Karin Gardner's Kirkland Sprint Report

A quick recap before yesterday’s “glories” slip away…

Yesterday was my last triathlon of my 30s. Next year, I will compete in the Masters category. As we all know, it is better to burn out than fade away, so I knew I had to make this one count. But to be honest, it wasn’t easy. It had rained all day Saturday, so the wet pavement and its dangers were a given going into the dark, cold race morning. I was cranky about the early start time (who starts a race at 7 am on the last day of summer?) and feeling a bit more “full turtle” than “full bunny” as I made my way to the registration tent.

(Note to reader that Karin signed up for the elite wave but an error was made in registration) I racked my bike in the low 900s and tried to convince myself of the benefits of “stealth”…I don’t enjoy flying blind and was a little rattled. That said, there is something weirdly motivating about coming from behind and surprising the competition. I knew at least two women in my age group were in that first wave. I started in the fifth wave. Mercifully, the waves were staged at 5 minute intervals, so I did not catch anyone from the previous group until just after the first turn buoy. After making the turn, I looked over my shoulder and realized I had put some solid distance into the rest of my wave. The water was really smooth, despite the traffic.

I entered T1 feeling really strong. My “three sprints in a row” training strategy seemed to be working out. I was off onto the bike fairly quickly, though it was awkward riding on the left side of the road per the course markings. I also had a heck of a time getting my right pedal to click in. I kept worrying that there was grass or some other junk stuck in my shoe, but just in time for the first hill I heard the telltale click and all was well.

I love the Kirkland bike course….sometimes I think I’m more mountain goat than mermaid…those hard hills with steep descents are fun! I had one near wipe out on a wet corner in mile 7 or so, but other than that I hadn’t a single worry. I headed happily into T2 and out onto the run. The run course had changed since I last raced at Kirkland (2004) so I was a little perplexed when we headed left instead of right at 520, and did this weird little maze through an office parking lot. I felt strong on the run and was happy clocking 22 minutes and change (I think the course was shy of a 5 K).

In the end, stealth was my friend – I finished at the top of my age group and 7^th overall.

After passing through the finishing zone, I spotted Brad looking strong as he headed out onto the run. And I thought I had it bad racing from the middle of the pack!!

It was great to see Brad finish first in his age group as well. The RTB representation was small but powerful, with Luis cycling in a relay and at least one other team mate on the field. Let’s make a bigger splash there next year. Hills make you strong!!

Cheryl Iseberg's Pendicton Ironman Report....

I apparently have survived my daunting task of doing two Ironman's in 8 weeks. Thanks to all of you who sent me those nice (and warm) thoughts prior to the race and thought of me on Sunday. It was a very interesting and amazing week.

The week started out with an interview with the Penticton Herald. We talked about my participation in the CEO Challenge and also the donation that the CEO Challenge group has made to one of the causes that I have been passionate about, the Blazeman Foundation. The Blazeman Foundation is in honor of Jon Blais who was the first person with ALS who finished an Ironman at the World Championships in Kona in 2005. I served as the Secretary in 2008 for the foundation and I am really proud that the CEO Challenge group donated over $6000.00 to the foundation. The article appeared online and when we arrived in Penticton late Wednesday we went in search of the actual newspaper. Of course I bought 3 copies :) it included a great photo of me doing a practice swim last year. (http://www.pentictonherald.ca/stories.php?id=129430)

Thursday morning we went down for a quick warm up swim in the late and the temperature was perfect. There were others complaining about the cold. I somehow couldn’t relate. I think they said the temperature was around 64 degrees and no where near what the lake was at Ironman Coeur d' Alene which I think was 59 degrees. We went back to the hotel to find my phone and email buzzing. The local news wanted to do a story at noon and film me either biking or running. There was several moments of panic and a quick text message to my mentor Ms. Patty Swedberg who immediately called to get me in the right frame of mind for my big interview. So, for a few hours I got to worry about being on film and making sure I had the right outfit, my hair looked good, and wondering how "large" I might appear on TV. The owner of the CEO Challenge group, Ted Kennedy (no, not that Ted Kennedy), went first and talked about the 11 CEO's in the challenge but also their donation to the Blazeman Foundation. I was up next and got to answer the silly question about how I had time to train, work, sleep, eat, etc. We talked about Renaissance Resource Associates and what it was and what we did and how it was woman owned and operated. It was really quite fun. We then moved to having me ride around on my bike for a few blocks while they got video of me. That was really weird. People were looking and wondering what was going on and trying to get in the video. It was really a great moment and I enjoyed having the opportunity.

The new story aired at 5pm along with a story about a man trying do like 20 Ironmans in a year. It was funny to see myself on TV (and I am now going to loose those last 10 pounds even if it kills me). It was all good fun. We met up with the other CEO's that night for dinner followed by a swim in the morning with some of the pro's favored to win. Jasper Blake is a Canadian pro who has won the race previously and we have met before. His mom has MS and he has a goal of raising a million dollars while he is a pro for MS. Last year after Kona, Jasper and his brother took his mom who is wheelchair bound to the base camp at Mount Everest. It was a life long dream of hers and they had to slowly carry her up to base camp via a very narrow trail. When I think of great athletes I have had the privilege to meet, I think of Jasper.

Then there is the Kiwi Bryan Rhodes. What a crazy guy. He came within a few seconds of winning the race about 10 years ago and was back for more. He made me laugh and certainly had a great perspective for Ironman racing and what it means. He has this amazingly loud voice and laugh that is infectious. On Friday before the practice swim Rob and I are standing there waiting for the rest of the CEO's (its like herding cats) and here comes this car that is lowered with the funky tires and the gangster rap playing way too loud for 8am in the morning. They pull up near us and 2 young guys with their pants hanging around their ankles and hats sideways come out of the car. Rob turns to Ted (CEO Challenge owner) and says "hey Ted, those guys with you?" and Ted replies " well actually yes, that’s Bryan" and we look to see Bryan coming out of the back of this car with the music blasting and I thought I was going to pee my pants. What a way to make a entrance and something I will always remember. Gangsta Bryan won the race on Sunday with Jasper doing a nice 3rd place. Really, special guys.

Throughout the week we got a chance to see the great Paula Newby-Fraser and I spent some time talking to the owner of NA Sports who owns these events, Graham Fraser. What an interesting perspective on how to run a business and also what Ironman means to him. I really enjoyed talking with him and his wife about the business of Ironman and how each race is different. Graham's perspective is that Ironman Wisconsin is the toughest race they put on. No, I am not signing up for that.

So, on race day it was great because Rob had a VIP pass and got to go into transition with me. Once you go into transition here you cannot leave so you basically have 2500 people who are nervous, anxious, and have to pee. There is never enough room and never enough bathrooms. They say nervous people get quiet and I have to admit these folks were really freaking me out. It must be that most of them were Canadian - way too quiet. There were about 750 first time Ironmans in the group so you could tell the first timers with the glazed over look. I was pretty calm actually. I was more nervous about the swim then anything. We do 2 laps of 1.2 miles in CDA and this course is out 1.2 miles then come back - so you are pretty far out in the middle of the lake which was causing me to worry. That and "OgoPogo". Apparently OgoPogo is the lakes version of the Loch Ness monster. You really don’t want to put thoughts into Ironman triathletes heads before races. We just don’t have a grasp for reality…..

The cannon went off and were off to swim with OgoPogo. The first few minutes of course I always give myself the opportunity to have a panic attack and I did. I just try to slow down get my breath back and not think about the distance. I focused on one buoy at a time (there were 18 of them). At the turnaround I knew I was on a record breaking time. This swim was nothing like CDA where we are crawling over the top of each other. I actually had room to swim and it was not as horrible as the washing machine event it can be. I knew if I kicked it up a notch I could knock 8-10 minutes off my best Ironman time. I then decided this was going to be a long day and to keep it simple. I ended up coming in with my best Ironman swim time knocking over 5 minutes off the previous time. Whew hew, thank god that was over with.

It was then off to the changing tent. There are usually a lot more volunteers in the tent but I only saw a few so I had to change myself which takes much longer. I know that sounds odd but when you have someone to help it makes a big difference trying to get clothes on your wet body. Off to get my bike and power up my new Garmin bike computer. I am finally on the bike and riding up Main Street to get out to the Skaha Lake and back toward the border. The first 40 miles are supposed to be the easiest part. I found there was a good climb and very technical descend with the roads being a lot of chip seal and holes. Not the greatest of roads. We finally come out at Okanagan Falls and there is a head wind. Everyone around is commenting how there never is a wind here. Well there was all the way out and that slowed us down. I had planned on hitting it around 17 miles per hour during this section, nice easy pace to not blow up on Richter Pass. I was a bit slower then I wanted but that wind just sucked.

