'24 XTRI Norseman Race Report

 

Quick recap
Results
2.4 mile swim: 1:06.03 (3^rd female out of the water)
T1: 6:43
111 mile bike (10, 819 feet): 6:43 (6:38 riding time, 9^th female)
T2: 2:59
26 mile run (5,709 feet): 5:26.33 (9^th female)
Total: 13:23.43

I got my period on race morning. I felt horrible. I jumped off the ferry around 4:45am into 57-degree glacier fed water. I wore a thermal wetsuit, neoprene cap, earplugs, booties and a swimsuit under my wetsuit. The swim started at 5am and was point to point, with one turn buoy, ~800 meters from the finish. With the help of Karel, I transitioned into my cycling gear. The temps were in the upper 40’s. I warmed up during the first 20-mile climb (~4000 feet elevation gain). The next three climbs occurred between 56 and 83 miles and ranged from 2.5-5.5 miles in length, around 6-12% grade. Karel and Honza leaped frogged along the course. There were designated areas for support crews to stop but cars were also allowed to stop anywhere to support athletes, so long as the car was entirely off the road. The final climb was steep and steady for ~5 miles but after the last feed area (24 miles from the finish), the climb continued for another 6 miles. The final 17 miles were net downhill, into headwind. Karel helped me transition into my run gear and I was on my way for 15 miles of gently rolling hills on pavement. Karel and Honza packed up my bike and bike gear and drove the car to various points along the run course to give me nutrition/water. At the base of Zombi hill, I changed shoes and Karel joined me for the rest of the run (mile 15 is when a support crew member can join the athlete for the rest of the race) started a shuffle up a constant grade of 10% for the next 4.2 miles (~2200 feet elevation gain). Once we got to the top of Zombie hill, we reached a check point tent. We made a quick stop and then continued to shuffle another 3 miles up to the mountain checkpoint. I was so excited to be within the 160 athletes allowed to go up the mountain and to finally see and reach that famous wooden gate at the entrance of Gaustatoppen. When we reached this point, Honza was there to give us our mandatory backpacks (and gear inside). He took the shuttle bus to this point as no cars were allowed past the top of Zombie hill. We made the 2-minute mandatory stop for the Norseman staff to check our backpacks and during this time I changed into my trail shoes. We then hiked our way up the rocky and steep Gaustatoppen mountain for another 3 miles and ~2200 feet. I crossed the finish line feeling exhausted, elated and accomplished. I received a blanket and warm tomato soup and bread after I crossed the finish line. After changing into warm clothes, I took the cable car to the bottom of the bottom and Karel and Honza hiked 3-miles back to the shuttle buses. The next day, I received one of 160 black Norseman shirts.

Race morning

As I was getting ready to lay down in bed around 7pm, I told Karel “I’m pretty sure I am going to get my period tomorrow morning.” Karel was very encouraging and said all the right things to keep me relaxed. After a restless night of sleep, my alarm went off at 2:15am and sure enough, I got my period. I felt horrible. I made my way to the kitchen to make coffee but I had to lay down as I was feeling lightheaded. Once I felt better, I ate a package of poptarts and a banana w/ smear of PB. I did some light foam rolling and finished packing the car around 3:15am (point to point race so we had to pack up the entire Airbnb into our car. Karel packed most of the car the night before the race). Karel rode my bike to the race start and Honza drove me in the car. We walked my bike to the transition area. My bike and helmet was inspected by the race staff and a volunteer walked me to my bike rack (#15). I set up my gear in the transition area and we walked to the ferry. I gave Karel a kiss good bye and I felt a sense of relief that the race was finally here. I was so nervous going into this race. I boarded the ferry and it was huge! There were bathrooms and plenty of space to sit on the ground. I could feel the nervous energy. It was still dark outside when the ferry left promptly at 4am. It took ~20 minutes for the ferry to get to the swim start. It didn’t feel like we moved anywhere. As the boat left, I started to put on my wetsuit and booties. I wore gloves to keep my hands warm. The cold water from the fjord started to spray into one side of the boat. I saw several athletes get wet to acclimate to the water but I was worried about getting cold after standing around so I used the water on the ground to wet the inside of my wetsuit around the neck. A voice came over the intercom system and shortly after, the edge of the ferry opened. It was starting to get a bit more light out so it wasn’t completely dark out. I was worried about how cold the water would be 2-miles out from the shore so I was very anxious to get in. I left my morning clothes bag inside the boat w/ my shoes and clothing inside. It was returned to Karel after the swim started when the boat arrived back to shore. When athletes were allowed to enter the water, I made my way to the edge. It was a high jump. My heart sank a bit. The volunteer gave me a squeeze, told me to hold my cap and goggles and directed me where to jump. 3, 2, 1…..jump!

I was so relieved to finally enter the water. I felt the weight of my nerves lift off of me. It took several minutes to swim the 350 yards to the “swim start” where the kayakers were waiting for us. I lined myself up on the left side, further away from the shore. With over 10 minutes to the start, we treaded water and there were several conversations going on between competitors. The mood was positive and there were several laughs. At 5am, the kayakers lifted their paddles and we were off.

For the first time in three XTRI events, I felt really good in the water. Although my hands and face were a little cold, I felt very comfortable. It was getting a little brighter and I was really enjoying swimming in the fresh, clean waters of Eidjford.
With only one buoy on the course, I followed other swimmers with hopes that everyone was going the same direction. It was rather easy to stay on course as we swam close to the shore. I was worried that the swim would feel long until I spotted the turn buoy so I kept my mind focused by counting my strokes. I wasn’t able to stay with the lead group but I could see them just ahead. There were a few swimmers right behind me (one that was annoyingly tapping my feet for most of the swim). I was surprised how quick the swim went by. When we got to the turn buoy and turned left around it, the final 800 meters went by really quickly. The volunteers helped me out of the water (the ground was rocky so I was thankful to have my booties on) and I met Karel in the transition area. Although my face and hands were cold, I wasn’t shivering too much. I exited third female and 16^th overall. Although the swim times were slow (I didn’t wear a watch in the swim so I am not sure of the exact swim distance), I was happy with where I placed in the swim.

T1
I decided to wear a swimsuit over my sports bra so that I could put on a dry race kit. I was really worried about feeling cold to start the bike. The sports bra is always hard to put on wet so I had an emergency space blanket available if I wanted to stuff it down my sports bra. I opted to put a pack of “hot hands” down my sports bra to help warm me up. I sipped on hot tea that Karel brought me (I put warming oil on my body in the ferry before putting on my wetsuit which I think also helped), went pee in the bushes by transition and then put on my socks, shoes, helmet, etc.

Bike

We reverse drove the bike course as we went from Rjukan to Eidjford . I studied the bike course in great detail and I reviewed previous bike times. The bike course can be broken down into several segments.

-0-26 miles: Constant climb on primarily old roads (narrow roads, several tunnels), ~4100 feet elevation gain. No support is allowed for the first 24 miles.
-26-56 miles: Net downhill to the town of Geilo.
-56-59 miles: Climb (~5% grade)
-59-64 miles: Descend
-64-67 miles: Climb (~6% grade)
-67-70 miles: Descend (fast!)
-70-76 miles: Climb (~3% grade)
-76-83 miles: Descend
-83-93 miles: Climb (miles 83-87 ~7-10% grade)
-93-111 miles: Net downhill to Austbygde (T2) – no support allowed

For nutrition, I consumed 5 bottles, each with ~75g carbs from INFINIT Fructose. I had all of my nutrition in individual baggies so that it was easy for Karel to fill my bottles with powder and add water (which we bought from the store). I had a few sips of Ketones throughout the bike (yuck!) which helps with my clarity and focus during these extreme tri events. I nibbled on a Clif Bar throughout the bike. I peed several times (once on the side of the road and the rest while riding). I was very comfortable on the bike with my arm warmers and gloves. A few miles after leaving the town of Geilo, my right aero bar arm pad flew off (it got stuck to my elbow from the sugar from my sport drink). It was so uncomfortable to put my forearm on the hard carbon plate. I told Karel during the climb and shortly after, I stopped for a few minutes so he could fix it with a sock that he taped to the plate. We laughed about it as he was taping it. This stop, along with a pee stop, were my only stops. Karel would hand me my nutrition as I was riding (he would stand on the side of the road, text me to let me know where he was, I would see the text on my bike computer and he would hand me whatever I needed). Cars were not allowed to follow athletes or hand anything to athletes while the car was moving. I always had ½ bottle water and a bottle of sport drink on my bike. After he fixed my aero pad with a sock, I gave him my yellow vest (which we were required to wear until it was safe to remove), gloves and arm warmers as I was feeling warm. The temp got into the upper 50’s and it was cloudy and windy. I did not feel great on the bike but not terrible. It wasn’t my normal riding style. I passed several ladies in the first two hours of the bike (who passed me in transition) but they passed me back later on. This was atypical of me as I can usually get stronger as the bike goes on but I felt like I only had one effort and it was steady but not strong. I didn’t have any low moments and I never felt like the bike route was “too hard” or “too long.” It actually went by rather quickly and I didn’t find it too challenging. I just didn’t feel like myself – for a variety of reasons. I really enjoyed the downhills and surprisingly I felt the best in the aero position (which is strange because I don’t ride my tri bike a lot outside due to prior hip issues which I’ve been able to keep away since 2019 thanks to training on all types of bikes and not just my tri bike outside). The tri bike was the right bike for this course but I would have had more fun on my road bike for the climbs. There were a few tight fast switchbacks on the bike but the tri bike was fine for them.

T2

I entered T2 in the top ten for females. I was really worried about the run as the entire run was point to point but the first 15 miles were going to feel long to get to Zombie hill. I had an option to change my kit into running gear but I kept on my tri kit and put on my New Balance Fuel Cell running shoes. I wore my Naked hydration band and kept two flasks in my belt – 1 with ¾ scoop Never Second (~25g carbs) and 1 with plain water. Karel collected by bike and bike gear as I made my way across the grass and on to the road.

