2025 IMLP Spectating

Photo by Angela. 

We recently took our 6th trip to Lake Placid, NY. 

Lake Placid holds a special place in our heart for several different reasons. Ironman Lake Placid was Karel's first Ironman in 2013 and our first Ironman together. It was the first Ironman that I participated in after my dad was diagnosed with cancer and had undergone extensive spinal surgery due to the cancer spreading to his spine. Karel had his only DNF in Lake Placid in 2015 when he went into the race with a torn plantar. Karel has raced IMLP 4 times and I have raced 3 times. We decided to move to Greenville after 2013 IMLP as we fell in the love with the mountains. Lastly, we made the long drive to Lake Placid three times so that we could bring Campy with us. This recent trip was a bit emotional as Friday was the one-year since we said good bye to Campy. 

Karel was supposed to race Lake Placid this year but he has had some complications after two knee surgeries (meniscus trims) so he deferred to 2026. Since we had 9 athletes racing, we decided to make the trip to support our athletes. And this time we would make new memories with Sunny. 

Tuesday

We started our long 16 hour drive early on Tuesday morning. We made a stop in DC to stay with our athlete Morgan. We had a nice pizza dinner with several of our DC athletes. Sunny enjoyed playing with Morgan's dogs (Cheddar and Gossip). 

Wednesday

We finished the drive on Wednesday morning (we left before 6am and arrived around 3:30pm) and checked into our Airbnb at the Snowshoe Lodge.  During our drive, I ordered some groceries from Hannaford online (Instacart) and they were delivered in the evening. This location was perfect as it was only a ~1/2 mile walk to the lake and right on the run course. After we unloaded our stuff, we walked to Mirror Lake and was joined by our professional athletes Yannick and Katie for an open water swim. Since Karel and I don't leave Sunny alone when we travel, we took turns. I swam a loop (1.2 miles) and then Karel swam a loop. After the swim we all ate dinner at the brewery across the lake. 

Thursday

On Thursday morning, I left around 7am for a ride on the IMLP bike course (53.5 miles from our Airbnb). I enjoyed riding the Keene descent on my road bike and enjoying the scenery on the course. Lake Placid is incredibly beautiful and although the weather can be unpredictable, the weather was warm and humid. After my ride, I went for a 2.7 mile/22 min run. While I was out, Karel worked on a few of our athletes bikes and got some work done. He also went on a long walk with Sunny and stopped by the Blueberry bakery. He then went out for a MTB ride on the Lussi and Logger trails. Karel is getting ready for his 2nd Breck Epic MTB stage race. He was really disappointed in the trails on Thursday as they were not well maintained. He was able to ride for 2.5 hours and after his ride he went for a 4.5 mile, 31 min run. In the afternoon, we went for another swim at Mirror Lake. The water was warm so we wore our swim skins every time we swam. Our athlete Yannick watched Sunny in his camper van as we swam as it was raining (lightly) and Sunny does not like the rain). 

Friday

On Friday morning, we set up a meet up with our athletes at the lake. We all swam a loop. Since it rained overnight, Karel waited until it dried out before heading out for his ride. After the swim I went for a 9.2 mile, 1:12 run on the run course. Since Karel left for his ride after I swam, our athletes Katie and Yannick offered to watch Sunny while I ran as Katie needed to get some work done on her computer and she misses her pups (Sunny is the replacement :) I ran on Hwy 86 (reversing the bike course) to River road and then followed the run course back into town. After I returned, I walked with Katie to the pro meeting and then continued on with our walk in downtown with Sunny. Karel went out for a 4 hour, 30 mile MTB ride at the Mt. Van Hoevenberg (the out and back of the bike course). He was hopeful that this would be a good area to ride as it's the home of the UCI mountain bike race in Placid but once again he was not thrilled with the riding. He was still able to get in a long ride. In the evening, we had a pizza party at our athlete's house and enjoyed chatting with all of our athletes racing. 

Sunny is in the process of becoming a certified therapy dog so we did some practice with his vest on in the town. 

Saturday

In the morning, Karel went for a run (1:34, 12.2 miles) and I hung out with Sunny and got some work done. While Karle was running, Sunny and I walked to downtown and picked up bagels. After Karel returned, it was my turn to ride. I was really looking forward to my ride on the Whiteface Memorial Highway. Anytime I do a new route, especially a climb, I always do some research first. My friend Carley from Gville told me about the climb and she told me I would really enjoy it. She was right! The 40 mile ride took me 2:43 and had 4700 feet of climbing. The climb is 8 miles, gains 3600 feet and averages 8%. There is a toll booth after a few miles and it costs $15 for cyclists to continue to the top. There were a few cyclists climbing and descending as I was riding. It got cooler as I got to the top (I brought arm warmers and gloves and a mylar sheet for my chest). My goal was to complete the climb under 1:10 and I did it in 1:09. The views at the top were incredible. Because the climb didn't have any significant turns, the descend was fast! I maxed my speed at 50 mph! When I got back, I went for a 31 min, 4 mile run. After I returned home, Karel drove to the Flume Trail system and he said this was his favorite trail of the three. It was flown and fun. He rode for 1:48. As Karel was riding, I walked with Sunny to the transition area with Katie as she checked in her bike. In the evening (around 6pm), Karel and I went to Mirror Lake for one last swim. Karel went first and then he picked up dinner and walked back with Sunny and then I went for a swim. It was very peaceful as there weren't many people swimming (maybe 3 others and not athletes racing). 

Sunday - race day!

I got up at 5am and Katie came over shortly after. We walked to the transition area and I helped her out with her special needs bags and holding her stuff as she warmed up. Karel met us near the water a little after 6am. Sunny was a very good boy and did great all day with the crowds, music, loud noises, rain (not his favorite!) and long day. We had a great time cheering for our 9 athletes. We loved seeing Bruce - the oldest athlete in the race - complete the swim, bike and 7 miles of the run. Incredible at the age of 75 and his first Ironman! There was rain for a good part of the day (on and off) but thankfully all of our athletes completed the bike and made it to the finish. Our athlete Angela hung out with us (she was watching her partner Kevin race) and after the race, we had a few of our athletes come to our place to tell us about their race experience. We love Lake Placid! 

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Monday/Tuesday

On Monday morning, we packed up our place. Karel went for a run (5 miles, 40 min) and when he came back, I went for a run (50 min, 6.4). It's so easy to train in Placid as it's just so beautiful. We left in the late morning and started our long drive home. We stayed in Pennsylvania with one of our athletes to help break up the drive. We arrived home on Tuesday around 3pm. After unpacking, we went to Furman and did an easy 2400 yard swim in the evening. Sunny told us that he really enjoyed his trip and he is looking forward to more race/train-cations. Congrats to our athletes and everyone who raced! 

2022 IM Lake Placid Race Recap

 

2.4 mile swim
Marni -57:40
Karel – 1:00.28

As soon as I started swimming, the nerves went away. Since I lined up with the sub 60 min group, I found myself swimming strong right from the start. Although I breathe to both sides when I swim in the pool, I tend to favor my left side when I swim open water (and favor my right side when I swim in the pool). I didn’t need to sight much since the lake is so small and several people stay along the cable (under the water) which helps to keep everyone on course but when I did sight, I take note of the next buoy. When I breathed to my left, I would make note of the number on the buoy – counting to 9 before the first of two turn buoys. Karel tried to stay with me but he had to stay with his own effort after a few buoys. As I made the 2^nd turn buoy, it felt like I was swimming fast. I rarely found myself swimming alone and many times, I found myself in a crowd of other swimmers. As I was nearing the end of the first loop, I was looking forward to getting out of the water for the quick run on the sand before starting lap two. I like loop courses, especially when you can get out of the water. I don’t have any issues with cramping but some athletes need to be careful when getting out of the water (going from the swim position to upright) – Karel sometimes cramps when he gets out of the water quickly but thankfully he was ok for this race. I was surprised that all 2000+ athletes were already in the water when I started my 2^nd loop. I felt like I was swimming strong for the first loop so I wanted to keep that same effort. However, with slower swimmers in the water, I had a lot of athletes to pass. I try to be extra careful when passing slower swimmers so I did a lot more sighting on the second loop, which I think slowed me down a bit. The two turns were extremely chaotic that I had to swim far outside the buoys as I was getting caught between swimmers between the two buoys (about 25 yards apart). On the way back to the shore, I found myself thinking about the run. I know better to not jump ahead with my thoughts but with this being my 3^rd time racing on this course, I knew how much the run would hurt (physically) and I wasn’t sure if I was mentally prepared for that. I almost wanted to quit the race as I was nearing the end of the swim. But as I got out of the water, the energy of the spectators kept me going as I made the long run from Mirror Lake to the transition area. Karel was happy with his swim and how he felt in the water. It took Karel many years to feel comfortable swimming with a group as he would get a lot of panic in the open water, especially during races. 

