Ironman Lake Tahoe Non-Race Report

Squaw on Saturday

Beautiful run course at Squaw Saturday

I have had a lot of time to think on my 1000mi drive back from Tahoe- the IM Boulder redemption race that wasn't. Emotions are still kind of flying high but I know the choice made for racers yesterday was the right one- the air was very unhealthy to race in.

We originally decided to change our plans of getting to Tahoe when we first heard about the fires earlier in the week. We scratched our flight and decided to drive in the event the race was shortened or cancelled, letting us leave on our own schedule instead of waiting around for a tue flight home. Turned out to be a smart choice.

Arriving on fri spared us the smoke that rolled into town on Thursday. It looked pretty bad. On fri however things were looking much better and the wind had shifted, clearing the air and setting minds at ease that the race race would happen without a hitch. Weather reports for the weekend had forecast some storms on Saturday night into Sunday, bringing winds to clear out any smoke that might settle.

Kids run Saturday a.m.

Kids run Saturday a.m.

I started my day with the Iron kids run- ways great fun helping the little ones get across the finish line and hang medals around their neck. You get to witness every emotion from joy and excitement and determination to agony and tears :)

Smoke clouds rolling into T1 Saturday afternoon

Saturday afternoon around 2 pm when I dropped my bike off in t1 I could clearly see that smoke was rolling down over the hills into the Lake Tahoe area. It was only a matter of time until it reached transition and spread out. By dinner time in Truckee the air was bad enough to shut windows and Ac off in our room, and doubts about the race started to creep in.


A restless night of sleep followed and I periodically got up and looked out our window to see the smoke settle all around us. Visibility had to be down to a. Few feet. It was bad and it smelled in our room. Wake up call was at 3.30 am and when we opened our windows the stench of smoke was over whelming. The winds from the storms never came and the smoke had been settling in the valley all night. I seriously doubted the race being on, save for a miraculous wind shift to blow clean air in within the next two hrs.

Nevertheless, I got ready and we headed over to t1 where the air was surprisingly clear. Renewed hope the race was on, entered my mind. Perhaps the winds were now sweeping clean in Truckee, where we were staying, part of the bike course. I briefly mentioned smoke concerns to one of the Rd's and for the first time I could sense honest doubt in IM's plans. They would wait until the last possible minute to make a final decision regarding the start of the race, to give every last chance for the smoke to clear. Air quality in Truckee, to keep things in perspective, had risen to hazardous levels of 800 overnight. Anything over 20 is considered unhealthy. I went ahead and filled my bottles and warmed up and put my wetsuit on. Time was 6 am, rain was starting to fall,and no announcement had yet been made. Race start was in 30 min and things felt a bit surreal.


I was in the dark water ( it doesn't get light until after 6.40 am there) trying to warm up while starting to cough up a lung ( smoke particulates were surely hanging out on water from lingering smoke the night before) and trying to wrap my head around a long day ahead even though I could barely breathe when we walked out of our hotel two hrs prior.

lots of disappointed racers

A beautiful sunrise after the race was called off

The announcement came just as I was walking over to step on the timing mat to activate my timing chip for the race. Tom Ziebart delivered the "unfortunate news" to a crowd that assumed the race was a go, since no prior announcements were ever made. I immediately turned to Brandon and left the start corral and was overcome with emotion. In a strange way it was a relief To know the decision was made for us, as there was simply no way anyone should have attempted to race in conditions like this. Smoke particulates penetrate deep into the lungs and can cause long term health damage, and given I felt the smoke sitting in my lungs and giving me a headache and a scratchy throat just walking around in it, I immediately started to gather my things and pack up and get ready to head home. Apparently the other pro women swam the course, but it had never even entered my mind after Ziebart told everyone to exit the water after calling off the race. What's more, people were dealing with their disappointment by going ahead and riding the bike course. It was disgusting out and I have no idea how anyone was able to take deep breaths in that air. The visibility in Truckee and squaw Valley ( t2 and run course) was as bad or worse than Thursday and the mountains were veiled in smoke all around. But to each their own.

I am disappointed the race didn't take place. I like challenging courses, and this race was going to be a real toughie. It's disappointing to know pros won't be coming back next year as the race was taken off the calendar for us, but in staying positive I am setting out new plans for the remainder of the season. I will likely race a couple of half ironman races and then return to fulls in November. The quest for Kona points 2015 has been delayed but it gives me a chance to get some more  sharpening in. 