Run

The first few miles were a bit rough. It took me a good 20 minutes to find my form and rhythm. I had a quick bathroom break around 30 minutes into the run (in a field) and shortly after, I started to feel my stride. I told Karel “I found my flow!” Karel and Honza would drive ~2 miles ahead and wait for me and hand me whatever I needed. I was feeling a little warm so having plain water for cooling and sipping was helpful. I felt really good until mile 10 but then it got really hard. My right glute started to feel right tight and I was feeling tired. I stayed focused and kept myself moving until the base of zombie hill. Although it was really pretty to run by the water, I didn’t love the first 15 miles as it just felt long. At 15 miles, Karel met me at the base of Zombie hill. I changed into my Saucony shoes as they give me a bit more bounce for hills. I was feeling really stiff when I changed shoes but as soon as Karel and I started running, I felt so much better shuffling up Zombie hill. It actually felt better than running on the flat. My goal was to shuffle as long as possible and Karel was super encouraging and positive. I loved having him there with me. He made me laugh several times and it was so good to be with him. When I started Zombie hill there was a girl that was right behind me as I was changing my shoes but I was able to get ahead by shuffling up the hill. I am not a fast walker so by shuffling I was able to keep my pace under 15 min/miles which is much faster than walking 20+ min/miles. We’ve learned through each extreme tri that moving your legs as fast as you can, even if it’s a shuffle for a few steps is still faster than just walking.
Karel carried my flasks in his hydration belt and he also had his own nutrition along with a small backpack of more nutrition if we needed it. Honza drove past us after the first switchback and we told him we didn’t need anything. He was great with giving me cheers. It really helped to have two support crew members. Honza parked the car at the top of Zombie hill and took the shuttle to the base of the mountain. It took 1 hour and 3 minutes to go 4.37 miles at an average grade of ~10% (~2200 feet). We made a quick stop at the checkpoint and I was in the 50s overall (top 160 get a black shirt and can finish at the top of Gaustatoppen. It took us almost 40 minutes to go another 3 miles to the base of the mountain. 

At this point my legs were screaming at me. When we got to the last checkpoint at the base of the mountain, Honza gave us our backpacks and I changed into my trail shoes. Honza was able to follow us up the mountain. Support crew is not allowed to go ahead of the athlete (or pace in any way) so Karel stayed behind me and helped me navigate (he ran/hiked the mountain a few days prior which helped us become more familiar with the course). I kept myself moving up the mountain and never resorted to a causal walk. I was sitting in 9^th place and my goal was top 10 female and I knew there were ladies close behind me. Nearing the last 100 meters, I grabbed Campy’s collar out of my backpack and started to tear up. It  had been 9 days since we said good bye and it was so hard to hold his collar in my hand. But I wanted to feel his presence and it was something I looked forward to the entire race. It was my reason for continuing during the really rough patches of the run.

I walked up the steps that I’ve seen in so many Norseman Youtube videos and crossed the finish line feeling accomplished and exhausted. I gave Karel a big hug and we both started crying. It was a very emotional finish as we both overcame so much to get to that finish line. A week prior, we didn’t even want to travel to Norway as the pain of losing Campy was so exhausting. I feel really proud of what I was able to do, even though it was incredibly hard – mentally and physically.

After crossing the finish line in 13 hours and 23 minutes, I was given a blanket and then a warm bowl of vegetarian tomato soup and bread (soooo good). We went inside the building and I changed into warm clothing. There was a long line for spectators to get down on the cable car so the race encouraged support crew to hike back down the mountain. Karel and Honza hiked the 3 miles back down the mountain and I took the cable car (athletes had priority which was good since the cable car was tiny!) It was fun to sit in the car with a few other guys and chat about our races.

When I exited the building, it was cold and rainy! The weather changed so quickly. We got super lucky with the weather all day. I didn’t consider the course to be hard (ICON was much more difficult) but with bad weather, it could be really extreme!

I took the shuttle to the host hotel and then walked a mile back to our Airbnb. Karel and Honza met me there when they returned to the car and drove back to the Airbnb.

The next day I received my black finisher shirt and took the group photo.

I am really proud of this shirt and I’ll never forget this incredible race experience. The race crew was extremely professional, helpful and supportive. The Norway community was amazing - there were so many people outside their houses cheering for the athletes. 

And a BIG thank you to the best support crew! 

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Norseman Race Week

The past few days have felt rocky but everything is going smoothly. I say rocky because I have been feeling a rollercoaster of emotions this week. There's something about this race (and it's history) that makes me feel nerves like I've never felt before. And it's been two weeks since we said good bye to Campy.

Despite having completed 2 XTRI events and 19 Ironman events, this race requires a lot of respect and I don't want to assume that just because I have long-distance experience, that everything will go smoothly on race day. I know Karel (and Honza) are there to help me get to the finish line and they will give me great energy throughout the day.

Swim finish

The past few days have been all about getting the body ready for the race - priming the system. Aside from some rain and wind on Tuesday evening and Wednesday morning, the weather has been spectatular here - sunny and warm (in the 60's during the day!). 

Tuesday was my "big" day of training with a 75 min morning spin (with intervals) followed by a 28 min run. In the evening I tried out some different neoprene gear options so I wouldn't really call it a "swim" as I was just swimming in circles near the shore. 

On Wednesday, Karel went out for a long ride on the race course and he said it was very windy and cold when he got to the top of the first climb. I checked my Epic Ride Weather app to compare Wed to Sat (race day) and the wind should be much less on race day. 

While he was riding, I did a 1:07 ride by the quiet road near the water and my legs felt great. I did 40 min run off the bike and this was the first time since we arrived to Norway last Thursday that my legs felt fluid and rhythmic. 

In the evening from 7-8:45pm, we went to the local sports hall and watched a documentary series called "Human Endurance" that Norseman was showing from the 2023 race. 

Today we went to the social swim by the Old Yellow House. There is one buoy on the point to point swim course (~800 meters from the finish and our only turn buoy) which is where we swam today. There were lots of people at the social swim (and many others waiting to purchase Norseman gear at the shop inside the Yellow House). I wanted to be in the water for around 30 minutes to give myself a chance to feel what it may be like during the race and while the water was cool (upper 50's) I found myself very comfortable in the water. I wore my booties and neoprene cap, clear goggles and ROKA thermal wetsuit. I wanted to see what it felt like to wear my race kit under my wetsuit during the swim and then get out and stand on shore to see if I would be comfortable racing with a wet kit in air temp of low 50's and I was not comfortable. I quickly decided that I will put on a dry kit in T1.

Since arriving to Norway, every workout has been an opportunity to test gear and think about scenarios for race day. Although I have my routines and rituals leading up to my races, I am gaining a lot of confidence from these "practice" workouts. 

Around 1pm we drove to the host hotel to check in for the race. Since we walked to and from the social swim (~1 mile each way) we decided to drive to the check in. Parking was difficult as there were a lot of athletes in the town. We finally found a spot and stood in line for check in. Unlike the other extreme triathlon events we have done, it was nice to have check in on Thursday (and not just the day before the race) and a wide range of times to check in. 

 

Each athlete is required one support team member but they encourage another member as well. Thankfully, our friend Honza (who helped us out in Icon) came from Czech to help out Karel throughout my race. The primary support crew member (Karel) is able to access T1 with me after the swim and is allowed to run with me at any point after 25K (start of Zombie Hill). The primary support member is required to accompany the athlete up Guastatoppen mountain (if making the cut off). Honza is able to hand me nutrition throughout the race and he will also bring our required gear in our backpacks to 37K (enterance to the mountain) for me and Karel. Honza and Karel had to sign a waiver, along with myself for the race. We handed that in during check in. 

Prior to that, Karel and I had to show our mandatory gear in our backpacks: 
-Waterproof pants
-Waterproof jacket w/ hood 
-Base layer
-Hat, gloves
-Headlamp

After our gear was approved, I received a bag with all of my gear for the race. We then picked up my chip and GPS tracker. If you would like to follow the race, you can track the race live HERE. There will also be live coverage on the Norseman website. 

I spent Wednesday organizing and laying out my gear so that I didn't have too much to do going into the race. The epic weather app helps so much for these all day events, especially when the weather can impact what you wear/eat/drink, etc. After the check in, I added a few more things to my gear piles and tomorrow I'll go over my nutrition with Karel and Honza (although it's pretty simple). 

This evening we got take out pizza from Fjord & Mountain cafe and Kremmeri - it was good but not great. Certainly nothing compares to pizza from Italy. But I have to keep with my tradition of pizza two days before a long distance race. 

Tomorrow I have to take a headshot with my bib number and there is the mandatory athlete and support crew briefing at 4pm. After that, there's only one more (restless) night of sleep before a very early alarm and the 5am start of covering 140 miles and 17,000 feet elevation gain at the 2024 Norseman XTRI World Championship. 

Hello from Eidfjord - the Norseman race venue

 

Over the past three days in Rjukan, we saw every part of the run course, as well as T2 (transition from bike to run). With Norseman XTRI being a point to point race, it was really good to spend a few days at the race finish, getting to know the area. I booked two different dates for the same Airbnb in Rjuken (race finish) so that we could return to the same familiar Airbnb as when we arrived to Norway. The owner also allowed us to leave some of our stuff at the place, which was very kind. It seems like everyone knows the Norseman event so the owner was very understanding about our situation. Knowing that we will be super exhausted after the race on the 3rd, it's nice knowing where we will be sleeping that evening. 

I haven't been feeling the best since arriving to Norway. I assume all the mental exhaustion with Campy was wearing me down. Today I felt super tired, despite sleeping almost 9 hours. The sun sets very late here in Norway (after 10pm) which also makes it hard to wind down (or maybe it's because we are watching the Olympics on Peacock with our NordVPN and excited from all the events/sports). 

We packed up the car with our bikes and suitcases and started our 135 mile, 3.5 hour drive. I was really looking forward to this ride because it was the first time that we would be seeing the bike course. Even though we were driving the entire bike course in reverse, it was still really good to experience the climbs, descends, turns and scenery. And wow - the scenery is incredible!! The nature is so beautiful. Although this bike course is very hard with over 10,000 feet of elevation gain in 112 miles, it is spectacular. 

Bike course from Eidfjord to T2. 

Elevation of bike course to T2 to the run and then to the "black shirt" race finish on top of Gaustatoppen. 

We made two stops during our drive. The first stop was at SPAR in Geilo. With Eidfjord being a small town, we loaded up on groceries at a large SPAR grocery store. We then stopped at the Voringfossen waterfall. It was a short hike up to the scenic bridge to enjoy the waterfall below us. Karel got ice cream when we were there. 

We finished our drive through several tunnels - all of which we will bike through on race day (we aren't allowed to bike through tunnels until race day). 

Throughout our entire drive, I was able to recognize certain areas of the course from all the YouTube videos I've watched from the race over the years. 

If you'd like to learn more about the Norseman extreme triathlon history, you can read/hear more here. 

"I did spend some time trying to find this place in Norway, where we could have a fast, typical triathlon event, just like the others. So when it was totally impossible to find that place in Norway, it was quite easy to decide that we should do something completely the opposite of the normal fast, flat, comfortable, warm, nice triathlons! With that idea, it was actually quite easy to find a few alternatives. The best idea was to swim in the Hardangerfjord, because it is not too far north. I thought the water going further north than Hardangerfjord would be too cold. Since I live in the county of Telemark, a couple of hours south of Oslo, I really wanted the race to end at the top of a mountain and the most beautiful mountain in Norway is Mount Gaustatoppen, my home mountain."

When we entered the town of Eijford, we were greeted by a huge cruise ship. I quickly recognized the white host hotel. We couldn't believe how cute of a town it was. Our Airbnb is 0.8 miles from the host hotel and we arrived around 3:45pm (we left our first Airbnb a little after 10am). 