Transition 1
Marni – 5:45
Karel – 4:35

As I was running to the transition area, I pulled down my wetsuit and started to put on my tri top. Even though I wasn’t wearing a one piece trisuit, I put on my tri top like it was a trisuit and zipped it up just to my belly button so that it stayed around my waist and when I pulled down my wetsuit, I could put my arms through the sleeves and zipped up the top. Karel did the same, although he had a trisuit on. I chose to not wear my tri top around my shoulders because it feels too restrictive with the wetsuit when I swim. Additionally, because the water was warm (75 degrees), I knew I would get warm with my effort while swimming and didn’t want the extra layer of clothing under the wetsuit.

As I entered the transition area, I grabbed my blue bike bag and ran into the changing tent. I took off my wetsuit and then opened my bag….only to realize it wasn’t my bag! I didn’t waste any negative energy on the situation but instead, just laughed at myself and ran back out and returned the bag and grabbed my correct bag. My athlete Kathleen was volunteering outside the women’s changing tent and she told me “Great job Marni, round 2!” It made me laugh. Inside the transition area, I was there with one or two other age group females and then 2 professional females (they started only 3 minutes before the age groupers and didn’t wear wetsuits due to the warm water temps – they have different wetsuit rules compared to age groupers). I took off my timing chip and put it in my mouth (to remind me to put it back on around my ankle) as I put on my compression socks. I then put on my Bont tri shoes, stuffed a bar and packet of chews in my pocket, put a baggie of Gu aminos in my shorts side pocket and then put on my helmet (with the shield up as it’s easier to put on that way, and the shield doesn’t fog right away). I then stuffed my wetsuit, cap and goggles inside the bag and carried the bag to my bike rack, I dropped the bag and grabbed my bike. I powered on my bike computer, ran my bike to the mount line and got on my bike. I saw my mom with Campy up on the grass field and she told me that I swam 57 minutes and I was 1^st in my age group. I was really happy with my swim time and I was looking forward to the bike. 

109 mile bike (short course due to construction)
Marni -5:24.34
Karel – 5:15.02

As I started the bike, I quickly noticed how much my bike skills have improved over the years. I was taking the turns very quickly and I passed a few girls in the early miles. I found myself around a few professional females and I was even passed by Heather Jackson (who placed 2^nd female pro) in the early miles of the bike. I didn’t have any time, power or metric goals for the bike but instead, just hit the lap button at key sections of the course (ex. Keene, Jay, Wilmington) as a way to keep me focused on one segment at a time. However, I rarely looked at my computer. My focus was on managing the terrain, always keeping someone in my sights and keeping up with my nutrition. I felt very warm on the bike (a lot of it was likely due to my hormones as I started my period around 15 hours after I finished the race) and found myself needing water from every aid station (I didn’t miss one) to pour water on my body to help keep me cool. I really enjoyed the bike, although it was hard. Even with the fun fast descend into Keene, there’s very little “recovery” on this bike course and you have to work for every mile. The early miles were hard (to be expected) and I consider these hills the hardest of the course. The climbs are long. After I made the turn in Keene to head toward Upper Jay, a guy rode up to me (as he was passing me) and told me that I was a great descender. That made me smile.

As I was approaching an aid station in Upper Jay, Karel rode up next to me. It was nice to see him and exchange a few words. I had grabbed a bottle of water from the aid station to use to cool myself and when I was finished, I handed it off to Karel to use to cool himself. Karel went on and passed me and I stayed a few bikers behind him for several miles. It was fun to feel like I was “racing” with him. As we made the turn in Jay to start the steady long climbs, Karel rode away and he was out of sight until the out and back in Haselton. The Haselton out and back section felt very windy and the climb back up to town was also a bit windy. Last year this section really got to me mentally so this time around, I tried to find the positives in the views and I told myself that I would ride strong in this section. Throughout the first loop, it felt a bit lonely as I never saw more than a handful of athletes around me. It was fun to see the female pros at the front of the race. The first few miles in Wilmington were rough. It felt like I was going nowhere. I knew that this section would be tough so I just focused on the beautiful sights and anytime I felt like I could make up speed, I quickly got aero and tried to use the momentum. As I got to the top of the bears, I didn’t even realize that I had climbed all three of those hills and I was nearing the quick out and back (and hot corner) before heading back into town. The first loop went by really quickly and I did a great job drinking my nutrition (all Skratch Super Fuel). I stopped at special needs and my mom and Campy were waiting there outside the special needs area. I told my mom it would be a great place to watch as I would be there stopped and she could actually talk to me. I grabbed my 1 liter bottle filled with Skratch SuperFuel to fill up my hydration system and then put another bottle in the cage between my aerobars. I had one more bottle filled in case I needed it but decided to pass on it. My stop at special needs was 46 seconds. Karel also stopped at special needs.
As I was stopped, my mom told me that I was 1^st or 2^nd female amateur and winning my age group. As I was pouring my drink in my hydration system, I started to feel a bit dizzy. I wasn’t too concerned but it did make me notice that I felt a bit off going from riding hard to suddenly stopping. Once I started riding again, the feeling went away.
The 2nd loop felt better than the first. The wind had shifted a bit and I felt like it was a little less windy. However, it got much warmer (in the upper 70’s) and it was very humid. I found myself riding around the same people throughout the entire ride. I took in a few aminos here and there throughout the entire ride, which I feel helps me stay focused and avoid some of the sleepiness that can happen in long distance events. Karel was really happy with how he biked. He went into the race with some back pain from the long drive and although he had a few signs of cramping in his inner thighs (from previous labral tears in his hips), he was able to manage everything and somewhat enjoy the ride. Karel used NeverSecond C90 and C30 to fuel and hydrate on the bike. He also took in a few bites of a Maurten bar. In total, I consumed around 2100 calories and Karel consumed around 2000 calories. Karel removed his power meter before the race as he didn’t want to get frustrated by any numbers. Plus since we didn’t ride our tri bikes much throughout the year, we didn’t really have any numbers to go by. We both prefer to go by feel so Karel felt free not having any power numbers to get in his head.
Throughout the entire 2^nd loop, I found myself with a bit of negative thinking. I was concerned about the run and I wasn’t sure if I wanted to suffer for the rest of the race. I even contemplating quitting. I tried to get myself into a good mindset but for some reason, my mind wasn’t as committed as my body throughout the race. Luckily, my body was on autopilot and it just kept going. Even though I was having a great race and performing so well, my mind was still trying to get me to quit. As I rode into town and removed my feet from my shoes, I dismounted my bike before the line, gave my bike to a volunteer and ran to my red run bag.

Transition 2
Marni – 3:37
Karel – 3:07

As I was running to my bag, I unzipped my tri top and it felt so good to remove the jersey off my upper body. After grabbing my bag (the correct one 😊 ) I made a stop in the potty to empty my bladder. I didn’t pee on the bike (neither did Karel) but I did have the urge to go in the transition area. It also felt really good to sit down. As I was peeing, I turned on my watch to the run setting (multitasking). I didn’t know my bike time as I didn’t look at my computer much throughout the race but in looking at the time of the day, I did some quick math and realized that I was doing really well. When I got into the women’s changing tent, I was the only athlete in the tent. I removed my helmet and put on my Naked running belt (bib number attached), put in my two 10-ounce flasks (filled with Never Second C3), grabbed a C30 gel (to hold in my hand – helps with my form), put on my New Balance Fuel Cell running shoes, wrapped my cooling towel around my neck and grabbed my visor and sunglasses to put on as I was leaving the tent. I immediately poured water on my neck as I was leaving the tent as it was in the 80’s and I was feeling warm.

26.2 mile run
Marni – 3:53.27
Karel – 3:25.26

Even though I felt like I was ready to quit, my body kept moving forward. And as I started the run, my legs felt pretty good. The first few miles are net downhill so that helped the legs loosen out after 12+ miles of climbing to finish off the bike (with almost 7000 feet elevation gain). The first mile was awesome because of all the spectators. But as I passed the horse grounds, it was only the aid stations that gave me a boost of energy. I found myself with an uncomfortable side stitch on my right side for a few miles so I had to work that out with breathing and pinching my side. I ended up putting the gel in my belt as I felt like holding the gel was affecting the stitch. Eventually, the stitch went away. I didn’t have a run/walk strategy for this marathon, even though in St. George I knew right away that I needed to walk every aid station starting from the first. I ended running 6 miles before I started my first walk at the aid station. It was so great to see my athletes Kathleen and Morgan at the turn around. They even had music playing for us with our own “theme” song. The aid station volunteers were amazing and I recognized a few familiar faces which brought a smile to my face. It was great to see Karel a few miles ahead after he made the turn around. Although the 8 miles on River Road are beautiful, it feels like those miles never end. I actually looked forward to the slight uphills to change up my running gait. I was sipping on my C30, grabbing ice and pouring it in my sports bra (and holding the cubes) and pouring water on me at every aid station. The cooling towel really helped as I could give it a squeeze to cool myself between the aid stations.