We are all playing nice on the bike - not a lot of "on your left" crap. The roads are not closed so we are doing our single file version of a peloton down the highway. Finally hook a right toward the pass. I hear this very large explosion every few minutes and thought "why is someone firing at us?" I later learned that the farmer was skeet shooting in his field that day. Wow, that just seems dangerous and weird to be firing toward us - perhaps we were the skeet?

Finally Richter pass. As the pro's indicated the pass is doable just a nice spin up but it is long about 6 miles. I kept my pace even and knew I would see those screaming by later (and I did). The next section is some good rolling hills with some crazy descends. I hung on for dear life on one. The wind never seemed to really go away. After a nasty out and back section we were headed toward Yellow Lake the steepest part of the climb. Again it wasn’t crazy but if you kept a nice pace you could do the 3 mile climb. FINALLY at mile 92 I am at the top of the pass about 3000 feet and it starts raining. For those of you playing the home game of Ironman, rain and a steep descend are nasty and can be dangerous. I was following an idiot who was riding the white paint line which is absolutely stupid. I was just hoping he didn’t crash cause I would be right behind him.

So, a nice 20 mile ride into town in the pouring rain. The bike computer says my max was 40 there but I think under good conditions you can get a go 50-60 mph down that hill. At the bottom I am greeting by a lovely cop. I cant really tell if we go straight or right and ask for a quick direction check, he responded with a nice "depends. you want to go to the pub or to the run'. I pondered for a moment and headed toward the run and not the pub.

Finally back into the town of Penticton and it is raining but not as bad as in the mountains. I make my way to transition. Not a great bike ride but considering my IT bands froze up a mile 65. I am lucky to finish. I had some anti-inflammatory cream with me that I had to stop and put on twice on my legs just to keep them moving. I also had this crazy knee pain at the top of Yellow Lake. My left knee just starting popping out of place which would cause a great deal of pain and of course cause me to jump a bit, which made by bike go sideways. I am not sure what that was but I am guessing my IT band just got too tight and was pulling my on my kneecap. It sucked. I prayed to the Tri Gods and asked just to get back to transition.

I give my bike to the handler and back to the changing tent for a change of shorts and ready to roll. Well sort of, my IT bands were against the whole theory. I tried to run but could tell I was in a spot of bother. I used my cream again and swallowed some Tylenol and hoped in 30 minutes things would change. I see Rob and he yells that Joe Biden sent me a text message - that of course impressed everyone around me. Ted actually said to Rob "Cheryl knows Joe Biden?". It is our little secret that Joe emailed 20 million of us on Sunday.

I found a nice man, Tim to walk through town with and he told me that the bike was the windiest he ever encountered here. We swapped Ironman stories and I finally headed out to start running at mile 3. We had plenty of spectators the first section out of town. Someone had rolled out a few of the older folks in front of a long term care facility. They were wrapped up in blankets, clapping and shouting our names. It was very cool. The rain continued and I thought what a miserable run this would be. I managed to run to each water stop until 13. There were lots of great spectators out along the lake. At one water stop they all had those EASY buttons from whatever office supply store. We were all required to hit it. It was funny and very creative. Then it was getting late and dark and my IT bands stopped playing the game. I pretty much walked the rest of the marathon.

At about mile 17 we were given the mandatory glow sticks. The vain of all Ironman. The goal is to finish before they hand them out. I usually make it to the last mile in CDA but not this time. "JUST SAY NO TO THE GLOW" is what I have heard people say. I grab my stick and then start to hallucinate (joking). I start to pretend I am in the Olympics in the relay race. "The baton has been passed to Cheryl Iseberg" kind of thing…..nuts but I was cold, wet, walking, and something was moving around in the bushes which freaked me out. I knew if whatever was there wanted me I was toast. I couldn’t out run a snail at that point.

Finally I hit the last few miles and I am excited to get back into town and be done. I then see a motorcycle and a guy on the back with a camera. I am walking at this point. I looked at him and said " I am not going to run for you" . He replied he just wanted to talk. Fine what is it? He wanted to know why as a CEO I would do this. I kept thinking you want to ask me that when I am a mile from the finish? Because I don’t have enough sense not to? Cause I am stupid? Cause I cant help it - I am a pain freak? Well my response was " we are like everyone else. We want to do something extraordinary". He left me alone and I start to make sure my hat is on straight, my belly is not hanging out of my shorts and my hair is not sticking straight out. They are playing California Dreaming and I hit the grandstands. I am thinking to myself this was the dumbest thing I have done in a long time. I am not happy with my time but I also just don’t know how I did that. I am on the carpet and have decided my finish line dance will be an airplane. I raise my arms straight and do my best interpretation of an airplane moving back and forth between the two grandstands.

DONE - finished. There is Rob with my finisher medal and Ted from the CEO Challenge. I am happy to be home. We head out and grab a few slices a pizza - yes, the first Ironman I have been to that had pizza at the finish, and head back to the hotel.

All and all, I found the day to be tough. I loved the course and would consider doing it again. Now that I have done Canada I am not sure I will ever go back to CDA. It was just that much better. I didn’t have the overall time I wanted but I guess if it was going to be EASY then something magical would have happened when I hit that damn button on the run. I know I have more work to do to reach my goals. It has been a tough year for a lot of reasons and a few times I have considered not doing this anymore. The reality is, I can't stop. Maybe I wont be a 13 hour Ironman and maybe I have to work with what I have for my body, but I don’t want to stop trying. At least not yet.

Thanks again for your support and kind thoughts. I am looking forward to next year already.

Brad William's Hood to Coast Report

Have you ever wondered what OfficeMax would call their teams if they could have 3 Hood to Coast Relay teams? Wonder no more as Brad William's fills us in on his Hood to Coast experience...

I participated in the Hood-to-Coast relay this weekend and I have to say it was the most fun event I have ever done! Imagine 12,000 runners in 2000 wildly decorated vans over 36 hours without any sleep all going to the same destination via city streets, highways, through the mountains in the dark, country roads and even a few logging roads (the dynamic of 6 sweaty-stinky-tired-gassy runners stuffed into a van with all the stuff is a side story all to itself - suffice to say we finally opened a jar of Icy Hot as our air freshener). Have you ever seen the movie Rat Race? This is a running race/road rally fueled by powerbars-gatorade-peanut butter-french toast-Red Bull-Burgerville-terriyaki tube steaks-Denny's-coke-Red Robin-Power gels all chased down by LOTS of coffee (well that's how I washed it all down). The term "roadkill" now has a whole new meaning for me.

The team aspect was phenomenal. OfficeMax had 3 teams...the elite team was loaded with some ex-collegiate runners that are now working in our corporate office. There were then 2 teams (Rubberband Balls and mine was the Staple Removers) which were made up of ordinary runners of varying abilities but had been matched to finish at approximately the same time. Initially both teams were pretty friendly and supportive of each other and everyone was saying it didn't matter who finished first it was just for fun...I finally called BS on the rest of my team and said "you mean to tell me you are willing to give up bragging rights for a year and listen to the Rubber Band Ball team rub it in your face"? That seemed to fire them up and it was war...we even got to the point we were racing to see which van got to the next transistion area first and who had the best position in the port-a-potty line! There was almost a fist fight between van 1 and van 2 of my team when van 1 decided to try and get some extra sleep while we were running through the night (I discovered that running through the forest at 2am with a head lamp is something I really like). My van had built up 10 minute lead going into leg 25 which was when they were due to take over...they ended up being late by 25 minutes putting the Rubberband Ball team back in the lead. We had some tempers flying in van 2 and they were all over van 1...once things settled down, van 1 promised the extra sleep would allow them to catch back up and sure enough as they turned the baton back to us they had closed the gap and were in front by 2 minutes! The Rubberband Balls were also beginning to come unraveled with fatigue and injuries and we ultimately ended up beating them by about 40 minutes.

Our CEO has a home in Portland and he is the one that initiated the entry. It turns out that this race fills immediately every year with the teams from the previous year which are automatically grandfathered in and he wanted in...so OfficeMax is now a sponsor which got us 3 teams...Hooray! And the best part is that he signed up for a 3 year commitment so we will be going back the next 2 years. This was fun enough that I may have to get serious about run training next year to prepare for it! I ended up running 20 miles in 3 legs of the race at an average of 8:15...not stellar, but better than our 9:09 average. If you ever get a chance to get on a team...take it!

Cathy Christian's Danskin Race Report

This was my 6^th Danskin, 4th in a row. Last year was pretty darned terrific, but this year was the best. I realized I am a veteran Danskin triathlete. (Okay, so it took me 6 times!) I relished sharing with Jan Mayes where to take her wetsuit off before running up the grass for T1. I knew how to use the fence as part of my transition area. I was practiced and prepared and quite ready.