On bike course towards Squaw and Truckee around 8 am Race day

On bike course driving to Truckee race morning

Thick smoke on bike course race morning

T2 race morning around 9 am

T2 race morning veiled in smoke

Lastly, the King Fire that ultimately affected the race has burnt close to 90,000 acres and is keeping 7k fire fighters busy. Structures and homes have been lost. When I think about this, an IM that had to be cancelled, seems trivial. People have lost almost everything, wildlife is fighting for their lives, and yes- all of us who trained and invested time and money and sacrifice into competing, have a bitter pill to swallow. But there will be another race. I certainly wasn't planning on just a 2000mi drive. I'm now over tapered and feel lousy. Looking forward to getting home and looking ahead to the next event. I do hope the fire is fully contained soon and that CA gets some much needed rain. Our car still wreaks of smoke. A reminder until I wash all of my clothes in my smoky bags.

Thanks for reading.

IM Boulder Reflections

It's been three weeks since IM Boulder and not a day goes by where I don't think about the race and what went wrong on that day. Even after completing 14 of these events, there is still stuff that can go wrong, nothing is ever guaranteed in this sport.

I was pretty pumped about a local IM, getting to sleep in my own bed and not having to travel. I had fun at the pre race pro panel and kids' run event, handing out medals and helping the kids get pumped for their races. I wasn't overly nervous about the course since it was my "hometown race" and I had ridden the bike course numerous times and run on the creek path countless times in the ten years of living in the area. I knew altitude and heat could be a factor on the mostly exposed course, but since I live here, I figured I would be fine, having trained in it for years.

On race morning I wasn't very hungry (it was 3 a.m. after all!) and I had to force down my breakfast. My stomach felt like it was full from one bite. I had my coffee to wake up and then moved onto race hydration. Before the swim start I had a Powergel to top off my storages heading into the first leg. My parents had made it into town to watch me race and I wanted to put on a good performance, especially since my mom had a very serious bike- car accident earlier this year that she is still recovering from. With the year so far having been anything but race focused, I wanted to get back to where I had left off last season.

The 2.4 mi swim felt surprisingly good and smooth. I found myself towing the chase pack and had women around me that should have been ahead of me.  I figured I was having a pretty decent swim until the fast age groupers started passing us on the home stretch. Despite efforts to not have this affect me, it always manages to put a slight damper on my confidence. However, this has happened even in races I have won, so I wasn't overly worried.

Early on the bike. Pic- Triathlete Magazine

Out of the water and onto the bike I could tell my stomach was off. I was thirsty, but only for water. The water temp for the swim had been right around the cut off of 76 deg but I swam in a full sleeve wetsuit, which might have contributed to some early dehydration. I was picking up some spots early on on the bike but then settled in for a good long solo ride, only having one other pro woman around me, with the occasional age group mens pack zipping by. The air temperature was definitely on the rise and by 10.30 a.m. I was baking in my aero helmet. Even though I was feeling like I was getting increasingly cooked, I made sure to dump water all over at every aid station and take on all the nutrition I could handle. Despite my best efforts, I was getting nauseous. I kept having to sit up after eating and drinking to let my stomach settle, as otherwise I would have not been able to keep it down. This was cause for some concern for the run ahead.

I pulled into T2 under 5 hrs for the 112mi ride, a time I was pleased with despite having fought nausea for 90% of the ride. I felt the heat of the day and knew I would need to turn things around quickly if I wanted a shot at a decent marathon. Starting out in 4th on the run, I could barely make it to the first aid station where I tried to take as many fluids and ice as I could. Engine overheating and body shutting down. And only 25 more miles to go. I knew I was not going to have the day I had hoped for at this point.

Last 10mi of bike, feeling less than great. Pic- Randy Sadler

My lead bikers were great, trying to encourage me on and getting the aid stations to have things ready for me. I didn't care- I was going to walk each aid station anyway to try and get as much in me as I could. By mi 3 I saw the race leader walking as well, I tried encouraging her on, but apparently she was off even worse than me. With the many out and backs it was easy to spot the competition and it wasn't long until other women started catching up to me. The run is usually my strength, rarely do I get caught. I switched into survival mode at the half way point, unable to shake the nausea that had bothered me all day since early on the bike, and I made a deal (although almost broke it several times) to just make it to the finish line.

Trying to hold it together. Pic- Triathlete Mag

The crowds in town were spectacular and I felt like I owed it to them to finish the race, no matter how bad I felt. So many people were cheering my name, pushing me to keep going when all I wanted was to find a quiet spot and lay down. By mi 20 I lost my now 3rd place position and could no longer fake my jog. The nausea had gotten so bad that if I even tried to do anything but walk, I thought I would pass out. So I walked, not fast, but I walked. I got passed by age groupers, who  yelled kind words of encouragement, but I was unable to pick up the pace. Finally, with 2 mi to go and after having a few orange slices, my stomach was quiet enough for me to shuffle into the finish for 5th place. My family was there waiting and I was relieved to have completed the day, but at the same time felt sad, embarrassed and let down about how my day had unfolded.

