201Ironman

Test

2012-01-26T08:47:00.001-05:00

Test

2012 is coming....

2011-11-09T19:22:00.002-05:00

So, does this blog turin into a pumpkin on January 1st?

Short Run with Mo by golfpro67 at Garmin Connect - Details

2011-11-08T17:00:00.000-05:00

I swam this morning and I followed the NTC Masters program - "C" for today.

600 warm up (2x: 200 swim/50 kick/50 drill)
6x100 swim w/:20 seconds rest (descend 1-3, 4-6)
4x150 pull w/:30 seconds rest (distance per stroke)
3x200 swim w/:30 rest (3/5 breathing pattern by 50)
100 cool down

*2500 Total

Short Run with Mo by golfpro67 at Garmin Connect - Details

Nothing hard on the run; just enjoying the weather and having a nice easy run. It felt great running out there, actually, this is the first time

I've gone running in over 2 months. It sure felt great.

Chris on the run

2011-11-05T15:56:00.001-04:00

Maureen and I caught up with Chris soon after he came out of transition right after the first mile marker. He said he felt good and little pain in his left hip.
He really looks good and looks to be full of energy. We caught up with him a couple more times and gave him a big smile. More to come!

Florida Ironman

2011-11-05T14:42:00.001-04:00

I am in Florida at Ironman Florida cheering a friend of mine. This is my first time as a spectator and at the same time, I am a Finish Line/ Catcher volunteer.
The race started this morning at 7AM and Chris killed his Swim with a 1h7min time. So far he's doing well in the bike.
I rented a scooter and I rode it to about mile 40 where I was able to cheer him on and give him my support. I know what it feels to have a familiar face cheering you on. That alone can give you such a boost. Chris looked fresh and had a big smile!

Maureen and I are waiting for him close to transition- we'll watch him go by and then we'll scoot over ahead and wait for him down the road for his final leg, 26.2 mile run.

I'll be posting pictures later on and hopefully a short video as well. It is so true about being a spectator, you just hurry up- then you wait! 😃

Oh yeah! Btw- Chris has no idea I am a catcher, let alone, I want to catch one of my "Best Friends".

Kona picks anyone?

2011-10-04T00:04:00.002-04:00

World Championships coming up...who's gonna win for the ladies and the fellas?

MotionX-GPS Track: Good tempo ride

2011-09-10T18:50:00.001-04:00

Hello,

Tommy uses MotionX-GPS on the iPhone and is sharing with you the following track:

1st time out since Louisville. Sep 10, 2011 5:47 pm

Name:		Good tempo ride
Date:		Sep 10, 2011 5:47 pm
Map: (valid until Mar 8, 2012)		View on Map
Distance:		12.9 miles
Elapsed Time:		45:55.4
Avg Speed:		16.8 mph
Max Speed:		31.5 mph
Avg Pace:		03' 34" per mile
Min Altitude:		347 ft
Max Altitude:		476 ft
Start Time:		2011-09-10T21:47:43Z
Start Location:
	Latitude:	40.061397º N
	Longitude:	76.368733º W
End Location:
	Latitude:	40.061289º N
	Longitude:	76.368906º W

MotionX-GPS Commonly Asked Questions

What is MotionX-GPS?
MotionX-GPS is the essential GPS application for outdoor enthusiasts. It puts an easy-to-use, state-of-the-art handheld GPS on your iPhone.

Can I use MotionX-GPS?
Sure! MotionX-GPS can be downloaded from the iTunes App Store.

How can I display tracks in Google Earth?
Follow the directions on the Google Earth web site to download and install the Google Earth program. Save the attached "Good tempo ride.kmz" file to your computer. Launch Google Earth, select File, Open, and open the saved "Good tempo ride.kmz" file.

This email was forwarded to me. Where are the attachments?
Some e-mail programs do not include the original attachments by default when forwarding an e-mail. In this case, the sender must reattach the original files for them to be included.

Please contact MotionX customer support with any comments or questions.

All the best,

The MotionX Team

US and Foreign Patents Granted and Pending. Fullpower® is a registered trademark of Fullpower Technologies, Inc. MotionX™ is a trademark of Fullpower Technologies, Inc. © Copyright 2003 - 2011 Fullpower Technologies, Inc. All rights reserved.

ver: MotionXGPSFull 16.5 Build 4037R; ref-id: 996f57693ca4eeab5c32efa14d166d98

2011 Ironman Louisville.wmv

2011-09-07T18:59:00.001-04:00

Check out this video on YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cwLQ9kp2P_k&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Walking to transition in Ironman Louisville

2011-08-27T17:25:00.000-04:00

Calling all Lake Placid peeps!

2011-07-09T22:14:00.000-04:00

Wow, two weeks away? I still remember signing up for the race with Mandy @ Caratunk Girl almost 365 days ago thinking, "Eh, I have a year."

Boy does a year fly by quick when you have severe first Ironman-itis on the brain!

Annie @ Paris Mountain Striding, aka our resident beer aficionado, came up with a GREAT idea. How about a blogger meetup? Since meeting other bloggers is such a great thing, it would be great to meet ALL of you!

How about trying to meet up at the Friday Night Welcome Dinner? If anything, a quick group photo would be cool!

Email me if you are attending the Friday Night Welcome Dinner and would like to meet up. Hope we can get a good group!

Hang in there these past two weeks! Your fitness is in the bag. You WON'T lose it at this point. You are only going to get stronger as you "absorb" all of your hard work.

You are already an Ironman, you just have to cross that finish line before midnight!

Vision Base Bar and Profile Design Aerobar Giveaway

2011-07-06T10:38:00.000-04:00

If anyone knows somebody who might need a free, slightly-used set of aerobars, check out this giveaway.
Good luck to everyone prepping for their next 140.6 - especially the IM Lake Placid folks.
See you IM FL peeps in November!

IM Lake Placid Is A Month Away - What I'm Doing About It

2011-06-24T21:05:00.003-04:00

201Ironman has certainly kept us honest with the IMLP countdown. I was getting a tune up massage today when it dawned on me... one month from now is race day. That inspired me to share a few things I'm doing differently now that we're so close. I hope all you IMLP people will share too.

Sleep: Work has really picked up the last four months so I have been known to fudge a bedtime or two. I'm in bed at 8:30pm now that my last big workouts are in sight.

Eat: We eat pretty healthy in general but during this last push I'm limiting my gluten and sugar intake and reminding myself to eat "clean". Sorry Five Guys. I had a vitamin D deficiency in 2009/2010 so I'm also trying to stay on top of my supplementation.

Drink: My personal blog had morphed into a beer of the week post. Relaxation is synonymous with a good pint of craft beer. It'll only be one a week from now until race day. Its not that I drink tons of the stuff now, but booze is empty calories and I want to stay as hydrated as possible. I'm also switching to decaf. I'm not sure which will be harder, morning decaf or cutting out the diet coke completely.

Ride: Nutrition has been a challenge this season. All of my old standards have failed me so I'm going 99% liquid. My first real test will be tomorrow with a 65 mile ride followed by an 11 mile run. Six miles into the run is usually where I find out for sure if my bike nutrition worked. 24 oz food bottles consist of two scoops lemonade or orange accelerade, three scoops of carbo pro, and four enduralyte capsules. I drink half a bottle each hour along with 12-20oz of straight water. I knock the carbo pro down in my first bottle so I can eat some peanut butter pretzels the first two hours.

Monitor: I finally sucked it up and bought a BMI scale with body water. I've continued to drop weight and I started to worry about hydration and maintaining muscle so after four years of thinking about it I purchased the Tanita scale David Warden recommends on Tri-Talk. My water has been hovering around 55 which isn't too bad, but my body fat has been creeping up even though my weight is lower. Hopefully clean eating and backing off the volume during my taper will stop this trend.

Speaking of tapers. My taper begins in nine days!

What are the rest of you IMLP bound peeps up to this month? Can't wait to meet everyone!

50

2011-06-03T13:42:00.000-04:00

Attention Tri-Dorks!

T-Minus 50 Days until Ironman Lake Placid.

If you just cheer'd in excitement - you will be ready!
If you just whimpered in anxiety - you need to make up for those missed workouts!
If you just pee'd your pants a little - there is no help for you. wear a diaper.

My Story: Amy Bauch

2011-04-26T22:56:00.002-04:00

Name: Amy Bauch
Blog: Amytrigirl
Race: Ironman Wisconsin
Profession Training and Development

How did you get started in triathlon?
I'm somewhat of a late bloomer. I started running when I was in my late 30s (first with 5ks and eventually finishing 9 marathons). I got in to tris about six years ago. I have a friend that was doing LifeTime Fitness Triathlon as part of a relay team and I went to watch the race. I thought it looked like a lot of fun, but was very afraid of the idea of swimming in open water with all those people. I decided to just get over it, though -- took swim lessons and eventually did my first triathlon and was completely, utterly hooked. LOVE them!

Is this your first Ironman?
Well.....no. I actually did IM WI last year (2010) as my first. Unfortunately, I did not finish. I completed the swim and the bike but when I got out on the run, I was not able to take in any nutrition. Slowly -- then quickly -- my energy and mojo got lost. I got to mile 19 of the marathon at 10:32 pm, but the cut off was 10:30 pm, so I missed finishing by 2 minutes and 7 miles...And then I got up the next morning, got back in line to register and here I am again. 2011 is my year.

What is your best/worst triathlon experience?
Best is pretty much all of them (including IM WI 2010, even though I didn't finish). Worst.... ummmmmm.....ahhhhhh.....ummmmmmm..... I'll have to get back to you on that one.

What are your goals for Ironman Wisconsin?
Finish. Have a solid nutrition plan. Have fun. Enjoy the day. Make friends (again) with those darn hills.

Spring Comes to New England

2011-04-24T22:21:00.000-04:00

It's Easter Sunday for those of the Christian faith, and for everyone else it was still Sunday which means long training day. Here in New England, it was the day that was filled with something we haven't seen much of this year; sunshine and warmth. We've had sunshine, but it has mostly been accompanied by bone chilling wind and cold. Today, the first digit of the temperatures had a strange shape that I am quite certain was a 6, and we're told to expect a 7 as soon as Tuesday.

Waking to this warmth and light made outdoor cycling not just possible but a requirement. I've been out on the road exactly twice this year prior to today, one of them on Friday for a sunny but cold ride with the team. Last year we were able to get on the roads a little earlier in the year, and our half-iron was later. This year, we have 54 days until Patriot Half-Iron. So, getting out and putting in some long rides is getting critical.

A friend gave us his trainer when he upgrade to a CycleOps, and it's come in handy. Lots of nights the wife and/or I could get in a ride without leaving the house. Unfortunately, there's just not a good way to duplicate the effort of moving 300+ pounds in a forward direction on a trainer. So, while my swim fitness is much stronger than last season, and my running is at least somewhat better, my bike fitness is still a bit weak.

This weather couldn't have come at a better time.

Day After the Marathon

2011-04-19T22:22:00.002-04:00

I saw this today and thought it was quite funny. It's even worse after Ironman!

Supplements and performance enhancers

2011-04-07T09:55:00.001-04:00

So ladies and gents, triathletes of all ages - who takes some sort of (legal and healthy) supplement worth sharing with the rest of us? Jeff over at Dangle the Carrot posted THIS a while back, which got me thinking... Is there something else I could be doing to help myself out? Of course a well balanced diet and solid training program (along with some determination and hard work) are essential, but does anyone have a "secret ingredient" that is worth sharing?

I am/have been hesitant about this post AND taking any supplements because I like the idea of being au-naturel (I was even hesitant to start using whey protein powder). But I'm also competitive, and I want to get the most out of my body. If I can start putting something better in to get the engine running a little more smoothly, I'll strongly consider it. I don't want to put regular unleaded gasoline in a formula 1 car, if you know what I mean.

Lastly, please don't feel limited to typical "supplements" that you would have to buy at GNC or something. If you eat chia seeds or pinole (head-nod to the Tarahumara and Born to Run enthusiasts) or something else, let me know!

What kind of gas are you putting in your tank?

Danbury 1/2 Marathon

2011-04-06T14:12:00.000-04:00

2nd race of the season... done.

Honestly I kept forgetting that I was doing this race. My TP wanted to run a half this year. I may have said I would do her first race with her. Then she said she wanted to do Danbury. UGH! My memory of Danbury from the previous year was almost two hours of torture on hills. Perhaps I had blown myself up a little training for Miami and was little "done before I started" as TP pointed out.

This year I was 'just running' I had no expectations on myself other than to join my friend in her first 1/2. Gotta say this approach works MUCH better for me. No pressure, just running. I loved it. This year was 1million zillion billion times better than last year. I loved it and was reminded that Oh, I do like this running thing.

On top of that my TP blew her "pie in the sky" goal out of the water by nearly 10 mins. That was lots of fun. She ran a smart run and pushed it beyond her comfort zone at the end. I'm so glad I was able to be there w/ her for her first race and such a great success! She should be so very proud of herself! :)

The day before the race I PIGGED OUT so by the morning of the race I wasn't really hungry (and frankly I've been eating later breakfast lately) and I wasn't sure what to do. I mean it's race morning don't I need to eat SOMETHING!? So I had my coffee and water and waited for the hunger to set in. This race has a late start (10:20am) so I figured I'd get hungry before then.... It was time to go... still not hungry. So I poured the remainder of my coffee over one scoop of First Endurance Cappuccino Ultragen in a flask, mixed a bottle of EFS and headed out.

I still wasn't really that hungry, but about an hour before the race I drank the Ultragen/coffee combo (which by the way tastes like a milkshake.. um, yum) and then wandered around a bit. I had been sipping on the EFS drink and had another swig right before heading to the start line. I didn't take anything with me.

We did the whole run and I didn't have one hunger pain the whole time. I didn't realize until we were done that I hadn't been hungry. SHOCKED really. I still wasn't that hungry. I am ALWAYS hungry.

I've been kinda holding out on using the First Endurance products thinking they were only "worthy" of longer / harder efforts, but man that stuff works... will need to put in in normal circulation.. anything longer than an hour to one and a half hours seems about right.

Ironman Swim Training Ideas

2011-04-04T17:47:00.000-04:00

I laughed so hard....

The Race

2011-04-03T11:55:00.001-04:00

Since I haven't been able to train, I have spent a lot of time on YouTube looking at inspiring videos. I absolutely love this and wanted to share for those who may not have seen it. This is what it's all about!

Road 2 Louisville

2011-03-15T20:25:00.000-04:00

Video blog update- Week 1 Day 2
Short video while biking through the Amish Country of Lancaster County.

http://www.golfprofitness.blogspot.com

My Story: Thomas

2011-03-11T16:13:00.000-05:00

Blog: www.golfprofitness.blogspot.com
Twitter: @thomastroncoso
Race: 70.3 Eagleman
Location: Maryland

Race: Ironman Louisville

Location: Louisville, Kentucky

Profession: Head Golf Professional and an Online Fitness Coach.

How did you get started in triathlon? A couple of years ago a friend of mine told me he was doing a sprint and that he was getting ready to do a half iron. He mentioned I should give it a try and within a week I was signed up for my first ever Triathlon. The rest is history and I was hooked from the get go but right after finishing that Sprint, I got home, opened the laptop and signed up for a half iron.

Is this your first Ironman? This will be my second Ironman, both at Louisville. I chose Louisville not only because it is a great venue but mainly to have a chance to compare it to the 2010 race.

What is your best/worst triathlon experience? Lets start with the worst race experience. Two years ago I did the Inaugural Rev3Tri at Lake Quassy in Connecticut. I lined up for the swim towards the front of the age groupers and as soon as the gun went off I made my way to the front and was in the water in front of many. I bolted like I knew how but before I knew it, I had a panic attack! and even though I was mindful of what was going on, I could not catch my breath and calm myself down. The wetsuit was choking the $#%# out of me. I found myself treading and gasping for air. I don't know how many waves passed me but there was a lot of people going by as I was floating on my back contemplating what the hell had I gotten myself into.

37 minutes later

The actual finish line area and being able to finish there in 4th Street Live (Louisville) is an experience of a lifetime but that experience along side the actual training journey is what makes an Ironman special.

Finally done!

What are your goals for the 2011 season? My goal for this year is to be healthy when the gun goes off on all the races and have the opportunity to meet a lot of great people along the way.
Other info: Live in the Amish Country of Lancaster, PA. I bought a hybrid for my first Tri- yes all 36lbs of it. Since then I have purchased a roadie and a Blue Triad. I am married to Maureen and have been for 20 yrs and a proud father of two teenagers. Brian is 19 yrs old and Shawn is turning 18 at the end of this month. My training schedule fluctuates constantly as the golf business is demanding during the summer and weekends so it is a constant battle to fit in the training time. I enjoy tinkering around the kitchen and the rest of free time I help others get on the right path to eating healthy and exercising.