Listening to (and reading) everyone’s post race stories, I lamented that I didn’t have any stories to tell. Sure, I had to swim through pods of breast strokers (I did that stroke my first Danskin), a woman's underseat bike bag broke open and scattered its contents right in front of me and I had to dodge left and almost crashed into another bike, and I had no time to practice on my new aerobars.

Turns out that, for me, having no stories is the story! My personal plan was to accept whatever happened as 'just what it is.' Everything that occurred to me was part of my Danskin experience.

When I rode up the hill I yelled “Good for me” three times. When I went 7 mph on I-90 I figured I would make it up by going 30 on the way back (love my new aerobars!). When I tried to make my legs trot faster they wouldn’t. They were in that groove and they weren’t going to go faster. That’s just the way it was. The Universe conspired for me, and everything worked the way it is supposed to work for me – steady and consistent. And fun! I finished in the middle of my new age group, and adjusting for the swim difference (wasn't last year's swim shorter?), my time was about the same as last year. Good for me!!!

(Another example of the Universe; As I stood in the staging area with my swim cap on, I ran into a woman who, two years ago, gave me the support I needed at a crucial moment (I was crying as we stood waiting, feeling quite alone that year) - I even remembered her name! What a wonderful moment that was for me.)

I didn't do the Danskin alone. I was fortunate to be with a generous group of women who were each having their own Danskin experience, and we did it together.

Danskin is unique; it is an experience. It is not your normal triathlon. It is for women by women to celebrate women. I thought this would be my last Danskin, but now I’m not so sure. I think I needed to renew the perspective on living your life with joy that no other triathlon provides. And no other triathlon should – that privilege belongs to Danskin.

Danskin 2008 - Lighten strikes and training pays off!

by Connie Many (back far left)

This was my 3rd time doing the Danskin Triathlon Race. This time I really wanted to do my best. I started training in February and hoped I was well prepared and ready to RACE - not just participate! Here is my race report that I wrote Sunday evening after the race - I'm told you have to do one to document the experience!

The weekend was to be a HOT one. Good news since last year it was pouring during the whole race - which really made racing tricky. I was happy to have a beautiful sunny day to enjoy the experience of this amazing race. The Danskin is special in so many ways. There are cancer survivors racing and women of all ages and sizes. The motto is "You go girlfriend". Encouragement is all around. I was racing with most of my Raise the Hope team and some RTB girls too. Some of them were doing their first Danskin. It has been fun training for this day with all of them.

I woke Sunday morning @ 3:45 to thunder and lightening. What the heck?! It was supposed to be sunny! Here we go again I thought. Got up and ready to leave at 4:45 for Seattle with Jodi, Shaun, Angela & Cathy. It was pouring and still lightening on the way up but when we got to the lake it was just a little windy and warm.

There were 5000 women racing today, and we all headed out to the lake together. It is hard to explain the feeling you get when you are all gathered together like this. Some are very nervous and some are raring to go. It is the largest Danskin TriatIon in the U.S. Every 3 minutes a wave of 100 women charge out to the lake to start the swim. I was in wave 12. I was starting the same time as Angela Meeks, my next door neighbor, and Theresa Moffatt was with us too. It 's pretty cool to start together. Angela always beats me out of the water so I was hoping to stay with her. We were in the water @ 7:16 for the start of the race... The water felt good and I started swimming on the inside lane of the first turn around the bouy. That was pretty bottled necked and I had to stop and push through the group that were having a picnic there! I then stayed in the middle of the course till the next bouy. Once I got around that one I headed on in. This year I was able to swim straight through without stopping for a break! This is hugh for me. The first year I stopped at 5 swim angels ( Angels are helpers out in the lake for swimmers go to ). Last year I stopped 3 times. This year NONE! Once I realized I was doing ok I felt really good and just kept on swimming . I kept thinking about the coaching I got from my boss at work to breath every stroke and to stretch out my hands as I swam. I did the best I could but every none and then I would run into someone floating on their back for a break. I went as fast as I could till I touched the ground with my hand! All the way in! I got out and tore off my googles and started running and ripping off the top part of my wetsuit. I saw Bob (my wonderful husband) as I was running towards the transition area he had the camera and I didn't realize it was him and I ran past him and then turned around to smile for a picture. Not sure how that one will turn out!

I ran up to my bike and ripped the rest of my wetsuit off - I saw that Angela's bike was still there. I beat her in the swim! WOW!!! I sat on my towel and put on my bike shoes, no socks! That's how the fast people do it. Grabbed my helmet & bike and I was off. Ran the bike out of the transition area and then got on. Started off and there was Bob again with the camera. This time I saw him and smiled with out stopping to pose. I didn't feel tired on the bike this time. The last 2 Danskin races when I first got on the bike I was super tired. Today I could tell I was going to do better. The weather was perfect. Not too hot and not rainy! Once we got on I-90 I was able to really go fast and I was passing the slow gals and tiring to keep up with the fast ones. I did a pretty good pace - My fastest speed was 28.6 miles per hour. It didn't last for long but it was fun coming out of the tunnel crusing fast. I felt pretty good overall. Wasn't too tired and was able to keep up a good pace. I had made the turn around and had about half of the bridge left to go and then zooming by me was Angela! Dang it. She is super fast on the bike! Oh well. I'm was glad she was doing well. Finished my bike and was off to transition to the run.

The sun started to come out and it was getting really warm. I put on my socks and running shoes and grabbed my race belt and a swig of water and off I went. I was getting pretty tired and had to walk out of the transition area. I started to run a bit and there was Bob again with his camera. (he was doing a great job trying to keep up with my every move.) I ran past him and turned around and he yelled that the picture was bury.... like I was going too fast or something!? I turned around so that he could try to get another picture of me. I smiled at him for another shot at a picture. Boy it was hot - I have been training alot on my run lately and I just couldn't get moving. I grabbed 2 waters at the water station - one to drink and the other one went over my head. I was running at a slow pace but at least I wasn't walking. Big improvement for me! I passed mile 1 and saw the turn around point up ahead! Yeah almost done! Then I saw Angela coming towards me - she had just past the turn around and wasn't too far ahead of me! We gave each other a high five and she said to come catch her! I told her I was trying! I never could catch her. I was running alittle too slow. I probably could have kicked it up a notch - but I was just too hot and tired. At mile 2.5 we have a pretty steep hill and I kept my running pace up it and then there are about 5 more blocks and we turn into the park! Almost there! Once I turned into the park and ran along the path to the finish line I saw Bob again camera to his face! One more smile and I'll be done! Made the turn into the straight away and only 50 yards to go. I couldn't run fast - but then I heard my friends yelling my name and I saw them there all cheering me in. I got a burst of energy from them and kicked it up as much as I could and ran right toward Sally Edwards and I gave her a big high 5 before crossing the finish line. It is such a great feeling to cross that line. The best part of the race is doing it with your friends. We had about 15 of us that raced today from RTH and it was such a special day to be together and share the experience. Some did the Danskin for the very first time and you could see the sense of accomplishment on their faces once they finished. How cool it is! We have trained together and seen each other go through tough times and good times - Today was a good time!

My times - 2008

swim - 20:06 (1/2 mile)

T1 - 4:36

Bike - 39:36 (12 miles)

T2 - 2:39

Run - 36:57 (3 miles)

Total 1:43:55 (Angela's time: 1:43:18 - I could have beat her!)

Last year - 2007

swim - 20:34 (swim wasn't as long last year - was less tha 1/2 mile)

T1 - 6:34

bike - 57:53

T2 - 3:07

run - 40:51

Total 2:09:01

Year before that - 2006

total was 2:14:03

Troika 1/2 Ironman Race Report

Troika 1/2 Ironman Results:

Caitlin Norton:
Total Time: 5:33:53
Swim: 39:27
Bike: 2:54:14
Run: 1:57:34
Age Group Finish: 6/15

Wendy Graves
Total Time: 5:53:26
Swim: 42:30
Bike: 2:59:07
Run: 2:07:52
Age Group Finish: 6/16

Let me start off with – yes, broken bones are involved in this race report!!! But we’ll get to that later.



We are ½ Ironmen!!!! Together do we make a single Ironman? Anyways, here is the race report for Caitlin and I (because of course, we can’t do anything athletic without each other) for the Troika ½ Ironman. I am pleased to say that both Caitlin and I beat our goal time of 6 hours (Caitlin BLEW hers away) and also achieved our goal of beating over half of the people in our age groups. The only goal I didn’t achieve was beating Caitlin . . . but I had pretty much realized I wasn’t going to hit this goal a couple of weeks back. Caitlin and I have been training since February for the Troika ½ Ironman in Spokane. This was our first ½ Ironman event. Randy Wooden, the third member of our trio, was supposed to do Troika with us . . . but after we broke him during the Rock ‘n Roll Marathon in Arizona, he adjusted his goals for the year.



