IMAZ- 8th Place- Recap

This year was my fifth time racing at IMAZ, including a painful DNF in 2011 and a rib pain- slowed second to last place a year ago. I needed to make things right in AZ and I felt good going into the race, and knew I was a different athlete from a year ago. With an IM win now under my belt, I didn't feel the usual intimidation by the jam packed start list this race is known for. I had goals, which included a sub 5 hr bike leg, and a good marathon run to back it up , which would hopefully net a top 5 result, and a time between 9.05-9.15, which would all be a PR at the distance.

But things rarely ever go perfect in an IM. Who knew that the harmless looking burrito Brandon I shared from a food truck at his job on Thursday would have us both up in the middle of the night, running for the bathroom? (my second food sickness related incident this year, too.) Needless to say, we had a short night as we needed to leave for the airport by 4.30 a.m. to catch a flight to Phoenix for the race. Arriving somewhat (very actually) depleted, I managed to get my stomach under control with light foods and lots of liquids. All seemed good to go for Sunday's race.

I have struggled with the swim at IMAZ the last two years and this year I finally managed a decent time, mostly due to the fact that I had other people around me to swim with! This was just such a treat after always swimming alone for 2.4mi. And man does it save energy just to have someone next to you, let alone in front of you. I was happy, and the swim was way more enjoyable this way as well. My time out of the water was still a minute off from what I swam in 2010, but it wasn't disastrous and I came out middle of the pack. yay!

On my way to a 4:52 bike split

The race was on. I started the bike leg in 17th place and had moved up to 11th after the first of three loops. The course is pretty good for pacing and I knew exactly what splits I needed to hit to get under 5 hrs. During the second loop it seemed like the wind had picked up some and it felt a little tougher to keep pace, but I attributed it to getting tired. I was on top of nutrition and hydration and found a second wind on lap three, coming off the bike in 8th place in 4:52. After my run at IM Canada, where I felt like I struggled for most of it, yet ran a 3.06 on hilly terrain, I was confident I could manage a 3.05 or even better, as long as my body played along.

It seemed a little warm this year.

Well, it wasn't to be my day, as I immediately felt the urge to run to the nearest porta potty upon leaving T2. I had nearly caught up with two other women ahead of me but had to let them go to use the loo. After a good minute or so I was back on my way, feeling much lighter on my feet and ready to tackle the beast. I even caught and passed the other ladies, and was running in 5th place at the 6mi mark. But then the urge hit again, ugh so frustrating. I had no choice but to run to the porta john again and got passed back by two of the three women I had caught. This little game continued on and one racer got completely away. I started to make deals in my head about my placing and how I just needed to hold it together, but at the halfway mark my calves began screaming at me in such a way that the last 10 mi became all mind over matter.

I underestimated the effects of running on concrete, and unfortunately my choice of shoe, which worked great for my other two IMs this year, was not the best on this course. The pain became pretty intense and I had to literally tell my brain to stop sending pain signals, which didn't work, so I gritted my teeth and put one foot in front of the other as best as I could, while getting passed by faster girls, and there was nothing I could do. My body had reached its pain threshold and I had no choice but to obey.

Pain at the finish line is apparent.

After two porta john stops and pain in my legs that I have only experienced in my first IM, I reached the finish line in 8th place. I PR'd. 9:15 flat. The perfectionist in me knows I could have done better, but on this day it's all I could do. I managed to hang onto a 3:15 run, not the time I had in mind, but decent considering my stops etc. And, five of us finished within three minutes of each other; it was a fast race!

So while I am still nursing sore calves (everything else feels great!) I am already putting this race behind me and looking forward to next year. And I am already excited! Some exciting changes are ahead, I will be working with a coach for the first time and can't wait to share more soon. My race schedule is in the works and new goals are being made. This year has been a stepping stone in my career as a professional and sometimes I still pinch myself that I won an IM.

Big thanks goes out to everyone who cheered for me near and far this season, my family for supporting me at every IM this year, Brandon for being a super sherpa, and to my sponsors who have helped make this year as successful for me as it has. Thank you for giving me a chance to represent you and I look forward to more successes ahead: BMC, HED, ZOOT, RUDY PROJECT, and POWERBAR.

And while the snow is falling here in Boulder and the temps are sub 20, it smells a lot like Off-Season! I'll be checking in again soon!

Sunny, warm skies earlier this week!

IM 70.3 Vegas World Champs "Bonus Race"

I made the decision to take a Vegas slot after I was informed of one the day before leaving for IM Whistler. It was the world championship after all, how could you pass it up? I knew my chances of setting any kind of PR were unlikely as the race would take place just 14 days after the Ironman. My mom had qualified for the second year in a row and would be racing, and that helped solidify my decision to give it a go.

Recovery from Ironman Canada included a lot of days of no exercise at all. I "trained" for a total of 5 hrs the week after Whistler and barely doubled that the following week. The goal was to rest and recover as much as I could. Although just a half, it was the world championships and it would most likely be a race of attrition with the famous heat and difficulty the Vegas course is known for.

Pre race was hot. I felt my ears burning walking around packet pickup. Oh man, was this really the right decision for me? Some doubts crept in but I reminded myself that I chose to race and that I probably shouldn't put too much pressure on myself, I did just win an Ironman 2 weeks prior! I focused on getting enough salt into my body, along with plenty of fluids to stay as hydrated as possible.

While eating breakfast at 4 a.m. on race morning, I heard a strange sound outside the hotel room window. I asked my parents if they thought it sounded like rain. After looking out the window we couldn't quite believe our eyes. Yes, it was pouring rain! In Vegas! It's not supposed to rain in the desert. Oh boy, now I was really doubting my decision to race. (Visions of crashing on my bike haunt me every time it rains, as I have crashed twice in rainy races.)