Finish Line day before

Best Friend and Biggest Supporter- Maureen

IM Jackpot!

2011-02-23T12:05:00.000-05:00

Today I received an "Active Triathlete: Everything You Need to Know About Ironman" email today and thought I'd share it. It seriously has every article about Ironman training you could ask for! Lots of useful training, racing & nutrition info, especially for first time IM athletes. Hope this helps - Happy Training!

http://www.active.com/triathlon/iron-distance.htm?cmp=306&memberid=111859623&lyrisid=21495785

My Story: Patrice

2011-02-21T13:53:00.005-05:00

Name: Patrice Lehocky
Blog: takewrning.blogspot.com
Twitter: @takewrning
Race: Rev3 Cedar Point
Location: Columbus, Ohio
Profession: “researcher” at Battelle, work in Process Engineering and Carbon Sequestration.

How did you get started in triathlon? Last winter I was looking for a way to get in shape, shed a few pounds and have a training goal, and triathlons seemed interesting. I got pool membership, read a few books, watched some YouTube videos on how to swim correctly and I was off.
I started racing last summer with a few of the Girls Tri Too series held at various Ohio state parks. Originally it was a way just to get out, meet some folks and get in better shape for cyclocross season. But it was much more fun than I anticipated (I'm not one for competitions) and I was hooked!

Is this your first Ironman? Yes, I was reallyyy hoping to complete in Vineman this year, as it’s right before my 30th birthday and I love that part of the country, but I’m am now going on vacation that week, and hoping to ride my bike to said destination (about 520 miles, work schedule pending…). I’m also racing the Ohio Triple T, which is rumored to be more challenging than an ironman….

What is your best/worst triathlon experience? I don’t really have a best/worst experience just yet. I haven’t raced all that much, but I know this year I need to focus on timing races to have a longer rest periods. The last tri I did last season was a month into cyclocross season, and after it, I was too burned out to really race cross well.
I have two stand-out experiences so far: I placed 2nd in my age group at my second race (though never, ever thought that this would be possible & left before the awards were handed out). Second, when I raced the Pittsburgh triathlon, I was crushing a few of the folks on fancy aero-bikes with fancy clothes and helmets on the uphill. This is admirable because 1.) I have no real format bike training, I ride a bit, spin a bit, etc. 2.) I ride my cyclocross bike outfitted with thin tires. 3.) My waterbottle wasn't completely cleaned out and tasted like soap, so I didn't have any water and it was pretty sunny out 4.) I live in Ohio, where it is flat, and the course out is a steady incline, and most importantly, 5.) I have pink dice valve covers. (Though on the downhill, the aero bikes were humming past me at crazy speeds) I believe I placed in the top 18% overall for bike times. This was also a great race as I’m from Pittsburgh so my family was able to be there too.

What are your goals for the 2011 season? I want to get through the Ohio Triple T injury free. I’ve been struggling a bit to get back into the training mode since the new year and will be working long hours until the end of April, and have always struggled with shin splints and this year has been no different.
For Cedar Point, I hope to finish under 16hrs, but more importantly, I hope to have a good swim. Swimming is by far my weakest link, so I hope to become more efficient at the swim and hopefully everything else will fall into place. I also would like to maintain a decent budget (though it's kind of a sliding budget right now...) My race times have shown that my current bike is a suitable choice for an ‘age group’ racer, but it would be soooo nice to have a fancy new bike (though I really don’t have room for a 6th bike…)

Other info: No kids, a pet frog and after 2 years without a car have recently rejoined the world of the vehicled. I also make jewelry/handbags which I sometimes blog about too. I work some weekends at a rock climbing gym, and although I’ve been on hiatus from climbing for a few years, hope to do a bit more this summer. I love the Thrive Diet books and the No Meat Athlete blog, but like working out in general since the new year, I’ve been struggling with not caving in and eating cheese every so often. I hope to get back on track with both of those starting the 1st week in March!

Training "Black Hole"

2011-02-10T11:07:00.002-05:00

I came across this article on a blog I follow and found it to be really fascinating. I think it's easy to fall into this trap due to excitement, particularly when training for your first Ironman. This offers an interesting look at the importance of easy days and rest, which I know is a topic on all of our minds. Might be a good read as we ramp up our seasons.

Calling all Americans for some race planning advice

2011-02-06T17:17:00.002-05:00

Hello from Australia!

I know 2012 is a long way off but we are trying to get our 2012 race schedule organised and we want to race somewhere fun in the US next year. Since the races normally sell our really quickly we need to get ourselves sorted out soon. So.....tell me, if you were going to travel from the otherside of the world, whats a great IM race in the US?

Thanks :)

My story: Bill

2011-02-05T15:38:00.001-05:00

Name: Bill Seedes
Blog: http://itri4downs.blogspot.com/
Web: http://www.itri4downs.com/
Twitter: @itri4downs
Race: Ironman Lake Placid
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Profession: Health Club Manager/Personal Trainer/USAT Level 1 Coach

How did you get started in triathlon?
In 2008 my weight had climed to 223 lbs. I knew something had to change. I was motivated by my daughter one night to get moving again. After a long layoff from athletic competition, I decided to train for the Marine Corp Marathon. During the preparations I decided to cross train with swimming and biking and registered for a Sprint Triathlon as a way to keep my body from breaking down. During the training I got hooked in the summer of 2009. At the Marine Corp Marathon my weight was 170 lbs and finished in 3:08. In 2010 I decreased my running entries and increased triathlon entries.

Is this your first Ironman?
Yes. I have completed sprint, olympic, and long distance (70 miler), but never 140.6.

What is your best/worst triathlon experience?
My worst was at last October's 70 mile triathlon. After exiting the swim and removing my wetsuit at T1, I dropped it on the ground. I put on my bike gear, did one last scan of the area, then left for the bike portion. It wasn't until 3 miles in that I realized I had none of my food; I dropped my wet suit on the food I had planned to put in my bike jersey.

Best was at Philly Triathlon this year. It was unbearbly hot and humid for June. There had been an accident the day before, so our race would not include a swim, but rather a 3 mile run, 25 mile bike, then 6 mile run. All my running helped and I was prepared for the extra miles of running.

What are your goals for Lake Placid?
For and most importantly to finish healthy and without injury. If I am having a good day I think I can do 11:15. I have a good training plan that I know I can follow and will allow me to come in in good shape. As long as I enjoy the journey, I know it will be a great day.

Other info:
Proud father of 3 children, with a great wife who allows me to do all this crazy stuff. My oldest daughter has Downs Syndrom and is my inspiration. I race to raise money for special needs children. I am eager to enjoy the stories of other athletes and see what motivates them to compete at this level.

My Story: Colleen

2011-01-31T22:12:00.005-05:00

Name: Colleen Kingery
Blog: Irondiva
Twitter: @CBKingery
Race: REV3 Cedar Point
Location: Delaware, OH
Profession: Business owner

How did you get started in triathlon?
I was actually fairly athletic growing up - I played soccer for 15 years and basketball for 5. Funny this is though, I hated running. When I graduated college, I had retained the freshman 25 or so and decided to train for a half marathon. I met my future husband about a month before the race and totally tried to impress him by running the whole race since he was a runner. Within 3 months of dating, he convinced me to run a marathon. For 3 years, we trained for one marathon a year. I had taken up biking after meeting him and slowly got into triathlon as a break from the monotony of running. I did my first tri in 2005.

Is this your first Ironman?
Nope - I finished Ironman Florida in 2008 and 2009, and then dropped out of Ironman Louisville last year at mile 9 of the run due to heat stroke and dehydration.

What is your best/worst triathlon experience?
I love racing, but feel like mother nature hates me some days. I have done two half Ironman races in 95+ degree heat, a half Ironman in a hurricane (the winds were literally so strong that myself and two others were crossing a dam during the run course on our hands and knees as people in transition were trying to stop porto johns from blowing across the parking lot) and an Ironman where it was 96 degrees and they ran out of water for 40 miles of the bike. But even with the weather conditions not in my favor, I always come back for me! What doesn't kill me makes me stronger!

What are your goals for Cedar Point?
Since I signed up on a whim, I haven't laid out my exact goals, but they are probably going to look something like finishing with a 12 in the hour place! And as always, I want to be able to smile the entire day, knowing that I've raced my best race.

Other info:
I have 2 dogs, Buddy and Charlie. No human kids. :) My husband and I train 95% of the time together and always do the same races although he's always MUCH faster. My goal this year is to beat him in just one discipline in one race, transitions don't count! I'm a member of Team Trakkers this year and so stinking excited to be racing with such a great group - definitely good motivation to not suck! I love the color pink, pasta, cheese, flipflops, sunshine, sleeping and reality tv!

Ironman Race Strategy

2011-01-26T15:27:00.000-05:00

Good article I found on Trifuel

You train hard for your next Ironman and are doing all the things you're supposed to be doing. But have you sorted out the details for your race day strategy? It's a good idea to begin planning now so you know what you need to know and consider what you need to consider in your effort to perform to your maximum potential on race day. Consider the following:

One of our athletes recently asked what strategy he should use for his next Ironman race. He is a high-performance age grouper, who would like to improve his sub-10h to a sub 9h30. Using our training plans, he has developed the basic skills of The Method in terms of pacing and follows our specific guidelines for running, swimming and bike technique. He's also improved his mental game, developing a self-awareness that will allow him to make better decisions when the conditions are less than ideal on race day.
However, how do you sort the details out for your race day strategy? What do you need to know and consider so you can reach your maximum potential for each event?

Consider the following:

Goals

The first step is to set your goals. Why are you racing that Ironman? Do you simply want to finish the event or are you after a PB, a Kona slot, or a breakthrough performance? Is this your first Ironman or have you already done several? Perhaps you're no longer in having he “just race to finish” mindset and are willing to take a risk to see where it takes you.
You can find an analogy in the way you make investment decisions. If you are a beginner in the financial game, you are likely to choose a more stable and safe strategy—you do not have yet enough information about or background in the industry to take riskier decisions which, if done wisely, can also provide better dividends.

Ironman racing is no different: the beginner athlete should always start with a very basic and safe strategy, since “just finishing” can be a really hard challenge. In that case, approach the race as a long training day, which is not far from the truth, and stick to two basic mantras—“eat and drink” and “slow and steady wins the race”. You will definitely face a few down periods during the race, but you will get through those.
With your finish you will have set your benchmark for Ironman, learned much about the event, and might be in a position to pick different goals for the next one.

More experienced athletes are no longer interesting in only covering the distance, since they have done that already multiple times. They may be high-performance athletes seeking further improvements or that coveted Ironman World Championship slot.

If you are among this category of Ironman athletes, you know you will be taking some serious risks in chasing a performance at a new level: you may bonk or make the wrong decision and end up with the slowest time of your Ironman career. And you have to be comfortable with that possibility.

Background

Your background in any of triathlon’s disciplines (or lack thereof) has an important impact on your training strategy. For the beginner athlete, it is a chance to train in a more structured way for the particular discipline you have more experience with, while honing your technique and strength in the other two (to avoid injuries). For the high-performance age grouper, it is your weapon on race day, allowing you to stand out from the crowd and make your move.

Recently we had a new athlete who just signed up for an Ironman without ever having doing a triathlon before. A very dedicated person, and a high achiever in other areas of life, this person didn’t have the patience to build himself into the sport. Our coach guiding him was worried he would end up injured as he would always do more than what was prescribed on his training plan.

The solution we found for his situation was to incorporate an “Ironman day” into his training plan: a long hike around the trails and waterfalls in the area he lives. The only rule: he wasn’t allowed to run. All his other weekly sessions were “recovery”— though in reality they are building the basic skills and strength into his system.

Another example is a former college swimmer who, after years in the corporate world and all the health-related negatives that come with it, decided to change his lifestyle. He took up triathlon. He had to slowly build himself into cycling and running but in the pool he quickly achieved a high training volume and could enjoy the benefits of that higher work load. His swimming background allowed him to do that. In terms of races, this former college swimmer still had the ability to swim at a decent pace, only a few minutes off his max potential while exiting the water very fresh compared with other beginning triathletes without that background.

Life circumstances and impact on your training

Due to family or professional commitments, age group athletes are faced everyday with limitations. They must balance training with their life outside the sport. On top of time-constraints for training, some athletes are based in cities that do not offer many opportunities and are challenged to work around those obstacles.
As hard as it can be to accept, be realistic about your circumstances as they have a big impact on your performance. Set yourself goals that are aligned with your lifestyle, and use a training plan that is tailored to it, considering all the details such as commuting to work, stress levels and access to treadmills/trainers.

Injuries

Injuries are usually a result of an excessive training load, incorrect technique or a slow recovery, associated with hormonal balance. If you have had problems with injuries in the past, it is important to understand that you have to find ways to get fitter without increasing the risk of getting injured again.
Some athletes develop injuries as a result of excessive running volume. If this is the case for you, you're better off developing your endurance on the bike, a low-impact discipline. Cycling, you can train even longer than someone who has had no injury problems and does long runs as a consistent part of their weekly routine.
Another common problem is at a hormonal level. Overtraining and chronic fatigue hits you from a different angle and, unlike structural injuries, is not a result of a higher load in one specific discipline. Instead, it means you are not resting enough or your sessions are lowering your testosterone levels.

Strengths and Weaknesses

This is the most important aspect that will define your race strategy. Just as a quick example, and one that many triathletes will recognize, I work with one athlete (M45-49) who, even as a two-time Kona qualifier, is simply not suited for running. Regardless of how easy he takes it on the bike leg, even a standalone marathon is very slow compared with his swimming and biking abilities.

Breaking four hours is a great Ironman run for him. Decent ones are a little over 4 hours. Trying to run much faster than that in a race is a waste of time and energy as proved by previous attempts. We finally agreed that he would have to make the most of his bike, which is his strength (low 5hr split), by riding very hard. Then we used the run/walk protocol for the marathon. His time is not much slower than if he were to run without walk breaks after holding back on the bike. In the end, he goes quicker with the superb bike split and solid run including walk breaks.

Athletes with a running background or body type suitable to running are in the opposite situation—their bike fitness is just not good enough to ride hard and run hard. They are also challenged to find a trade-off, as riding 15 minutes faster than what they are supposed to can turn a potential 3h15 run into a slow and painful shuffle. Not to mention the change in mindset from always being the “hunter” to “Where are my running legs today?”

Your Competition

The faster the athlete, the more they have to consider what other fast athletes are doing out there on the course. As an example we know that at the Ironman World Championships in Hawaii, the men’s competition is so tight that those who are strong bikers/runners but weak swimmers, such as Rutger Beke or Ronnie Schildknecht, have the fitness and legs to become world champions if they were able swim at the front of the pack. But those 3 to 4 minutes they are behind coming into T1 make the difference as they miss the pack and start a lonely and draining mission to catch up to the whole group.

Another example is two-time champion Craig Alexander, who has a great strategy when the wind doesn’t blow and the pack stays together, without decent runners going off to the front.

The typical age grouper doesn’t need to think those details, especially not if you are just starting out. But as you get fitter and faster, you can begin to use your rivals on the course to make you faster. For example, the swim start is always a stressful part of any race. If you have the swimming background or fitness to reach T1 within the hour, it should be worth your while to attack the first 400 meters or so—that will allow you to swim off a group of experienced swimmers, who will be going in a straight line, steady pace. As a result you will find the transition and the bike a lot less crowded which means a cleaner and faster race.

And here's a scenario on technical bike courses: riding 15 to 20 metres behind someone else makes it easier to anticipate the course such as sharp turns, potholes and aid stations. You simply focus on the athlete ahead, and don’t need to put in the mental energy to set the pace or stay as alert for surprises on the course (though of course you must pay attention at all times).

Race Conditions

Race conditions are aspects of the race you should understand and consider not only when defining your strategy, but also on race day, particularly if they turn out to be different than you had expected.
If you have a heavier frame for example, are you going to attack the hills on the bike or should you take it easier? What will you do on the flats, especially with a headwind? Weather also plays a big role in deciding how to pace yourself: larger athletes know they need to hold back on the bike if it is a hot day—if they don't, they will pay the price for it on the run. On the flipside, heavier athletes can ride very hard and still have a solid run if the conditions are cooler.

Those are only a few scenarios you should be familiar with as they significantly affect your performance and placing. At the high performance level, it can be the difference between earning that Kona slot and missing out. And for the beginner athlete, it can be the difference between a DNF as a result of a preventable mistake in judgement and becoming an Ironman.

Enjoy your training and racing in 2011!

