Am I new to this triathlon thing?!

Looks like the cruiser bikes will need some work once they thaw out! I've needed some TLC after this season as well! Its been 3 1/2 weeks into my 6-week hiatus and I am just starting to feel like myself again! I rested well a few days after the race, but then I quickly got into my routine of "light training". What a rookie mistake! I tell my athletes to take serious off time both for their bodies and their heads, and what do I do? I start training after a grueling season where my body is just hanging on and I am mentally toast!

The week after Cozumel I was back swimming with my team, lifting, and running quite often. I took some time off the bike ( less than a week), but decided to go out with my buddy and ended up bonking on a ride that was too long for me two weeks out from Ironman. I told myself, "Three hours easy shouldn't bother you Danielle!" ...but it did. I was dragged to a 7 Eleven by my riding partner, Kevin where he bought me a powerbar and some Gatorade. Thank you Kevin! After eating and drinking my body responded quickly and I was able to make it back home! "Note to self: bonking 2 weeks out from a disastrous race in IM is definitely NOT a smart thing to do!"

So, knowing that the weather would be warm one last day, I decided to back up the 3 hour bonk-ride with an hour and a half swim team practice and a 2 hour ride the very next day... Again...not the smartest idea! At one point Kevin turned to go up a "steep hill" and I simply stopped and refused to follow him up it. I did not think I could make it up the hill without tipping over! He had to turn around and come back down! I averaged 112 watts on the bike and was spent. Again...not one of my brightest moments! I found myself constantly sleepy, dragging myself out of bed in the morning... The "easy training" I have been used to was feeling really tough and taking it's toll on my body and my mind. What I was used to not affecting me was making me feel like I was putting in wicked hard training sessions! This was a wake-up call as I was fearful that I would get myself really sick...maybe develop chronic fatigue and not bounce back at all!

That was a week ago and I have not been on the bike since. I've run a bit, but all easy and I have continued to swim, but just a couple of sessions...Ive also gone hiking , which was a fantastic change of pace! My tough workout was shoveling out the driveway with George on Sunday (Im taking a much needed photo break here while he shovels!)...I was more sore from shoveling than I have been in a while!

So, finally I came to my senses and decided to take my "off time" much more seriously! One week later and I am feeling SO MUCH BETTER! Practice what you preach, eh?! Now I am looking at 2 1/2 weeks more of off time. My goal after 6 weeks is to feel like I cannot wait to get back to training... So I will continue my serious rest through the holidays and back it up with a trip to Vail for some fun activities like snowshoeing, cross country skiing and some partying as well!

Happy Holidays and Happy New Year to everyone! Hope you all have been smarter that I have been during the off season! I also want to give my best wishes and a speedy recovery to Jim MacWhinnie who survived a very serious accident a couple of weeks ago. It seems that Jim has beat the odds and pulled through due to his strength both physically and mentally... His family and friends are calling him a miracle... My thoughts and best wishes are with Jim and his family!

Lucky #13?

Although many people see #13 as the most unlucky number, I have always included it in my list of favorite numbers (yes I have more than one favorite/lucky number...) Though I have always considered 13 to be a favorite number of mine, I am beginning to sway to the popular thinking that it's quite unlucky! Ironman #13 was a tough one to get through...first IM Louisville: Fall down steps a week and a half before the race, injure ribs badly, attempt to race (bad idea), DNF. Next is IM Cozumel and here is my story...


First let me say that the island of Cozumel; is one of the most beautiful spots that I have ever been to. The water is incredible, the people are laid back and kind and the air is warm and humid, just as I like it (or so I thought!)...

George and I arrived Wednesday and let me say that the journey was a long one! Drive to JFK, fly to Cancun, drag bags and bike to bus shuttle, take bus ride for 60 min to Playa de Carmen, drag bike and bags through streets to ferry, wait 90 min for ferry, take 45 min ferry ride (beautiful), arrive in San Miguel Cozumel, drag bike and bags through streets to car Rental (Volkswagen Bug Convertible Circa 1970's...very cool), drive in the dark to find condo (at this point our patience are a bit short...especially as we navigate through the dark to find our secluded home), drag bike and bags up stairs, drive into town for yummy tacos, and off to bed...

...wake up to the most beautiful scene! It was worth the travel!!

So, I may have enjoyed the island a little more than I should have? ...but it was so hard not to! I did try and keep the physical stuff to a minimum though. We did some exploring in the VW (found a great little bar/restaurant on the beach where I had killer fish tacos), did some swimming with the fishies, and drove the IM loop, but I did stay on the boat and in the shade when George went Scuba Diving, and no that isnt my Dos Equis on the table there, though it was tempting!

Saturday came quickly and it was time for me to do one last little bike workout and drop off the Orbea for Sunday . My legs felt AWESOME! I was SO ready for this race! Sunday morning seemed warm and calm! Yippie! We got to the race site early and met up with Bill and Nancy (both racing see picture below) and their family (spectating). Off to the water and before I knew it, the Pros were getting ready to go! The gun went off (actually, I dont remember if it was actually a gun, but we started the race either way). I felt strong and the very first thing I said to myself is, "Im going to have a great day". Hmmm...what happened to the power of the mind?!

I exited the swim in :56 min with one other girl who stayed on my feet for the whole swim. WooHoo! My fastest swim ever! I did not know, however, that the lead girls swam :46-:51! Wow... Sadly, I let my swim companion exit the changing tent before me and she was on her bike quicker than I was, which is not necessarily surprising given the fact that I never practice my transitions (Note to self: Goal#1 for 2010...practice transitions!)

I felt strong on the bike and the watts were as they should be. I was doing a solo time trial in no-mans-land, but hey...Ive done plenty of solo long rides, so Im mentally prepared for this!

Then came the wind...the other side of the island was much windier than I had expected and I found myself going 16 mph and dreading the two loops ahead of me that would bring me to this windy section! Oh, and there goes the nice little bar/restaurant on the beach that George and I had enjoyed just a few days before...wasnt that nice?! OK, back to the race...

I was SO excited to get to town on the first loop...I got to see George and he told me that a girl was just up ahead...yippie! I soon passed her and was back to no-mans-land... Then the bottom fell out from under me. I had a major meltdown about half way into loop two and started to get worried. I looked down and saw that my shorts were COVERED in salt! What?! This never happens to me! I got through the second loop and almost stopped in town when I saw George again...I think I told him that it was very windy out there...he just encouraged me to keep going. I did and I can say that the last lap was absolute torture! For those of you who know watts, I averaged around 120 for the entire loop! I stopped a few times just to rest my head on my handlebars, I contemplating stopping at one of the parked ambulances on the course, but decided to do the best I could to get back to town and finish the race...

When I finally got to T2 (the bike course was 114 miles, by the way and that last 2 miles nearly killed me!) I was delirious. I knew I was delirious, but there was nothing I could do about it. I was stumbling around and while George was talking to me, I couldnt quite focus on what it was that he was saying. I entered the changing tent and the Dr. approached me. She asked if I was OK...I told her yes. I figured that if I knew that I was delirious, I could still forge ahead! When I exited the tent I grabbed a coke and drank it down, I also had a banana and a few bites of a Powerbar... I started to feel a bit better, but not good enough to jog.

As Im realizing that this blog is getting to be WAY too long, I am going to sum up... My saviors out on the run helped me finish the race:

Savior #1, though he will argue this, is George. He met up with me out on the run course and I saw him every loop. He walked with me and joked with me, then told me in a joking manner to "run the last loop...Im tired of walking, my feet hurt. I'll give you and hour and meet you at the finish line!" He was there at the finish line, even though it took me longer than an hour to get there! He was screaming for me, apparently...I was in a bit of a fog to notice at that point, but he was there at the end and I am so grateful to him for being there for me.

My savior #2...Bree Wee. What a fantastic person Bree is! I can see why there are so many Bree fans out there and now I am one too! Not only did Bree scream for me every time she saw me and encouraged me to hang in there, but she came up to me on lap 2 of the run (she was on lap 3) and said, "Come on Danielle, run with me... we are going to play a game...its called How Slow Can We run?" We ran together for a while...I felt so much better...Then, as we parted, she told me to make sure I kept running...that now matter how slow I ran, it would be MUCH quicker than walking...she was right and I tried to keep the walking to a minimum... Oh, and not only did Bree encourage me, but I think she encouraged EVERYONE out on the course!

Savior #3...Nancy Cattabiani. I wanted to finish for Nancy... I know how tough Nancy is and I didnt want to let her down. I thought of her out on that course every step of the way and I am so impressed with her for so many reasons... Not only did she ace the swim, but she got through a horrendous (and long) bike. Unfortunately, as Ironman can be an "unknown", Nancy had back issues that could have become very serious, so she did the smart thing and pulled out before doing serious damage... I am so proud of her though...

