As to how a Vermont girl prepare for a winter Ironman, well that was easy to answer too.    I want to race well, so I simply do the work.  I have always refused to let the fact that I live in a cold climate limit myself as a Triathlete.  I designed my training plan in December and I stuck to it. I am a very motivated person, but I am not a machine.  There were definitely days when I looked at my bike on the trainer and said “Oh you again!” My Husband had to remind me a few times, that we all have days when we don’t want to go to work, but we get out of bed and get the work done!  I stuck to my plan of 2 months of quality work on the trainer and treadmill, followed by 2.5 weeks of high volume training with Cliff English and his pro squad in Tucson.  I went straight out to New Zealand from Tucson and shortened my taper to just 12 days. 

The plan seemed to work well for me.  I started the race healthy and mentally fired up to race.  The Professionals started the race 15 minutes ahead of the age groupers.  I prefer the company of a mass start and find I can swim about 5-7 minutes faster with a group of feet ahead of me.  Being a weak swimmer, the small Pro start definitely hurts me, but it makes for a cleaner bike race.  I entered T1 with a 14 minute deficit.  This is a painful way to race.  There is no staying calm and cool, biking steady and conserving energy for the run.  I don’t have the luxury of this!  I have to go for it on the bike and run.  Sometimes I blow, sometimes I hang on and sometimes, I run really well.  I have to take chances on the bike and put myself within striking distance on the run.  As my Long Island Niece puts it, I gotta book it!!!!  I took the first loop out hard to try to close the gap and managed to put some time into the top girls.  My new Parlee TT and Zipp 808/1080 combo felt fast and most of all comfortable on the chip sealed roads.  However this is Ironman and halfway through the second loop, I hit a bad patch.  My lack of bike volume showed and my charge slowed.  I entered T2 in 6^th place.  I laced up my new K-Ruuz K-Swiss racing flats and focused on the next  task at hand; a strong run.  It was a very windy day which made the first 10k feel like one giant hill.  I didn’t feel  great, my pace was slower than what I had trained for, but I knew with the wind, times would be off.  Shortly after the 10k mark, I moved into 3^rd place.  I was chipping away at 2^nd, but the amount of time I lost in the water, was just too much to overcome.  I crossed the line in 3^rd,    Congrats to Jo Lawn who went  on to win and set a course record in the process and Gina Ferguson on her 2nd pace finish.  The kiwis are tough on their home turf!

I am very pleased with where my training is for this time of the year.  To have finished feeling so strong and most imporantly uninjured signals that I am on track for a promising year.  I am looking forward to a ski vacation this weekend with my family and friends.  Then I will sit down and map out the rest of the year.  I have many thank yous to extend.  I have an amazing support crew and could not do this without it.  I didn’t get third, WE got third!  I’d like to thank my homestay hosts; Graeme and June Spence for all their  hospitality (I had an amazing week and will definitely be back!), my sister Kelly; for the run coaching and pushing me through the cold icey runs and treadmil workouts, my swim coach, Gerry, (we’ll get it one of these days!!!!), my Husband for keeping me healthy and sharing my goals, my family and friends for all the encouragement and all my sponsors who are continuing their support in 2010; K-Swiss, Parlee, PowerBar, Zipp, Sram, Blue Seventy, Vasa, Fuel Belt and the Ski Rack.  See you at the races!

I am fortunate to be working with many of the same companies in 2010; K-Swiss, Zipp, Sram, PowerBar, Fuel Belt, Blue Seventy, Vasa and my awesome local bike shop, The Ski Rack in Burlington VT.  I am so gratetful to have such an amazing support crew and look forward to a great year!!

Chillin pre race

Let the Madness Begin!

And unfortunately the day ened up like this:

Tough to race an Ironman injured. Some days it IS about just finishing.

“Let me pray not to be sheltered from dangers, but the be fearless in facing them.  Let me not beg for the stilling of my pain, but for the heart to conquer it.”

My goals were not accomplished, but I soldiered on crossed the  finish line and in the end, that’s what Ironman is all about.  

Thanks to everyone for all the support. Now, it’s vacation time!  I’m looking forward to spending a few weeks getting healthy(my husband Brian has his work cut out!) a college reunion in Beantown and some quality holiday time with my family!

