2013 Ironman Lake Placid
140.6 miles.
It doesn't matter what the course looks like on paper, 2.4 miles of swimming, 112 miles of biking and 26.2 miles of running is a test of mental strength, endurance and nutrition. There is no "easy" Ironman. Perhaps a course may favor your strengths or just magnify your weaknesses but at the end of the day, every athlete out on the course is committed to the task at hand and recognizes that you become strong when you are forced to be strong.
The choice to do an Ironman is simply that. A choice. You may feel pressure as a newbie or veteran runner or triathlete to do a longer-distance event and feel as if the Ironman gives you the ultimate bragging right to show how fit you are (or can become). Perhaps the Ironman is the only road you will ever take to become a world championship finisher which is a major accomplishment in and of itself. For others, the Ironman is a way to fund raise, to give back or to race for those who can't. But whatever your choice may be for signing up for an Ironman, it is the commitment you make to yourself to prepare for the event and then execute in a way that moves you forward throughout the day in order to finish in 17 hours. You swim, you bike, you run for 140.6 miles and never forget that race day is the day you dreamed of for 3,6,12 months and when the time finally comes, the only thing you can do is let the day happen as it is meant to happen.
I feel strongly in thanking my body before every Ironman as I know my body does not have to let me do this type of endurance event. It requires a lot of training and every year, my body gives me a little wake up call that it is a gift to race injury-free. For much of this year, I have battled with my ongoing hip issues and I feel that for this very special Ironman, I have so much to be thankful for. 3 months without running from Feb - April and then on-and-off issues alongside PT until the last few weeks of training. But I never let myself lose focus of my goals, my dreams and what I love to do. The only thing I could do is to find a way to move myself forward. Never thinking about the past but instead, where I want to be on race day. I could have easily complained and tried to do more than my body was capable of doing but then I wouldn't be standing here today, less than 24 hours to race day, with my hubby as he does his first Ironman with me. I am incredibly grateful to my body for letting me train in a way that I can confidently stand at the starting line with my current level of fitness and trust that my body not only knows how to race the Ironman but that it also loves to finish an Ironman. Rather than writing my body a thank you letter this time around, I feel I will be thanking my body repeatedly during the race tomorrow and owe it to my body to give it a big thank you when I cross the finish line and write my post-race race report.
Knowing that we are expecting rain and wind tomorrow, I am hoping that every athlete will be safe on this very challenging course. A message to all Ironman athlete, race within your own capabilities. Be confident in what you are able to do with your skills and fitness and be inspired by those around you as you like-wise are an inspiration to others. Every athlete will have highs and lows but in order to get to a high, you have to get through a low. I believe that an Ironman forces you to be smart and to be patient and I wish that every athlete has his/her own personal best day no matter what the time or finishing pace. The best race results are not told on paper but instead, by the athlete him/herself after the journey is complete.
This has been a great past few days in Placid and I look forward to a 3:30am wake-up call to finally release some energy. I want to wish Trimarni Coaching athlete Laura G. a very special Good Luck tomorrow as she races in her first ever Ironman and I can't wait to share this course with her as I have loved guiding her along in this journey. I also want to wish my Trimarni nutrition athletes a great race day as I know each of my athletes have worked hard on their nutrition and even if you can't prevent nutrition-related issues, you have the ability to deal with them when the arise.
And lastly, to my hubby who has been at the sidelines for 4 of my 5 past Ironmans. Thank you for always being there and for supporting me, believing in me and challenging me to move outside my comfort zone. Thank you for letting me know that all I need to do is to just stay on your wheel to get faster, yet my legs screamed to you that I can't. Thank you for letting me share this journey with you as 12 months ago you were a new swimmer who struggled to swim 500 yards and I have enjoyed seeing you improve so much in the water. And lastly, thank you for encouraging me to never give up as I have questioned many many times in the past few years that triathlon's and running was not a sport for my body. But you never let me quit and you always found a way to let me train and to heal my body at the same time. I know you will have moments in your first IM when it will seem tough and not possible as I have them too. The mind will question your sanity and there will be many why's as to the purpose of racing for 140.6 miles. Just think about all the training you did for a one-day event for on Monday, it will all be over. You can wear your medal, your finisher t-shirt and you can walk like you were hit by a bus and think about Sunday as if it was the best day of your life.
Karel, we are a team and I know we will help each other out like we always do, even if we are different parts of the course. I look forward to seeing you wizz by me on the bike, doing what you were born to do. 5+ hours of total enjoyment as I know this bike course is made for you. And at the end of our day, if I can't give you the energy you need to dig deep because I am working on my own race day issues, I know there will be thousands of athletes, spectators and volunteers that will give you energy that you don't have in order to pull you to the finish line.
GOOD LUCK IRONMAN LAKE PLACID ATHLETES and THANK YOU VOLUNTEERS AND SPECTATORS!!!
A few pics from today and yesterday.
Trimarni Nutrition athlete Fran (best of luck!!!)
Mirror lake - swim start
Morning swim at mirror lake
Biking the run course
Biking the run course
Biking the run course
Biking the run course with views of Olympic ski jump
Biking the run course
Biking the run course - so happy
Biking the run course
Hubby enjoying his morning eats
Morning eats!
Supporting the local small business - Placid Planet Bike Shop
Packing transition bags
Empty transition area
Miracle on Ice! 1980 arena - athlete meeting
Snow from the ice skating rink
Pre-race ritual pizza two nights before the race - store-bought (frozen) this time, topped with my own toppings of mushrooms, nutritional yeast and tofu and fresh ginger and garlic
French toast w/ sunny side up egg, greek yogurt and fresh fruit and honey
Bike check-in
All checked in!
Transition area
Transition area
My hubby and me!
Bike course - descending
For tracking on race day:
LIVE COVERAGE
Marni: Bib #664
Karel: Bib #1792
A little about our race course:
Slowtwitch: IM Placid guide
Lake Placid bike course
Thank you for your support, your cheers and your encouragement!
We will do our best to race smart and to finish strong.
And lastly - a HUGE thank you to the companies that have helped me along my Ironman journey. I absolutely love being an ambassador for companies that allow me to live an active and healthy lifestyle with their safe, quality gear/products.
Thank you:
110% Play Harder
Oakley Women
Brooks Running
Hammer Nutrition
Oh and last but not least - thank you to my family who supports me no matter what crazy thing I have in my mind to achieve. My parents have never missed an Ironman of mine and I know they are enjoying their time with Campy and cheering from afar. Thank you to my brother and his fiance Dana for cheering out Karel and I and always supporting our very active lifestyle.