One last thing: CONGRATS to Lorraine Huether on her first IM finish (a fantastic 5th place in her age group, I believe), Bill Romas on a great finish, and Christine Kenney who ROCKED her first IM with a 10:25 and a slot to Kona...unbelievable!!

Down this road before...

Less than one week to go and I will be in Cozumel! Ten days out from race day and everything is falling into place. I finished my last long training days feeling good and escaping any overtraining or injury! I was hovering on "the razors edge" for a bit, feeling strong, but knowing that I could step over that "edge" very easily. Thankfully I did not step over that edge and I finished strong! My body began the resting process last week and it is just starting to bounce back from all of the training and feel fantastic! This is perfect timing and this, in my opinion, is what my coach does best. Timing is everything, right?

I never like to feel too good two weeks out from race day. I know that I am right on target when I feel a bit tired with heavy legs 2 weeks out, then the body starts to gradually feel better a week and a half out and just gets better and better from there! This is how exactly how Im feeling right now... My legs responded very well to the workout today, but were tired this time last week. I have been down this road MANY times before, so there are no surprises. This weekend, (now that Im nearing the end) I should feel fantastic and I should begin to feel like I can race an Ironman! Next week is the count down to race day: travel, rest, wait (perhaps do a bit of snorkeling?!), hydrate, perform some short bursts of intensity to keep the systems open and ready to go, eat, sleep and before you know it race day is here! What fun!

GOOD LUCK to my friends racing Arizona this weekend!!! Kathy, Tara, Wolf and Kasia! (The picture of the Ironman race start is from Arizona...in honor of them!)

Running

As I get ready to do my last long run of my 2009 season, I find myself procrastinating the start for a warmer part of the day by reflecting upon my long runs of the past as well as my future long runs. I starting thinking a lot about running this weekend after following the NYC Marathon and following friends who were running the marathon. Not only was I psyched to see some awesome performances from my friends who were running, but I had the pleasure of helping to coach an athlete to a very successful first marathon! What a thrill!

Ironically, RockStar Tri wrote a blog about "the long run yesterday. Check out, "When is a long run long?" on RockStar Tri's Blog: http://rockstartri.blogspot.com/2009/11/when-is-long-run-long.html. I commented that I think a run is long when it reaches 12 miles. To me anything 12 and over seems long. I also commented that I do all of my long runs alone and without an IPOD as I learned that he, along with others wear an IPOD and do all long runs with company. I can only remember a few long runs that I did with others. I have been running my long runs solo since I started running in 1998 and I am so familiar with a solo long run, that it would be quite an adjustment to run with company.

After graduating College in 1998 I decided to enter the lottery for the NYC Marathon. Upon my return from spending a summer backpacking in the Arctic of Alaska, I found out I had gotten into the the marathon! I had 2+ months to train and I can tell you that my body was in shock as it was used to swimming many hours a day, but was certainly not used to the pounding of running! I can also remember training for Boston for the first time in 1999 and running SOLELY on the treadmill in my gym! I did every run, including my 3 hour runs on the treadmill that year! Now, I cant even stand running a half hour on the treadmill! A few years ago, I did all of my long runs at SUNY Old Westbury. That was really tough, but awesome prep as I believe running there makes you VERY strong!

As I try and map out where I will run today, I realize that I'm tired of the same old routes. For my last long run, a 20 miler, I ran from here at my home in West Islip to my parents house in Blue Point! My dad drove me back home after having a nice lunch post-run. To my surprise, I had to run up and down some blocks in Bayport and Blue Point to reach my 20 mile goal...it was worth it though...the one-way run was a fun little journey and a great way to mix it up! My friend Kathy did her last 18 Miler this Sunday. She's smart...she had friends meet her a different points in her run to keep her company and break it up. I think I may need to take advice from her next year! I'm thinking that if I had company with me today, I probably wouldn't be procrastinating (somewhat dreading?) this one quite as much as I am! No matter how many long runs I have done, the thought of running 18+ miles is absolutely daunting. The thought of running that distance never ceases to amaze me!

Reflecting has helped me to appreciate all of the runs I have done in the past as well as reminds me of the satisfaction and sense of accomplishment after completing a long run. I started running late in my life (I started at the age of 21...which isn't necessarily "later in life" but always seemed like it to me). Because of this, I never considered myself to be a "runner"... I still have a hard time calling myself a runner, but I guess I am. When I think about it, running has been a big part of my life... Running is so great because you can do it anywhere... Thinking about it, Ive run in so many great places and had such great memories. Ive run in Spain, France, Chile, Costa Rica , all over the US, the Bahamas...everywhere I travel to, I bring my running shoes. Maybe I'll reflect upon that today as I run long...

True Inspiration...

As many of you already know, Ironman Hawaii was last weekend. I've had the good fortune to race kona 5 times and every single race contains memories, both good and bad, that I will never forget. Picture: YOUNG Dee in Kona 2005.

My first Hawaii, in 2002, was TERRIFYING, "Will I finish? Will I be crawling to the finish line like Julie Moss?". There were 11 of us from long Island doing the race that year and it was a BLAST!

My last race in Kona was actually my first year racing as a Pro. I felt like it was my first time there all over again! While I wasn't nervous about my ability to finish, I was unsure of myself and insecure racing in my new category.

My 3rd time there was by far my best finish. Second place in my age-group (behind phenom Tyler Stewart), 4th amateur overall. It was after this finish that the idea of racing Pro seemed somewhat in my realm of possibility.

My 4th Ironman Hawaii was memorable because I was VERY lucky to spend 5 weeks in Kona training! The time I spent in Kona that year was especially memorable due to my roommate, training partner and friend, Simon Butterworth. It was that trip that made my friendship with Simon such a close one. Funny...I recall that I turned 30 that November after the race, and Simon turned 60 a week earlier! Of my 5 Kona finishes, that one was the toughest. I had problems handling my nutrition on the bike and cramps that made me walk on the run. At one point I thought I was finished, but I rallied and got through it holding onto 5th place in my age-group. Running down Alli Drive that day was my most emotional finish as I had overcome many obstacles that year as well as in that race...funny how the toughest finishes can be the most memorable!

Speaking of the toughest races being the most memorable...

When you get a chance, read Simon's latest blog (http://sbrhigh.blogspot.com/) entitled, "My Lucky Day-Angels in Kona". While it's a long post (that's Simon for you!) it is a FANTASTIC READ and a GREAT source of inspiration to me. I think it will inspire anyone who reads it.

What's Next?

I've held off on writing my latest blog update until I knew for sure which race I would be doing next...as if you have all been waiting, on the very edge of your seats, in anticipation of finding out which Ironman I, Danielle Sullivan, will be competing in in the Fall of 2009! Come on Danielle...it's not that exciting! But I have waited nonetheless. Gripping stuff, I know...

So, here it is: I will be competing in...Ironman Cozumel November 29th! Picture give it away?! After speaking with Armando, the race director, it seems that I will indeed be racing on November 29th and I am psyched! Here's all the great news and why I am so psyched: Positive #1) The ribs, while not 100%, are MUCH better! As a result I have been able to train hard and was able to swim with my team at CW Post again for the first time this past Saturday. In the meantime, I have taken advantage of my "easy swim time" by meeting up with Joe Petrush of Bayshore Swimming (http://www.bayshoreswim.com/) to work on my stroke technique. While I have a long way to go, I am already seeing huge improvements! I've been swimming for 20+ years now and have NEVER concentrated on stroke technique! After doing a video analysis I realize just how much I can improve my stroke... I find that I have been getting slower and slower in open water, so I feel like it's is a perfect time to work on my stroke!

