Triathlon Training, CoachSBR

Jason Polletta

admin — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 13:32:08 +0000

Name: Jason Polletta

Couch potato to big cyclist, over 6,500 miles on the bike in 2011 (6,495 miles in 2010). Been interested in doing an Ironman for years, and after my crash in August 2011, I decided it was time to quit talking about it and go do it. So I’m entering the world of triathlons with the goal of an Ironman in 2013. Two Half Ironmans planned this year (Wildflower/Orangeman). I guess the ultimate goal is Kona, but I’m not sure that’s even close to realistic, so maybe that shouldn’t be mentioned? But it’s my goal, and some of my good friends in life would say it’s my obsession.

Why do I do this? I want to prove something to myself. Prove that anyone can do it. I used to be over 200 pounds and had unhealthy habits, etc. Plus I’m very competitive. What’s the Ironman quote? 2.4 mile swim, 112 miles on the bike, run a marathon, and brag for the rest of your life.

And I have all sorts of training quotes to keep my motivated, and this one I thought summed it up for me pretty well: “You know that thing in your head that says ‘You really shouldn’t be doing this?’ Well, I don’t have that.” – Mark C.

Brenda Gustin

admin — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 13:25:11 +0000

Name: Brenda Gustin

Former Competitive Roller Figure Skater Regional and National Champion 13-18 years old. Took a break for approximately 10 years and then developed an interest in Group Exercise Classes. Became an Instructor in 1995 and Taught Step Aerobics, Hi Low Impact, BodyPump, Kickboxing, Senior Fitness and settled into my favorite, Indoor Cycle. During that fifteen year period, I went back to School at Orange Coast College and also received my ACE Certification for Personal Training, which I also enjoyed doing. I have been and continue to be involved in the Fitness Community. I also volunteer with some Adaptive PE Students from OCC, who have become my friends more than students.I also enjoy volunteering and Participating at CAF Events. I have been a Certified Scuba Diver since 1988 and hold a Rescue Dive Cert as well as a Dive Buddy Cert for Handicapped Scuba Association(finished in 2010)

So why did I get involved with IronDistance Triathlon? I experienced a couple of life changes. One, I lost my brother to Prostate Cancer. In some ways, I guess that woke me up to my own mortality. Two, that same year, I turned Fifty. I felt I need to experience something way bigger than myself. I had the desire to see what I could endure. My brother had to endure so much pain and suffering and was far braver than I could ever be doing an IM, but, I just felt the need to have that goal. My experience in my first Iron Distance race was Vineman 2010. It was not only the most satisfying physical challenge, it was an emotional release like I have never experienced. Even though my brother lost his battle with cancer, I felt his spirit with me to the end of that day. The countryside seemed more vibrant. I enjoyed the occasional chat with other participants. And never once thought I would quit.

Now I want to do another with the mantra of NEGU….And needed an Awesome Coach to get me prepared for it. Maybe I can be a little more competitive this time:)

And….BTW…I am Happily Married to Roy Gustin, with whom I enjoy doing some of my training rides.

2012 ~ BRING IT ON!!

Sherry — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 01:50:54 +0000

What has been happening since my big adventure in Kona?? I’ve been recovering, enjoying some “unscheduled” time, and making big plans for 2012! I took about a month off “training” and just got in the pool a couple of times a week, of course taught cycle classes (with very little resistance on the wheel…) and did no running for about ten days, and first on the Alter-G treadmill. I gave myself lots of “wiggle room” over the holidays and even missed a few Tues/Thurs 6pm master’s swims over the holidays with NO GUILT ~ and it was REALLY cold outside!! I had a great race at Kona and a smart recovery. The year 2011 will always hold great memories for me, I feel so blessed!