2011-01-23T07:24:00.000-05:00

My Story: SKIERZ

Name: John Fortin AKA SKIERZ

Blog: http://wisconsin2010.blogspot.com/

Race: Ironman Canada 2011

Location: Mississauga, ON, Canada
Profession: Triathlon, ski and run Coach, Motivator, Sales Professional

How did you get started in triathlon?

From the age of 12 I have been a runner as a way to be in the best condition that I could for skiing. My first race was teh Terry Fox run and I was hooked, the feeling of crossing the finish line was addictive and I wanted more. As well as running I did a lot of riding as a kid as I lived 15 miles from town, if I wanted to be out with friends that is how I needed to do it.

Move ahead 20 years......I started mountain biking and doing a few adventure races. I loved doing them and played around for a long time training and doing races. As I got stronger on my mountain bike, I started to race. Along with racing a mountain bike came a lot of wounds and crashes. The recovery from the crashes seem to take longer each season I was out. So, I decided to do some road riding to get myself into something that I would not eventually break myself in two trying to do. I found raod riding was a blast and I wasnt all that bed at it either. So, I put in a lot of miles as a way to stay fit and have fun. Along the miles I was still running a bit and found I needed a little more. So, I though I would try a triahtlon to see what it was like.

Up to this point I have not mentioned swimming......OOops! Because I could not swim. I stil registered and figured 750m was not that far and I could fake my way through it. Ugghh! It sucked! I finished the race but, I had a boat on either side of me for the entire time. My intro to the sport was less than stellar.

Fast forward another few years and close to 50lbs, I decided I needed to get back into shape, and not teh shape of a pear. So I found myself a bet.....a friend bet me I could not lose weight or run a marathon. And it all started.....

I did some more sprints and they were scary, the water was hte most tramatic experience. I avoided training in any organized manner because it sucked so bad!!! But I had to lose weight and I needed to stop emberssing myself.

So, off I went with a lot of determination and taught myself how to swim so I could be a triathlete. And the story now continues......

Is this your first Ironman?

No, completed my first in 2010 at IRONMAN WISCONSIN!!! from sprint to Ironman

What are your goals for Ironman CANADA?

Improve my time and performance from my IM Wisconsin event. I will not say how I want to as once I put it out there I am committed. I have learned a lot from my training and I am going to take it into this season to make it a wicked and faster experience than the last.

What are your best and worst triathlon experiences?

BEST! By far finishing IRONMAN WISCONSIN in 12:02:31 after the most incredible one year training experience that could be found anywhere! The entire journey from the minute I hit send to register, until 2 minutes ago when I thought about the experience were and are incredible. It changed me as an athlete, a coach and a person and would not trade it for a thing.

Worst....that is a strong word! Nothing is worst in my mind. It can be a tough day but there is a lesson to be taken from whatever it is you have done. My biggest lesson was a tri a couple of years ago that I did without any swim training. I called over officials 3 times during the swim, I tought I was going to drown. Finally, screaming at the top of my lungs for an official, my wife who was 2 heats behind me heard me as she was cathcing up to me and passing. She coached me into the the end of the swim. Crazy day! As a result I decided to figure it out, and today it is one of my favoured practices and I am dong decently at it.

Inspirational quotes:

'Live for your Dreams'

'Nothing is impossible'

'Believe in yourself and the possibilities are endless'

Other information about me:

I love, love, love coaching and teaching people to help them meet their goals. I enjoy crossing the finish line, but love seeing people I have coached reach their 'I can't do that' goal!

Skiing is my primary sport, I run, bike, swim all in order to be a better skier and to continue to grow in my own performance and in my coaching and teaching.

I am a yogi and truly believe in the physical and mental elements of a yoga practice being a key ingredient to safe and fun training for any triahtlon or sport.

My Story- Jack Fisher

2011-01-22T08:54:00.012-05:00

Name: Jack Fisher
Blog: jackfisher.me
Twitter: @jackfisher
Race: Ironman Coeur D'Alene
Location: Auburn, AL
Profession: Not your typical church pastor guy.

How did you get started in triathlon? I started running in 1990 after gaining a lot of weight. I spent 20 years in the restaurant/bar business and I needed something to balance out that lifestyle (if you have ever been in the restaurant business you know what I mean). I did my first triathlon a couple of years later, it was a local tri and I was hooked. Since then I have done every distance but an Ironman.

Is this your first Ironman? Yes. I registered for Ironman Florida about 10 years ago but decided not to do it. I also registered for Ironman Louisville 2010 and trained up to a month before the race. An injury kept me from that one. My frustration from not being able to do Louisville led me to sign up for CDA.

What is your best/worst triathlon experience? My worst was Augusta 70.3 in 2009. I was fine until the last 10 miles of the bike and I completely bonked. I wasn’t going to drop out so I ended up mostly walking the run. My best was Peachtree, GA Sprint Tri the same year. Most races I do by myself, but this one I did with four of my friends and it was their first triathlon.

What are your goals for Coeur D’Alene 2011? I want to finish injury free and under 17 hours. (Secretly I want to do it in less than 14 hours.) But more than anything I want to have my family there when I cross the finish line.

Other info: I have six dogs, two cats, five kids (ages 9-16) and one wife. We live in the country in a house built in 1945. I plan to do the Bartram 100 Mile Race in December with this guy. I can't wait!

My Story - DRog

2011-01-19T23:08:00.003-05:00

name: Derek
blog: drogmn.blogspot.com
race: Ironman Lake Placid
location: Minneapolis, MN
profession: sales rep

How did you get started in Triathlon?
About a year ago I had just finished doing a couple of marathons and was lacking any direction in my training. I bought a Tri bike with the intent of using it to complete an IM distance race...turns out I love multisport and the lifestyle that surrounds it.

Is this your first Ironman?
Yes!

What is your best/worst triathlon experience?
I did my first two triathlons last year, and both were completely awesome. I finished an Olympic distance in early July, and a couple of weeks later did a Half Iron. Both were pretty flat bike and run courses...so I am a little freaked out about IMLP. Better train hard!

What are your goals for Lake Placid 2011:
To.Finish!
I would like to do IMWI in 12'... and assuming I can hopefully get a completed IM under my belt at LP, I would likely set a time goal in Madison.

Other info:
I'm a Husband and Dad of three girls, 8,5,5.
I'm also a P.F.G - and weighed 240lbs in March of 2007. I started running and doing spin classes that year and ran 6 miles that December. Since 2008 I have run 6 marathons, most recently RnR AZ last weekend where I weighed in at 180lbs. I'm hoping to race IMLP under that weight, and I'll have to be mindful of how I am eating over the next 6 months as I still have the bad habit of eating too much, even when I am training a lot.

Triathlon Clubs/Teams - worth the hype?

2011-01-19T12:00:00.000-05:00

I'm hoping to start kind of a forum here to get peoples' thoughts on triathlon clubs and teams. Are they worth it? What do we get out of them? What do we have to put in?

I'm writing this because I am contemplating joining a team this year. In my area there are two options and I'm not sure which one to go with, if I even go with a team at all...

I'm a self coached athlete and I don't like spending money on things I don't need. So I'm wondering if a tri club is just $45/year to meet some people also doing triathlon and then the rights to buy a jersey with a logo on it? Or is it something more that I'm not seeing....

I already have a couple training partners (although because of my job I do 90% of training on my own anyway). I have a jersey that I like. I have a blog. I am part of 201Ironman. I have a lot of books on training (that I actually read). Do I need a team?

A penny for your thoughts!

(to collect the penny referenced above please include your name and address in your comment. Also, please mail a check or money order of $6.95 to me to cover shipping and handling charges... and thanks!)

MY STORY: Laura Mount (wife.mother.athlete.)

2011-01-17T09:44:00.001-05:00

Name: Laura
Blog: http://www.wifemotherathlete.com
Twitter: Marual
Race: Rev3 Cedar Point Full
Location: Bethel, CT
Profession: I 'work from home" haha. I am a MOM. A teach some spin classes too.

How did you get started in triathlon?
In 1998 when I had moved to Seattle I joined Team in Training to run my first marathon and to meet people. Fast forward to 2006 I found myself again in a new town and a was a new mom looking for a some structure and a challenge that had nothing to do with being a mom. I had always wanted to do a triathlon, but felt ill equipped to prepare on my own. When I got the flier for TNT I jumped on it. I did my first triathlon with Team in Training at Accenture Chicago Triathlon in 2007 when my kids were 1 year old.

Is this your first Ironman?
YES!

What is your best/worst triathlon experience?
My best triathlon experience was finishing my very first triathlon at the BIGGEST TRIATHLON!

My worst experience was DNFing my one and only attempt at the 70.3 at Lake Stevens in 2008. I had contemplated dropping out of the race about 4 weeks out so it's kind of ironic that I DNFd. I got through the hardest part (for me) the swim and I didn't hate it. I was pretty damn proud of myself and would say this is probably my second BEST triathlon experience. I even felt kind of like I belonged out there. I was psyched and got on my bike... throwing my pump back in transition bc I had never had a flat and didn't feel like carrying it for 56 miles. BAD idea. Eight minutes into the bike I flatted. Turns out I didn't have the right tubes for my wheels either (so I guess the lack of pump wasn't really that much of a problem). I stood there on the side of the road waiting for race support. Thirty minutes later I was back on the bike and cruisin' along.... 2 minutes after getting going again.... PFSSSST... FLAT AGAIN. I was out. I didn't want to wait another 30 minutes to be 1 hour back of my age group. I got sagged back to the finish and watched my brother in law finish.

What are your goals for Rev 3 Cedar Point in 2011?
#1 Have FUN!!! (in the past I've gotten caught up in the numbers and pushed myself to the 'dark side') #2 Race my own race (it doesn't matter what others can do.. it matters what I can do and still hit Goal #1)

Other Random factoids.
I count myself very lucky to have been accepted to Team Trakkers this year! This is part of what has gotten me on the 140.6 bandwagon THIS year. In my 'plan' I had always thought 2012 would be my year to step it up to the full, but when this opportunity presented itself I decided NOW was the time. First off I have a great group to do this with and secondly my life as a mom is not going to get any less complicated as the years go by. Soon my Saturday morning time slot will be eaten up by youth sports and activities and my car will turn into a taxi as I shuttle kids around so I'm going for it this year. On top of all of this I've hired a coach this year and John and a lot of his CREW are Cedar Point finishers and are returning in 2011!!! I'm all in and I'm scared out of my mind and excited all at the same time. I'm excited to be part of 201Ironman for the support, camaraderie and inspiration!

Remembering Recovery

2011-01-08T10:33:00.002-05:00

In case anyone missed this, it's a good article on the importance of recovery as we plan our seasons. It's mostly common sense, but never hurts to be reminded, especially at the beginning of the season when we're really anxious to get started: Lava Article

Happy Training!

Endurance Athlete Project

2011-01-06T19:12:00.000-05:00

A new social network seems to have popped up recently, targeting endurance athletes of all kinds. The Endurance Athlete Project aims to be a one stop shop for blogs, forums, profiles and pretty much everything you can think of.

So if anyone has checked it out...what do ya'll think? Is this the missing network? Or do we really need another website through which to congregate in addition to slowtwitch, facebook, twitter, blogs, etc?

200

2011-01-04T17:24:00.000-05:00

ATTENTION ALL TRIATHLETES

T-Minus 200 Days until Ironman Lake Placid

That's barely 24 training weeks if you include taper.

If your heart just skipped a beat, you're not alone. I'm new to this as well :)

I hate countdowns. They stress me out. I'd like to thank Caratunk Girl for torturing me with updates. :)

What does your Training Plan say with only 24 Weeks to go

My Story: Peter

2010-12-31T11:29:00.001-05:00

Name: Peter Wickman
Blog: http://pwtriathlon.blogspot.com/
Race: Ironman Lake Placid
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Profession: Teacher

How did you get started in triathlon?

I had the summer off in 2009 so I decided to run a marathon. After an awful experience I decided running and endurance sports were not for me. Then I read Born to Run and changed my mind. I signed up for my first (and second) tri about a week after finishing the book. After a few months of training I was hooked.

Is this your first Ironman?

This will be my first ironman. I completed 2 HIM's in 2010 and I'm eager to take on the big beast.

What is your best/worst triathlon experience?

My worst was really my first 2 races - an olympic triathlon turned duathlon last minute because of a drowned swimmer and then a HIM in sweltering heat. During the Philly olympic distance tri in June the swim was canceled at 6:45am. Then I crashed my bike going down hill at about 30mph right before T2. I was pretty shaken up. Two weeks later I went to Providence, RI for a 70.3 and was crushed by it. I went in feeling a little cocky and perhaps overly ambitious. The course and conditions put me back in my place. After a slow swim I took off for a disappointing bike and then the part I was looking forward, the run, turned out to be a walk. I was almost an hour off my goal time.

My best tri experience was at the Syracuse 70.3 in September. I was very doubtful of myself because the only 2 races I had done had turned out so poorly. I continued training throughout the summer and even hired a coach for the 5 weeks before the race. Despite some cold weather conditions I was able to improve my swim by 2 minutes, my bike by 20 and my run by 40. I took my time in the transitions, but managed to finish in 4:59.54 - my goal was 5 hours. I finally started to believe what I was capable of and saw the fruits of my labor. I even ended up having a fast enough time for Clearwater, although I didn't stick around to sign up because I didn't think the slots would trickle down as far as they did...

What are your goals for Lake Placid 2011?

I'm still deciding on these... Finish is an obvious one. And enjoy the race and training experience. As far as times and qualifying for anything - I'm not sure I want to publish that just yet.

Other info:

I'm 25 and live with my wonderful girlfriend and my college roommate in center city. I do a lot of training on my own and sometimes I struggle to motivate myself. Tackling the ironman is just something else on my bucket list. I want to see what my body is capable of and it's better to do it young, I suppose.

Naughty or Nice List?

2010-12-28T10:51:00.000-05:00

I was on the "nice" list this year! woohoo!

Here's my laundry list of cool gear Santa brought me:
- Skull arm warmers
- a skull cap for under my helmet
- a baklava aka balaclava (I just like calling it a baklava)
- Troy Jacobson's Lake Placid bike trainer DVD
- Pearl Izumi Long sleeve bike jacket
- two spairs of specialty cycling socks (pink camo & skulls - see a theme here?)
- aero hydration system
- Finis lap counter (I'm prepared to go dizzy in my long pool workouts!)

I am prepped and ready to rock IMLP training! At least I'll stay warm and motivated :)

So what did you guys get??

Happy New Year!! 207 days til Placid!

The Holiday Taper

2010-12-21T22:48:00.000-05:00

You have done the work: aka, you have eaten the cookies.
You have hydrated: aka, gotten your liver in shape

Now its show time!

Leading into the holidays, doesn't it feel like you have been upping the volume and then suddenly you cut water for the main event? Does this experience seem just a tad bit familiar?

Yes, you have expanded your stomach and gotten your tolerance up to the point that during those HUGE holiday meals, its GO time! You can consume 3 portions and 3 bottles of wine and still keep going for the three whole pies and 3 gallons of ice cream. You have prepared for 6 weeks for this!

And now the main event is over.

You need to go recover.

Your stomach is sore. Unfortunately a massage will not help.

Good thing you don't need a recovery meal!............yet.

-------------------------------------

I am preparing myself for the onslaught of holiday meals over the next 10 days. So far I have been good, as in running hard and swimming hard to burn off the excess yumminess that I have been taking in lately. Can't say no to the cookies and extra booze! Gotta enjoy life, right?

How have you been "fare-ing"?

5150 anyone?

2010-12-12T22:06:00.000-05:00

This year the WTC is taking its first steps into the realm of olympic distance races with the 5150 series. The series of races around the US (and the wordl) appear to be filling up, though I cannot find very many details on any of the 5150 races. Seems kinda crazy that folks are signing up for these events based on hype alone...

In addition to your 140.6 mile race, is anyone thinking of adding on of these to their race calendar? Do you think the new 5150s will become a good series of shorter races for those who don't prefer the 70.3+ distance? Or is it just another chance for the WTC to get in our pockets?

My Story: Libby

2010-12-04T11:21:00.005-05:00

Name: Libby Bergman

Blog: libbybergman.blogspot.com

Twitter: @libbybergman

Race: Ironman St. George, Ironman Wisconsin

Location: Saint Augustine Beach, Florida

Profession: Physical Therapist

How did you get started in triathlon?