I had a few sips of coke around mile 8-10 which was a nice change from the C30 berry (which I absolutely love). I kept telling myself that all I have to do is run 13 miles and then I could quit. Of course, I didn’t come this far to only come this far so I knew I would quit but these were the mind games that I needed to tell myself to keep moving forward. Miles 10-13 were tough as you climb back into town but I enjoyed the hills much more so than the flatter sections. Once I got back into town, I loved all the cheers and energy I felt from the crowds. The out section by Mirror Lake was long and it seemed like the turn around never came. I loved seeing my mom on the climbs in town – as well as Campy. I even gave Campy a pat on his head when I saw him. Whenever I saw Karel, I would give him a cheer and he would give me slight smile.

The second loop was tough. I expected and feared this part. This run course is so hard and it really hurts. I could feel the deep fatigue and soreness and I was so ready for the pain to stop. But I still had 10 miles to go. I was stopping at most of the aid stations for ice/water and to reset my form. Oddly enough, I felt like I was holding good form when I was running but each step forward got more and more difficult. I got energy watching the other athletes ahead of me, especially the female pros. I was passed by the overall amateur female early on in the run but I was being told that I was winning my age group and I was 2^nd overall amateur. Oddly enough, even though I was having a great race, I still wanted to quit. The struggle was real and Karel was suffering too. We both really had to fight for each step forward on the run. Whereas some athletes can get easily distracted in an Ironman marathon and resort to walking and talking, I found myself needing to distract myself from the pain/soreness. I started the mind games on River Road. But despite all the soreness, I was still smiling. Every time I saw one of our athletes on the course, I gave them a big cheer. Although my mind was playing all types of games with me, my body was healthy and strong and it knew how to get me to the finish line. 

Ok – just run to the turn around. That is your finish line. Just 4 miles. I continued to walk the aid stations. Once I got to the turn around, I needed to go to the bathroom. I thought it was #2 but false alarm. Just needed to pee. It was hot in there and I was ready to get running again – even though it felt great to sit down. My next goal was to get out of River Road. Four miles. Get to mile 22 and then it’s all downhill from there (even though it’s all uphill from there). Miles 18-22 lasted forever. I would try to distract myself by looking at the water or out in nature but it didn’t last long until my mind went back to the pain in my legs. Ever foot strike forward made my legs throb. I wasn’t sure if my next step would be my last. Once I got to mile 22, I gave myself permission to walk the big hill by the ski slopes but it actually felt better to run/jog up the uphill. Plus, I told myself the more I run, the faster I’ll get to the finish line and I can make this hurt stop. As I got closer to town, I looked forward to the hills in town. The energy in town was incredible. I had cheers from so many people (as well as updates on my placement). My friend Nick and his fiancé told me that I was winning my age group and I could easily walk/jog it to the finish line and I was so relieved to hear this. I was barely hanging on. The last two miles were long. I needed to be extra careful during mile 24 as my body was running on empty. Once I made the turn around, I made sure to really soak in mile 25. Knowing that I wouldn’t be running another marathon off the bike anytime soon, I was so proud of myself for finishing this Ironman as it felt like every mile of the race was a mental and physical battle. Once I got inside the oval, my legs suddenly became light and free of soreness. That finish line feeling took over and I was so excited to reach my 19^th Ironman finish line as the 2^nd female amateur female and to win the 40-44 age group.

Our athlete Ruthanne caught me (and before me, Karel) at the finish and gave me my medal. I collapsed in her arms as it felt so good to take the weight off my legs. I hobbled my way to a chair and cooled myself off. The hotness I felt all day changed to cold as I warmed myself with a space blanket. I saw my mom and gave Campy a big hug and thanked them for being out there all day. Karel was in the medical tent (there was a sign outside the tent that said “Triathlon Royalty” 😊) enjoying some chicken broth as he came back to life after a very tough run. Karel was really disappointed with his run as he felt like his legs were not cooperating. He wore his Asics (and not Nike) so maybe it was the shoes – or just not his day. Regardless, he was 2^nd in his age group and 13^th male amateur. He was proud of effort and relieved to have reached that finish line. It was interesting that we both had such a tough run but we both fought hard to get to that finish line. I ate like a champ after the race – 4 pieces of pizza, chocolate milk, sprite and French fries.

Karel went back to the house to shower and I got my bike and bags and went back to the house to shower. Aside from some chaffing in my armpit area from running, it felt so good to get clean after 10 hours of racing. After we changed, we walked back to the venue and spent the next 5+ hours on the course, cheering on our athletes. We watched all our athletes finish and had so much fun cheering on everyone. It was so inspiring to see all the athletes fighting through their own battles to get to the finish line.

After a somewhat ok night of sleep (besides the soreness), we went to the awards ceremony at 9am the next morning. We were shocked to have received 5^th place for the TriClub award. Karel and I both received slots for the IM World Championship but we turned down our slots and let them roll down. We stayed for the roll down ceremony and it was so wonderful to see our slots get taken by other deserving athletes. We have so many great memories from Kona from our combined 9 times racing on that island and we are so happy that others can enjoy that historic race.

Thank you for the cheers, pictures, support and encouragement. We really needed the positive energy during the race – thank you thank you!

Next up……Europe to visit Karel's family, race Xterra Czech and finish off our trip with the 7-day Haute Route Alps!

2022 Ironman Lake Placid - Quick Recap

In 2012, Karel was ready to try a long distance triathlon. After only being in the sport for a few months, he was looking ahead to 2013 to participate in his first Ironman. Although we were living in pancake flat Jacksonville, FL., Karel wanted a challenging course for his first Ironman. After doing a bit of research, we decided on Ironman Lake Placid in upstate NY. 

Since our first Ironman together in Lake Placid in 2013, we have returned to the area four more times. We fell in love with Lake Placid so much that we decided that we needed to move away from the beach, and closer to the mountains. Thus, our move to Greenville, SC in May 2014. We also realized that we love challenging and beautiful courses. Some of our favorite courses include Wisconsin, Whistler, Austria and St. George. 

In 2015, Karel tore his plantar a few weeks prior to Ironman Lake Placid and intentionally DNF (did not finish) after the bike. In 2017, we returned again for Karel to race, but he had the flu on race week. Somehow, Karel was able to fight through his sickness and get to the finish line (and then the medical tent immediately after). He got a slot to Kona but he let it rolldown. Finally, for redemption, we returned back in 2021 for us both to race......but unfortunantly Karel broke his hand mountain biking two months before the race so he was unable to race. 

And then came 2022. Our fifth attempt on this beautiful and challenging course.
While we were both excited to return to Lake Placid for the Ironman, our focus for training and racing slightly shifted over the past year. 

In a week, we head off to Europe for a month of travel and racing. We are so excited to check off two firsts….my first Xterra race (and Karel's first European Xterra) in Czech Republic and then a week later, we start the 7-day Haute Route Alps (492 miles of cycling, 69881 feet total elevation gain, ~11,154 elevation gain per stage). We registered for the Haute Route in November of 2019 and due to the pandemic, three years later we finally get to check off this bucket list event. 

Training for an Ironman while also preparing for an off-road triathlon and a 7-day mountainous cycling event forced us to think outside of the box with our training - especially since we were training for events on three different bikes. And since we had three races in 29 days in May (Ironman St. George, IM 70.3 Chattanooga and IM 70.3 Blue Ridge - plus Karel did an 8-hour mountain bike event a week before Ironman St. George) - something that we had never done before - we knew that we couldn't stick with conventional Ironman training. We spent a lot of time on our mountain bikes and road bikes and very little time on our triathlon bikes this year. We "played" outside a lot. We swam, we biked and we ran but the training looked very different to what we had done in years past in preparation for an Ironman. But the one thing that kept us enjoying triathlon racing this season was not specifically training for any one triathlon event. We found joy in training and it was exactly what we needed to keep us enjoying the journey to one last Ironman event. Going into Ironman Lake Placid with a great amount of endurance, strength and resiliency and a lot of prior race experience, we were able to put together one last successful day of racing. I won my age group (40-44) and finished 2nd overall amateur female and Karel was 2nd in his age group and 13th overall amateur male. We both received a slot to the 2022 Ironman World Championship, but let it roll down to another deserving athlete for their chance to participate on the Big Island. 

After a combined 35 Ironman triathlons, we decided that now is a great time to put a bookmark in our Ironman training and racing chapter. We will revisit this Ironman chapter again but moving forward, we are excited to turn the page and start a new chapter in our athletic journey. We love triathlon and will not stop swimming, biking and running. But just like we did for Ironman St. George and Ironman Lake Placid, we will take an unconventional approach to triathlon training to help us prepare for new adventures and extreme/ultra-endurance events. 

Race report coming soon......

