WHO SAYS GETTING OLDER SLOWS YOU DOWN?

On my eighth running of Ironman 70.3 Hawai’i (Honu), I had my fastest finish; Almost a full hour faster than my finish eight years ago. Every race is different with its own challenges, but the way one trains and eats has a pretty big impact, especially with age. I’ve made three big changes since my first race here including: seeing a nutritionist, hiring a knowledgeable coach, and being more consistent with my training throughout the year (except for that little six-week bump in the road in late September.) Any one of these on its own can bring about a boost in performance.

One benefit of racing the same race year after year is it can be used to gauge fitness and/or progress. Making Honu my repeat race ensures a Hawaiian vacation every year. This post is a recap of my race on June 4, 2016.

The race doesn’t just start when the cannon goes off, there are the small things in the week leading up

There is that darn upside 
down race #

to the race which can impact the day. This year I didn’t give myself the 10 days of hot climate adjusting here in Kona before the race as I have in years past. I did however make sure I was well hydrated in the days leading up to the race, and used OSMO preload the night before the race and in the morning with breakfast to ensure my electrolyte levels were sufficient. I’ve also trained myself to eat about 700 calories for breakfast on race day, which can be difficult at 4:30 am, quite a bit earlier than this retiree usually gets up in the morning.

The night before the race after eating a rather tasty meal of brown rice and grilled chicken (prepared by my husband,) my friend Leslie and I put on our race number tattoos before we went to bed. I put one on my right arm first and she pointed out that it was upside down. She was correct, but arguably from my angle looking down my arm it was right side up. I managed to get the second one on correctly and went to bed hoping the race would not turn into a comedy of errors.

The race swim start was broken up into waves, separated by gender and ages, with each wave having a different color swim cap. Several waves of men started, then women under 40 followed by my wave of women 40 and older. The course was a counter clockwise irregular rectangle with a deep water start. By the time I got through the second turn, I was swimming through all of the colors of swim caps that left before me. The Honu swim is in beautiful, warm, clear water at Hapuna Beach. On the back stretch of the swim I felt a cramp in my left foot, which I ignored and it resolved. The water was so warm, I was hot and wished I could have removed my swim cap. After the last turn I got a cramp in my right foot which went away fairly quickly. I did a good job of navigating this course and stayed close to the buoys, sighting ahead every six breaths.

After exiting the water, I ran easily enough in the deep sand that I wasn’t out of breath when I got to the paved path leading to the transition area. I was then able to run uphill all of the way to my bike which was racked at the top of the hill close to the bike exit. My swim time for the 1.2 miles was 37:47 and I didn’t know that I was in third place in my age group after the swim. One drawback of this race is the first-come-first-serve racking of the bikes in the transition area. When age groups are not all racked together it’s impossible to tell where you stand versus your competitors when you get out of the swim.

Early in the bike, at the turnaround on the Queen K,
to head up to Hawi.

Once on the Queen K Hwy, I quickly caught up with one of my training partners, Mary Kate. We rode the course just like we train. She dropped me like a hot potato on the climbs and I passed her on the downhills. Our bike splits ended up being less than two minutes apart and it was fun continually seeing her out there as well as several other friends who raced this year. The stand out feature of this bike ride was the lack of wind! Usually the cross winds are brutal and it’s a challenge to keep from being blown sideways. The bike is where I cut the 15 minutes off of my previous times in this race. I was amazed when I was dismounting my bike with a time of 2:49 for the 56 miles. I was in second place in my age group after the bike, but didn’t know it. If we had assigned racks together it would have been obvious that not many of my age group competitors had completed the bike portion of the race. Even though it shouldn’t make a difference, this knowledge MIGHT have made me more willing to suffer and push myself more on the run.

Running on the squishy grass.

The expressions on these guys faces show what a
 suffer-fest the run is.

If you have read any of my previous posts about this race you will know that every year during the run, I have sworn I will never do this race again. Due to the lack of wind, this year the run was even hotter than any of the years I have raced here. This year I changed my outlook and swore I will keep coming back to this race until I have a decent run. Half of the 13.1 miles are on spongy golf course grass, the other half on concrete and asphalt. The run terrain is a little crazy with short steep hills, slanted grassy areas and it is almost impossible to get into any sort of good rhythm when running on the golf course portion. There is no shade on the course unless you count running through hot stifling tunnels to cross under the roads as shade. The run course was changed this year from a single loop to two shorter loops. In the race briefing it was described as taking a pro triathlete about five minutes longer than the previous course. It ended up being my third fastest run here and two minutes faster than last year. I carried a wide mouthed water bottle and poured a cup of ice in it at each aid station. I frequently poured ice water on my head and body to try to bring my heart rate down. I ended up with a run time of 2:37:38. I moved from 2^nd place to 6^th place during the run. As usual, this is where more work needs to be done!