Equipped with trash bags as rain coats, mom and I arrived at transition. It was raining, and coming down pretty good. The good news was that the temps were warm, so it felt like a warm shower mostly. I attempted wiping my bike off but there wasn't really any point to it as the rain kept falling steady. How odd, really, what were the chances. On the bright side, it would keep the hot temperatures at bay for most of the day.

Sonja and I exiting the swim, so glamorous!

I entered the water with 34 of my peers and we waited for the 6.34 a.m. swim start that would send us through the puddle like water of Lake Las Vegas. For the first time all year I found myself some feet on the swim, despite zero visibility in the murky water. I knew I wasn't quite swimming to my potential, but not knowing how my body would respond just 14 days post IM, I held back and settled into the small pack of 4 women. I think we swam slightly wide, which may have cost some time, but it's a tough call when you are part of a pack. To veer off on your own to swim a straighter line, or to stay with them and use less energy. I opted for the latter.

I exited the water with Sonja and a few other girls in over 32 minutes. Yikes, not my fastest day. The rain was still coming down and I made sure to cautiously run around every slick looking corner on my way to transition. The run to the mount line was interesting as it was uphill on what was by now mud covered carpet. My main objective for the bike was to stay rubber side down, as I had noticed earlier that the roads were slick as could be.

It was rather nasty on the bike

The bike ride had some early back and forth between Sonja, Rebecca and I. I initially let both go as I was playing it safe, but caught them back and passed them, once in Lake Mead State Park. The course proved to be challenging. I rode without sunglasses as the rain was so strong it only fogged them up and made visibility nearly impossible. The challenge was to keep my eyes open as riding downhill at 30 mph hurt with the rain pelting my face. I played the game of fast blinking in an effort to be able to see without the rain hitting my eyeballs.

Hills, hills, hills.

I didn't ride my disc for this race and in hindsight probably gave up a few minutes because of this. I had figured my legs would be dead and I needed my bike to be as light as possible to get up the hills. I caught a few women in the park and upon exiting and in the last few miles back to transition. When I looked down at my bike time I was a little disappointed as I figured to be about 5min faster, but on a day like this with the rain, no disc and a body not yet back at 100%, it was OK. After checking the other pro women's splits, most seemed somewhat slower than a year ago.

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Right as I dismounted my TM01 into T2, I could tell that my legs were not there. I have never felt such heavy bricks after coming off the bike. Oh man, this would be a long run. My IM effort was definitely still in me, no doubt. I gave up two spots in T2 as I took longer than the other two women who entered with me. I quickly caught back up to them, and used the downhill first part of the run course to reel them back in. But I could tell I'd never be able to hold this pace. The rain also seemed to have finally eased up and the sun was making an appearance by now. I would need to pay close attention to my hydration  in order to make it to the finish line.

One of those painful downhills

The run course was hard like people had said. It was either a long gradual up or a long gradual downhill. While I felt completely flat for the uphill part, it was the downhill part that would hurt more. On the first of the three loops I felt a familiar pain that almost stopped me in my tracks at IMAZ last year. My ribs seemed really unhappy with the jolting of the downhill, and my breathing was labored, and I could feel my chest tighten with my ribs just caving in around my lungs. I haven't had this happen since last year and I initially wrote it off as post IM fatigue, but after reading about two other competitors' experiencing similar symptoms and figuring it was asthma, I might have been in the same boat. I got through the rest of the downhills by running rather gingerly and telling myself to relax, as well as taking in as much fluid as I could, at each aid station. I'd be lying if I said dropping out didn't cross my mind. But then I quickly thought of my mom who was out there racing as well, and I knew I wasn't going to quit because I knew she would finish.

Airborne with brick legs!

I crossed the finish line in 20th place. Was I disappointed? Just a little. Its my competitive nature. I passed Kate B. in just the last mile and I knew exactly how she felt, as we both raced (and won) IMs 14 days earlier. Instead of Vegas being my "A" race this season, it was a "bonus" race I had only been informed of qualifying for 2 1/2 weeks prior. I knew that my competition was on their A+ game, and it was a humbling experience for sure after coming off my big W. But it was a personal test to see if I could manage to race again so soon, and I did, even if my body hated me. For now, I can't wait to relax at home, sleep in, enjoy the cooler weather (finally!) and recharge my battery for one last go in November. I signed up for IM Arizona and I plan on giving it my best shot.

A sunny Finish

A special thanks goes out to HED and BMC for their quick help in getting my bike and wheels race-ready after they received some damage in transit from IM Whistler. And thank you to Rudy Project, Zoot and Powerbar as well for your support all season. I missed a Kona slot by 2 spots this year, and with the new qualifying year upon us, I will be putting all my focus towards acing IMAZ in 2 months and getting a head start on points for next year. I have been looking at a tentative race schedule for next season and I can't wait to share it soon.

Thanks for reading!

Ironman Canada/ Whistler- My First Title!

Welcome to Whistler, BC!

For the past week and a half I have had several race reports run through my head, but I have been so busy with life that it has taken me until now to actually write one. That's alright though, I still can't quite believe that I am an Ironman Champion, it just doesn't feel real!

I had a really decent outing at Boulder 70.3 three weeks prior to IM Whistler. I biked strong (3rd fastest among female pros) and posted the day's 2nd fastest run, finishing in 4th place with a new PR for the 70.3 distance. With the field being the usual Boulder Olympics type caliber, I really had to work for it but loved racing some of the best in the sport. The race gave me confidence heading into Whistler, especially since my build up to it had been anything but ideal. My training hours were much less than what I am used to, and I even skipped several sessions as life got crazy for a few months this summer.