Off to Ironman Lake Placid - time to reflect

It was only four years ago when Karel and I made the trip up to Lake Placid for the 2013 Ironman. Not only was this an amazing opportunity to make memories together in a new location but this was Karel's very first Ironman! Although I never take an Ironman start for granted, I couldn't believe that I would be sharing a 140.6 mile race course with Karel for my 6th Ironman. I was so use to seeing Karel on the sidelines that it was a little strange, exciting and special to see Karel on the race course. 

When we arrived to Lake Placid, we were in awe of the mountain views. The scenery was breathtaking and we felt so lucky that we could race in such a beautiful venue while soaking in all of the nature around us. Lake Placid was the last place that we both visited before we decided to move to Greenville, SC. After returning home from IM Lake Placid in 2013, it was only 6 months later that we decided to make the scary but exciting decision to leave the beach scene and familiarity of Jacksonville, FL and move to the mountains as we craved a bike friendly playground to maintain our active lifestyle and a fresh start to grow the Trimarni business. 

Crossing an Ironman finish line is always an emotional and exhilarating feeling, but knowing that I was sharing the entire race experience with Karel was extremely special. For the first time, I was able to share my race stories with Karel and he could share his experiences with me. It was so fun to talk about those inside details with each other - and walk a little funny together after the race. 

Although I went into the race with limited running due to another setback with my hips/back and we both had our challenges during the race, it was a great race experience to share together and it made me realize how much I love racing the Ironman distance. 

After the awards ceremony, I received a roll down slot to my 3rd Ironman World Championship just 12 weeks later. Although Karel was not able to come to Kona with me due to work (GM of the Jacksonville Trek Store), I was able to share the special experience with my dear friend Dr. G. 

Although I was celebrating my 7th Ironman without Karel, I was extremely proud of my body for racing so well (IM PR) just 3 months after Ironman Lake Placid. Somehow, Lake Placid taught me a lot about myself and since then, I have not been seriously injured and have experienced huge improvements in my fitness and racing performances.

Although our 2013 Ironman Lake Placid experience left us with happy memories, inside, Karel and I were both dealing with the news that my dad had stage IV cancer. A few weeks before our trip, my dad was in the hospital due to having major surgery on his spine. He was given little chance of walking again and a poor prognosis of making a full recovery from his cancer. 

My training was severely affected because mentally, it was hard for me to be in the zone during a workout. I couldn't clear my head and I wanted to be with my dad, in the hospital, as much as possible. It was extremely hard to wake up each morning, questioning how much longer my dad would be with us. But my dad's strength was contagious. I've always admired his positive attitude and his ability to live life to the fullest every day of his life and even during his cancer diagnosis, he still stayed positive. He was so excited for Karel to tackle his first Ironman and he was so proud of us to both for being able to do amazing things with our body, while celebrating our good health. After cancer took my dad's life after a hard 10-month fight, I learned that good health is a gift and we should never ever take it for granted. When an opportunity arises to do something amazing with your body, take it! 

It was then 2 years later, in 2015, when we returned back to Ironman Lake Placid with a few of our Trimarni athletes (Joe, Mike, Adam and Heidi). This was an extremely special experience to share Lake Placid with our athletes and to give Karel another opportunity to race on one of his favorite race courses. 

Sadly, things didn't go as planned leading up to the race. Near the end of May, Karel tore his plantar fascia after two super strong performances that gave him a lot of confidence with his fitness. He didn't get the diagnosis of the severity of the injury until he had a MRI just 24 hours before we left for IM Lake Placid. With this being Karel's first injury, he had a really hard time accepting that he would not be able to do the run at Ironman Lake Placid. This left Karel with a ton of emotions going into the race, including a lot of frustration. But knowing that he had his first Ironman World Championship just 12 weeks later, he made the hard but smart decision of pulling out of the race after the bike. 

After his race was over and he turned in his chip, he joined me out on the course to cheer for the rest of our Trimarni athletes. Although Karel was disappointed with how his second Ironman Lake Placid experience went down, it was a special experience to see our athletes cross the finish line. Although Karel's injury was very slow to heal (11 months), not running on it ensured that he wouldn't do any further damage.  

Karel's foot injury was tough to handle but we noticed that Campy was experiencing seizures more frequently while in Lake Placid. This was very scary. As soon as we returned home, we had to attend to Campy's health with several vet appointments to figure out what was going on with Campy's brain. Finally, we were able to control his seizures with medication and since then, he hasn't had a seizure. 

Admittedly, my head was not in a good place in the summer of 2015 with so much going on in our life over the past year. Despite Karel and I sharing our first Ironman World Championship experience together (and my 4th IMKona), I couldn't get my mind off Karel's foot, wondering what would happen to him on race day and still grieving over the loss of my dad. 

We both finished the race but I was very disappointed with my performance as my body and mind were not in a good place on race day. After IM Kona 2015, I decided that I would take a break from IMKona and just focus on training and racing without putting any pressure on myself to re-qualify. Since then, I have experienced huge improvements with my fitness and have maintained great health. I've also noticed an improved joy with training and racing. 

Thankfully, Karel's foot was ok for the run (picture from IM Kona 2016) and although he had a few niggles for the next few months, his foot finally healed about 11-months after the tear and he went on to achieve great results in 2016 - which happened to be his best season of triathlon racing at the age of 40! Karel completed 3 Ironmans within 4 months and ran all three marathons off the bike under 3:10! 

As we gear up for our 3rd trip up to Lake Placid today, it was important to reflect on all of the lessons that we have learned since our first IM in Lake Placid. Through the highs and lows of training and racing, we have learned a lot. 

-You can never predict the future. No matter how good or bad your training goes before a race, you never know what race day will bring you. Don't waste your energy trying to make assumptions or plan for what is out of your control. Be in the now. 

-Never wait for the right time to start or do something with your body. Life is too short to wait for the perfect moment. If you wait too long, your moment may never come.

-Make time out of your busy life to slow down and make memories.

-You deserve to be happy - in life, with your career and in your relationships. Don't let people steal your energy or make you feel less of yourself. 

-Work to live, don't live to work.

-When you think that things can't be any worse, there's something better coming your way.

-Slow down. Life rushes by fast. Always take note of the special/happy moments in your life.

-Tell the people in your life that you care about, that you love them.

-Some things in life will just not make sense. Accept that there is not always a reason for everything that happens to you in life.

-Money doesn't buy happiness. Use your money to provide you with life changing experiences.

-There's something special about being in nature. It just feels right.

2015 IM Lake Placid - behind the scenes part 1

This race experience was extra special because we had all of our Trimarni athletes in one house (except for Heidi who was with her family/friends just a few houses down - super convenient!). 

With two of our athletes doing their first Ironman, we could not have asked for a better venue for our athletes to enjoy racing for 140.6 miles.

I rented a large house for our group of 10 which was off Greenwood, just about .6 mile from Main Street.  We had several side streets to walk on which was  nice to avoid any busy roads. 

We were less than 1/2 mile from the local grocery store (Hannaford) and it was easy for everyone in our group to get to downtown by foot. 

Our 3-floor rental home had a lot of character. There were a lot of updates inside the home but a lot of old features like claw foot tubs, creaky wood floors and lots of decorative features. Needless to say, we loved this house because it always was the topic of conversation for our group.
Campy, of course, loved his fenced-in backyard. 

Now I will say that our kitchen was amazing! We would all gather around the island and drink coffee/eat and chat in the morning and throughout the day.
We also had an industrial sized refrigerator and freezer which we had no problem filling up on a daily basis. 

It was great to be there with our athletes as a spectator. Although I was on the sidelines on race day, I still felt as if I was one of the group on the days leading up to the race. I had a great time training in Placid for my mini training camp and being around the positive energy from our crew. 

Adam, Mike, Karel, Joe and me before our first swim in Mirror Lake. 

Mirror Lake is unbelievable - not just because of it's backdrop but there is a cord under water that is visible while you are swimming so that you can just follow the line without getting off course. There are small buoys lined up in the lake so this makes for a very easy-to-navigate swim course. Plus, the rectangle swim has two turn buoys that are just about 25 meters from one another so the swim is literally and out and back course with little to no chop. The water temp was around 72 degrees but with a wetsuit, it was comfortable if not warm at times. By Tues, when the temperature increased from mid 70's race weekend to 90's, we swam with only our speedsuits. 

Another great feature of Lake Placid is the bike-friendly roads no matter where you are staying. With the course being a two loop course from Placid to Keene (from the ski jump side) to Jay/Upper Jay to Wilmington and back up to Placid on the Whiteface mountain side, you will always see athletes out on the course training or gearing up for the race. I rode the course twice (75 miles on Thurs and 56 miles on Saturday) and I never felt alone out there. 

It was great for Karel and I to help out our athletes as needed on the days leading up to the race. There is so much to do before an Ironman that it is easy to get overwhelmed to race for 140.6 miles. 

