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Dilution of a Brand?

8/4/2019

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​I am a loyal Ironman triathlete. I choose to do an Ironman branded race over other races partly because I know what to expect but also because of the elite following that Ironman has. I know that at an Ironman race, I am going to compete with the best endurance athletes. What other events are there where the average age group athlete toes the same start line as the professionals, swims the same course, rides and runs the exact same route and crosses the same finish line with the same announcer declaring that “you are an Ironman!”?
 
Over my years with Ironman, I have seen the slow changes away from an athlete focused event, to what appears to be one intended to keep shareholders happy. In the last few years, Ironman has moved from being a test of individual determination to an event that anyone can do. While I do believe in people participating in events in order to have a goal for becoming healthier, fitter, happier, I disagree with an individual competition being diluted to allow participation as a relay. Triathlon in its inception was an argument about who was the strongest athlete. In 1978, the idea was conceived by John and Judy Collins as a way to find the toughest endurance athlete. It combined the Waikiki Roughwater Swim, the Around Oahu Bike Race and the Honolulu Marathon. In that first year, there were 15 people who took on the challenge; fast forward 41 years and there are Ironman events all over the world and some of them sell out within days of registration being announced. 

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​Having done 12 full distance Ironman events, I know what it takes to train for months to have it all over and done with in less than a day (17 hours or less!). I know the early mornings, the dives into the cold pool when you are not quite awake, the dark and rainy morning and night time runs and the endless hours on the indoor trainer to maintain bike fitness during the winter off season. I know the hours in the gym to improve strength to take just a few minutes off the bike and the speed work required to improve your run. I do it because I love it; I would not change anything as I choose to follow this lifestyle.
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​While I understand the financial benefit of including relay participants on the same course on the same day, the swimmers are more aggressive as all they have to do is swim; the cyclists can give it their all and not worry about pacing because when they hand the bike to the volunteer, they are done. Finally, the runner cruises by on fresh legs with a gait and stride not hampered by being on a bike for several hours. They are there participating on the course, crossing the same finish line but competing under a different set of rules.

​Let me move this to another elite venue. How would people feel if the coveted Western States 100-mile Endurance Run was no longer just an individual event but now had a relay for 5 runners? It is the oldest 100-mile run in the world and it is not easy to get a spot on the start line – but if they wanted to make more money they could devalue the tenacity and grit it takes to do this race and split the distance to an easier 20 miles x 5. That would draw far more people and the average trail runner could compete. But how would the century runners feel about this?
 
My disappointment is not in the relay participants but in Ironman management, and this became crystallized for me when a good friend of mine participated in the 70.3 relay in Whistler a couple weeks ago. The people behind the brand have taken an event that had humble and honest beginnings and turned it into a money focused business. This devalues what it means to be an Ironman as all participants, individuals and relays, get the same medal but have not had to endure the same race.
 
I will still continue to participate in Ironman events as I am hooked on the lifestyle and they do run good events in great places throughout the world. But I just might start looking for other events that are true to the original roots that the Collins’ had aspired for – let’s take three athletic endeavors and see what happens when we throw them all together.
 
While the spirit of ironman is being sacrificed for corporate greed, I just hope the relay participants are not lining up for their M-dot tattoos…
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Spiraling Around the Drain

8/3/2019

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Consider this scenario: a worker is away from work due to a fairly significant physical injury and too disabled (temporarily) for them to be at work participating in transitional work (for an explanation of this see my article from July 31, 2019). Due to their symptoms – primarily pain but maybe tingling or numbness, they are irritable, not sleeping well, and craving all sorts of “comfort foods”. They are perhaps not able to drive, possibly due to the actual injury, diminished cognitive function, or impairing medications. Maybe they are in a cast and not able to enjoy a relaxing bath or shower independently. What if the bedroom is up some stairs that they cannot navigate easily, thus your living room is now the injured party’s bedroom?

​​Imagine being that worker. Your life is completely changed for a while. Your hockey season continues without you, your vacation plans are put on hold, those house projects are not getting done and you are now paying your neighbour’s child to mow your lawn.
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Being away from work is the least of your worries, because at least a portion of your paycheque continues through disability or workers’ compensation insurance. Your full time job has become speaking with insurance representatives and going to medical appointments, most likely driven by your spouse, child, family member or neighbour because you cannot get yourself there independently.
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From the outside, it seems obvious what you are dealing with – a physical injury that is causing pain and everyone can see it. There is a known recovery period and you have regular medical assessments to ensure you are progressing as anticipated.
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Injuries more often than not start as a physical concern. It is important to remember that a physical injury with all its collateral damage to work, schedules, relationships and general life can very easily become a mental health issue. This might not necessarily be diagnosed as clinical depression, but in my view, is situational depression. 
​The situation is the problem and while most recover fully physically and mentally, it can take some time and resources. So, check in with your injured folks. Listen to what they say and how they say it. Be caring and compassionate and inquire about the whole person, not just the part that is obviously damaged. That invisible side of a physical injury can be a barrier to a successful recovery and return to work.
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Managing Work Related Injuries Effectively