I was a competitive swimmer since I was 7 years old and the older I became, the more burned out I got. I half heartedly went on college recruiting trips but decided in my senior year of high school that I wanted to become a triathlete. Having grown up swimming next to several professional triathletes at my swim club (including Heather Gollnick), I looked up to their grit and accomplishments and knew it was a sport I was destined to do. I chose to go to University of Wisconsin Madison where I knew they had a great triathlon team and the rest is history. I enjoyed competing on a team and traveling to races throughout college and got my first experience of what an ironman is all about when I volunteered at the inaugural Ironman Wisconsin in 2002. I continued to race off and on after graduating college however living in the Virgin Islands, my racing and training was limited. When I moved back stateside and got settled into graduate school, I began picking up racing more seriously again.

Is this your first Ironman?

This will be my second. I did Ironman Coeur d'Alene in 2009 and I'm back for more. It was a fantastic experience and left me hungry for more Ironman distance racing!

What is your best/worst triathlon experience?

Almost every race is my best triathlon experience. I just love racing that much. If I had to pick the highlights, it would be when our women's team took first at collegiate nationals and our team overall took second to Colorado. The other best moment would be winning my age group at Florida 70.3 this year the day after winning a local sprint overall. That was the biggest adrenaline rush of my life!

My worst triathlon experience would be having to drop out of Ironman Wisconsin this year after dealing with a stress fracture in my hip all summer. Being a Physical Therapist, I routinely deal with the psychology of injured athletes, but it was still very difficult dealing with the loss of that race and with the loss of my health for the majority of this year.

What are your goals for 2011?

Well.... Tough question. I have many goals. My ultimate goal is Kona. I qualified many years ago while living in the Virgin Islands but I couldn't afford to go. I've been chasing a spot ever since. My ultimate goal is put together an ironman where I feel like I race to my potential. I will be very satisfied when that happens. After this past year however, I will never take for granted just getting to the start (and finish line!) healthy!

Other Info:

I'm also very short (5'1") and a huge proponent of riding 650's for the short population!

I have the must loving rescued mutt on the planet and I love surfing and traveling.

I'm a born and raised Wisconsinite (from Milwaukee) and love all things Packer, Badger, Beer or Bratwurst related :)

My Story: Austin

2010-12-02T21:26:00.000-05:00

Name: Austin

Blog: Enjoy the Ride

Twitter: @mattscottaustin

Race: 2011 Ironman Florida

Location: Panama City, FL

Profession: USCG Helo Pilot

How did you get started in triathlon?

By following my wife. We were both college track stars (she was a distance girl and I ran the hurdles – we actually met on the track). In the years after college, we both needed something new to push us. So now, though I once thought it was ridiculous to run any more than 400 meters, I’ll be putting in the miles for IMFL 2011.

Is this your first Ironman?

Absolutely.

What is your best/worst triathlon experience?

Worst: I did my first triathlon at age 14 at Macdill Air Force Base. I enthusiastically dove in at the pool swim start only to have my goggles come off and poke me in the eyes. I soon found myself back-stroking my way to the start of a 10 mile bike ride on an extra-small mountain bike before I suffered through a 5K run in basketball shoes. It has been all down hill from there.

Best: Honestly, though it was not my own race, my favorite triathlon experience was catching my wife, Heidi, at the finish line of IM FL 2010.

My favorite racing experience was finishing IM70.3 New Orleans – that city knows how to party.

What are your goals for Ironman Florida?

Finishing under 9 hours. Or if I don’t get that…finishing under 17 hours.

Other information about me:

Other Hobbies: Surfing, Working, Crossfit

Allegiance: Tampa Bay sports fan (Go Bucs, Go Rays)

Current city: New Orleans, LA

IM Experience: Slim to none – advice is welcome

Kids: Not yet, so quit asking, Mom! But we do have our wiener dog, Flex - 8 pounds of fury!

How to Brag About Doing an Ironman

2010-12-01T10:15:00.000-05:00

I found this little gem on the BeginnerTriathlete.com forum last year and thought it was hysterical. Not sure where it originally came from so credit cannot be given to the author but whoever you are - job well done!

Enjoy!

HOW TO BRAG ABOUT DOING AN IRONMAN:

Before I started to train an Ironman, I bought a training plan; I read books on hydration and fuel replacement, I listened to endless hours of advice from elite and pro triathletes. This information did help me finish, but it did not teach me how to correctly brag about being an Ironman.

My friends and I came up with a six phase program which will aid you in bragging about your Ironman . Use this plan from the moment you register until well after the race is complete for the most bang for your bragging buck.

Sign Up Phase: For most Ironman events, you have to register up to one year in advance. This gives you plenty of time to brag about doing an Ironman. During this phase, you must let all of your non-Ironman friends know you can't hang out with them anymore, because you just signed up for an Ironman. If you don't have any Ironman friends, then go to a place where runners or bikers hang out. Look for the Ironman symbol (M Dot) on their training clothes. An Ironman would never be caught running or biking without their Ironman stuff.

Training Phase: Training for an Ironman can be compared to having a part time job. You must let everyone you meet know this. This can be accomplished by sighing loudly at work, mumbling how tired you are because you just biked 100 miles, because you are in training for an Ironman. You can also skillfully steer the conversation with your neighbors and co-workers to your Ironman training. Here is an example:

Neighbor: "Did you hear what President Bush said this week?"
Lee: "Were you aware that President Bush is a biker? I just biked 100 miles today. I am training for an Ironman."

Co worker: Lee, are you working late tonight?
Lee: No, I have to get up early to do a 20 mile run.

I even once rang my neighbor's door and when he answered, I said "Sorry Bob, can't talk to you now, I am training for an Ironman."

One Week before the Race Phase: You need to let your neighbors and co-workers know you will be gone for a little while, competing in an Ironman. Once again, you can steer the conversation to your Ironman race.

Neighbor: "Wow Lee your lawn looks great!"
Lee: "My lawn is going to look bad this next week; I will be competing in an Ironman."

Race Expo Phase: You must buy as much Ironman merchandise as possible. For years we saved our money to send both of my boys to private college, but sacrifices must be made. Both Derick and Ty will be going to junior college now. You must buy enough Ironman clothes to cover every day at work and training. You must also buy plenty of shirts for your spouse and children. They will also spread the word that you just finished an Ironman.

The Race Phase: At http://www.ironmanlive.com you can setup automatic emails and cell phone message notifications of your Ironman timing splits. You can use all of the entries in your email and cell phone address book. Include everyone regardless of whether they remember you are or not. It just does not matter, because you are an Ironman.

Post Race Phase: The finisher medal can be worn for one day per the number of miles raced and everyone knows that an Ironman is 140.6 miles. So wear that medal for 141 days (always round up as opposed to rounding down your finishing time). Your children must be trained to say, "My daddy is an Ironman. He gave me this shirt. He's an Ironman." This must be emphasized over and over with your children. I did not do this after I ran the Boston marathon, and Derick, my oldest boy, told everyone at his day care that his grandma ran the marathon.

Your spouse must memorize all of your splits (swim, bike and run). You must also include both transition splits as well. Instead of wearing a shirt which states, "I am with Dummy", your spouse will wear a shirt which says, "I am with a stud Ironman". All conversations must be steered to your Ironman race.

Co-Worker: "Did you hear about the new work policy?"
Lee: "Nope, I did not; I was racing in an Ironman."

For at least one month you can say, "Well, I 'm only going to run easy today, I just did an Ironman."
When someone brings up a subject of hardships suffered, you need to remind them that you also have suffered through hardships while training and racing in your Ironman.

Jeff

8 Key Questions to Prepare You for the Ford Ironman Lake Placid

2010-12-01T08:03:00.000-05:00

I found this article on Active.com and passing it along for the Lake Placid racers.

Already past its 10th anniversary, The Ford Ironman Lake Placid (IMUSA) is one of the longest running Ironman events in North America. The 140.6-mile competition takes place against the picturesque backdrop of Mirror Lake and Whiteface Mountain and is known for its challenging bike course and variable weather.
But there's more to this race than just your typical swim, bike and run. Here is a quick review of the top questions we get asked about racing Ironman Lake Placid. Train safely and best of luck on race day!

Is There Really a Cable Under the Water for the Swim?

Absolutely. Experience across hundreds of athletes has shown that IMUSA will most likely be your fastest possible IM swim. With everyone in a ridiculously calm lake, little stands in your way. The course is a bit narrow, however, meaning the out/back is longer than you might expect, and the no-holds-barred swim turns are expected.

What Is the Hardest Part of the Bike Course?

While the entire bike is by no means easy, athletes can take some comfort in knowing that the course is consistent. You are generally doing one thing at a time for a relatively long time, either climbing, descending, or riding the flats. Without a doubt the key to nailing the bike is properly riding the hills of the section that runs from Jay to Wilmington. On the first lap this is approximately Mile 26 to Mile 32. This section is often under-estimated--or overlooked--by competitors. Everyone knows about the climb out of town, the long descent to Keene, the out and back, and of course the climb back into Lake Placid from Wilmington...but they forget this critical section from Upper Jay to Wilmington. Did you know there are three distinct climbs on this section, with the first one lasting anywhere from 6-10 minutes? Ouch! This section is hard because most athletes don't pay attention to it, ride too hard and pay for it dearly later in the day.

What Can My Family Do on Race Day?

Lake Placid is a great place to spectate, especially if the weather holds. Next to the swim start, athletes pass by twice on the bike and four times on the run. We recommend that families commit to either a full day of spectating with short trips into town for food -- OR -- take the first half of the day while the race is out on the bike (after the swim, of course) to do a hike / picnic / break / etc, then commit to being down on the course from 1 p.m. on until your finish. Whichever they decide, help them out during race week by pointing out all the possibilities and available amenities.

What is the Temperature Like on Race Day?

Temps for Ironman Lake Placid are highly variable, as it's nestled in the mountains. Past years have seen lots of rain and colder temps, so it's best to pack everything just in case. In general the first hour of your day on the bike will be cool, then warming up as your race progresses. Athletes should put some warmer clothing into their special needs bags on the run just in case.

What's Your Top Swim Tip?

The swim start will be tough simply because it's so crowded. And with the cable underwater, everyone has an easy target with no real "secret" advantage to lining up on an angle, etc. If you are looking for a solid time, get into the mix and seed yourself about two minutes faster than your expected time. If you want to avoid the scrum as much as possible, just hang to the back by the beach and give everyone else a head start.

What's the Biggest Mistake I Could Make?

The two biggest mistakes we see on the Lake Placid course are both related to overconfidence. On the bike, folks will simply hammer the first few climbs out of town en route to the descent, spending the first 30-45 minutes of their race riding too hot...and they are done. It's too tempting to simplify the course as consisting of (1) a descent (2) flats (3) and out and back and, (4) the climb to town. On the run, athletes leaving transition and running downhill through the hyped crowds often thinking they are putting time into the bank. There is no such bank for the IM run and your deposit will not only not be honored, it will cost you heavily in the last few miles of your marathon.

How Can I Nail the IMUSA Bike?

The Lake Placid course rewards patience and discipline. We recommend that athletes keep it in their "easy" gear through mile 40, or the end of the out and back. With your focus then on a great 72-mile ride, you can do your best to stay smooth and consistent up the rolling hills into town. Making the last hour of your ride back into town the strongest of your day.

How Can I Nail the IMUSA Run?

Run very easy for the first 6 miles, especially downhill. Fight the urge your legs have to fly and focus instead on nutrition and conserving energy. Once you make the turn on River Road, you have a net uphill return to town, including two very steep hills. Focus on running a solid middle 20k/13.1 miles, then you can sort out the rest once you have under 10k to go.

November? Did you survive Turkey Day?

2010-11-30T11:42:00.000-05:00

So WOW there are a ton of new members on this blog. Saweet!

Welcome to all of you!

If you haven't yet done your "My Story" post yet to introduce yourself, feel free to make the post. We all wanna know your "Story."

Based upon the number of first timers on this site, I think we are all going to see exponential growth in your abilities and confidence heading into the new year, which is scary to say, ONLY 4 weeks away!!!

My November can be described simply as a "running month." I almost ran more than I biked, and when I did bike, all rides involved a pastry shop :)

The off season is sweet, eh? (pun intended)

I accomplished my 2nd 100+ mile running month ever, logging 104 miles.

Running sure is easy when you don't have to involve scheduling in bike rides and grueling swims. All of those pure runners out there have it easy compared to us triathletes!!!

Sooooooo, how was your November?

How did your Turkey Day go?

My Story: Kathy

2010-11-22T23:12:00.006-05:00

Name: Kathleen Smith
Blog: http://harvestmoon6.blogspot.com/ and http://www.hopalog.com
Race: Cozumel 2011
Location: Cozumel, Quintana Roo, Mexico

How did you get started in triathlons?
I honestly don't remember. It was the very early 80s - 1981 or 1982 or maybe even the mid 80s. I had already been cycling a fair bit and I have no idea how, but somehow I found out about triatholons and "trained" for the Santa Barbara one. It was a half-Ironman and I really didn't think too much about it. Back then we didn't even have helmets. I really hated it though - probably because I forgot to train for the run part. :) I have a swimming background so I didn't really think too hard about that and I had been cycling around for fun and commuting and really without intent or plan. It is mindboggling to me to see all these plans and high tech stuff now. I'm defintely Old Skool.

Is this your first Ironman? If not, what other Ironman races have you done? Yes, this will be number one! I am a little bit in denial - like I'll just keep training and oh, by the way, maybe there is this *thing* I'll be doing late next year, but that's like a WHOLE YEAR AWAY and why worry about it now (the marathon has me petrified).

What is your best/worst triathlon experience?
I've only done one and I can't even remember when so my memory might not be reliable but I don't even remember the swim portion, the bike was fine but the run SUCKED. I am not sure I even ran much of it. I'm not sure I really even trained for the thing. Ah the 80s...

What are your goals for Cozumel?
My only goal is to finish. The island sweet to visit (we live on the mainland) and the Ironman is such a boost to the local economy. And I can't WAIT to hear "Katalina Esmit de PaaMul Quintana Roo, tu eres una IRONMAN." But totally not looking forward to that marathon. I'm so NOT the typical Ironperson though, I swim in my tankini, don't even have aerobars and am not tempted the least to get a Garmin. I'm not entirely sure I fit in with this crowd and thus Cozumel, on friendly soil, is probably my best bet. I'll be much more comfortable in a local triaton.

Other information about me:
I'm an old fart - 50 this year - and have 4 kids (16, 14, 11 and 9) and we live in Mexico on the Caribbean Sea (where I swim) and in the jungle (where I run). We've been here for 3 years now and outside the US since 2004. I was somewhat athletic (just messing around stuff) for most of my childhood and young adulthood, pretty much swimming and cycling just because until I started having kids (1994) and then it All Stopped and I gained a Lot of Weight and really didn't do much about it because honestly, too many kids, always either nursing or pregnant and just like that 12 years disappeared. The last couple years I've been running to lose weight (15 kg so far) and get fit. So all the running I HATED all my life I'm now ADORING. As a matter of fact even though I keep getting injured I refuse to stop, I just keep trying to figure out the why and try something different. So now I'm rediscovering cycling and swimming I don't think too much about. My 14yo and I swim 4 days a week (unless the water is too rough - hurricanes and tropical storms made a mess of August and September) and my husband and I cycle. Running is my *me* time.

And here's the biggest thing - I haven't yet told anyone (DH included) I'm doing Coz next year. It is going to be an interesting year.

My Story : Bryan Sloan

2010-11-22T21:14:00.000-05:00

Name: Bryan Sloan
Blog: http://awholelottabs.blogspot.com/
Race: Ironman Louisville 2011
Location: Oklahoma City, OK
Profession: Natural Gas Trader

How did you get started in triathlons?
I got my start in endurance sports when I signed up for my first half marathon in Feb 2009. I quickly fell in love with running and ran a full marathon in Dec 2009. After the marathon, I wanted to keep challenging myself so I signed up with the local Team-in-Training chapter and decided to do the Capital of Texas Olympic distance triathlon in Austin, TX, in May 2010. It's my only triathlon to this day because of my marathon schedule, but I really enjoyed the training and am looking forward to many triathlons in the future.

Is this your first Ironman? If not, what other Ironman races have you done?
Yes, this will be number one! I am excited, nervous, and ready for the challenge.

What is your best/worst triathlon experience?
The best is finishing my first and only Olympic distance triathlon. I had a great race in Austin and gained a great appreciation for the sport. I haven't had an opportunity to have too many best's and worst's yet, but the worst so far was my first open water swim. I completely freaked out, got kicked in the face which caused me to freak out even more, and left thinking I was never going to be able to do triathlons. On my second open water swim I talked myself off the edge and just focused on blocking out the negative thoughts and learned to enjoy the ride. I'm still not a huge fan of swimming. I just consider it a necessary evil of the triathlon.