Our athletes were super prepared, physically, going into this race as Joe, Adam, Mike and Heidi put in the work and made huge gains in fitness over the past 8-9 months. 

As for the "sherpa's" we had fun helping out as needed. 

Campy enjoyed his vacation and although he was exhausted on a daily basis from all the excitement, he could always be found in the kitchen on his comfy chair. 

Taylor (Adam's wife), Erica (Joe's wife) and Erin (Mike Girlfriend) were amazing. Whereas I was out training or with our athletes, these ladies did an exceptional job feeding the group. The meals were outstanding! 

Best sherapas ever! And THANK YOU Taylor for all of these great pictures!! You are a great Trimarni photographer!

It was so fun to make so many memories with our group. 

And to share so many experiences together....especially for our first timer Ironman athletes, Adam and Mike. 

Saturday came quick and it was time for everyone to check in their bikes and Bike and Run gear bags. 

Later that evening, Taylor made Mdot sugar cookies...for our Ironman athletes to enjoy post race. 

Did I mention that we loved hanging out as a group in our house?

When the guys were in bed on Saturday evening, we had fun decorating signs. 

And doing our nails - Trimarni Jamberry nails! 

Oh I almost forgot - Friday night was Pizza and Pasta night! A tradition of mine - shared with the group at IM Lake Placid. 

Stay tuned for part 2 of the behind the scenes recap of 2015 IM Lake Placid - race day!!

Thank you again Taylor for these amazing pics!! 

Ironman Lake Placid - Day 1-3

Day 1 - ThursdayIt was great to finally see Lake Placid. It was just 2 years ago when Karel and I shared our first Ironman race together in Lake Placid but now it's extra special as we have several athletes racing on Sunday. 

We started the morning with a 1 loop, 1.2 mile swim in the refreshing (72-degree) calm waters in Mirror Lake. It was nice to be able to settle into a rhythm and follow the cable under the small buoys. Several large buoys were set up which was great to be able to navigate on the actual Ironman race course. 

After the swim, it was time to get some food and Karel wasted no time to find the local European bakery. 

After we ate breakfast back in our rental home, Karel and I were off to ride 1 loop of the bike course minus the 2 out and back segments. Our ride was 44 miles and we averaged 19.4 (it was fun to sit on Karel's wheel for most of the ride - minus the descend into Keene in which Karel was nowhere in sight). 

After our ride, we picked up our athletes at the rental home as they just picked up their bikes via Tri Bike Transport and we were all off for a ride. 

We started the ride by showing the guys the run course and instead of making the turn around on River Road, we continued on and made a right onto 86 to head down to Wilmington. 

Karel gave a little talk about executing the 16+ mile "climb" (a mix of rollers) back to Lake Placid and then we all rode back up together. 

It's really important that our athletes have an opportunity to wake-up their legs a few days before the race so this was a welcomed ~90 minute ride for the group, following their morning swim. 

Karel and I ended up with 74 miles and a little over 4 hours of riding. 

Although I am not racing, our athletes have the best sherpas which prepared dinner...which was amazing in the evening. 

Roasted veggies and potatoes, orzo "pasta" salad, Greek yogurt and roasted carrots. YUM!

We just love our rental home. Plenty of room for our big group. 

And for dessert, banana raisin "cookies" - so good! Thanks Erica!!

Day 2 - Friday

The weather outlook from Thurs - Monday looked great in Placid but Friday was the only "off" day with the typical mountain weather mix of rain, clouds and sun. 

For day 2 of my mini Training camp, I started my morning with the guys at the lake for a swim. The guys were only doing 15-20 minutes and I had 2 loops planned. 

We started around 8am and the water was really comfortable despite a little crisp in the air. 

I just love swimming in this lake. I don't think I can compare it to anywhere else - the views, water conditions...just perfect. 

I settled into my rhythm rather quickly and enjoyed my 2.4 mile swim in 59.27 which was my fastest time for 2.4 miles in open water. But......it's not a PR until I can do it on race day :) 

After my swim, I met the guys at the expo and we all headed back to the house. 

As the guys were eating their post workout meal, I had a small snack before heading out on my long run for my second workout of the day. 

I ran 1 loop of the run course and finished with 12.5 miles in 1 hour and 45 minutes. I didn't have my phone so no pictures but I can assure you that the run is just as beautiful as the bike course. 

Later in the day, Karel gave a bike clinic for the guys and apparently, Campy was not impressed with all the bike talk. 

We had a little get-together of Trimarni nutrition and coaching athletes at our house from 4:30-6pm and it was fun to have everyone together, especially those who are doing their first IM in Lake Placid on Sunday. 

After our get-together and snacking all afternoon, it was time for our dinner at the house which was pasta and pizza and Caesar Salad.  Sorry no pics - we were so hungry! 

After our dinner, we walked .6 miles to Main Street for the athlete Opening Ceremony. 

By 9:30pm, everyone was ready for bed. 

Day 3 - Saturday

If you couldn't tell, I just love it here. I feel so relaxed in the mountains, especially when I am on my bike. I love the feeling of climbing, descending and taking in all of the scenery. 

Lake Placid provides plenty of beauty. Hopefully you can see why this race is so popular. 

For day 3 of my mini training camp, I rode 1 loop (including the 2 out and backs) for 56 miles on the race course. 

After the ride, I went for a transition run. I was only planning 6 miles or 45 minutes but I was really enjoying exploring some side roads so I ended up with 7 miles. My legs were happy so I didn't mind the extra mile. 

After a quick clean-up and food around 12:30pm when I finished my workout, it was time to walk downtown to the bike check-in. So excited for our athletes!! 

Now that is a great backdrop for a transition area!!

It was a bit warm out there so Campy found some shade in an expo booth. 

And to make sure us sherpa's are ready for Sunday, we did our nails - Trimarni-style!
(Thanks Trimarni athlete Kate for the customized Jamberry Trimarni nails)

So excited to be on the course tomorrow! 

It's going to be a special day for all of the athletes out there on the course.

As I always tell my athletes (and myself)...as long as you keep moving forward, you WILL get to the finish line!

IM Lake Placid travel day

Tues morning we were off to Placid. 1100 miles, 2 days and 17 hours in the car, we arrive to Lake Placid!

The drive was long but it was really neat to be able to see so much of the west coast. 

My mom, Karel and I took turns driving and Campy enjoyed the scenery in between mini naps. 

We broke up the drive with a stop in Cross Junction, VA to visit/stay with my Katie Morales who is a professional triathlete and friend of mine. It was nice to spend some time with her parents and husband Chris and sleep in a comfy bed in a house and not in a hotel room. 

We unloaded the car around 4:30pm and when Katie arrived home from work, we all (her parents, my mom, Campy, Karel and me) drove down the community lake for a 30 minute swim. The water was warm and it was so refreshing to be in open water (and in the sun) after a long day of sitting. 

After the swim, it was time to eat and we enjoyed a delicious dinner prepared by Katie and her dad of couscous, roasted veggies and potatoes and pork. 

Around 10pm we were ready for bed and it was lights out for an early morning to hit the road. 

At 7:45am, we were off for our  last day of driving. It was a very long drive with a bit of construction traffic on the way to Albany but by 6pm, we were finally in Lake Placid. 

The scenery was unbelievable for the last few hours of our trip.
Campy loves seeing the mountains just as much as we do. 

After we arrived to our rental home just a few blocks from downtown, we were greeted by one of our athletes Mike. When Karel signed up for Lake Placid last year, we had several other athletes who wanted to race as well so we thought it would be fun to have everyone stay in the same house. I rented a 6 bedroom home for everyone to share. 

We were hungry when we arrived despite a day of snacking/eating so we headed down to Great Adirondack Steak and Seafood to enjoy dinner with Mike, his girlfriend Erin, Campy, my mom and Karel.

After most of our crew arrived in the evening, it was time for bed before our first official day in Lake Placid. 

Here are a few pics from our trip.

Campy taking a nap - sitting up. 

Welcome to Virginia!

I'm in no rush to get there. I'll just nap, says Campy. 

A delicious dinner at Katie's house. 

We had a delicious breakfast of homemade granola, fresh fruit and yogurt. 

Food break in NY. I got a salad from Panera - kale and quinoa (minus the chicken to make it Marni-friendly)

Yum!

Campy loves his IM Lake Placid road trip!

Look at those big mountains!

Getting close!!

Even closer!!

Driving up the descend to Lake Placid. 

Those ski jumps are impressive!

Love our kitchen in our  rental home. 

Dinner out in downtown Lake Placid. Karel's plate (fish).

My delicious wheat berry salad. 

Stay tuned for more pics! 

Ironman Lake Placid RR: 2.4 mile swim

2.4 mile swim

Back in Feb 2013, I traveled to Utah with Oakley Women for a product testing trip on the beautiful snowy mountains at Snowbird resort. 