In case you haven’t met Caitlin and I . . . we’re pretty competitive. Not that we’re great athletes, but we’re competitive. Especially with one another. For example, By some fluke, I won the mini-Tri at Lake Meridian when the thunder prevented us from doing the swim portion of the race. Caitlin, displeased with this result, decided to pull a Tonya Harding on me. She stopped her bike directly in front of mine AFTER the race was over on our ride home. I hit my brakes and did an endo over my handlebars. Pretty road rash and a split helmet with a slight concussion resulted. Mean girl! Yeah, yeah. It was probably partially my fault, following too closely and all that . . . but I think she was out to get me.

A further example of our competitive spirit. My husband planned on going to Spokane to cheer me on during Troika. He promised to cheer on Caitlin as well. Not good enough. She had to have someone who was cheering first and foremost for HER! So, her brother-in-law Brian flew over to cheer her on. AND, her niece and nephews made her good luck signs. With a drawing of Caitlin as a 1/2 Ironman. They were cute. I was jealous.

Anyways . . . on to race day. Brian drove us to the start at Medical Lake. We had been warned at the race meeting that the cops at Medical Lake are bored and like to write speeding tickets. We forgot to warn Brian. Brian got a ticket along with some bad attitude. Caitlin decided that our bad luck for the day was complete so we would have a good race. She was mistaken . . .

Back up . . . I got NO sleep the night prior. Hotel bed was uncomfortable. Family above us was jumping up and down on their beds, going up and down the stairs. At 3:30am when my alarm went off, I think I had less than 4 hours of sleep.. Yeah. Then I was sure I was going to throw up all morning. A little pre-race jitters. YUCK.

Back to Medical Lake. Both Caitlin and I were pleased with our swim. It was our first land start and a bit chaotic. Some of those women were just plain mean! Caitlin had a couple of people purposely elbow her. Then we were both a bit confused and afraid we’d cut the course short somehow because we started passing yellow caps (men) . . . lots of them. Yet we were both sure we’d followed the course . . . so we continued on. We both completed the swim in less than our goal times. THANKS COACH MIKE!!!!

The bike went well. Caitlin and I had come to Spokane a few weeks back to do a dry run of the course. And we were happy we did. It made the bike route much easier to follow and prepared us for some fast downhills as well as the rollers. We both enjoyed the bike . . . except . . . I had to pee the whole time. Very uncomfortable. I considered doing like the pros do . . . but I just couldn’t bring myself to pee on the bike. Especially since we’d have bike catchers. Yuck! Yet my discomfort was nothing compared to Caitlin’s on the bike . . . At the turnaround on an out and back section she took it a little too fast . . . and her back tire slipped out from underneath her. Down she went. She got back on her bike and took off again. Then, while looking at her knee to see how bad it was scraped up . . . she went down again. She thought for an instant “screw this, I’m done”, but that thought was quickly replaced with “Are you kidding me? I didn’t train for 7 months to quit 8 miles into the ride. I’m doing this!” So on she went. And then she missed a turn. But she figured it out immediately and corrected her course. And she still beat me on the bike. Grrr!!! I think it must have been the adrenalin. My dad said she must have been doping (my dad still thinks I’m the greatest). I’m sure it HAD to be one or the other!

The run. Neither of us enjoyed the run. I did it barely over my goal time. Caitlin did it faster than her goal time. But it was painful, long and slow for both of us. It just seemed to drag on and on and on. I’m definitely planning on doing more bricks next year. At one point some spectators asked how far we were running. The runner in front of me said “13 miles”. I clarified with “AFTER swimming 1.2 miles and biking 55 miles . . . that’s all”.

Crossing the finish line . . . nice strong finish. A fellow athlete and I paced each other for the last mile. Thank God he was there or I may have walked. At the finish line, Caitlin, Brian and my husband Dave were all there cheering me on! I had completed my first ½ Ironman. I didn’t get to bask in that accomplishment for long, though. As soon as everyone congratulated me, Caitlin said she needed to visit the med tent. It was then I found out about all her accidents. Not only did she crash twice but she waited 20 minutes for me to finish before going to the med tent! Damn, she is TOUGH! No wonder she beat me. She impressed the hell out of me and I’m glad she’s my training partner. Now if I can just keep up with her while we train for the California International Marathon . . .

One last note. Thanks to Ann Sloan for all her info on Troika. It was great to have in advance especially with the multiple transition areas and strange set-up. And congrats on a great race! You kicked butt, girl! And thanks to all our well wishers at RTB. Both Caitlin and I really appreciated it. We wish we’d had the team there to cheer us on – but we knew you were thinking about us.

I wish I were older... by Alissa Anderson (Federal Escape Olympic)

the picture is of me doing an instant replay of the jaw drop for Jen Oldright

I wish I were older...

just one year older. Then I would have placed 5th out of 13 in my age group at the Federal Escape Olympic Triathlon (July 26, 2008). Or better yet I wish I were 5 years younger. Then I would have placed 2nd out of 11; and I would have fewer wrinkles too. Instead I'm 34, and I placed 7th out of 8 in my age group. Ouch! Next to last! The top three female finishers just happened to be in MY age group, along with some other really fast people. If only, if only...

Wait, let me start my race report over again.

The Federal Escape Olympic Tri was my "A" race this season. I started training for it 6 mo. ago; and then all of a sudden I realized that it was here and I was actually going to be pushing myself as hard as I could for almost 3 hours straight. All throughout my training I really enjoyed the process, and I was confident I could complete the race because I had put in my training time. I knew that if I could go for a three hour training ride, I could finish the race. As the race got closer though, I started realizing just how hard it would be, and that just finishing wasn't enough for me. I started doubting my ability to keep myself at my limits for that long, but I knew that if I didn't I would be disappointed with myself. Training for triathlon is strange, because you never practice the whole thing at once. I think the most my plan ever had me ride in zones 4-5a consecutively was 35 minutes. I started wondering "How can I keep that effort up for another hour, and swim and run too?" In the end I just had to trust that the professionals know what they are talking about and trust that my plan would work.

The week leading up to the race was great (gotta love the taper). Friday night I dropped my kids off with friends, and Erik (my husband) and I enjoyed a nice dinner at The Cheesecake Factory. I really didn't feel that nervous (not nearly as nervous as I did before my first race this season). I was amazed actually at how calm I felt and how ready I was to do the race. Unfortunately my brain wouldn't shut off, and I didn't sleep a wink that night! At least I knew from experience (yes it's happened to me before) that I can still race well when I'm low on sleep.

Got to Five Mile Lake at 6am and was able to snag an end rack. Had plenty of time to set up, warm up and probably drive Michelle F. crazy with my many questions (I tend to over-think everything). We finally lined up for the beach start at around 7:45am and I was looking forward to starting the race so that I could start taking it moment by moment, instead of trying to resist the urge to run through the entire race mentally over and over and over again. I made some comment to Michelle about not knowing how to pace myself for the swim as I'd never raced this distance before, and the girl next to me overheard me and said "You know, Triathlon is one of those sports that you can only truly learn by race experience."

The swim went well. I tried to stay relaxed and push to the point where I was "comfortably uncomfortable". The second lap of the .9 mile swim actually felt better than the first. My official time was 27:28.9, but I've been told by fellow athletes who timed their swim that the official times are shy by two minutes; so technically it took me 29:28.9. Still, I was under my 30 minute goal; so that's great.

My transition went very smoothly, but as I was hastily positioning my bike at the mount line I tipped it over and almost fell on top of it. That was kind of embarrassing! A volunteer asked if I was ok and I said "Yes, I just hope my bike's ok!" (It's fine by the way.) As I headed out on the bike I had no idea how I had done on the swim (didn't want to drown my Garmin--maybe I should invest in a cheap waterproof watch) and I really didn't know how I would do on the bike either. The first five minutes of the bike seemed really hard after swimming for thirty minutes. I made myself choke down a gu and some water because I knew I'd need it; then I got into aero and got to work.