Positive #2) There will be a group from Long Island that will be racing in Cozumel...most importantly one of my best friend's Nancy Cattabiani and Bill Romas, accompanied by Nancy's whole family and friends Mary Francis and Tom Horan who will be cheering us on! Also Lorraine from my swim team will be racing as well as Humberto who swims with us as well. Positive #3) It's Cozumel! ...supposed to be beautiful, Positive #4) I've convinced George to come with me to Cozumel as it's Thanksgiving break! It will be EXCELLENT to have him on the sidelines cheering us on and just hanging in Cozumel. The pressure is on too...he's only seen one other Ironman and it was not a good day for me! I really want this to be a great one..., Positive #5) Love hot races, no wetsuit swims... :-)

So, I am back in the swing of things and training very hard. We are 2 months out now (my "no ice cream zone") and I know that the time will fly by! In the meantime, It's an easy day for me and I have been catching up on some of my friends blogs (check out the links on my blog)... I want to wish Jen Gatz luck in her upcoming marathon this weekend as well Good luck to Simon Butterworth and Haley Cooper in Kona! Also if you have been reading Jacquie Gordon's's blog I wish her a speedy recovery (seems like she's well on her way) as well as RockStar Tri (on his way as well). Also, I want say Congrats to all of those that I coached this past season. EVERYONE had a fantastic season and PR'd and/or accomplished a huge goal, like completing their first Ironman. It's been really fun coaching everyone and making great connections with a variety of athletes! Also, I want to thank everyone for their lovely e-mails and responses after my last blog! They were overwhelming and unbelievable, so Thanks... :-)

Good and Evil...

I am writing this to thank everyone who has sent me positive e-mails and comments on my blog along the way. I was hesitant to write a blog at first ("who is going to care what I'm doing?") but I must say that it has been a positive experience overall it it is so great to have support from friends and fellow triathletes.

That being said, I have had been harassed on my blog since last winter. This person writes anonymous blog comments telling me the most horrible things about myself, basically what a loser I am and what a waste I am as a triathlete. The funny thing is, the person did not write a comment after IM Austria! Guess they couldn't think of anything to say... However, I just got a nasty comment this morning about how much I suck, etc, etc from Im Louisville. Honestly, I didn't read the whole comment, but I got the general idea. Even though I try to look at this with a sense of humour, it is never fun to read horrible things about yourself when you are trying the best you can and just living your life.

I'm sharing this because the funny part of the whole thing is that I have known EXACTLY who has been writing these terrible comments to me for months now! In the spring, after some really terrible comments, I decided to go through the proper authorities and have the comments traced by a professional. I've known who has been "secretly" harassing me for quite a while. I chose to ignore it and not waste too much time on this sad person as they don't deserve my time, but as I came home this morning to find yet another evil comment about what a no-talent, waste of life, bogus Pro Triathlete I am, I decided to write this blog. I choose not to "out" this person because I will then stoop to the sad level that they exist on, but one day (maybe soon) I will run into them again. That should be quite interesting!

For everyone else thank you so much. You don't realize how much it means to have the support and excitement from so many people!!! It makes the journey I have been on that much better... I am happy to have started this blog for that reason.
Cheers,
Danielle

Tough Break at Louisville...

I was excited to race Louisville for a few reasons: #1) I have maintained a strong fitness level with no injuries in the weeks since Ironman Austria, #2) I had confidence that I could get a slot to Kona and place well, and #3) I couldn't wait to race Ironman #13! Unfortunately, as I have posted earlier, I fell down stairs a week and a half before the race. Deep down I was hesitant that I could race Ironman with ribs that were bruised and /or cracked, but I tried to remain positive. My shorter workouts were going OK and I was extremely conservative the week before the race, but when I had trouble traveling down to Louisville and carrying my bike box and other luggage I thought it might be a long shot to have a "day of grace". The spasms I was having in the muscles that supported my ribs was an indication that I wasn't 100%. However, there is always the unknown... "Maybe race day will come, I'll have phenomenal race and I won't notice the ribs until the end"? Well, that didn't quite happen...

The day began much cooler than anyone had expected for Louisville. It was in the 50's..crisp and clear out. The pros got in the water ready to start at 6:50. I was afraid that I could possibly get kicked in the ribs (ending my day right away), so I was careful to position myself away from the main crowd. The gun went off and I started the swim very carefully. I couldn't pull too hard with my right side and I was so afraid that I would tweak my ribs, so I started in slow motion. I settled in behind another woman's feet and took the ride for the entire swim. I exited the water in 1:06 (yikes!), but the good news is that it was behind me with no major problems!

I got on the bike and things were OK. The ribs weren't perfect, but no major pains. The bike course in Louisville is tough! Constant up and down. I tried to keep the wattage that I normally hold in Ironman, but by mile 30 or so, I was feeling like it was a harder effort than usual. I had to get out of the saddle quite a bit (I climb out of the saddle better than seated) and it was wearing on my ribs. Still, they were OK...sore, but no sharp pains, which was good. I did notice, however, that my lower back was starting to hurt me. Especially the lower back on the opposite side of my injured ribs (maybe I was compensating for the rib injury?). I knew my day was done soon after that. I was having trouble holding wattage, I felt fatigued and my back was becoming more and more painful with each pedal stroke. As I continued on, I began planning where I would race next... "OK, Kona is out. A good finish here probably will not happen... I will focus on finishing the 112 and try to make it a great training day for a fall Ironman". I continued on my way but soon I was in excruciating pain with my back! At one point I was doubtful that I would finish the entire bike segment! I would pedal a bit, then coast... Every position on the bike was painful. I had trouble being aero for most of the second half of the bike. I just wanted to get back to transition and get off the bike!

As I rolled into transition I figured I would try the run, knowing that I would probably not finish... I wanted to be sure though... "Maybe my back hurts, but the ribs won't be so bad in the run and I can have an amazing run!" "I'll never know if I don't try!" The volunteer who grabbed my bike as I dismounted looked at me and asked, "Are you OK?" Guess I didn't look so good! "Yeah, I'm fine!" I slowly got my shoes on and headed onto the run. I made it to the first table right outside transition. I walked while I drank some Gatorade, then I started to run. I started having trouble breathing right away. I couldn't take a full breaths and I felt like I was hyper-ventilating. "Calm down...you will make it worse if you panic". I tried to take deep breaths, but I still couldn't breathe... In fact, it was getting worse! I was panicked...I stopped right there (maybe 1/4 of a mile into the run) and started walking back. I was trying to calm myself down and get my breathing back to normal before it became really serious. Soon I saw my mom and I started getting my breathing back a bit, though I was having trouble making full sentences. I went to medical and was relaxed and back to "normal" after laying down and icing my ribs. I'm glad I stopped when I did, but in reality I had no choice. I wasn't too upset at the time... Like I said, I knew coming into this race that it would be a long shot.

So, while I'm not overly upset, I am disappointed...no training injuries this year and I make one wrong step and fall on my ribs a week and a half before my race! Oh well...things like this are bound to happen. I remember breaking my hand in swim practice the beginning of my Sophomore year of College after having a breakthrough season my Freshman year. A teammate of mine and I collided coming off the wall and my hand broke. I was devastated! I was so ready for the season to begin after having such a great season the year before! I went to a Doctor in Baltimore and had a special cast made so I could still get in the pool. With the new cast I would get in during practice and swim with one-arm. I also started using the step machine and jogging a bit to compensate for the decrease in yardage. A blessing in disguise: the extra work in the gym ended up making my legs stronger, improving my kick! Much to my surprise, I had an incredible season once I got the cast off! I've had many lessons like this in my athletic career, so I will look at this set back the same way. As with every other set back, there always seems to be a triumph that follows...

I just want to say CONGRATS to my friend Dan O'Connell. He had a fantastic race in Louisville finishing 11th in the 60-64 age group. Dan ran himself into 11th place after getting off the bike in 18th! He posted a 13:34! Also Congrats to Haley Cooper who finished 4th Place Overall Female in Ironman Canada, Tara Norton who finished 5th Overall Female and Wolfgang Guembel who finished 5th overall! Congrats to everyone else who raced this weekend, in Ironman Louiville, IM Canada and TOBAY triathlon here in Long Island!

Greetings from Louisville!

I'm here in Louisville awaiting race day on Sunday. I am happy to report that while my bruised ribs are not 100%, they are feeling better than last week. They are good enough that I decided to race with the hopes of a great day! Strangely, the weather forecast is for a high of 74 degrees. This is a far cry from what I had expected...the typical 90+ degree 90% humidity and oppressive weather that is typical here! Oddly enough, my friends in Canada are awaiting a 90 degree day there! What a switch!

I swam in the Ohio River today. 82 degrees means no wetsuits allowed. I actually don't mind swimming without a wetsuit. It never seems to help me out too much and I feel more comfortable without one on. Due to the rib injury, however, I may not be able to push too hard in the water, but we'll see what happens when the cannon goes off! I may not be able to help myself!

A friend of mine, and fellow CW Post Masters swimmer, Dan O'Connell is here racing as well. Dan will be doing his 4th Ironman and his first IM Louisville. He's in the 60-64 age group and will be racing for Team Runners Edge! I just had the pleasure of joining him and his wife Anna at the Carbo dinner tonight! Typically I don't attend the Carbo dinners much anymore, but I did tonight and it ended up being a nice surprise...one of the most entertaining carbo dinners that I have been to.

