IMWI '18 Race Report - 112 mile bike

Photo: Jay Baker

If I had one complaint about this course, it's the first few miles on the bike path. Even though the course was altered a bit due to recent flooding, it's still a technical way to start the bike in a race. Thankfully, it's not more than a few miles of navigating cracks, turns and bumps and a railroad track before you are on an open road and heading out to the country.

With the temp around 50 degrees, I was happy I had my arm coolers on as they were keeping me warm. I felt very comfortable (body temp) when I started the bike but I still gave myself a few miles to wake-up my legs and to settle into a nice rhythm. I always start the bike with my helmet shield up so it doesn't fog and then after a few minutes I snap it in place as my "sunglasses" for the rest of the ride. It's also a lot easier to get on this way.

After losing both my rear bottles at Ironman Chattanooga last year in the first few miles of the bike, I was extra paranoid at IMWI with every bump on the road. I kept tapping down my rear bottles before and after every noticeable bump for the first few miles as I didn't want to make the same mistake twice (and this is even with very secure gorilla bottle cages). But just to be safe and not sorry, I filled my hydration flask with 2 bottles worth of INFINIT powder just in case I were to lose two bottles. I chose not to use my hydration system for this race because I am very comfortable grabbing my bottles and it's easy for me to see how much I am drinking and to get in full gulps. But since it is more aero with the hydration system, I keep it on my bike. I've only had my new Ventum to ride for just a few weeks but I have tested out the straw and plan to use it for extreme conditions (ex. rain and wind).

It wasn't too long into the bike when I heard my name and it was my athlete Ericka who was racing in the professional women's field. She is a super strong biker and she loves to ride her bike. It was great to see her ride away from me and I was so pumped for her to experience her first Ironman - and to share the day with her.

The Ironman Wisconsin course is tough. There's little time to settle into a rhythm with over 91-turns per loop (over 200 turns over 112 miles). While the course has 5600 feet of elevation gain, you are either going up or down and rarely do you get a lot of momentum to get yourself from one downhill to the next uphill. There are a few technical sections with tight turns that can be executed safely but you have to be on alert, especially when other athletes are around.  And when there is a flat-ish segment, you usually get wind. On our race day, the wind was angry. And lastly, the road conditions are rough. While several segments have been paved over the years, it's not a "fast" course. However, having said all that, the scenery is beautiful (think farms - lots and lots of farms and fields), there are designated spectator-heavy spots that you can get a ton of energy from the crowds, the course is very-well marked, the course is safe (even though it's not closed to traffic, there are police and volunteers everywhere) and it's a fun course!

NUTRITION
I keep my nutrition super simple during an Ironman so that I can focus on my execution but also ensure that I can optimize digestion and absorption of all calories consumed.  For my nutrition in an Ironman, I use 1 26-ounce bottle of INFINIT per hour (I use my own custom version of my endurance base formula, discount Trimarnicoach if you'd like to try it) with around 500mg sodium, 250 calories, 62g carbs and 15g of sugar. One of my 6 bottles (3 for the first loop and then 3 in special needs - already filled with water and powder) contains caffeine and aminos (mixed in my custom formula) - 50mg caffeine and 1g aminos. I use this bottle as my third bottle on the bike (so around 2 hours of riding). This is the same strategy I use for every long ride. To help with taste bud fatigue, I bring along 4 different flavors (watermelon, pink lemonade, fruit punch and grape) so that each hour is a different flavor. My front bottle cage holds my primary bottle and when I am finished with it, I either toss it at an aid station (I use an old bottle that I am happy to get rid of) or move it to my rear cage and replace with my rear bottle. I keep rotating bottles so I can always grab my front bottle. For this race, I didn't grab water in the first loop but grabbed water at each aid station on the second loop to use for sipping and cooling. While I like to have a plan for an Ironman, I am also always listening to my body. I always bring "extra" fuel with me for those just-in-case situations and in this Ironman, I brought along a Clif PB and pretzel MOJO bar as it's something I have practiced with in training and have had good runs off the bike when I nibble on the bar throughout my ride. So I broke up the bar in advance, put it into a baggy and stuck into my bento box for easy nibbling throughout the ride. I mostly went through the entire bar throughout hour 2-5 of the bike. I also had a small flask filled with 1 Enervite cheerpack (caffeine) that I took a swig from anytime I needed a little burst of energy. Again, I practiced with this in training. So aside from drinking my INFINIT bottle every hour, 4-5 chugs every 10-12 minutes (give or take depending on the terrain and how I was feeling), the extra nutrition was based on how I felt.

Picture: Brian Comiskey

TRAINING PREP

The IMWI bike course is very similar to what we train on in Greenville so I think that helped me a lot with my execution and knowing how to ride my bike on the course. While we have a lot to climb where we live (and bumpy roads), this helped my bike handling skills, terrain management and strength on two wheels but it leaves very little opportunity for steady state riding. So my long rides are always outside and my more specific rides are typically on the trainer. I usually ride my road bike once a week for an easy spin and I have found that I need to incorporate variable cadence work (riding at a very low or very high cadence) during my workouts to keep the fibers firing, versus just focusing on steady state efforts. I haven't done a power test in over a year so all my rides are by feel as I know what each effort should feel like and I adjust based on how I feel for the day. My bike fit is all dialed in thanks to Karel as it wasn't a difficult fit as my new Ventum fits me so well. Whereas my Trek Speed Concept was a size small (700 wheels), it was a bit too big for me. This new bike is just perfect and with my 155mm cranks and Dash saddle plus the shape of my aerobars (Ventum product), the bike feels extremely comfortable and rides so well. And with the wind, I felt like I was just slicing through it! This never happens to me as with my old bike, I felt like I was always getting pushed around. With no downtube on my Ventum, there is less for the wind to hit. Also the chain stay is shorter than on most bikes which brings my weight more towards the center or the back of the bike while still maintaining an aero position. This makes the bike feel more like a road bike compared to a heavy tri bike. The bike road so well and I was so happy with my choice to ride my new Ventum at IMWI (even though I had only completed 2 long rides on it prior!).