My training has been going well and I was excited to race and see what the day would bring.  The swim was a struggle as usual.  Somewhere along the half way point, my arch started to cramp.  I was really wishing we were wearing wetsuits at the point!  Fortunately, it worked its way out and I didn’t even think about for the rest of the race.  I entered T1 with a lot of catching up to do. 

I started the bike with a huge deficit, but I did my best to keep my anger and emotions in check and focus on the next task at hand; a solid bike split.  My plan was to bike more conservatively than I typically do with the hopes of nailing my nutrition and running a fast marathon.  I was really impressed with the bike course.  Within a few miles, we were out in the Kentucky countryside surrounded by green rolling hills and horse farms.  I felt great on the bike from the start.  My P3 paired with an 808 front and 1080 rear was the perfect set up for this course.  The longer I biked, the better I felt.  My stomach and legs both felt great.  I knew I would have a good run.  I entered T2 in 4^th place, only 6 minutes down on 3^rd . 

The run course was flat and with a predicted high of  76 degrees, I knew it was going to be a fast day for everyone.   I opted to run in my new K-Swiss racing flats.  They are incredibly light and perfect for the flat fast course.  My plan was to go out a little harder than I usually do.  I wanted to just run by feel and if I felt good, I would go with it.  My opening miles were 6:30s and I felt great so I just tried to run sub 7s for as long as I could.  Around mile 7, I moved into 3^rd place.  I was gaining on the top 2 women, but the time lost in the swim was insurmountable.  I ran from mile 7 to the finish in no man’s land.  I  knew I was close to a run PR and the course record, so did my best to time trial it to the finish.  I crossed the finish line in 3^rd place and accomplished all of my goals for the day, a top 3 finish, a Kona slot, a new run PR and a run course record! 

My trip out to Louisville will be a memorable one.  We had the BEST homestay host and made some new wonderful friends.  My legs are recovering well and I am looking forward to my Kona preparation.  Once my legs are ready, I will head out to Tucson for a heat training camp then off to Kona for the Ironman World Championships.  I am fortunate to have the support of  K-Swiss, Powerbar, Cervelo, Zipp, Trakkers, Blue Seventy, Fuel Belt, Katalyst Multisport, Ski Rack, Rocket 7 and Vasa,  Thank you all for taking such good care of me and I look forward to seeing you on the Big Island!

Well, alot has happened since my last blog.  I had a great time in CDA watching Kel race the Ironman.  Once I returned home, it was time to buckle down and put the finishing touches on my IMLP  prep.  My training had gone really well and I was fortunate to be able to spend several long weekends in Lake Placid, thanks to my good friends Lethe and Frank.  My pace on the run and bike course were the best they’ve ever been and I was really excited to race my favorite Ironman. 

Unfortunatley, the day before the race, I woke up feeling extremely fatigued and queezy.  I thought it was just from having a really bad allergy season or from the new allergy meds I was put on.   I woke up race morning and felt worse; nausceous and weak.  I chalked it up to nerves and moved on with my morning.   By the second loop of the swim, my breakfast was coming up.  As if swimming isn’t hard enough!!  I tried to bounce back on the bike, but it was just one of those days when you wake up sick and cant keep anything down.   I  am not going to go into the gory details of the day.  I quit at mile 10 of the run.  Quitting is always a hard thing to do, but I believe there are times when we should push  and there are times when we should throw in the towel and save it for a better day.   I trained very hard for Lake Placid.  I was fit and I want my hard work and fitness to be rewarded with a GREAT race. I had to look at the big picture and look at my goals for the year, which are to get to Kona, get back into the top ten there and have a GREAT Ironman.  I was pretty bummed out after the race .  Ironman Lake Placid is a very special race for me.  But, the more I thought about it, the more I know I made the right decision.  I know I will not become one of those people who  just quit because they are having a bad day. I had some pretty bad races, where I soldiered on and finished.  I woke up sick and if  I finished, I would have had a very long recovery and that might have been the end of my year.  

So what now, well I still have my goals and I am not giving up on them, so I will be at the startng line in Louisville where I hope to get my Kona slot and have a great race.  I know as a pro,  I am really fortunate to have this opportunity to make a little comeback and get a second chance.  I don’t take this for granted.  I will seize this opportunity and I will cross the finish line!

 Checking out the bike course

And the swim course.....

Kelly being a goof ball!

Pre race tune up on the course

Relaxing before the big day!

Congrats Kelly!!