Hippie volunteering. He yelled stats at me, but all I heard was “no walking!” I REALLY had to pee, so after putting Mojo back in her spot, changing into my run shoes, and grabbing my race belt, visor, and hand held water bottle, I made a quick stop at the kybo right next to my bike to empty my bladder (boy did I have to pee 🤪). It was time to leave it out there and see where my edge was.
Run:(2:01:45 for 13.1 miles at 9:18/mile average pace…6/29 F45-49, 51/228 F, 343/870 overall)
The run course was one out and back that was super quiet. The only people we saw for all the miles were other athletes racing and volunteers at the aid stations. It was a pretty isolated course with lots of rolling hills.
📸 Finisher Pix
I typically monitor my heart rate while running, but had decided ahead of time that I would not look at any data for the run. I had no idea what my time, heart rate, or pace were…I was there to keep my effort high, hold on for as long as possible, and find my edge. I was at mile 3.5ish when the first female athlete was heading back toward the finish line. I kept reminding myself to stay connected, race for Anne, and lay this brick.
📸 Finisher Pix
I ran my heart out while hydrating and fueling solidly. I stayed connected to my effort, laying one brick at a time while racing for Anne. I was determined to not walk one step, I stayed focused on the mile I was in, and I reminded myself that I have everything I need to succeed. All of this allowed me to create something I’ve never had before! ⚡️
As I ran down the red carpet with random strangers cheering for me, I was full of emotions. I had just laid one MASSIVE brick! I had left it all out on the course…my legs were trashed more than they have ever been, my heart was so full that it was overflowing, and my soul was lit up! I had truly raced from start to finish and I was SO F’ING PROUD! I created something I’ve never had before. Icing on the cake…creating a 12 minute PR and a 4th place age group finish landing me on the podium for the FIRST TIME EVER at an IRONMAN race! ⚡️
the pro men started at 5:30 am, the pro women started at 5:37 am, and the age group athletes started at 5:45 am
the swim start was self seeded for age group athletes based on expected swim time finish with 5 athletes sent off every 4 seconds
the swim was two loops with an Australian exit on each lap
there was a lot of pre-race 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 two volunteers in the women’s change tent for T1
the bike course was 1 big loop
there was cloud cover with a bit of rain and little wind (by Iowa standards) for the first 80 miles of the bike
there was a water/aid station about every 15 miles on the bike course
I created a solid bike split on this rolling hills course missing a bike PR by 11 minutes
there were a couple volunteers to help change in T2
the run course was 3 loops
the heat + humidity + lack of shade + very little breeze made for a run on the surface of the sun
there were aid stations on the run nearly every mile with water, gatorade, gels, ice, bananas, grapes, Coke, Red Bull, chips, etc.
they brought chicken broth out after dark on the run (but in my opinion it was WAY TOO HOT OUTSIDE for warm chicken broth)
I created an 11th place age group finish, which is my highest Ironman placement yet
Longer Version: I GOT to race Ironman Des Moines on Sunday, June 12 at home in Des Moines, Iowa! 💙💛
The alarm went off at 2:30 am. After letting the dogs out, changing into my race kit, and doing all of my morning rituals I made my way to Des Moines. On the way down, I consumed my breakfast smoothie in the car to get my calories in. I drove to the parking garage closest to the finish line and hopped on one of the first shuttle buses to Water Works Park where transition was. When I got to the transition area, I dropped off my bike special needs bag, put bike and run nutrition in each of my gear bags that I would pick up in T1 and T2, emptied my bladder, checked that Mojo’s tires were still full, loaded Mojo with my bike bottles, lubed up her chain, got some squeezes from some of my Coeur Sports teammates, ate my banana at about 4:45 am, and exited the transition area to head to the lake. When I got to the lake, I dropped off my run special needs and morning clothes bags at the designated drop off areas before donning my Roka Maverick Pro II Wetsuit, and taking in a gel at about 5:15 am. I lined up behind the sign for 1:10-1:20 swim time and as we made our way toward the shore, I saw Dad and Isabella (my niece) so I got quick hugs over the gate, and then found my friend Michelle. It was so great to see her, squeeze her, and chat with her before starting our day.