As for my training going into this race, my longest ride was 5.5 hours and that was with our campers in August. Other than that, the majority of my rides were around 4-4.5 hours. While I don't do many "long" rides, my workouts are very specific and intense. Either the terrain brings up the inside or the workout itself. Plus, our miles go by very slow where we live so it's not uncommon for us to average 16-17mph for a long ride. Thus, completing a 100+ mile ride would be a long day in the mountains and we feel there are other beneficial ways to gain fitness versus spending so much time in the saddle. While I love to ride my bike and train, I'm always looking for the most efficient way to gain fitness in the least amount of time possible.

Photo: Jay Baker

RACE STRATEGY
As for the race, I hit lap every 30-35 minutes once I got on the loop (~40 miles per loop). I used the stick part of the course to build into my effort and I made sure to keep the first loop very sustainable. I felt strong but tried to hold myself back. There was a lot of sitting up in the saddle or standing on the climbs which I liked as I am much more comfortable changing my position than being stuck in aero for miles at a time. The crowds were incredible on the two longer climbs on the course, in addition to the 3 sisters (or b!tche$ - however you choose to call them). I saw a lot of familiar faces on the course which was awesome - thank you Ed, Diane, Cory, Michela, Tim and all other friends/family for being out there! I was getting updates on my position that I was leading the female amateur race and first in my age group. While this news was motivating, I didn't let it change my game plan of riding my bike well. After a stop at special needs to get three fresh bottles (for those who thinks special needs is a waste of time, my stop was only 12 seconds according to my data), I was looking forward to the second loop. Knowing that fatigue was building, my goal was just to ride the same effort as before but to save a little for the stretch going home as I knew it would be windy and in my face. I was starting to warm-up and while I probably could have kept on my arm coolers, I decided to remove them around mile 60 just to feel something different. I tucked the arm coolers into my jersey pockets. Not too long later, it hit me. A low. After 14 Ironmans, I know these lows come but it's always a guessing game as to how long. While the miles were going by very quickly, my low stayed with me for some time. Maybe it was the wind, the part of the course where I was riding (I was alone for a very long time) or being passed by two very strong girls but the low stayed with me for more than I would have liked. It's hard to describe this feeling but it's easy to get negative and to start having doubts. I took in some calories, did a few check-in's with my body and all was still feeling ok so I just rode it out (literally) and was able to bounce back from it.

Karel was spectating around the 3 sisters and I was super excited to see him. I gave him a big smile but also told him "I'm feeling tired." He yelled back "you should be, you are doing an Ironman." Sometimes it helps to say what I am feeling as it's kinda like a little self-talk for myself to get out of my funk. It helped and I felt stronger soon after I saw Karel. I was prepared for the final section of the bike (the last 14 miles) to be very tough and it was. It was slow but I just focused on smooth pedaling, staying relaxed and doing my best to deliver myself to the run as fresh as possible after riding a super windy and tough 112 miles. While I was passed by two girls, I was still first in my age group so that gave me a lot of motivation to keep taking good care of myself and giving my best on this day. While sometimes our thoughts tell us negative things, thoughts aren't always actions. I had nothing to convince me that I was having a bad race so even with a low on the bike, I still told myself that I could have a great race. I reminded myself of all my hard training sessions and no matter how I feel on the bike, I can still put together a solid run. To be honest, I had my normal thoughts of quitting and questioning why I do this crazy sport but something deep inside myself loves to prove myself wrong. 

As I neared the helix, I couldn't believe how fast the day was going and that I was about to start the marathon. Only 26.2 miles until the finish of my 14th Ironman! With the lead in my age group and 3rd female amateur overall, I questioned if history would repeat itself and with only 2 and 3 minutes between me and 2nd and 3rd place in my age group, I was in need of the run of my life to take the age group win.

112 mile BIKE RESULT (per Ironman tracker)
5:37.55 (19.86 mph)
2nd fastest AG (35-39)
14th female
141th overall

Bike specifics:
Any questions about these components, email me and I'll send your question along to Karel. I don't do bikes - I just ride them :) 

• Ventum One Frame size 46 (custom paint) 
• Ventum handlebar set up with TriRig ultra light elbow cups with CeeGees pads
• Wheels: Alto CC 86 rear and Alto CC 56 front wheel with Specialized S-works 24mm tubeless tires and Ultegra 11-28 cassette.
• Crank: Rotor 3D24 crank arms 155mm with Rotor Qarbon 53 aero big chainring and 39 small chainring with Power2Max pwoermeter. 
• BB: CeramicSpeed bottom bracket (red) 
• Saddle: Dash Stage Custom saddle 
• Other components: Shimano Dura-Ace 9100 and Utegra 8000 Di2 group set with CeramicSpeed oversized pulley system (red) 

My race data (Garmin 810): Each split represents when I lapped my computer (I wasn't always perfect, sometimes I would forget)

-14 miles (39 minutes/21.7 mph), 169w NP, 87 RPM
-11 miles (30 minutes/21.3 mph), 168w NP, 85 RPM
-10 miles (31 minutes/19.3 mph), 180w NP, 84 RPM
-10 miles (32 minutes/18.9 mph), 170w NP, 83 RPM
-13 miles (37 minutes/20.9 mph), 164w NP, 83 RPM
-12.4 miles (37 minutes/20 mph), 169w NP, 82 RPM
-9.66 miles (30 minutes/19 mph), 159w NP, 81 RPM
-10 miles (34 minutes/17.6 mph), 161w NP, 80 RPM
-6.6 miles (19 minutes/20.9 mph),135w NP, 80 RPM
-14 miles (45 minutes/18.5 mph), 140w NP, 78 RPM
Data recorded 111 miles in 5:35.59 (19.8 mph)

Race week self-doubts? Boost your confidence with these tips.