Now that the holidays are over, the Christmas decorations are away and I can actually see the floor on the laundry room, time to get caught up on the blog! Click the Long Course Team Elite tab to learn about our team of athletes for 2012 (well, give it a day or two for me to get it on there!). I continue to offer one-on-one coaching consultations & evaluations for athletes on an hourly basis to help them get their 2012 season off to a great start. The Y-Tri Club continues to grow, and the Saturday rides with Newport Coast Triathlon Team and the Y-Tri Club are the highlight of everyone’s week, I think!!! We’ve had a great winter of cycling the roads all over Orange County, and people especially like the “Hillacious” ride we do once a month…I’m pretty sure that’s a smile I see on their faces as they’re climbing the hills around Newport Coast. What a beautiful place to suffer!!

I’m especially excited about our new CoachSBR sweatshirts. They are VERY cool and so cozy for going to the pool, gym, etc. You’ve got to love the grey hoodies, all the awesome triathletes in the OC are wearing them!!

Here’s to a great year of setting goals & putting in the hard work to reach them, enjoying the excellent company of our friends, triathletes and non-triathletes alike, good health and lots of laughs. Let’s make 2012 the Year of the Cowbell!!!

Michael Hattan

admin — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 12:45:58 +0000

Name: Mike Hattan
Race: Ironman Arizona

In the late eighties, I was in high school competing competitively in triathlons, thanks to my mother, a veteran triathlete. In 1990, I joined the military and served my country as a Special Operations Medic in the Navy. During that time, I did not do any triathlons. After my military service, I was accepted into Podiatry School and started a family. The next eight years of my life were dedicated to changing diapers, studying, working endless hours in my surgical residency and getting fat!

In January 2010, I met Sherry Rennard. I joined the YMCA triathlon club in Newport Beach. I started casually working out and doing local Sprint and Olympic distance triathlons. I did this under the direction of Sherry. As I continued my quest toward the eventual goal of an IronMan finish, the weight started to come off and the performance/mileage gradually increased. Last November, I made the huge leap and signed up for IronMan Arizona! Over the last year, I competed in the California 70.3 Half IronMan (6:10:52) and also the Vineman 70.3 (5:56:51). Since that time, I have ramped up my training for the Arizona Ironman on November 20th 2011! I am putting in 20+ hours weekly training, I am 75 pound lighter, have been injury free through this whole experience and can say I am READY for IronMan!

Coach Sherry came into my life as a spin instructor and friend and now is SERIOUSLY my coach. She is unlike any other coach I have ever had. She is invested in seeing that I do well, knows how my legs feel, knows if I need a rest day and keeps my diet in check “feed the machine” she says. She seriously has taught me the true meaning of training with purpose! I cannot wait until November 20th to hug and kiss my family at the finish line at IronMan knowing I DID IT RIGHT! Thanks Coach Sherry!