So awesome to see my Coeur Sports teammate, Venus, on our way into transition.
Swim:(1:14:50 for 2.4 miles at 1:56/100 m average pace…14/28 F45-49, 82/208 F, 402/867 overall)
I eased into the swim by remaining calm, certain, confident, and curious. I focused on my strokes + breathing… “1, 2, breathe…1, 2, breathe…1, 2, breathe” until I reached the first buoy where I kicked up the effort a few notches and found my groove. The water was a bit warm with the wetsuit on, so I found myself pulling the top of my wetsuit open a few times throughout the swim to let some water in to help cool me off. As we swam along the south side of the course, we were supposed to be swimming into direct sunlight due to the sunrise, but gratitude moment: yay for a cloudy morning, so there wasn’t much sun shining in our eyes to make sighting the buoys extra difficult. As we rounded the corner to head to the first Australian exit, the contact with others really started to pick up, but gratitude moment: contact with others in the water doesn’t bother me. I am a strong and confident endurance swimmer. The Australian exit provided a wonderful opportunity to get some extra water in the system (there was an aid station on the peninsula) since we knew the temperature dial would be cranked up later in the day. The second loop there was much less contact, except for the one encounter I had swimming directly into a SUP that was right in the swim path because the water support person wasn’t paying attention…she apologized profusely as I swam away toward the next buoy.
I remained calm, certain, confident, and curious during a full contact swim. I focused on laying one brick at a time while keeping my effort high, which allowed me to create a shiny new swim PR. ⚡️
T1: (10:23)
It was a little bit of a jog (ahem…about 0.5 miles) 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, threw some water down the shoot, and ran to grab Mojo.
Bike: (6:29:13 for 112 miles at 17.4 mph average speed…12/28 F45-49, 73/208 F, 454/867 overall)
The one massive loop bike course gave us the perfect amount of challenge with rolling hills and a bit of a headwind as we returned to transition, but honestly I didn’t even notice the winds as they were relatively calm by Iowa standards.
As I headed out of transition and looped my way through Water Works Park, I settled into the ride making sure to check in with myself physically and mentally to set myself up for a successful ride. I immediately started fueling + hydrating like it was my job…because let’s be honest…with the humidity + heat to come later in the day, it was my job on this day!
Having previously ridden the majority of the course with my friend Michelle, I knew where all of the rough road surfaces, hills, and turns were. Making our way to Redfield, I was focused on fueling every 5 miles, continuously hydrating, and having so much fun! Gratitude moment: yay for the cloud cover and the little bit of rain to help keep us cool for as long as possible.
As we turned south out of Redfield, I knew we had a much longer stretch to the next turn and it might mentally get to people. This is where I really started to focus on remaining in aero, staying connected to my effort, and I magnified the fun factor…singing out loud while riding is a specialty of mine (just maybe don’t ride too close so your hearing isn’t damaged 🤪)!
Turning east to head into Winterset, I could feel that headwind people later complained about just a bit, but it was nothing like what Iowa is typically known for, so I was loving it! Gratitude moment: yay for the clouds still hanging around!
Alright…north to Cummings road. Here we go! Cummings road…this is where the fun begins! 🤪 At about mile 75, my friend Steve whizzed by me and then the clouds started to break up letting the sun start to REALLY warm things up! Yay…there is my Coeur Sports teammate Courtney! You are crushing it girl! Keep going! I made my way up the “big climb” (they are all relative right?!?!), through Norwalk, and onto Army Post Road where the Piedmontese Beef Challenge took place between about miles 98-103. I had zero desire to burn a bunch of matches on this stretch, so I kept my focus on fueling and hydrating like a boss all the way into transition!
I stayed connected to my effort while staying in aero for the majority of the bike. I made sure my fueling and hydration were on point to set myself up for a successful run (because I knew the run was going to be toasty). I was so grateful for the minimal winds, cloud cover, and just the right amount of rolling terrain. And, I had SO MUCH fun! All of this allowed me to create a super solid bike split that I’m oh so proud of! I rolled into transition missing a PR bike split by 11 minutes…this IMDSM course had over 2000 more feet of elevation gain than the course where I hold my current PR bike split (IMArizona). ⚡️
T2:(8:50)
Ryan and Julie were volunteering in T2 when I arrived. Ryan 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 socks and spraying my feet with Skin Slick, Michelle came into T2! We chatted as we both changed and made our way out of the tent and toward the start of the run. I made a quick stop to empty my bladder (boy did I have to pee 🤪), chatted with Julie as I ran to the exit, hugged Char, and set out on the run.