Happy that run was over  with!

Better than the free beer at
 the end of the race.

Many factors affect the outcome on a given day, but it appears that I am getting faster with age. 

I’m definitely not slowing down! 

There may have been more goats on the run course than racers!
(All photos courtesy of Dennis Bettencourt Photography)

ROAD TO RECOVERY AFTER MAJOR ABDOMINAL SURGERY

After my open abdominal surgery to repair a hole in my stomach, I really didn’t know what to expect as far as the recovery process. Now that I have put myself to the test by racing a half ironman six months after surgery, I can really gauge how the recovery went.

My doctor and the nurses repeatedly commented about what great shape I was in so I was hoping my recovery would be faster than the average Jo(sephine.) My surgeon also repeatedly warned me not to strain or lift anything heavier than 15 pounds for six weeks after surgery or I would be right back in for a hernia repair. That idea scared me into compliance. She said she wanted me to walk and she encouraged swimming once the incision healed. She didn’t give me any guidance on biking or running other than don’t rush it. I was hoping I was in such great shape that the six weeks wouldn’t apply to me. HAH!

Hiking in Tahoe after my three week check-up.

In the first three weeks I really felt best flat on my back, but I spent a good part of the day sitting up and doing little things around the house. I also watched a whole lot of Netflix. I took what felt like a significant walk/hike at least once a week in the first five weeks, ranging from 1.6 miles to 3 miles. It took five weeks for my incision to heal enough to get into the pool. On one hand it felt great to be swimming again but on the other hand I was concerned because the pressure it took to pull through the stroke caused a lot of pain along my incision line. Anxious to get back at it after five weeks off, encouraged by the swim and not feeling good enough to run, I thought I would enjoy working out on the elliptical machine. It felt great to get my heart rate up and really sweat, so I did a 55-minute workout. That was a mistake since it isn’t a motion that I normally do and I overdid it time wise. I could barely walk for the next five days as my calves were killing me. Not to be deterred by sore calves, the following day I did an indoor cycling class at Shift using very low resistance for 90 minutes. The cycling did help get some of the lactate acid out of my legs. It helped some but I had to take the next four days off!  That was a little reality check for me.

Mid way through the sixth week I started back on a regular daily training schedule, albeit much shorter hours and distances than prior to the surgery. I started back to running with run walks: 10 mins walking 5 mins jogging x’s 2 and increased the jog intervals each run. Every evening after a training day I had quite a bit of pain around my incision line as my stomach stretched out when I went from sitting to standing or laying down. I also had pain along the incision for the first 15 minutes or so of swimming with each pull of the swim stroke but it would subside after I got warmed up. I did my first straight jog seven weeks after surgery for 45 minutes and it felt OK. I also did a two-hour easy outdoor bike ride which lifted my spirits and made me finally feel like I was going to get over this and eventually get back to normal.

Matt, David and me on our last day riding the CA coast.

My first big challenge was a bike ride from San Francisco to Santa Monica in January, 17 weeks after my surgery, about 3 months after I started training again. I rode 440 miles in four days and did much better on the ride than I did in 2014. I only had pain around my incision on the third night after riding 117 miles with 9,700 feet of climbing that day. My legs were achy most nights. My surgeon told me I could take non-steroidal anti-inflammatories up to twice a month but I vowed not to take them. I did cave in on two nights of the coast ride and took Advil with food. To date those are the only times I’ve taken any since my surgery.

Hot Chocolate Run - January in SF

Just for fun, I ran a 15K race a couple of weeks after the coast ride. My pace was a full minute per mile slower than the previous year on the same course which was a little discouraging, but at least I could run the distance without further injury.

At the finish of the Surf City half.

My next test of fitness was a really fun event where I joined a high school friend of mine (class of 1976) for her first half marathon. The race was in Huntington Beach where we used to spend our summer days, back in high school. I thought that I should be able to run 10 minute miles, but my training wasn’t indicating that I would be capable of that pace over 13.1 miles. I ended up running 10:06 minutes per mile average, which was not a personal record but a good sign that I was getting my fitness back. 

I had signed up for the Napa Valley Marathon which would be a month after the half marathon, but my coach nixed it and I readily went along with that decision because I agreed with him that I wasn’t ready to run 26.2 miles. Besides, odd as it sounds, I would much rather save my marathon running for Ironman races.

It was a long six and a half months after major abdominal surgery when I stepped up to the water’s edge for a half ironman. I had trained for five months and other than a weaker core I felt very much back to normal. My primary goal for 2016 was to qualify to race at the Ironman 70.3 World Championships and this Ironman 70.3 California at Oceanside was going to be my first shot at qualification.