7/31/2019

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How prepared is your organization to effectively manage work related injuries? Being proactive with a transitional work program for when something does happen makes good business sense.
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What is transitional work? Why is it important for an organization to have a program in place? For some, these might seem like simple questions with simple answers; however, it depends on many factors like organization size, culture, nature of the business, and available resources.
Transitional work has three distinct formats. Regardless of which type of transitional work is being provided, the key points are that they are time-limited (temporary) opportunities, require stakeholder collaboration, and provide meaningful and productive work within the worker’s current capabilities. 
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​The most common type of transitional work is the gradual return. The worker is transitioning back to work with some modifications in tasks, hours, or workdays. The goal is to progressively increase all of these until returning to normal work duties and schedule.
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Within the scope of transitional work is modified duties. This is where the worker is following their usual schedule and either receiving support for some of the required tasks or having some of the work eliminated to support recovery. 
The third type is the one that requires the most creativity and flexibility, and this is alternate work. In this scenario, the worker is not capable of performing their usual duties due to the injury so is being provided other tasks. This category of transitional work is the one that employers struggle with the most.  This could be due to employers not being aware of their rights but most often because there has not been the time or energy devoted to identifying the tasks that could be available when the need arises. Enter the job jar, wish list, or “if only I had an extra body” list. 
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​It is important to take the time to develop documentation for your transitional work program and to educate your workforce. Your first aid attendants, supervisors, and managers need to be aware for identification of those who could benefit from these temporary opportunities. Your worker population needs to understand the program requirements so they participate. When a worker is sent for medical aid resulting from a workplace incident, the first aid attendant is the usual point of contact and could distribute documentation about your transitional work program to the departing worker. The engaged and informed employee will request the health care provider complete the documentation at that medical visit as they understand that the documentation is a communication tool that maintains their pay but also ensures the work provided is aligned with their current capabilities.

Transitional work will be adjusted as the worker recovers as the objective is a full time and full duty return to the pre-injury job. Maintaining contact with the worker and documenting the check-ins will allow you to revise the work as needed.
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A clear and promoted transitional work program will save you money by avoiding time loss claims and demonstrate to your workforce that they are valued. This increases retention; lower turnover means less recruitment and training costs. 
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Walking Wounded...but still able to work!

9/1/2018

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​Disability management…what exactly does that mean? I have been an Occupational Health RN specializing in disability management for several years now and have had a recent personal experience that has been an illustration of many of the pieces involved.
 
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Unfortunately, things happen to people. Work related injuries occur, regardless of how safe an employer makes their work-site. Non-occupational incidents - whether illness or injury - happen because no one is invincible and there are times in life when people do not give their health the focus and attention it deserves. In today’s world of “busy-ness” and “stress”, we short cut nutrition, sleep, exercise and self-care on our quest for the perfect life. 

The safety net for an employer’s productivity, morale, and employee loyalty is disability management; never mind the cost savings that come with an effective program. When bad things happen, it is important to focus on what the injured party CAN do versus what they can no longer do. To be clear, I am writing about temporary functional impairment only here; I will fill you in on permanent disabilities and their impact another time. 
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So, take my circumstance, self inflicted injury unfortunately; a cycling accident that has rendered me less functional than usual for the next 6-8 weeks. In the first few days due to acute pain, I tired easily and needed regular analgesics every 4-6 hours. I needed assistance with some basic activities of daily living but 96 hours post incident I was feeling a bit more human. 

In that first week, I had the benefit of a rockstar spouse who drove me to and from work sites as driving would have been very challenging. I could tolerate some hours and I could accomplish some things in the day provided I worked within my capacity. Sure, I had limitations and restrictions but there was still a lot I could do. When there is a will, there is a way.
I was not sustainable for a full work day but I could be at work for reduced hours with consideration for my reduced productivity pace. It was challenging to type, to pick things up or carry anything; but there was still a lot I could do. I could operate a computer with one hand and one finger typing, I could speak on the phone and take short notes. I could verbally provide direction to employees who needed to navigate the disability insurance world, draft (albeit slower than usual) and facilitate return to work plans, communicate with managers and supervisors on the status of their off work employees and when they could expect them back. I could attend meetings and contribute. I was a walking example of someone being temporarily disabled and willing to work in whatever capacity was tolerated. 

Thankfully, I had employers who were happy to have me there in my less than optimal state. And yes, I have a job that is generally office based but the principles are the same. As employers and colleagues, there are a number of questions to ask. Can you make room for the recovering worker to be at work, contributing in a modified way within some reduced hours? Can you support the worker’s desire to be part of the organization but in a temporarily altered state? Can you be creative in how you help the worker get to and fro, are there tools they need to help them function better in their “for now” state, and can you tolerate reduced productivity versus losing the worker entirely for the duration of healing? This is one aspect of disability management that not only is nice to do but makes good business sense. It reinforces to the worker that you value them but it also saves the company money. Having the worker there, even in a reduced capacity, saves full replacement or training costs. You retain the skill and knowledge of your worker and maintain the occupational bond, which has been shown to have a positive therapeutic effect on recovery resulting in earlier full duty return to work. 