KONA 2011 RACE REPORT, by Sherry Rennard

Sherry — Sat, 15 Oct 2011 17:40:32 +0000

     I have had one week to reflect on my experience at Kona. Since everyone else is filing their race reports, being the competitor that I am, I realized it was time to get busy.
     The Ironman World Championships is definitely all it is cracked up to be, and then some! I learned things I will take with me for the rest of my racing days; met people who inspired me and made me realize what being BOLD and COURAGEOUS really means. Throughout race week, every day hundreds of athletes would arrive and you could hear every language being spoken. I went to the race start every morning except once and did a swim (that obviously really paid off, hahaha!!!) in the AMAZING clear blue water, perfect temperature, many varieties of fish swimming about. My longest swim was on Saturday (one week prior to race day), for 1:20, we swam out to the next-to-last buoy for what seemed like forever. Based on how long it took me to get out there and back, without much stopping, I knew my swim goal of 1:30 was realistic. I was hoping the draft would help me out, but I knew that coming out of the water mid-pack in my age group would be a realistic goal at best.
     With that being said, one thing I always kept in mind was the sage advice of friends who have raced at Kona. They all reminded me that it would be smart to not “race” my first year here, but to “experience” the event, always keep my head about me as my best resource, and finish no matter what. I wanted to set race goals that were realistic for me if I raced smart, while maintaining the balance of savoring this fantastic experience, feeling well trained and tapered (which I was!!), pushing myself at the right times, and especially not getting caught up in everything else that was going on around me. I had a plan to accept whatever my time was on the swim and leave that behind me, then play my strengths on the bike and run to reach my finish goal. I know there were people who had their own goals set for me, and I would often remind them that this is the WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP, and most of these competitors are very fast and have a lot of Ironman race experience that I don’t have…although, I must say that I think I was one of the better-looking and better-dressed competitors!! Kona 2011 is only my third Ironman (Lake Placid in 2006 @ 12:33, Ironman Canada 2009 @ 11:54). This experience is humbling, to say the least. The woman who won the 50-54 y/o AG, Teresa Rider, has done 24 Ironmans. She has been World Champion twice. She finished in 10:44 and there were several women who were not that far behind her. That is the caliber of athlete who races at Kona. There is a lot to be said for Ironman racing experience anyone having experience racing this course in the past has a huge advantage.  MY goal was to finish the race in under 12 hours, and anything under 11:54 would be even better. I figured I had a chance to get in the top 25%, and a top 10 finish would be icing on the cake. When I broke it down to swim/bike/run and of course transitions, I knew my goal time would be attainable if I raced strong & smart.
     I was one of the first to arrive on race morning. Every moment was special, from getting the numbers stamped on both arms, to stepping on the scale for the pre-race weigh in. My only complaint was that they were playing “Inya” music during the set up, and it was downright depressing!!!! I called my niece in PA., then sat under a palm tree, taking in all the scenes, and cried for a bit… a sense of awe, relief, anticipation, joy, thankfulness and humility; it was a very intense time for me. I said a prayer that I would be safe that day, for courage and strength, and gave thanks that I was able to be in that place, at that moment.
     I had a flat in my rear tire before the race start. I saw some latex leaking out after I had pumped up the tires in the morning. I found a staple, probably picked up on the walk over to the bike check-in (it rained a lot two nights previous). After my two flats in Canada, I decided to have the tire changed. By 6:45 it was done and I was one of the last to get in the water at 6:50. I now had no spare, but did have Pit Stop and lots of C02, and a husband who was a volunteer bike tech on the course, so I felt OK about that. Before I knew it, I was trying to find a spot to start the swim, and off the gun went!!
     The swim was crowded and chaotic in the beginning, but really not that bad. Everyone did seem to be swimming “right”, no breast stroking, stopping, etc. I stayed in the draft as much as I could and hoped everyone in front of me knew where they were going. The buoys are not very big, and when I did look up, we were all headed to the same place which was a good thing!! . At the turn around, I glanced at my watch, 42 minutes, so I knew I was on goal pace. OK, so I probably was not going as fast as I could have been, but I tried to keep a good turnover cadence and constantly thought about my form. I had the voices of all the best swimmers I know: Julie Ertel, Camille, Julia and Angie, in my head, telling me to keep the elbows high, get the chest down and butt up, cup the hand properly, wave “bye bye”, swim over the barrel, push the water back, etc. I knew there was a bit of a current on the way back so I anticipated a bit slower of a split there… After the turn around, the pack thinned out considerably, with all the fast swimmers way out in front of me by that point. Not being in a draft against the current is not good, so I tried to stay behind at least one person as much as I could, but my navigational skills would often tell me this person was NOT swimming straight, and I would go on my own to try to get into a faster stream. Shortly after the turn around, I suppose because the water was not churning so much, I became aware of the plethora of sea life around us; schools of beautiful fish, coral, and suddenly spinner dolphins everywhere. Anyone who has been with me in the ocean knows I am crazy about dolphins!!! I get ecstatic when I see them anywhere nearby, and to have them frolicking underneath me, swimming along with me for at least ten minutes, was bliss!! I slowly but surely made my way back to the beach, came out of the water at 1:33, a bit slower than goal pace, but I felt fresh and ready to go.