This was the first time I have raced at Oceanside. My race plan (briefly) was to go for it on the 1.2 mile swim, hold back the first third of the 56 mile bike ride, ride harder than I thought I should for the second third of the bike and then strong high cadence effort on the last third. I was supposed to break the 13.1 mile run into fourths and run each one harder than the previous. I executed the swim with a time of 40 minutes, which was about normal for me. I followed the plan on the bike and had a bike split PR at 2 hours and 56 minutes. I started out too fast on the run and it didn’t go according to plan but it was still my second fastest half ironman run at 2 hours and 24 minutes.

I’m happy that my recovery plan has gone better than I expected. I’m ecstatic that my performance at my first half ironman of the year was good enough to earn a slot for the 70.3 World Championship race in Mooloolaba Australia. There is still a lot of work to do to strengthen my core and I’ve finally started to concentrate a little more on that objective. I don’t know if I’ll ever get all the scar tissue broken up or if my core strength will return to normal.  However, I’m looking forward to a busy race schedule, which in part was spurred by getting skunked on Ironman Lake Tahoe last year.

My schedule for the rest of 2016 is:

Ironman 70.3 Hawaii – June 4th

Ironman Boulder – August 7th

Ironman 70.3 World Championships – September 4th

Ironman Florida – November 5th

SIDELINED FOR A MAJOR RACE

Checked in an all ready to put my training to the test!

Race ready in Hawai'i 

My focus for 2015 was Ironman Lake Tahoe (IMLT) in September. I retired from my 30+ year career with the Environmental Protection Agency at the end of 2014 and put my heart and soul into training for this race with my eye on a second qualification for the Ironman World Championships in Kona. I spent a month in Kona in the spring training for and racing Ironman Hawaii 70.3 while enjoying the freedom of retirement. After quite a bit of research on how much time it takes to fully adjust to altitude before a race, I moved up to Squaw Valley six weeks before Ironman Lake Tahoe. I had a fantastic time, fully focused on training and enjoying what felt like a summer vacation after 30 years of foggy summers in San Francisco. I had a variety of training buddies coming and going from North Tahoe which was really fun. Outside of training I spent time cooking and focusing on good nutrition as well as doing a little hiking.

Just before the start of the Donner Lake Half Ironman

I had a great race in July at the challenging Donner Lake Half Ironman starting at 6000 feet of elevation with over 5000 feet of climbing during the 56 miles on the bike. In August I had the pleasure swimming the length of Donner Lake (2.7 miles) with the Sierra Nevada Masters without having to worry about boat traffic. My swims were all either in the clear, clean waters of Donner Lake or Lake Tahoe. I paddle boarded (SUP) for the first time, rode around Lake Tahoe a couple of times, hung out at Wild Cherries Coffee Shop, listened to music in the village at Squaw Valley and trained on the Ironman Lake Tahoe course until I knew every bump and crack in the pavement. 

Summer fun 

Wednesday before Sunday’s race I started to feel nauseous, but completed my last bike ride and feeling better I went out to dinner with friends who were also going to race. I got sick during the night and in the morning thought “stomach flu, I should be fine by Sunday.” I went to registration, picked up my materials, did some iron-shopping, and had race day wheels put on my bike. It was my 26^th wedding anniversary and my husband joined me in Tahoe that afternoon, but we cancelled our dinner reservations because I wasn’t feeling well.

Around 3 am I woke up, took a sip of water, and excruciating stomach pain commenced. Woke up my husband who called 911 because I was moaning in pain (he says I was screaming.) It turned out that a small, eraser sized ulcer had perforated my stomach and the pain was being caused by air in my abdomen. By 5 am I was undergoing 3 hours of emergency surgery which started laparoscopically but ended with a long incision from my zyphoid process to about an inch above my belly button. I spent race day on morphine and wasn’t coherent enough to track the progress of my friends who were racing.  I was released from the hospital on the 6^th day and was told I’d have to endure six weeks of down time.

Many of my friends have commented on how well I dealt with the disappointment of not being able to race after so much time an energy expended preparing for this one event. It has been four months and I’ve spent some time thinking about how I dealt with the emotional side of the disappointment of missing what turned out to be the final Ironman Lake Tahoe, the setback in my fitness and starting my road to recovery.

Sure, I had the gamut of emotions and questions: Why couldn’t this have waited until a week after the

So ready for IMLT, less than a week to go.

race? Thankfully it didn’t happen during the race. If it had happened during the swim, I probably would have died. Looking at the times and my previous performance at this race, before they made the bike course easier, I was sure I would have won my age group and secured a Kona slot. BUT – you have to make it to the starting line for any of that to count. I did allow myself to feel and experience the disappointment that I felt but it wasn’t overwhelming.