We unloaded our car, ate some food and worked a little before heading down to the public beach/water around 6pm. This was my first time experiencing the glacier fed water and I have been very nervous about the temperature. Although we swam close to shore, I was relieved that it wasn't too cold. But I was shocked to see so many kids and families bathing in the water in only their swimsuits! We clearly don't have Norwegian blood. The water felt like it was in the upper 50's and Karel and I both wore our thermal booties. I received a new thermal wetsuit from Roka and I felt great in the water. There were some warm pockets of water and some really cold pockets. I will continue to try out different neoprene gear options before the race so I am prepared for whatever the water temp will be at 5am on race day. We swam around 1300 meters (with some stops) and then walked back to our Airbnb for dinner and then we watched the Olympics. 
Today was the first day since we arrived that I haven't felt cold - and I could finally wear shorts! The weather was amazing in Eidfjord - in the 60's and sunny! 

There are several Norseman activites this week and we are looking forward to seeing more of this area before the race start on August 3rd. 

Here are some pics from our drive. 

Update from Norway for Norseman

 

The past few days have been rough. After we said good-bye to Campy, Karel and I had a really hard time getting back into our routine. Swimming was ok but it was hard to do intervals. I had a lot of trouble getting myself outside on the bike. The past 9 years I have walked Campy up and down our street a bazillion times so being on the street has been difficult for me as it reminds me of him. Running felt impossible. We were carrying around so much sadness and our house felt so empty. We had a constant tight feeling in our chest and randomly, each of us would start crying. But we know that exercise is important for our mental and physical health so we did the best that we could. 

On Wednesday July 24th I woke up around 5:30am and a little after 7am, I went for a 2350 yard swim followed by a 4 mile run. I felt like I was going through the motions. At 10:00am, we headed out to make our 3 hour drive to Atlanta. 

I pre-booked off site parking with Peachy airport parking and we parked in covered parking with international terminal drop-off/pick up. We arrived a little after 1pm and got into the shuttle shortly after. Surprisingly, we didn't have any traffic getting to the airport so our trip started off very smooth. 

After checking in and dropping off our suitcases and bike cases, we went through security and headed to the new Centurion Lounge. We spent the next 3 hours in the lounge, enjoying delicious food and getting a lot of work done. Although I love traveling, I was having a really hard time getting excited for our trip and my race. As hard as it has been to be at home without Campy, all I wanted was to be at home. Karel was also really struggling with sadness. 

I was nervous about all of the recent Delta issues and how it would impact our international flight but somehow, we had no issues or delays. We boarded our flight around 4:55pm, the flight left just before 6pm and we had a smooth 8-ish hour flight to Amsterdam. Karel and I both watched the movie Molly's Game, which was really good. I pre-ordered a lacto vegetarian meal and it was really good (the same dish I've had several times in the past - a tofu curry with carrots and rice). I was able to sleep for a few hours but Karel wasn't able to fall asleep - he just rested his eyes. 

We arrived to Amsterdam before 8am. We went through border control and then went to the Aspire lounge to wait for our next flight, which was leaving around noon. The lounge was nice, food was limited but it was still good to have some snacks and coffee. Karel slept the entire time we were in the lounge and I got a lot of work done. 

We walked to our gate to board our KLM city chopper plane and somehow we were upgraded to the only "business" class seats. It was just a normal seat at the front of the small plane but it was an unexpected surprise. We both slept during our 90 min flight. 

We arrived a bit late as we took off late from Amsterdam but we arrived to Oslo around 2:15pm. We picked up our bike bags (belt 10) and suitcases and made our way to pick up our rental car at Hertz. 
Once again, everything went smoothly and there was no line getting our Rav4 hybrid SUV. 

We picked up our car, loaded the bikes and bags (plenty of room) and Karel drove us to Rjukan for the first part of our 1.5 week trip in Norway. The drivers seem much more patient and considerate compared to Italy and we were surprised how many people speak English. Although the drive was around 3 hours, it was a really pretty. I wasn't sure what to expect in Norway but it reminded me a lot of Lake Placid, NY and Bend, Oregon. It was so green! We made a quick stop at the Spar grocery store in Rjukan (small store) to get a few things before making our way up "Zombie" hill - the 4+ mile climb with 4 hairpin turns which starts at mile 15 of our run course. This was our first time seeing some of the Norseman run course and it started to feel really real. 

We arrived to our Airbnb around 7:30pm (less than a mile from the host hotel in Rjuken) and the house was so much cuter than the pics. Amazingly, we did really well with traveling and didn't feel too exhausted throughout the day. But come 10pm, we were ready for bed. It's wild that there is still so much light outside at 10pm! We had a good night of sleep and Karel woke up around 5:30am (light outside) and I slept until 7am-ish. The weather was cool (in the 50's) which made for perfect sleeeping with the windows open. Our cabin is on the top of a hill so it is really peaceful outside without any noise. 

With Norseman being point to point and our first time in Norway, we decided to spend a few days near the run course so we could scope out all of the run course, T2, parking areas, and the final climb (T3). We can then drive the entire bike course (backwards) to take us to Eijford where we will spend the week there before the race start. We will then stay at the same Airbnb after the race until we leave Norway (I booked it for two different sets of dates and the owner said we can leave stuff at the place, including our bike cases, when we are in Eidjford). 

We took our time on Friday morning and around 9:30am we made our way down the mountain and went to the Rjukanbadet swimming complex. It was 13 USD per person (142 NOK). I swam 4200 meters and Karel swam around 3200. This was the first time that I didn't feel a tightness in my chest while working out. I actually felt really good in the water which was surprising after all of our traveling in the past 24 hours. After our swim workout, we enjoyed the hot tub. We made another stop at the Spar grocery before heading back up the mountain to our Airbnb. The Zombie hill is a kicker of a climb - averaging 10% for almost over 4 miles!

In the early evening, we went for a run around the area - which is a beautiful ski village. We ran on a rolling crushed gravel trail which serves as a cross country trail in the winter. I ran 3.8 miles and Karel ran 4.5 miles. I purchased NordVPN so that we can watch the Olympics on Peacock throughout our time in Norway. We watched some of the opening cermony before going to bed. 

On Saturday morning, we drove down the mountain and parked in a gravel parking lot by the road and went out on our bikes for a 51 mile (2:40 hr) bike with a little over 2300 feet elevation gain. We biked the 15 "flat" miles of the run course (which isn't entirely flat) and then biked around 10 miles up the final descend that goes into T2. I've watched so many videos of Norseman that I can quickly recognize familiar sights and roads from this iconic event. I felt good on the bike but didn't really push it. Karel wasn't feeling very good on the bike (he has his gravel bike with road tires) which made it even more difficult for him to stay on my wheel with me on my tri bike. 

After the ride we each went for a run. I didn't run on the course but rather, I took a side road and ran by the river. The scenery and nature is absolutely beautiful so while the course is ridiculously challenging with so much elevation gain, the sights are stunning. Karel ran for 40 min and I ran for 25 minutes. The rest of the day was all about relaxing and watching T100 and the Olympics (Time Trial cycling for women). 

On Sunday, I drove Karel to the start of the Gaustatoppen climb (which is the final 4.5 kilometers of the Norseman marathon). He ran/hiked to the top and then hiked down (it was really rocky so impossible to run down) and then ran back to our Airbnb for a total of ~13 miles in 3 hours (and close to 3000 feet elevation gain). I did a 8-mile run (1:07, ~400 feet elevation gain) by the Gaustablikk hotel - the first 5 miles on the road and the last 3 miles on the crushed gravel trail. I ran until I felt good (as my running hasn't felt good in the past week). 

I got a fresh sourdough bread loaf and 3 pastries at the bakery before driving back to the Airbnb. The rest of the day was all about resting and packing up our stuff at the Airbnb before we make our way to Eidjford, where we will be staying until August 3rd (race day!).

The Stone Triathlon - Gear

 

Extreme triathlons are unique in that they require some slightly different gear and equipment to a standard long distance triathlon. And every extreme triathlon is different. 

Here are a few examples from our past three XTRI events.....
-At Canadaman, I was required to bring my own inflatable buoy (and light) for the swim. At Icon we were given a buoy (and light) that was returned to the organizers. At The Stone, Karel was able to keep his buoy (and glowstick). 
-At Canadaman, the terrain was primarily off-road. But I choose to change into trail shoes (and use my hiking poles) for the final few miles. At Icon, I wore road shoes for all of the run as most of the trails were lightly packed gravel and not too technical. I used hiking poles for the final few miles up the mountain. At The Stone, Karel needed hiking poles for most of the run. He wore road shoes for most of the run until he changed into his trail shoes for the final 2 miles up the mountain. 
-At Canadaman, I was choose to wear a one piece trisuit for the swim and bike and I changed into running gear for the run. At The Stone, Karel wore a one piece trisuit for the swim and the bike and changed into running gear for the run. At Icon, I did a complete change out of my swim gear and into dry clothing for the bike (it was 32 degrees out) and had several layers on that I removed as the bike went on. I also did a complete change into run gear before the run. 
-At Canadaman, I used a tri bike (I will also use my tri bike for Norseman). At Icon, I used my road bike w/ attached aerobars and at The Stone, Karel used his road bike with attached aerobars. 

Although we have only completed a few extreme triathlons, we have learned that there are several similarities in that every race offers a variety of weather conditions, cold water (and/or swimming in the dark), big climbs on the bike (a lot of elevation gain), and a mix of road and trail running. And every race requires a support crew as the events are primarily self-supported. 

To learn more about the gear that Karel used in The Stone Extreme Triathlon, check out these videos that I took before the event. 

THE SWIM

THE BIKE

THE RUN

THE RUN (Mandatory gear)

The Stone Triathlon - Race Recap

On June 29th, Karel completed his first Extreme Triathlon - The Stone.
His time of 14 hours and 40 minutes earned him 7th across the finish line. 
RESULTS

Quick stats:

• 2am - wake up, eat oatmeal, drink coffee, get dressed.
• 2:45am - walk to transition area.
• 3:20am - board ferry to the other side of Lake Iseo.
• 4am - 5:07am: 4270 yards swimming in 1:07 (from Gallinagra to Sulzano, across Lake Iseo).
• 5:10am - 12:47pm: 109 miles of biking and 13,576 feet elevation gain covering Aprica, Mortirolo and Gavia pass in 7:25. Average speed 14.7mph.
• 12:56 - 6:34: 21.8 miles of running and 7830 feet elevation gain, starting in Ponte di Legno and finishing at Passo Paridiso. Average pace, 15:48 min/mile. 
• Karel started the race in the dark. The water was in the upper 60's and the air temperature was in the 60s to low 70's for most of the day. Karel was comfortable in his tri kit for the entire bike. Only when he descended from Gavia did he put on a jacket to keep himself warm before arriving to T2. It was warm and humid for most of the run. 
  
  
  

  
  

Race Morning
Our athlete Yannick joined us for this experience as he has been spending time in Europe training and racing. Having him with us with a big help for me as we could both support Karel. We all walked down with Karel to help him get ready in his wetsuit and after he boarded the ferry, we walked back up to our Airbnb (~1/2 mile away up a hill) and packed up our stuff in the car since we were checking out of our Airbnb to make our way to Ponte di Legno.