So, Im all ready to go. I believe there are 18 Pro Women racing Sunday and 3 slots to kona! Woo Hoo! It seems that plenty of girls want a slot and there is plenty of competition, so it should be interesting to see what happens!

For now, I am resting, eating and drinking. Tomorrow will be a short bike, then I will drop my bike off in transition (love dropping my bike off!), after that I will head to the airport to pick my mom (Yay! Race support!)! The rest of the day will be the waiting game till race morning...not my favorite time. Like most athletes, I like to get started. Once the race starts the nerves subside and I can focus on what I need to be doing. Racing hard... Good Luck again to everyone at Canada (Haley, Tara, Wolf, Nic, Kevin, Seth), and Good Luck to Dan O'Connell racing here with me!

Next up: Ironman Louisville (I hope)

Yet again time flies and I realize that I haven't updated since Lake Placid! It was so great to be up there training and spectating. Congrats to all who competed this year! A special congrats to Deanna, an athlete that I have the pleasure of coaching...Lake Placid was her first Ironman! It was so much fun to be there watching! The standout of the day was watching Matty Long finish (http://www.iwillfoundation.com/). Matty's finish was without a doubt the most inspiring event in sport that I have ever witnessed...

Since the weekend I have been training hard and recovering hard for my next event, Ironman Louisville. The race is already next weekend and I have been looking forward to it! Unfortunately, I had a nasty spill down the stairs the other day and did a job on the right side of my ribs. I am icing my ribs as I write this and have been doing so since the fall... I don't think I cracked them, but I know they are at least bruised pretty bad, so I am doing everything I can to get them healed for the race next weekend. Of course, if they are still sore by race time, I will have to bail and opt for a later race, but am trying to remain positive. Aside from the ribs, I am fit and psyched to race again. There are 17 Pro women entered in the race and a slot to Kona would be the icing on the cake!

Ironman Canada is the same day as Louisville...Good Luck to all of my friends racing in Canada next weekend (Kevin Browne, Haley Cooper, Tara Norton, Nicole Guembel, Wolfgang Guembel and Seth Graham).

Recovering, Training, Spectating, Coaching...

Recovery is going FANTASTIC post-Austria. I am signed up and ready to go for IM Louisville on August 30th! Hot, Humid and muggy...it seems like a race of attrition, should be an interesting one! I’m heading up to lake Placid today to get some great training in and to watch the race. It's always packed with people from Runners Edge and Long Island, so it's always a great time up there. I must admit that I’m happy to be watching this year instead of racing. I also have some athletes that I coach racing this weekend and I am excited to watch and cheer them on after all of their hard work!

As a USAT certified coach, I have really enjoyed working with athletes of all types, helping them to achieve their goals. After spending the last 11 years training for and competing in Ironman, I have learned quite a bit and enjoy passing as much as I can on to my athletes. With Placid being a major focus for some, I will have a couple of openings in my coaching schedule as of August 1st. If you are thinking about your training and would like to meet to discuss this, I am always happy to meet and offer my opinion, whether you are seriously considering a formalized training plan or not. If you are, then I will have some spots available. If anyone is looking for a coach or bouncing around the idea and would like to talk to me, you can contact me via e-mail at: imdeesulli@aol.com OR phone: (631) 922-1940. I coach athletes of ALL abilities and with all types of goals and would be more than happy to answer any questions!Again, Good Luck to everyone this weekend...I'll be out there all day cheering you on!

Race Day...

Im never a big fan of race morning. The anticipation for an Ironman is always quite nerve-racking and I am always anxious to just get going. The morning of Austria was no different, but I must say that it didn't feel quite as "daunting" as races have sometimes felt in the past. Erin and I headed to the race start which was awesome. Crowds of people packed on the 3 docks that jutted out into the lake, a huge balloon on the beach and almost 2400 people waiting to start. I was escorted to the "Profidis Start" which was located 30 meters ahead of the age groupers. We all jumped in, swam around a bit and next thing I knew, the gun went off! The start always scares me, but this one wasnt too bad. I hung onto the group for as long as I could and then found myself swimming with another Pro, who I thought was a guy, but Im not positive. Soon the fast age groupers would catch me and I would hang onto their draft for as long as I could. Once that group would drop me, I would wait for the next group to come along! Heading into the canal was AWESOME! People lined the side of the canal and it was the coolest feeling swimming along in such a narrow canal hearing the screams of the crowds!

Finally I was out of the water in 59 minutes! I giggled to myself because I definitely wanted to break an hour, but I knew that many of the other pro women were far ahead of me at this point. If anyone wants to help me with open water swimming, be my guest, because it is definitely a weakness of mine! On a positive note: Eli from Zoot shipped me a new Zenith wetsuit that I received a few hours before I took off for the trip to Austria and it was AWESOME! Super comfortable and the new size (small/tall) fit me PERFECTLY!!

I was so relieved to be through with the swim and onto the bike. My legs felt good right away and the watts came pretty easily, which is a great sign! I've done races where the legs do not feel good and it definitely ends up being a LONG DAY! The bike course is STUNNING! The section that lines the lake is FAST! Once you turn off of that road, the course becomes hillier. There a 3 major climbs and it feels as if you are riding in the Tour de France when you climb them. Crowds of people line the entire climb cheering and running next to you! The roads are covered with peoples names and the music is blaring! It's awesome!! I came in on the first loop in exactly 2:30 and I was PSYCHED!!!! I figured that even if I went 10 min slower on the second loop I would STILL do a 5:10!

My new Orbea was so fast and comfortable and I even made friends out there with another Orbea. Antonio from Spain was riding the same bike and ended up being near me the whole race! He would pass me, later I would see him and pass him, etc, etc...I even saw him on the run and was finally passed by him towards the end of the race! He was wearing and SBR Jersey (from NYC) and I thought it was strange to see a jersey from a store in New York when most of the course was filled with Germans and Austrians! Later at the awards I met Antonio and his family. Although he lives in Spain he is sponsored by SBR...he was 3rd in his age group 19-24. Congrats Antonio! The second loop on the bike went by fast! I still felt good, but of course I felt a bit more uncomfortable and the effort felt a bit more difficult. by the end, I was anxious to get off my bike and run! I was expecting a fast run! I got off the bike in 5:04, a personal best...Woo Hoo!

I didnt feel "great" off the bike, but I am aware that sometimes it takes a few miles to feel "great". The sun was really intense and the first section of the run is hot without a lot of air movement. I felt like I was having trouble breathing, but after some time, I settled in. As I headed back towards the race site I was excited for the anticipation of seeing Erin! There she was standing on the side as I headed out for the next section of the run! I felt uplifted as I ran past her! This section of the run goes into the Neur Platz and around the Lindwurm. As I headed into the center of the city, I didnt know exactly what place I was in, but I calculated around 7th. A camera crew followed me into the city square and around the Lindwurm. Of course, I was "forced" to run well on this section! ...I can't look too bad in front of the camera! I headed back into the race site to start loop 2. I saw Erin again, which was great, and headed back out to Krumpendorf. This is when things started to fall apart. "No!" I thought..."just keep it together"! I started to feel nauseous and the heat was getting to me. I was "running"but it felt more like a shuffle. "Just keep moving forward" I would tell myself. Soon I knew that I was entering a delirious state. "This is not good". I stopped. I poured water over my head and forced a gel down. I also took some endurolytes. "You have to keep running", I said to myself. "You will not stop again. You will run even if you feel nauseous. You can't walk". Off I went. It was a terrible feeling, but I just kept repeating "keep moving forward" over and over again in my head. I took gels every 30 minutes or so and said to myself that I was "taking my medicine". I think I gagged with every gel, but they really did help to keep me moving!

Once I made it to the Lindwurm again, I knew I was only 4+ K to go and I would finish. Also, I knew I would reach my goal of sub 9:50! I saw a woman who was close behind at the turn around and I hoped that I would run fast enough to make it to the finish without being passed. I still fell sick, but I was able to "run". Finally, I passed the 41 K mark!!! With less than 1 Kilometer to go and with the roar of the crowds at the finish line just ahead, I got passed. "Oh well...she caught me." I said to myself...then, "No! I cant let her pass me with less than 1 K to go! How can I let that happen?! I have to at least put up a fight!" SO, I sprinted as fast as I could. I passed her and ran for my life towards the finish! I gave it everything I had. The finish line was a blur of screaming spectators. The finish line was just ahead and the other woman was right behind me. I crossed the line just 5 seconds ahead of her!!! 9:38:51! 6th Female overall! I reached my goal of sub 9:50! After such a grueling run I couldn't believe it was finally all over! I was so excited, relieved, in shock, exhausted, excited!