What are your goals for Louisville?
My only goal is to finish. With my limited experience in the triathlon and no experience in long course, I just want to enjoy it as much as possible. I love the marathon so I hope I enjoy the run portion. I'm not a huge fan of the heat so I'm sure that will pose a great challenge for me in Louisville. I chose Louisville because I know a couple who have raced there before and they loved it. It will provide me an opportunity to test my limits, conquer my heat demons, and achieve my dream of becoming an Ironman.

Other information about me:
Running is my true passion. I ran the Chicago/NYC double this year and plan on achieving Marathon Maniac status in the future. I am an assistant coach for the Oklahoma City Team-in-Training marathon team for a 2nd season. I'm also an avid Oklahoma State University Cowboy sports fan and football season ticket holder. I graduated from Oklahoma State in 2004 and spent a year in Austin, Texas, at the University of Texas for grad school before moving back to Oklahoma. Go Pokes!

Going For Two... Again

2010-11-22T14:47:00.002-05:00

I have spent the last month or so trying to figure out what I really want to do next season. I enjoyed doing two Ironmans this year (IMLP and IMWI) so the thought of two again was rather appealing. But I felt like LP was a bit early in the season so I didn't sign up onsite, leaving me with IMFL, IMAZ and IMCOZ as options. I've never had an interest in FL and while a vacation in Cozumel sounds lovely, swimming an Ironman without a wetsuit sounds about as fun as a root canal. So Arizona it was.

After toiling over the decision and being on and off the fence for about a month, I took the plunge and signed up online today. It only took 5 refreshes to get into the Active.com system and roughly 6 minutes to complete the entire process.

Now that I'm in I have to figure out how I'll stay motivated for a season that begins in February and ends in late November. I'm sure it will present some unique challenges, but based on my Ironman experiences thus far, it should also be incredibly rewarding. And now I have an excuse to really rest up in the two months remaining in my offseason!

My Story: Rock Star Tri

2010-11-19T19:00:00.010-05:00

Name: RockStarTri, The Rock Star, Joe, or most recently, The Oracle.
Blog: Rock Star Tri: A slow journey through the triathlon world interrupted by life at times
Race: Ironman Florida 2011
Location: Long Island, New York.
Profession: Information Technology Executive

Is this your first Ironman?
Yes! It will probably be my last as well. I've given it the nickname of the Highlander Ironman (there can be only one).

What is your best/worst triathlon experience?
My best and worst triathlon experience was in the Disney Triathlon in 2007. This was my first triathlon longer than a sprint and Disney at that time was a variation on the Olympic distance with the bike being stretched out to 36 miles. I did this event with Team in Training and just before we arrived in Florida we were advised that there was an outbreak of deadly amoeba in nearby lakes (the amoeba swam up your nose and ate your brain away). No one had died (yet) from swimming in Disney's lake but since other lakes did have casualties, they were offering a duathlon option. I decided to swim anyway. I was in the last wave.

At best I described myself as a poor swimmer and was hoping beyond hope that this would be a wetsuit legal swim. Unfortunately when the thermometer stuck in the water said 84 degrees, I started looking for where the life guards would be to rescue me. I started the swim. The water was the color of pea soup to the point where you couldn't see your hand in front of you. About 200m in I felt my timing chip fall off. I thought to myself "oh goody, now I won't even get a time." I kept going.

I swam by swimming from buoy to buoy and holding on as necessary. I was the last person out of the water and all of the life guard boats followed me in like an armada. Against all odds, I finished the swim.

My bike was one of the few left in transition so I had no problems finding it. I got on and started riding. One of the fringe benefits of being in the last wave in a race in Florida at the end of summer is that I was perfectly positioned to enjoy the heat of the day . No worries though since the humidity was close to 100%.

On the bike, I passed a lot of people. Many cramping up from the heat and some just overheating. Thunder started rumbling in the distance. I finished the bike and was feeling horrible due to the heat. I decided to keep going.

The first water stop at the exit of transition had a tub of ice. I filled my hat with ice and put it on my head. There was so much ice it looked like a jiffy pop pop corn gone bad. The run was supposed to be two 5k loops. I started walking with the melting ice dripping down my face. The thunder continued rumbling.

Then it started raining for real. I kept going grabbing more ice. A byproduct of the rain was that the temperature dropped about 15 degrees. My body came back alive and I started running. The rain stopped but the thunder continued. Then the thunder stopped and the sun started peaking through the clouds. I was coming around to start the second loop feeling good. You can imagine my surprise when the race director came out and wouldn't let anyone start the second loop since there was thunder in the air. They forced us down the finisher's chute and draped a medal over my head.

Why is this the best and the worst for me? Because I learned that given the choice, I don't give up. They didn't let me finish but I still gave it all I had. I was proud of my horrible performance.

What are your goals for Ironman Florida?To give it all I have and finish.

Other information about me:I have done many events with Team in Training starting with the cycling team and becoming a coach for the cycling team. I expanded my horizons a bit with running and triathlons and have become a USAT L1 certified coach. My day job prohibits me from pursuing a coaching gig but I still try to help out others as much as I can. I know a lot of useless facts.

Wisconsin Training Camp

2010-11-17T09:15:00.001-05:00

Aggie21 just shared a great link for Lake Placid Training Camps and so I thought I would share one for IM Wisconsin. WIBA (Wisconsin Brick Adventure) is on June 24-26 and is a free event as long as you register ahead of time. It is a laid-back event. Do as much or as little as you want, but you will have the chance to swim in Lake Monona and bike the course on Saturday and then run the course on Sunday.

If you want to read about past WIBA’s, check out Steve In a Speedo’s reports: 2010, 2009, 2008.

See the official site for more details and to register: http://www.robbyb.com/wiba/

They are trying to workout a book of hotel rooms in Madison for the event, but if you registered onsite last year for IMWI, they were handing out coupons that were good for 50% off a bunch of hotels in the Madison area throughout the year. Just head over to http://www.ncghotels.com/ironmanwisconsin and check your dates.

Anyone else know of a good training camp/event?

Lake Placid Training Camps

2010-11-17T08:42:00.000-05:00

I am really excited for this! For those of us that are competing in Lake Placid, there are two training camps being held in May and June. Supported swims, bikes, runs on the actual course. Plus, you get coaching and even Ironman Champ Karen Smyers is known to show up!! I just signed up for both sessions. Check it out here!
http://firemanironman.blogspot.com/

Only 248 days til Placid!

p.s. Even if you're not racing in Placid, I think it would be two really great options for training if you can make it up there!

My Story: John

2010-11-16T10:37:00.000-05:00

Name: John Proc
Blog: Lord of The Chainrings

Race: Ironman Lake Placid 2011
Location: Brantford, ON, Canada
Profession: Information Technology

How did you get started in triathlon?

I am a mountain biker. Always will be. I only crossed over to the dark side of triathlon because I watched a few of those darn world championship DVD’s and I was convinced I wanted to do an Ironman! Overweight and looking for a goal, this Clydesdale Mountain biker signed up for 70.3 Muskoka 2010 without ever doing a triathlon. Heck, I had to look up what a triathlon was. I didn’t fully comprehend the distances. So now 50lbs lighter and a successful Half Ironman under my belt now, I am committed to Ironman Lake Placid 2011.

Is this your first Ironman?

Lake Placid 2011 will be my first Ironman as well as my first ever marathon!

What are your goals for Ironman Lake Placid?

1) Finish

2) Is 15hrs too optimistic?

3) Foremost lose weight, get fit to improve my mountain biking!

4) Tattoo

What are your best and worst triathlon experiences?

Worst: Not giving running the respect it deserves. As a complete non-runner I thought I could pick it up quick – subsequently every run split I have ever done has been miserable. Lack of training due to lack of experience was my enemy.

Best: My run at Muskoka 70.3! Once I discovered I was extremely weak at running, I crammed in 5 weeks of intense run training in before Muskoka. It was so incredibly cold and rainy during the bike split that I froze to death. Coming off the bike I was almost hypothermic. Once out on the run I started to defrost and it was the greatest feeling ever! I ran that entire half-marathon, at a slow pace mind you, but I ran it nonetheless. I never thought I could ever learn to enjoy running!

Other information about me:

Husband, Father and appreciate every moment of it! I’m happy to say my training partner is my wife who will tackle a half-Iron this year. I am considering a 24hr solo mountain bike race post-Ironman, that's if I recover quick enough. Mountain biking will always be my passion, Triathlon is just a challenge I couldn’t resist!

My Story: Jennifer

2010-11-11T15:19:00.008-05:00

Name: Jennifer James
Blog: Bowl of Berries
Twitter: @SeeJenTri
Race: Ironman Florida
Location: Raleigh, NC
Profession: Software Trainer

How did you get started in triathlon?
I was a high school cross country runner but once I started college I focused my attention on football games and beer (and some classes) but picked up running after hitting a rough patch in my personal life. I met my boyfriend Scottie and we started running small races together but he was more of a cyclist and suggested we enter a triathlon. I thought he was certifiably insane as I didn't even know how to swim! But never one to turn down a challenge I signed up. We got up almost every morning that summer and slowly worked up our endurance, watched many YouTube clips and read lots of books. We did a short sprint that summer with a 300 yard swim and you would have thought I completed an Ironman right then and there! I was hooked and haven't looked back!

Is this your first Ironman?
Yes! People think I am crazy and I kinda like it like that :)

What is your best/worst triathlon experience?
I can't say I have had any terrible experiences. I will say it is never smart to try out new nutrition for a half Ironman (found out my body doesn't take to well to soy protein on 95 degree day during a half marathon- I know a newb mistake!) I also pretty much hated my first open water swim during a race where I had to swim with my head out of water the entire 750 meters because I couldn't control my breathing. But as crappy as those experiences were (literally!) I learned from them and can laugh at them now!

The best experience had to have been at Augusta 70.3 this year. Talk about a perfectly executed race. Even though it rained for 85% of the race I still remained happy and excited (how can you not laugh as the rain is POURING on you as your are riding your bike?) And when I crossed the finish line 20 minutes under my goal I knew I could tackle a full Ironman. It's awesome when your training pays off!

What are your goals for Florida 2011?
I have always taken each race as a gift and try to remember how lucky I am to be able to do what I do, so I will enter the waters of the Gulf with a positive attitude and try to keep that throughout the race!

Other info:
I have 2 dogs, Porkchop and Bella (yes Porkchop lives up to his name)
I am tackling my first 50k in December
I am trying to become a Marathon Maniac
It has become my signature to flash the "jazz hands" at the end of a race
I love cheese

Ironman Lake Placid - Everything You Need to Know

2010-11-10T12:42:00.001-05:00

Ok, maybe not everything, but Runtri.com has a TON of information about Ironman Lake Placid.

IMLP Everything You Need to Know

Check it out HERE

Only 255 days...see you there!

Mandy :)

New Feature of 201Ironman–Share Your Tips

2010-11-05T21:17:00.001-04:00

Hello everyone!

I know, I know, I have haven’t posted since first introducing this blog with Jon back in September. No excuse for that. Since then, we have grown to 22 members and are still looking for more. Blogger allows us to have 100 authors, so that is the goal. Can we get 100 members on 201Ironman? So, if you know any future triathlete’s doing a 140.6 in 2011, send them to 201Ironman.

I just wanted to share with everyone a new feature of 201Ironman – a section to share quick Tips or Ideas. This new feature was born out of an idea from BDD. He suggested an area on the site where readers can share their quick tips about training, racing, nutrition, or anything else you think would be helpful. You can access the Tips and Ideas section from the link or from the top of the blog. BDD has already kicked off the tip sharing, head over and add your own.

Finally, one more quick note. If you are interested in following the comments on all 201Ironman posts, there are two options outside of manually checking back to see if comments have been added. The first option will allow you receive an email every time a comment is left on the blog. If you are interested in this feature, let Jon or I know and we can add you to the comment notification list. Unfortunately, this feature is limited to 10 email addresses, so the first 10 to request it can be added. The second option can be used by anyone. If you are using an RSS reader (ala Google Reader), you can subscribe to the http://201ironman.blogspot.com/feeds/comments/default?alt=rss feed. This will include any and all comments added to the blog.

How did October go?

2010-11-01T08:45:00.001-04:00

How did everyone's October go?

Feeling rested? Restless?

It is getting chilly up here outside of NYC. It was a balmy 32 degrees this morning for my run, the coldest morning yet this fall. Mandy @ Caratunk Girl, yes, I know, it is 32 degrees year round up in your neck o' the woods ;)

If I had to sum up my month of October, I guess I would call it my "comeback" month. No, not comeback in terms of regaining my fitness from this past summer, but a comeback where I was finally doing some consistent training and starting to feel normal again. All of my runs were between 3 and 5 miles; I never swam more than 2000 yards, and I had my longest ride of the month yesterday @ 50 miles where Kristin @ The Lazy Marathoner and I did a ride in support of Cider Donuts.

Above I asked if you are feeling rested or restless. I was feeling very restless in terms of figuring out my 2011 schedule. I am not as concerned about exactly which races I will be doing, but more rather what kind of races and when to do them. Fortunately I met with my coach last week and he gave me a rough framework of next year to work with.

My most important training block next season is the 12 weeks leading up to Lake Placid, starting around May 1st, give or take. This is the Ironman specific training block and the time not to mess around. I am deciding not to do the traditional Half Ironman race 5-6 weeks out from the Ironman during this period. I know my body and to take 2-3 weeks for a "B" race through taper, race, and recovery where I could be spending that time on quality and consistent training is just too long to be on the sidelines or on the up and down. I'd rather be in a non-race rhythm for those 12 weeks. Racing is not even necessary during this block!

I have done 5 Half Ironman races, and doing another would be fun, but it is not a requirement in my book. I would rather do a shorter race, such as a sprint or Olympic during this time period for the transitioning practice and then lop on a 3 hour ride afterwards.

Now, before May 1st, it is open season. I can do as many running races as I want (except for a marathon of course!). I could do New Orleans 70.3 in April again.

So it is a relief to know that my season will be broken up into basically 3 parts next year. Before May 1st, May 1st to Lake Placid, and post Lake Placid.

Now to convince my girlfriend to go to San Juan, Puerto Rico in March for the 70.3 down there.... ;)

My Story: Mel

2010-10-27T22:03:00.002-04:00

Name: Mel
Blog: www.trihardtotriathlete.blogspot.com
Race: 2011 Ironman New Zealand
Location: Taupo, New Zealand
Profession: Finance

Unlike everyone else here I'm just getting to the start of my season! 2 more Half Ironman races to go and all the sprint races. Then the big one in March 2011

How did you get started in Triathlon?
My partner bought a mountain bike and started to enter some mountain bike races over the summer 2 years ago. Every time he rode he would crash and come back grazed and bleeding and with the odd fracture but he loved it. Unfortunately his bike was stolen from our garage and when the insurance pay out came he decided a road bike might be a bit safer. He got hooked on riding and bought me a cheap road bike so we could ride together. He signed up for his first Half Ironman a year ago and I thought I would give a sprint distance a shot. Triathlon is our version of romance :)

Is this your first Ironman?
Yes! IMNZ is my first. I can't wait to hear the words "Mel, you are an Ironman". I get teary reading race reports when people recall their feelings and emotions coming up to the finish line. I will cry but I will have acheived the biggest goal I've set for myself.

What is your best/worst triathlon experience?
Gold Coast Half Ironman in October 2010. Torrential rain.....I wouldn't drive in that kind of rain but I was out on my bike in the wind and rain. 5km from the end of the bike leg I got a flat (new Zipps!). I couldn't tighten the valve extenders so the air kept rushing out when I pumped them up (lesson learnt, buy inner tubes with long valves). The race official told me to run my bike in....so I did. Because of the rain all my gear was soaked so I set out without socks on - my feet got so badly blistered 14km into the run that I coudln't even walk with my shoes on. So I took my shoes off and ran the final 7km with no shoes. It was the worst experience because 4 weeks later I'm still paying the price for running barefoot for 7km, it was by far the best experience because no matter what, I kept on going and gutted it out.

What are your goals for Ironman New Zealand?
To finish first, first you must finish. Its pretty simple, I want to prove to myself I can do it. It will be a PB :) I would be stoked with a time around 12hr 30mins but I'm in this race to finish and enjoy the experience. I have a lifetime of racing to worry about times

Other information about me:
- My first Half Ironman was in Singapore in March 2010. 6 months before that I couldn't run much further than 8km on a treadmill. It was 35degrees Celcius and 100% humidity. If I can survive that, I can survive anything.
- Crowie and Macca train at the same pool as me
- My number 1 fan is my partner and vice versa. We've discovered a sport we can do together even if he finishes an hour before me. He's proud of me no matter how I do on the day.

How is everyone's off season going?

2010-10-19T19:34:00.000-04:00

Where are you right now in your season? Still going? Winding down? In couch potato mode?