With three weeks to go until Whistler, there wasn't really time to make up any lost workouts. I needed to recover, get in a few shorter tune up workouts, and rest up for the big day. The triathlon media had picked me as one of the favorites to beat and having never been in a position like this before, I certainly felt a sense of pressure to come out on top.

Alta Lake Swim Start

Lucky me I have a great support system at home; both Brandon and my family made the trip to Whistler to come watch my race. There is nothing like having family in an unfamiliar setting, it always helps calm my nerves. We stayed at a great little condo on top of a nice little hill, it reminded me a lot of the setting at Mont Tremblant. The scenery out the back patio alone was stunning.The days leading up to the race were as busy as I have ever been; ranging from TV interviews to Ironman Live tidbits to the always entertaining pro panel questions- all in good fun though.

Alta Lake Swim Start

Race morning finally arrived and after getting down to the swim start late as usual, I soon forgot how nervous I was and enjoyed the short swim out to the swim start buoys. The venue is simply stunning. 2000 athletes and twice as many spectators lining Alta Lake anxiously awaiting the start of the race. I had bubbles and feet in front of me for about 100m, but eventually swam my own race (as usual) and got passed by a few AG men AND women before I exited the water in 7th place for the pro women. Obviously my swim did not go as planned, but when does a race ever go as planned?

Putting the swim behind me I quickly got to work on the bike, but my left outer quad was not in it as it kept cramping up on me. I contemplated getting off my bike to stretch out, but luckily the copious amounts of salty sports drink I quickly consumed, seemed to help settle it. I dealt with some AG men's ego as they would not let me pass them and quickly slip streamed in in front of me, forcing me to sit up and back pedal to keep my legal distance. Never have I been so grateful for hills, as the first climb to Callaghan finally appeared to break things up. This is also where I caught a first glimpse of my competitors, who were on their way back down as I still reached for the top.

Pemberton Meadows Rd- the only flat stretch on course

After the descent back down from Callaghan and no bear sightings (this was mentioned to us- we would be guaranteed to have a bear sighting at some point during the race) I started feeling good. A series of rolling hills on the beautiful Sea to Sky highway leading back past the transition area and out towards the town of Pemberton really helped me get into a groove, and I started picking off competitors one by one. All along, I had the  media motorcycle go back and forth between myself and the women ahead, glad they didn't give up on me after my rather pedestrian swim! The voice in the back of my head prevailed throughout the first half- 'go too hard now, and pay for it later.' The return trip from Pemberton to Whistler was the reverse of the rolling hills, only they would be mountains now. A series of significant climbs that would test my  quad strength like never before, appeared right around mile 80. For the next 20mi or so I would average between 7-9mph trying not to drown in my sweat and fall off my bike. The poor media motorcyle couldn't go as slow as my speed, so they kept waiting at the top of each climb- thanks guys ;)

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I had many a self talks during this time, as it surely was the hardest part of the bike course. A few AG men passed me like I was standing still, and although I had a good lead on the rest of the women's field, I was sure that it was shrinking. (There was no lead motorcycle for the women's race, so updates only came from turn around points where I could see my competition) Finally the climbing ceased and the crowds thickened, signaling that I was close to town and T2. I entered transition to a giant roar of applause and excitement, and I promptly ran past my transition bag and had to back track the entire parking lot to retrieve it. Oops.

Out of T2 I was running on adrenaline. I was leading Ironman Whistler! I had no idea by how much, but before the first mile marker Brandon saw me and yelled that I had at least 2 minutes on the next female. Yikes, that wasn't very much, those girls DID climb better than me! Turns out that the two minutes were a previous update from the turnaround point in Pemberton and I had built up a 7 min lead by the time I got off the bike. I did not know this however, so I ran those first few miles pretty scared.

Running past Green Lake

A very artistic shot passing through an underpass

The run course was an interesting one. It definitely never got boring. Lots of terrain change and turns kept my competition out of sight for most of the run. I didn't catch a glimpse of the other women until I was 8 mi into the run and on the far out and back by Green Lake. This is where I realized I had more than a two minute lead. It was also where I realized I probably went out to hard and now had to try and hold this pace, or possibly give up the lead!

Fueling- the fourth discipline

Heather was out on the course cheering on Trevor to his win, and she told me I would be an IM champion- I wanted to tell her 'Heather, but I am only halfway there, isn't this a bit premature?' Ha, I might not have realized it at the time, but her saying this gave me such a boost, I nearly forgot about my nausea. Brandon kept me posted on my lead and reminded me to eat and drink. I walked every single aid station in order to get enough calories and fluids in. I didn't care that I had to walk, I needed the energy, I needed to stay strong to the end. Lisa was coming up behind me and she had several sub 3.10 marathons to her name. I needed to run a 3.10 on this day or better.

OMG, here I come :)

Smile through the pain

The motorcycle with Greg, the media guy was still next to me, and I took a strange comfort in having them there all day. I certainly didn't want to let them down and have all this footage for nothing if I didn't take home the win! With 5 mi to go, my legs started protesting big time. They had had enough, didn't want to move anymore. For the first time I really understood what the phrase 'Shut up Legs' means. I told my legs this several times and I kept moving. 'Only 5k to go, 5k Uli, you have run so many 5ks. 3 mi is all you have left to earn that victory.' These were the mantras running through my head. I had to do this, I just had to keep going, no matter how much my body wanted to stop. ( I had no clue what pace I was running since I run only with a regular watch, no GPS)

Indescribable when this happens :)

We did it!!