As a swimmer all my life, I would consider myself more of a fish than a snow bunny but I am all about trying new things. I have had the opportunity to snowboard several times in my life and I always love the challenge of strapping in my feet and gliding down a mountain. But if I were to race in snowboarding, I wouldn't do very well and probably would be too scared to start. I could probably improve my skills if I snowboarded more often, worked with an experienced instructor and developed a passion for snow more than water, but I will be honest and say that I am not a great snowboarder and I am just happy with my ability to have fun and get down a mountain in one piece (although sometimes with a sore butt afterwards). 

In life, we have many opportunities to step outside of our comfort zone but like most people, we often get really comfortable in our comfort zone. Sometimes we have no choice but to step outside of our normal but I am sure that most would agree that doing something that you don't normally do is not the best feeling in the world....at least when you do it for the first time and aren't very good at it. 

As most people know, my husband Karel decided to move from Cat 1 cyclist to triathlete this past June (2012). 

Karel loves to push like most competitive athletes and for him, running came naturally. Suffering in cycling races transferred really well to running....push hard and suffer and run faster. 

But for Karel, he was often very frustrated by swimming. He found it so discouraging that he couldn't just push in the water. He could push on the bike, push on the run but in the water, pushing meant gasping for air, feeling like he was getting no where in the water and experiencing extreme fatigue. 

Even if something is hard, uncomfortable, scary or new, the most important thing is that you recognize that everything that you are feeling is normal. For if you only did things in life that were easy, simple and effortless, you likely wouldn't get anywhere in life. You have likely achieved things in life because you were willing to step beyond what is comfortable and embrace something that is not easy. But the defining point is knowing that you are not going to give up until you get to where you want to be. Perhaps you can't define where it is that you want to be and when but the most important thing is making sure that you are having fun along the way and seeing yourself grow. You are moving forward for you and for no one else. If you don't like something at first, don't give up. But you have to have the right motivation, passion and commitment ensure that you are doing things for the right reason. 

Every athlete has a a weakness. You can't be good at everything if you want to get better at what you do. There is always a way and reason to be better than you were yesterday but you have to really want it and the work that comes when you get there. 

I don't think I'm ever going to race in a snowboarding event but I know that I will never stop the opportunity to snowboard. I will always be a little scared but I will figure out a way to get to the bottom and get back up again when I fall. For now, I will continue to work hard for my triathlon goals and enjoy every journey that my body and mind gives to me during training and racing. I am willing to be patient as I better understand endurance triathlons and the skills required to race strong and consistent and I will always be sure to have fun along the way. 

source

Once I entered the water, I felt good. I felt comfortable, smooth and confident. This was my comfort zone and I knew what I wanted......

1:07, 1:06, 1:04, 1:02, 1:08....I've been chasing that 1 hour swim time for 2.4 miles for the past 8 years. It's something that drives me to push in the pool, even though I have been pushing in the water since I started swimming around the age of 11. I love dreaming big and having goals helps me jump out of bed, get out the door and see what I am capable of achieving for the day. 

As I made my way to the outside of the crowd of swimmers in Mirror Lake, I found myself with clean water. Knowing that the cable running under the water (visible to the eye) is directing the fastest swimmers (all trying to swim like Andy Potts) on a straight course, I was still spotting the 1-9 numbered buoys ahead of me but really focusing on my catch in the water.

As I neared buoy #4, I felt good. My plan for the two loop swim was to swim the first loop feeling "good". I never wanted to feel exhausted in the first loop and depending on my perceived effort in relation to my time after 1.2 miles, I would decide if I could take a risk or two in loop two. Realizing that swimming is a strength of mine, I always give myself the opportunity to deviate from my race day plan just a tiny bit if I am feeling good in the water. There's something about chasing a time that excites me and at the end of the day, I am 100% responsible for my actions when I race. I can blame nobody but myself and I am willing for the consequences if I let my ego + dreams get the best to me. But then again, how do I ever know if my thoughts will fail me if I don't give things a risky try. 

I was very tempted to look at my Garmin 910XT (outside of my wetsuit) before the right hand turn at buoy #9 but I didn't. I saved that surprise for when I made a slight turn to the right on this very narrow out and back rectangle loop. I took a look at my watch as I started heading back to the start/finish and it said something around 14 minutes. I am pretty sure I smiled in the water not only because I was really excited about my 6th Ironman in Lake Placid (especially since I went from extremely nervous to very calm and relaxed) but I felt like this was the day I could release my inner nemo. 

As I swam back to shore I was careful to not go too hard. The water was smooth and I continued to stay to the outside of the buoys to get cleaner water. I still wanted to draft off other swimmers but I was careful to not get too close to the cable under water as I knew that battling flying arms would only get me out of my rhythm with my stroke. 

The buoys were going by really quickly and all I could remember was the breakthrough big swim set I did in prep for the IM, alongside putting all those individual workouts together for this one very special day. #4, #5, #6....the first loop was almost complete and as I spotted ahead of me, I could see spectators and the dock. #7, #8....I was so tempted to look at my watch and I gave myself permission after #9.....

But I resisted. Just stay steady, I kept thinking to myself. 

I made my way out of the water and ran onto the shore as I cleared my goggles with my fingers. It felt really great to stand up and get some air into my lungs and when I saw 29 minutes on my watch, I got super excited. So excited that I sprinted through the start banner and dove into the water for my 2nd loop. 

Did I really just swim 1.2 miles in 29 minutes and I made it feel easy? 

The 2nd loop was a bit more congested compared to the first due to the seeded start but I didn't let it get to me because I knew I could still have a good swim to start my journey of 140.6 miles. As much as I wanted to pick up the pace, I kept reminding myself that this was a very long day and I can't win anything in the swim. 

I found several pink caps around me which was comforting knowing that I was swimming strong and around similar fitness abilities. As I neared buoy #9, I couldn't believe that I was making my last two right hand turns to finish my 6th IM swim!

I looked at my watch again and I think it was around 46 minutes. I was starting to battle swimmers who were on their first lap but I didn't get frustrated. I coach newbie triathletes, my hubby is competing in his first tri and I know I was not always a great cyclist when I started. We must always respect those who are learning new skills for we have all been there, done that in some way or another.

As I found a few open patches, I looked at my watch one last time. I can't remember what buoy I was at but my watch said 56 minutes. I didn't get frustrated but instead, I gave myself permission to go for it. I picked up the pace, careful to not waste any energy in my legs that I needed for 112 miles of cycling and 26.2 miles of running but I found myself catching the water a little stronger and really focusing on getting to where I wanted to be...as fast as possible.

I started swimming toward the shore and I tried to stand up when I saw others standing....ok, 5 feet tall Marni has a ways to go. I kept on swimming and looked at my watch as I tried to stand again.

1 hour. 

YIPPEE!! But of course, there was a few steps to the arch to stop my timing chip and my final time read 1:01:02. 

Oh well. I'll take it as I felt amazing and I was super excited to get on my bike and anxiously await Karel zooming past me somewhere on the bike to tell him about my swim and to hear about his swim. 

As I ran toward the strippers, I took my arm sleeve over my Garmin and then unzipped my wetsuit and removed the sleeves and pulled it down to my waist. I had my Trimarni kit (cycling shorts and zipper jersey), HR monitor and CEP calf sleeves under my wetsuit and slathered in body glide spray and my timer chip on my ankle (with a safety pin to secure), my body marked body was revealed as I laid on the ground with my feet up for the strippers to pull off my wetsuit. 

I said thank you to the volunteers and ran down a long carpeted chute to the transition area.....it didn't seem very long because the spectators were lined along the chute and cheering loudly for all of us swimmers. 

I noticed that many people had rain coats on and all of a sudden it occurred to me that it was raining! Oh boy, this is going to be an interesting start to the race....just stay calm and focused. 

I ran toward the transition bags and grabbed my T1 bag w/ my cycling gear. 

-helmet (not aero helmet but my regular training helmet which I love)

-Oakley Commit sunglasses

-Pill container (back up pills, electrolytes, endurance aminos, tums)
-Pill packets (electrolytes and aminos) in a baggie
-Gel flask (300 calories of Hammer heed espresso)

-Socks

-Cycling shoes

As I ran to the transition area, there were a few women in the tent (age groupers and pros) and two volunteers dumped out my bag which included separate large zip lock bags for my gear items. As usual, the volunteers were amazing and as I put on  my socks and shoes, one volunteer put my nutrition in my pockets (gel flask in right pocket and pills in left - I asked her to do this and she did it perfectly) and the other put my helmet on my head. Done! What a quick transition and it was exactly as I had visualized. 

I said thank you and ran out of the tent to the end of the transition area and to my bike. 

Transition time: 4:36

A volunteer handed me my bike, I said thank you and powered my Garmin 500 (turned it on) and ran toward the mount line.

I couldn't believe that I was mounting my bike with two professional women around me but I bottled in those thoughts as I felt like this day was going so great....I hadn't even raced more than 2.4 miles and with 112+ 26.2 miles to go, I really didn't want the day to end. As I always say, all that training just for a one day event.