I am surprisingly back on the "up." This always happens to me in October. I race like a crazy man from early winter through the end of August, then spend September licking my wounds. This year was involuntary time off as I hurt my foot then had a freak back spasm that knocked me out for another week. 4 weeks later I was motivated more than ever to back into the pool, onto the bike, and out running.

I try to make this "resurgence" last for as long as it can while I can stay outside before the weather gets too cold to bike and run comfortably. Now, I am not putting up any efforts that even come close to resembling my heaviest training this past July and August, but as long as I am remaining consistent with short swims, bikes, and runs, I feel better about myself and confidence in my abilities thanks me.

It feels good to out, go fast, but short, and not have to spend a huge amount of time recovering. I feel like this is my "liberating" part of the season. No pressure to go fast, but yet I can go fast because I want to and there are no consequences.

Well, I am going to milk this part of the season for as long as I can before the trainer comes back out and I revisit the dreadmill.

Where are you right now?

Good luck to our very own Bryan Payne @ Kona!!!!

2010-10-09T08:07:00.001-04:00

We are very fortunate to have some past Kona qualifiers on this site as well as a current Kona qualifer, Bryan Payne @ Training Payne.

Bryan qualified at Lake Placid this past July.

Today, Bryan is going for his 2nd Kona finish. His first was a lifetime ago in 1988. He he has been chronicling his daily life at Kona this past week including the underwear run and the parade of nations.

Head on over to his blog to read about it and to give him some props. He will be in the water soon!!!

I stole this from his blog. So cool!!!! I was 5 years old then! haha!

My Story: Angela Bancroft

2010-10-08T13:13:00.009-04:00

Name: Angela Bancroft (Ange)
Blog: www.angesdrivetotri.blogspot.com
Race: 2011 Ironman Lake Placid
Location: Paris, Maine
Profession: Certified Triathlon and Running Coach, Former Speech-Language Pathologist

How did you get started in Triathlon?

I swam competitively starting at age 8 all the way through college. I was also a High School Runner. After my third son was born, I yearned to be back into the world of sports. My brother was testing the Triathlon waters and enjoying himself. In 2006, I decided to purchase a road bike and give it a try myself. One race later, I was hooked. There was no turning back.

Is this your first Ironman?

No, this will be my third. I race Ironman Lake Placid 2009 and qualified for the World Championships in Kona for a 2nd 140.6 that same year.

What is your best/worst triathlon experience?

I have had so many amazing experiences in this sport. That is why I keep coming back for more! If I have to talk about just one, I will mention the WildBear Triathlon in 2007. Just months after my first Tri in '06, I had a bike crash. I tore the rotator cuff in my shoulder. I had extensive surgery and a grueling rehab during the 2nd half of '06 and into '07. Wildbear was my first race back. Honestly, I was just relieved that I was able to swim again. The thought of never taking another stroke (which was a real possibility) saddened me. I jumped into Wildbear in 6/07, just 6 months post-op, and I won the race. I was shocked and overjoyed. I knew I could do anything after that.
My worst experience was in 2008 during the Urban Epic Tri. First, I was alarmingly trapped under a buoy on the swim course because of a serious current in the river. (They altered the course after my wave because of it.) After that, I missed a turn on the bike, grabbed the brakes and flew over the bars. I landed on my head and tore the side of my body to pieces. I nearly quit the sport at that moment because I was so scared of serious injury and not being there for my kids. After realizing nobody was coming, I picked up the pieces and finished the race.

What are your goals for Ironman Lake Placid?

My goal is to #1 finish the race. That is always my first Ironman goal. #2 I want to PR from my race in 2009. #3 I'd love another chance at the Big Island. I love to set my goals high!

Other information about me:

I am a Mother of three young boys and wife to a great guy whose name is Mark. I spend my time coaching athletes to their goals, training myself to be the strongest athlete I can be, and taking care of my family. I'm having a blast.

Limits? What Limits?

2010-10-08T10:06:00.002-04:00

I shared this on my blog in July and thought I'd re-post here. I love this video. It so beautifully shows the incredible determination and spirit of Ironman.

My Story: AnnieLloyd

2010-10-05T11:57:00.007-04:00

Name: AnnieLloyd (aka Paris Mountain Striding)
Blog: ParisMtnStriding
Twitter: parismtnstridin
Race: 2011 Ironman Lake Placid
Location: Greenville, SC
Profession: Mechanical Engineer

How did you get started in triathlon?
I ran cross country and swam in high school but had trouble keeping up with it in college. One of my husband’s best friends showed up to our wedding in 2006 fitter than ever. Him and his wife had started doing triathlons and were hooked. Tri’s sounded like something to try together so my husband and I bought road bikes with our wedding money and completed our first race in May 2007. I wasn’t last place so I decided that each year I would bump up my distance until I completed an Ironman. Illness ended my 2009 season so it’s taken longer than planned but next year I will become an Ironman.

Is this your first Ironman?
Yes! (and my co-workers think I’m crazy)

What is your best/worst triathlon experience?
The worst goes to the Festival of Flowers Olympic Distance in June 2008. Temperatures were consistently in the 70’s the entire month of May and out of no where it was 106 on race day. So in other words, zero chance of heat acclimation. (I recently found out that my current coach pulled out of the race with most of her athletes because of the heat.) My swim went great, my bike was a little slow, and then I hit the run. 10k with no shade and a dead deer stinking up the joint. I walked most of the last three miles shivering. I probably shouldn’t have finished that one, I’m pretty sure I was hallucinating down the finish chute, and I came in almost dead last. It was really disappointing to have my first Olympic distance feel like such a failure. The bright side is that race motivates me every time I feel like slacking in training for the next big distance.
My best triathlon experience was Ironman 70.3 Augusta last month. I killed that bike course! My training leading up to the race had been rocky with a short return of my illness but my coach kept saying it will all come together. She was so right. I was deliriously happy for most of the bike and run. My tummy tried to get in the way of a good race day but it wasn’t strong enough to overpower the clock. My super duper stretch goal was to finish in six hours and I did even better than that.

What are your goals for Ironman Lake Placid?
My goal for Ironman Lake Placid is to finish with enough energy to enjoy my celebratory beer.

Other information about me:
I was a white water raft guide on the Ocoee River before I moved into a cubicle and I love craft beer. Thank you triathlon for making beer drinking in skinny jeans a reality.

Had My First Ironman Lake Placid Nightmare

2010-10-04T10:49:00.001-04:00

I cross posted this on my personal blog this morning. I figure it would be appropriate for here as well!

No idea why, but I had my first Lake Placid nightmare last night. By the time I hit T1 (or did I even make it to T1?), I think I was about 3 hours into the race. OUCH!

Basically everything that could have gone wrong, went wrong. Even the format for the race went bonkers! Just follow along here:

I think I showed up early to the race, but before I knew it, I was 30 mins late. They gave us these wristbands (not the usual paper ones) that had a countdown timer on it, starting at 17 hours. I remember getting into the water at 16:30. I guess it didn't matter when you started, as long as you finished within the 17 hour mark. There were no cutoff times?

Well the swim was bananas. Because I was running late, I had to park my car on the side of the road on the other side of Mirror Lake and hop in and get started. Except I wasn't the only one not starting at the official swim start. Below is the direction of how everyone was swimming (the purple arrows):

So EVERYONE was swimming from the outside in towards this island that is now in the middle of Mirror Lake. Get that? There is an island in the middle of Mirror Lake? AND! NOBODY was following the course. For some reason there was this rule that stated as long as you get in a 2.4 mile swim or longer, you can continue. I had a GPS watch that somehow worked in the water.

I remember I had this watch because I swam from my starting point to the island, looked at my watch that said I had already swam 2.35 miles in 1:35:XX. Holy crap I was slow! So I walked across the island, jumped back in and swam to the swim start.

Its a dream, I know....

Now for transition to the bike.

Well, T1 was not at the swim exit, it was on the other side of the lake. So they bussed you over to T1. Remember this is a dream?

I got to my bike and realized that I had no Chocolate Gu for the bike. So I decided to run back to my car because that is where my Gu was, then run back to T1 and get on my bike and off we go. Except by this time I was already 3 hours into the race and just starting the bike.

I forced myself to wake up because my brain just HURT.

I think this dream was spawned from the fact that my worst fear is being late for a race, I hate bonking on the bike, I am wanting to head up to Lake Placid this fall, and the bus from the swim to T1 was brought on from using the bus so much down at Disney World a month ago.

My next Lake Placid dream better be me getting a Kona slot!!!

My Story: Rodney

2010-10-02T13:30:00.008-04:00

Name: Rodney Buike
Blog: http://tlog.dortoh.ca
Race: Ironman Lake Placid
Location: Burlington, ON, Canada
Profession: Information Technology

From fat….

...to fit.

How did you get started in triathlon?

Typical of most late-30's to early 40's individuals I got to a point in my life were I noticed that all of a sudden I wasn't the svelte, fit, 22 year old I remember myself being. After spending a summer getting back in shape and losing weight with a few friends we needed a goal, something to keep us from getting fat over the Winter. We ended up signing up for the Muskoka 70.3 Ironman having no idea what we were in for. The only thing we knew was that we had 300 days to learn how to swim and run, luckily we could already pedal a bike :)

On the advice of a friend I signed up with Mark Allen Online training and started with the Maintenance Program. What is maintenance for most was not for me. It was 10-12 hours a week of swimming, biking on an indoor trainer and running. For fun they throw in some weights too.

I'll never forget my first triathlon. a sprint distance. I made every mistake "they" tell you not to do. I started the swim in the middle and right at the front of the pack. I got clobbered. I took time to dry myself off, put on socks and tried running in my cycling shoes. I sped into T2 and crashed my bike. You name it, I did it wrong, but I leaned a ton and I was hooked.

A month later I did my second tri, a long course and executed well. At the end of that race I knew the 70.3 was doable and decided to sign up for an Ironman in 2011 the next day.

Is this your first Ironman?

Yes, Lake Placid will be my first Ironman. Not only that it will be my first marathon too :)

What are your goals for Ironman Lake Placid?

Finish strong. I learned not to make time based goals because there are too many variables that can affect that. I want to finish strong in the top 1/3 of my age category.

What are your best and worst triathlon experiences?

Best is easy, finishing the Muskoka 70.3 Ironman in 5:30:12. After the first two races and with my training going as well as it did I was hoping to finish in 5:30. I could have taken a few minutes off that but I took in the energy of the last 1KM and thanked people for cheering, found my wife in the crowd and posed for a pic (below) and high fived people in the finish chute. I took in the entire finishing experience and was living in the moment.

Worst wasn't really that bad. While I expected a thrashing in the swim my first race starting front and center I took a clobbering. It threw me off a bit but in a way it was fun :) I had some bad experiences in training with the worst being an IT Band flare up at mile 10 of a half marathon. That was definitely the most painful experience of my life.

Inspirational quotes:

"Pain is temporary but pride is forever!"

"Git 'er dun!"

"Suck it up sunshine!"

"The greatest victory is to enjoy what you do and what you achieve"

Other information about me:

I am a gadget geek, can't do anything with out my GPS and heart rate monitor. I have a beautiful and supporting wife and two cats. I spend too much time on Twitter, read more than I should on training and nutrition and am an avid follower of Cervelo Test Team, aka Garmin-Cervelo cycling teams.

My Story: Robin

2010-09-29T06:04:00.007-04:00

Name: Robin Flynn (aka The Athletic Performer)

Blog: The Athletic Performer

Twitter: AthleticPrformr

Race: 2011 Ironman Louisville

Location: Flushing, NY

Profession: Opera Singer

(after my first 50K... Ice bath!)

(on stage - San Francisco Opera *photo by Kristen Loken*)

How did you get started in triathlon?

The New York Road Runner's had a sprint distance race in Flushing Meadows Corona Park on August 23, 2009. Since the park is within walking distance of my apartment, I decided to give it a whirl. The swim was in a pool and I used my fat-tire commuter bike. I had so much fun and at the end of the race, knew I'd found something else to add to my newfound fitness lifestyle. I had just run my first marathon that year as well... the New Jersey Marathon (May 2009). Running was definitely my "gateway drug".

Is this your first Ironman?

Yes! Let the addiction continue! :-)

What is your best/worst triathlon experience?

I'm still a "newbie" and have only done one sprint distance (the NYRR sprint in Flushing Meadows Park, 2009) and two half-Ironmans Harryman Half (May 22 - 2010) and Westchester Toughman (September 12 - 2010).

My best experience was during the Westchester Toughman. The race route was just beautiful and I'd put in 40 miles on the bike before I even looked down at my computer! I was shocked at how easy everything felt! The volunteers were wonderful and so cheerful... it was a great day for me and I enjoyed every minute.

The worst experience I've had was riding up that horrid hill 3 (!!!) times during the Harryman Half. I was registered and trained for the Florida half-Iron (a completely FLAT bike course) but a singing gig came up last minute that I couldn't refuse. To not have all of that half-Ironman training go to waste, I signed up for the only half that I could find (a.) close enough in travel distance and (b.) within **basically** the same time period as Florida.

My lack of hill training really screwed me come race day for Harryman.

I thought I was going to die the third time riding up that hill. I'd run 9 marathons by that point in my life but my quads had NEVER felt burn like that. I could have walked my bike up the hill faster... but I didn't.

(Boston marathon, 2010)

What are your goals for Ironman Louisville?

Swimming and running don't scare me... 112 miles on the bike makes me shake in my running shoes. I want to finish strong with a smile on my face!

Other information about me:

Yes... really... I'm an opera singer. Music preparation is just as intense of a process as race preparation.

I'm a race-obsessed runner and Marathon Maniac.

Taking my running even further, I've found a new love in Ultra-marathons (I love trail running!!) and am looking forward to my second 50K on October 16th.

I've been a vegan since 2005... powered by plants!!

My Story: Alexa

2010-09-28T17:11:00.002-04:00

Name: Alexa Harding
Blog: Just Keep Swimming
Race: Ironman Coeur D'Alene & Ironman Wisconsin
Location: Rochester, NY
Profession: Analytical Lab Tech at Ortho-Clinical Diagnostics

me and my coach Mary after taking 5th OA at a
competitive local sprint tri 2 weeks before IMLP!

How did you get started in triathlon?
I had been a runner since the age of 11 (I am now 26) and I was getting really burnt out. I had received a mountain bike as a birthday present from my parents in 2007, and I began riding that mountain bike as some cross training/boredom relief from running. I was looking at a list of races online and saw a sprint triathlon at the end of Sept., thought to myself "I can do that!" and started training. One sprint on my mountain bike turned into an entire season on a new road bike, which turned into buying a tri bike, which turned into a tri bike with Zipp wheels and now 20+ sprint/olympic tris, 3 half-IMs, and 1 full IM later, here I am, addiction full swing.

Is this your first Ironman?
Nope! I did Ironman Lake Placid 2010 and finished in 12:18! 2011 is the year of TWO Ironmans.. and no money! :)

What is your best/worst triathlon experience?
I have had many, many great race experiences and it is really hard to pick just one. If I HAVE to choose, I would have to say the Tupper Lake Tinman half-iron that I did this June. I did not place overall or in my age group, but it was the race where I REALLY noticed that my Ironman training was working. I dropped 24 minutes off my PR and I nailed the execution of the race, finishing with a time of 5:16. My coach was proud of me and I was proud of myself! That is more important than any award.

My first half-Ironman (Musselman in 2009) was a little traumatic. I went out way too fast on the run, and the last 5 miles were REALLY painful. Mostly I use bad races as learning experiences. Usually it has something to do with pacing something stupidly and then being in pain later on in the race!

What are your goals for your 2 Ironmans?
Right now I don't really have a set goal. My goal for IMLP was to go under 12 hours and I missed it by 18 minutes, so a big, big goal of mine is to go under 12 hours at CDA. I also need to make sure I recover well (mentally AND physically) after CDA because I will have another Ironman a few months later! I really need to work on my run.

Other generic information about me:
I am coached by Mary Eggers of Train-This. I am a short girl so I ride a 48 cm Cervelo P2C with 650c Zipp wheels. I have a horse and a cat. I am sarcastic. I love to eat however I am a vegetarian! I love when new people read and comment on my blog!

My Story: Derek

2010-09-26T19:41:00.000-04:00

Name: Derek
Blog: TriHounds
Race: 2011 Ironman Florida
Location: Ottawa, Canada
Profession: Full time Corporate HR, part time triathlete

How did you get started in triathlon?