     T1 was quick, got out of there in 1 minute less than I had anticipated, and I quickly settled in on the bike for the first ten miles through town. The first 35 miles of the ride were comfortable and I felt strong/fast, worked on hydration, and before long I was making the turn for the 18 mile climb to Hawi. I had practiced this earlier in the week and knew it was a long, gradual climb, with some rollers, but the winds for the seven miles at the top could be brutal, and very scary. My friend Jerry had advised me to try to stay in the aerobars, no matter what, and I knew it would help to spin at a high cadence. I had a strong ride here, and when the winds would gust at me from the side, I would lean into them, allow myself to be moved a bit, but I would not give up. I stayed in the aerobars the entire time, repeating the same scripture over and over in my head (…be bold and courageous, for the Lord your God is with you at all times…), gritted my teeth, and DUG IN!!!   After the turn around, on the long descent it is important to maintain control against the wind, while trying to make up for some of the time lost on the climb. I made it back to the Queen K, having passed many in my age group at that point, and settled in for the ride back to town. At mile 80 I started to hit the legendary head-winds which continued for the next 30 miles. I remained as aero as possible, continued to drink copious amounts of water and electrolytes, and taking in nutrition, which was hard to do in this heat. Dr. Sam Sunshine told me the temp. was 115 or something like that with the heat. My bike shorts were covered in salt. I still question whether I should have used my aero helmet. It may have made me a bit faster, but I was able to douse my head & body with water at every aid station, so this did help me stay cooler. What I did not realize, however, was how soaking wet my shorts and socks would get. By the time I got to mile 70, my crotch was screaming, and when I would occasionally get out of the saddle, I had horrible searing pain in my right foot (I think I’m getting a neuroma…). Since we all know that pain is to be expected in the Ironman, I just pushed through it… suffice it to say, I was so happy to get off that bike, it made me look forward to running a marathon!! My goal was to finish the bike in under 6:05 and I finished at 6:03. I did not want to push too hard to get under 6 hours, only to lose a lot more time than that on the run. I had learned in Ironman Canada that it always does come down to the run.
     Another lesson I learned that day was to put on fresh, dry socks for the run, and some Vaseline would help also. I had worn compression socks on the bike, which I planned to wear for the run as well. As soon as I started running, I realized that my feet were already raw in spots on the bottom from being in the bike shoes for six hours. Ouch. I had already knocked on the door of the House of Pain, and I was running through the threshold!! I was focused on running on target pace to finish in under 4:10 and reminded myself that the sooner I got to the finish, the sooner I could take off those wet shoes & socks!!   I thought of Barbara Wright, who would have said, “It’s time to GET UGLY”!!!. The feet continued to get wet as I used ice and sponges throughout the run to try to cool off. I held ice cubes in my hand, put ice in the hat & bra, and even in my shorts a couple of times. It was HOT!!! I made my way down to the turn around on Ali’I Drive, stayed on goal pace, then back through town and up the long, steep hill on Pilani. In my opinion, this area, and the run north on the Queen K toward the Energy Lab, was the toughest part of the course. This hill takes a lot out of you, and the rollers on the Queen K really start to take a toll on your body. I started drinking Coke at mile 11 and with every mile I started to feel just a little faster/stronger. I saw Pete at mile 10 and he tried to run with me a bit/talk to me. I put my hand up and said nothing….”Don’t talk to me now… I’m in the House of Pain and really don’t want to hear or say a word… it’s time to focus… dig deep….remind myself of what this is all about… how hard I’ve worked to get to this very point… a PR right around the corner if I keep this up”.… At the turn around, I felt solid and knew I would be able to pick up the pace a bit for the next nine miles. I saw lots of people walking/puking/and generally in a bad way by this point in the race. I continued to hydrate/drink coke/take electrolytes. By mile 22, I was starting to push myself a bit faster with each mile, wanting to feel when I crossed the line that I had gone as hard as I possibly could without bonking or having some catastrophic occurrence out there. My legs were feeling strong, I had absolutely no stomach problems or cramping, and with each person I passed, I felt a renewed sense of strength. The last two miles were incredible, unbelievable and unforgettable!! The downhill on Pilani killed my quads, but the roar of applause and encouragement from the crowd kept me running strong! I turned the corner on Ali’i drive and there I was, running toward the finish line!!! This is a memory that will be etched in my mind forever, pumping my arms in the air, the biggest smile on my face, and crossing the finish of the biggest race in the sport of triathlon… I did a little dance at the end, got the crowd all pumped up, then Rhonda and I realized that Mike Reilly had not called out my name!!! WHAT??? Well, I was not going to leave that finish area until I heard him SAY MY NAME!!! Camille claims she could hear Rhonda and me on the live broadcast, and a few minutes later Mike did announce to me, “Sherry Rennard, You are an Ironman”…!!
     One week later, the blisters on my feet have almost healed, some of my toenails are dying a slow death, but I am feeling strong and rested and very blessed. I am taking it very easy for the next couple of weeks, allowing my muscles to repair, my soul & body to rest, and savoring this wonderful experience called KONA…. and, of course, making some plans for 2012….Aloha!

