Ironman Wisconsin 2015 - Race Report - KONA bound!

Ironman Wisconsin 2015 - 3rd in 35-39 AG and 9th woman overall!  10:48:59 overall time ......and KONA bound 2016!

the weekend started with a sunrise in Oakland, CA on Thursday morning.

...and a nice 4 hour bus ride from O'Hare to Madison.

who needs leg room?!?! I always manage to get the seat behind the person who fully reclines there chair EVERY.SINGLE. FLIGHT!  must be good luck

I often refer to myself as Forrest Gump - my friend edited this photo for me - I LOVE it!

Beautiful sunrise over Lake Monona on race day morning - my stomach was a ball of nerves and excitement all in one but I managed to snap this photo quick before turning in my gear bag.  Little did I know how AMAZING the day would really be

Forrest Gump doing what she loves - R-U-N-N-I-N-G

 

Getting my KONA necklace and registration papers on Monday morning!

35-39 Age Group - 1st thru 5th place

tried to eat something post-race - a vegan pumpkin blob that I got at the farmer's market on Saturday - it looked so good on Saturday but not so good post-Ironman

After staying for the final finishers in Frankfurt this summer, I knew I wanted to make it back to the finish in Madison.

A firefighter that finished just before midnight.  You can tell it was an emotional experience for him.

After watching the midnight finishers, I went back to my place and couldn't sleep - so at about 2am, I decided to pack up my bike.  Who does that after swimming, biking, and running for almost 11 hours? - ME, I guess. 

The walk back to the awards ceremony on Monday was a quiet one for me - I think I slept about 1.5 hours on Sunday night and I'm sure the post-race adrenaline was still flowing through my veins.  As I walked back to the IM headquarters I wasn't sure if my finish on Sunday was enough to earn a Kona spot.  Those thoughts seemed to consume my mind - I completely forgot about the fact that I placed NINTH OVERALL FEMALE -yes!!! I placed in the TOP 10 at an Ironman event and earned 3rd in my age group.  That's a huge improvement over last year's 18th placement in my age group and 22nd female.  Not to mention that I grappled my way up from 15th place out of the water in my age group to finish 3rd.

The girl that finished in front of me told me that there were 3 spots in our age group last year for Kona.  That gave me a little hope, but another part of me was very doubtful that there would be 3 spots in my AG this year with the ratio of men to women in the race.  I knew in my heart that I gave it absolutely everything I had and then some - knocking MORE than 1 hour off my time from 1 year ago.  Feeling so strong on the marathon and pulling off a 3:33 --- I somehow managed to crush my goal of getting under a 3:45 so I could say that I qualified for the Boston Marathon IN an Ironman Marathon.  But there was a little part of me that couldn't help but wonder if I could have given just a little bit more to make up those 2ish minutes for 2nd place and a better chance at a Kona spot... could I have moved a little faster in transition? (something I've been working on this season), could I have given a little bit more on the run when I let my pace slip slightly at the end?, could I have biked a little faster up the hills?   I really thought to myself that morning that if I didn't get a Kona spot - could I really dedicate another year to Ironman training which would mean at least 2 or 3 more Ironman's in 2016 to try and qualify for Kona.  Waking up at 3:30am on a good number of days, running more than a marathon in a training day several times in the training block,  LOOOOOOONG bike rides on the weekend ..... the kind of long rides where you decide to go ahead and eat dinner because you missed lunch hours ago --- biking past all the little cafes were people are having a nice  brunch with their friends...... the winery tourists..... the feeling that you can't wait to put your last kid to bed at 8:30pm so you can literally fall into your own bed by 8:35pm, and putting in several weeks of 26 hour training weeks - that's a little more than a FULL time JOB!!!!  minus all the daily responsibilities that I have at home with the kids, laundry, and my commitment to prepare all of our meals at home. 

My mantra's for Sunday when I got in those deep, dark places of "how am I going to do this?  I'm so tired!" - well, my original mantra was going to be "Kona" and my usual "Go Mommy Go" mantra but something strange popped into my head during the run --- I think I saw the sign on the bike course .... "Do Epic Sh@!?+" and "Keep S@!+?  Together" - yes, that was my mantra on the run - pretty strange, huh?  During the bike, I leap-frogged with this guy wearing tri shorts that said "Bicycle Doctor" on them - I remember this because we went back and forth passing each other for quite a while on the bike course, then he ended up passing me and gained some distance on me.  Well, on the run I caught up to the "Bicycle Doctor" around mile 8.  I said hello to him as I passed him with a big smile going up the biggest hill on the run course.  He promptly told me to stop swinging my arms so much (I know, I probably needed that reminder anyway --- I have a stray left arm that's been swinging since I started running in jr. high - ANYONE in my family can pick me out in a crowd with this swinging arm!) - then he proceeded to tell me that if I "Kept my Sh#%*+  together for the rest of the run, I would have a decent shot at Kona" - I said "that's what I'm hoping for".  He told me I could do it!  - Thanks again "Bicycle Doctor for the advice!  So, for the next 18 miles or so, I kept telling myself "Keep S... Together" and "Do Epic S.... ".  Pretty strange, but it worked! 