The biggest factor in limiting my disappointment after nine months of focus on this one event is that I enjoyed, loved, and reveled in the process. Not that I didn’t have disappointing training days or weeks where I felt completely shelled, doubted my ability and cursed my coach for giving me so much work. I learned that it is truly about the journey. My grit, metal and physical strength was really tested by putting in the hours and the efforts needed to be fully prepared. Race day is just the icing on the cake, the journey is what really counts.

One of my top notch care givers at Tahoe
Forest Hospital. No wheelchairs for
five time Ironman finishers :-) 

Secondly, there is nothing like a life threatening condition to make me appreciate the life that I have. I felt grateful for the support of my, family, friends and coach along with the opportunity to be involved in such an emotionally rewarding sport. I am grateful for the excellent care I received at the Tahoe Forest Hospital, in Truckee, from my surgeon and nurses. They had so much empathy for the fact that I missed the race and they made me feel like a rock star for being a multiple Ironman finisher. Several of them volunteered in the medical tent at the race and witnessed what it can take to complete an Ironman (or not complete an Ironman.)

One of the factors in successful Ironman racing is that you learn to deal with the adversity which is inevitable during a race. There are so many: getting clobbered on the swim, goggles knocked off, swimming off course, bike flats and mechanical problems, cold, heat, stomach problems, aches and pains, trips and falls on the run, etc. You deal with each one as well as you can and just keep moving forward to the best of your ability. I called upon this mental focus and training, dealt with my setback and put my eyes toward the process of moving forward. I also focused on appreciating the time to do the things I don’t have time for when in full training mode, like going out to brunch, going to the movies and reading.

As said by Olympic Gymnast McKayla Maroney: “Looking back isn’t going to help you. Moving forward is the thing you have to do.”

Three weeks after surgery, getting out for a hike was
challenging and up-lifting. 

Next up: The Road to Recovery (after major abdominal surgery)

FITTING VOLUNTEERING INTO A BUSY RACE SCHEDULE

Training for an endurance event takes a big chunk of time, especially an Ironman, half Ironman or long distance running, cycling or swimming event. If you have done any one of these then you know that the volunteers are often the difference between a great day or a long sufferfest.  After the race is over, we still remember the best aid stations and those volunteers who encouraged us when the going got hard. No one makes a better volunteer than a participant in the sport. BUT…how do you fit volunteering for a race into your busy training and racing schedule?

In 2015 I decided I would volunteer at as many events as I would race and plan to do the same in 2016. This time of year, as you are planning your race schedule for the year, is an opportune time to also plan your volunteer schedule. The best weekends are either the weekend or two before or after one of your races, when you are either tapering or recovering.  Another excellent opportunity is if you are planning to attend an event to support or cheer on a friend or family member. Volunteering is a great way to see them up close when they are racing.

Prepping at the Marin Century

You don’t need to limit your volunteering to your endurance discipline. In 2015 I had three races planned, so I volunteered at a half ironman, a century ride and a 200 mile endurance run.

Some volunteer opportunities have additional benefits beyond giving back to the community or a front row seat to the race.  Most events give you at least a volunteer t-shirt, some snacks or meals and other swag. If you need more motivation to give of your time, look for events that will give you things like an early or discounted entry to the event the following year or one of the organization’s other events.  Often the reward is greater if you are willing to take on a leadership role, or get other volunteers to sign up to help.  

Tracking my friends to see when they
would be coming through the aid station

Another way to maximize your precious time as an endurance athlete is to invite a friend to volunteer with you. That way you can catch up with them while having fun cheering racers along.

Had fun spending some time
with my friend Liz!

By taking the lead for a shift at a half ironman aid station in 2015, I secured an early entry to a popular half ironman in 2016. While manning the century ride rest stop, I was able to socialize with two friends who also have busy lives and training schedules. I also connected with other friends who I didn’t even know were going to participate in the ride. At the endurance run aid station, I spent time with a childhood friend who lives five hours away from me. It was especially fun (and eye opening) to provide aid at the 200 mile endurance run which made my Ironman events seem like sprints. I was able to get a workout either before or after each event and enjoyed the change of scenery training at the race location.

Don't know how to find a volunteer event? Most event websites have volunteer links. If you aren't sure of races in your area, contact your local triathlon, running or cycling clubs. 

TAKE THE CHALLENGE; PLAN YOUR VOLUNTEER EVENTS NOW!

Dusk at the 124 mile mark of the 200 mile Tahoe Rim Trail Run.
Our last runners went through before 10 pm, that's when we
broke out the wine. 

CYCLING FROM SAN FRANCISCO TO SANTA MONICA (CALIFORNIA COAST RIDE)

For the last three years I've considered joining my triathlon coach, Chris Hauth, on a multi-day ride down the California Coast. This year, I bit the bullet and took on the challenge. We planned to ride more than 400 miles in four days.  It was fully supported by SAGMonkey including: catered meals, SAG vans, stocked aid stations, bike mechanics, massage therapist, and luggage transport. “A spa vacation on wheels.”

