Race Report: Ironman Lake Placid

“I know this transformation is painful, but you’re not falling apart; you’re just falling into something different, with a new capacity to be beautiful.”

– William C. Hannan.

I love Lake Placid, it’s one of my favorite places. I was still flying high from seeing friends at Musselman and was so excited to see them again. Bonus: I had 5 athletes racing. The few days before the race were great, seeing friends, shake outs, dinner with teammates and time with my athletes.

Race AM:

We headed over to transition around 5AM after looking at the radar and promptly declaring “it’s gunna rain” and giggling – needless to say, I was feeling pretty relaxed for race AM. We found Vic on our way over which was fun to walk with her and her mom. And YUP, it was raining. Transition was pretty low key, which was nice and I didn’t mind it being at the school. Once we were ready, we headed to the swim start (and opted to just walk, which we heard was better than the bus). While walking, we heard a rather loud cardinal singing, even though it was before sunrise and still dark. It was loud enough a stranger commented on it. I held it together in that moment and reminded myself it was going to be a good day.

When we made it to the swim start, we found Amy F and Tiff and attempted to get into our wetsuits, step one was a success haha. After, there were maybe some almost tears 😂 and we said our goodbyes before we went to go warm up a bit. After Vic and I said our goodbyes, I went to find my spot in line, which is where I found my athlete Kim. We chatted, hugged, maybe there were a few more tears, waited patiently for the cannon to blow before we were able to make our way through the arch to start.

Swim: 64:48 (1:34/100yd, 12th AG)

The rolling swim start is probably one of my favorites, typically it’s a smooth start and this was no different. Honestly, I was still a little unsure of where my swimming was after Musselman. That swim rocked me a bit – I was trying to let it go. As we walked through the swim arch I basically told myself that I can make it up on the bike and the run so F it and I’ll just go swim 😂

I stayed wide and found feet pretty easily. It felt like we were moving up the field and I just kept swimming. We headed through the arch on the water, around the first turn and headed back to the shore. I lost my feet when we hit shore but diving back in I found some new feet and hung on there for basically the rest of the race. Someone tried to steal them, I had to get a little aggressive but kept my mind in it and started pick it up a little bit at the last turn to swim exit (across the lake).

I enjoyed the changes in the swim course and not just because I ended up with a swim PR – as evident from how happy I was at the swim exit.

Transition: again, I didn’t mind the run up, it didn’t feel too much longer than running to the oval and it was kind of nice to chat with other competitors a bit.

Bike: 5:44.44 (19.5 mph, 1st AG)

I was so excited to ride my bike. I think I was just excited to go race, to be in Lake Placid, to see people, I was just happy.

I had some amazing cheers heading out of town. Amy let me know I had passed two women in T1 (these ladies were FAST swimmers let me tell you), and Z and Alex were farther down letting me know where I was. Before I knew it we were out at the first out and back before the Keene descent and I was quite content that the rain had stopped – mostly because I’ve been down the Keene descent in a huge thunderstorm hello 2014. This was also where I saw my athlete Luke! He looked pretty good and I’m sure he eye rolled at me when I yelled eat and drink or something along those lines. #sorrynotsorry.

Keene descent was fun, just coasting through. I felt pretty good, leap frogging some people but staying within my race. We were also FLYING and knew better that at some point we were going to have a gnarly headwind; coming to the second out and back/loop, I caught a bit of what that headwind was going to be like as we climbed back to Placid from Wilmington.

As we turned to the next out and back, this was a part of the course I hadn’t seen, but it was so fun, rolling, and we could see other competitions, and VIC was there, it was fun seeing her.

The boring: I kept eating, drinking and managing effort. You know the rolling buffet 😉 turning to head back to town was a bit windy but so it goes. Before the three bears I saw Tara, which was such a welcome sight because it was quiet out there. We raced MT 70.3 in 2019 together and she won our AG. I love this sport. Climbing the bears was fun – the turn around in town had some funny facial expressions. Back through transition and out to loop two, and I knew I was riding well at that 56 mi split. Zach and Alex were out by the horse farms, let me know where I was.

Loop two was pretty low key too – maintained effort, ate, drank, embraced the views and was still so grateful to be racing.

Before long, I was back climbing to town, and the wind, umm, a little rougher this go around, but I kept my head down and pedals turning over. Tried to stay relaxed as possible.

Back up the bears – around the u turn – which didn’t have as many facial expressions and Z was there letting me know I was 1st AG. I’m pretty sure I swore 😂 and headed back to T2. In T2 I ran around, saw Kim’s parents and partner Martin, and racked and grabbed my stuff to go run.