What was once a transition area of super nice tri-bikes, returned to normal as a parking lot on Monday morning. 

Jayden requested a few photos of the Badger Stadium.  For some reason, he's a huge Badger fan --- I definitely loaded my suitcase up with Badger gear for his birthday and Christmas while in Madison.

Camp Randall Stadium

Being from Minnesota, I thought this shirt was funny! 

Saw this trolley pub filled with triathletes on Saturday morning in Madison - wonder how their race went on Sunday?  :)

Sitting on the capitol steps Saturday afternoon for lunch - couldn't help but think about how far I've come in 1 year both mentally and physically.  All while trying to balance taking care of 4 kids and a husband who also trains for marathons and Ironman races.  Anything is Possible if you put your mind to it!

Randolph, Wisconsin!  Going to have to visit there someday :)

A song that came on my Pandora radio station a lot during my bike intervals.  Became my theme song.

The finish line

flowers at the farmers market

more R-U-N-N-I-N-G

almost done!

The smile of a super happy lady - finishing my 5th Ironman race - something that is always earned and never given.

I totally ruined that guys finisher's photo - but at that point, I had no idea where I was in placement and didn't want to risk anything. Even the shortest second can make a difference in a race sometimes.

2015 Race Results - I've come a long way!

2014 Race Results

back to reality - taking kids to school on Wednesday morning - STILL smiling, STILL wearing my KONA necklace!

Arriving back in CA - STILL smiling!!!

A nice early morning recovery run  - returning home, I found myself with this renewed energy more eager than ever to see what I can do next year.  I'm registered for the Boston Marathon in April, IM Texas in May, 70.3 Championships in Australia in September, and Kona in October.  Hopefully a few little races thrown in between.  Doesn't get much better than that!

back to "work" as spirit wear coordinator for the kid's school - orders due the day I arrived home. 

My friend, Maritza, came up to watch the IM marathon on Sunday - then I drove down to Kenosha before flying home.  We got in a nice easy run at Lake Andrea on Tuesday morning.  I am so thankful that she came up to watch me on Sunday.

I posted this on my FB Page:  I want people to know that Anything Is Possible. Whether you are training for your first 5k, transitioning from walking to running, resuming workouts after having a baby, training for your first triathlon, working towards a BQ, trying a new class at the gym, setting a good example for your friends/family by making better food choices (I like the 'everything in moderation' approach and YES, I eat junk food!) - if you work for it, you can achieve it. There are many days and weeks that I don't know how I did it - some weeks with 25 hours of training and 4 kids home for the summer. But when you have a dream and goals that make you want to get out of bed before the sun rises (sometimes LONG before the sun rises) and give it all you have, you figure out a way to make it happen. You find a way to make it all balance out the best you can. The balance is not perfect and It's not easy - I've had many moments of doubt and feelings that I'm completely crazy. Those times when you have tears in your eyes wondering how you are going to find the energy to take another step but when you do something that you never thought was possible - the feeling is AMAZING! You forget all those feelings of doubt and craziness....those days that you can't remember the last time you washed your hair and a bath was considered a 4000 yard swim in the pool....those days when you slip on a clean shirt over a sweaty biking outfit just to run into the grocery store for something for dinner or pick your kids up from their activities ..... Those times when you thought your daily calories came from salt tabs, shot blocks, gels, and powdery drink mixes..... Those raccoon eyes that stare back at you because you've been wearing sunglasses or goggles all summer. You can look back and say 'I did it' and I'll do it again!!

Arriving back home and it's quickly back to reality - my girl dressed herself for school

Ross always leaves his water bottles in the sink after running .... I still love him :)

I love this picture - I am so focused at what's going on - I have really worked on mental strength this training block and this work really helped me in the marathon this time. 