Photo by Doug Thralls

SAG is an acronym for “Support And Gear” or “Support And Grub.” A SAG wagon is also known as a “Broom Wagon:  A support vehicle following a group of cyclists in a race, tour or recreational ride that may carry equipment, food, rider luggage, or mechanics. May also pick up riders unable to continue.” What it amounts to is all kinds of help along the route and I ended up using it all. The ride was even more challenging than I had anticipated.

THE GROUP

There were 27 riders ranging in age from their 20s though 50s, plus two who joined for one day each. Riders came from as far away as Florida and there were six women (+2 one day each) and 21 men. Most of the riders were triathletes although a few were strictly cyclists. Everyone rode road bikes rather than tri-bikes. When I wasn't with the big group or on my own, I mostly rode with Liz, Nancy or Carolyn all who I know from San Francisco.

THE COURSE

Day 1: San Francisco (or Marin County) to the Marina Holiday Inn which is just outside of Monterey.

116 mi, 4,700 ft. of climbing - http://ridewithgps.com/routes/6215981

Day 2: Marina to the Morro Bay Comfort Inn, through Big Sur. 132 mi, 8,600 ft. of climbing - http://ridewithgps.com/routes/6215983

Day 3: Morro Bay to the Pacific Suites in Goleta, just north of Santa Barbara. 118 mi, 5,200 ft. of climbing - http://ridewithgps.com/routes/6215984

Day 4: Goleta to the finish at The Georgian Hotel in Santa Monica.  97 mi, 2,700 ft. of climbing -http://ridewithgps.com/routes/6215988 (as planned without Hwy 1 being closed)

MY MOST MEMORABLE MOMENTS

Fresh and rested, ready to start (top)
My sliced tire (bottom)

DAY 1: My friend Liz and I started the ride from her house in San Francisco at about 8:00 am; as usual it was cold and foggy. The rest of the group was meeting at the Golden Gate Bridge at 8:45. We figured we needed a head start and didn't really need those extra miles. After about the first 25 miles, I ran over a small piece of broken up saw blade (among several pieces scattered in the roadside shoulder) and sliced through my tire and tube. A text to SAG Monkey and within a half hour I had a new tire. In the mean time everyone else in the group had passed us. In order to keep the group somewhat together, SAG monkey threw our bikes in the van and moved us up 13 miles to join the group. The next stop was 27 miles down the road at Davenport, where Chris made Liz and me join Carolyn and Ty in the SAG wagon to jump ahead another short distance because he was worried about us riding after dark. I was a little peeved at this point, and got out at the next stop to continue the ride into Marina. However, by the time I got to the hotel, which was about 4:30 pm, I was not disappointed in the amount of time I had in the saddle that day.

Liz and me at Ragged Point

DAY 2: Liz chose to SAG to the first stop, so I rode with the group (peloton) through Monterey and Carmel to the second stop in Big Sur. From Big Sur, I tried riding with Nancy but couldn't keep up on the long climbs and there were a lot of them. It was a beautiful and desolate 50 hilly miles from the Big Sur River Inn to the next stop at Ragged Point, where I felt relieved to catch up with Liz. We rode together for the next 20 miles past Hearst Castle and Elephant Seals on the beach in San Simeon. At Chris’ direction, we sagged out near San Simeon, having ridden a little over 109 miles. I didn't feel worn-out but was satisfied with that distance. I had to put my ego aside and remind myself of my goal for this ride was to build fitness for the 2015 race season, not to put in some epic number of miles. The point of having a coach after all is to do what he says. The sunset in Morro Bay was stunning!

Riding by elephant seals - taken my Nick Nicastro

DAY 3: This was my most uncomfortable day. We left Morro Bay as a group and remained together for 13

miles to the first stop at Peet's Coffee. Not being big coffee drinkers, Liz and I rode ahead. After 30 miles

Leaving the town of Guadalupe

there was a notable short climb of one-third of a mile, where my Garmin read as much as a 15% grade. We were happy that we weren't in a crowd of cyclists going up that one! The route went inland for much of the day. When we got to Lompoc I gave in to the fact that I had a raging migraine and hopped into the SAG mobile. Liz continued on for another 16 miles before joining me, as directed by Chris.

DAY 4: This was my favorite day. It may have been helped by the massage I had the night before. The day started with notification of Hwy 1 being closed south of Ventura due to a landslide, so we would have to deviate from the plan and detour off of Hwy 1 on a route that Chris had not taken before. This added a significant bit of climbing. I was able to ride with the group for the first 57 miles which made navigating through Santa Barbara simple; all I had to do was follow. The deviation from the planned route started at the 57 point where Chris gave Liz and me two options: 1) ride 18 miles to the base of the climb and SAG the rest of the ride or 2) SAG to the top of the climb and ride the 36 miles from there to Santa Monica. We chose the latter and were joined by Nancy and Carolyn. It turned out that the 18 miles to the base of the climb, included quite a bit of steep climbing. I was quite happy with our choice as I enjoyed all 92.3 miles and 2,982 feet of climbing that I accomplished on our last day in 6 hours of riding time. It was a happy feeling to arrive in Santa Monica having ridden over 350 miles in four days! I definitely felt like I had accomplished something.