Holding back the tears. Pic- Kat Hearty

Post race I spent some time in the med tent trying to get rid of the ever worsening nausea, and eventually made it home to my couch. The following days I felt totally off, I couldn't be out in the sun very long or the nausea returned, so perhaps I was suffering from some form of heat exhaustion during the race as well. It has taken nearly three weeks to feel like my normal self and I am finally back to being able to push it in training and enjoy it too. I scratched from a race I had entered to try and "make up" for my bad performance, since it took way longer to recover than I thought.

Now with the performance in Boulder finally digested and this race report putting the final stamp on it, I am really excited to give it another go in a month when I toe the line at IM Lake Tahoe, the final year for a pro race there. I'm looking forward to the scenery, the climbs and the cooler temps!

Big thanks to my support crew: Zoot, BMC, Rudy Project, Power Bar and Hed Cycling. And of course  to my super sherpa Brandon and my family and friends. Thanks for believing in me.

Here is to a fresh start to Project 2015!

A 2014 Update

Almost seven months have passed since my last post, wow, life got busy. After a busy 2013 race season that ended with a PR at IMAZ, I was certainly ready for a break. And what better way than to ring it in with a puppy!? Amos joined us mid December as a fluffy 9 week old baby. I now know that puppies and human babies have much in common. It has definitely been a learning curve but we love our boy (now 65 lbs at 7 mos!) and his sweet face saves him from most of the trouble he gets into. I was ready to hit training hard again by mid winter, but constant sleep deprivation due to puppy baby made it difficult at times :) I had planned to do some early season races, head to St. George for the US Champs and then into the summer season with IMCdA kicking off my IM race schedule. But life doesn't always work out the way you have in mind. I have had to learn to adapt this year. Big time.

Sweet Baby Amos!

Just as I was getting into a training groove, one of the most stressful times I have experienced, hit. I was out with Amos, our puppy, for his usual afternoon walk at the local park, when I caught him eating something suspicious. Completely unaware I picked up whatever leftovers I could find from what he had just devoured. I brought it home and thought it looked like meat laced with something weird. Later on, friends told me it looked like rat poison and that's when alarms went off and I raced to the ER vet. It was confirmed there that poor Amos indeed had eaten poison, so luckily, since it was discovered early enough, it was still sitting in his stomach and he was able to throw most of it back up. The bad news was that rat poison is plain evil. It can cause seizures and blood clotting issues, all delayed in onset. Amos stayed at the ER for the night to be safe and I went home worried sick.

For the next month the poor thing had to take Vit K tablets each day to help clot his blood, and visit the vet more times than I can count.  News and media invaded our little neighborhood and wanted to talk to us. It was stressful and draining to say the least, and training took a back seat. However, I am happy to report that Amos is healthy and free of the poison in his body, and I do hope that whoever did this ( there were numerous poisoned meat balls found at our park) will be found and pay. (my vet bills especially…)

By spring, we decided that our condo was not going to be ideal for housing a big puppy and us. We went through the selling process and were able to find a house to call home, which we will be moving into in the next few weeks. Renovations will be mixed with training, but that's no longer a daunting task after the events that unfolded last week.

It was just a regular Sunday morning and I was able to sleep in, when B burst in the room with a serious look on his face to tell me (still half asleep) that my mom had been in a CAR ACCIDENT on her bike. I immediately sat up, trying to understand what he was saying. It was followed up with "She will be OK", "but she is in the ICU right now". Thoughts ran through my head like crazy. Most of all it was shock. There, completely being caught off guard, I got the message no one ever wants to receive.

We made arrangements to go see her in the hospital and luckily she was released the day we arrived, letting us help her back into the comfort of her own home. I got to play Nurse for a few days (and actually quite enjoyed it) and helped feed my mom liquids and medication (her mouth is wired shut so the broken bones around there can heal) through syringes into a tiny opening in her mouth. I helped keep her wounds moist (important for healing) and clean. Good news is she is improving every day. Although her face will soon be all the colors of the rain bow as her black eyes fade and her facial bruising/ swelling recedes, she will certainly be awhile until she is allowed to train again. But she wouldn't be related to me if she didn't already have goals. IMAZ will be her comeback race. I plan on racing it as I do every year. I can't wait for us to cross the finish line!

What I learned from this experience is that family is everything. If someone near and dear is in serious trouble, it changes your perspective on everything. Nothing matters more than your family. I am so grateful that this accident wasn't any worse than it could have been. Don't drive drunk, just don't. It takes one second to change someone's else's life forever. I owe a big thanks to friends near and far that have offered their kind words and help along the way.

As for my racing, I would be lying if I said I have been able to do my usual loads of training. I am feeling a bit frustrated that I am not as fit as I should be this time of year, but I still have half the season ahead of me and IM Boulder is still a race I would really love to do well at. I have just over 2 months to  prepare, but I will give it my best shot. My mom plans on cheering me on.

Thanks for reading and I promise another update real soon!

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.

Add caption

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