I have 3 neighbors within 2 miles that have been solid age groupers for several years now, two of which at the Iron distance. After spending years in awe of their accomplishments and fitness, I succumbed to their urging to give a triathlon a shot. I wasn't always a fit person, either, having gained 30 pounds (on a 5'8" frame) over the years leading up to the birth of my first daughter 7 years ago. I look back at the pictures and am amazed I let myself pack on the weight. Don't they call it 'sympathy weight' when the man packs on the pounds with his pregnant wife? Anyway, years later I decided I needed to lose the weight and did, and just in time for my first triathlon. That was the summer of 2008 and I did 3 sprints. While I was 'hooked' on the sport, we got transferred for my job to NY for a year and I ended up dropping training / racing / fitness altogether in favor of work and weekend exploring. Come summer of 2010 and I got back in the saddle for 2 firsts: Olympic distance and 70.3.

Is this your first Ironman?
Yes. On my 39th birthday this summer, I decided to start planning the celebration to mark my 40th year on the planet next year. Ironman Florida seemed perfectly logical, even though I had never done anything longer than a sprint. It is logical, isn't it?

What is your best/worst triathlon experience?
Worst: In my first open water triathlon, I panicked. I've always been a great swimmer and the water feels like a second home to me, but add several hundred people, churning water, and a need for air while exercising and I got one nasty swim. I barely made it out of the water!

Best: Ironman Muskoka 70.3 My first time riding and running at this distance. This is a really challenging hilly course and I was slightly undertrained going into it. I didn't have any time goals but knew I wanted to finish strong, without any walking. The hills felt literally unfair, especially the long one at km 19 of the run. Talk about a challenge. But I did it, without going slower than a jog, and the sense of pride and accomplishment was immeasurable.

What are your goals for Ironman Florida?
To finish strong and happy with my family at the finish line.

Other: These guys...retired athletes (ex racing greyhounds). Just looking at them gives me inspiration! We have 2 littermate brothers.

My Story: Ben

2010-09-25T23:38:00.001-04:00

Name: Ben
Blog: http://www.becomingtimberman.com
Race: Rev 3 Cedar Point
Location: Sandusky, Ohio
Profession: Business Systems Analyst (AKA computer software idea guy)

How did you get started in triathlon?
A few years ago when gas prices approached $3.50 a gallon, and I was saving to pay for my wedding, I bought a mountain bike to commute to a bike friendly work environment. When the gas prices went back down, I wanted other excuses to ride and keep pushing my weight loss, which had stalled a bit after 20ish walking races. I did 4 sprints that first season and had a podium in my 3rd race where I came in 2nd place... out of 2 people in the Clydesdale division

Is this your first Ironman?
Yes. I just finished my first 70.3 (Timberman) last month, and about 4 days later I knew I wanted the whole thing.

What is your best/worst triathlon experience?
Worst: A month before Timberman, I was racing the MA State Triathlon, an Olympic distance race. I finished the swim at a personal best, but I must have come out too hard. About 5 miles into a very hot bike, I blew up on the only real hill on the course. With the top in sight, I got dizzy and lightheaded, and had to pack it in for safety's sake. I slept terribly the night before, didn't hydrate enough, and ate like crap. The worst part is it made me have serious doubts about if I could finish Timberman.

Best: Timberman. My first 70.3. I was the last person on the course, and had to run a 12 minute final mile (pretty fast for me) in order to make the time cutoff. I wound up beating 6 people, including the guy who was on the course with me for a majority of the run, who had started 30 minutes before I did. It was an experience I'll never forget, and the fact that my wife and I trained together and both finished this race made it truly amazing for us. The fact that she beat me by 90 minutes made me ever prouder of her.

What are your goals for Rev 3 Cedar Point?
I picked this race for a reason. It's just a little over an hour from my parents house, and I want them to be able to be there the day I complete this amazing journey. Then the next day we'll all go ride rides together! Ironman plus Cedar Point is a match made in heaven.

My Story: Maria

2010-09-24T12:17:00.001-04:00

Name: Maria (Midwestern Dot)
Blog: http://mkoeppel.blogspot.com
Race: Redman OKC
Location: Prison City, TX
Profession: Serving time in the education ~~prison~~ system, I’m up for parole in May of 2014.

How did you get started in triathlon?
I had a mid-mid life (or quarter life) crisis when I turned 22. I was always active but wasn’t really working towards anything in particular. I randomly picked up a triathlon magazine and thought ‘I could totally do that’. So, I researched it (that is, after all, what I do for a living) and found that I actually could to that, if I trained. I gave it a go, caught the bug and here I am!

Is this your first Ironman?
Yup. A few years ago this was not an option, nor would it ever be. Apparently my sanity seems to be waning since joining the sport.

What is your best/worst triathlon experience?
Worst: Bluff Creek, this year. I’m not sure if I wasn’t prepared physically or mentally, but massive head winds just broke me as soon as I got on the bike. Then there was that freaking awful hill (it’s never a good sign when there is a sign at the bottom of the hill welcoming you to it). I finished, but it was not pretty! The upside: they had cool swag and I got ice cream on the way home to make myself feel better.

Best: Aside from my first races in 2008, Racine in July is definitely a topper. This was my first HIM and my sherpa crew of my girlfriend, her sister and my sister made the race one to remember. I was calm throughout the entire race and was able to achieve my number one goal: have fun. I told myself before the race if I didn’t have fun, I wasn’t going on to the full distance because it wasn’t going to be worth it. The execution went as well as it could have given the distance and my lack of legs on the run. The downside: I threw up after the race, but then I got ice cream on the way home to make myself feel better.

What are your goals for Redman 2011?
You mean other than to survive? Um…to survive. The goal is to finish with 1 head, 2 arms, 2 hands, 10 fingers, 2 legs, 2 feet, 10 toes and maybe an ounce of my sanity although I know that last one is a tall order. But no worries, if I don’t finish with all those, I’ll get ice cream on the way home to make myself feel better.

My Story: Jill

2010-09-24T10:51:00.001-04:00

Name: Jill "aggie" Agresta
Blog: http://www.nowisthetimetosimplytri.blogspot.com/
Race: Ironman Lake Placid
Location: New York, NY
Profession: TV Writer/Producer

How did you get started in triathlon?I've always played sports growing up including playing field hockey in high school and college. It's funny 'cause I hated running! Despised it. I only ran so that I could be faster and quicker for field hockey. Once I graduated college and played recreational hockey, I decided to start running again on my own, for no specific reason. Actually, it was those post-college 15lbs that kicked my butt in gear!

Anyway, I play on a club team in the city and one of my teammates said she was training for the 2005 NYC triathlon. I was in awe! She looked just like me, loved food just like me, played sports just like me but she was doing a TRi - holy cow! It was then I realized that triathlons aren't just for the super skinny, super buff, scary athletes... they're for everyone. I signed up for the 2005 Westchester tri that week. After that race, I haven't looked back since.

Is this your first Ironman?
Heck yeah!

What is your best/worst triathlon experience?
I think my best triathlon experience was my very first one. I've had much stronger races since then, and I've gotten much faster but you'll always remember you're first :)

I knew nothing about triathlons when I started. I bought a cheap road bike, refused to get clipless pedals because I was scared, refused to wear padded shorts because I hated spandex... you get the idea - I was clueless! Since I didn't want to spend 300 bucks on a wetsuit so I planned on wearing my red bathing suit during the swim then throw on a pair of black shorts for the rest of the race. When I hit the beach for the swim start..... well, let's just say I was seriously the ONLY person in the entire race wearing a bright red bathing suit on the beach!

can you spot me??

The swim went by fast and I got on my bike super excited to be racing! Well, after 1 mile, I got a flat! To say i wasn't prepared was an understatement. I did have an extra tube, but I didn't know how to change a flat and I didn't have a spare pump, co2 or anything. Luckily, a really nice cop changed my tire for me then as I was yelling out to the other racers whizzing on by a woman stopped to give me a CO2 cartridge. She saved my race. I'll never forget that and I will always pay it forward.
So after wasting a good 15 minutes on the bike I continued on my newbie tri journey. The run was the only sport out of the 3 that I felt good and I remember pushing myself and finishing strong at the end. It was a really great day and I learned so much just by going out there and doing it!

Now, for my worst tri experience... I really think that you can learn a lot from a "bad" race so it's hard to call what I'm about to describe the worst experience. Mooseman Half Iron 2010 - this was my third time doing this race. Third halfironman. I was trained and ready for this race. I spent a lot of time in the winter on my bike trainer and I was seeing the payoffs. When I heard they changed the bike course, I was nervous but I was still psyched! Right from the start I knew it was gonna be a hard day. It was pouring down rain and my swim took longer than I anticipated. I took a tri swim stroke clinic and really improved during the spring so I was ready to PR my swim. I wound up swimming 1 minute slower.
By the time I got on the bike, it was raining so hard it hurt my skin. When I got to the monster of the hill I heard about, I was scared. This was the first time ever in my entire life that I had to stop and walk my bike up that hill. I was p*ssed! How could I work so hard on my bike just to walk up the hill?!? The kicker was we had to climb that hill twice! And I had to walk up it the second time too. Grrr... it's making me angry just thinking about it.
When I started the run I actually felt great. The good thing about the rain was that it was nice and cool out so that helped me. My feet started to really hurt in the last 4 miles but I pushed on and finished. Then proceeded to bawl my eyes out right after I crossed the finish line. The volunteers asked if I needed medical, I said no... I was just glad to be done. That particular race tested me. Despite all the negatives there were two positives that came out of that race. One - even though the bike was ridiculously tough, I felt like I could have ridden for longer. This was the first half where I wasn't ready to get off the bike at mile 56. Second - my body recovered so much faster than the previous years. That showed how much more in shape I was, despite the slow finishing time.

What are your goals for Placid 2011?
My number one goal is to get to the starting line healthy. As far as times go, I want to finish by midnight of course. Would I rather finish in 15 hours than 17? sure! Finish in 14 hours than 15? sure! So we'll see how my training goes this year and when it gets closer I'll try to commit to a time :)

You Are Ready

2010-09-24T09:35:00.006-04:00

I don't think we have any Ironman Canada folks in here, but I wanted to share this nonetheless for general inspiration and a very insightful glimpse into the emotions you feel on race day. I'm re-posting this from Slowtwitch, it seems to make the rounds there annually and was drafted by user "Hurricane Bob." We have a long road ahead, but it's always fun to visualize race day during that long journey. Enjoy.

Right now you've all entered the taper. Perhaps you've been at this a few months, perhaps you've been at this a few years. For some of you this is your first IM, for others, a long-overdue welcome back to a race that few can match.

You've been following your schedule to the letter. You've been piling on the mileage, piling up the laundry, and getting a set of tan lines that will take until November to erase. Long rides were followed by long runs, which both were preceeded by long swims, all of which were followed by recovery naps that were longer than you slept for any given night during college.

You ran in the snow.
You rode in the rain.
You ran in the heat.
You ran in the cold.

You went out when others stayed home.
You rode the trainer when others pulled the covers over their heads.

You have survived the Darwinian progression that is an Ironman summer, and now the hardest days are behind you. Like a climber in the Tour de France coming over the summit of the penultimate climb on an alpine stage, you've already covered so much ground...there's just one more climb to go. You shift up, you take a drink, you zip up the jersey; the descent lays before you...and it will be a fast one.

Time that used to be filled with never-ending work will now be filling with silent muscles, taking their final, well-earned rest. While this taper is something your body desperately needs, Your mind, cast off to the background for so very long, will start to speak to you.

It won't be pretty.

It will bring up thoughts of doubt, pain, hunger, thirst, failure, and loss. It will give you reasons why you aren't ready. It will try and make one last stand to stop you, because your brain doesn't know what the body already does. Your body knows the truth:

You are ready.

Your brain won't believe it. It will use the taper to convince you that this is foolish - that there is too much that can go wrong.

You are ready.

Finishing an Ironman is never an accident. It's the result of dedication, focus, hard work, and belief that all the long runs in
January, long rides in April, and long swims every damn weekend will be worth it. It comes from getting on the bike, day in, day out. It comes from long, solo runs. From that first long run where you wondered, "How will I ever be ready?" to the last long run where you smiled to yourself with one mile to go...knowing that you'd found the answer.

It is worth it. Now that you're at the taper, you know it will be worth it. The workload becomes less. The body winds up and prepares, and you just need to quiet your worried mind. Not easy, but you can do it.

You are ready.

You will walk into the lagoon on August 26th with 2000 other wide-open sets of eyes. You will look upon the sea of humanity, and know that you belong. You'll feel the chill of the water crawl into your wetsuit, and shiver like everyone else, but smile because the day you have waited for for so VERY long is finally here.

The bagpipers will walk across the beach. Steve King will ask you to sing along. You will.

O Canada!
Our home and native land!
True patriot love in all thy sons command.

With glowing hearts we see thee rise,
The True North strong and free!

From far and wide,
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.

God keep our land glorious and free!
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.
O Canada, we stand on guard for thee.

You will tear up in your goggles. Everyone does.

The helicopters will roar overhead.
Maranatha will roar. The splashing will surround you.

You'll stop thinking about Ironman, because you're now racing one.

The swim will be long - it's long for everyone, but you'll make it. You'll watch as the Penticton Lakeside Hotel grows and grows, and soon you'll hear the end. You'll come up the beach and head for the wetsuit strippers. Three people will get that sucker off before you know what's happening, then you'll head for the bike.

In the shadows on Main Street you'll spin out of town - the voices, the cowbells, and the curb-to-curb chalk giving you a hero's sendoff. You won't wipe the smile off your face for miles as you whisk along the lakeside, past fully stocked, silent aid stations for the run to come.

You'll spin up McLean Creak Road. You'll roll down towards Osoyoos, past the vineyards glowing in the morning sun. You'll settle down to your race. The crowds will spread out on the road. You'll soon be on your bike, eating your food on your schedule, controlling your Ironman.

Richter Pass will come. Everyone talks about it, but it's really nothing. You'll know this halfway up, as you're breathing easy and climbing smoothly. Look to your right. Look how high you're climbing. Look at all the bikes below, still making their way there. You're ahead of them. All of them.

You'll climb over Richter, and descend to the valley below. You'll ride the rollers, one at a time. You'll start to feel that morning sun turn to afternoon sun. It's warmer now. Maybe it's hot. Maybe you're not feeling so good now. You'll keep riding. You'll keep drinking. You'll keep moving. After all, this is just a long training day with valet parking and catering, right?

You'll put the rollers behind you. You'll head into the Cawston out and back. You'll put on your game face, fighting the urge to feel down as you ride the wrong way for what seems like hours. 10 miles in, you reach special needs, fuel up, and head out.

By now it'll be hot. You'll be tired. Doubts will fight for your focus. Everyone struggles here. You've been on that bike for a few hours, and stopping would be nice, but you won't - not here. Not today. You'll ride on leaving Cawston behind you and head for the final showdown at Yellow Lake.

You'll grind the false flats to the climb. You'll know you're almost there. You'll fight for every inch of road. You'll make the turn towards the summit as the valley walls close in for the kill, and put your head down. The crowd will come back to you here - the cars are always waiting to cross the summit, and you'll soon be surrounded in the glorious noise that is the final climb of Ironman Canada. Let their energy push you. Let them see your eyes. Smile when they cheer for you - your body will get just that little bit lighter.

Grind.
Fight.
Suffer.
Persevere.
Summit.

Just like that, you'll be descending. 12 miles to go, and no climbing left. You'll plunge down the road, swooping from corner to corner, chaining together the turns, tucking on the straights, letting your legs recover for the run to come - soon! You'll roll back into town - you'll see people running out. You'll think to yourself, "Wasn't I just here?" The noise will grow. The chalk dust will hang in the air - you're back in Penticton, with only 26.2 miles to go. You'll relax a little bit, knowing that even if you get a flat tire or something breaks here, you can run the damn bike into T2.

You'll roll into transition. 100 volunteers will fight for your bike. You'll give it up and not look back. You'll have your bag handed to you, and into the tent you'll go. You'll change. You'll load up your pockets, and open the door to the last long run of your Ironman summer - the one that counts.

You'll take that first step of a thousand...and you'll smile. You'll know that the bike won't let you down now - the race is down to your own two feet. The same crowd that cheered for you in the shadows of the morning will cheer for you in the brilliant sunshine of a Penticton summer Sunday. High-five people on the way out. Smile. Enjoy it. This is what you've worked for all year long.

That first mile will feel great. So will the second.
By mile 3, you probably won't feel so good.

That's okay. You knew it couldn't all be that easy. You'll settle down just like you did on the bike, and get down to your pace. You'll see the leaders coming back the other way. Some will look great - some won't. You might feel great, you might not. No matter how you feel, don't panic - this is the part of the day where whatever you're feeling, you can be sure it won't last.