I can't believe that it's race week!! Just 6 more days until my 14th Ironman on one of the most awesome race courses on the US Ironman circuit. I can't wait for the cheers from the crowds as Madison knows how to put on a top-notch event.

Thanks to the recent live Facebook coverage of the Ironman 70.3 World Championship in Port Elizabeth, South Africa, I think I am officially antsy to race. Whereas last week was filled with normal pre-race emotional highs and lows, I was so inspired by the gutsy and strong performances by the female and male athletes at Worlds that I now want my turn to feel the pressure and excitement of racing. If you didn't watch the coverage, go watch it as it'll fire you up for your upcoming workouts or races. Karel and I are huge fans of the sport of triathlon and we just love watching other athletes in action. There's always something to learn from the professionals and now with the live coverage, we can really see all parts of the race (and not just see the results) to truly understand what is really going on within the race and what each athlete endures to get to the finish line. Many times, you realize that the professional athletes are human just like the rest of us, dealing with similar issues and obstacles.

                                                                  ---------------------------

Are you preparing for an upcoming race? Will we see you in Wisconsin for the Ironman? If yes, hopefully the phantom pains and niggles and self-doubts are behind you as you gear up for your upcoming race and you are working on your mental game to put yourself into a calm and relaxed state before race day.

For some athletes, it's easy to ignore the doubts and negative thoughts that can creep into the head on race week but for others, with the race quickly approaching, you may be feeling a lot of emotions such as self-doubt, negativity, worry and anxiety.

Keeping in mind that your race performance is a reflection of your previous training, don't let negativity suck the fun away from what you get to do with your body and mind on race day. While it's perfectly normal to feel some stress, nerves and mental pressure before a big event, use that powerful energy to fire you up so it brings out the best version of you (and your current level of fitness) on race day.

Because lack of self-belief and worry can have a disastrous effect on your race day performance, here are a few tips to improve your confidence for race day.

1. Stop worrying about the uncontrollables - If you find yourself emotionally stressed out in the week or two before a big event, there's a good chance that you are dealing with the nagging negative thoughts of "what ifs". Worrying about details that are out of your control, like the weather or competition, is self sabotaging. Turn those negative thoughts into something positive so that those thoughts do not paint a bad mental picture for you before or during your race.
   
2. Stop focusing on the outcome - Too much mental energy on paces, speed. times or results can leave you emotionally drained, worried and anxious. It can also keep you from making good decisions in the moment. Remove any extra pressure on the end result and focus on the process of delivering yourself to the finish line. Remind yourself of all the tools that you have gained over the season and that a great race day performance is all about being in the moment and dealing with obstacles as they come about.
   
3. List your mantras - Every athlete will have low moments in a race - lots of them. There will be voices in your head that will try to convince you to stop, and maybe even quit when the going gets tough. How will you challenge these voices? What will help you take your focus off your self-doubts and refocus your mind to get you to a positive state of flow? By repeating a powerful statement to yourself over and over again in your mind, you'll find yourself pushing through these low moments and getting yourself closer and closer to that finish line.
   
4. Reflect on your journey - Look at your training log to see how far you've come. Remember that time when you couldn't do....... or you completed that tough workout on tired legs? Or how you overcome a setback? Focus on the highlighted moments instead of dwelling on what should have or could have been.
   
5. Visualize yourself succeeding - Picture yourself at various points during the race and go through all types of scenarios - the good and the bad. Look at course maps, videos and pictures to help you put images to places on the course. And don't forget to visualize yourself crossing the finish line.
   
6. Focus on what you can control - Take care of yourself. Focus on what you can control such as your gear and equipment, your sleep, nutrition and hydration as well as stress management. Surround yourself with energy givers, not energy suckers and avoid forums/media that cause self-doubt, worry or stress.
   
7. Have fun - Remind yourself that this is just a hobby. Your self-worth and athletic worthiness is not determined by a race. Enjoy being on the roller coaster of emotions as it's your body's way of preparing you for action. Make sure to remember why you signed up for the event and how special it will be to cross that finish line. Don't let your nerves and worries suck the fun out of racing. Focus on what you can control, trust your training, visualize success and don't forget to have fun. 

IMWI Race Report - Awards and Kona slot distribution

My dad had this incredible way of making the best of every situation. I really looked up to my dad because he lived a very positive life despite the many obstacles that he had overcome in all years of his life. He was always happy and smiling. He taught me that no matter how hard something may be in life, nothing feels better than finishing something that you start.

I commend my dad for never giving up on his 10 month fight with cancer. My dad was incredibly fit and healthy but he had an amazing new amount of strength since his first day of being diagnosed with an incurable type of cancer. I wish so badly that my dad could have crossed his finish line to be a cancer survivor and more so, to live life with me today.
But I know he really gave a strong effort despite all the obstacles that he faced from June 2013 until May 28^th, 2014.

It’s very bitter sweet that our 2014 triathlon season ended on a high note because our past year was not without adversity. The soreness, aches and pains of racing in an Ironman eventually subside but there are moments in life that are extremely difficult to overcome and stay with you forever.

It never crossed my mind to stop training for triathlons in the past year, even after my dad passed away just three days before my 32^nd birthday. I was never raised to give up when the going gets tough and I was also taught that life is not easy so I never have expected an easy way. 

However, as a human being, there are many emotions to be experienced when you lose a loved one which makes it incredibly difficult to give 100%, 100% of the time. So even if you are not a quitter, it’s sometimes very difficult to find the “why” to continue.

On Sept 7^th, Karel and I gave it our 100% for 140.6 miles. We both did not have an easy day and the fight was a difficult one. But in honor of my dad, the effort was worth it. There were so many times during the race when we could have given up but we worked way too hard to surrender during our own temporary hardship.