Below you will find my rambling thoughts and details about the race:

I positioned myself during the swim by the ski ramp just before the cannon went off to start.  Getting positioning was tough (but expected) for the first 800-1000 yards of the swim.  I didn't get as caught up around the first buoy of the swim as I did last year but I did still hear people "mooing" around the first buoy - it's a Wisconsin thing :)  Nearing the 2nd buoy turn, things started to open up a bit and I was able to get really good positioning during the back half of the swim - in fact, I wondered if I was swimming in the right area at one point because I was able to swim a smooth line without really running into anyone.  Before that there was plenty of the usual goggle bashing, leg grabbing, and arm swinging during the swim.  Sometimes I seriously question my sanity and what I'm doing when I subject myself to this craziness!  I rounded the 3rd buoy and headed towards the shore - really having no idea what my swim pace was at this point.  Part of me wanted to take a peek at my watch to see what my pace was, but I convinced myself to keep swimming and not worry about the time.  When I got out of the water, I glanced at my watch and was totally surprised to see 1:06!!  I had been swimming about a 1:10 in all my other IM races so I was super excited to see 1:06 - I told myself at that moment that I'd set myself up with a good swim and I needed to continue that effort on the bike and finish it with the run.

I ran much quicker than last time up the helix into transition.  Tried to keep moving quickly to keep my transition time low.  The volunteers were very helpful.  Off to ride 112 miles of hills - yay!  I felt pretty good on the bike, staying within my specified heart rate zone and the hills seemed SO MUCH easier than last year - probably because the course seemed somewhat familiar but the hills didn't seem as bad as last year to me.  All that biking in wine country paid off :)   I stopped at special needs to grab the rest of my nutrition and I was off to finish the 2nd half.  I tried so hard not to think about the fact that I had a marathon to run yet.  The weather was perfect!  As I came back through the last 10 miles of the bike course - I knew I was about to set a 40 minute PR on the bike course compared to last year.  A little part of me wondered how this would affect my running legs, but I couldn't worry about that now.  I just kept peddling, knowing I would be off that bike SOON, VERY SOON!  I transitioned as fast as I could from bike to run because I knew I had some ground to make up (Ross and the kids were watching online at home and he said he spotted me in T2 getting off my bike and running into the change rooms ----- my quirky running gait, he said helped him to spot me!)

Finally, I could take a deep breath, I made it through the bike portion and it was time for Forrest Gump to RUN.  I kept things under control for the first 5k but couldn't help the fact that I was feeling GREAT, REALLY GREAT!  I looked down at my watch and I was running about a 7:45 pace and my heart rate was where it should be.  I spotted my friend, Maritza and then went into my "running zone".  I kept checking my heart rate against my pace and it all seemed ok.  Legs felt good, mind felt good, body felt good --- well, my neck was a little sore from biking but nothing that a little ice down my back at the first aid station didn't solve :)  (I'm in the process of petitioning Ross for a new bike!).  I was supposed to target an 8:15 pace for the marathon - I was a little nervous that I was feeling good early in the marathon at a 7:45 pace but at that point very conservative Sara decided to take a risk and go for it.  I kept up with the faster pace, didn't focus too much on what was ahead of me - I just tried to stay in the mile I was running and go mostly by feel.  I tried not to obsess too much about checking my pace every few minutes, but rather I looked down at my watch around each mile marker as a check to see where I was.  I walked through each of the aid stations very briefly - sometimes just to grab a glass of coke and other times to grab a handful of ice to cool me down, or to get some water to fill up the bottle  I was carrying.  I didn't worry too much about how the walking slowed me down a little pace-wise.  I was somehow able to make it up in pace and average 8:08 pace overall for the marathon.  I kept knocking out the miles and trying to catch the person in front of me - I didn't focus too much on what age they were but just that I was making forward progress and not slowing down too much..... .you know and "keeping my shit together" like my "Bicycle Doctor" friend told me :)  On the second loop of the run, just after the half-marathon point, Maritza told me I was in 5th place.  5th place, really?!?!  That really gave me motivation to keep going and not SLOW down.  I had work to do in catching those ladies!  I passed a few women on the second lap, but it was so hard to tell if they were on the first or second loop of the course.  I made forward progress through the last half of the marathon and rounded what seemed like 100 corners before the final turn at the front of the capitol to the finish line!

So, there you have it - the details of my Ironman Wisconsin 2015 Race experience.  For now, I will enjoy a bit of tri-training load reduction leading into a couple running races this fall.  I'm running Napa Ragnar at the end of October with my SOAS Team and the Sacramento Marathon in early December.  I have hopes of running a sub-3:10 marathon in Sacramento but at this point, I will let my training be my time-goal guide.  I'm planning to take my "extra" time to volunteer in my kid's classrooms and finalize the Kids On the Run program for next spring..... and also trying to avoid the subject of "going back to work" with Ross :)