My bike was wet but that was fine. Karel put great bar tape on my bike which made me feel good considering the technical descends and turns heading out of transition. 

And before I knew it, I was on my bike and excited to see if all that bike training, sitting on Karel's wheel, had paid off......

112 miles...here I come!

A little about Karel's race, he felt really good and had no major issues in the first loop. He found the 2nd loop to be a bit busy for him but he stayed calm. Karel said his biggest mistake was having trouble getting off his wetsuit, especially the arms over his Garmin. He said he was really frustrated by the wetsuit but he was able to move on quickly and remind himself that his major goal during the swim was to just swim efficient so he could get on the bike and have 5+ hours to be in his comfort zone. Karel's transition was 6:59 due to the added time from the strippers and him struggling with his wetsuit so although a rookie mistake, Karel still had a great swim considering that he just learned to train for swimming just 13 months ago.

Karel ended up swimming 1:10.20 which I find so funny considering that I swam 1:01.02!! Crazy to just move around the numbers and we swam the same time!!

Here is a great video of the swim start that I found on the internet:

IM Lake Placid swim thoughts and video

Ironman Lake Placid RR - never give up

It seems logical to write a race report starting with the beginning of the race and then progress to the finish. But I want to do things a little bit different this time around for my 6th Ironman. One thing I have learned throughout the past 7 years since starting endurance racing, is that patience, hard work and commitment can bring an athlete very far in his/her fitness, let alone with reaching personal goals. It doesn't matter if you are an athlete racing for a finishing line or a fitness enthusiast that wants to workout for health and fitness, if you want something in life you have to work for it but most importantly, you can't give up when things get tough. Life is not easy and as an athlete for most of my life, I often use similar tools for getting through life and sports as life brings obstacles, just like sports and if you don't have the right mindset, you get yourself no where. 

I am sore, exhausted and drained. But it was all worth it. Yes, in some crazy type of way, we pay money to do this and then walk extremely funny the next day as we remember the highs and lows of race day. This time around, I am able to share stories with my Trimarni Coaching athlete Laura G who placed 6th age group (25-29) in her first IM (11:02) as well as with Karel (hubby) who placed 13th age group (35-39) in his first IM (10:03) and I can't stop thinking about all the amazing athletes, volunteers and spectators who encouraged each other to move forward to get to the finishing line and I am so grateful that we choose this Ironman for Lake Placid became a village of Ironman athletes and the community was extremely supportive. 

Many times in my racing career I am plagued with a chronic injury that keeps me from running for 8-12 weeks at a time. I have seen many doctors, had tests and I am thankful to my PTs and massage therapists who help me stay injury free when I can put all the pieces together correctly. Although I see this often as a limiter in my training and racing, oh what I would give to just have my mind as my only limiter, I have never let it define me or what I am capable of achieving. I know I can only race and train injury free so since I get hickups along the way when I train for races, I find myself forced with three decisions.
1) give up
2) be stubborn
3) focus on the can's and never give up 

I always choose #3 and this time around, it is important to me that I share with everyone that I often a get the flare-ups in my hips/glutes/back and I absolutely want to quit triathlons when that happens. Yes, I want to quite something that I love so much in life. I tell Karel how much pain I am in and that it is not worth it for I don't want to be disrespectful to my body. I have never had a stress fracture or broken bone and I hope to leave this earth with the same body parts that I entered it with. Therefore, I am often stuck with the decision of #1 and #3 which leads me to my message at the beginning of this blog. 

Life requires hard work, patience and commitment. I gave myself a goal when I signed up for Lake Placid Ironman to try to qualify for Kona. I didn't care about times or places but instead, to race to my full potential and to leave nothing out on the course. There are very few athletes out there who can "race" an Ironman and I acknowledge that I am one of a small group that chooses to put a lot on the line to compete for 140.6 miles instead of just hoping for a finish (which I always remember is the ultimate goal). This group, however, still goes into the race with the same dedication, passion and commitment as those who finish in the top 50% of their age group and as those who finish within the 17 hour time limit. Even though some of us use our bodies to race the Ironman, we are all there to endure the physical feat that is the Ironman. 

Through the highs and lows of life that I encountered throughout my Ironman-in-training journey, I reminded myself that the only thing I can do on race day is to race with my current level of fitness. There is absolutely no reason to dwell on the past that can not be changed, unless it is for a reason that was within your control to bring you to a better tomorrow. Therefore, I wanted to make sure I did not give myself any reasons to wish I would have done things differently. 

I feel the Ironman teaches athletes a lot of lessons. Many times, athletes are numb to these lessons and think beyond what is within their control. I like to have control over situations and I feel this is something that has been learned through my history of endurance racing. I like to know what the course looks like, what type of competition is on the course, what the weather will be like, where the wind is coming from, what paces are reflective of my current level of fitness and most of all, that at the end of the day (on race day), my mind is my most powerful weapon. If I don't stay positive, stay in the moment and love what I am doing (have fun and smile!), I accomplish nothing on race day that I trained myself to do in training. You can give yourself a thousand reasons why something won't work but if you can think of the one reason why it will work, you will find yourself doing what the mind believes...and the body will follow. 

                                                  

On July 28th, 2013, I gave my best effort in an Ironman. I raced smart, paced myself well and never stopped believing in myself. I had many opportunities to think it wasn't possible to achieve what I wanted to achieve back in July 2012 considering the setbacks I was given this year. But I know better than to think like that. 

We are often limited in life by thinking of our past instead of staying in the moment. For in the Ironman, we do the opposite as well - we think about what we didn't accomplish that may have made a positive impact on race day and we can easily think about what's to come and worrying how we will deal with it. I admit I did a little of both while I was racing but Gloria (my mental coach/sport psychologist) always reminds me to stay in the moment so I had to constantly get myself to that place over and over for 140.6 miles. 

As athletes, we often compare ourselves to others, wishing for better, more or something different. I did not do that this time around for this Ironman. I knew what I wanted to achieve on race day and I kept within my own box but with a peephole to keep an eye on what others were doing on race day. I did not deviate from my plan or worry about something that was not happening at that point. Why worry about what's to come if you have to be in control of the present moment? 

My 6th Ironman performance landed me in 5th place. Only three Kona Ironman world championship spots were available for my age group (30-34) and I knew I had stiff competition - but amazing, nice and supportive athletes. 

                      
(first and second amateur females which also happened to be in my age group. Katie and Kendra - amazing people and fast, strong, talented athletes!)

                                          

But as usual, I strive to better myself as an athlete and the only way I can do that is by being pushed by those who are better than me. I do not wish to be at the front more than once for then I stop growing as an athlete. I am constantly seeking ways to challenge myself as an athlete and I find I do that best on hard, difficult courses with strong competition.

Before the award ceremony today, I heard there was a chance that there would be a rolldown slot for Kona. That means the 2nd, 3rd and 4th place girls would receive spots because the 1st place girl (Katie T.) already qualified for Kona by winning her age group at Eagleman. But if there was another person to not take her slot, that would mean the slot would roll down to me. Roll downs do not happen that often but that is why you should never give up or count yourself out. 

As always, I did not celebrate until the time would come that I was actually hear my name from Mike Riley, telling me that the slot rolled down to me. 

After waiting and waiting, 11:05am came and it was time for roll down. 

I chatted with Karel about me qualifying for Kona and he was supportive of the decision that if I qualified, he would want me to go as we make all our athletic decisions together for the IM is no easy distance to train and prepare for, not to mention my second Ironman within 3 months and I have a busy August with speaking engagements. 

I couldn't help but think about the possibility of qualifying for Kona for it was something that motivated me every day when I trained and kept me balanced when I questioned if I should do more with training or rush the journey. But then I thought about race day which I will explain more in my race report. I thought about how hard I dug during the race and battled every demon in my body that wanted to give up. All that training, focus, time, money and prep to make excuses and give up? Absolutely not. I raced injury free, with a clear mind and with my hubby for the first time. Nothing was in my way on race day and all I needed was patience, commitment and hard work and I was willing to execute on race day in the same way that I do in training. Have fun and don't give up out until the body gives every reason possible to give up.

What if I would have counted myself out in Feb, in March and in April. Seriously - 3 months of no running and I expect myself to run a marathon after biking 112 miles, let alone race against athletes who have no limiters with their body? 

On July 28th, 2013, I earned my Kona slot which I received July 29th via roll down. I will be heading to Hawaii for the 2013 Ironman World Championships, which will be my 3rd time racing in Kona. Luck was not needed for a Kona slot. On race day I didn't need luck on my side. The answer was simple for Placid. I didn't give up for the past 12 months, I never counted myself out. Believe me - this is never easy, especially when you can't step without pain or you wish things would be different in that moment. But there is always something inside me that believes I can get myself to a place that I feel is not possible at the present moment. Sometimes it doesn't work as planned but I try to do everything within my capability to dream big and work hard for my goals.  