KONA FINISH INFO!!

Sherry — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 15:43:58 +0000

I AM A KONA IRONMAN!! Reached my race goal of under 12 hours, got a PR of 11:48. RACE REPORT TO FOLLOW…. AS SOON AS I COME OUT OF THE CLOUDS!! Swim was good in beginning, confusing after the turn around, and the the dolphins were frolicking underneath us to distract me, and then there was THE CURRENT!! It was a TOUGH day in the heat. I held on for dear life on the windy climb to Hawi, ran the whole marathon on blistered feet, and dug DEEP to finish strong.. Thanks for all your encouragement!! LOTS more to come!!

14 HOURS TO GO, I AM READY!!

Sherry — Sat, 08 Oct 2011 03:08:06 +0000

It’s been a while since I’ve updated the blog, but I’ve been rather busy swimming, cycling and running, maxing out at 24 hours of training in my heaviest week. I’m sitting here at my Kona condo and had nothing better to do this afternoon than add up all the hours & miles I have logged since I qualified for Kona on April 2nd in Oceanside. I’ve logged a total of 344 hours/3,609 miles… this includes 111 miles of swimming, 2,910 miles of cycling and 573 miles of running. I have managed to remain injury-free. I have tapered, acclamated to the heat and rested as much as I can in the last two weeks. Am I ready for the cannon to go off at 7a.m. tomorrow morning? YES!!! I feel as prepared as I could possibly be. I know there will be times when I don’t feel good tomorrow, there will likely be things that do not go as I would have wanted them to, but I will do my best to keep my head, be patient and smart, stay on my goal paces, and I’m hoping to have THE RACE OF A LIFETIME!! This journey has been an incredible six months for me and I have enjoyed every minute of my training (OK, I admit that the pool swims weren’t always that much fun, but I still always showed up and got the job done). I’ve done some incredible bike rides, three rides of over 100 miles, the 112 mile ride at IM Canada, and the 125 mile double metric century, accompanied by great friends and training partners. I’ve pushed myself on the track, tempo runs, hill repeats and long runs. I’m sure most of the other ladies in my age group have done the same thing. This is the World Championships after all, and I would not expect anything less of my competition. I have my goal times set and will try to reach these. What place I come in does not matter to me as much as reaching my goals, and in the conditions here, I may come to realize that those goals were not realistic. I am, however, placing them out there for myself. Goal #1 is to cross the finish line NO MATTER WHAT. After being on this course, I realize there is a lot that can go wrong tomorrow, especially with the crazy winds, heat and humidity. I can only hope that my training, nutrition and tenacity will carry me through, along with all the thoughts & prayers from my friends and family that will be pushing me all the way. I WILL BE FEELING THE LOVE!!! One last note: We must all remember that competition is not the domination of others, but the pursuit of excellence within ourselves.