Finally I could hear the crowds at the finish line. I was completely spent to the core at this point and I still can't describe the feeling that I felt when I got close to the banner to lift it up above my head. I have replayed the finish in my head several times since the race and I still find it hard to believe that it was me who crossed that line first. "Uli Bromme from Boulder, CO- You are an Ironman Champion!" Disbelief, Tears, Happiness, Gratitude, Thankfulness- I felt all these things. Not only had I just crossed the line in first place, I had also set a new personal record for the IM distance, as well as a new PR in the IM marathon (with all my walking breaks :)) and this course was by no means a fast course.

Family time at the finish post race. I am really happy, just a little tired!
I was invited back to the finish line at 11 pm to greet the final finishers, and I even got to meet Simon Whitfield who was there handing out medals with Trevor and I. To see first hand the faces of those people who have been giving it their all for 16 or 17 hrs is something I won't soon forget. Even if I almost got puked on. Twice. :)

There are so many people to thank. First off, I might have missed this in my awards speech (forgive me, I was a novice at it, that was my first ever winner's speech!) a big thanks to the towns of Whistler and Pemberton for hosting an Ironman and letting 2000 crazy endurance athletes realize their dreams. The course was an absolute beauty, the spectators were so excited and supportive all day long, I could not have mustered the energy to get to the finish line the way I did, without all their words of encouragement. To the volunteers that run the show, your help is never taken for granted- Thanks to you I crossed the line in one piece! I am still in awe of some of the amazing race photography to come out of this course, thank you to all the photographers that captured Whistler's beauty and let me share the images. To my family who has been there since IM #1 (Kona 2008 where I finished in 11:25) this one was for you- Thanks for always being there! To all who reached out to me via twitter or Facebook to send congrats, I so appreciate it! Sonja Tajsich, thank you for teaching me the importance of keeping up my nutrition! Thanks to your tips I am downing twice the amount of gels that I used to! Plus, those early spring rides where I thought I'd die, were good for me after all I guess :) And I will try my best at bottling up this feeling, as the great Chrissie Wellington told me- 'No one can take this from you, you are forever a champion.'

I finally managed the fastest bike split in a race, this would not be possible without the support of BMC bikes. I cannot say enough things about my TM01- it has propelled my biking to a new level this season. HED wheels is the other half to my biking success, thank you for being so supportive this season. I would not stay fueled without the help from Powerbar, especially in an Ironman. With so many nutrition items to choose from, your palate will never get bored. Thank you to ZOOT for keeping  me looking 'cute' (I get so many compliments on the pink accents of my race kit!) and functional. And ofcourse a big thanks to Rudy Project, the only helmet and sunglasses I have ever worn. The support I have received from everyone helped me reach the top of the podium for sure. Thanks for believing in me.

The last week and a half was spent recovering and keeping busy with stuff at home, but I will be on the start line at this weekend's IM 70.3 World Championship in Las Vegas. I received word the day before leaving for Canada that I was qualified, and since my mom is racing for the second year in a row, why not? I can't guarantee that I will have the greatest race, but I will put my best foot forward and see how much recovery I have gotten in 14 days post Ironman.

Finally, if you had asked me seven years ago, when I toed the line at my first triathlon, the 5430 Sprint in Boulder, that one day I would be an Ironman Champion, I would have told you 'no way'. I also would have told you 'no way' after my first IM performance in Kona 2008, where I destroyed my body to the core and ended up 25th in my AG in 11:25. It took 12 more Ironmans, including 4 podium finishes to get the crown. Never give up on a dream, if you work hard and long enough for it, it will happen! Don't let people tell you that you cannot do something, I have had my share. From doctors diagnosis' on running injuries ('you'll never run again') to fellow athletes doubting I'd ever find success without a coach, if I had not pressed on past their skepticism, I surely would be where I am now. And most of all, always believe in yourself and your abilities.

Thanks for reading, until the next one!

3rd Place Ironman Coeur D'Alene- All in to go all out!

Beautiful Lake Coeur D'Alene

The calm before the storm race morning.

I'd say that June has been a pretty good month for me in the state of Idaho. Two third places in 2 weeks time, must be the potatoes I had! After my good showing at Boise 70.3, I couldn't wait to see what I could do at IMCdA while rested and fueled properly. With my stomach bug behind me (but still seemingly catching up on calories, always hungry!) I felt really good about having a solid race. It was the first IM for me this season, a little later than in years past, but I felt mentally fresh and hungry to go see what I could do on the day.

A little  fog on lake race morning.

Me in yellow cap after 1st loop.

 The women's field was loaded with numerous IM winners and top 10 Kona finishers, including some very fast runners. My plan was to get the swim done, settle in on the bike and move up, and hold it together for a solid run. The days leading up to race day were jam packed as they always are, and with my mom racing her second IM as well, the nervous energy in our hotel room was sky high. I managed about 3 hrs sleep the night before the race. (Yes, I still get nervous for these races, even after 10+ of them.) And I felt pretty tired when the alarm sounded at 3.30 a.m. With a 6.05 a.m. pro women's start time, this wake up call was extra early.
I felt nervous, yet focused when we arrived at transition. The sun was already up, and it wasn't even 5 a.m.- Longest day of the year! Five minutes after the pro men took off, it was our turn, run in start and all. Coeur D'Alene was the first race to do the new AG start, which would affect some of the slower swimmers in the pro wave, beginning about 30 min after the first loop of the pro women's. It was a rolling start, with people continuously entering the water. Sure enough, after exiting the lake after the first loop, I joined the hundreds of age groupers just entering the water. It was a cluster for sure with traffic jams around the buoys and all. I definitely needed to focus hard not to lose sight of the task ahead, while telling myself to stay calm. I exited the water in less time than expected, which gave me a little boost starting the bike leg in 10th position.