I brought Karel's bike stuff to the transition area around 4:30am and set it up so that Karel could have a quick and smooth transition. I anxiously waited for Karel to exit the water. There was only one buoy on the swim course (1000 meters from shore, near the island in the midlde of the lake). Otherwise, Karel only had a shining light (picture below) for sighting. Karel was able to see the light for all of the swim but somehow he got off course and ended up far away from the island. He was able to overcorrect and make his way to the shore. Karel said that swimming in the dark was very calming for him. He felt calm on the ferry. 

 I ran with Karel to the transition area, helped him transition from swim to bike and then he was off for the bike. I laid out Karel's gear, turned on his HR monitor, computer (with navigation) and rear light (I forgot to turn on his front light but he turned it on). 

For the next 7+ hours, Yannick and I drove behind or in front of Karel (rarely spending more than a few minutes with him in sight), asking him if he needed anything as we passed him. We would stop at various random places along the course to take pictures, cheer and to see if he needed anything. I was worried that I would be really tired in the car but surprisingly I was filled with adrenaline and excitement for Karel. I was most worried and nervous about getting lost (we did miss a few turns) or not being there when Karel needed us but Karel was very easy to take care of throughout the race. He didn't want to stop more than he needed to so the only times he would stop would be to pee (on the side of the road - there were not bathrooms, not even in the transition area). 

The scenery was beautiful and it was fun to be around some of the other athletes. We were around a French athlete (and his team) so we would all stop at similar places along the course. I had lots of snacks/food/drinks/water in the car but to be honest, it was hard for me to want to eat. My diet consisted of Fanta, bars and pretzels. I did make myself a PB sandwich and had some yogurt while Karel was on the run. We stopped for a coffee around 8am in one of the towns. 

We were not allowed to drive up Gavia (per the race organizers advice due to the small roads and to limit congestion) so after Karel passed through Ponte di Legno, we parked the car and waited for Karel for the next 90+ minutes. I wanted to give Karel another bottle before Gavia but he kept on riding. Karel told me he was fine. Throughout the race, Karel had issues drinking as his stomach was not emptying well. This caused him not to fuel and hydrate as well as he would have liked. He felt like he paced himself really well and the best part was not experiencing his typical race day cramps or extreme back pain throughout the race. 

The transition area was in the middle of the town of Ponte di Legno. It was a really cool set up with shops and restraurants around the square. I set up Karel's run gear in the transition area and after Karel arrived, he changed out of his tri kit and into his run gear (in the men's changing tent).

Karel had planned to do all of the run by himself and then I would join Karel for the final 2+ miles after T3. Howver, I had a last minute idea for Yannick to join Karel on the run because I knew Karel would benefit from having someone with him. I know how tired I was getting off the bike in my last two XTRI events and I really enjoyed and benefited from having Karel with me for the entire XTRI ICON run. Yannick is a great runner (professional triathlete) so I knew he would be a better fit than me for the early hours of the run. Yannick took my backpack with the mandatory gear and joined Karel for the first 13 miles of the run.

 I drove to the next town to meet up with them to see if they needed any nutrition and to give Karel his hiking poles as the terrain was very steep in places. Karel was struggling when I saw him as he had been dealing with extreme nausea after running a bit too hard up the hills when he started the run. When he stopped at the top of a hill, it hit him really hard - like a really bad hangover.

The run course was a mix of paved trail, roots, grass and road. It was extremely steep and hilly. During the run, Yannick called me to tell me that Karel wanted his hiking poles due to the steepness of the climbs. All athletes (and support crew) were required to wear their backpacks w/ mandatory gear for the entire run.

 I drove to a dirt parking area outside of town to wait for Karel around mile 13. I changed into my run gear and got myself ready in case Karel wanted me to join him for the next 8+ miles. When I saw Karel and Yannick, I asked Karel if he wanted me to run with him and he nodded his head "yes." This was very special to me to join Karel for the remainder of the race.

Karel was running on empty. He was tired and it was very hard for him to actually run. I understood the feeling so I stayed ahead of him and helped him stay on course so he didn't have spend extra energy on navigating himself. I tried to encourage him to run anytime the course was flat or went downhill. 

There was a lot of walking/hiking as the terrain was very steep and Karel was very tired, exhausted, sore and still feeling nauseous but I encouraged him to jog whenever there was a flatish area. When we reached T3, Yannick had our trail shoes ready for us (he drove the car there from Ponte di Legno). It was then time to tackle the final portion of the race. A climb up a Paradiso Pass - one of the steepest ski slopes in Italy.



After a mile of climbing up grass, gravel and then loose rocks, the terrain turned to snow.

 And then the weather suddenly turned and we were faced with thunder, rain and hail. We could barely make out the orange flags to help guide the way to the top. It took us 48 minutes to go 0.7 miles in the snow!

When it started raining/hailing, I encouraged Karel to stop and put on our rain jackets. At this point he was passed by an athlete (a guy from Czech) but Karel was trying his absolute best to get to the finish line and there was nothing more he could give. It was just one step forward at a time. At this point, Karel had been racing for over 13 hours - the longest continuous activity of his life!




 When we made the last turn up the mountain, I quickly hiked ahead of Karel and when I saw the finish line red carpet, I yelled to Karel "it's here! You are so close!!" I ran up the carpet to video Karel finishing.




 He was so exhausted and relieved when he crossed the finish line.



 We then went inside the ski lodge to change out of our wet clothes and into our dry clothes and then we enjoyed a warm meal.

On the day before the race, Karel expressed his excitement and nerves to do something for the first time. Although he was very nervous about the unknown, he was able to wake up on race day with a sense of calm.

This is our third extreme triathlon between both of us. Last year I completed XTRI Canadaman and XTRI Icon. We learned a lot from those events and it helped us in Karel's preparation for this event as well as our strategy throughout the event.

Extreme triathlons are unique in that they are primarily self-supported. Even though there can be a few aid-stations along the race course and there is a designated transition area for swim to bike and bike to run, there are several aspects to an extreme that make them very different to a standard full distance triathlon.

• You need a support team/person that will keep you going and will keep you positive and will encourage you to never give up. As an athlete, your success depends on your team. Your crew plays a vital role in your performance and you can't complete the event without them.
• Extreme triathlons are small. You may have 60-250 participants. Not everyone will finish. This provides a "family" feel. The organizers get to know all of the athletes (often by name) and the athletes and crew get to know other athletes and crew members. The overall vibe is extremely supportive.
• Extreme triathlons require mandatary gear for the run, and there is usually a designated "T3" (transition three) area where the athlete needs a support team member to "run" with the athlete. Typically, the last few miles of the run are up a mountain, requiring hiking poles and a lot of walking.
• There is always an element of extreme weather. It could be rain, snow, heat, wind or cold water. You have to be prepared for anything and everything. This includes gear, equipment and nutrition. 
• Be prepared to get up early. Most extreme triathlons start between 4-5am which means a 2am wake up. 
• There are going to be highs and lows throughout the day. You need experience to know how to manage through the very tough and uncomfortable moments. Unlike a standard full distance triathlon that requires careful pacing, in an extreme triathlon, sometimes you have to give your absolute best to get through a steep climb or hill - or to keep moving forward. 
• In extreme triathlons, the overall male and female are celebrated (and sometimes top 3) but everyone who finishes is treated the same - everyone is given the same applause, recognition, and celebration. There are no age group results. This means that times don't matter. It's you vs. you vs. the elements. Karel said that he has never suffered, struggled and hurt so much before. This was the most difficult event that he has ever participated in. It gave him exactly what he wanted and more. He is very proud of himself and he still can't believe what his body allowed him to do.

We will soon be doing a video race recap of his day, which we will share on YouTube.

                                                 

Next up...I will be participating in XTRI Norseman (XTRI "World Championship") in Norway on August 3rd. Karel has two more extreme triathlons planned for 2024 - ICON and Patagonman. 

2023 XTRI ICON - Behind the scenes

  
It's been almost two months since I competed in XTRI ICON in Livigno, Italy.

Here's a video that I made, capturing the highlights of the day. 

It feels so long ago but the memories are still sharp in my mind. I really enjoyed writing my race recap and sharing my thoughts from the race. I thought it would be fun to share some of the behind the scenes details from my training, my gear and equipment, how I paced the event and Karel's role throughout my 16 hour race. Here's a video that we put together. Enjoy! 

XTRI ICON Race Recap - Bike

123 mile bike - 9:24:59 (9:12.12 riding time)
15276 feet elevation gain, 5 mountain passes

Forcola Pass (10.2 miles, 1634 feet, 52 minutes)

It didn’t take long for me to warm up as once I got out of the town of Livigno, I started to climb the first mountain pass. The grade was gentle but it was a noticeable climb for 10 miles. My legs were tired and I didn’t feel like my normal self so I just focused on trying to find a good rhythm. The grade averaged around 3-5% which is one of my favorite climbing grades so that helped as nothing was steep. The support cars are not allowed to pace the athletes so Karel and I had a strategy that he would drive up next to me, I would tell him what I needed/wanted and then he would find a good place to stop to give me what I needed. Support crews also can not give aid while moving in the car, the car has to be stopped. Anytime I needed a drink or food, Karel would give it to me on an uphill (because it’s easier for him to run next to me and hand me items). If I needed to pee or change clothes, he would find a good place for me to stop next to the car. I have a lot of experience riding in cold conditions because I ride outside year round in Greenville. Even though the temp was in the mid 30’s for this first climb, I felt comfortable with my clothing options. Karel and I discussed that I can not go into this race with placement goals as I needed to stay focused on the process but it was a bit discouraging to know I was the last female on the course and nearly the last athlete starting the bike. Although my legs didn’t feel great, I found myself passing athletes on the first climb, which gave me an encouraging boost. Although getting hypothermia was not ideal, I do think that taking that extra time in the transition to warm up after the swim helped me on the bike so that I didn't overbike. I later heard that several athletes biked really hard to start in order to try to warmup after the swim. 

I studied the bike course map in detail the day before the race. I looked at strava files from previous competitors and I also wrote down on paper how long each climb and descend was to get even more familiar with the course. Along with having the Epic Ride Weather app, I felt very prepared with my clothing choices, nutrition and pacing. This course really suited me as it was either climbing or descending. You either go up or down with very little flat.

After a quick 2.5 mile descend into Switzerland, it was time to climb the Bernina Pass.