I was afraid to look at my time, but finally decided to check it after the first of four 5.83 mile laps. I was pleasantly surprised to see that I had completed it in less than 20 minutes! Checked again after my second lap:less than 40 minutes. The third lap would be the test, as I had never raced more that 14 miles before. I actually felt stronger on the third lap, and as I passed the park I checked my time again: 55 minutes and change! If I kept this pace up I could finish in under 1:20 (something I hadn't thought possible before the race)! As I passed Erik I yelled "One more lap!!!" I was ecstatic! I knew by how I felt that I could keep going strong and I knew I would be able to meet my time goal. I had a big ol' smile pasted on my face! As I hit one of the slight uphill portions on the course I started chanting "Last lap, last lap, last lap" audibly (luckily no one was nearby at the moment) and then decided I'd better stop chanting and conserve my energy. I checked my time when I was about a mile from the park and I was still eight minutes under 1:20. I doubled my efforts and told myself happily "Eight minutes!" almost in disbelief. As I neared the entrance to the park I couldn't help but exclaim "Yes!" with a HUGE grin on my face as I noticed a time of 1:15 something. Official bike time: 1:16:38.1

T2 went just as smoothly as T1 (both took about 1:08) and as I started out on the run I told Erik, "As far as I'm concerned my race is over; I'm so excited about my bike time, now all I have to do is go run 6 miles!" I don't know if he understood what I said but I think he knew I was happy and he cheered me on. Running after biking feels so hard at first, but within 5 minutes I was feeling like I had settled in. I had a gu and water and decided to take the first lap a little conservatively. Checked my time after the first lap and knew that I would surpass my goal for the race. Started my second lap with a big smile and a light heart, and told myself it was time to take it up a notch. Soon after I heard someone yell "Alissa Anderson, you are a superstar!!" It was Jen Oldright passing me on her bike in the sprint distance race. What an encouraging thing to hear from a great friend!

As I entered the park I gave it all I had. I couldn't stop smiling! I crossed the finish line and the announcer called out my time "2:37:42". My jaw dropped, "2:37?" I yelled to her! "Yep, 2:37" she said. I was stunned. I had done better than I had even dared to hope! My "reasonable" goal had been 2:50, but I had started to doubt that it was reasonable as the race approached. My secret goal that I had only shared with Erik was 2:44. I had blown both my goals away and I was on cloud 9!

I've been on cloud nine since; until I looked at the posted results tonight. 7th out of 8 in my age group; second to last place? You've got to be kidding me! 6 months of training and far surpassed goals and I land in the bottom of my age group? I knew that Olympic distance races brought out more competitive athletes, but I had hoped to land more in the middle of my age group.

Luckily I just wrote this race report which helped to remind me how awesome I felt after the race, how well everything went, and how proud of my hard work and the results thereof I should be (due in no small part to the grace of God and the support of my family). How blessed I am; and how blessed we all are to be a part of Raise the Bar. It was awesome to race and visit with other RTB members. And congratulations are in order to all who raced, but especially those who placed: Michelle Fjetland, 1st in her age group; Phil Spencer, 1st age group, third overall; Kelly Richards, 3rd age group; Svetlana Vasiliev, 1st age group, 2nd overall (sprint distance). Sorry if I missed anyone--these are the teammates I know of.

Oh, and I did place 26th out of 60 women, and 79th out of 126 combined, so that's not half bad!

It is so true that you really have to race to learn the sport of triathlon, so get out there and race; and have fun doing it!

Ann Sloan's Race Report From Desert Half Iron

Total Time….
Ok, this is first since I had several comments from people who wanted to see that first. 
383 137/146 F 20/23 W4044
SWIM 51:14 (lap 1 = 25.02, lap 2 = 25.43) Consisted little thing aren’t I…?
T1: 6:22
BIKE!!! 3:55:13 - MAN that course is hilly....
T2: 5:41
RUN 2:39:38
Total>7:38:06
Background….
This race was not in my original plan for the summer. A week before the race, a training buddy/friend (another Ann – Ann Judd) asked if I wanted to be her travel buddy July 4th weekend for Desert 1/2 Iron in Canada (http://www.outbackevents.ca/Desert%20Half%20Web%20Site/index.htm). She temps me more saying it's a chance to see part of CA's Ironman course.....of course she is only looking for a travel buddy, but I think....hummmmmm another 1/2 Iron?!?! I don't really want to not work out the entire weekend....wonder if it's sold out? My coach, kind of ok'd it if I SET NO time goal and I would treat it as training, since I just did Victoria and am planning on Troika. Well, the race wasn’t sold out….
Friday….
Ann J. picked me up at my house and we started the long drive to Osoyoos, BC. Pretty uneventful drive. I was already to claim my bottle of Jack at the boarder, but they didn’t even ask if we had any produce or alcohol – guess ‘normal’ triathletes don’t bring alcohol…ha. ….then we got there and drove the course. Oh my…the description of “An epic bike course, out and back, is on the most challenging part of the Ironman course up Richter pass to Cawston where you turn around and head up the back of the Richter Pass and then into Osoyoos’ was right on target. We went up, up, up the pass and then drove the ‘7 rollers’ also called the 7 Bitches by some. I don’t know if I’d really call them ‘rollers’, they were hills, yeah, the 7 ‘bitches’ fit. I kept telling myself, it’s ok, I can do this ~ Training!!! After driving the course we checked in to both the hotel and the race, ran into some other Seattle folks, then walked to dinner. I had a drink to ‘calm the nerves’; well that was my excuse that night. 
Saturday
We attempted to sleep in a bit but were up around 7AM. I sat on the balcony for a bit to wake up….it was just lovely!!! Looking out over the lake, pure heaven. Our plan for the day was breakfast, short spin on the bikes to check them out from the travel, drop the bikes off then relax before the race meeting.
WOW, I am SOOOOO glad we did the spin….we were almost done and I said to Ann, weird, the pavement feels funny, almost like I have a flat tire. Oh look, I do have a flat. Thank God it’s today and not race day. So here we go….I get to practice using a cartridge for the first time. Poor Ann J had to stand there helpless while I worked at getting my tire off, finding the hole, then checking the tire to get out what caused the puncture….success~ found the little thorn. Then waste one cartridge cause I had no idea what I was doing. Got the hang of it on the next cartridge…and wha~la….the tire was pumped. Sweet, now I understand why people have cartridges, not pumps. I still have my pump though…comfort. 

The race meeting was not as scary as most. Before the start they were playing Ironman Hawaii….so we watched that for a few minutes. The race director was very well organized. He had more porta potties than Victoria.  Very to the point….I liked that!

After dinner, the evening was spend sitting out on the balcony, enjoying my Jack&7UP, visualizing my race plan…and obsessing on Richter pass since that was in my line of sight…..I drew a happy face on each of my thighs, wrote CAN on one let and DO on the other. I wrote Steve’s name on one leg, and my mantra – POWER/PRIDE on the other leg. I was going to get this done!
RACE DAY
The joy of being close to the race site….we walked to the start. We arrived, filled my bento box and pumped my tires back up. We let the air out when we dropped them off for fear of the heat popping them. All set…visit the porta potty one last time and head to the beach. Did a quick warm up swim to get the feel…nice! Hopped out only to hear Racer 415 from Bonny Lake– your tire just popped, come back to transition….Whew, not my number but holy shit, if it was me…..I’d only have 15 minutes to change it, but I knew who the racer was…and felt bad for her.

Right after the announcement, standing on the beach all of the sudden I hear bagpipes….it was SO COOL. The bagpiper walked down the length of the beach playing. She passed me and I actually got choked up a bit. What a great way to start a race.

A few minutes later saw the Bonny Lake gal…..said wow that was fast on the tire change, she said the Bike Barn support crew already was working on it and told her they’d finish and to go have a GREAT swim. WOW – now that’s what I call support!

The men were off (under 55) …..then it was our turn all women, relays and over age 55 men
THE SWIM:
The swim was the most contact swim I have had. Got kicked a couple of times…but survived. Then got into my slow rhythm. Got to the first buoy. Then I heard this weird sound, almost like a motor boat. I stopped looked around and only saw this fellow in front of me. Then I heard the noise again, yep, it was him……strange breathing method. We stayed together pretty much the entire swim. That’s what happens when you swim one speed. At one point I saw another woman pop her head up and look around, I think she heard the ‘motor boat’ too.
Finally get to the beach and run around the buoy and get in for my second lap. My goggles had something in them and my eyes were stinging. I stopped a few times to adjust and then kept on going.

Got out of the water and hit my watch and laughed. Man, almost the same amount of time on the second lap and I pushed a few times! Boy am I consistent of what!