Loved the bike course. 112mi of scenery and rolling hills.

The first few miles of the bike course meander through town and follow a short out and back along the lake. It's a really good time to get settled as it's mostly flat, with some turns. I got my first glimpse of the girls ahead at the turnaround by the lake, and most of them were in a group, except for Heather, who was already building her lead. Patience Uli, patience. 112mi is a long time and lots can change. (cue the song from the Welcome dinner that went something like "anything can happen", yes I had this stuck in my head all day) As is usually the case, I rode the first 30-40 mi solo, enjoying having the road all to myself. Besides a very, very close call to a head on collision with an age grouper in town, who went wayyyyy over the line in one of the turns (and gave me a nice shot of adrenaline), the ride was great and I was able to focus on my effort and my plan for the day. I ate and drank like a champ (fueled by Powerbar Gels and blasts, and Perform), constantly monitoring how I felt. At the first sign of slight nausea I'd make sure to pop some salt or take on more nutrition. Luckily it all stayed down, despite a few wet burps.

By the end of the first of two loops on the bike I had ridden myself into fourth and made my way into second halfway through the second loop. I knew Heather was far up the road, but I couldn't help but feel pretty excited about my ride thus far. My BMC TM01 and I felt like one. ( I have tweaked my setup a few times since getting my bike in March and I think I have found my sweet spot.) My perceived power ( I don't use power, go by feel) felt strong throughout the entire ride, and I had to hold back from pushing too hard and possibly paying for it on the run later on. I had gone from the hunter to one of the hunted, and lets just say that being one of the hunted is way more stressful :)

Running in second through town

Onto the run I was 12 min back of Heather, which may seem like a lot, but having lost more than half of that time on the swim alone, I was stoked, as I have never been this close to her in an IM before. But I was aware of the fast runners behind me, notably Cait Snow, whom I had passed on the bike, but who was only about a minute back. I knew it was only a matter of time before she blew by me on the run. She has repeatedly run the fastest marathon in Kona, no doubt that girl can move!

My second place lead bike took off and I took off after her in my Zoot Kiawes. (Which stay light even when wet!) Ok Uli, 26mi is a long way, don't blow up. I was not feeling super, but I was moving. My first few miles were sub 7 min pace, possibly a little fast, but the crowd support and  the fact I was in second place helped push me go faster than I probably should have started out. The run course followed the same out and back along the lake, which included a nasty little (actually, not so little) hill that we had to run up and over 4x total over the two loop course.  Ration your energy Uli, run smart. After cresting the hill for the first time, I saw Heather coming back the other way. I still seemed to be holding off the fast runners from behind. A quick thumbs up to Heather and back to focusing.

On the run.

By the end of the first lap, right around the turn around (13 mi), Cait had finally caught me and flew by me with a cadence I have not seen before. I now followed lead bike 3 and was on damage control. Don't you blow up now, hold this place! Before I knew it, she was out of sight and I was feeling progressively more nauseated. I had been taking fluids at every aid station and had my gel flask on me, but the body was starting to slow down, and the long day of Ironman racing started to rear its less pretty side.  Keep it together, walk the aid stations if you have to, but keep moving!! People might think pros don't struggle as hard in races, but when it comes to the marathon, the second half, we hurt just as much, and the struggle to keep moving becomes overwhelming. I could not have summoned my inner strength without the support of so many people cheering and pushing me along with their kind words of encouragement on the run course. Many saw me struggle those last few miles as I started to get dizzy and more nauseous. My lead bike had to make several stops to wait up for me, but finally I made that last turn onto Sherman Ave and could see the finish line in the distance.

So painful, so close. Can't feel my legs.

At some point during the race, your brain goes mush, at least mine does. My perception of how far back other racers were, became completely skewed. For some reason I thought that I was going to get caught, and I really didn't want to get caught in the last few miles! Having been reduced to a walk a few times, I knew I had lost some time to the girls behind me. But I would fight to the bitter end to stay on that podium spot. So when I saw the finish chute in the distance, about 1/2mi away, I started sprinting again, much like I did in Boise. Only an Ironman Sprint is very different from a 1/2 IM sprint. I felt like I was running in molasses, legs not attached to my body. Come on, almost there, almost over, all this pain will be worth it! I didn't hear the music blasting, I didn't hear the crowds going wild, the finish chute was so wide, I didn't run to the sides to slap hands. I just needed to get across that line. And  collapse :) I had done it, I held onto third behind two of the top athletes at the IM distance. So happy. Congrats to Heather and Cait for first and second place.

Oh glorious finish line

Found this all myself, saved from the ground

I have yet to master the glorious finish line photos, as I resemble more of a fainting ghost (and all running form gone to hell) when I come across. Goal for next race: know how far ahead you are of the next person so you can enjoy that last half mile, take it all in and have energy to smile :) I found the nearest wheel chair and collapsed. Ironman racing is not pretty, people!

Post race I was able to eat food right away and go back to the hotel for a shower, before waiting for mom to finish her race. After a terrific bike leg, she suffered some knee pain on the run that had her walking a good part of the marathon. But even so, she managed to finish third in her AG, solid day for the Bromme Women!