...also I was sick, so I tried my best to avoid the medical tent. I tried some chicken broth first and while couldnt get a lot down, I had enough of it to make me feel a bit better. Then I was able to eat some pretzels and drink some coke. I was able to avoid medical! I called George first, then my mom and dad and then Mike, who helped coach me for the past couple of months after I he learned that I was coaching myself. They were all tracking me non-stop throughout the day and they were all just as excited as me! Erin was UNBELIEVABLE throughout the race as well as pre AND post race! As I have said before, I am indebted to her. I wish I could bring her to all of my races!

THANK YOU to everyone back at home on the Runners Team, thanks Bob Cook, thanks to all of my friends back home and to all of my triathlete friends around the country who sent me such great messages race week, thank you to my "family" from Klagenfurt, thank you to Zoot and the Zoot Ultra Team, Orbea for the awesome Ordu, Profile Design for all of the best products to go on my Orbea, Matt Long and the I Will Foundation, Mike Monastero for the guidance and coaching since 2004 (with a small hiatus), thank you Erin, and of course thanks to my most amazing support, who I would have GREAT difficulty doing this without any one of them and the support they provide: thank you to my mom and dad and George.

Day Before...

Im sitting at my house watching the start of the Tour de France. Lance is just about to take off on his TT. What a great sporting event! Im so excited to follow along for the next 3 weeks! This one should be VERY exciting!!!!
I have completed all of my "pre-race" duties (dropping off the bike as well as the bike and run bags. I also did a short ride today. 37 min total with 5 min around 1/2IM wattage and 10 min around IM wattage. I felt great today! Woo Hoo!

Erin and I rented an electric boat yesterday and scoped out the swim. The swim ends in a canal and I wasn't quite sure where the entrance was. Typically, I would do my normal "haphazard" preparation and "wing it" race day, but I actually PREPARED this time, which is something I should do more of, but I am constantly fighting my "ditsy" personality. I wish I were a detail person, but I am not. Here is the start of the canal...

Erin has been a GREAT help to me for this race and I am indebted to her! She was taking pictures as I got my things together last night. I feel like this is my first Ironman all over again! It's great to have the positive vibes from her and from everyone else! I just found out this morning (more preparation) the course has 800 meters (2,600 ft) of climbing PER 90 Km loop. I checked out Placid and it's 3000 ft of climbing per loop...what??!!! I thought this was supposed to be a fast bike?! Im guessing that the downhills are fast here and spaced out better than in Placid. See? ...doing research and preparing isnt always a good thing...ignorance is bliss!!

Im ready though. I will continue to eat throughout the day and try and get some sleep...a glass of wine might be in order tonight to help me fall asleep. Im psyched and ready to go! GOOD LUCK to Charlotte as well who will be racing Germany the same time tomorrow!!!

Ironman Week Begins...

It’s Friday and I’ve had a busy week. Erin arrived Tuesday evening and I went to the airport with Brigitte to pick her up. No luggage for her, of course! Luckily, she got the luggage the next morning, which was a nice surprise! We headed to the lake Wednesday and both went for a run. I did some “intervals” to wake my body up! It was tough to mix in the fast stuff, but necessary, as I know. Once we were finished we “iced” our legs in the lake and chilled out. Nothing else for me to do that day, so we headed into Klagenfurt and had some lunch, checked out the city (took pictures with the Lindwurm, which is the turn around on the run course) and visited the bike shop “Mountainbiker”.

Thursday was a full day. I woke up early and headed out for a bike as Erin headed out on her run. The bike paths all over the city here are awesome and everyone seems to bike to work. On my way out I passed a woman dressed up in a beautiful dress and high heels, pocket book strapped onto the back of the bike, biking to work! Once I found some open road I did a hard effort to open the legs up a bit. Tough in the beginning, but it felt better as the effort went on which is what I was looking for! We headed to the lake after that and I got a massage at the expo. After the much needed massage I registered for the race! I love doing a race in a different country. Things are just a bit different and it feels like a new experience, which adds to the excitement! After checking out the Expo Erin and I headed out to the lake for a swim. Erin does a lot of open water swimming (including being part of a relay for a double crossing of the English Channel!), so it was great practice for me to try and stay on her feet! We swam for 25 min, then laid out on the dock (or “bridge” as they call it here) and enjoyed the beautiful weather.

Thursday was the last day that I wanted to head out for any “sightseeing”, so we decided to visit a castle nearby. Burg Hochorsterwitz is a castle perched upon a hill that overlooks the valley below. The castle was apparently the inspiration to the castle in Walt Disney’s “Snow White” and you can see why. It’s pretty remarkable looking and incredible to think that people actually lived there! Since I am resting for the race, Erin and I opted for the lift up instead of the walk up to the castle. Bad decision! I’m not afraid of heights, but this lift didn’t seem like the sturdiest piece of machinery. As we were lifted up almost vertically I checked out the chain that was holding us up. It didn’t look nearly as thick as it should have! I imagined us plummeting down. I thought, “if we fall, we probably won’t die from the impact because we are in this compartment…instead we’ll just be badly injured and stuck inside this HOT small elevator...Yikes!) Needless to say, we were grateful when the trip up was over! The castle was impressive, but as you can see in the picture probably more so from far away. We took the lift down after walking the grounds and some of the rooms and headed back to Klagenfurt.

Last night the family that has taken such good care of me had us over for dinner. It was spectacular! An aperitif to start, then Pumpkin and Zucchini soup, pork Wellington (Brigitte made Erin a special vegetarian wellington), vegetables and for dessert a fruit salad with a bit of white chocolate mousse on the side. We had a wonderful dinner filled with laughs. The family will be headed down to the race on Sunday and Michael, the son, will be volunteering for the race! They have been so generous to us and I can’t say enough of how wonderful they all are.

So, today I head to the Pro meeting, which always gets me a bit nervous. I will take the day off from training today, except for a possible “swim” in the lake sans wetsuit, mostly to “ice” down the body and chill out. The lake is 20 degrees Celsius, which is about 70 degrees Fahrenheit, so I say “ice the body”, but it isn’t cold enough to really ice it! It feels chilly without a wetsuit, though and perfect with a wetsuit! Tonight is the pasta party, which I don’t always attend, but will definitely be attending here. Like I said, being in a different country racing almost feels like doing my first Ironman again and I’m trying to experience everything that is here! Two days to go till race day and I’m psyched and ready!

I just wanted to thank everyone who has been so kind sending me e-mails of good luck, and messages wishing me well. It is so wonderful to have such great support from home and from the many other places that I have met wonderful people through triathlon. Thanks so much! it really means a lot to me!

Monday June 29, 2009

Due to the jet lag, I dragged myself out of bed at 9AM this morning (3 AM back at home). I slept for 10 HOURS, but could have stayed in bed even longer! I got up, had a little breakfast and put my Orbea together! I decided to drive to the start of the race and ride the course today, SO I packed up the Smart car with my bike and run gear and was SOMEHOW able to fit my bike AND me in the car as well!
After making a pit stop at “Mountainbiker”, one of the local bike shops, for CO2, I headed to the lake. I didn’t say that it was easy to get there though! I have found that I take probably 3x the amount of time that it should ACTUALLY take to get to me destinations here in Klagenfurt. I find that I drive in circles for a while till I figure out where I need to be. Once I got to the general vicinity of the race start, I headed out on the course… Woo Hoo! Felt GREAT to be on the bike!!! The course is not only well marked (orange ironman symbols align the entire bike course) but it is absolutely STUNNING! One of the most beautiful spots that I have had the pleasure of biking…and I’ve biked in some stunning areas (France, Girona, Boulder, Arizona, California, Lake Placid, Bear Mtn., the North shore of Long Island…) This course is among the most beautiful that I have seen. The bike course consists of two 56 Mile loops (or should I say 90 Km, since I am not in the US). I rode the “big loop” and omitted the “small loop”. After completing a warm up, I was to go right into a 20 min effort at ½ IM wattage, then 40 min steady at Ironman wattage and one more 20 min at ½ IM wattage before cooling down. I felt better than I thought I would after not being on the bike for 2 days! The course can be FAST at times with sections where you can cruise easily at 24-26 MPH and also some REALLY fast descents as well, but of course descents do not come without climbs, and there are plenty of them as well! The longest and toughest comes towards the end of the loop…it took me about 8 minutes to finish! Didn’t expect that! The pic on the right is one of the many villages that we bike through...each one has a banner like this one!
Once I was done with the bike, I did a short run at my Ironman Perceived effort and felt great! I was pleasantly surprised with the pace! Towards the end of the run a thunderstorm rolled in…perfect timing! I must say, that it’s a good thing I like humidity, because there is PLENTY of it out here! After completing the ride and run today, I am more excited to race than ever! I have a great feeling about this race! It’s 8:39 PM right now. The skies have cleared so I am sitting out on the terrace enjoying the weather. I have just had a visit from my Austrian friends Horst and Brigitte who brought me fresh roses from their garden and I will try to wind down and get to sleep at a normal hour. Tomorrow will be my first swim in the lake and another bike (I will be sure to bring my camera this time) then Erin arrives in the evening!

