Ironman Lake Placid marked my 19th Ironman and my fifth time racing in Lake Placid. It was also my first Ironman-branded race since 2023, when I finally broke the nine-hour barrier with an 8:59 finish. Coming back to Lake Placid felt special, but before I even talk about the race, I have to say this:
I was grateful to stand on the start line.
The past two years have been some of the most challenging of my athletic career. I've had two knee surgeries for meniscus issues, and unfortunately the surgery on my right knee hasn't been successful. Ever since then, I've dealt with ongoing pain that has made consistent running almost impossible.
There were many moments when I honestly wasn't sure if I'd ever race another Ironman.
I've completed a few incredible extreme triathlons during that time, like ICON, The Stone and Patagonman but Ironman racing is very different. Extreme triathlons are about finishing the adventure. For me, when I think about an Ironman-branded event, my brain goes to racing - and competing from start to finish.
This race felt different from any other Ironman I've done. I wasn't nervous. I didn't feel pressure. I didn't have expectations. This was my first race in the 50-54 age group (even though I don't officially turn 50 until next month), and I wanted this race to be something I did for myself.
If I had a great race, it was a bonus. If not, I was still grateful to be there.
Looking back at my preparation going into this event, it looked nothing like my previous Ironman builds.
When I was focused solely on Ironman racing, about 90% of my training revolved around triathlon.
Now it's almost the opposite. Most of my riding is on my mountain bike because, honestly, that's what makes me happy. The tri bike has become difficult on my back and hips, so I spend much less time on it.
Running has been an even bigger challenge. For nearly a year and a half after two knee surgeries, we tried everything to try to get me to run consistently - physical therapy, the Lever system, rest, different approaches—but nothing seemed to work.
Only during the last two-ish months did things finally start clicking.
Marni helped rebuild my running from the ground up using a gradual run/walk progression. We started with one minute running and one minute walking. Then two minutes. Then three. Eventually I settled into five minutes of running with a 30-second walk. In the final weeks before Lake Placid, I was able to run one mile before taking a short 20-30 second walk.
That gave me confidence because the aid stations at Ironman are about one mile apart. My race plan became simple: run to each aid station, fuel, take a quick walk break, then get back to running.
Race Morning
Race morning brought one unexpected challenge.
After my final long ride back in Greenville, I washed my bike like I always do. Somehow water found its way into my electronic shifting system. My Di2 completely stopped working.
I thought I had solved the issue by replacing the junction box after arriving in Lake Placid, but when I checked my bike on race morning, it was dead again.
Surprisingly, I wasn't stressed because I planned ahead.
I brought a portable power bank and Di2 charger, plugged everything in before the swim and hoped for the best. While I was swimming, the bike charged. When I reached transition, thankfully, everything was working. But I had no idea if my next shift might be my last.
Thankfully, it lasted the entire ride. I know Marni was much more stressed than I was, so when I rode past her after the ski jumps, I made sure to give her a thumbs up.
Swim – 1:02
The swim was one of the biggest positives of the day.
Ever since breaking my hand in a mountain bike crash a few years ago, swimming has never quite felt the same. But recently things have started improving.
We joined the downtown (Caine Halter) YMCA in June, and swimming outside has made the workouts enjoyable again. Over the last month I completed every swim workout Marni wrote for me. Because she sees how I'm feeling each morning, she's been able to adjust the sessions based on how my body responds, and that consistency really helped rebuild my confidence.
There is also something about Mirror Lake. I just love swimming there.
From the first stroke I never felt rushed. I focused on completing each stroke, staying relaxed and controlling my breathing. Even after nineteen Ironmans, I sometimes experience a brief feeling of hyperventilation at the start of a race, but not this time. On the run, I asked Marni what was my swim time and when I heard 1:02, I was really surprised. This wasn't my fastest Ironman swim but it felt really good.
Bike – 5:24
This was the only Lake Placid bike course I hadn't raced before, due to the new loop through Jay. I've now raced five editions of Lake Placid, and every one has featured a different bike course. The new course was challenging, with more than 7,000 feet of climbing, but the biggest factor was the wind.