Nancy, Liz, Carolyn and me, happy to have arrived in Santa Monica!

EVERYDAY: SAG Monkey’s proprietor, Nick Nicastro is a professional chef and prepared delicious meals every morning and every night. He also prepared a variety of delicious and nutritious, rice based “portables” as a preferable alternative to pre-packaged bars, chews and gels to fuel us during our rides.  I have a severe allergy to gluten as well as allergic reactions to dairy and eggs. Nick provided meals to meet my needs over the four days.

I should have taken advantage of Doug Thralls’ massage earlier in the trip. I waited until after the third day of riding and I think it made a huge difference in my comfort on the fourth day. Next time I will get a massage after the first and third days, at least. Maybe everyday if Dougie T. is there.

Time for some to relax on the patio, others to pack up their bikes for the flight home.

Thanks to our leaders, Doug Thralls, Nick Nicastro & Chris Hauth.
Happy to have us all arrived in Santa Monica safe and sound!

IRONMAN KONA RACE REPORT 2014

Normally my coach gives me a detailed race plan with pace, heart rate and wattage targets, information on how it should feel in each segment of the race along with instructions on how much to eat and drink. For this race his instructions were simple; don’t go too easy, don’t go too hard, be observant, absorb the race and enjoy your first Kona.

Pre-race
I slept soundly, getting at least five hours of sleep before the race. Up at 4am, I patiently consumed over 700 calories of bagel, peanut butter and cereal before my brisk mile walk from the condo to the swim start. Having racked my bike and dropped off my transition bags the day before, all I had to do was get body marked and load up my bike with the food and drinks I would need to fuel my ride. It was GREAT seeing my friend and riding buddy Cecile who was volunteering at body marking before I headed to my bike. Once done with my bike I had time to pay a visit to Cecilia and Ray in their room at the King Kam hotel right at the pier where the swim would take place.  In their room I discovered that I had forgotten to put my Garmin computer on my bike. I rushed back down to get the computer on my bike and line up for the swim start.

2.4 Mile Swim
The pro men started at 6:25 am and the age group women didn’t go off until 7 am so we had some time to mill around and socialize. I had a chance to see and speak with some of my fellow racers, including two of my age group competitors who I met earlier in the week Nicole from the island of Reunion and Rose as well as my friends Sunny and Barbara. I felt more excited than nervous. Suddenly it was time for us to get in the water and swim out to the starting line. Even though swimming is one of my stronger disciplines I knew I wouldn’t be swimming the 2.4 miles anywhere near an hour like a lot of these ladies, so I didn’t move right up to the starting line in the way I would when doing a lesser race. I was near the right hand side of the starting pack pretty close to the pier when I heard my name called and saw Cecile who had a prime seat on the edge of the pier very close to the announcer, the Voice of Ironman Mike Riley. I moved up and more to the right so I could give her a shout out. There was a pretty broad starting line so it seemed like we were only about 3 swimmers deep, so I started very near the front. The volunteers were doing a great job of keeping everyone behind the starting line, a little different when World Championships are at stake. Then it was suddenly 7 am, the cannon sounded and we were off!

Fortunately this swim wasn’t very chaotic for me. I got behind some feet that were going at a pace that felt comfortable for me and I just swam. I was able to focus on my swimming and staying up with the feet in front of me, although I was conscious of weaving through and dodging other swimmers. I could see kayakers or paddle boarders often when I turned my head to breath, so I knew I was on course and didn’t even really have to raise my head to sight. As I neared the first turn at the Body Glove boat I caught up with the slowest men. The only time I got hit on the swim was when I was passing a grey haired man who whacked me pretty hard in the face dislodging my goggles, but not enough to cause them to leak. It was enough to get me off of the feet I had been following so I just swam on, turned the corner, swam to the next boat, made another right hand turn and was headed back to shore. On this back stretch I felt like I was finding my power as others seemed to be slowing down. The last half of that back stretch was somewhat impeded by having to swim through groups of the slower men. As I worked my way through the swim I thought about being present in the moment and focusing on my swim rather than thinking about what would unfold over the next 13 hours or so.

