Ironman Lake Placid GOAL Post

Today is my last day of work for a week.

Tomorrow we drive half way to Lake Placid.

Thursday we arrive in Lake Placid.

Friday and Saturday will be spent resting and being at peace with the training I've done and swimming as much as my coach will let me in my most favorite lake.

Sunday will bring 140.6 miles.

Last year, I figured on a perfect day, I could finish under 12 hours, and it happened. This year, I am not sure that is in the cards (faster swim, harder bike, less than ideal last month of training), but I KNOW anything can happen on race day. Of course I have numbers in my head - and I have had them there since about an hour post-race last year.

I am approaching the race exactly the same as last year - my race plan is essentially the same, tailored for Lake Placid. However, there is one major differences this year. I have the confidence that I can cover the distance. I know I can do this, and I am not afraid of the day. I think this is HUGE in the days leading up to the race. I am already at peace and not afraid. I know I have done the work, and that I can't control the entire day, but I KNOW that I can cover the distance.


But just like last year, my ultimate success will not be defined by the time on the clock. And this year I truly believe that. More importantly - I want to enjoy the HECK out of the day, because all my memories from last year are about the JOY I felt, and I want to find that place again and hold on tight.

Gathering my thoughts, and myself.

Race week is here. After 9 months of dedication, sweat, and tears, I can taste the start line. And I have this weird FLAT feeling. Don't get my wrong, I'm excited, I want to leave NOW and feel ready and mildly terrified and scared shitless about the whole thing all at the same time. But I know in my heart that I can do this - I think I am still holding myself back from getting too excited bc my body is not totally there yet. My mind is ready, my swim is coming around, and hopefully my legs will be there come Sunday.

I know I have put in the work: the long days, the early mornings, the sacrifices necessary. I have come to terms with my race goals. They are process goals, not time goals. And it's a strange thing to wrap my overly competitive, former-serious athlete mind around. I'm not RACING. I'm not racing the clock or other friends who have already tackled the distance, not racing the person next to me, the girls in front of me, or even myself. The only battle will be in my head and between my own two ears.

Unrelated to my goals, it's no secret that I really want to swim under an hour. I think I could come out anywhere between 58 and 1:02. Do I think a 56 is possible? No. Will I freak out if I come out and see a 1:05 or slower and make excuses about what happened? No. 5 minutes in the course of a long day is not worth any amount of stress.



I have created my race plan around one solid goal, which my coach requested not be time related. I want to finish happy, satisfied and with a smile on my face. But I know myself well enough to know that crossing teh finish line alone will not make these things a reality. What will make this happen? RUNNING the marathon. Yes, I will walk as planned, but I want to execute the run I have trained for. Again, this is not time related.  So the approach over 112 miles on the bike is to totally to support this goal.

No time goals. And I really am OK with it [This is about 89.4% true and am hoping this will be as close to 100% as I can get over the next 5 days]. 3 weeks ago was I OK with it? No. I was stressing about average MPH and pace and strategy and my finish time. But I am at peace with what I have defined as what will make me the most happy and the most satisfied when I cross the finish line. I am not wearing my Garmin on the bike. I have biked enough miles that I know what 'easy' and 'faster' and 'strong' feels like and I know where in the 112 miles I want to feel these efforts. A simple Timex will beep every 15 minutes to keep me on top of my calories. I will put my Garmin on in T2, but autolap will be turned off. Mile splits don't matter, especially when I plan on walking roughly every 2 miles. Running matters. And that will be my singular focus.

December Goal

I am going to try to do something active every day of December. I thought about the idea of running every day of this month, lower miles but more frequency...but I don't want to do that. ha. I would like to however hold my mileage at ~25 miles per week, (3-4 weekday runs, longer weekend run) then can decide Jan 1 if I am motivated for a spring marathon.

Other goals:
I want to get back in the pool.
I want to get comfortable on my trainer- This includes maybe taking my bike it to finally get some areo-bars.

I am hoping that I don't lose all motivation when I am home Dec 20-Jan 4, but I am planning on joining the community center in my town,which has treadmills, ellipticals and weights, and hopefully swimming masters with my old swim coach from high school, which should be a riot.