Bernina Pass (2 miles, 826 feet, 18 minutes 32 seconds)

Although this climb was a little steeper than the previous pass (and much shorter), I felt so much better. My legs were awake, and I felt like I had more energy in my body. My goal was to drink 1 x 26 ounce bottle of 320 calories INFINIT fructose every 75 minutes (with the cold weather, my fluid needs were different than in warm weather) and to try to get in some type of solid food, gel or chew every 30-45 minutes for extra calories. I had practiced a lot in long rides/events with a variety of sport nutrition options and the Never Second gels, Clif bar Crunchy Peanut Butter, Maurten bar and Never Second bar and Power Bar chews were my favorite in terms of texture, consistency, taste and effectiveness (good digestion). Karel wanted me to try the KetoneAid KE4 Pro Ketone Ester Drink throughout the race (he felt like it really worked for him in Breck Epic) so that was the only new thing I tried/used in ICON. I also took 3-4 Gu Aminos every now and then (Karel would hand them to me and I would wash down with my drink).

After this second climb, it was time to make the long descend by St. Moritz and into Zernez. Participating in the 2022 Haute Route Alps gave me a lot of experience regarding riding through small towns, managing the cars (and other cyclists) on the road and understanding the nature of the climbs and descends in Alps/dolomites. Although there are cars on these narrow roads and technical descends, the riding in Europe is very different than in the US in that cars expect cyclists and the cars work together to keep the cyclists safe. It was a beautiful and fun 29 mile, 1hr and 9 minute gradual descend (averaging 25.4 mph). I was really happy to have the aerobars on my road bike to change the position and to be able to be more aero while descending almost 2900 feet. I passed several more athletes, including a few females. The other support cars were really supportive and after a few hours, I began to notice similar support crew vehicles (and athletes). At 2:09 into the ride, I stopped to pee and to change my gloves. It was 45 degrees when I stopped and I wasn’t overheating so I kept my layers on. I love riding with my buff in cold weather as it really helps me stay warm during descends. I had a sip of the disgusting ketons during my stop (and nearly gagged, blah!) and had a bite of banana. Karel was very organized with the stops and always had a selection of clothing and nutrition for me to choose from and he always had extra bottles of nutrition and water ready for me.

Fuorn Pass (13 miles, 1696 feet, 1hr 11 minutes)

I felt like my energy level was stable. I was feeling stronger as the ride went on. The sun was shining and I felt warm. I continued to pass athletes on the climbs. There were many times when I was riding by myself without any cars/athletes in sight but the course was really well marked with signs. Although I had the course on my Garmin, it doesn’t really work internationally with turns but it does show the climbs that you are on and I really like seeing how much longer I have with each climb. I never focused on my speed or power or total time but just focused on each climb and trying to manage my effort for steady riding. I continued to focus on my fueling and drinking on the climbs but even more so on the descends when it was easier to take in solid food. We had to obey all rules of the road which meant stopping at any lights. We were notified about a construction area (which there were several along the route) that had a light for one way traffic. There was also a short section of gravel. This stop felt like forever but it was only a few minutes. I used that time to take a few bites of a bar.

The weather was getting nicer and it was in the 50s. I had been riding for almost 4 hours and I was feeling great. I felt like the miles were going by really quickly thanks to all the descending. Now it was time for another 61 minute, 22.6 mile gradual 4159 feet descend to the lowest elevation on the course at around 3000 feet. There was a lot of traffic in the small town before the Stelvio pass. Large buses were going through the tiny streets and villages so I had to do a lot of slowing down. I ended up riding on the sidewalk for a block becauses of all the stopped cars. There were volunteers at the major intersections to tell us which way to go but other than that, we had to follow all rules of the road.

Stelvio Pass (14.4 miles, 48 switchbacks, 5715 feet, 2 hours and 17 minutes)

By the time I reached the start of the iconic Stelvio Pass, I had covered 80 miles in 4:46 (17.2 mph) and accumulated 5744 feet. In my mind, this was “half way” and I was ready for the 2^nd half of the bike course. I was so excited to climb Stelvio and to experience the epic 48 switchbacks.

Karel had the car parked on the side of the road so that I could take off some layers. It was in the mid 60’s and it felt amazing. I kept my toe covers on the entire ride (just didn’t feel like taking them off) but took off my jacket, ear covers, gloves and buff. I went pee behind the car, had a swig of Ketones and a few sips of coke and water and then started the climb on Stelvio. Throughout the ride, I also nibbled on a few pieces of banana (typically when I stopped). I only had 1 bottle of sport drink on my bike so that I didn’t carry too much weight. Even when Karel handed me a bottle of water or coke, it only had ~8-16 ounces in it so that I wasn't carrying too much.

I didn’t let the magnitude of this mountain affect me as I just focused on one mile at a time. I was actually really excited for this climb and I feel that positive mindset helped me for the next 2 hours. Once the signs started to count down the switchbacks starting from 48, I focused on one switchback at a time. I made sure to drink every ½ mile as it gave me something to focus on. I didn’t find the grade too challenging but it was averaging around 8-11%. The scenery was remarkable. The road was narrow and packed with cars, motorcycles and other cyclists. Karel and Honza were limited with areas to pull off and stop but he was able to hand me water a few times throughout the climb and switch out sport drink bottles.  It didn’t feel like I was climbing for 2 hours but I was ready to reach the top as I was nearing 10 switchbacks to go. I enjoyed the extra momentum out of every switchbacks. Some sections were long between switchbacks and that became hard. 

I took a selfie while riding. I couldn't resist :) 

As I was nearing the top, I passed the 2^nd place lady and told her good job. I couldn’t believe that I was now the 2^nd place female. Although I wasn’t “racing” I felt like I had overcome so much so early on in the race and I could finally showcase my strengths. I had passed a lot of guys on the climb and and I couldn’t stop thinking about what I was doing with my body. When I reached the top of the Stelvio I had been riding for almost 7 hours, climbed over 11,000 feet and had ridden 93.7 miles. The top of the Stelvio was packed with vistors as there were several shops, restaurants and pubs. Karel and Honza managed to find a place to park and I quickly grabbed a bottle, had a few bites of a banana, grabbed a bar and put on a jacket and gloves before the descend. Karel told me that I was in 2nd place but not to let that change how I was racing. There was still a lot left in the race.  Even though it was in the 60’s, descending while a little sweaty can be chilly.

I really wanted a picture with the Stelvio sign but there were lots of people around so Karel got a quick picture and then I continued on. As I was putting on my jacket, the 2^nd place girl kept riding so now I was third.

The 11 mile descend to Bormio was steep, fast and a little technical with long straights and tight switchbacks. Although I had gone through several tunnels throughout the event, there was a one way tunnel that Karel warned me about and the light to wait for your turn took several minutes. Thankfully I got lucky and made the green light through the tunnel. My hands/arms got really tired descending for 30 minutes so I was relieved when I got to a flatter section (~3 miles) and could rest in the aero bars.

At 110 miles, I stopped by the car and gave Karel my jacket, grabbed two bottles of sport drink, took a shot of ketones (blah!) and made my way to the last climb. This was the last time I would see Karel until T2 as he wanted to make sure he was there ready for me and also he needed to get ready to run the marathon with me.

Foscagno pass (9 miles, 2925 feet, 1 hour and 21 minutes)

Karel warned me about the last pass that it was challenging. The gradient was around 8% and it was also very windy. Throughout every climb, I focused on a steady sustainable effort. But for this climb, it was hard to find the right effort as I could feel that I was getting tired and I also needed to conserve energy for the run. I feel like I was able to ride well (I continued to pass a few more guys) and I also repassed the 2^nd place girl (Anastasiia). Her support crew/partner was very nice and he would always cheer for me. I knew that Nina (who won the female race) was a strong cyclist so I wasn’t focused on catching her throughout the race. She won the event in 2022 but I also know that anything can happen in XTRI events. Even though it was a competition/race, I felt like everyone was supportive of one another. Athletes weren’t really talking throughout the race as everyone was focused on their own effort. Once I reached the top of the climb, I started to get my mind prepared for the run. I had reconned the last few miles of the bike so that really helped to know what was left before the transition. It was a quick 3 mile descend before I rolled into T2 and met Honza and Karel in the parking lot.

T2 was in a different place than T1. T2 was in Trepalle, a little village around 6600 feet just outside of Livigno (which sits at 6000 feet).

I got off my bike and handed it to Honza, who collected my bike and gear bag (with all my bike stuff) as the support crew is responsible of taking everything outside of transition as soon as the athlete leaves. In Canadaman, Karel was my support crew for everything so it was super helpful to have Honza. This also allowed Karel to run with me for as much as I wanted throughout the run (it’s mandatory to have a support member run with you at T3, which is mile 18 until the finish). I wanted Karel to run the entire marathon with me as I wanted his company and I also felt like he could help me be more strategic with my fueling and aid stations. In this race, there were aid stations every 3 miles (after 6 miles) but only with coke, water, pie (yep!)and gels.

I really had to pee in the last few miles but there was only one restroom (in the building outside of T2) so I had to hold it until I exited T2.

I did a complete change out of my bibs, base layer, jersey and sports bra and put on tri shorts, a fresh sports bra and tech shirt. I had a tank as an option but since it was really windy and getting cooler, I opted for the tech shirt. One of my running flasks leaked in my bag so some of my items were wet but Karel did his best to dry things off. I put on my Naked run belt with two flasks and put my GSP transponder in my belt. Apparently, my transponder hadn’t been working all day which left several people worried. After leaving transition, I went to the bathroom and was able to have a small BM and pee but, no stomach issues which was great. I had never eaten so much on the bike before. In a regular IM, I only consume liquid calories ~360-400 calories per hour. But in this race, I took in so much! Karel went pee as well and I stretched out my feet as they were really tired.

My transition was 7 minutes and I had the 34th fastest bike (out of 113 bike finishers) and I was the 39th athlete out of T2. I had passed 53 athletes on the bike course.

I was actually looking forward to the marathon and running/hiking/joging the next 5 hours and 5000 feet with Karel. 

It's time to discover my limits at XTRI ICON

I love warm weather. I love working out in humid conditions. I love the feeling of warm air on my skin and I thrive in warm conditions. Some of my best race performances have been in hot and humid conditions.

Above is a photo of the predicted weather forecast for the XTRI ICON event that I'll be participating in tomorrow, September 1st in Livigno, Italy.

You'll notice a few things. Those temperatures are in Fahrenheit (not Celcius). The race starts at 6,000 altitude. I'll be starting the 3K (swim was shortened due to combined air and water temp) dark, cold water swim at 5am. I'll be starting the 123 mile, 9+ hour bike with 14,000+ feet of climbing in the upper 30's. The warmest it will be is 55 degrees. Then I will run a mostly off-road marathon with almost 4000 feet elevation gain, finishing at 9,000 feet.

This event will be my greatest athletic accomplishment IF I reach the finish line. But it will require a tremendous amount of physical strength, mental toughness, troubleshooting, proactive thinking, and luck.

~150 miles (2.4 mile swim, 123 mile bike, 26 mile run) ~18,000 feet elevation gain, 5 mountain passes to climb and descend, including the iconic 48 switchbacks on the Stelvio pass. Karel will be there for all 15+ hours as he is my support crew during this self-supported event. Karel will also be running the entire marathon with me (carrying as much as he can to support me nutritionally throughout the run).