Swim to Bike Transition (T1)
The path we all had to travel from swim to bike was pretty long, running the around the edge of the whole length of the pier. My plan was to run through the changing tent to my bike carrying my bike shoes so I could run faster and not risk slipping on the pier. In the changing tent I started to put my bike shoes on before I stripped off the swim skin I had worn over my tri kit for the swim. The volunteer helping me said “don’t you want to take that off before you put on your shoes?” Her question brought my mind back to the moment and I remembered that I wanted to wait to put on my shoes until I got to my bike. Obviously my transition took a little longer than I had planned…five minutes and 58 seconds. I ran to my bike, put on my helmet, sunglasses and shoes, un-racked my bike and ran to the mount line.

112 Miles on the Bike
As I rode away from transition and onto Palani Road I could hear cheers from my friends Cecilia and Ray. It turns out Dennis was also on Palani Road and got a few photos of me, but I didn’t see or hear him. After making the right hand turn onto the Kuakini Hwy it didn’t seem to take much time to climb to the turnaround and make my way back down to Palani. After making a right back onto Palani, there is an incline; I reminded myself to stay within my limits and not throw down the hammer right there because it was going to be a long ride and a long day. I had no idea….

I’ve raced the second half of this course six times as part of the Ironman Hawaii 70.3 race and trained on the rest of the bike course a few times. I felt that I had a pretty good idea of what to expect as far as heat, climbing and winds. However, the unpredictability is part of what makes this course so difficult. Everything was going pretty much as I expected until I reached Waikaloa Beach Drive, about 25 miles from Kona on the Queen K Hwy. BAM!!! Headwinds! This wasn’t supposed to happen here. Over the next 10 miles every time I looked at my Garmin I was going 8 to 10 mph. I was supposed to be going over 18 mph. At this rate I started to wonder if I would make the bike cut off. The thing about Ironman is that whatever it dishes out you just have to keep pushing on. Finally I got some relief when I made the left hand turn onto the fast downhill into Kawaihae. I thought “enjoy this because there will be headwinds after the right hand turn heading up to Hawi.” Unfortunately, as predicted, this was true.

I made my way to the turnaround at Hawi thinking “OK its over halfway done and the second half will be faster.  There has to be some tailwind after all those headwinds, right? Just cause it took you four hours to get here doesn’t mean it’s going to take 4 hours to get back. Keep the legs spinning, take advantage of this downhill.”  Then I try to get into one harder gear than I have and my chain drops. “Don’t freak out, pull over and calmly put the chain back on.” It didn’t take long and I was back on the bike. My feet had been hurting in the forefoot and a little time off my bike helped over the next 10 miles. My feet were hot and seemed to be swelling making my bike shoes feel incredibly tight. Later on, my feet started to burn again and I began pouring cold water on them as I got fresh cold bottles from the aid stations. This discomfort in my feet was worse than any foot pain I had ever had while cycling. I kept repeating to myself “Just keep pushing on! The sooner you get there, the sooner your feet will get some relief.”

Riding back down from Hawi the cross winds were picking up. I was disappointed to find that the wind that had been in my face between Kawaihae and Waikaloa was gone and I didn’t have the advantage of a tailwind when I rode back through that section. Riding back into Kona I started to see runners going in both directions as I passed the Energy Lab and was anxious to get on to the run.

Bike to Run Transition (T2)
I dismounted my bike, leaving my bike shoes clipped on the pedals, handed it off to a volunteer and ran around the pier to the changing tent. I sat down in the tent and decided that it might help my sore feet if I changed into some dry socks. With my socks off, I could see that my feet were indeed swollen and really white. I spent a few minutes rubbing my feet and trying to get the blood flow going. As there was not much else I could do, I put on my run shoes and headed out. I spent about eight minutes in transition which was almost twice as long as the top five women in my age group.

26.2 Mile Run
I felt stiff for the first four miles although those turned out to be my fastest miles of the day. I felt like I got into a rhythm after five miles. The run heads south on Ali’i Drive for about five miles before turning around and coming back along the same route. There is an abundance of crowd support and fortunately it was starting to get overcast, making it a little cooler than I had expected. I saw my sister, Barb, in front of our condos at about mile one and then again on my way back. There are a few rolling climb sections and when I hit the first one, I saw Dennis taking photos which forced me to run up the first hill. Running up that hill wasn’t too bad and that encouraged me to run the rest of the rollers. I told myself to just keeping running and I would let myself walk up Palani Road at about the 10 mile mark.  Dennis was on a bike and he kept cycling ahead on the other side of the road and stopping to take pictures. He kept me distracted for the next mile or so, after which he turned around and I didn’t see him again until after the finish.

I did allow myself to walk up Palani Road and when people cheered me on I’d smile and say “I’m living the dream” which made them cheer even more. Once making a left back onto the Queen K Hwy I knew this is where the test really begins, saying to myself “time to focus and keep running.” I watched a beautiful large orange ball of a sun sink into the Pacific Ocean and soon the route was pitched into darkness. I was then running from aid station to aid station as islands of light in the darkness, spaced a little over a mile apart. The only thing to see was people running toward me with halos of light in the form of glow stick necklaces attached to their bodies in whichever way felt most tolerable. I wore mine as a crown on my head. 