Karel passed 500 athletes from the time he exited the water, until he crossed the finish line. Karel was 89^th in his age group after he swam 2.4 miles and finished 3^rd age group. Although he did not know this while he was racing, Karel’s ability to never settle and to believe there is a chance, paid off greatly at IMWI. Karel did not feel fresh on the run but his two choices were to dig deep and not give up or give up and settle. 

I found myself as 2^nd amateur from around mile 35-45 of the bike until around mile 10 of the run. 87 miles to question if I was doing enough, if I was pushing too much and if this was all worth it. I found myself in survival mode only to realize that  if there is a will, there is a way. 

After a restless night of sleep on Sunday (and a 4am snack of 7-up, Chobani strawberry yogurt, granola and banana for me), Karel and I had a small meal around 8am and chatted with our homestay Ed at the kitchen table.

The congrats messages were still coming in via Facebook, texting and email and Karel and I were still in disbelief as to what we did yesterday with our bodies. I had dreamed about what it would feel like for both of us to qualify for Kona at the same race but due to waves of complete exhaustion and satisfaction, it really didn’t feel like we were in the present moment. With quads that barely worked in a body that was completely exhausted and depleted, it was hard enough to think about how I would get my body to the award ceremony, let alone think about racing in Kona next October. 

It was an extremely challenging race that was not textbook perfect in terms of execution. As Karel, Ed and I made our way to the Terrace for the awards on Monday morning around 9:30am, I thought about the similarities of Ironman racing and life.

Never does an Ironman race need to be perfect to be termed successful. The real results are told by the athlete and not by times on a piece of paper. There are many moments when you want to give up but somehow you find the inner strength to continue on. Life is not perfect, it’s easy to give up and the best moments in life are when you find yourself doing what you once thought was not possible. It may not be easy, but it will be worth it.

The awards were preceded by a free breakfast (for athletes) and the food selection included muffins, fruit, yogurt and egg and cheese sandwiches (meat options as well) on English muffins. We were not super hungry and a few hours later we were going to enjoy a real meal at the Great Dane brewery and pub. 

As we waited for the awards to start, I spotted the Kona slot allocation sheet.

I first looked at Male 35-39. 4 slots. Awesome for Karel who placed 3^rd!

Then my eyes scrolled down the page to Women 30-34. 

I thought 2 slots for sure but in the past, three slots have also been awarded for the 30-34 age group. 

What? Only 2 slots!!!

Oh no…what if Suzie changes her mind and takes her 2^nd place slot which leaves me as the first athlete to not receive a Kona slot in our age group.

I’m typically a patient person when it comes to triathlon training and racing but I was filled with nerves and anticipation. Although I had 100% made up my mind that I would not chase a Kona slot in 2015 and that I would be taking a break from Ironman racing for at least 1 ½ years if I didn’t Kona qualify, it was incredible painful to wait until 11am for the Kona slot distribution (and roll down) to see if fate was on our side.

I went back to Karel and told him that he was 100% in for Kona but there were only two slots in my age group. I could tell that Karel was a bit bummed for it was our goal to race Kona together.

After Mike Reilly showed two inspirational videos (volunteer and athlete), I started to get back to reality in that it was not life or death if I didn’t qualify. I gave my absolute best and there was really nothing more I could have done on race day. I almost gave up during the race so just finishing was a huge accomplishment! I was confident that I prepared the best that I could and I would not have done anything different leading up to the race or during the race.

After the pros received their awards, we listened to the Female and Male overall winners give speeches. This was super inspiring. They both gave amazing speeches, especially the male winner, Daniel Bretscher who also set a new course record.

Then Mike Reilly called up  all athletes under 40 years of age who placed top 5 in their age groups..

While holding hands, Karel and I walked up to the left of the stage to join our fellow age group competitors. 

I thanked Suzie again (this time in nice clothes and not all sweaty) for helping me out on the run and she said “Did your husband get a Kona slot?” I told her yes. 

She was so happy for him and she replied back “I’m so happy you both will be racing together in Kona!”

Together? Did I just get my 100% confirmation that Suzie was not taking her Kona slot because she wants to race IMWI next year (it’s her favorite race and local for her)? 

I gave her a big hug, just like I have done in the past for my fellow age group competitors, for the last 2 times of Kona qualifying (IMWI 2010, IM Lake Placid 2013) I have received roll down slots 3 out of 4 times of qualifying for Kona (I won my age group 18-24 when I raced my first IM, IMFL). 

I introduced Suzie to Karel and I also met the other girls in my age group. 

Stacey (who was 1^st amateur and won our age group) not only had an exception race by placing 5^th overall female but she mentioned that she wasn’t sure if she was going to take her Kona slot because she was in a similar position as Karel and me…..she said if her husband qualified for Kona (he was in the 35-39 age group) she would take her slot but since her husband didn’t qualify, she wasn’t sure if she would take her slot (Stacey and I raced Kona together in 2013 so I knew of her and how awesome she is as an athlete). 

Of course, the 4^th and 5^th place girls were anxiously awaiting if 1^st and 2^nd place would take their slots and then it all came to me if I would take the roll down slot. But in the end, as we stood on top of the podium, I think we all were so proud of each other for it was close competition that allowed us all to give our best effort on race day.

I'm sure there were a handful of girls not on the podium that gave their absolute best effort as well. 

Karel was just so excited for his first podium, even though you wouldn’t guess it from someone who is always so focused. I was just so proud of him, not only as his wife but as his best friend.

After awards, we had about 30 minutes to wait until Kona slot distribution and roll down. Although I was pretty certain I was going to get a slot from Suzie, I still didn’t want to celebrate and share my Aloha’s too early. 

30-34 age group podium

Me and Suzie

35-39 age group podium

11am came around and it was time. You’d think that all of the stress was on race day but I think that Karel and I were still so nervous about making sure that we were both 100% in. Even though it was almost guaranteed that we both were about to get a slot, we needed proof with our Kona qualifying certificates.