Austria update #2

I woke up on Sunday morning to the sound of rain on the roof. Did I mention that the rain is following me? I leave NY and its beautiful…I come to southern Austria, where is noted for its “Mediterranean-like Climate” of warmth and sunshine, and it’s rainy! Don’t blame me if it gets cloudy and rainy in New York again after I return from Austria! After doing a little core and stretching in the morning, I called Sylvie and she quickly came over to drop off her Mtn. bike that she will be lending me this week (mostly for Erin during the race) and she also took me to the ONLY supermarket open in town. That’s right…no stores open on Sunday and few on the weekend at all. What a nice concept! I know people talk about a time when Long Island was like that, but not since I can remember!
After buying some food and getting a driving tour of Klagenfurt, courtesy of Sylvie, we headed to Brigitte’s house (Sylvie’s mom) where she prepared a delicious lunch for us! Sylvie, myself, Horst , Michael and Brigitte all sat down to a salmon and potato lunch with a variety of salads, and a little white wine as well. We sat for a while talking and laughing, trying to figure out different words in English, French and German! After lunch, we sat on the terrace for coffee and DELICIOUS chocolate cake (there goes my “no dessert before Ironman”, but hey, it wasn’t ice cream, right?! Plus, it’s just a week out now…it can’t hurt, right?!) Well, it was excellent and Brigitte even packed me up some to bring home!). My bags still did not arrive, so Sylvie was generous to lend me some running clothes and off I went for a light 40 min jog. I ran on the path that runs parallel to the canal that the Ironman finishes in. It was a beautiful run and it felt great to move my body after a long travel day! I returned just in time for Tea Time! We sat down at 4PM for a special English tea with a bit of sugar, rum and milk. It was so good that Brigitte packed me up my very own teapot and loose tea to bring home and make for myself! I’m sure I won’t make it quite as good as she did! We all sat again talking and laughing. I was sitting there thinking about how lucky I was to meet this wonderful family…
When I arrived back at my cottage, I was informed that my bike and luggage just made it to Klagenfurt and would be delivered to my home here! Yippee!!! I had enough time to grab the bag and bike and head out the door to meet Henry (the man who hooked me up with all of these accommodations, etc) and his family. On the way there, Horst and Michael were kind enough to drive with me (I followed along in my Smart car) so I would know the way and could HOPEFULLY make it back on my own! I had a great pleasure of meeting Henry, his wife and his two daughters and their two friends. A couple from the Netherlands was also staying there for the week and the husband is racing Ironman for the first time! We all sat down to a delicious cake (yes, more cake!) and great conversation. Again, I thought…how great is this? I have been in the company of kind and generous people since I landed here!
I finally left Henry’s around 9PM and found my way back to the cottage (thanks to Henry’s directions)! Tomorrow I must put my bike together and go for a ride! I am here, after all, to race an ironman in a week! I am looking forward to the ride, and maybe I’ll have a bit of that chocolate cake that Brigitte sent me home with after my ride!

Ironman Austria update #1

Right now it’s Saturday June 27th and I am typing this up while settling into the little cottage I am staying at in Klagenfurt, Austria. I do not have internet access here, but my plan is to periodically update my trip here in Austria leading up to the race on Sunday July 5th. Before heading over to Austria I had the pleasure of meeting up with Charlotte Johnson (most of you probably know that Charlotte and her husband Paul belong to Team Runners Edge). Charlotte and Paul did the race 2 years ago and Charlotte was SO sweet to take the time and sit down with me to tell me all about the race course, about Klagenfurt and to give me a LIBRARY of books to read all about the area as well. Charlotte is racing Ironman Germany this year and ironically, it takes place on July 5th as well! Good Luck Charlotte!!!
So I’ll quickly run through the details of my travel here. Friday 3:30 PM, George’s mom drives me to the airport. We predict crazy traffic, but luck out! We get to the airport early (unfortunately she is stuck in major traffic on the way home). Im at the airport earlier than I would have liked, but it’s better than being late! I board the plane around 6:15 PM (It’s supposed to take off at 7PM). We FINALLY take off AFTER 10 PM! We sat on the runway for HOURS due to a major thunderstorm. I get to Paris at 11:35 AM…my connecting flight was scheduled for 9:35 AM… Oh well! Missed that! So, I get put onto a different flight and run through the airport to make it on time. I had 20 min to get to the gate and the Terminal seemed like it was MILES away from where I landed (the airport in Paris, by the way is unusually hot! I felt like I was just done with a workout when I finally got to the gate)! We take off from Paris and I arrive in Vienna WITHOUT my bike or my luggage! I have another flight with Austrian Airlines in an hour and a half and I need my luggage, so Im thinking I will have to miss my flight to Klagenfurt, stay in Vienna, get the bags and bike tomorrow and head to Klagenfurt then. Instead, I am reassured that my bike and luggage “should be delivered to where I’m staying in Klagenfurt by tomorrow evening”… Hmmm…we’ll see about that! SO, I check in and head to the gate… Five minutes before we are to board, the airport shuts down (due to a thunderstorm! I can't get away from these things)! FINALLY after a short delay we take off from Vienna and arrive in the quaint little city of Klagenfurt!
Luckily, I am renting a cottage from a local here. This can be a long story, but Henry, a man who lives here and who I was originally going to rent an apartment from, helped arrange my accommodations here at this lovely cottage when his apartment became unavailable. Henry also helped with the rental of a “Smart Car” for the days I will be here alone. He even had the owner of the rental company come in on Saturday and open up the store just for me! In the short time I have been here in Klagenfurt I have had an incredible experience! I was greeted at the airport by Hoerst (Henry’s friend who I am renting the cottage from), his sister Brigitte and her daughter Sylvie (who turned 20 today!) as well as Hoerst’s son Michael (14 years old) who greeted me with a flower. They all brought me to the rental company, then to this beautiful little cottage just 5KM from the race start at the lake. They showed me around the house and the incredible garden where I am welcome to grab all of my lettuce, veggies and fruit that I need while I am here. They also prepared some food for me and Sylvie offered to take me into town tomorrow. Pretty amazing! Their kindness has been so comforting after a much dreaded long travel day. I was most nervous for traveling and arriving here totally alone and they made the experience nothing but a pleasure! My friend Erin with whom I went to College with, arrives Tuesday night. I am looking forward to it, but the days here without her will definitely be more pleasurable and not quite as “lonely” as I thought they might be. Now I just have to keep my fingers crossed for the arrival of my luggage and bike!! Im DYING to get on my bike and check out the course!

Mooseman 2009 Race Report

My mom and I traveled up to New Hampshire last weekend for the Mooseman 1/2 Ironman. Mooseman is a race that many Long Islanders have done and a race that I have wanted to do for a while, but haven't done mainly due to my racing schedule and conflicts in the past. Doing other 70.3 races such as Florida and Buffalo Springs that are just too close in time to Mooseman have made it difficult to fit in. The other reason (or "hesitation") I have had with Mooseman is the historically cold water! Also, it can be a bit chilly up there as well and I try and steer clear of cold races...that being said, it was 95 degrees last year and PERFECT weather this past weekend, so if you have any of these excuses in your head, forget them! The race is awesome... As you can see in the picture on the left, the lake was gorgeous!

So, quickly re-capping the race, I was happy to have a small contingent of Runner's Edge and TNT athletes there that I knew, so it was nice to run into them the morning of the race (*see the Team Runners Edge Results following the post). I was also pleasantly surprised to learn that my friends Matt Long (I Will Foundation) and Frank Carino (along with their two buddies) were doing the race! Both Frank and Matt are doing Ironman Lake Placid in July, so I am looking forward to cheering them on up there! It was great to have them at Mooseman.

