In January of 2015, I had been reading a blog about picking a focus word for the year. It sounded completely silly… except for after I was done reading the article, I kept thinking about it. The word ‘commit’ settled deeply into my mind as the goal for this year. Commit to the training necessary to survive, and thrive through a third Ironman. Commitment because Guido and I were getting married in the summer (spoiler alert: that one turned out wonderful!). Committed, because really all Ironman athletes are probably actually a little (or a lot) insane.
Guido printed out my motto, and we hung it on the front door. A constant mantra for the year.
The training this time around was very familiar. The routine was comfortable, and the time commitment like an old friend, it definitely helps to have many friends doing the same race! I had lots of fun on some particularly memorable ride, driving all the way to lake Stevens for rides with Cortney and Melissa, one to Sultan with Aimee, around the Flying Wheels course more times then I can count with Lyset, Tom, Steve, Kirsten, and a wonderful weekend at camp, and one last rainy, cold, and hysterical ride with Tom! It takes a village to raise a baby, and to train for a late season Ironman race!
The taper weeks leading up to the race I was a walking bundle of tense nerves. I wanted a PR. I wanted it more then I was really willing to admit to myself before the race. I haven’t gone into to many races hoping (expecting?!?) a PR. For a race as long as an Ironman, it was excruciating to know it was mostly about execution, and partially about luck. Guido always seems so calm leading up to his Ironman races, but I see the pressure he puts himself under each time to try for a Kona spot. He handles it with more outward calmness and grace than I did. It was both a benefit and torture to remember my two previous Ironman races that went amazingly well. They gave me confidence that I would execute this one well, and at the same time tortured me that I would finally screw it all up and blow up on my final race before ‘retirement’.
Race morning finally arrived! Transition was a mess of athletes, and teammates. Kelly and Marlyce were in my same bike row, and were a fun bundle of first timer nerves! Several trips through the portapotty lines later, and I was pushing my way through to the front of the swim line. One more quick hug with Kelly! We were off! The swim was pretty disgusting for the first quarter. A mad mass, and I got kicked, punched, and swum over several times. My least favorite swim start. I survived, but swam very wide to the outside for the rest of the swim.
Swim: 1:07:53
Guido beat me by 1 second in the swim 
At the start of the bike, I tried to settle in and focus on my watts, but my bike computer wouldn’t turn on! I fiddled with it, and poked at it, and it still wouldn’t turn on. This was definitely the second thing going wrong this race! I had joked several times leading up the race that the bike course was so boring, I would need my watts to keep me focused! Well… As fate would have it, I just had to focus myself. I was second guessing my effort the entire time. I focused on calm, sustainable, easy, and powerful.
Lap one was also when I started to notice that my calves were already tight and painful. I stretched them out a few times while riding, but they weren’t bothering me yet, so I just kept biking.
Yeah! Biking :-)
On lap two, I was still occasionally fiddling with my bike computer, and finally it turned on! It was nice to see when it turned on that I was actually within the target range for the bike. I continued on with lap two focusing on my watts. I was not feeling it during that lap. The rain started, it definitely got colder. The wind picked up, I wasn’t sure how I was doing on my time goal for the bike… Similar to my previous two Ironman races, I tried to just put my head down, stay in aero, and keep pedaling.
I thought a lot about why I was out there racing Ironman. I thought about my previous races, and how scared I was that I wouldn’t finish the race. Particularly on the bike, its was rough to be out there all alone. My previous mantra of “bring out the best in yourself” didn’t have quite the same kick during IM AZ. I just put my head down, kept pedaling, and stopped the thinking. The thinking wasn’t going to change anything anyway.
During the final lap, I was only thinking about finishing the bike. The rain was pretty constant, and fairly miserably cold. I noticed my calves were getting tighter, and I made the deal “push through to have a great bike. If you flame out on the run, so be it”. I’d let the run take care of itself, and only worry about biking. I kept passing people during the last lap, and was extra careful at the turns and curves. Finally I got to take the turn in to the bike finish chute, and drop off the bike to the volunteers.
Transition was nice and warm and out of the rain. The volunteer had a mostly dry towel, and dried off my feet. It was amazing how nice it was to have dry warm toes, and to put on a new pair of socks, and some dry shoes. The run didn’t feel great from the start. My calves felt tight, but thank goodness didn’t interfere with running. I felt tired, and like I was slogging through, so settled for steady and consistent. I walked, and used the restroom at mile 4, and it convinced me I should run everything. Starting up running again after even the short break was agonizing, so better to just keep running.
Just getting started…
The course was two fairly boring long out and back sections along both sides of the river. It was great to check-in and see how the rest of the TN’ers were doing. I saw most of the boys farther ahead on their laps. I was right in the middle of a bunch of the girls, and kept seeing Lyset, Marlyce, Kirsten, Natalie, Kelly… and more. At mile 4 I saw Guido starting his second loop! I spent most of the first loop wondering how long it would take him to catch me and pass me. He caught up to me at mile 12, his mile 25, and blew past running strong to the finish line!
On the start of lap two I grabbed my run special needs bag, and hauled out my long sleeve shirt. The rain had mostly stopped while running, but it was getting dark and I was already getting cold. Out and back on the south side of the river. Over to the north side of the river. Long long out to the end of the far turn around, and I was about ready to just give up. I did start walking. But, there is no giving up in Ironman. I started running again, and Marlyce caught up to me. We chatted a bit and ran. Up the hill, for the last time. Across the bridge, for the last time. Down the street, for the last time. I saw my mom standing in a street light at mile 26, and was quite excited to be done! One last turn, and finishers banner is in sight. A well earned jog to the finish, and an end to my third Ironman.
Overall time, better then I would have imaged during the day. But as the they say: “it doesn’t have to feel good to be fast”.
Swim: 1:070:53
Bike: 6:26:38
Run: 4:36:44
Total: 12:20:51 New PR by ~30mins.
Guido and I both made the IM AZ finishers video, Guido looking strong on the run at 5:30, and I’m finishing at 8:51!!
