Patty Swedberg's Ironman Race Report and shameless sponsor plugs

This was my 5th Ironman, and I’ve come to have a great fondness for the race. I’m grateful to be able to participate in it at all and to do it with such great teammates and friends and family around. I went into this one a bit behind where I’d like to have been training-wise, but was determined to get as much as I could out of my Brian Guillan-sized body. Brian and I had determined a few days before the race that except for my higher percentage of body fat (which I refuse to disclose) and bigger feet (also not disclosing), we are essentially the same athlete. How he qualified for Kona and I did not is a complete mystery to me. Nancy Larson qualified too. They are my heroes.

I love our traditional team BBQ on Thursday night (sponsored by Kent Easthill Physical Therapy). Great things happen there. Strategies are discussed, war stories told… With Marty Larson’s BBQ'd ribs for inspiration, (THANKS MARTY!!!) Patti Anderson formulated a great plan for opening a red-neck spa out of a double-wide after the race. Ed & Christine Clarke had some great suggestions there….something about hot massage rocks in a crock pot and cold drinks…Never really thought of Ed at a red-neck spa, but the image appeals to me.

I think I saw just about everybody on the team before the race started on Sunday morning. Felt flooded with silly emotion just seeing Bill and my friends and teammates getting ready. I wanted to hug just about everybody that I got my hands on…..did that. I typically try and hang around Brad at the start of the swim. Usually calm and cool, he is quite enthusiastic at the beginning of those races and it is infectious. He escaped my radar, though, dang it, and was replaced by my twin brother, Brian, (13 years younger) who had tipped me off that he would be on my feet at the start. Knowing Brian could have a wickedly fast day and chose my feet at the beginning made me very happy, so I happily went along. We stood on the beach until it got very close to 7, then moved down to where the big kids are.

I absolutely LOVE the start of those Ironman swims – my favorite part of triathlon by far. For a person that likes to be in close contact with people, there is no finer moment, really. Arms and legs and heads everywhere. I’m not afraid of getting hit, and not afraid to let my somewhat manly arms land on some guy’s head…There’s no danger of offending the big confident boys that hang around in that pack and it is FREEING. I thought often of Brian, hoping he was still right there, or better, that he’d found faster feet to follow!

Out of the water I looked hopefully at the clock. I have swam a 1:00:xx 3 times at these races and wanted to see :50-anything SOOOOoooo badly….. Nope. 1:00:55. Dang it dang it dang it!!
Off to the wetsuit strippers – I actually did STOP for a second and look for an RTBer – I knew they were out there! But I didn’t hear nor see them in that moment so went with another very competent stripper….

The rest of the day was filled with seeing our RTB spectators and family members out on the course. Emily (our daughter!), Justin, Julie, George, Amanda, Morgan, Allison, Angela, Shaun, Teresa, Jen, Julie, Patti, Amy, Toby, Suzie, Tracy, Marty, ……on and on…. Emily waved pictures of our heads on sticks and had some GREAT posters on the course…… She is hysterical and makes me laugh out loud when I’m out there. Missed Benny, though. He is known for sleeping in the grass on the run course next to his bike and empty Zips Burger bags or heckling people.


My ride felt good. I took the first loop conservatively, letting the other 40-44 women pass me, confidently assuming I’d crank it up and pass many of them on the 2nd lap like I did last year. Never saw most of them again…. More time on the Computrainer (not a sponsor, too bad) may have helped there… but I did see almost every single RTB athlete many times (except for Rob!!! Get well, Rob!!) Bill looked FANTASTIC and was gaining on me.

My ride – 6:12….11 minutes slower than last year’s time, but a dandy effort, I think! I was never really discouraged or bored or in any type is distress. My nutrition worked great. It was a great ride for me mentally and the best I could do that day, I think.

My run – 5:12. I saw that coming…didn’t really deserve a better run split. But I have resolved to not go to Ironman again until I can do considerably better job on that marathon. My legs came apart with about 8 miles to go, but I ran further than I have before – well into the 2nd loop…so there’s a small victory in that for me. I passed Brad at about mile 5 or 6…he was cramping badly and walking. I thought for a SPLIT second that it would be a nice thing to hang with him for awhile….but knew he wouldn’t have it and I was feeling too good to stop there anyhow. He offered selfless encouragement as a Hopeful picture flashed in my mind of cheering him across the finish line for the first time ever after I’d have the time to enjoy a nice meal with a glass of wine.

I saw all the RTB competitors from time to time on the run – we have FABULOUS looking athletes out there. I couldn’t believe how fresh they looked!!! (Why don’t I look like that? EVER??) My handsome Ironman husband, Bill, would flash me a smile at every turn, and I thought for awhile how nice it would be to cross the finish line with him!! Maybe I would wait for him – he wasn’t that far behind! I could rest up a little on the grass! Or the pavement. Or in the back of that truck as it headed back toward town! Naw…. Would rather try and beat him while I still have the chance!!! I think he’ll be really hard to beat next time. (Love you honey!)

For the last couple of miles, while walking it in with another athlete, Kris, I’d look occasionally over my shoulder for Brad. Was he gaining time? My head couldn’t do any math anymore but I kept looking. Not there…..not there….not there again….. Brad has that admirable yet annoying ability to hurt, though, (right, Julie??) and is fiercely competitive. I figured if he was close, my plan was in trouble. Keep looking, Patty….

With 6 blocks to go, Kris’s coach showed up and provided a distraction. I forgot to keep looking…….and we started running for the finish line. (Why do people do that??? Walk for miles and insist on running across the finish line? It seems so deceptive to me!!) But I ran anyway and prayed for an end to it already and forgot to turn around.



With about a block to go, the inevitable happened and there was Brad…passing me. There would be no meal or wine, and there was no sprint finish in me….no Arnie Maish elbow to his ribs…only the disappointing sight of the back of Brad's jersey and the big red F5 Logo crossing the line a full 7 seconds ahead. Well done, Brad. :)

Congratulations everybody – I’m proud to be your teammate.

No race in 2009 for me…but 2010 might be fun! I'll be studying up about the run...