What I really enjoyed about this race was that it seemed like a clean race for the pros. I was worried about some of the AG men catching us on the bike, but that never materialized and I enjoyed riding just amongst the pros. I really felt I raced the whole day, and I am particularly happy with my bike split, which was second fastest of the day. I just love my bike, what can I say :)

Pro Awards

Mom on the podium!

Big thank you's to my support crew- first and foremost, Brandon, my super sherpa who takes care of everything, my family and friends who supported me on and off the race course, the various cheer squads on the course(and their signs- some were just genius), my fellow racers who still managed words of encouragement despite racing to their own limits, and ofcourse BMC, HED, RUDY PROJECT, ZOOT and POWERBAR for your continued support.

I will be racing another IM before the summer is over, just deciding which one to do- so many options! Stay tuned and thanks for reading! And yes, I am still very sore today!

Post race: Cooling off the swollen legs in Boulder Creek back at home

From E.R. to 3rd Place at Boise 70.3

Disclaimer- Sorry, it's a long one.

The last seven days have been pretty eventful. I'll start at the beginning- last Sunday. I had successfully completed a hard long run with Brandon on Sunday morning, following a long brick the day prior. I started feeling a little off in my stomach when I tried to hydrate and eat post run but didn't think much of it. Later that day we met up with Brandon's dad, whose birthday it was, and took him for an easy 2.5 hr ride. I kept feeling more and more off, even joking that I might need to throw up to feel better. Fluids weren't seeming to make it through my stomach, just kind of sitting and getting me bloated.

When we returned from the ride (scheduled to go out to dinner with B's family later that night), I went downhill fast. I got nauseous and felt an increasing need to stick a finger down my throat. After a few dry heaves, I actually threw up, and threw up some more. Mostly liquids, which never made it to my gut. I thought that was it, felt a little better, only to turn worse again a few minutes later, violently projectile vomiting into our trash can (I was on the couch, it was the closest vomit catching device) which Brandon ever so swiftly ran over. At this point, we got somewhat worried since I wasn't keeping down any fluids, much less solids, and had just finished up a 10+ hr training weekend. We made the decision to head to the hospital to hopefully get some IVs in me to rehydrate me and get me back to normal. Still, I had no clue how this happened. I never get sick like this!

On O2, anti nausea meds & IV drip, while freezing my buns off

It took a good hour after arriving at the E.R. to get hooked up to some fluids. I thought I was going to die from nausea. I have never felt so sick. ( I just kept thinking, I'd rather do an Ironman!) I also had a good fever at this point and was shaking like a leaf in my hospital gown. After the first IV went in and the anti nausea meds kicked in, I finally felt like I was going to make it. It took 3L of IV's to get me to feel decent enough to leave for the night. The docs weren't quite sure what was wrong with me, but all signs now point towards stomach flu. Yuck.

Monday I was swollen (from the IV's) and spent all day in bed with a splitting headache. I mostly just sipped on Ginger Ale and downed 2 slices of toast and some apple sauce. Tuesday I tried to do some light exercise, but my body was so weak, it was nearly pointless. Amazing how important food is to perform! Wednesday I started to turn the corner a bit and we made the decision to go ahead with our trip to Boise as B was racing too. I would make my final decision Friday as to whether I felt up for the challenge.

I had read that the stomach flu usually runs its course in 3 days to a week and I was really hoping for the former. On our road trip to ID, I still couldn't eat much, a chicken noodle soup was almost too much. I focused mostly on crackers and hydration. The race was forecast to be a hot one, so it was really important that I hydrate adequately, especially since I likely was still in the negative from the weekend.

TM01 with HED Jet/ Disc racked and ready to go in T1

By Friday my appetite started to come back but I stuck with simple foods to play it safe. I wasn't quite sure how my stomach would handle race day nutrition, but I could tell my stomach was pretty stable again. The question remained, how strong would I be for the race? We did our usual pre race routine and had a good night's sleep leading up to race day (it's a 12 p.m. start) and I felt confident enough to give this race a go. I made a deal with myself that as long as food and fluids stayed in and got absorbed and my body was able to push on, I'd be good. Basically, I'd really have to monitor myself and constantly evaluate.

Lucky Peak Reservoir- swim venue

The women's pro field was smaller than in years past, but that doesn't mean it wasn't strong. Liz and Heather and Malaika were signed up and all are 70.3 and/or IM champions. And then there are always dark horses, so you never know. I had hoped to finish near the top before I got sick, but then plans had shifted to just having a decent day. By the time we started the swim, it was getting pretty toasty with not a cloud in the sky. I got a good start on the swim but then struggled a bit to find feet, eventually had some contact for most of the swim, which was pretty choppy and perhaps a little long this year. I exited the water in 8th out of 9 women.

As soon as I started the bike, I could tell the wind was going to be a factor as well. And my quads locked up as soon as I started pedaling. Oh great! Lucky for me, you get a long down hill from the reservoir, so I was able to soft pedal while trying to tell my quads 'sorry for shocking you, but we got work to do, I hope you're up for it." The wind made everyone work much harder on the bike, and the only tail wind I felt all day was going up one of the climbs. My BMC TM01 made me feel stable and secure, and I was happy with my wheel choice of a rear HED disc as well. Both stable and fast, yielding me the second fastest bike split of the day. I made a few passes on the bike, and felt like I was back in the game. With a one loop 56mi bike course, things can get a bit lonely out there when you are by yourself. So passing people and seeing people up ahead is motivating.