    

Mike Reilly started with the 18-24 age groups and let me tell you how awesome it is to be in the room when athletes are receiving their Kona slots. It isn’t only exciting when an athlete earns his/her allocated slot but it is even more exciting when the slot rolls down to an athlete that likely, 30 minutes ago, didn’t think he/she would be going to Kona. I have qualified for Kona 4 times and each time, it is the most amazing experience to hear your name be called by Mike Reilly that “You are going to Kona!”

When it came to the female 30-34 age group, there was silence in the room when 1^st and 2^nd place declined their slots.

“Marni Sumbal…do you want to go to Kona?”

“YES!!!!”

I walked up to the front of the room, received a lei and stood in line to register and pay for Kona (although we planned for this, paying for two World Championships at the same time…I hope our banking account has been tapering for this shock!). 

I gave the 4^th place girl a big hug as it was her first time qualifying for Kona and she didn’t even expect it to happen at awards. 

As I waited to the side (Karel had the credit card), Mike Reilly called Karel’s name and followed it by “I love it! Husband and wife going to Kona. Karel, are you going to finish together?”

He was joking as he laughed and smiled at Karel, who then gave him a big high five.

I gave Karel a BIG huge and we both finally could relax...well, our bodies still hurt but at least the work was over. 

We did it. We just cannot believe it and words cannot even begin to describe what that moment felt like when our master plan actually (and finally) paid off. It’s still sinking in. I am so thankful to everyone who followed us (friends, family and Trimarni fans) as well as the companies who we have been able to be proud ambassadors for because we absolutely LOVE their quality gear/products!
Oakley women

110% Play Harder

INFINIT Nutrition

Hawk Racing

Xterra Wetsuits
Canari cyclewear

We did not make any big sacrifices in life to make our dream a reality. 

I do not believe that we did anything extra-ordinary to execute well at our three key races this year (St. Croix 70.3, IM Austria, IMWI). 

We believe in our approach to training and we maintain a healthy relationship with food by eating for fuel and for health.
We also do not make excuses. It's just not our style. 

We love life so we believe in a balanced approach to training. We simply enjoyed every training journey this year. Above all, we stayed patient and focused on ourselves and not on what our competition was doing.

We waited and waited and when it was time for us to give our best effort this season, that was the time when the dream came true.

What a year, filled with highs and lows. My dad would have been so proud of us.

I stil can't believe it! 

Karel and I will be racing together in the 2015 Ironman World Championship.

Aloha.

2011 Ironman World Championship with my favorite guys. 

IMWI Race Report: 26.2 mile run

My first Ironman journey was special. Everything was a first for my body while training for IMFL in 2006.

 My first 100 mile ride (which was celebrated with pancakes with my boyfriend Karel and my mom and dad). My first long brick. My first day off after my first solid weekend of peak IM training. I just loved that every long run became my longest run of Ironman training. On race day, it was the most incredible day knowing that my entire race was a day of firsts for my body. My first 2.4 mile open water swim. My first 112 mile bike ride and my first time running a marathon finish my first 140.6 mile event.

Although the distance hasn’t changed since I crossed my first Ironman finish line, each time the journey is different. There are obstacles, highs and lows but I have learned to accept nothing will be like my first Ironman journey.

Looking ahead, I will be training for my 10^th Ironman and 4^th Ironman World Championship. Just like IMWI and the ones the preceded it, I have had 9 incredible different opportunities (on 6 different courses) to race for 140.6 miles

Over the years, I have developed a great understanding of how to train for and race in an Ironman. But certainly, mistakes have been made, noteworthy workouts and races have been remembered and the learning/experiences continue with my amazing body and mind. I have used my education in exercise physiology and sport nutrition and with the help of learning from consistent, successful coaches/athletes, I continue to discover the best approach to have a successful Ironman journey and race.

Here are a few of my tips to keep in mind for your Ironman race day. 

1)      Train with the least amount of training stress to foster the most performance gains

2)      Arrive to race day healthy, not injured and not burnt out

3)      Do not race for a time, race your closest competition

4)      Know how to overcome obstacles that arise on race day

5)      Postpone fatigue for as long as possible

I have been very vocal in our approach to training as we focus more on intensity, strength training and recovery as oppose to high volume training to prepare the body for endurance racing. This approach provides us with a smooth and effective transition to taper and ultimately, makes for a body and mind that has adapted well to training and is hungry to race. 

Seeing that it is not easy to train for an Ironman, by focusing on #1, this improves the odds of #2. Because many endurance athletes do not believe (or trust) that #1 can properly prepare them for Ironman racing, the athlete who trains smart (less is more) may not need to be as fit as the other athletes. Consider that if you arrive to your race healthy, not burnt out and injury free, your odds of being able to race to your full potential are increased, regardless of if you felt you could have done more training. You are already putting yourself at an advantage by arriving with a healthy body. Because every day and course is different, feel free to keep an eye on your times to keep you honest with your potential and past training but 140.6 miles is too long of an adventure to chase a time. Keep in mind that no how competitive you are, your biggest goal on race day is to function optimally for as long as possible in order to cross the finish line.

This season has been incredible for Karel and me but IMWI really pushed our limits. It’s incredible to think that on the day when our biggest dream came true, there was a chance that neither one of us would make it to the Ironman Wisconsin finish line. 

After exiting the port-o-potty, I grabbed a sip of water from the first aid station before starting the official “26.2” mile run course. When I crossed the timing mat, I hit the lap button on my Garmin 910 (multisport function) and off I went.

The Ironman Wisconsin run course is challenging (elevation map for 1 loop above from Karel's Garmin) but the spectators are incredible. With many turns and ongoing terrain changes, there is really no way to get bored on this course.