These conditions scare me. I don't enjoy cold weather. Ever since I signed up for the event in December, I've had this event on my mind, especially the swim. It's kept me motivated, focused and dedicated to my training. For the past 9 months, a day hasn't gone by that I haven't thought about the difficulty of this epic event.

Growth comes from pushing the limits of what you think is possible. If you are not challenging yourself to do big, scary things, you will never know how far you can go and what you can achieve in life.

It wasn't too long ago that I was deathly afraid of descending on my bike on anything that resembled a hill. I have learned to embrace the wind while riding my tri bike, but it still makes me nervous. I've conquered a few cold water swims, despite being very uncomfortable.

A lifetime of personal growth (and discomfort) has got me to this point. Riding in the windy conditions on the big island of Kona at the Ironman World Championship (5x), swimming in the cold lake water outside of St. George, Utah, descending mountains in France in the Haute Route Alps and attempting my first Xterra off-road triathlon in Czech Republic are fresh in mind as each of these events put me in a "first ever" experience (which was scary)

With every challenge that I've faced in my personal and athletic life, I've learned that I am more capable than I give myself credit for. The limits that exist in my mind are often what hold me back. I'll be the first to admit that I am not a risk taker. I like to plan, research, strategize and practice before I attempt something new. Whether it's from a fear of failure or a fear of the uknown, I've become more comfortable taking risks.

While I feel physically prepared for XTRI ICON (well, as prepared as I could get), I've spent the last week getting my mind ready for the mental and physical suffering and struggles that I will experience during this 15+ hour adventure.

You can follow ICON XTRI on Facebook and Instagram and track me live HERE.

I hope that I can inspire you to pursue your big scary goals. Whether athletic, career or personal, don't limit yourself to what you think you can't do. I hope to inspire you to step out of your comfort zone in order to discover your physical and mental limits. And when you find your limits, dream a little bigger to see what else you are capable of achieving.

Here are a few powerful ways that can help you push yourself past your limits. 

• Address your limiting beliefs. It's easy to avoid doing things you don't believe are possible. It's easy to think you can't accomplish something. Your thoughts impact your actions. If you don't know your self-imposed limitations, you can't push past them.
• Chase your passions. When you are passionate about something, you'll find the motivation needed to put in the work. If you don't love what you are doing, you will struggle to find the energy to step outside of your comfort zone.
• Set realistic goals. If you don't know your destination, it'll be difficult to get there. While it's good to feel challenged by a goal, your goal should be somewhat realistic and attainable. It should stretch your abilities as you follow a measurable plan to get there but it should still remain possible.
• Be ok to fail. Stretching your comfort zone is all about facing your fears and not being afraid of failing. Struggle is part of growth. Failure is part of success. Failure means you are trying and you are learning.
• Get comfortable being uncomfortable. Anytime you do something for the first time, you will feel discomfort. If you want to challenge yourself, you need to embrace discomfort. 

“The fears we don’t face don’t become our limits.”

-Robin Sharma

XTRI ICON Livigno, Italy - Day 2 and 3

 

8/29
We woke up around 6:45am to somewhat clear skies. We could see the snow on the mountains. It was cold out (upper 30's) but no rain. We were hungry for breakfast around 8am and ordered some eggs along with our "continental" food options. We then layered up for our bike ride. We had been following the Haute Route online (they just finished up the 7-day stage in the Alps which we did last year and heading to the 5-stage Dolomites next). They shorted stage 1 from Bormio to the iconic Stelvio pass due to wet and snowy conditions. Karel was planning to ride up and over Stelvio but he modified his route (but still went to the top of the Stelvio). I rode with Karel to around Tornante (~1 hour, which was mostly climbing). We were in good company as there were some UAE cyclists just ahead of us and a lot of other cyclists. Even with the cold conditions, there were so many people out riding, hiking and walking. I felt really good climbing and was reminded of all the climbing we did in the Haute Routes. I feel that event prepared me really well for what to expect for XTRI ICON (123 miles, 14,000+ feet of climbing). I got a bit cold after stopping with Karel to look at the map before he left to continue on his ride and my hands were really cold. The good thing about this ride was getting an idea of what to wear after the cold swim that starts at 5am on race day (September 1st). 

I had lunch by myself around 1:40pm (it was delicious) and had Karel's lunch sent to the room for his return. 

I got some work done throughout the afternoon. Karel didn't return from his bike ride almost 5pm. His 74 mile route to the top of the Stelvio and back to Livigno had 11,500 feet of elevation gain. It took him almost 7 hours to complete. It took him almost 2 hours to climb 42 switchbacks (5350 feet) over 12 miles. The crazy part is that it took him 30 minutes to descend! I will be climbing Stelvio from the other side (48 switchbacks) near the end of the ICON XTRI and then descending down the 42 switchbacks to Bormio. 

Because of the snow on top of Stelvio, the roads were wet so as he was descending, the water was spraying on him, leaving him wet and cold. And the Foscagno Pass took him 90 minutes to climb 12.8 miles. Karel returned to our hotel exhausted and cold. He ate his cold lunch and then we went to the hotel spa (it's free for guests) to warm up. We sat in the warm pool with jets (not a hot tub). We also sat in the salt room, hay room and sauna. It was really relaxing. 

Nearing 7pm, it was time for dinner in the hotel. We were both really tired but struggled to get a restful night of sleep. My mind was thinking about tomorrow morning - my first opportunity to experience the dark cold water of Livigno. 

8/30

We woke up to my alarm at 4:45am. The ICON XTRI event offers a familiarization swim at 5:30am (race start is 5am) to experience the water conditions. I didn't know the water temp so I told myself to expect 50 degrees (which is super cold and I have never swam in anything less than 58 degrees) and anything warmer would be a bonus. This race is all about mental tricks and keeping my brain and body calm. We put on our wetsuits in our hotel room as the air temp was 33 degrees. Since I will be putting on dry clothes after the swim on race day, I wore a ROKA swimsuit and my ROKA sleeveless swimskin under my wetsuit (to barriers to keep my core warm). As we were leaving the hotel around 5:10am, we realized that the reception office was closed. Our car key was behind the front desk. Instead of driving, we went with plan B - bike. It was kinda weird, kinda fun to bike in our wetsuits and winter clothing but it was a nice way to get the blood flowing. 

We arrived to the swim start at Lake Livigno (across from the Aquagranda) just before 5:30am and there were probably around 30 athletes at the swim (out of the 150 registrants). I put on a thermal cap, booties and gloves (I've only worn booties before) and clear ROKA goggles and made my way to the water. Karel got in first (he only had booties and a thermal cap) and he said the water was cold. I got in very slowly to get my breathing under control before I started swimming. Although it was cold on my face, all my thermal gear worked great. While I was still getting water in my wetsuit, in my feet and in my hands, I wasn't cold. As I started swimming, the water felt less cold and more comfortable. It was still chilly but not extreme. It was strange swimming with so much gear on my extremities. I stopped several times as it was so dark and I was focusing on the boat with a light on it but I also didn't want to run into other athletes. The dark water didn't bother me, if anything I kinda liked it. 

I swam ~750 yards (to the boat and back). It was really good to have this experience to test out my gear and to check off this big uncertainty going into this race. I asked another athlete of the water temp and he told me 12.5 celcius. After we changed in the tent and rode back to our hotel (our fingers were freezing even with gloves) around 6:30am, I converted the temperature from celcius to Fahrenheit and it was 53 degrees!! The coldest water that I've ever swam in. I texted one of my friends (who is an experienced OWS) and she told me that I am now part of the <100 swim club - when you swim in conditions where the water + air temperature adds up to <100. Who knew there was such a thing! 

It took a while for us to warm up in our hotel room. Around 8:30am we went to get some breakfast in the hotel. After we ate, I was so exhausted. The swim really wore me out! I struggled for the next two hours and after getting some work done, I found the energy to get outside for a 38 minute run on some of the run course (paved sections) around 10:30am. Suprisingly, I still don't feel the altitude and when I exercise, I feel really good. It's when I am sitting/laying down that I get super tired. 

Karel left for a run while I was working on the computer. He decided to check out some of my run course (since he will be running all of it with me as my support crew). He ran up to T2 and then back to our hotel. It was an 18 mile, 2:33 run w/ 1800 feet elevation. He took some pictures from his run and it looks beautiful. Here are some pics from the run course that we each took. 

The lake (swim venue) during the day. 

We ate lunch at the hotel around 1pm and shortly, after we went to check in for the race. The race headquarters is a quick 350 meter walk from our hotel. 

The requirements for this race are pretty strict. You are required to show your triathlon license (USAT).  Thermal booties and swim cap are required for the swim. A change of clothes must be in the support car for the bike (if needed). The athlete and the support person must check in a bag that must be worn from T3 until the finish (last 12K) that includes a hat, gloves, long sleeve shirt, waterproof jacket w/ hood, running pants and a headlap. Because of the difficulty of this event (the bike alone will take me over 9 hours), most athletes won't be starting the 26 mile run (4000 feet elevation gain) until late afternoon. Because the last few miles of the run take us up to 9000 feet (3000 mile climb), weather can be unpredictable. 

After I picked up all my stuff, we went back to the room and I started to organize all of my gear. Unlike Canadaman which was rainy and warm, this race will be cold to start but because of all the elevation gain and loss throughout the day, the weather is up and down all day which requires a lot of different clothing options. I use the Epic Weather app to help me plan my gear. 

I'm hoping for a good night of sleep tonight as I know I won't sleep well on Thursday with the race starting at 5am on Friday. 

Our Epic and Xtreme events

We are approaching our last key events in our 2023 season. I will be participating in XTRI ICON on September 1st and Karel will be participating in Breck Epic on August 13th - 18th. These events will test us mentally and physically and we are excited (and nervous) for the unknown. If you'd like to learn a bit more about these events, I'll share some info about the events. You can also follow me on social media (Instagram and Facebook) as I will be sharing updates from Karel's race (and then Karel will share updates from my race). 