Race morning was quite nice as I headed to the lake to do my "warm-up", but the water was COLD! In fact, much colder than the day before when I went swimming in the shallow section of the lake WITHOUT my wetsuit! (It was also sunny and 82 degrees the day before). I panicked a bit as I headed out of the water for the start when I realized that I would be starting in the first wave which included over 100 men and me! Yikes! While some women may think that the idea of over 100 men and them is some kind of fantasy (he, he, he...), I can promise you that it is more like a nightmare! I definitely panicked in the swim and ended up costing myself a LOT of time! As the gun went off I found myself "running for my life" into the water and "sprinting" as fast as I could so I would not find myself UNDER some of these men (he, he, he). Even the small men seemed monstrous in size to me in that water. They thrashed about, they hit me, they swam over me. Finally I found myself doing the breaststroke and clutching at the neck of my wetsuit as I was having a hard time catching my breath! "Where's a kayaker", I thought..."Im done for the day"! OK...I got a grip. I slowed down and tried to find some space. From there I "wimpily" (is that a word??) swam to the shore. I exited in 31:33... "Oh well" I thought...I still have a bike and a run!

The bike was AWESOME!!! Some great climbs, but also many sections where you can just FLY! It was a two-loop course and I loved every minute of it! Nothing more to say about that. The men that I despised in the water were much nicer on the bike. Words of encouragement if they passed me, and also when I passed them! I felt great, which was the best part...something that hasn't happened in a while in a 70.3 race! I biked a 2:38:29

Starting the run I felt GOOD, but not GREAT...I tried to just move along as best I could. I must say that on this 2-loop course the way out has some tough rolling climbs, but the way back feels FAST! I started feeling better and better as the run went on! I noticed the other girls who started in the waves behind me, so I wanted to be sure to run fast enough that they would not beat me. With the spacing of the waves it was hard to tell EXACTLY where they were in relation to me, but I felt that if I ran hard, I would be OK. Steve Shulman from Runners Edge (also a TNT and LI Tri Coach) was a great source of encouragement for me out on the run...I looked forward to the turn-around where I would see him, so thanks Steve! In addition to Steve there were MANY spectators out on the course that were going crazy for me as I came by...it was awesome!!! My run split: 1:28:40

So I ended up finishing first despite the fact that I swam 5-6 min SLOWER than the 2nd and 3rd place women (Oops!!!!). The finish line was a party, the race director (Keith Jordan) was awesome, the race was amazingly organized, the area was beautiful...I have nothing but positive memories from this race and I HIGHLY recommend it! Total time 4:42.

Ironman Austria is a mere 3 weeks away! Im happy to have a good result under my belt and I am ready to rock! one more 20-22 mile run is in store for me on Monday and my last 100+ Mile bike is scheduled for Thursday. I am recovering VERY well from Mooseman and am getting more and more psyched to race Austria!

CONGRATS to everyone who raced last weekend in Mooseman and in the Rev 3 Triathlon!

Oh, and Thanks to Brad Smith for actually wanting to read these posts!!! ;-)

*Team Runners Edge Results:

Ken Cunningham - 5:35:37
Mark Eicher - 5:40:46
Nicole Skidmore - 5:59:33
*Michael Guida - 6:05:27
Tim Daly - 6:26:08
Kathy Keilitz - 6:57:19
Louis Ciliberti - 7:07:33
Howard Kohos - 7:20:21
Maria Diglio - 7:32:50
Diane Basso - 8:01:58

Congrats to our 2 Mooseman Olympic Finishers:

*Michael Guida - 2:53:10
Deborah Young - 3:50:06

*Competed in the Bullmoose challenge completing the Olympic Distance race Saturday and the 1/2 IM Sunday...

6 Week Count Down...

It amazes me when I think about it...I have been "counting down" to an Ironman (or two) every year for the past 8 years! This will be my ninth year in a row without a break. This realization comes to me every now and then I and simply cannot believe just how fast time can fly by! I can remember back in 2001, training for my first Ironman. I was 24 years old and I was training for IMLP at the time, but a bike crash 4 weeks before the race quickly changed my plans. With the help of mom and dad, I was signing up for a charity spot in Ironman Florida the day after my bike accident. During that summer after my accident I was forced to ride the trainer due to the 2 metal plates that were (are) inserted on each bone of my forearm. That along with pins that kept my wrist together made for a difficult time training...but train I did! I was back to running a week later with a cast that went from my shoulder to my wrist! So funny to think about it now! It amazed me just how many yells of encouragement I got EVERY TIME I went out for a run! Due to the severe pain that I would get every time I slightly moved my arm or wrist, I would be running down the road trying to hold my left arm up in the air and as still as possible...Ha! What great form! I am laughing just thinking about it! I felt like a complete fool, but this didn't stop me, oh no...I was out there training for my Ironman. The cheers I got from passing cars were a surprise and a relief...I expected much more "heckling" than I got....in fact, I don't think I got any negative comments!

As for the bike...the trainer became my friend. I would sit on that thing for hours on end...5-6 hour "long rides", intervals, you name it. I even brought it up to a friend's house while I was there visiting. Not only did I perch myself on the side of the road for a workout as a break from driving (crazy girl), but I also set it up in his parents backyard for a 6 hour ride! They must have thought I was a complete PSYCHOPATH! They would have been right! The swim wasn't so easy, so I had to take a couple of months off from that and "wing it" as best I could in the race... By race time, my arm wasn't "fully healed", but I had the plates on the bones to protect them, and the bones were "mostly healed"...my biggest fear was getting kicked in the swim, so I stayed FAR to the side during the start and dodged people as best I could! So, all went well...I won my age-group, qualified for Hawaii and was HOOKED for good! Ends up the accident was a blessing in disguise, as I doubt I had the strength to qualify in Placid at the time...funny how things work out!

Well, here I am starting my 6-week count down to IM Austria and I find that I get many of those same pre-race feelings that I got during my 1st Ironman Prep. I think this may be part of the "addiction" of Ironman. How great is it to prep for a huge event, set your goals, try and do everything right (or as "right" as you can) and countdown to a SUPER exciting day, where the outcome may be somewhat predictable due to your prep and your fitness level, but ultimately it is unknown, due to "unforeseen circumstances" on such a long day. They say that you learn the most from your worst performances... I can say that this is very true. It's during these performances that I question what I am doing with my life (during the race), but then it is these performances that get me to carefully evaluate what went wrong and how I can remedy it ( for the NEXT performance, of course)!

So, I started my "8-weeks of no ice cream/dessert" two weeks ago, a ritual of mine that I started years ago before every Ironman (I regret starting this ritual, by the way, since I usually enjoy SOME kind of dessert on MOST nights and I don't think that omitting it does anything for me really) It has become "ritual", however, and it signifies my "commitment to the race coming up"...or so that's what Ive been told when I was questioning whether I should ditch the ritual or not during a moment of weakness! Ive also had some fantastic workouts and feel quite fit, and I will be racing in two weeks at Mooseman as a type of "tune-up".

All is good in my world and as I was 8 years ago with my prep to IMFL, I am nervous and excited at the same time! The only difference is that I have 11 of these races under my belt now, Im quite a bit stronger from the years of training and it isn't as much of an "unknown" to me now. But I'm sure anyone who does them (even the studs who do 3+ a year!) can agree with me when I say that each Ironman is a bit daunting when you think about it as a whole, but each one is also special in it's own way and the excitement you get during the build-up as well as the thrill of finishing one of these races is worth all the months of training!

Back to Basics...