Run:(5:50:43 for 26.2 miles at 13:30/mile average pace…15/28 F45-49, 109/208 F, 480/867 overall)
I immediately felt that heat + humidity slap me in the face. 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. Quickly into the run I knew I needed to change my goal. New goal: to give my best while surviving the run + not needing medical/an ER visit.
The run course was 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. At every aid station, I was pouring water on my head, shoving ice down my bra, and pouring two cups of water down the hatch. I saw many friends on the out and back sections, so getting/giving high fives, thumbs up, cheers, “love ya”, and encouragement kept me going. There were mist arches to run through, fire hydrants spraying water, kids with water guns, and lots of attempts to help cool the athletes, because shade was sparse. The number of athletes I saw laying down at aid stations, sitting on park benches/curbs, and receiving medical help was crazy. Gratitude moment: I’m not one of them. When I got to downtown, I saw one of my high school friends and got to say a quick “hi” while running by. Near the turn around, I saw Dad and Isabella. It was so nice to see family and friends.
At the start of loop #2 I was running when I could and sprinkling in walk breaks to keep the core temp as low as possible. I was 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 determined to finish this race. As I covered more miles, more walking ensued while I stayed connected to laying one brick at a time. I continued to fuel and hydrate as planned and cooling myself down with all of the ice I could get my hands on. During this loop I saw Alex by the lake. He biked next to me briefly and tried to call Tim so I could chat with him, but when Tim didn’t answer I jogged off while Alex stayed by the lake to support others. Getting back downtown, I had the love and support of Dad, Isabella, Laylah (Isabella’s twin sister), and Sarah (my sister) at the turn around. I kept smiling, focusing on laying the brick I was in, and staying connected to giving my best to cross another finish line. Every time I was able to get ice I had a gratitude moment: ahhh…this feels SO good!
Setting out on loop #3 was wonderful! I knew everything I was seeing and experiencing was for the last time and that brought some relief in the almost unbearable conditions (a friend posted that the heat index was still 94F at 6:05 pm…I don’t want to know what it was at 2 pm when I started the run 🤪). I kept fueling and hydrating like a boss and at about mile 18 I really had to pee, so I knew I was doing a good job staying hydrated while running on the surface of the sun. Coming into downtown for the last time was such a welcome sight. Making the turn around the cone but this time heading into the finish shoot instead of out for another loop was even better!
I smartly paced my run while running on the surface of the sun, hydrating and fueling solidly, and staying connected while laying one brick at a time. Smiling from start to finish, soaking up the hometown cheers, and reminding myself that I have everything I need to succeed allowed me to persevere and get to that red carpet! ⚡️
As I ran down the red carpet in my first ever daylight finish with the cheers of family, friends, and random strangers surrounding me, I was full of emotions. I was SO drained, but also SO F’ING PROUD! I executed a solid race that allowed me to cross the finish line of Ironman #9 on an incredibly tough day! Icing on the cake…knowing I had given my best on this day while creating an 11th place age group finish (my highest AG finish placement yet in an Ironman race)! ⚡️
“The course doesn’t make it hard, the athlete does.”