As I was running away from the finish line (which we nearly pass to start the run and start the 2^nd loop), I did not feel good in my legs. Certainly I was not expecting fresh legs but unlike IM Austria where I had a PR run of 3:39, I quickly realized that this was going to be a looooonggg 26.2 mile run…..unless I could figure out a way to overcome my tired, heavy legs.

While carrying my two NAPALM flasks, each with 150 calories to last me the first loop (sipping every mile and as needed), I made sure to stop at the first aid station. Even though the first 2 miles or so are slightly down hill (which means uphill coming back in to town), I was not going to make the mistake of not stopping. The way I was feeling, I either stop now or expect many unintentional stops on the 2^nd loop. 

I was feeling really warm in my face so my first focus was to cool myself with sponges and cold water. If I let my body temperature rise, not only would my heart rate increase which would affect breathing and my ability to conserve glycogen but digestion would be severely compromised and I needed to make sure I consumed all of my calories/electrolytes in my flasks to postpone fatigue as long as possible.

Many memories of racing IMWI in 2010 came back on this run course so there were a few parts of the course that I was looking forward to…but first I had to make sure my body would get there. 

Although I had planned to walk every aid station, by mile 2 I started to feel a little better but I gave myself a little mental pep talk that it probably would take a few more miles of run/walk to find my rhythm. I was not concerned about my pace and rarely looked at my watch. The IMWI changes every mile so a pacing strategy is not practical on this type of a course for most age group athletes. 

My focus was only on who was behind me especially since I thought that I was 2^nd female amateur at this time and 2^nd age group.

Although this run course is entertaining with all the different parts of Madison that we run through, I really, really, really needed to see Karel. My instant pick-me-up. By mile 3, I started to feel a little better but still not the feeling I had wanted (I also didn’t expect to feel amazing). IMWI is one tough 140.6 mile course!

After a little steep incline toward the stadium, I ran down a steep decline and my legs did a little happy dance as we made a loop around the stadium. This was not only a great relief for my legs but it was also a good opportunity to scope out my competition. I had passed one or two pro girls but I was looking out for bib numbers in my age group (or 30-34 ages on calves). After running a loop in the stadium with only male competitors around me, I exited the stadium and I was getting more and more excited, just a few more miles until the crowds at State Street. 

I wasn’t feeling my best on this run but I knew I needed to keep on moving forward. This has been my go to motto for the past few Ironmans “keep moving forward and you will finish, keep moving forward.” It seems like a logical saying but after racing for over 7 hours, my body certainly thinks otherwise. Let’s just say that this Ironman Wisconsin marathon was a struggle as my mind and body were in constant battle since the very first foot strike on the run course. 

I guess if it was easy, everyone would do it!

In 2010, we stayed on the gravel trail toward State Street as Observatory Hill had construction. Well this year it was ready for us to climb. Although my legs were tired and every college student I saw sitting on the grass made me think twice if this was even worth it (sitting on the grass looked inviting), I had to focus on what I do best in the Ironman (or at least what I feel my strength is) and that is troubleshooting situations as I race. 

I had already overcome my heat issue by walking and making sure I cooled myself before it got too late. I had stayed up with my INFINIT Napalm, even if I was too exhausted to drink. I made sure to use the first few miles to find my rhythm rather than trying to go too hard or give up. I told myself that I may be tired but there is no way I am going to give up on a course that I can race smart on and especially run up a climb which my quads and short stature (typically) love to do.

When I got to the Observatory Hill which is a steep long climb, followed by a short descend and then another climb with a switch-back like descend just a few blocks from State Street, I put my head down, relaxed my arms while holding my flasks, shortened my stride and shuffled my way up the two hills. I made sure to stop at the aid station before State Street because there was absolutely no way I was walking on State Street. The screaming spectators have a tremendous amount of energy to give the athletes and I needed to soak up everything I could. 

Karel told me to keep my face relaxed. He says I smile too much. Even though I was suffering, I was happy and the spectators made me smile. 

After leaving State street I was feeling a bit better and couldn’t wait to get to my favorite part…the gravel trail! Oh relief to my legs!

I made sure to only focus on one mile at a time and since I wasn’t looking at my Garmin, I was just focused on each part of the run. Since I had remembered most of the run course from 2010, I simply broke it into sections and checked off each section.

I was nearing mile 8 and I really had to go to the bathroom. No sense trying to hold it (#2) so I stopped to go and felt SO much better.

What a different scenario than IM Austria when I felt amazing, so light on the feet, for the first 13 miles (which was also my longest run for IM Austria). But in IMWI (longest training run was 16 miles which is the longest I will run while training for an IM), it was like my legs were finally coming along….it only took 8 miles! 

I had not been passed yet but with each out and back section, I saw more and more females chasing me down. I was not feeling awesome, only better, but I was not going to settle for anything less than my absolute best effort on this day.

As I made the turn around on the paved section of the trail, I noticed Suzie Fox (had never met her before but knew of her and that she is a super strong runner and top age group triathlete) running really strong and it was only a matter of time before she passed me. I could just tell that my body was not going to be able to keep up with anyone faster than me and my only option was to continue to run as strong as I possibly could (which meant running strong on the uphills which are my strength) to at least get 3^rd place...if I could stay ahead of the girls behind me
(And this was all wishful thinking, in the case that there were 3 Kona slots). 

So here is where the race gets interesting. 

I always believe that faster athletes can help me reach my full potential. As long as the ego is not part of the picture, I believe that every athlete should embrace faster competition and not see it as discouraging.

I continued to stop at every aid station for it was not just my initial strategy but now it was my only strategy to help me keep moving forward. I would grab water, sponges and the occasional sip of coke but really it was just my “interval” for quick recovery for 10-30 seconds.

After stopping at aid station #10, I am passed for the first time by a female since around mile 35-40 of the bike. Suzie had passed me running super strong and that previous thought of “there’s no way I can run with her” now became “just try.” 

And so I did.