Headed to the super cool wetsuit strippers…yep, you pop down on the ground and they pull off your wetsuit! That is a heck of a lot easier than doing the bunny hop trying to get it off!
TIME: 51:14 (lap 1 = 25.02, lap 2 = 25.43)
Transition 1:
After the wetsuit strippers, you head through a tunnel and off to transition. Spayed myself with lots of sunscreen. Raise the Bar shirt, on – check, helmet on – check – shoes/socks on – check, sunglasses on – check, camel back on – check (yea I know I don’t really need it, but I like it.  ) As I headed out the Race Director’s wife added more sunscreen to me…. Just incase since I blinded her with my pale while Casper skin. 
THE BIKE:
Oh my, no sooner than I was on my bike then we hit a little hill to get out of town. I was thinking, I am already tired….and I know there are not too many people left behind me. Ok, I have 4 hours 30 minutes to get her done! Positive attitude and Ann J’s motto…patience. Then I hit the HWY……and started to really climb. I actually was feeling good and kind of giddy about climbing Richer at this point, I even passed a couple of folks…slowly mind you. Then I saw the photographer and gave him a hard time for being on a hill! As I was climbing I thought how lucky we are there are clouds today…then the sun decided to argue with me and came out from behind a cloud. Go away I said!! It must have heard me, cause it did go away for a bit. Up, Up, Up, I think 11 KM…..singing, the one verse I know of Helen Reddy’s I am Woman hear me roar and a silly grin on my face….yea corny I know, but I really wasn’t struggling that much. Just slow and steady. I think I thought it was going to be worse than it turned out to be…..next time might be a different story. Finally we reached the top and I gave the thumbs up to the Ambulance crew just hanging out…..then it was DOWN! WOW what a down, I think I had a mega smile pasted on my face. Then a cross wind hit and scared the crap out of me. It actually picked me up and put me back down…thankfully still on two wheels. I thought of Seujan’s race last year with her new race wheels, now WAY would I want those on this ride… and Lynne, who crashed in Moses Lake due to the wind. I wasn’t to keen on being in areo position at that point.

Then it was the start of the 7 bitches….up again. Passed two guys and said, well if we don’t make the cutoff at least we don’t have to run 13 miles.  They both laughed….and then caught me on the down hills….and we continued to play leap frog for most of the way out.

I was watching my time pretty closely…..and taking as much advantage of down hills as I felt safe with. The wind was a pain and I was happy I had the experience of Moses Lake earlier in the season so I wasn’t as bummed. It sucked but I knew I could get through it. Around 2 hours in I already saw the first place finisher headed back…WOW. A bit later I saw one of my Raise the Bar teammates and cheered him on. Finally got to the turn off section, stopped at the porta pottie, re-filled my camel back with the help of a GREAT volunteer….then was off again. This was the FUN part….TAIL WIND and FLAT section – WHOO HOO!!!! Crank away. That section was awesome….. I did get a little concerned when I passed the prior turn off and the volunteers had already gone…which means there weren’t too many people behind me. Oh well, I am still under the cutoff…so keep on pedaling. The flat was short lived… we got to start climbing the 7 ‘ladies’ back to finally Richter. It was hard, but like the horse headed home, I just put my head down and kept on pedaling. At one point I looked over and saw a lake and I was a bit spacie cause I thought to myself….that looks like ice in the lake, then realized that was pretty stupid since it was around 85 degrees….it was the weird mineral lake. There was one last aid station prior to Richer pass…I stopped gave back the icky fruit punch Gatorade and got lemon lime in stead.  Much better…then started climbing. Now the backside of Richter is HARDER! It seemed steeper. I did pass a couple of folks, then Terry passed me. I got on her wheel and stuck with her. We chatted a bit, but pretty much just focused on the hill. I know I could have ‘potentially’ been penalized for ‘drafting’ but I had asked the ref the prior night about it and she said it would be highly unlikely…so I took my chances. Finally I saw the truck lane end and yelled YAHOO, no more truck lane, that must mean DOWN HILL from here. It was…got to the top and Terry sent me on my way……and I went for it….you might have heard me Whoo Hooing all the way down.

Once I got off the hwy and was into town, looked at my watch and saw I was just under 4 hours…so pushed hard to get into the map before 4 hours! Yahoo – 3.55! I’ll take it.

Overall I felt that I had enough gears..there were only 2 or 3 times where I looked sadly at my shifter to realize I couldn’t go any easier.

Time: 3 hours 55 minutes
Avg HR : 140
Avg Speed: 13.77
Transition 2:
Racked my bike, took all bike gear off. Washed face with wet wash cloth, boy that felt good. NEW sunscreen, socks, shoes, no foot pod again – not working, family of 4 fuel belt – with only 3 bottles this time.
TIME: 5:41

THE RUN:
Well, made the bike cut off so it’s time for a nice hot run. Since wasn’t planning on the race and just did one, I was going to be DILLIGENT and do my 5 minute run, 1 minute walk plan. The plan worked, I even walked through the aid stations. They had nice sponges, even for us SLOWER folks. The aid stations were stocked well, pretzels, flat coke, water and Gatorade. There were also neighbors spraying water on us if we wanted. The course was two loops, so you had to actually pass the finish line 3 times..before you got to actually cross it. The first loop was pretty busy….I was feeling pretty good. There was a section that had a little hill and our breakfast waitress had said her kids sometimes are out cheering people on. Sure enough I looked for them and yelled – ‘hey waitress from breakfast…here I come! Thanks for being out her.’ They laughed and cheered. Got to see them 4 times that day…they were still out there.

The second loop was good, and in a main section I slapped several folks hands as they were headed in…ahhh the camaraderie. So much fun. After that section, though it got a bit sparse. The volunteers were relaxing in chairs and would pop up when they saw me coming. One guy had all three drinks and asked what I wanted…I said anything, right now I can’t make a decision.  I had a coke and dumped water on my head. There was a guy on the course with music, passed him three times, last time he was gone…..I was sad not to have the music, plus that meant most people were done. I’d see a lone runner every little bit. Encouraged them and said the volunteers were waiting for them and they were! Ran out of GU…..the race folks gave me Banana and Orange Hammer Gel – puke. That did not sound good. Note to self, over load with GU in case! I ate some pretzels and hoped that would get me there….they did.

Finally, headed into the finishers shoot!! Whoo hoo another race done, with a SMILE! They gave me my medal, took my finisher picture then the most amazing thing happened …. The race director came up to me, shook my hand, congratulated me and asked me how my day was! That was just AWESOME. Ann J also congratulated me and gave me a big hug. It was a GREAT, GREAT DAY !!!!


Time: 2 hours 39 minutes
Avg Speed: 12 minutes 12 seconds per mile – which includes 5 minute warm up walk, bathroom stop, walking through aid stations, taking to volunteers, etc. 5 min run / 1 minute walk! Not bad.

Total Race: 7 hours 38 minutes

Recovery:

Troika next on the plan – August 3, 2008! Don’t know if I can do better, but I will be Tri-ing! Won’t be as lucky with the weather I am sure.

Thanks again to Cheryl for her great training plan and group!
Thanks to Ann J for temping me….and encouraging me to do this! What an awesome weekend!

Pictures:
http://www.asiorders.com/view_user_event.asp?EVENTID=36138&BIB=457&LNSEARCH=1

Kathy Morrisson's 1/2 Iron Race Report -Lake Stevens 2008

Karen Nolting and I have signed up together for so many races now, I do not know what the count is. It always starts with one of us emailing the other with a great idea of doing some race, it catches on like a really bad cold and the next thing I know one of us registers causing the other to follow suit. Since we do lots of our training together, we tend to do the same races as then we both get to experience the race after all that training.

So this January was no different. I cannot recall who started this one, nor is it important. I think it was around the same time we signed up for the Whidbey Marathon too. I spent the winter riding and running in the crazy winter weather and putting together a strong base for both a Marathon in March and a 1/2 Iron in July. I had my share of injuries and got to visit George at Kent East Hill PT. I ended up not able to swim or outdoor bike for a portion of the winter and even looked up if I could defer or transfer my 1/2 Ironman Race. I found out I could not, so decided to just train.

So on Saturday, I found myself in the Sport Mini-Van on my way to pick up Karen Nolting. Karen and I then drove to Renton to pick up our newest training partner Michelle Fjetland. We got lost trying to find Michelle's but that was all part of the adventure and my gas bill. The three of us then headed to Everett to our hotel and packet pick up location. At packet pick up, you must attend a meeting regarding the rules and the course. This is the first time the three of us had attended such a meeting and the head referee did a great job in scaring us into being rule abiding triathletes.

We hooked up with Kristine Kloepfer, Patty Swedberg and Tammy Magnuson and headed out to the transition area to rack our bikes. Then off to a very enjoyable evening at the Olive Garden for dinner.

Karen, Michelle and I stayed at the Holiday Inn together in Everett. We prepared all our gear and hopped into bed by 9PM. Unfortunately going to bed early does not mean you will sleep and the night seemed to just wear on as I watched the digital clock by the bed move minute by minute. I was very thankful for 4 AM when we got up and it was finally race day.