Run: 3:36.16 (8:19/mi, 2nd fastest in AG)

Leaving T2 it was super fun seeing Jared and Tiff as I ran down the hill to river road. I felt pretty good running, staying nice and relaxed and taking it one mile at a time.

Alex and family were at about mile one and let me know I was 5th OA female – I think I cursed again haha. Dana was a bit farther cheering which made me laugh, I think I heard some pitbull which made me thing of the #CoeurVeloLadies, running down towards Lisa Gs was so loud 😂 I got a little emotional. Truly I was just so grateful to be racing again.

Z was out before the Horse show grounds and let me know I was 1st AG by like 16 minutes. I went into being smart mode, hydrate, run, eat, run tangents, smile, you like running, this is gorgeous, river road is a bit more rolling than I remember, etc etc. at mile 8 I decided I didn’t want to do another Ironman (spoiler alert, it didn’t stay that way).

Out and back, a friend Tyler was volunteering at the aid station at the start of river road – he was giving me updates 🙏. Also a shoutout to all the volunteers – they were amazing out there. Heading back to town, that stupid hill, but kept shuffling along. There was a fellow racer chatting with me, wondering why athletes don’t talk more, I tried to be nice, truthfully I didn’t want to talk either 😂

Z was back at the horse farms and was cheering me on, I really disliked the loop around there but so it goes. Continued my way back to town, one mile at a time, eat, drink, etc. Tara was out on the course, cheering so hard, All I could do was smile. Back to the turn around THANK GOD NOT ON MIRROR LAKE DR, but at Lisa G’s was still so loud, I heard/saw Amy and Sam and started to get emotional. Had to have a quick reminder that I still had 13ish miles to go.

Headed back out to Z at mile 15, he told me that I had a 22 minute lead over 2nd AG and it would take 2 minutes/mile faster than I was currently running. It was that moment that I took a quick walk break and then started my-speed-walk-through-aid-stations-for-all-the-fluids- (that’s also supposed to be read fast like me going through the aid stations). Grabbing all the fluids – coke, water over the head, Gatorade and ice. A fellow triathlete even stopped and helped me get ice down the back of my kit. This process continued at every aid station.

Back out on River Road I learned I was 4th female overall, and weighed the pros and cons of where I was. At the final turn around – I saw Erika who let me know 2nd and 3rd overall were just ahead. Realistically, at this moment, I just wanted to get to the finish line and did not care where I was overall. I kept my speed walking/inhaling all the fluids. I ran into my athlete Kim – which was so nice! We chatted for a bit, I reminder her to eat and drink (anyone else catching a theme here LOL) At some point I must have passed the other women – I left river road hearing Tyler saying I was 2nd amateur female overall – say what.

Still cursed that hill back up from river road, but it’s always better when it’s the last time. Z was back out before the horse farms, giving encouragement, I saw my athlete TR – sorry man, I was in a survival mode at that point 😂 Then I headed back towards town – so loud, so happy, so badly I just wanted to get to the finish line. I thought about walking up the hill – but I just wanted to cross it and make sure the race was actually happening and not just a dream. True story. In some ways, it all felt like a dream. I had zero low moments, I kept my head on, I had so much fun. But, hitting that red carpet, seeing the time, hearing the cheers, I completely lost it. It was an ugly cry and I didn’t give an F what people thought. It has been a long time since I’ve done an Ironman, it’s been a long few years in life, but that moment, I was proud of what I just did and how it finally all came together.

I also felt pretty good upon finishing, another athlete, Will was volunteering as a medic and I told him I was good – until I made it through and wanted to sit down, then needed to lay down, then my feet needed to be up, then I had tingles everywhere then I asked for a medic. I spent over 90 minutes with the lovely people in the medic at the school. It really was lovely, mostly I was there and chatting and grateful for them.

10:37.26 1st AG, 2 F amateur, 15th female – A 44 min course PR.

I’ve got a LOT of people to thank, first the cheers and support at the venue, Amy F, Amy R, the Allen’s + Martin, Tara, Tyler, Tiff, John and Johnny, Alex, John + 2 more, the Wagenet’s, the Schonfeld’s, and probably more I’m forgetting. The support of my Coeur Sports teammates near and far. Holy moly. Could not have done it with out them, Kebby – for all the things, Jess – for always making me do silly virtual things on my bike, the Gun Slinger Crew, my athletes, the Coeur Velo crew, my family for understanding my weird habits and tan lines and to Z, for everything, there aren’t enough words. ❤️

Next up, 70.3 World Championships in St George Utah and with almost 40 teammates, I’m not sure Utah is ready for us 😂