You'll keep moving. You'll keep drinking. You'll keep eating. Maybe you'll be right on plan - maybe you won't. If you're ahead of schedule, don't worry - believe. If you're behind, don't panic - roll with it. Everyone comes up with a brilliant race plan for Ironman, and then everyone has to deal with the reality that planning for something like Ironman is like trying to land a man on the moon. By remote control. Blindfolded.

How you react to the changes in your plan will dictate your day. Don't waste energy worrying about things - just do what you have to when you have to, and keep moving. Keep eating. Keep drinking. Just don't sit down - don't EVER sit down.

You'll make it to halfway at OK Falls. You'll load up on special needs. Some of what you packed will look good, some won't. Eat what looks good, toss the rest. Keep moving. Start looking for people you know. Cheer for people you don't. You're headed in - they're not. They want to be where you are, just like you wanted to be when you saw all those fast people headed into town. Share some energy - you'll get it right back.

Run if you can.
Walk if you have to.
Just keep moving.

The miles will drag on. The brilliant Penticton sunshine will yawn, and head for the mountains behind the bike course...behind that last downhill you flew down all those hours ago. You'll be coming up to those aid stations you passed when you started the bike...fully alive with people, music, and chicken soup. TAKE THE SOUP. Keep moving.

You'll soon only have a few miles to go. You'll start to believe that you're going to make it. You'll start to imagine how good it's going to feel when you get there. Let those feelings drive you on. When your legs just don't want to move anymore, think about what it's going to be like when someone catches you...puts a medal over your head...

...all you have to do is get there.

You'll start to hear town. People you can't see in the twilight will cheer for you. They'll call out your name. Smile and thank them. They were there when you left on the bike, and when you came back, when you left on the run, and now when you've come back.

You'll enter town. You'll start to realize that the day is almost over. You'll be exhausted, wiped out, barely able to run a 10-minute mile (if you're lucky), but you'll ask yourself, "Where did the whole day go?" You'll be standing on the edge of two feelings - the desire to finally stop, and the desire to take these last moments and make them last as long as possible.

You'll hit mile 25. You'll turn onto Lakeside Drive. Your Ironman Canada will have 1.2 miles - just 2KM left in it.

You'll run. You'll find your legs. You'll fly. You won't know how, but you will run. You'll make the turn in front of the Sicamous in the dark, and head for home. The lights will grow brighter, brighter, and brighter. Soon you'll be able to hear the music again. This time, it'll be for keeps.

You'll listen for Steve King, or Mike Reilly, or Whit Raymond. Soon they'll see you. Soon, everyone will see you. You'll run towards the lights, between the fences, and into the nightsun made just for you.

They'll say your name.
You'll keep running.
Nothing will hurt.

The moment will be yours - for one moment, the entire world will be looking at you and only you.

You'll break the tape. The flash will go off.

You'll stop. You'll finally stop. Your legs will wobble their last, and suddenly...be capable of nothing more.

Someone will catch you.
You'll lean into them.

It will suddenly hit you.
You will be an Ironman.

You are ready.

My Story: Bryan Payne (aka Training Payne)

2010-09-24T09:24:00.012-04:00

Name: Bryan Payne (aka. Training Payne and BryBraroBry)

Primary Blog: www.trainingpayne.blogspot.com

Inspiration: www.pfgtriathlonclub.blogspot.com (Previous Fat Guys Triathlon Club)

Twitter:@brybrarobry

Race: Ironman Lake Placid 2011 (maybe Rev 3, maybe an ultra)

Location: Burlington, Ontario, Canada

Profession: Professional Beer Drinker - Canadian National Team Captain.

How do you get started in Triathlons?

I started in 1986 at 19 years old, it was the "early days" of triathlon. I did Ironman Canada twice and Kona once (on the lottery). I retired to start a business in 1991. After a 16 year layoff and 50lb weight gain, I had a semi-midlife crisis and started my triathlon comeback with a 550 out of 600 finish at my first sprint race in 2007. The next year I signed up for and finished the 2008 Ironman Louisville and with a 11:06 and beat my best Ironman time I set in my 20's by 1 hour and 6 minutes. Proving 40 is the new 20. In 2009, I qualified and raced the Clearwater Ironman 70.3 World Championships with a 4:37 and that included the time for road support to replace a broken chain. And finally, in 2010 I qualified for Kona with a 10:20 at Ironman Lake Placid after attempting to qualify this year at Ironman China and St. George.

Is this your first Ironman? If not, what other Ironman races have you done?

It's not my first, I have 7 finishes (Ironman Canada 1987 & 1991, Kona 1988, 2010, Ironman Louisville 2008, Ironman St. George 2010, Ironman Lake Placid 2010). I also have two DNF's, one in China 2010 (due to food poisoning) and one Ironman Canada 1989 (due to lower back problems).

What is your best/worst Ironman Experience?

There is NO such thing as a "bad Ironman experience". Everyone Ironman teaches you something. The best experience was the DNF at Ironman China this year. It may sound counter intuitive but I learnt so much from that race. You can read my race report HERE and you can read about what I learnt HERE. My Ironman experience has been the "more you are properly trained and the faster your finishing time", the "easier and more enjoyable the race is". My hardest and most painful Ironman was a 14 hour finish and my easiest and most enjoyable was a 10 hour finish.

What are your Goals for Ironman Lake Placid 2011.

From lessons learnt the hard way, my goal is not "time related", it is "to finish and enjoy the experience". Putting time pressures on yourself is a sure way to "set yourself up for failure" and "diminish the experience", especially if you don't achieve your goal. If you make your goal to just finish, you can't be disappointed. Even if you finish after the cut-off.

What do you like best about triathlons?

I love the camaraderie and support we give each other. It's not about competing with "each other", it's about competing "with yourself". The social aspect of the sport is fantastic. With all the pre-race registration, transition set up, waiting for the swim start, finish line talk and post race food, you're always around and talking to other "brothers and sisters in arms". The energy is always positive. I did my first triathlon 25 years ago, took a break for 16 years and when I returned, the energy was "exactly the same". The faces were different, but the attitude and support hadn't changed one bit.

What do you like least about triathlons?

Swimming.

What's your training regime and how much time to you train for Ironmans?

For the past three years I've followed the Mark Allen Online coaching program. I highly recommend "a coach" or "structured program", even if it's out of a book or something you find online. I typically put in 18 - 24 hours a week and average anywhere from 1100 - 1500 kilometers per month of combined swimming, biking and running mileage. I typically start serious Ironman training 14-16 weeks before the race.

Any words of advice for "First Time Ironman Competitors"?

Have fun. Don't get too serious and live the life of a monk, or feel you need to "sacrifice" all the fun things and people in your life. I'm proof that you can make it to Kona and still party, drink "lots of beer", train with "hangovers", pig out every once in a while on junk food and still enjoy your family and friends. The only thing I sacrifice is Television and Reading Books, although I do listen to Podcasts, Audio Books and Music while I train. I can't stress enough, "do not put finishing time pressures on yourself".

One last piece of advice, we all have our "ups and downs" and "don't sweat it". Those are the times you grow as a person. There will be days you get burnt out, you may not be eating too healthy, you may feel guilty about missing a workout. All this is normal. Remember, the road to becoming an Ironman is "tough", if it wasn't, everyone would be doing it. Becoming an Ironman is a lifestyle, the training is where you become an Ironman, the race is just the parade.

One, last, last piece of advice. From personal experience, NEVER QUIT AN IRONMAN!!! You WILL regret it. "Pain is temporary, quitting is forever".

My Story: Mandy (aka Caratunk Girl)

2010-09-22T20:51:00.000-04:00

Name: Mandy
Blog: http://caratunkgirl.blogspot.com/
Race: Ironman Lake Placid
Location: Caratunk, Maine
Profession: Forester, Whitewater Raft Guide

How did you get started in triathlon?
I had done 4 marathons and was kind of burned out on running. I took a year off from any training and then I randomly signed up for the Pirate Triathlon (sprint). I didn't have any real dedicated training, but I finished, had fun, and was hooked. I was also kind of horrified at my pictures - it was the first time I realized that I had gained a lot of weight and was WAY out of shape. I signed up for two more tris that same year (a sprint and an olympic distance), this time focusing on training. I was hooked.

Is this your first Ironman?
YES!

What is your best/worst triathlon experience?
Best? Honestly, being at the Ironman Lake Placid mass swim start stood my hair on end - the air was electric, the excitement was palpable. I wasn't in that race, but wow, I have not experienced that feeling anywhere before. It was awesome.

Worst? I think when I flatted on a duathlon course when I was really doing well and knew I had only 1 woman ahead of me. I got the tire changed fairly quickly and tied my spent tube to the rear bottle cage (so I wouldn't litter). With 2 miles left of the bike course, that spent tube wrapped itself around my gearing - tight. I stopped and had a leatherman with me (never leave home without it) and cut the tube from my gearing, but it was really wound in there. Took me like 10 solid minutes or more. I was covered with grease and just mad. I finished the race strong, but with about 15-20 minutes spent in messing with tire stuff.

What are your goals for Placid 2011?
Well, of course I want to have fun and finish before midnight. I am not sure what I am capable of here as far as time. I have a certain time goal in mind, but it is so far off I hate to call it that early.

Prepare Yourself

2010-09-22T11:55:00.003-04:00

I recently posted this on my blog, but thought it would be good to share here as well, especially for the first-timers. You'll get asked a lot of great questions during your Ironman journey, some comical, some just ridiculous. And a lot of people will call you crazy... maybe we are!

My Story: Mary

2010-09-22T10:29:00.001-04:00

Name: Mary
Blog: www.tri-ingtodoitall.blogspot.com
Race: Ironman Lake Placid
Location: Boston, Massachusetts
Profession: Triathlon/Run/Swim Coach, Former Sixth Grade Teacher, Mom of Three

How did you get started in triathlon?
I have always been a runner and a swimmer. In 2007, my good friend (and current business partner) Ange decided to sign up for a Timberman 70.3. Not wanting to be left out, I decided I would too. I didn't even own a bike! I had a great time at the race, though, and finished well, in 5:25. I was hooked.

Is this your first Ironman?
Nope! I did IM Lake Placid in 2009, and IM Couer D'Alene in 2010. I'm eager to go back to Placid in 2011!

What is your best/worst triathlon experience?
Hmmm.
The best might be my first half IM, Timberman 70.3 in 2007. I had no expectations, and I ended having an awesome race. I was exhilarated when I finished. I knew I had found a sport that I genuinely loved.

My worst would be Mooseman Olympic in 2008. I was so psyched to race, and everything went wrong. I lost my aero-bottle on the bike, and so I had no fuel for the ride. In addition, I got a penalty for losing that water bottle and leaving it there! No littering! Then, on the run, I threw up AS I was running. It was truly a grim race.

What are your goals for Placid 2011?

I have so many goals for Placid! First, I want to have a good time--or as good a time as one can have when racing an IM. I want to PR in my swim, my bike and my run. :) And I want to qualify for Kona! I'd like to go sub-11. You know, just little goals. ha!

My Story: Kristin

2010-09-21T21:19:00.006-04:00

Name: Kristin
Blog: thelazymarathoner.blogspot.com
Races: Ironman Wisconsin, Ironman Arizona
Location: New York City
Profession: Public Relations

How did you get started in triathlon?
My 33rd birthday was approaching when the 2007 Kona broadcast was replayed on a snowy February day in 2008. I didn't know how to swim and thought it would be a great thing to tackle and figured the Ironman could be the reason. I had been running for nearly a decade and had completed a few marathons. I had a road bike and thought it was fun to ride. So I took two swim lessons in May, did a sprint in late June (still couldn't swim), an Oly in July and a sprint in August. I signed up for Ironman Wisconsin in September and completed it one year later.

Is this your first Ironman? If not, what other Ironman races have you done?
I did Ironman Wisconsin 2009, Ironman Lake Placid 2010 and Ironman Wisconsin 2010. I've been busy!

What is your best/worst triathlon experience?
I've never had what I would call a bad triathlon experience. Sure I've had an atrocious swim here or there and had to slog through a half-marathon in 100-degree heat on undertrained legs, but as long as I finish and I haven't caused permanent damage I can't classify it as bad.

With that said, you could bundle my best and worst into one race - Ironman Wisconsin 2009. It was the best because I finished and it was my first. It also introduced me to a side of myself I didn't know existed. It was the worst because I tore my plantar fascia just two weeks before the race. I was totally devastated and went through an awful emotional journey as I accepted a DNF. At the last minute I decided to go for it and it was the most rewarding day I've ever had. So it was only "worst" because it was almost taken away. The struggle was worth it.

What are your goals for Wisconsin?Arizona?
I don't dare set goals in the offseason because I could revert back to my lazy roots and lose all my fitness. However, if all goes well, I'd like to do close to 12 hours at one of these races. Sub-12 would be lovely, but a very low 12 would be nice as well. I'd also like to get closer to 6 hours on the bike and 4 hours on the marathon.

First and foremost I want to be injury free for another season and maintain the incredible life balance I've fought so hard to have!

My Story: Jon Campbell

2010-09-17T09:40:00.001-04:00

Name: Jon Campbell
Blog: http://swicyclorun.blogspot.com
Race: Ironman Lake Placid
Location: White Plains, NY
Profession: Professional Grass Mower and Pet Groomer

How did you get started in triathlon?
I started road cycling in high school and raced for two years. I didn't like the racing, but I liked the riding for the sake of staying in shape. I rode through college and once I got into the professional world, the allure of riding my bike wore off. I needed something more. A coworker just up and did a triathlon one day, and after that I knew this sport wasn't just for the superhuman. It was quite the learning curve! But it was one of the best decisions I have ever made to join this sport. My first sprint triathlon was completed in June 2008. I haven't looked back!

Is this your first Ironman? If not, what other Ironman races have you done?
Yeppers! Finally time to take on the big Kahuna distance!

What is your best/worst triathlon experience?
My best and worst are @ Timberman up in New Hampshire. I did Timberman as my first Half Ironman in August of 2009 and had my butt handed to me on a silver plate by my run performance. It was aweful! (I ran a 2:23:xx half marathon....) I had never had to walk in a race before until that day (I nuked my legs on the bike; lesson learned!). So I sought revenge on that race. A year later I reattempted the race and shaved 47 mins off of my 2009 year time and ran my second fastest half marathon to date.

What are your goals for Lake Placid?
I don't have a finishing time in mind, but I want to finish STRONG. I want to stay healthy this season and show up to race day healthy and finish knowing that I executed the race correctly. I have a feeling I will need to show some humility on the bike!

My Story: Kevin Neumann

2010-09-17T00:02:00.001-04:00

Name: Kevin Neumann
Blog: http://www.ironmanbythirty.com
Race: Ironman Wisconsin 2011
Location: Grand Rapids, MI
Profession: Professional Nerd (Software Programmer)

How did you get started in triathlons?

I have been a runner for over 12 years. I started running XC in high school and while I didn’t run on the team in college, I kept it up. I took some time off here and there, but after graduation, I really started to embrace running and started doing marathons. After I had a few marathons under my belt, I got bored and needed a new goal. Enter triathlons. I did my first triathlon in July 2008 and was hooked. I did 3 tris my first season and was itching for the next season to start. I did my first half Ironman in 2009 and made my goal of completing an Ironman by the time I am 30 (I’m 27 now). That brings us to this year. After completing 6 races these year include 3 HIMs, I feel that I am finally ready to take the plunge. After volunteering at the 2010 Wisconsin IM, I signed up for Wisconsin 2011.

Is this your first Ironman? If not, what other Ironman races have you done?

Yep. I can’t wait. People have been asking me if I am worried or apprehensive, but so far, I am nothing but excited.

What is your best/worst triathlon experience?

My worst triathlon experience came my first year. I closed out the season with the Reeds Lake Triathlon. I’m still not really sure what happened, but I was miserable the entire race. It was not a great way to end the season, but not every race can be a great race. I ended up getting redemption in 2009 with a nearly 8 minute course PR.

My best triathlon experience came this year that the Breakwater Triathlon. This was my third HIM of the season. I went into this race with the mindset to just finish. I knew going in that it was going to be the hardest bike course I have ever ridden. And tough it was. While I didn’t PR at this race, I exceeded my own expectations and ended up taking 2nd in my age group for my first podium finish. As I finishing up the run portion of the race, I started thinking about the full Ironman distance and it finally hit me that I was ready. Maybe not physically ready or training-wise ready, but mentally ready to take the next step. That was a good day.

What are your goals for Wisconsin?

My number one goal is to have fun. Cliché, I know, but that is what this whole sport has been about for me. If ever stops being fun, I’ll probably stop racing. Let’s hope that never happens though. I have a rough idea of where I would like to be time-wise, but in all honesty as long as I cross the finish line before midnight, I’ll go home a happy camper.