Fighting the head winds/heat

I tried to drink as much electrolyte drink as possible and doused myself with water every few minutes in an effort to stay hydrated and keep the core temp down. The sun was really beating down now. But trouble was brewing. I started cramping in my feet and toes. And that is a tricky thing on the bike, as you can't just take your foot out to stretch. I told myself not to think about it and stretched my calves a bit. Only to cramp in a different spot. Yikes, clearly I was not hydrated. Thoughts shifted to the run and how I would possibly be able to run with cramping feet. I had had numerous bottles of Perform and water, as well as gels, all loaded with salt. But with the week I had and the heat on the day, my body was lacking.

Coming into T2 I cramped in my hip flexors as soon as I dismounted the bike, ouch. I hobbled over to my run gear and tried to get into my Zoot Kiawes, only to have to take them back off because of my feet severely cramping, and then my hamstrings and quads seizing up. I am sure people were wondering what I was doing, dancing around in pain. At this point I was in 4th position and actually thought I would have to call it a day. Somehow, I managed to get into my shoes after all (I probably had the day's slowest T2) and start shuffling again, downing everything in sight at the first aid station out of T2, and luckily, the cramping subsided enough to let me start running. I still had some concerns though and would focus on damage control in an effort to keep going.

After running alone and seeing no one for the first 3 miles, I suddenly came upon Malaika who was  running in third at the time. A switch flipped and adrenaline took over and I caught up to her and made the pass, while mustering a 'good job' whisper. I was now running in third place, and had a lead biker. I focused in on him and imagined him pulling me along on a rope. I was hurting big time, it was super hot and I had 10 miles to go. But I kept thinking of what I had gone through earlier in the week and how I had rallied to come back and here I was in freaking third place! I clung to this thought as I made my way around the course. After the first loop I caught a glimpse of the women behind me and fourth place was only about a few hundred yards away. I knew it was only a matter of time before Erin caught up to me, she looked good.

Work with me, legs!

The miles ticked by and I was still in third. My biker kept looking back to check for me and I had a feeling a pass was about to happen. At around mile 12, as I was recovering from a side stitch that had reduced me to a walk for a few steps, Erin came flying by and passed me for third place. At this point, the course was filled with AG runners as well and a few witnessed the pass and yelled words of encouragement at both of us. I am not sure what inner strength I still had left, but with about 1/2 mi to go I was back on Erin's heels and I knew that I had to make a pass if I wanted third place back. I thought of the last mile in the Bolder Boulder a few weeks ago and how it was uphill at altitude and how much it hurt, and how this was a flat run and that if I just tried picking it up, maybe, just maybe I could still make third. I imagined Usain Bolt dashing to a win and "sprinted" as hard as I possibly could down the home stretch, which stretches for about a 1/4 mile. I fought nausea and dizziness and thought I would die, but I crossed the line in third place. No one but Erin and I, and maybe a few onlookers and our trusty biker, will ever know the battle of that last mile. It was kind of epic.

Women's Top 5. R to L

This year will go down as the hottest, windiest and hardest Boise race I have done in the 5 years I have raced there. You never know what you are going to get weather-wise in that area, but it almost always surely dishes up a challenge. I am elated to have finished in third, after not ever having made the podium at this race before. And to do it after a week from hell makes it all the more rewarding. Sure I wasn't on top of my game, but I didn't stop fighting until the end and I took a chance not knowing if my body was ready after a week of not eating and hardly training.

A big thanks goes out to my sponsors who help me achieve the best results I can- BMC, HED,  ZOOT, RUDY PROJECT and POWERBAR. I truly feel that your support is making me a better athlete this year, so thank you very much! And ofcourse thank you to everyone who helped me through the day, cheering virtually or in person. After a 12 hr drive back to Boulder, I have my full appetite back and I am eating all real foods again. I have a feeling IM Coeur D'Alene will be a good race!

Thanks for reading!

IM 70.3 St. George- US Pro Champs- 15th Place Report

My first US Pro Championship is behind me and while I had a higher finish in mind, I am still looking at this race as a success, a move towards that goal.

Overlooking St. George from Red Hills Parkway

Ignoring my cold two days prior to race

Since Friday the week before the race I had not been feeling well. Sore throat, cough keeping me up at night, general fatigue and a stuffy nose/ sinus pressure from hell starting the day we left. Brandon and I made the trip from Boulder by car to St. George for the 3rd year in a row because it is usually just such a pretty drive. With our crazy spring snow storms however; we were forced to leave a day early to avoid getting stuck in the mountains, due to a huge mess that had been forecasted for our departure day. Luckily for us, we had no issues and were glad to be out before the snow started coming down.

Photoshoot with my bike and gear @ Snow Canyon

Since the first day of feeling sick, I made sure to overload on vitamins and get enough rest. There really isn't a magic formula to getting a cold out of your system once it's in, so I tried not to stress too much and hoped to be OK come race day. Low and behold, the day before the race my stuffy nose, irritated chest, and most other symptoms started to disappear and I started coming around to feeling back to normal by the day's end. So glad my immune system decided to cooperate!

Pros on stage at the Welcome Mixer

I was invited to do a photo shoot in beautiful Snow Canyon with the AtoZion crew, who also invited me to speak at the welcome mixer later that night. It's always nice to connect with the age groupers, especially since my mom and Mark, and Brandon were all racing as well.