~Unknown
Cliff Notes Version: I GOT to race Tri Clear Lake Olympic distance triathlon Saturday, May 28! 💙💛
the air temp at the race start was about ~60*F with mostly clear skies and strong winds (sustained at 30 mph with gusts up to 40 mph throughout the race)
the water temp was 61F
the swim start was a wave start
the majority of the road surfaces on the bike course are smooth
there was no water/aid station on the bike (as is pretty typical for shorter distance triathlons)
there were four self-serve aid stations on the run (volunteers were filling cups, but not handing them out)
volunteers took our timing chips off of us after we crossed the finish line and put medals around our necks
there were little insulated bags with deli sandwiches and chips for each athlete
there were individually wrapped cookies to select from for each athlete
there was plenty of beverage options (water, different flavors of soda, chocolate milk, and beer)
there were lots of door prizes that were given away
spoiler alert:
I GOT to play at Tri Clear Lake and do a little speed work in the midst of IRONMAN training. I’m SO DAMN PROUD of my effort, my execution, and my mental endurance. • 2 weeks to IMDSM #LFG ⚡️
Longer Version: With the strong winds, I knew this was going to be a bumpy ride, but I was so stoked to play and test my fitness in an Olympic distance triathlon on Saturday, May 28! We parked about 2 blocks from the transition area, which was super convenient. We walked to packet pick-up (by transition), got checked-in, picked up our timing chips, then walked back to the car to get all of the stickers on the bikes + helmets and headed to transition for body marking and to set up our spots.
Choppy + Cold water = LFG!
As we were setting up our transition area, they made the announcement that the water temp was 61*F and that it was only one degree warmer than wetsuit mandatory, so wetsuits were STRONGLY encouraged. After setting up my transition area, chatting with the USAT official (whom we’ve gotten to know from doing/directing local races), doing the neoprene shimmy in my Roka wetsuit, and taking in a gel, I was ready for a practice swim. Easing my way out into the water from the beach was a bit shocking, but not nearly as shocking as putting my face in the water. Hello brain freeze! I did a few bobs in the water to get my face and brain use to the cold water. I swam almost completely out to the first buoy as the water was pretty choppy and I wanted to make sure sighting and breathing wouldn’t be much of an issue with the rough waters. I found my Coeur Sports sisters, Jess and Char, and we made our way over to the start area after listening to the National Anthem and pre-race announcements.
Chatting with the USAT official pre-race
Swim:(27:52 for “1500 m” at 1:51/100 m average pace…2/5 F45-49, 12/47 F, 66/162 overall)
I lined up at the front of our swim wave because that’s where I belong. As previously mentioned, the water temp was 61F with serious chop due to the strong winds, but that didn’t stop me from having an amazing swim! I swam a straight line, I remained strong, confident, and certain in the water, and put out a solid effort. ⚡️ Oh…and I put 1500 m in quotation marks above, because this was the advertised race distance, but I think the buoys may have been blown in closer to shore making the distance closer to 1200 m as this is what multiple people reported their Garmin recorded (mine recorded 1318 yards).
Let’s get this party started!
T1: (2:47…2/5 F45-49, 15/47 F, 60/162 overall)
As I exited the swim, the boat ramp was VERY slick with algae growing on it, so I cautiously walked up out of the water until my feet hit dry ground. 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. As I was putting on my socks + bike shoes, I realized I had forgotten to take my Roka sunnies out of my transition bag, so I wasted a few seconds digging for them. I donned my helmet and Roka sunnies, grabbed Mojo, and off we went!
Bike: (1:16:24 for 24.8 miles at 19.5 mph average speed…1/5 F45-49, 5/47 F, 56/162 overall)
After crossing the mount line and getting on Mojo, we cruised our way out of town (with some turns here and turns there). This course was a relatively flat course, so I just put the hammer down and went. 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. Racing from a place of gratitude and fun removed all of the pressure, which set me up for success as I cruised into T2.
HOLD ON! This is going to be a bumpy ride (thanks to the STRONG winds)!
The bike was amazing! Yes, I was nearly blown off the road multiple times (hello 30 mph winds with gusts up to 40 mph), but staying aero, strong, and confident allowed me to have the fastest bike split in my AG. ⚡️
Cruising into T2 with focus, determination, and a new bike split PR for the Oly distance!
T2:(1:27…1/5 F45-49, 7/47 F, 29/162 overall)
I quickly racked Mojo, changed into my running shoes, grabbed my visor + race belt, and put these on while running out of T2.
Run:(49:16 for “6.2 miles” at 7:57/mile average pace…2/5 F45-49, 8/47 F, 60/162 overall)
This run was ~1.5 miles out and back that Olympic distance athletes got to do twice. It was fun to see other athletes and cheer them on. During the run, I continued to race from a place of fun + gratitude. I kept asking myself if I could go just a little bit harder. I spotted Mark (someone I typically see at the pool at least once a week) and had the goal of keeping him in my sights. Just after the 1/2 way point, I passed him. With about a half mile to go, he passed me back and I just focused on keeping up with him and staying strong through the finish. Oh…and I put 6.2 miles in quotation marks above, because this was the advertised race distance, but I think the turn around may have been inaccurately located as multiple people reported their Garmin recorded closer to 5.9 miles.