I was very happy to finally be at race day. I had some expectations of what I wanted to do in the 1/2, but had narrowed it down to enjoying my day. I feel a lot of pressure to do well at races so I decided having fun might alleviate some of that pressure. I had been swimming approximately 1.2 miles in Lake Morton at 30-32 minutes, I had rode the course in 3:02 and I figured after all that I could hold a 2 hour half marathon. So my rough time goal was 5:30.

While preparing my transition area, I see Oscar Miller. He spent the winter bike riding with the Thursday group and even joined us for a couple trips to Lake Stevens. If you do not know this RTBer- you need to meet him. Great Guy. Heard he was teaching animal noises to the crowd while waiting on us. Soon after I see my Uncle Al. He has participated in countless marathons, triathlons etc... and has always been a big supporter of my athletic activities.

It is finally time to race, wetsuits are on and I am standing with a group of fellow 35-39 year old women waiting for our turn to jump off the dock to tread water until it is our turn to start. I also get a Go Kathy from Lisa Worthington from Team Fast. It was nice to get one more cheer before the big start. When I jump in, I realize the water is a great temperature (72 degrees) and there is no more time for thinking. It is go time (stole that from Brian G.). I know that there is a buoy line that you can follow but I do not mind sighting so I decide to site off the big buoys and not worry about the buoy line. I do see the buoy line some of the time but it is not my goal to stay with it so I am not worried when I do not see it. The swim seemed like a long way out and a long way back but I guess 1.2 miles in the water is a long way.

Coming into T1, I was my usual dizzy self. I got my wetsuit off and socks on and then decided I needed to sit down before heading out to get the spin out of my head. That mostly worked and I grabbed my bike and off I went. The course had changed from my pre-rides so I did not know what the beginning of the course was like. It ended up being rolling hills in the country- just fine for this hill loving girl. My first encounter with traffic was a motor home heading up a hill behind a long line of bikes. Bikers were going around it on the left side but I decided to wait it out. Lucky for me it turned off the road quickly and I caught those motor home passing bikers quickly.

I had this great nutrition plan all figured out. And it worked but I had some issues with my method. I had unwrapped my powerbar and put it on top of my gels in my bento box as I had decided I would start with it after the swim. I pulled it out and stuck to it was my gels and salt tablets. It cracked me up. I knocked all the extra stuff off and started eating. I think it took me a full loop to get that down but I also used the gels during the ride. I also had one gel that ripped too high so I could not use it and then another I squeezed all over my bento box while putting the top in the box. By the time I finished this ride I was a sticky mess (and I was stuck to aero bar a good part of the ride and had to pry my hand off to change gears).

Back on the ride, I kept my first loop at a reasonable but quick speed trying not to over do it so I could make a good second loop. When I came around to start my second loop I could hear Patty, Kristine, Uncle Al and Oscar yelling at me (in a nice cheering way). It was so good to hear and see them. I then switched out my water bottle for a gatorade. Never done that before but I had no problems. Then I was off on my second loop. The last time I rode Lake Stevens, I rode 2 loops and felt great the first and shortly into the second it started to feel really hard so my expectations where to have that happen again. So I started the second loop waiting for that tiredness and pain to hit... but it didn't. I felt great (tapers work) and just kept pushing and pedaling.

Coming in to T2 I was feeling a little chocked up. I had finished the ride without problems or pain. I also knew my husband and kids should be there to cheer and I was looking forward to hearing them. They were there so I was able to make it through T2 with no problems and a happy heart.

The run. My most favorite discipline but it is always so hard to do after a swim and bike. I guess I want to feel like I do when I do just a run race. It is not that way I guess. This course is made up of two loops which have a loop and an out and back in them so you go by the crowd many times during the race. I passed Patty, Oscar and Kristine's latter Kristine would be replaced by Tammy and her husband) corner first with boogers hanging out of my nose- which I pointed out to them because it was cracking me up. I also passed my family again and Uncle Al. Then it was off on a quiet first loop. I saw Joe Hafner on the way out who gave me a good positive go get 'em. Also saw the Hafner family out there cheering. At the out and back I got to see Karen Gardner, Michelle Fjetland and Karen Nolting. Boy it was good to see them. They looked so good too. I felt that the first full loop was hard and when I passed the cheering corner, I put out my lower lip in a pout. I felt like it was just time to stop. But with some cheering from my family and friends and a really big departing "Go Kathy" from Patty. I felt better. The second loop went better and again I got to see Karin, Michelle and Karen and we cheered for each other.

The finish was finally here and so is almost the end of my write up. Crossing the finishing line should be a touching moment but I think the race is the touching moment and the finish is a relief. I finished in 5:18.37 which put me 4th in my age division. My swim was 37:43, bike 2:54:30 and run 1:42.44. With this finish I had the opportunity to take a slot to go to 70.3 World's in Clearwater, Florida. And to top it off my buddies Michelle and Karen could go too. The story of us making up our minds could be an entire blog in itself. But I signed up, so it looks like I am training for another 1/2 this year. And of course a long story needs a good ending- Michelle and Karen are going too! YAHOO.

Nancy Larson's Ironman Race Report

What a journey this has been, I started this sport 5 years ago with Patty as my coach. I didn’t know how to swim, my bike was ok, and my run needed a lot work. She hung in there with me and created “Ironman”.

Swim: I was within 5 minute of my goal. I swam inside and outside the buoys to get clear water,” no such luck” I came around to the first big buoy, it was like a fish caught in a net, “Then out of no where, a huge man swam right over me and I was totally under the water. I found myself analyzing arms strokes and watching a gal get one of her Ocean seven bootie pulled off “she is going to be pissed”.” (Yes, I did spend some time under the water). Finally I surfaced,” wow!!! That was fun. I just love this combat swimming.

T1 Stripper ripped off my wetsuit in record time, this should be my best time, I have it all planed out. I will grab my bag from the volunteers and all I had to do is put on my shoes and helmet …I grab my bag from the volunteers, I ran around the men to women’s tent, I put my bag down and to my horror! It was not my bag! Damn it!!!! I had to go back for my bag, so goes, my well laid plan.

Bike: Bike was uneventful, “well, maybe a little”, I rode by Kristin and she was having heart rate problems, I told her to forget it, I was not looking at mine right now because it would scare me. I told myself I would keep a nice easy pace, like 17 miles per hour, until the wind kicked up, “there goes that thought”, I came down on one of the many, many, many hills, when the wind caught me and I did a "Mary Poppins"
Oh, my god! This is going to hurt”. But, to my surprise I came down like a well executed machine. Back on my way I went, wiping the sweat off my brow and fighting the wind all the way, I was in and out of my aero bars, cursing every minute and saying to myself, there goes your time , then I told myself quit whining your an Ironman!!! (Still, it doesn’t stop me from doing just a little whining)...All things considered, I was very happy with my time.

T2: Got off my my bike ran to my bag in lightning speed, this time, I made sure it it was my bag.

Run: I ran out of the tent, and didn’t stop, I ran by Marty and George, my support staff and they proceed to inform me “I must run faster” my competitor was just ahead of me” (what! I thought I was running fast), I told them my legs are in control now; the rest of me is going for the ride.

I got so much encouragement, from my husband who put “ you must run faster” on the reader board (don’t you just love your support staff) and to Brad, when he saw me doing my 30 sec walk and he said to me, keep running, I yell back OK Brad, as I watch him walking away. And from Paul, you look good!! Keep going and so did he, and from Bill, Nancy- you look good but you need to eat something, what? Eat something. After that I didn’t think I stopped eating…thanks Bill!!! Those are thing that keeps you going. Because the last 6 miles of run are toughest of all

Ironman will underestimate past hardship and prepare you to minimize those to come. It makes dreams come true. You have what it takes to bridge aspiration into accomplishments. Crossing the finishing line embraces self: confidence, sacrifice and self worth. Finishing makes you your own hero.

To all of RTB teammates you are my heroes.

Karin Gardner's 1/2 Ironman Report

Many thanks for the cards, calls, emails, thoughts and prayers encouraging me on my recent half ironman quest at the Lake Stevens 70.3. I am so grateful for your support, and believe me, I drew on it all morning yesterday! Here’s a bit about the race.

Shortcut detail:

1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike, 13.1 mile run

5 hours, 34 minutes, 23 seconds

I’m not sure more perfect conditions exist for a half ironman than those we enjoyed on Sunday. Overcast skies, moderate humidity, not a drop of rain, and I doubt the temperature bumped up over 70 degrees. This meant flat water, safe riding, and comparatively little discomfort on the run for someone like me who is occasionally haunted by hydration issues.

So, with a few of the variables I couldn’t control already sorted out, I went into the race in good spirits.