I did all I could on race day and if I would not have given everything I had on that course, I would not have gotten the opportunity for the slot to roll down to me. The entire race came together with my best Ironman racing performance and Kona is just the icing on the cake. Race results are not told by a piece of paper or on the internet but by the athlete herself for what she had to overcome before and during race day.

As I finish the beginning of a series of race reports, I hope today's blog post always motivates you to never give up, to never count yourself out and to always work hard for what you want in life. 

And onto even more exciting things.....YAY - real food from the Lake Placid brewery!!!! Veggie burger for me, real burger and local IPA beer for Karel. We both joined the clean plates club after today's lunch. Looking forward to recovering from this Ironman for the next two weeks and thanking my body for all it went through on race day. Race reports to come.......

Ironman Placid tracking, thank you's and photos

2013 Ironman Lake Placid

140.6 miles. 

It doesn't matter what the course looks like on paper, 2.4 miles of swimming, 112 miles of biking and 26.2 miles of running is a test of mental strength, endurance and nutrition. There is no "easy" Ironman. Perhaps a course may favor your strengths or just magnify your weaknesses but at the end of the day, every athlete out on the course is committed to the task at hand and recognizes that you become strong when you are forced to be strong. 

The choice to do an Ironman is simply that. A choice. You may feel pressure as a newbie or veteran runner or triathlete to do a longer-distance event and feel as if the Ironman gives you the ultimate bragging right to show how fit you are (or can become). Perhaps the Ironman is the only road you will ever take to become a world championship finisher which is a major accomplishment in and of itself. For others, the Ironman is a way to fund raise, to give back or to race for those who can't. But whatever your choice may be for signing up for an Ironman, it is the commitment you make to yourself to prepare for the event and then execute in a way that moves you forward throughout the day in order to finish in 17 hours. You swim, you bike, you run for 140.6 miles and never forget that race day is the day you dreamed of for 3,6,12 months and when the time finally comes, the only thing you can do is let the day happen as it is meant to happen. 

I feel strongly in thanking my body before every Ironman as I know my body does not have to let me do this type of endurance event. It requires a lot of training and every year, my body gives me a little wake up call that it is a gift to race injury-free. For much of this year, I have battled with my ongoing hip issues and I feel that for this very special Ironman, I have so much to be thankful for. 3 months without running from Feb - April and then on-and-off issues alongside PT until the last few weeks of training. But I never let myself lose focus of my goals, my dreams and what I love to do. The only thing I could do is to find a way to move myself forward. Never thinking about the past but instead, where I want to be on race day. I could have easily complained and tried to do more than my body was capable of doing but then I wouldn't be standing here today, less than 24 hours to race day, with my hubby as he does his first Ironman with me. I am incredibly grateful to my body for letting me train in a way that I can confidently stand at the starting line with my current level of fitness and trust that my body not only knows how to race the Ironman but that it also loves to finish an Ironman. Rather than writing my body a thank you letter this time around, I feel I will be thanking my body repeatedly during the race tomorrow and owe it to my body to give it a big thank you when I cross the finish line and write my post-race race report. 

Knowing that we are expecting rain and wind tomorrow, I am hoping that every athlete will be safe on this very challenging course. A message to all Ironman athlete, race within your own capabilities. Be confident in what you are able to do with your skills and fitness and be inspired by those around you as you like-wise are an inspiration to others. Every athlete will have highs and lows but in order to get to a high, you have to get through a low. I believe that an Ironman forces you to be smart and to be patient and I wish that every athlete has his/her own personal best day no matter what the time or finishing pace. The best race results are not told on paper but instead, by the athlete him/herself after the journey is complete. 

This has been a great past few days in Placid and I look forward to a 3:30am wake-up call to finally release some energy. I want to wish Trimarni Coaching athlete Laura G. a very special Good Luck tomorrow as she races in her first ever Ironman and I can't wait to share this course with her as I have loved guiding her along in this journey. I also want to wish my Trimarni nutrition athletes a great race day as I know each of my athletes have worked hard on their nutrition and even if you can't prevent nutrition-related issues, you have the ability to deal with them when the arise.

And lastly, to my hubby who has been at the sidelines for 4 of my 5 past Ironmans. Thank you for always being there and for supporting me, believing in me and challenging me to move outside my comfort zone. Thank you for letting me know that all I need to do is to just stay on your wheel to get faster, yet my legs screamed to you that I can't. Thank you for letting me share this journey with you as 12 months ago you were a new swimmer who struggled to swim 500 yards and I have enjoyed seeing you improve so much in the water. And lastly, thank you for encouraging me to never give up as I have questioned many many times in the past few years that triathlon's and running was not a sport for my body. But you never let me quit and you always found a way to let me train and to heal my body at the same time. I know you will have moments in your first IM when it will seem tough and not possible as I have them too. The mind will question your sanity and there will be many why's as to the purpose of racing for 140.6 miles. Just think about all the training you did for a one-day event for on Monday, it will all be over. You can wear your medal, your finisher t-shirt and you can walk like you were hit by a bus and think about Sunday as if it was the best day of your life.

Karel, we are a team and I know we will help each other out like we always do, even if we are different parts of the course. I look forward to seeing you wizz by me on the bike, doing what you were born to do. 5+ hours of total enjoyment as I know this bike course is made for you.
And at the end of our day, if I can't give you the energy you need to dig deep because I am working on my own race day issues, I know there will be thousands of athletes, spectators and volunteers that will give you energy that you don't have in order to pull you to the finish line.

GOOD LUCK IRONMAN LAKE PLACID ATHLETES and THANK YOU VOLUNTEERS AND SPECTATORS!!!

A few pics from today and yesterday. 

Trimarni Nutrition athlete Fran (best of luck!!!)

Mirror lake - swim start

Morning swim at mirror lake

Laura and Karel - Karel giving tips like always. So grateful for his knowledge and perspective as a "cyclist" turned triathlete

Biking the run course

Biking the run course

Biking the run course

Biking the run course with views of Olympic ski jump

Biking the run course

Biking the run course - so happy

Biking the run course

Hubby enjoying his morning eats

Morning eats!

Supporting the local small business - Placid Planet Bike Shop

Race ready!

Packing transition bags

Empty transition area

Miracle on Ice! 1980 arena - athlete meeting

Snow from the ice skating rink

Pre-race ritual pizza two nights before the race - store-bought (frozen) this time, topped with my own toppings of mushrooms, nutritional yeast and tofu and fresh ginger and garlic

French toast w/ sunny side up egg, greek yogurt and fresh fruit and honey

Bike check-in

All checked in!

Transition area

Transition area

My hubby and me!

Trimarni coaching athlete Laura

Bike course - descending

For tracking on race day: 

LIVE COVERAGE

Marni: Bib #664
Karel: Bib #1792

A little about our race course:
Slowtwitch: IM Placid guide
Lake Placid bike course


Thank you for your support, your cheers and your encouragement!
We will do our best to race smart and to finish strong.

And lastly - a HUGE thank you to the companies that have helped me along my Ironman journey. I absolutely love being an ambassador for companies that allow me to live an active and healthy lifestyle with their safe, quality gear/products.

Thank you:
110% Play Harder
Oakley Women
Brooks Running
Hammer Nutrition

Oh and last but not least - thank you to my family who supports me no matter what crazy thing I have in my mind to achieve. My parents have never missed an Ironman of mine and I know they are enjoying their time with Campy and cheering from afar. Thank you to my brother and his fiance Dana for cheering out Karel and I and always supporting our very active lifestyle.

Race ready for Ironman #6!

2006 IMFL - First Ironman

2007 Ironman World Championships  - 2nd Ironman

2009 IMKY - 3rd Ironman

2010 IMWI - 4th Ironman

2011 Ironman World Championship - 5th Ironman

TBA - Ironman Lake Placid July 28th, 2013

I have expressed how much I love the Ironman journey many times on this blog. But oh, how I LOVE Ironamn race week when I arrive to the racing venue. 

I absolutely love traveling and making memories with Karel. I am sad that this will be the first Ironman that my parents won't be watching but I know Campy is in great hands and is receiving lots of love this week. 

But this time around is extra special as my boyfriend, turned fiance turned hubby (from Ironman #1 until now) will be racing with me for the first time. 

He won't be cheering for me on the sidelines...

but instead we will be able to share the excitement, soreness, highs and lows together. 

Our bags are packed, traveling nutrition is ready and our bikes await us in Lake Placid. We are both very excited for this race and to share this experience together, alongside 2500+ athletes, volunteers and spectators. 

No matter the finish time, the finish place or what obstacles are thrown in our way, I am wishing for a safe and fun day on a very challenging course and I can't wait to share my race report when it is all over with on Sunday evening. 

And if you are wondering if Karel is ready and excited for his first IM? 

Here is the text message that he sent me this morning after his workout.