KAREL: Breck Epic - Breckendridge, CO

• ~220-240 miles
• ~40,000 feet of vertical gain
• All stages start at ~9,600 feet

1. Stage 1: Pennsylvania Creek, August 13th 35.7 miles, 5700 feet
2. Stage 2: The Colorado Trail, August 14th: 42.5 miles, 6565 feet
3. Stage 3: The Guyot Loop, August 15th: 40.5 miles, 7100 feet (crossing the Continental Divide twice)
4. Stage 4: The Keystone Loop, August 16th: 42.3 miles, 6473 feet
5. Stage 5: The Wheeler Loop, August 17th: 24.6 miles, 5227 feet - Time Trial 
6. Stage 6: The Gold Dust Loop, August 18th: 30.2 miles, 3740 feet 

MARNI: XTRI ICON - Livigno, Italy 

• September 1st (Friday)
• 5am start time
• Average air temp - 36-57 degrees F
• 2.4 mile swim in Lago Del Gallo - ~60 degrees F
• 121 mile bike, ~16,400 feet elevation gain
  -Starting at 6000 feet
  -Up the Forcola pass 
  -Bernina pass (switzerland)
  -Into St. Moritiz to Zernez
  -Fuorn Pass to Val Mustair 
  -Prato allo Stelvio (48 mountain switchbacks, second highest pass in Europe at 9,000 feet)
  -Bormio to Foscagno pass
• 26 mile run, ~4,920 feet elevation gain
  -Primarily off-road
  -Last 6 miles has an elevation gain of 3600 feet
  -Crew support (Karel) is required in the last 6 miles
• Finish at Carosello 3000 (9130 feet) 
• Winter/rain gear is required throughout the race in case of rain/snow

2023 XTRI Canadaman - travel and course recon

 

I booked an early flight to Canada on Delta which had us leaving the house at 3am (waking up at 2:45am) on Wednesday June 28th. We would have left on Tuesday but Karel flew home from Bend, Oregon on Monday after completing the 5-stage Oregon Trail Gravel Grinder and I wanted to give him a full day to recover at home before flying again. Karel came home exhausted after riding 363 miles with 32,681 feet of climbing. He finished 5th in his AG (45-59) and had his best placing on day 5. While the scenery was stunning, the event was very hard and the wild weather (sun, rain, hail, cold) added to the adventure.
Karel had a nasty crash near the finish of stage 1 when he was having a bit too much fun descending and overshot a turn. From sleeping in tents to climbing, climbing and more climbing, I ‘think’ Karel had a good experience but I know he’s relieved it’s over.

We arrived to the GSP airport around 3:45am and had no issues checking in and going through security. At 4:30am the centurion lounge opened so we were able to get a small meal and coffee. We boarded the plane around 5:15am and our short flight to ATL left around 5:30am - we both slept during the flight. 

When we arrived to ATL we made our way to the international terminal and went to the Delta lounge (which opened at 6:30am). Our Amex plat business card gives us lounge access to most lounges which has really made our traveling experiences a lot better. We had another bite to eat and got some work done during our 2 hour layover. 

We boarded our flight around 8:15am and left a little before 9am. We were both still really tired so we slept during our 2 hr and 45 minute flight to Montreal. 

The point of entry/border control process went smooth and didn't take us more than ~20 minutes. There were kiosks to scan our passport and take our picture and then we showed our receipt to the officer which let us through. Our luggage came quick and so did our bikes. The biggest delay was the rental car process which took us over an hour as the Budget/Avis (we had Budget) staff was very slow with the 3 customers ahead of us. Finally, nearing 1:30pm we had our rental car (Jeep) and made our way to Lac Megantic. 

We stopped at the IGA grocery store in Sherbrooke which was ~1 hour outside of Lac Megantic. Since the town we are staying in is very small, we did a big shop before arriving. Although everyone speaks French in Quebec (and some English), everyone has been really nice. The drive took us ~3 hours and we had a bit of rain on and off. I was worried about the forest fires and smoke but the air quality was fine. The scenery reminded us a lot of Lake Placid as we were driving which gave us a great feeling that we would like this area. 

We had a little trouble finding our Airbnb in Val-Racine but around 5pm we found our home for the next few days. The house I booked looked older online but it is actually very new and modern. It's on the top of a gravel hill and is surrounded by trees. After unloading groceries and our luggage, we were both extremely tired but we knew we needed to move some blood after a long day of travel. We went for a jog for ~30 minutes and it felt good to move the body.

Karel made some eggs and veggies for dinner and we had that with some bread and then we went to bed around 9pm and slept in until 6:30am....we both needed it! 

On Thursday morning we worked on the computer for a bit and around 8am Karel put the bikes together (he has his gravel bike, which he didn't unpack after Oregon) and around 9:30am we drove ~20 minutes to Lac Megantic (race venue) for a swim. 

I was a bit worried that the water was going to be really cold but it was actually perfect in the upper 60's. Karel brought his wetsuit so we swam together for ~20 minutes and then I did a bit more as I wasn't ready to stop swimming and needed a bit more time to get a good feel for the water. I wore my buoyancy float as it's required during the race (along with a light since we start the race at 4:30am). As we were swimming they were setting up the transition area and putting out the buoys for the sprint race on Saturday. Everyone was very nice and thanked us for visiting the area for the race. 

After the swim we got our bike stuff on and went for a ride. The plan was to ride the big loop outside of the lake which was miles 30-69. But to get to mile 30, we had to bike 4 miles to the town of Lac Megantic and there was some construction so it was a big of an adventure to get to where we needed to get but eventually we were on the course. 

The course is hilly. I wouldn't call it rolling as the hills are long and can be very steep. It was also windy as we were riding. The road surface was smooth in some sections and really rough in other sections. The scenery was incredible as it was a mix of mountains, lakes, farms (and cows) and wide open roads. The course is pretty straightforward in that there aren't a lot of turns so you see the road ahead of you for miles and miles. 

Having said all of this, I feel this course really suits my strengths, style of riding and what I love in a course. Karel rode his gravel bike and his legs are still pretty smashed from his race (and the travel) but it was good for him to also see the course as he will be driving as my "crew" and providing my bottles at the aid station stops (there are 4 of them) throughout the bike. The cars were really respectful as we were biking. 

After 45 miles and 2:43 and 3500 feet of elevation gain, we were back at the car. My legs were a bit tired to start but opened up nicely and I felt good throughout the ride. There was one big kicker of a climb (long and steep) around 81km but the view behind us was incredible. 

As we drove back to our Airbnb we were able to see the bike course from mile 70 until 86. More looooong hills. 

Here are a few more pics from the bike course. 

If you are interested in following me on Sunday, the event starts at 4:30am EST (2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, 26 mile run). To follow, here's a link to live tracking. 

2023 XTRI Canadaman - my 'extreme' training plan

 

Although most XTRI events have a similar distance to that of an Ironman distance triathlon (2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, 26.2 mile run), the demands are much more extreme. Extreme triathlons are almost always hilly. and the terrain and weather conditions can be..... extreme. For example, the 112 mile bike course at Canadaman has almost 8,000 feet elevation gain and the run (which includes a lot of trail running and hiking) has almost 4,000 feet elevation gain. The water is predicted to be cold (in the 50s) when we start the swim at 4:30am and it may be very windy and a bit rainy throughout the day. 

My approach to preparing for Canadaman was not too different than what I would do for a standard Ironman. It takes a very strong, powerful, efficient and resilient athlete to complete an Ironman distance triathlon but for an extreme triathlon, I believe that you must be physically fit but also mentally strong and emotionally resilient. Since my training playground (Greenville, SC) is very hilly, all of my outdoor training requires strength. I feel this has helped me stay injury-free over the past 4 years and has contributed to success in the Ironman distance. I don't train to be fast, I train to be great at not slowing down (aka fatigue resistance). 

I started my season focusing on strength. One key weekly workout that I feel really helped was a 3-4 mile run to the Furman gym. An ECFIT heavy lifting session (~30-40 minutes) and then a 3-4 mile run home. I also did a lot of mountain biking and road biking this winter, which requires a lot of power and strength. I also incorporate group riding (road bike) into my weekly routine. Group rides force me to push at higher intensities than what I would do alone. 

The truth is that I didn't do any epic/extreme training sessions throughout the year. Instead, my focus was on consistency.  Although I coach myself and write my own workouts each week, I was able to stay extremely consistent with my vision/plan for training. I also know what my strengths and weaknesses are and I'm not afraid to prescribe myself workouts that I don't like (but know I need).

Since February, I've participated in 8 endurance events. 

• 2/25: Pleasant Ridge MTB - 5:52, 57.2 miles, 5942 feet elevation gain 
• 3/25: Whole Enchilada MTB - 5:24, 51.5 miles, 2398 elevation gain
• 4/1: Saluda Redbank Gravel - 6:07, 95.8 miles, 4928 feet elevation gain
• 4/30: 6 Gap Gravel - 7:24.01, 91 miles, 10,755 feet elevation gain 
• 5/6: Whitewater Off Road Triathlon - 2:44.56, ~4400 feet elevation gain 
  
• 5/20: Xterra Oak Mountain Triathlon - 3:31.17, ~2100 feet elevation gain 
• 6/4: IM 70.3 Blue Ridge - 5:02.17, ~3588 feet elevation gain
• 6/10: Belgium Waffle Ride NC - 10:30.59, 132 miles, 14692 feet elevation gain

Each of these events has provided me with training stress and racing experience. Since XTRI events are often held in extreme weather conditions, I've had a lot of experience racing in "bad weather." I can't tell you how many times this year I've raced in the cold and in the rain. Not only have I been able to work on my mental skills, but I've learned how to dress strategically for specific conditions. 

The other benefit of racing so much this year is being able to practice and fine-tune fueling strategies that I can use during XTRI. Knowing what, when and how much to fuel and hydration is critical in an extreme race, especially since these events are 100% self-supported. I must plan my nutrition and my crew (Karel) must provide it to me at designated spots. Racing for 5, 6, 7, 10+ hours has given me valuable insight on how to best fuel the day before, the morning of and during a long distance event. This just can't be replicated in training. 

Going back to consistency, despite racing 8 times, I was able to stay very consistent with training. I also focus a lot on frequency so that I am not a weekend warrior (my weekly swim, bike, run miles are spread over 3-4 workouts over 7 days, not just from megaworkouts). 

Monday is always an easy day (likely a swim or spin) and Friday is also an easier day after a hard morning masters swim. I usually run 4x a week, swim 4x week and bike 3-5x week.

Here's a snapshot at my training. Of note, this doesn't include time spent strength training and mobility. Also, my biking miles are a mix of road, gravel, mountain bike and 1 weekly trainer ride (usually around 60-90 minutes). I rode my tri bike 2 times before IM 70.3 Blue Ridge and once before Canadaman. This is because I've learned that my hips/back/glutes/neck is happier when I don't do long tri bike rides. Lastly, my "biggest" workouts were events (except my final prep weekend, which I'll get to below). I never ran more than 2 hours (except for my final prep weekend) and most of my "long" runs were ~1:40-1:50 but included specific intervals throughout the run. I run off the bike at least twice per week (sometimes 3 times). 