Sherry at the pool…

Sherry — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 23:34:20 +0000

: Do I look like I’m having fun??

I had Pete videotape me at the pool last night after I swam 2500 yards. It allowed me to see how my stroke starts to fall apart when I’m getting tired, and I revert back to my BAD habits!!!! I’m off to the pool in a little while to keep working on the swim )) The water will feel good after the HOT 4 hours on the bike & 30 minute run today… 30 days out.

Update at Five Weeks from Kona

Sherry — Sat, 03 Sep 2011 17:25:54 +0000

In exactly five weeks from today, God willing, I’ll be at Kona having the time of my life!! My excitement for the race has grown over this past week after witnessing such great moments for the triathletes at Ironman Canada. Let me just issue my pre-Kona apologies to everyone right now: If I don’t return your phone calls or emails, if I tell you I’m going to do something and then forget or back out at the last minute, please forgive me. I’ll be in my “Kona Crazed” last build set for the next two weeks, and in addition to working 30 hours a week, when I’m not training I’ll either be face down in a plate of food or face down on the bed sleeping!! If you want to talk, feel free to come over and throw in a load of laundry, maybe sweep up the floor a bit, and maybe whip up some healthy food for me!! Seriously though, I started build week #1 with IMCA swim & bike, then ran 20 on Tuesday, and tomorrow (Sunday) I’ve got a key workout planned, 70 miles on the bike, 15 mile brick run. If you’d like to tag along, hit me up on my cell, but there’s something wrong with my phone too, and I haven’t had time to deal with it!! Next week is a big bike week, let me know if you’d like to join me for my Wednesday EARLY a.m. 4 hour ride or Thursday 7.a.m. three hour ride after spin. The more the merrier!! OK, I’m off to Edge to pick up my bike and get an easy ride/transition run in…. Happy Labor Day weekend to everyone, and be safe!!

P.S…. I was inspired by many of the “team” t-shirts at IMCA, we’re trying to come up with something fun for Kona t-shirts. My dad and I were thinking, since I’m a farm-raised girl, maybe we could say something like, “From the Corn Fields to the Lava Fields”…. is that too weird?? Ideas are welcome, being creative is not one of my gifts!!

Ironman Canada Race Report

Sherry — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 21:14:42 +0000

I had already signed up for IMCA when I qualified for Kona and since this race is only six weeks out from Kona, I decided to use it as a training day (do the swim & bike, then a 45 minute brick run) and a chance to see Pete and some Orange County friends race. I also wanted to be there to coach Maureen in her quest for an Ironman PR. With the Achilles issues she has dealt with since June, we were a bit concerned about how this was going to hold up on the run. At Vineman 70.3 Maureen had a PR on the swim and bike, but her Achilles became so painful and inflamed during the run that she had to walk the last couple of miles. She finished the race, but was quite concerned about her ability to complete IM Canada. I took her off running completely at that point and prescribed some heavy-duty water run workouts, which I believed would keep her legs strong for the run while allowing the Achilles tendinitis to calm down. Three weeks before Canada I had her start running on the Alter G treadmill, which allows you to perform running with the actual foot strike but with a significantly lower amount of body weight. We started with a short run at about 50% of her body weight and progressed in small increments from there. She continued to train hard on the swim and bike during this time, as well as the long and boring water runs. Maureen is a very dedicated triathlete, she did everything I put in her training plan, and we made adjustments as needed if she was feeling fatigued. Part of Ironman training is sticking to your plan, but also listening to your body and allowing yourself to rest when it’s needed. This is a tough thing for many athletes to do; they feel they must keep training through fatigue. Recovery is just as important as tough training days, and Maureen was cooperative when I “strongly” suggested she cut back on a few occasions. After her taper period, I knew that Maureen was going into this race as strong and capable as she has ever been. She had the strength and endurance to not only complete this race, but do it in a faster time than she did at her previous two Ironman races. She had done the work. She had put in countless hours in the water and many, many miles on the bike. All we could do was hope that my approach to allowing the Achilles to heal while still putting in many hours of solid run training was going to pay off for her.