Unfortunately, we seemed to have a tailwind only during the fast descent into Keene, where we hardly needed it. Everywhere else it was a headwind, crosswind or gusting side wind.
It ended up being my slowest bike split in Lake Placid but I'm okay with that. What mattered most was how I managed the ride.
I stayed patient on the first loop instead of chasing speed. I executed my nutrition as I practiced in training - around 90-100 grams of carbohydrate per hour, mostly from liquid nutrition that Marni prepared for me on the day before the race. Because temperatures were cooler during the first loop, I didn't drink as much as planned, so I supplemented with gels to stay on target.
In previous years, the second lap often became survival mode because I'd start cramping.
This year, thankfully, it never happened. I stayed steady, managed my effort well and arrived at T2 feeling ready to run. Even though I was losing time to the top athletes in my age group on the bike, I wasn't worried. Despite not having a lot of run training over the past two years, the last few weeks gave me confidence and I trusted my run.
Run – 3:20
My right hip bothered me throughout most of the bike.
That's not unusual to me as my hips and back often become very uncomfortable on the tri bike. But this felt worse and different than normal. But once I started running, it settled down.
The first several miles were probably the happiest miles I've run in a very long time. I found a flow state and running actually felt easy. I stuck to the exact strategy I'd practiced all summer: run between aid stations, walk 20-30 seconds while fueling and hydrating, then get moving again. Even though my pace would slow down when I walked, I had confidence that this strategy would keep me running faster for longer. And because I practiced this over and over in training, I knew I would be able to run faster and feel better between aid stations.
I averaged around 80-90 grams of carbohydrate per hour during the marathon, far more than I had ever taken in during previous Ironmans. I really believe practicing that strategy during training paid off as I was very diligent in training my gut over the past few months with higher carb intakes while running.
Because the early miles felt comfortable, I knew I was banking valuable time before fatigue set in later. Marni kept telling me I was gaining time on the leaders in my age group. Eventually she told me I was leading. Even though she is a positive person, she doesn't sugarcoat things when I race, so I knew I was actually having a good day.
But then everything changed. Coming down the steep hill near the ski jumps on the second lap, I suddenly felt a sharp stabbing pain and a pop in my right glute and hip area. For a moment my leg nearly gave out.
As I continued down River Road, every stride became more painful. Around mile 18 I had to stop several times because I could barely put weight on my leg. At that point I knew one thing:
I was finishing. Even if I had to walk the final eight miles.
I also knew I was leading my age group by about ten minutes, so there were plenty of emotions running through my mind.
Eventually my stride changed enough that the pain became slightly more manageable. I also packed my shorts with ice at every opportunity. The final miles were still incredibly difficult. It felt like I was barely running. Ironically, when I later watched the videos Marni took, I actually looked pretty normal.
Sometimes perception and reality are very different during an Ironman. Although it wasn't my fastest marathon, considering everything that happened and all I've been through, I'm incredibly proud of a 3:20 marathon.
The Finish
9:57:09
1st Place Age Group (50-54)
Crossing that finish line meant far more than the result. I was grateful.
Grateful for what my body allowed me to do.
Grateful for the years of experience that helped me race patiently and intelligently.
Grateful for the incredible support throughout Lake Placid, one of my favorite Ironman venues.
When it came time for Kona slot allocation, I wasn't sure what I'd do. I've declined my slot in previous years because other adventures (in different parts of the world) excited me more.
Since Marni and I were already planning to be in Kona supporting our athletes, I accepted the slot.
Nine weeks later, I'll return for my fifth Ironman World Championship and my 20th Ironman.
Unfortunately, two weeks after Lake Placid, an MRI told me what the pop that I felt during the marathon was
I partially tore my hamstring tendon.
Another setback. No running for several weeks and a patient return to structured biking.
But after everything the past two years have taught me, I know there's no value in focusing on what I can't do. I'll keep focusing on what I can do.
That's all I've done these past two years, and it's what got me back to an Ironman finish line. Hopefully, it will get me back to another one in Kona.