Don’t lose Mark!
That wind on the bike felt amazing on the run! I remained strong, confident, and present in the mile I was in while chasing down one athlete after another all the way to the finish line! ⚡️
Testing my fitness by doing an Olympic distance triathlon at the culmination of peak Ironman training was AMAZING! I’m SO DAMN PROUD of my effort, execution, and mental endurance! Taking 2nd place in my AG, setting a new bike split PR, run split PR, and overall PR for the Oly distance (previous was 2:49:04) was icing on the cake! #LFG ⚡️
I love looking back and thinking about all of the amazing things that I’ve accomplished and all of the challenges I’ve overcome! I’ve reflected for the last 8 years and now it’s time to reflect on 2021! You can look back at my previous posts if you’d like: the Best of 2013, the Best of 2014, the Best of 2015, the Best of 2016, the Best of 2017, the Best of 2018, the Best of 2019, and the Best of 2020. Now its time to reminisce my favs from 2021! 🙂
Best race experience?
The Ironman 70.3 World Championship isn’t the “best race experience” because it was easy and everything went according to plan on race day (wait…does that ever happen?!). Nope! It was the “best race experience” because it challenged me in ways I’ve NEVER been challenged before. The challenging terrain + Mother Nature’s crazy attitude forced us to “rise to it” on race day like I’ve never had to do before. It was definitely a race to remember! If you missed the recap of this epic race, this is one you definitely want to catch up on! Here is the link. Sit back and enjoy what can only be described as crazy! ***Secretly I want to do it all again with the same conditions, on the same course. 🤪
📸 Finisher Pix
Best race performance?
I wasR E A D Y for Ironman Arizona! I wasR E A D Yto toe the start line. I wasR E A D Yto challenge myself. I wasR E A D Yto put it all together and create a performance I had never had before. And that is E X A C T L Ywhat I did! I created an experience I’ve never had and it wasA M A Z I N G! I had an overall PR of 52 minutes, finishing in 12:44:56. #LFG ⚡️⚡️⚡️
Sure, this was my best Ironman performance physically, but it was also my best Ironman performance from my mental endurance performance and that is what I’m the most damn proud of! ⚡️⚡️⚡️
I was SO DAMN PROUD to have created a shiny new PR by 52 minutes! ⚡️
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! ⚡️⚡️⚡️
Best run?
The Drake 1/2 Marathon was one where I completely pushed myself out of my comfort zone and RACED! I had no idea if this would be my last race of the year (hello Covid) and I was not going to leave anything out on the course just in case things went backwards. Crossing that finish line brought tears to my eyes! Full race recap here.
Squeee!! I GOT to cross a start line and a finish line of an IRL race!!
Best bike?
I had a lot of great bike rides this year, but the ones that speak to me as being the “best” from 2021 were the last two century+ bike rides that I did in preparation for IMAZ. The temps had dropped, the winds were high, and I had to bundle up in all of the gear to stay warm. I almost took these rides to the trainer, but I’m SO glad I opted to ride outside instead. These rides gave me a great mental boost (as well as physical boost) going into Ironman Arizona!
Decide…I decided 100+ miles on the bike (+ 1 hour run off the bike) was going to be AMAZING! I was determined to keep a positive attitude, be gritty, and to persevere! I wasn’t going to let Mother Nature win. She tried to push me around a bit (hello wind), but I won this round! • I GET to do this! So much gratitude for the strength of my body + mind, the support from my #1, my safety on the open roads, the beautiful fall day, and the gorgeous fall foliage.
Best swim?
We FINALLY made it home home to visit my parents last summer (it had been nearly 2 years since we were last home…hello Covid). Thank you vaccines! When we were home, Dad drove the boat beside us (on more than one occasion) so we could swim a 5K in West Okoboji Lake. Getting to swim in the open water, see the bottom of the lake while swimming (because the water is so clear), and having my #1 beside me was amazing! Having Dad’s support was icing on the cake!