Race day morning was the usual hustle & bustle of getting some breakfast down early, packing up our nutrition and miscellaneous items we needed for race day, and driving the 40 minutes to Penticton from our hotel. We had four athletes in the van: Maureen, Pete, Andy and myself, as well as Maureen’s husband Rod, who drove while we all got our “heads in the game”…. It was a unique experience for me to not have the “pressure” of racing and I was feeling relaxed, yet quite excited about the long day ahead of us. The weather had been hot since we arrived in Penticton and it was predicted to get into the 90′s, so I knew the run was going to be tough for everyone, and especially for Maureen. I did not tell anyone, but my real plan was to do the 45 minute transition run, then to stay out on the run course and just walk (more of a saunter, ringing cowbells the entire time) along the beautiful lakeside until Maureen caught up to me. If she was having a hard time with her Achilles, I was going to walk the rest of the marathon with her. I wanted to see her finish this race, no matter what. She deserved that and I was prepared to do everything possible to make this goal a reality for her. A ”DNF” was just not an option.

As we were walking toward the body marking line, the unthinkable happened. Maureen turned to me and with this look of absolute horror on her face, she stated, “Oh my God, I forgot my wetsuit!”, to which Andy promptly replied, “What do you mean you forgot your wetsuit?”. That was a moment I will never forget. I looked down at the two bags she was carrying and there was clearly no wetsuit in either one of them. As her lip began to quiver and tears filled her eyes, it was all I could do not to break down in tears with her. But that’s not what a good coach does. A good coach helps an athlete find solutions. She realized that she left her entire swim bag sitting on the bed of our hotel room, 40 minutes away. By now it was getting close to 6am and the race was starting in just over an hour. We immediately sent Rod back to the hotel, but I knew there was a good chance he was not going to make it back in time. While trying to get her to calm down, I told Maureen we had three plans: Plan A was that we would go to the transition area and try to find someone who might possibly have a wetsuit we could use. Plan B was that Rod would get back in time for her to start the race (I knew this more than likely would not happen). Plan C was that I would let her use my wetsuit and I would not do the swim. This was, after all, just a training day for me. This was HER race day, the day she had worked her butt off for. I would have been happy to let her wear my wetsuit. And I prayed, a lot, that Plan A was going to work out for us.

Through tears, shock and disbelief, we made it through body marking and into the transition area. After asking a few volunteers, it became clear to me that they were not going to be able to help us. We then proceeded to the Bike Barn tent, a local bike shop who provides race support. It was there that my prayers were answered. There was a very nice man there, I don’t even remember his name, but I’ll never forget his face. I explained the situation to him and he listened intently. After what seemed like a long time (it was probably only a few seconds) he told us to stay put, he had an idea. He came back a minute later with a man who is the local Orca wetsuits rep whose office/warehouse was four blocks away. The Bike Barn loaned him a bike to ride to his office and he told us to go get everything else ready and come back in 20 minutes, he would have a wetsuit for her. By then it was 6:20. After breathing a sigh of relief, we found her a new swim cap and another Orange County athlete had an extra pair of goggles for her to use. We went back to the booth and there they were with a brand new Orca wetsuit, and they even helped her put it on! It was an answer to my prayers. OK, now we were ready to start the race… 6:50am. not a minute to spare.