Wow...Time flies. It's been a while since my last update. Many changes since Oceanside. I took a "turn" after that race and have "revisited" my old training that I found to be so successful for me. The good news: Im not as "de-trained" as I thought I was! Also, after adding some MUCH NEEDED intensity in a short amount of time, I have been on a the fast track back to fitness levels that I reached during my first Pro season back in 2007! :-) I am on track to surpass those levels no doubt...
...isnt that what we all strive for? Getting as strong as possible...finding ways to surpass levels that we once considered to be our best? Because of this "switch", my mental side has also done a "180". I am more confident than I had been in a long time and I realize that I really love doing what I do, which is SO important for success. I try to embrace what I am doing as "it won't last forever"!
Of course, no athlete does it completely solo, everyone has support and I have been lucky to be able to "bounce ideas" off of George in my attempt to regain my power on the bike. Ive learned a lot that I THOUGHT I knew, but didnt fully understand. By looking back at my old training and carefully analyzing what works and what does not work for me in my training, then "picking George's brain", I have been able to really understand what it is that I need to be doing, and the correct way to go about it. It also helps to try and ride side-by-side with him...something I find difficult and frustrating at times, but always rewarding once the ride is over! Also, my coach from 2004/5-2008 offered to help me out again after almost a year hiatus. Having someone who knows my history, my ability and potential, and my goals has been key. Working closely with him again and developing a solid plan for IM Austria has been exciting...especially when I have been seeing the results come so quickly in training! Of course I always have family and friends that support me, like Jen Gatz (amazing triathlon coach, teacher, mother, athlete, etc...) who I can always contact when I need advice on training and who always gives me a solid, well thought out solution to whatever it is I need guidance with. Also, Jamie Fishlow (incredible triathlon coach, teacher, father, athlete, etc...) who has not only developed a strength training regimen for me that helped me to train injury-free throughout this winter (a first for me), but who also became my strength training partner as well as good friend. Like I said, no one can do it alone...
I've been working on my mental preparation quite a bit as well and have been reading, "Fit Soul Fit Body" written by the legendary Triathlete Mark Allen and Healer Brant Secunda. Their website is: www.fitsoul-fitbody.com. Another incredible book that teaches the importance of the mental side of training and racing is Bobby McGee's "Magical Running". I am reading this book for a second time to refresh myself on the lessons that Bobby (legendary running coach) teaches as a fundamental part of any athletes training. Bobby also has some wonderful article's that he has written on his website: www.bobbymcgee.com. Ask any successful athlete and they will tell you the importance of believing in themselves and working on their mental strength and perseverance...something that plays a HUGE role in endurance sports.
So I am finishing up a short rest period after completing a wicked training block and am getting ready to start up again...the next race is Mooseman in June and then Ironman Austria in July. I cant wait to see the payoff from all of this hard work!

Oceanside Race Report...

This past weekend I had the great pleasure of racing the legendary California 70.3 in Oceanside, California as well as attending the Zoot Team camp in Carlsbad, CA after the race. I went into Oceanside with a goal of a “solid finish”, but more importantly a “POSITIVE ATTITUDE”. I promised myself that the doubts that plagued me from the very first 70.3 last season in Florida, till my last Ironman in Arizona would not be in my mind while I raced. If they DID happen to enter my mind, they would be replaced with more positive thoughts and with the feeling that I did indeed enjoy racing and did indeed have faith in myself and my abilities. Mission accomplished. Now, if you look at my result, you might wonder WHY I left Oceanside with such a “bright outlook” on my future of racing. I did not place well. My time was not impressive….why then, am I so pleased? I’ll try to explain as best I can.

The Saturday before the race I did a 4:15 ride with 4x20 min intervals at above race pace mixed in. During the ride, I started to feel “something” in my throat…not a good sign! I tried to ignore it… Sunday, I woke up and did a hard run with intervals in the rain…my throat hurt, I felt stuffed up. I was getting sick! Running that morning in a monsoon was probably not the best decision, but it went well. I went to work and the throat got worse. I NEVER get sick! Oh well…never say never! I chilled out for the rest of the week in New York and by my flight out Wednesday afternoon, I wasn't 100%, but I was feeling MUCH better!


I flew into San Diego late Wednesday night and slept for over 10 hours. The next day I met up with a friend Haley Cooper (fellow Zoot Team member and TALENTED triathlete who I KNOW you will hear a lot about in the near future) and her friends Shelby Madden and Phaedra (both of whom I now consider friends as well). Not only was I fortunate to spend the weekend with these girls, but I was fortunate to be spending some of the weekend at the Jones house, a family that I had been hooked up with by Haley and Shelby. The Jones family (Sally, Ron, Carrie, Ginny, Stacey and their two dogs Molly and Cinders) are a sweet family that I considered myself lucky to be staying with during my weekend in San Diego. I have had such great opportunities to meet fantastic people on my travels and this trip was one of the best examples of that. I felt at home with the family and was honored to be able to spend some time talking with their daughter Carrie who is a two-time Olympian at the age of 25! Carrie Jones is America’s top woman kayaker and an incredible person to have met! She races the Women’s “K-1” in the 500 meter race and I was in awe of her and her accomplishments as she showed me her scrapbook from the Beijing Olympics!

As for the race: California 70.3 was Saturday and I was most nervous for the cold water and air that awaited me in the morning! I picked Haley up at 4:30 AM and we headed to the race. With MOST of my stuffiness and cold behind me, I felt pretty good! The morning of the race flew by! I was “body marked” by the legendary Bill Bell (In case you don’t know, Bill Bell once held the record for the oldest person to finish an Ironman!), I got my bike together, put my wetsuit on and before I knew it, we were lined up to enter the harbor water! It was the quietest start that I can remember being a part of. The pro women entered the water with about 5 min till race start, but no one was talking like usual. Everyone entered the water in an almost “eerie silence”….maybe we were all nervous for the anticipation of the cold water. The air was about 50 degrees and the water was 58 degrees, but to my surprise it felt OK! I was psyched! After a few minutes of warm-up and with the men underway, it was now our turn. The gun went off and I found that I got stuck behind a few girls. After clawing my way around them, I was on my way swimming steadily. I actually thought I was having a great swim, with the main pack just ahead, but as I exited the water and headed into transition, I realized that I was wrong. I must have been following the second pack of women as there were not many bikes left on the racks by the time I got there. Opps! So much for “thinking” I was having a great swim! I didn’t get upset about it though as I have done in races in the past. This was a triathlon, not a swim. I headed on my bike and figured I would do my best on the bike and try for a great run.

So my legs didn’t feel great on the bike. In fact, they felt pretty bad. This wasn’t what I had hoped for, but it’s what I got on that day, so I did the best I could. I saw a few other girls out there that were having bad days as well and I just forged ahead. It is a lonely bike when you exit the swim in the back. Nothing like my age group days… As an aside: This is the biggest difference racing as a pro. It is lonely out there and it is tough! As an amateur, I remember always being surrounded by other athletes. Men encouraged you as the first, or one of the first, age-group women as you biked along. I remember feeling the excitement as I passed people along the course. It was a BLAST! This is not the case as a pro, ESPECIALLY if you have a poor swim. You bike alone. Top men age groupers pass you and are gone. You may pass a woman, or be passed, but then you are alone again. There is no cheering. You usually pass silent. Being out there on the bike is the greatest example of self-motivation and digging deep that I have had to experience while racing. As I promised myself, I wouldn’t let the negative outlook overtake me during the bike or any part of the race. I wasn’t going to let the pressure of a “great result” take over either. “What if I don’t have a great race” did not exist in my mind on this day. I was going to do the best I could ON THAT DAY and wherever I ended up with that effort on that day would be all that I could do.

The bike course was pretty epic! I went through Camp Pendleton and the climbs inland were pretty wicked! The scenery was absolutely stunning and eventually the long hard effort came to an end. In my head I expected to bike somewhere in the 2:40’s on that course THIS EARLY in the season. I biked 2:47. Honestly, it was slower than I had hoped for, but I was happy to keep it under 2:50! I headed out on the run on a mission. “I’m going to catch as many women as possible!” My “mission” faded as the run went on. As I saw the many other women far ahead, my motivation to “catch as many as possible” faded. Also, my breathing was more labored than usual (lingering effects from the cold?) so I toned the effort down to more of a “comfortable” level of exertion and more of an “ease of breathing”. There was 1 quarter mile section of sand that we had to run over 4x throughout the race. I was absolutely PATHETIC on this section! I was literally falling all over the place! I wish I had video tape of the whole thing as I could probably be entertained for hours watching my pathetic self trying to “run” on the sand! This made the run split that Miranda Carfrae posted (1:20!!!) THAT much more impressive after my ill-attempt to run on that section!

So long story longer, I finished toward the back, with an unimpressive 4:58, but I finished feeling HUNGRY to race again! This is something that has escaped me since the beginning of last season. My “negative self-talk” was non-existent as well, which was a battle in itself. I was mediocre across the board, but it helped me to realize what I need to work on and how much more I have in me. The feeling that I had with my race results was what many of the other women that I had spoken to who raced that day had as well. This is the beauty of an early-season race, I think, and I highly recommend it. After the race Haley, Phaedra, Shelby and Ben Harper (our Zoot Team leader from 2008) celebrated with shots of Sake (OK…Haley and I didn’t have any shots after our race) but I did have a great time watching the 3 others do shot after shot at 2 O’clock in the afternoon! Shortly after that Haley and I were off to our hotel that Zoot had put us up in for the 2009 Zoot Camp. That night we went to the Timex party nearby. The Zoot camp continued on Sunday and was a fantastic time! More on that later as I’ve already written a novel, but I can say that the race, the Zoot Camp and the week in general was one to remember!
…OH! CONGRATULATIONS to JACQUI GORDON for her 4TH PLACE FINISH at IRONMAN SOUTH AFRICA this past weekend!!!! WAY TO GO JACQUI!! :-)