Seize the opportunity!
Best finish line?
Twin Lakes Sprint Triathlon when I took the overall female win! I never imagined myself breaking the tape at any race. I’m sooo thrilled to have had such an awesome experience! Here is the link for my race recap.
GETTING to break the tape as I take 1st overall female! ⚡️⚡️⚡️
Best surprise?
Getting a roll down slot to Ironman 70.3 World Championships in St. George, Utah was the best surprise of the year! I was shocked when I got the email that I had earned a roll down slot from racing Ironman 70.3 Des Moines. I had a great race in Des Moines in spite of the nearly 3 hour weather delay + shortened bike, but my performance didn’t put me in the top 14 in my age group (which is how many slots were awarded), so I didn’t expect to get a slot. Thankfully some ladies who were faster than me had either already qualified at a different race or didn’t want to go to Worlds, so I got a slot and it was quite the epic adventure!
WUT?! I got a roll down slot to Ironman 70.3 World Championships! #soexcited
Best mental endurance compass?
I had the AMAZING opportunity and pleasure to work with Vanessa Faye Foerster for 24 weeks this year. She teaches athletes how to build mental endurance by “dropping the self doubt + fueling the self confidence.” The journey she helped me create this year was challenging, enlightening, fun, and worth every penny! What I have learned has not only boosted my racing performance, but it has also elevated my personal life. I am so grateful for her guidance to push me out of my comfort zone to level up into the zone where I cultivate the life I want to live. #LFG ⚡️
This amazing, beautiful human helped me transform my self belief from superficial belief to belief down to my core. ⚡️ THANK YOU VANESSA! ❤️
Best enCOEURaging moment?
The Ames Triathlon was back in action this year after a year off (thank you Covid). What a great race! It is so fun to see people achieve their goals and do things they once thought were impossible. If you want to experience the Ames Triathlon for yourself, come to Ames in June 2022! You won’t be disappointed!
Who’s ready to race?! We are ready to get this party started! Photo credit: Dave Mable
Best new gear?
The Coeur Sports Wind Vest has been AMAZING for getting outside and riding on those chilly fall days! Signing up for an Ironman that took place in November meant I had to bundle up to get my 100 mile rides done outside…because let’s be honest…riding 100 miles in the basement is definitely not as much fun as riding outside!
110+ miles is a long time to be in your own head. Good thing I know the words to a lot of songs or make up my own words and can sing at the top of my lungs because Mother Nature doesn’t care what I sound like! 🤣🤪 • Seriously though…this wind vest is AMAZING! It kept me warm while allowing me to carry all the nutrition, and has reflective strips on it for better visibility.
Best way to stay healthy?
Get vaccinated! The end (no comments on this necessary…I will delete them).
I’m boosted! #getvaccinated (not up for debate…I’ll delete your comments)
Best piece of racing advice you received?
“Be calm; focus on what you are going to do. Don’t get distracted, don’t get overwhelmed, take it all as it comes. You are ready for this; you’ve prepared for years. This is it, your time to shine. Go forth with all your powers. Go forth with everything in you. Make it work.”
~Lynne Cox in her book “Swimming to Antarctica”
Most inspirational athlete?
Chris Nikic crossed the Ironman Florida finish line in November of 2020 becoming the first person with Down Syndrome to become an Ironman. He believes you can achieve more by creating a habit to get 1% better than you were yesterday. He has since crossed the finish line of the Boston Marathon and the New York City Marathon. He is gearing up for the Ironman World Championships in Kona in 2022, so let’s all cheer him on!
Best support crew?
I am so damn lucky to have the amazing support of my #1! He has supported me not only on race day(s), but day in and day out throughout my entire journey. I am forever grateful to have him on this journey with me. ❤️ you!
My #1! SO grateful for you! ❤️ you!
If you could sum up your year in a couple of words, what would they be?
PROUD + gratitude + fun + joy
Tell me about your 2021 year!! What are your “bests” from 2021?!
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 ⚡️⚡️⚡️ • 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. ⚡️
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
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.
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)?! 😜
PushMyLimits 