Everyone had a great swim and we all made our way onto the bike course, which is a beautiful place to suffer, and suffer we did. The first part of the ride is fast, rolling through a majestic valley. I noticed an unusually large number of athletes on the side of the road with flat tires… bummer for them… then I got my first flat at the top of Richter Pass, 50 miles into the ride. I was shocked and disappointed to find a tack embedded in my back tire. I won’t go into too much detail, but suffice it to say it was my first of two flats as a result of tacks that apparently had been placed all over the roads by an angry farmer, probably the lone person in this entire valley who does not support this race. Everyone else in Penticton could not have been nicer and more supportive. If I had been “racing” I suppose I would have been even more disappointed/angry than I was, but I just hoped I could finish the ride. I had to stop every 20 minutes to top off with Pit Stop and Co2, but I managed to make it back to town in 6:03, not what I had hoped for, but I was confident with how strong I felt and knew I would have had a PR on the bike if not for this unfortunate situation. But my mind was still on Maureen… had she too been a victim of the tacks? Was she feeling as strong as I knew she could be on the bike? When was I going to see her on the run, and how was she going to be feeling? So many unknowns, but the Ironman is a long day and I knew I would have to be patient and hope for the best.

My 45 minute brick run was really tough at the beginning, it was SO HOT!!! I was really glad when I was able to walk and start my cowbell ringing duties, one in each hand. I was so excited when I saw the Art Sosa coming in from the run with six miles to go, he was looking strong and fast!! I rang my bells excitedly for him and asked how he was feeling (he had been dealing with a hamstring strain and was hoping to qualify for Kona), he said he was feeling good, and I knew he was going to make it!! He ended up getting 5th in his age group (40-45) which is a HUGE age group, and he’s going to Kona!! Congratulations to you Art, you deserve this!! I continued walking/ringing/chatting with locals and racers, and generally having a great time, all the while knowing Maureen would be hopefully coming alongside me anytime. At about Mile 8 I heard Maureen’s voice behind me, and I turned around to see her running strong!! I was so excited, I got goosebumps, even in the 95 degree heat!! She had a smile on her face and yelled to me, “I’m running”, to which I responded, “Yes, you’re running strong”!!! She said she was feeling great, and I knew at that point that she was going to finish this race. She kept going, with another 5 miles to go until the turn-around point. I then saw Pete, who walked with me for a while and filled me in on his race. He then ran on and I kept ringing/walking/chatting/encouraging until I hit mile 9, when I decided that 18 miles was plenty for me. I never realized how sore one’s feet can get from walking, I was starting to feel a blister forming on each foot and knew that if I was going to stick to my training plan and run 20 miles on Tuesday (2 days away) I needed to get off my feet. I made my way back into town, by now VERY hungry for the pizza and soda at the finish line. It was kind of an odd feeling to be walking on a run course, I’ve never done that before, and I got to the point where I would not even explain to onlookers why I was sauntering along on the run course, I just smiled and kept rining the cowbells. I felt like a bit of a “poser” when I crossed the finish line, but hey, I paid my $650 and I did not feel too bad about taking the shirt, hat, and helping myself to two pieces of pizza & soda. I must say,though, the sound of SO many athletes wretching & projectile vomiting did take a toll on my appetite. I went to the medical tent to get some band-aids for my blisters and it was carnage in there. It was a HOT day and I thought to myself, “geez, and this is without humidity… what’s it going to be like in Kona”… a bit of apprehension entered my mind but I just pushed it away… this was not the time for it… it was time to check on Maureen’s progress.

At 13 hours, 55 minutes, Maureen crossed the finish line with a HUGE smile on her face!!! Not only had she completed Ironman Canada, she cut 40 minutes off her best time, a new PR for her!!!! I could not be more proud of her, she is one amazing and determined athlete, and it was my great pleasure to coach her for this Ironman. The greatest pleasure a coach can have, in my opinion, is to see their athletes reaching the goals that have been set, and in this case overcoming an injury and being triumphant in crossing that finish line!!!