The biggest aid station was at the turn into the Energy Lab. It looked like a giant party with upbeat music blaring, but I didn’t have the energy to enjoy it or take it all in. Once entering the Energy Lab the course goes downhill for awhile which was nice, although I did run off the road at one point. Fortunately I didn’t fall and hopped right back onto the road. The next challenge was coming back up the hill from the beach in the Energy Lab. I was lucky that the sun was down and for the first time I was happy for a headwind because it kept it cooler while running uphill. The biggest treat was near the exit from the Energy Lab where they had placed a jumbotron and suddenly out of the darkness came a larger than life cheer from my sister; totally cracked me up. She had made the video in the Ironman Village at a booth sponsored by Newton Running and they linked it to my timing chip which triggered the video once I ran over a sensor.

Back onto the Queen K Hwy and only six (or eight) miles to go. The miles were marked, I just couldn’t keep it straight. The only slowing down I did was to get ice in my water bottle at the aid stations. It was still hot enough to keep squeezing water on my head and sipping ice water between aid stations. Another right hand turn and I was back on Palani Road with about a mile and a half to go. From the point where I made a left onto Kuakini I could hear Mike Reilly calling people in at the finish line. Two more right turns and I was back on Ali’i Drive which was packed with spectators cheering their lungs out.

I wanted to savor, enjoy and remember this finish “my first Kona.” The finish chute seemed about three times as long as at other Ironman races with ten times the spectators. I heard Cecelia and Ray calling my name and cheering me on. I high-fived people as I ran down the chute and kept repeating “OH MY GOD, OH MY GOD” out loud, I think. I was really doing it: Finishing the Ironman in Kona on Ali’i Drive just as I have watched and wished I could do for many years! The crowd energy was electric and Mike Reilly was calling me an Ironman. I had done it, absorbed it and enjoyed it.

Two volunteers put a towel over my shoulders and a lei on my neck as the tears of joy started to flow. The man asked if I was ok and if I needed to go to the medical tent, the woman responded with “she is just emotional.”

I heeded my coach’s advice and enjoyed my “first” Kona. Now it’s time to get back to work so it won’t be my only Kona.

THE SUPER BOWL OF TRIATHLONS

Being in Kona this week leading up to the Ironman World Championship has made me think about triathlons in a different way. This race is clearly the Super Bowl of triathlons. Being here makes sprint races feel like scrimmages, olympic distance feels like the pre-season, half ironman distance the regular season, other ironman races the play offs and now this week is leading up to the Super Bowl 2014.

I feel extremely privileged to have qualified for this race and I am in awe of the amazing athletes I'm seeing everyday here as they go through their paces in a taper week. The level of energy and excitement is palatable, especially in the morning at the pier, where the languages and accents from the 66 countries being represented in this race can be heard. Tears welled up in my eyes as I joined the masses swimming at "Dig Me" beach for the first time because it hit me that I was joining in on something I've dreamed of for so many years. 

I'm impressed by the sheer number of people who are cheerfully volunteering throughout the week at swim practices, information booths, registration and other venues. There are an even larger number of companies with booths in the Ironman Village than at any Ironman race I've attended. Some of them are giving very nice swag away to registered athletes. Yesterday I was given a pair of yurbuds (http://yurbuds.com/17all-products?semData=yurbuds-t-48290432668-e&gclid=CNHtmIT1nsECFQGqaQodbz4AcA&mpch=ads) which are my favorite (expensive) ear buds because of their comfort and ability to stay in place when running. There is so much going on that I can't do it all without wearing myself out before the race even begins. I haven't even gone to any of the brand sponsored events that I've heard so much about. 

There were certain activities that I just had to do this week. I had my workouts of course and they took some time and energy, helping me get acclimatized to the heat. Fortunately Nick Nicastro/SagMonkey (http://sagmonkey.com) is here this week and he fixed some gearing problems and other issues I was having with my bike. I participated in the Parade of Nations which was fun and pretty low key. I met and marched with one of my competitors, Rose Hajjar, who's name I've seen on my age group results list (as a winner) over many years and was surprised to learn that she also knew of me. 

The other "big event" was the Kona Underpants Run (UPR) on Thursday morning. My sister and I had been "planning" what to wear for many months centered around My Soxy Feet socks and my Team Soxy Feet. (mysoxyfeet.com) Our plans kept evolving and our final product was a bit over the top, but oh so much fun. The Kona UPR was a great way to burn off some nervous energy this week.

It's now less than 12 hours before I will toe the line at the Ironman World Championships. My bike is racked, my bags dropped off and time to try to sleep.