2/20: 18:27 weekly hours, 18025 yards (swim), 133 miles (bike), 9.51 miles (run)
2/27: 14:53 hours, 15400 yards, 114 miles (bike), 32.2 miles (run)
3/6: 18:52 hours, 15725 yards, 169 miles (bike), 26.7 miles (run)
3/13 (travel): 19:50 hours, 7700 yards, 208 miles (bike). 34.5 miles (run)
3/20: 18:23 hours, 19050 yards, 96.3 miles (bike), 29.8 miles (run)
3/27: 20:02 hours, 14300 yards, 196 miles (bike), 31.4 miles (run)
4/3: 18:16 hours, 14475 yards, 193 miles (bike), 29.4 miles (run)
4/10 (Trimarni camp): 16:54 hours, 16408 yards, 157 miles (bike), 25.3 miles (run)
4/17: 18:01 hours, 14936 yards, 165 miles (bike), 31 miles (run)
4/24: 20:52 hours, 15667 yards, 188 miles (bike), 22.2 miles (run)
5/1: 17:17 hours, 15154 yards, 99.7 miles (bike), 28.6 miles (run)
5/8: 18:24 hours, 16275 yards, 178 miles (bike), 31 miles (run)
5/15 (taper for Xterra Oak Mountain): 12:58 hours, 12770 yards, 16.5 miles (bike), 16.5 miles run)
5/22: 19:44 hours, 17958 yards, 200 miles (bike), 30.3 miles (run)
5/29 (taper for 70.3 VBR): 14:45 hours, 7795 yards, 158 miles (bike), 28.6 miles (run)
6/5: 21:59, 10750 yards, 168 miles (bike), 19.8 miles (run)
6/12 (final prep): 22:27 hours, 17074 yards, 196 miles (bike), 38.4 miles (run)
6/19: (start taper): 15:31 hours, 14950 yards, 140 miles (bike), 24.8 miles (run)

For my final prep, I did a dress rehearsal to practice in gear similar to race day and to test my nutrition on similar terrain The weekend workouts were: 
6/17: 5:19 bike, 85.8 miles, 7100 feet elevation gain
         + run off the bike, 59 minutes, 7.04 miles 
6/18: 3:25 trail run/hike (testing hydration packs and using hiking poles), 18.6 miles, ~2000 feet elevation gain

I'm feeling very healthy, strong and resilient and I am very proud of and thankful to my body for what it has allowed me to accomplish over the past 6 months. 

2023 XTRI Canadaman - what's an XTRI event?

Over the past few years, I've tried a lot of new things. Gravel racing, mountain bike racing, Xterra racing, stage racing. Being a beginner means embracing failure and struggle but I've also learned a lot about myself. I also learned that the more variety I have with my training and racing, the stronger I become in mind and body.

Over the past several years of Ironman distance racing, I have learned that the harder the course, the more excited I get to train and race. As I searched for "hard" triathlon race courses to add to my bucket list, the Norseman triathlon in Norway always seemed to come up first in my google search. Everything about that race was everything that I don't enjoy (cold water, cold temperature, wind) but I kept coming back to that race and thinking "I need to do that."

The Norseman triathlon is part of the XTRI series. The XTRI series originated with Norseman Xtreme Triathlon in 2003. Jumping off a ferry into 50-degree water, cycling over 10,000 feet elevation in cold, wet and windy conditions and then running over 4600 feet to climb a mountain to reach the finish line. Although the distance of XTRI events may be similar to a standard Ironman distance triathlon, these events are much more extreme.

The XTRI events have small fields, often with a max of 150-250 athletes. Every participant is required to have a support crew as the race is entirely self-supported. Besides designated transition areas, there are no catered aid stations. You are on your own from start to finish with specific areas where you can receive nutrition from your crew. The races are held in beautiful locations with extreme terrain. Most races include trail running for the marathon portion and will finish with some type of epic climb/hike to the finish line. Conditions can be extremely hot to extremely cold and everything in between. Often, the swim starts very early (4-5 am) and the water temperature can be very cold (50-60 degrees F).

With races around the globe, the trademarks of an extreme triathlon include cold water, strict time cut-offs, a lot of elevation gain on the bike and the run, utilizing a support car and crew, a mix of running terrain, a crew member to accompany you on certain sections of the run and beautiful scenery. Every race ensures that you will feel and see the local community as you race for 10+ hours.

Because the Norseman still feels a bit too extreme for me right now, I will be dipping my toes in the waters of Lac Megantic, Canada on July 2nd for my first XTRI event. Karel will be my support crew throughout the race and he will also hike the last 8.5K of the run with me to reach the finish line at the summit of the Mont Megantic Observatory. The bike has 8200 feet of elevation gain over 112 miles an the run has ~5000 feet elevation gain over 26 miles. The race starts at 4:30am.

This event will be a great learning experience for me because on September 1st I'll be participating in Icon Xtri. Although Canadaman will feel a little more extreme than a standard Ironman, Icon will be the biggest athletic challenge that I've ever taken on in my life. Located in Livigno, Italy (at almost 6000 feet), I'll be swimming 2.4 miles in the fresh water of Lago del Gallo. I'll be cycling 121 miles up the Forcola pass, into Switzerland to climb the Bernina Pass, then down to St. Moritz to climb the Fuorn pass, descending to Val Mustair and then back into Italy. To finish the bike, I'll be climbing over 48 switchbacks up the famous Stelvio Pass (second highest pass in Europe at almost 9000 feet). The bike course will cover over 16,000 feet elevation gain. And then its time for the marathon, which is a mixture of road and trail running, finishing with a 10K, 3600 feet climb to the finish line which sits at almost 10,000 feet high.

Canadaman XTRI will be my 20th Ironman distance triathlon. I've really enjoyed my preparation for this event. I'm excited for an athletic challenge that will feel a little familiar and a lot different to what I am used to. I'm also looking forward to sharing this experience with Karel. Although we've raced on the same race course many times, we've never raced "together" so I look forward to having his support throughout the race and sharing the final 8.5K climb/hike with him as he helps me get to the finish line. 

Ironman distance #20 will be........

                          

Few people know this but shortly after I completed graduate school and received a Master of Science degree in exercise physiology from FAU (in Davie, Florida), I accepted a 6-month internship with Ironman from January until June 2006 in Tarpon Springs, FL. Instead of utilizing the two new initials behind my name, I was 23 years old, broke, living with my parents in New Port Richey, FL and obsessed with triathlon - I was registered for my first half ironman distance at Disney in Orlando, Florida (May) and my first Ironman in Panama City Beach, Florida. I received a very small amount of money each week to perform various tasks at the World Triathlon Corporation (located in Tarpon Springs, Fl). At that time, Dr. Gills - a world-renowned ocular surgeon and Ironman athlete - owned the Ironman brand. 

Much of my interning was learning about the behind-the-scenes of this event organization. Back then, the company was tiny compared to what it is today but the focus was growing and expanding the brand. The 70.3 World Championship didn't exist yet and Kona was still the holy grail. I spent a lot of my time working under Judy Molnar at Iron Girl. Some of my most memorable moments were being asked to write a nutrition article for the "Ironman Insider" newsletter, watching the excitement of the lottery winners receiving their IM World Championship slot, receiving a lot of Ironman-branded swag, spectating my first Ironman event (Ironman Arizona in April 2006) and learning all about the Ironman history. 

Although I went on to get a real job shortly after my internship, I absolutely loved my time interning at Ironman. Over the next year, I continued to help out with Ironman, writing articles, forming close relationships with triathlon-related brands and providing nutrition talks at many Iron Girl events. 

After I completed my first Ironman in Nov 2006, and qualified for the 2007 Ironman World Championship, I couldn't wait to stop by the World Triathlon Corporation building to share the news with everyone. I felt like I had family at Ironman. They were so happy for my accomplishment. 

Fast forward to 2022, I have now completed 19 Ironmans. I've participated in 5 Ironman World Championship events in Kona, Hawaii and just recently in May, I placed on the podium in my age group at the Ironman World Championship in St. George. I've won my age group at 5 Ironman events and placed top 5 in my age group at 12 Ironman events. I've lost count of all the 70.3 events I've finished over the years. Thanks to the Ironman brand, I've stayed in love with the sport of triathlon for over 16 years as I've been able to train for a distance that has challenged me and helped me grow as a human. Ironman has given me so many amazing opportunities. I formed close relationships with brands like Clif Bar and Oakley. I have made so many friends from all over the world. I've traveled to places that I never imagined I would see by swim/bike/run - like St. Croix, Whistler and Austria. I've been able to create so many memories with Karel. It was in 2011, when Karel took his first trip to Kona to watch me race and decided he wanted to try triathlon. Since then, We've raced 12 Ironman events together, including 3 World Championship events (2x Kona, 1x St. George). I've watched Karel race in Kona twice and have seen him excel at the long distance. 

The Ironman distance not only enhanced my life, but for the past 10 years, I've been able to enhhance the lives of others through my coaching and nutrition business. 

This past July I mentioned after Ironman Lake Placid that I was taking a break from the Ironman distance. This past year I explored different events, like gravel riding, mountain biking and Xterra. During this time, I realized that I still really love triathlons - especially long distance. Over the past year, I learned that it wasn't that I needed to move on from triathlon but I was seeking a different way to be challenged. 

I thrive in the journey. I love racing because I really love the process of training. I don't like to randomly sign up for events but instead, I'm meticulous in race planning. I spend a lot of time researching events, watching videos on events, exploring logistics like travel and understanding the course. I like to select events that I can't stop thinking about. The further out the event, the more time I have to prepare. But to keep me motivated, I need events that scare and excite me.

Over the past year, I recognized that the Ironman distance still excites me but I no longer feel challenged by the distance. It's a distance that I've mastered and I know how to mentally and physically prepare to race 140.6 miles and fuel for it. I've achieved a lot in the distance over the past 16 years and I am craving training for something new and different. When I started Ironman racing, I struggled. I was constantly experiencing setbacks and I was very scared of the enormity of the distance.  It took me over 10 years of training and racing to finally put the pieces together. And then for the next 6 years, I continued to work on my strengths and weaknesses. It was the process of self improvement and self discovery that kept me in the sport so I could finally excel at the distance. 

Like many, the history and storied traditions of the Ironman World Championship sucked me in. But it was the Ironman distance (2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, 26.2 mile run) that kept me going. The true beauty of the Ironman distance is in the lessons that I've learned about myself while preparing for each of my 19 Ironman distance triathlons. Personal growth occurs in the journey On race day, I am prepared to push the limits of my body and mind because I know I've prepared to the best of my abilities. I've learned that I can overcome obstacles and setbacks. I've shown myself that my comfort zone can be stretched. 

And so it begins. 

An extreme new chapter. 

Nature, adventure, challenge. Small field size. Self supported. Close to the full distance but no race is the same. 

Triathlon in its pure form. Swim, Bike, Run on challenging courses with distances distances based on topographic features, water conditions, terrain and local infrastructure.

I'm excited to announce that my 20th Ironman distance will be part of the XTRI World Tour, starting in Lac-Megantic, Canada (in Quebec) and finishing at the Mont Megantic observatory.

On July 2nd, 2023 I'll be swimming 2.4 miles at 4:30am in the freshwater lake of Lac Mégantic. I will then transition to my bike (with the help of my support crew Karel) for a 111.5 mile bike with 8202 feet of elevation gain. I will then run/hike for 26 miles with 3986 feet of elevation gain to finish at the Mont Megantic observatory. 

If this excites you, the organizers of the event have provided me with a few 50% off entries to the XTRI Canadaman/women and a few 50% off and free entries to XTRI solo point five events. 

If you'd like to join me in Canada on July 2nd, 2023, to win a free entry or 50% off registration, you can enter to win by completing this form.