Onto the race. Being a Pro Championship, big names were to be expected. But over 40 women, including Olympians, World Champs, 70.3 and IM Champs were all in the mix, making the pro meeting just a tad intimidating! I felt pretty confident about the course, knowing that I had done a full Ironman on the course before, and in the harshest conditions at that. I may not be able to replicate my past results here, but at least I would know the course in and out. I was ready for whatever conditions would come my way, as I have come to learn the weather is unpredictable in St. George :)

Coming out the water finally. Photo: Santiago Photography

The Swim- It would be one of the fastest swims ever, especially at the start. With numerous ITU swimmers, as well as a ton of fast long course fish, I knew I would need to go completely anaerobic to try and stay with people. The water was cold but bearable and my Zoot Wetsuit did a nice job of keeping me warm and giving me enough room to expand my chest. As the gun sounded, I swam as hard as I possibly could to try and stay on feet, but after a hundred yards or so, those feet were way ahead and I was in no man's land. (yet again). Focus on the positive, Uli, focus on the positive. I kept reminding myself of this and that I had a bike leg and a run leg to go, and that the water was the calmest it had ever been for this race and that I just would have to do this swim solo and try to cover the damage later on.

And so I swam alone, seeing a few arms flailing up in front every time I sighted, but too far to catch. I came out of the water, checked around me and got to my bike with only one other racked. Yep, I had my work cut out for me. My swim wasn't pedestrian slow, but without a pack, it had become another solo effort expending energy I could have saved for the bike. But here really was no time for a pity party, the race had only yet begun.

Trying to make the most of the early flat sections. Photo: Larry Rosa

The Bike- I was looking forward to this leg the most, as the course has to be the most spectacular bike course ever. Snow Canyon is so breathtaking, pictures don't do it justice. Coming out of T1 I had the road to myself. I passed a couple of girls before exiting the park and then picked off more one by one, working my way up to a small pack, something I have never managed before. I can't say enough good things about my BMC TM01, it handled like a road bike and gave me the confidence to go fast on every downhill. I also debuted my HED disc, which worked out great, especially on the numerous downhills.

Climb up Snow Canyon

Ofcourse there were hills on this course, but to me, and maybe others who have raced here before, it didn't compare to the difficulty of the old Ironman course. Snow Canyon was a nice climb, but gradual, with just a little bit of a steeper section on top. The old "wall" was a whole different animal :)

Something I tried to pay extra attention to for this race was my nutrition. Having recently done some good training with Sonja Tajsich, I picked her brain about race fueling and we concluded I need more calories on the bike. I made a conscious effort to eat my Powergels every 20 min to half hour, and not just when I felt like I needed them. I needed to have energy for that run! It was hard to get it all down, I will need to train my stomach a little more, but I did eat more than at Oceanside and I felt 100x better heading out on the run course!

The Run- I had T2 all to myself, and got in and out as quick as I could, although I am sure this could be trimmed down some more. I felt decent, had more nutrition on me for the run and was ready to tackle the beast (aka Red Hills Parkway). I debuted my Zoot Kiawe's on this run and really couldn't feel them at all, super light shoes. I made sure they had pink laces in them to match my kit. (although I'm really not a pink person, but a girl's gotta match!) In these races I never really know what place I am in, and only know of the girls I previously passed. Those included fast runners, and I knew I could not afford to slow down or I'd lose my place.

On the run at Pioneer Park. Photo: Kevin Koresky

The aid stations were great as always, volunteers bending over backwards to get you what you needed. When I appeared too slow on an uphill, I was reminded "not to give up now, I am almost done." Thanks guys, for not letting me walk! The climb up to Red Hills Parkway hurt, but I kept reminding myself I only rode 56mi, not 112. It felt better that way. Soon after, the pro men started coming back into town the other way, seemed like a really fast race for them! I made up some more ground, hydrated and fueled as best as I could, but noticing my mid back starting to seize up. My lungs didn't feel too great either, but both were ignored as I. just. wanted. to. get. to. that. finish. I saw my mom zip by on the bike (she got 4th in her AG!), as well as Mark, screaming at me as I could not return the favor (sorry, I was going 2mph up Red Hills :)),  Brandon was not too far behind me now (with having a ten minute later start), he was clearly having an amazing race.

Coming down Diagonal Street, I was trying to open up my stride as it was a slight downhill, but I couldn't close the gap to 14th place, fellow Boulder pro Whitney, and she finished just over 30 sec ahead. I crossed the line in 15th place. (just a few minutes before Brandon did to take second in his AG and 4th Amateur overall. )

Initially, I felt a little disappointed, but after looking over the results, seeing the company I was in, I am happy with my race. I was also sick for a week, which affected my training and taper, so really, I am pretty satisfied with how my day turned out. My bike and run fitness are there, I could have been top 10 with that. My swim held me back, but rest assured, I am working on that! I am more determined than ever to hold onto those feet in front of me. I will be back to race again next year, love this event! And now that the secret is out, I bet a lot more athletes feel the same way. Big Congrats to Meredith on her impressive win over such a deep field! Showing us how it's done!

A big thank you to my support crew who allow me to race fast and help me reach my maximum potential. I feel so lucky to be racing on BMC's TM01, my confidence has gone up tremendously on this bike, HED wheels for helping me be even more aero and faster, ZOOT for the great looking, technical race apparel and footwear, RUDY PROJECT for the best eyewear and aero head protection, and POWERBAR for my training and race nutrition. I am realizing that  nutrition is the 4th, and perhaps most important discipline and I am grateful I got it covered with the wide range of Powerbar products. Also, thanks to ROCKTAPE for the best athletic tape out there. Thank you everyone for your continued belief in me and your support on and off the race course!

Next up will be Boise 70.3, a race I have done every year since turning pro in 2009. I will follow it up with my first Ironman of the year at Coeur D'Alene. June will be busy, time to get this recovery over with and get back to work. Hopefully spring is here to stay!

Thanks for reading. Train hard and race smart :)

Snow Canyon again, because it's so awesome.