Because the race start was seeded by age, my wave was among the last to hit the water (does getting older mean we swim slower? NO!!). I tried not to stress on the reality that there would be a lot of flotsam and jetsam out there to navigate around. The swim was a long rectangular 1.2 mile course, marked not only with large course/turn buoys, but also many smaller buoys to make it easy to stay where we belonged. I swam stroke for stroke with the legendary Tracy Orcutt (who I have admired from the distance for about a decade as one of the top athletes in the Seattle area) as we both swam under, over, and around the folks from the earlier waves who were out there doing their best. I finished the swim in just over 31 minutes; slow for me but at the top of my age group.

Into T1, I was very focused. It’s been years since I’ve done a race of this distance and a lot more stuff has to get into your pockets (snacks, ibuprofen, chapstick, bike repair gear) than one has to worry about in my more typical sprint. I also took the time to put on my lucky kiwi green socks. I hate having cold feet and the morning was still quite cool.

I was off and cycling happily in no time. The course has about a five mile “out” and then two rolling/hilly loops that cover the beautifully wooded Lake Stevens/Lake Roesiger area. The game of leapfrog continued. The race officials had warned us emphatically about drafting (you need to remain 3 full bike lengths behind the rear wheel of the guy ahead of you) and related penalties. I’ve been yellow carded in a past race for drafting and wanted to avoid that embarrassment this time around, which meant spending a lot of time in the passing lane on the first loop.

I felt strong on my bike and, other than all of the traffic, it was fun. There’s a huge hill at mile 20 (that repeats at mile 44 or so) which gave me the chance to test my mettle. It was great to see Bruce encouraging us at the top—both times!—reminding me to “finish that hill!” It’s a doozy, even for this little mountain goat.

We rolled back into Lake Stevens and I was on track—my goal had been to break 3 hours on the ride; I finished in 2:58. Despite this, I was out of the hunt for real, having been passed by a handful of women in my division on the bike course.

So, another pair of fresh socks, a quick comfort break (someone needs to figure out how to put flush toilets on the race course, PLEASE) and I was off on the run. I spotted Mike in the run out of T2, which gave me added encouragement and focus. At times like this, a friendly face in the crowd means everything.

The 13.1 mile run consisted of 2 loops of a figure 8 course that mostly rolls but has a few tough hills. I felt very relaxed during the first 6 miles or so, then the pressure of the day landed on me pretty hard. The design of the course allows you to see your friends and fellow competitors several times so you can gauge your progress and position. I am a weak runner (despite fairly targeted training) and had been nervous about the 13.1 mile distance. I did finish right on my goal time of 2 hours, though the last 3 miles were tough – my left knee has been tricky for the last two weeks and did not shut up throughout the last half hour or so of the race.

I finished a few minutes slower than my stretch goal time of 5:30. Even so, I am quite happy with my 5:34.23. I felt so lucky to be out there, to have been blessed with the time to prepare and the talent to participate in something this hard. I enjoyed seeing many friends (some of them new to the half iron distance) racing with such heart and performing so well. Thanks for supporting me through it all.

Ironman Canada 2009? See you there!

Ironman CDA 2008 Report: Bill Swedberg

There's nothing quite like the first few moments of an Ironman; before a screaming crowd, a thundering migration of neoprene mammals surge into the foaming dark waters. I am smiling as my face plunges into the jumble of arms, legs and rolling torsos. Everything is alive! Everything is in motion! I raise my head to gain sight of the first buoy and - WHAM! My head snaps back, I see stars and swallow lake as the throng behind crawls over my stationary frame. Somehow in the midst of thousands I have managed to face-plant the rear end of a "lifeguard's" surfboard only fifty yards offshore. My heart is racing and I hear cursing (I hope that's not me) as I gasp for breath. "What a great way to start an Ironman!" I think. Fortunately my cheek and goggles have taken most of the blow. I work to collect myself and find clear water, but there is none to be had. I work to go inside the buoy line (Brad Williams IM secret #97) but only manage to t-bone a kayak whose occupant merely points to the buoy line a whole 10 yards away. After two more such encounters I would abandon the infield altogether. In the back of my mind I realize if I were faster I might get clear, but as it were my swim would be remain a close quarter affair. At one point I find myself tucked within a group of swimmers all matching one another stroke-for-stroke, our rotation completely in sync. Things get so close I realize I am engaged in a session of neoprene spooning with strangers. They are all wearing blue caps. I do not like this… There is a wall of feet in front of me so I ease-off and swing wide to get past this rubbery mass of humanity. The rest of the swim would be more of the same. Never really finding a rhythm, my troubled shoulder would make lap 2 a challenge as well. I would be a few minutes off my normal pace - pretty much what my lack of training earned. I don't mean to sound whiney, in fact, by the time we are 200 yards from the beach I am encouraged by the roar of the crowd and hit the sand smiling just the same. I am so glad to be here! It's going to be a great day!

I rumble through wetsuit stripping without the experience of a romance novel (bummer) and make my way to the changing tent. One glance inside at the freshly-packed sardines and I decide to join a quickly gathering group opting for the grass just outside. In previous years my transitions have been, shall we say "leisurely," and I was delighted to make improvements here. On my way to the bike racks I came upon the first of many RTB jerseys. Seeing Cheryl (Iseberg) was a joy and after a quick hug we were both on our way.

As usual I am thrilled to be on my bike and the energy of the crowd served to charge my legs and spirit. I focused on my cadence and tried to race smart. Soon I would begin the endless feast of gels and Gatorade. Being larger than average (I slimmed down to a little under 200lbs) I tend to need a lot of calories. (I'm guessing Heather and I have very different nutrition plans.) Another thing about being on the husky side is how it affects my riding. I make good time on the flats and down-hills but tend to lag behind on the climbs. I would spend most of the day playing a back and forth game of leap frog with many riders. Happy to see the occasional flash of white, green and blue I was charged to know so many teammates were out on the course. Flash! There goes Brian! I'm sure he doesn't see me; he only sees me when he's having a bad day. It was obviously "Go time!" for this Kona-bound phenom!

Flash! There goes Patty! Dang she has nice legs! I wonder how her ride is going. It seems our paces are close. I have mixed feelings: I am Patty's biggest fan and always want to see her scorch the course. On the other hand, I want to do well and I've been chasing this girl for 21 years now (our anniversary weekend). As it turns out our bike splits are very close but she again wins with better training, skill, and good looks!

The second lap of the bike takes its usual toll on my legs, but I manage pretty well barreling into the headwind on the way back to town. Our RTB supporters were still out in force. It's so much fun to hear family and friends shout your name as you return from the 2^nd battle of the day!

Entering T2 I felt the normal mix of accomplishment and trepidation. Joe Hafner was there and managed to hustle me through with a wonderful mix of efficiency and encouragement! Thanks Joe! The beginning of the run was a little surreal but I eventually found my legs and managed to run (shuffle) most of the first lap. RTB racers were everywhere! Brian looked focused and on track, as did Phil, Ed, and Patty. Brad was his normal encouraging self. As it turns out he was busy plotting some wily, come-from behind strike at the finish line. I've often mused over the pseudo brother-sister relationship Brad and Patty enjoy. It looks like the sibling rivalry is apt to continue!

To this point I still hadn't seen anything of my buddy Rob Spero, and I was beginning to wonder how I might have missed him. Before long I crossed paths with Patti Anderson who shouted sad news: "Rob had crashed-out! He was in the hospital with broken ribs and separated shoulder!" My heart sank. Rob and I have been friends for more than 20 years. I know how hard he has worked for this day and how badly he wanted to see it through.

More teammates continue to appear: Kristin looks fresh and happy; Jim has enough energy to bark at me like a drill sergeant and Paul lopes along with the natural ease of an ultra-distance athlete. Paul catches me at the beginning of the 2^nd lap as my left knee was just beginning to fold. He was kind enough to walk with me for a short distance (always welcome company), before he galloped away to a great finish. I continue to mix run and walk together as best I can, but a knife-like pain in my knee continues to worsen. Jerry Thayer appears with a broad smile and we slap hands. Patti Anderson and I enjoy a walk and chat together for a while and Heather goes by with graceful ease. Cheryl looks to be in good spirits and the last teammate I see on my way to the finish is none-other than Nancy Larson. She looks strong, driven and happy. I suspected a trip to Kona might be in the cards; great job Nancy!!!

The last two miles through the neighborhood were painful at best. On a few occasions I ran simply to see if I might be able to run the finishing chute. Twice my knee buckled and I nearly went down. By the time I got around the last turn a volunteer shouted out "only 6 blocks to go!" I counted them down one-by-one, grateful the course planners were merciful in providing a gradual downhill to the finish. My time was slower than I had hoped (13:20) but still 30 minutes faster than my previous best. It was in fact a great day, and I am enthused to say I'll be back for another go at it next year!