And there I was, running behind Suzie for a full mile. It was probably the easiest mile I had ran and it was not on a flat part of the course! Thank you Suzie!

 Nearing mile 11, I felt as if I needed to introduce myself to Suzie. She was helping me run when I thought I was not able to run any faster. 

 It was just awkward to run behind her. I think if Karel found out I did this during the race, he would have said “you did what??!"

I’m pretty sure Karel was not introducing himself and making BFF's to the other athletes that he was chasing down.

I introduced myself to Suzie and told her I read her blog and then told her I have a doggy, since I know she likes dogs. She was super sweet and although it was not the place to get to know each other, my competition now became the person who was literally, keeping me going. I still tried to stop at the aid stations, they were short but I still managed to stay with Suzie.

I mentioned to Suzie if she could keep me going, that we were 2^nd and 3^rd and I thought there would be 3 Kona slots so we would all get slots. I also told her my husband was racing and trying to get a Kona slot. 

Before I knew it, my race was about to change.

“Oh, I’m not taking my slot so it is all yours! I hope you and your husband can race together!”

WHAT???? Oh this changes everything!!!

Should I believe her, do I keep going, should I hold back? Where in the heck is Karel? I still want to sit in the grass right now. 

Although there was a brief moment of relief and concern, I still needed to race. Kona slots are not easy to come by and even though Suzie may end up finishing ahead of me, I am still being chased by a handful of girls that want to go to Kona and be on the podium.

One thing I have learned, there is no easy race if you want a ticket to the big island for the World Championship.

After running side-by-side for a good two miles (and 1 mile to start behind Suzie), I told Suzie I would be stopping at special needs for my flasks and to keep running strong. I knew that I would lose her as she was not stopping even at the aid stations and she told me to keep trying to run with her. 

It was only a matter of time when Suzie was too far ahead of me and there was no way to catch her but I am incredibly grateful that she caught up to me because I really thought there was absolutely no way I was going to get my body to go up the steady climbs back into town.

As I made my way to start loop two, I had many thoughts going through my head. Now that 1^st and 2^nd place were ahead of me, I was in third. I had no idea where Karel was on the course and since most of my focus was on the women behind me now, the next few miles were extremely important because I knew that this is when the going gets tough, both physically and mentally. Whereas 13 miles ago I didn’t even know how I would finish the race, I found myself now with only 13 miles to go. 

It’s still far but it meant I made progress.

As I entered the stadium again on my 2^nd loop, I could see girls behind me and they all looked so strong. I was happy they were having good days and I tried to channel some of their energy. I really dug deep to not walk except aid stations. I was starting to get really tight in my left shoulder and neck and I think the day of racing was just catching up to me.

Every time I had a low moment, I thought about the finish line. I thought about my dad and instead of thinking about his fight with cancer, I thought about how much he loved seeing me race in the Ironman. I always made sure to give him a smile for the camera. 

Oh and how great it will feel to cross in 3^rd place age group and amateur!  

Come on body, you can do this! 

This may not be the way I envisioned my run legs feeling off the bike but I knew I carried experience and if anything, I had arrived to this race healthy, injury free and hungry to race!

And before I knew it, around mile 23 on the other side of the road...

Oh my gosh, can it be!!!?! It’s Karel!

We crossed paths under an overpass so as I was running down the street, he was running up a little incline. Although I was incredibly exhausted, I cheered as loud as I could “GO BABE GO!!! DIG DEEP!!!”

Karel didn’t even make eye contact with me. I thought he was just focused but it turns out that Karel completely blacked out the last 10 miles. I guess he was digging so deep, he couldn’t even think clearly!

Karel was pacing with an Austrian guy on the run, who had passed him on the bike. I'm pretty sure they were not talking about doggies or becoming besties. 

After seeing Karel, I got my second wind. It didn’t make me run any faster but I sure did feel inspired to keep on pushing. When I got to Observatory Hill, there were athletes on their first loop walking. This looked like the best idea ever! Oh walking, what a beautiful thing right now with less than 10 miles to go. But no…if I walked that would mean that my competition would gain seconds on me, if not minutes. I had very little wiggle room at this point and it was only a matter of miles when there was a good chance that the girls behind me would be in front of me.

I noticed that some of the girls that were once close to me where now out of the picture so I kept on believing that I could do this. But then again, I had new competition too. I really don’t remember thinking much of my Kona dream when I got to mile 20 because the going got really tough. I mean really, really tough.

I know that the Ironman is all about pacing and postponing fatigue. It is only a matter of time when the body slows down from glycogen depletion and dehydration. As endurance athletes we have to do our best to minimize these for as long as possible but because of the nature of our sport, we can’t expect to feel amazing for 140.6 miles.

When I got to mile 21, my walks were longer. I didn’t look behind me because now I was in survival mode. I never once thought that I overbiked or pushed too hard at any one point in the race. I accepted that this was the day I was given.

As I continued to find myself counting down the mile markers, I really appreciated the cheers from friends I knew on the course and volunteers telling me that they liked my Trimarni kit (it helps to have your name on your kit for the professional photos).

An absolute (mental) highlight of the day was approaching mile marker 23. I thought I was nearing mile 22 and when I saw 23, I nearly jumped and did a happy dance. Oh how mentally relieving it is to know you are 1 mile ahead of where you think you are! I kept on running. Almost home! OK body, you can do this!

 

Oh wait, maybe you can’t.

Obstacles. 

Yep, they happen at every Ironman. I was faced with a new one. I was not able to breath. I was breathing very shallow as I was running back into town and could barely catch my breath. This was not a good situation to be in for I knew that if I was not getting oxygen into my lungs and I was breathing shallow, I was building up CO2 and this would not be healthy for my body. It was only a few minutes of trying to figure this out that I did the only thing that I knew would work.

Stop.

With less than 2 miles to go, you’d think that it’s only two miles, suck it up. Well, I can assure you that I stopped and did not move and 2 miles to the finish felt like another marathon that I needed to conquer. I am not sure how long it was, probably no more than 45 seconds (which felt like forever as I was being passed by three more girls between miles 23-25) but I stopped and tried to get in a deep inhale. I did this a few times and I felt better but the tightness in my chest did not go away.

One mile to go.

 I was in full survival mode. Hang in there body, we can do this!

Still climbing and nearing the final turn to the finish chute, I put my empty flasks in my Trimarni jersey pockets, zipped up my jersey and feeling as if I was sprinting (at the end of this exhausting marathon, 9-10 min/miles felt like sprinting for me), I had finally gotten my body to another 140.6 mile finish line.

The IM Wisconsin finish line is one of my favorites (aside from Kona) because it is long. There are spectators on both sides and I was high fiving everyone! It was a true effort to get my hands up at this point but the high fives were totally worth it. I figured I was 6^th amateur but still not positive on my age group placing if the girls who passed me were in my age group. 

And just like every other Ironman, despite having huge goals for race day to Kona qualify, everything is forgotten when I am finishing an Ironman. It is the most unbelievable feeling to finish what you start, not just at 7am but the journey that started months and months ago (and for us, a year ago when the dream started).

As I was running on the right side of the finish chute, I immediately spot Karel and our homestay Ed and Judy! I ran to the other side and high fived Karel. This was the total highlight of my day!

I was smiling ear to ear, arms were up and I did it.

9x Ironman finisher.

And then my body said, you are done.

I collapsed in the arms of the volunteers and finally I could catch my breath. The volunteers walked me to some chairs to sit down and finally, after 10 hours and 44 minutes of racing, I could sit and didn’t have to move my body any more. Off season has officially begun!

I was in no hurry to talk to Karel but after I started to come back to life a bit, I realized that I had no idea how Karel did.

I hobbled my way over to Karel after a few minutes of sitting and I asked Karel how he did.

“3^rd place. I did it. I’m going to Kona!”

This is Karel's happy face, now that the suffering is over. Karel suffering?

He's good at that. 

(Karel's longest run in training was also 16 miles)

I gave Karel the biggest hug and even though I didn’t know my place, I had no Ironman scheduled for 2015 (even though Karel signed up for Lake Placid as a back-up race to try to Kona qualify) and I had the most difficult 26.2 miles to cover, I was so thrilled for Karel. He had worked so hard and was so patient in his IM journey. It was just 2 years ago when Karel learned how to swim for the first time.

I was anxious to find out how I did because now the pressure was all on me if I would be joining Karel on the big island in 2015.

I had Ed pull up his phone to see the results and we couldn’t believe it.

I was 3^rd too!

I anticipated 2-3 Kona slots in my age group but if it was true that Suzie wasn’t taking her slot, that meant I would receive the roll down slot which meant, Karel and I would both race in Kona together!

 

Let’s just say that it was a long 15 hours of waiting to find out if our dream was really coming true.

After we took our finisher pictures, I grabbed a space blanket because I started to get really cold. I spotted some grass behind the barricades in the finish line and Karel and I just laid in the grass for a good 10 minutes. I wasn’t able to lay on my back because I was still having trouble breathing and I would cough a lot so I laid tummy down on the grass and before I knew it, it all hit me. Ouch…this Ironman racing is hard!

Karel was so fast, they didn't have time to switch over the clock to show the age group time (it's still on the pro time)

Karel is now making friends.

Finally feeling able to move my depleted body, Karel and I hobbled our way to the Terrace to get our morning clothes bag and to change into dry clothes. Ed was amazing and grabbed our bikes for us and the IM volunteers had put seat covers on all of our bikes! (Probably a good call considering what goes on during the IM bike portion). I turned on my phone and was greeted by so many texts, emails and FB messages! Thank you a million everyone for tracking our day!

After returning home, I laid in bed (tummy down) for about 20 minutes and finally made my way to the most needed, yet painful (ouch – chaffing!) shower. I put on comfy warm clothes and Judy had warmed up some leftover pizza and soup for us. 

The best homestay ever!!

Although I couldn’t eat a lot, it really hit the spot. Fat, carbs and salt makes my tummy happy post IM. I continued to stay hydrated, had 1 FIZZ (hammer) in a water bottle and after resting until 10:30pm, we (Ed, Karel and I) made our way back downtown to watch the most exciting part of the Ironman, the last hour!

Post-Ironman exhaustion + Kona slot distribution anticipation. Let’s just say it was a very restless night with only a few hours of sleep.

Karel gave up beer for a little over a week! Cheers to a great finish and WI beer!

Karel: 9:44:02
3rd AG, 9th amateur

Marni: 10:44:47
3rd AG, 6th amateur

Karel stats:

Marni Stats

Marni Run stats (Garmin): 

(including all walks/stops which was every mile + my extra stop to breath)

1. 7:32
2. 7:58
3. 8:40
4. 8:06
5. 8:25
6. 8:50
7. 8:29
8. 9:04
9. 8:36
10. 8:31
11. 8:28
12. 8:13
13. 8:30
14. 8:33
15. 8:37
16. 8:48
17. 8:41
18. 8:45
19. 9:22
20. 8:42
21. 8:58
22. 9:03
23. 9:08
24. 9:14
25. 9:34
26. 10:04

Karel’s run stats (Garmin)

1. 6:42
2. 6:57
3. 7:20
4. 7:03
5. 7:00
6. 7:24
7. 7:05
8. 7:08
9. 7:13
10. 7:10
11. 7:24
12. 7:14
13. 7:32
14. 7:11
15. 7:19
16. 7:34
17. 7:39
18. 7:35
19. 8:14
20. 7:57
21. 7:53
22. 7:56
23. 7:48
24. 7:48
25. 7:38
26. 7:21
    .2 miles @ 6:42 pace(first ½ marathon @ 7:10 min/mile, 1:33)