Regardless of how you do it, it will take time and planning but it is worth it. Keeping your employee connected is good for both of you!
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Lesley with an EY if you please...

8/28/2018

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Apparently in 1970, Lesley was the 333rd most popular (?) girl’s name. Growing up, it was a long time before I met any other Lesleys. I never had my name spelled correctly nor did I have the coveted bike license plate with my name on it as my parents had chosen the female spelling of Lesley (vs the male Leslie).

In contrast, my older sister Lisa could find her name on EVERYTHING. I recall many times in almost any store that sold “name” items like key chains, book markers, pens, and of course the ever desired bike plate, I would spin the display and search earnestly for my name. Sometimes I found Leslie (often in boy colours) but I always found Lisa. At some point in my young life, one of my parents shared that they considered naming me Heather but went with Lesley as it started with an L to match Lisa. Heather, like Lisa, was everywhere too.

In Grade 5, I started playing with the spelling of my name. We were doing an art project where your name was written in script and then mirrored underneath. The “y “at the end of my name made things look messy so I wrote my name as Lesli instead. I tried that out for a week or so but it never stuck. Back to Lesley I went. Interesting that not once did I consider Leslie.

Jump to high school where I started to embrace my spelling but was critical of pronunciation. My long time friend Nicole would be able to tell stories of the scathing look and quick correction I gave to people who pronounced my name as if the s was a z (which was not a problem when I met Rob, the first sign of true ❤️). High school is also where I started to meet some other Lesleys. Almost every one was a Lesley Anne like me or a Lesley Ann (close enough as they were part of the “ey” clan) and one Lesley Gail. 

Launch into adulthood and I like my name (thanks Mom and Dad!) My only complaint is that it is still spelled incorrectly on a regular basis. I find it comical that someone will write my email address in correctly and then start the email with “Hi Leslie…” 

Details people, details! They are important.

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Ironman Lake Placid 2018

8/26/2018

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​July 22, 2018 was the 20th anniversary for an ironman event in Lake Placid, NY and it was my 11th ironman distance triathlon. Now you would think being in the double digits for experience in these events that I would have most things dialled in by now. Alas, no. As with any endurance event, there was some good, some bad, some ugly and the ever present “lessons to learn”. 
 
So, the good. My new bike bag from my friend Brad was SO good. No longer did I need tools to dismantle and reassemble my green machine. All I had to do was pop off the wheels, deflate the tires a bit so they did not explode on the plane, remember to remove the CO2 cartridges from the bike’s tool box and attach the bike frame to the transport frame inside the Sci-con bike bag. Much easier and quicker than my previous system and to make it even better, this transport system rolled along with very little effort. Total win!
 
Another good was how I felt race morning. We were not staying super close to the race venue, so we were up early (like 0400 early) so Rob could get me in transition around 0515. As per usual, I did not sleep soundly the night before but in the morning, felt surprisingly relaxed and calm. I wasn't experiencing the normal undercurrent of dread, the “oh no, what did I sign myself up for?” Overall, I was calmly excited and looking forward to the day. After all, I had done this 10 times before so knew what was ahead and felt confident I would finish. My aggressive goal of 11:50 was creating some internal chaos in my emotional brain, although logic was telling me to put that aside and focus on one piece at a time. I was well trained and as prepared as I could be. First up was transition and getting organized.
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​Due to a weather change, I had some items that needed reshuffling in my transition bags. I had put both clear and tinted glasses in my T1 bag and with the way Mother Nature was likely to deliver the day, I needed clear only on the bike and would need my sunnies for the run. I had also loaded half of my nutrition into my T1 bag and wanted to have this on the bike and not stuffed in pockets. Got this sorted and then pumped tires, filled water bottles, ditched my morning comfies and wiggled into my wetsuit.
 
As I was leaving the car, Rob had suggested I take my phone and call him when I got down to the lake and he would find me and take my phone. This was new…and generally you do nothing new on race day so I left the phone behind and figured I would somehow find him at some point amongst the zillions of people milling about the swim start. Despite hanging around on the periphery of the mass of black neoprene, I never found him. 10 minutes before race start, I scoped the crowd for a wetsuit zipper-upper who demonstrated care and concern about the task at hand and requested assistance. The chafe on the back of my neck at the end of my swim was a reminder that I had not chosen wisely after all. Oh well. 
 
So, the swim. Hmm, a bit good but a bit ugly. Triathlon is non-drafting on the bike but you can get a few minute advantage if you draft on the swim. You can draft on someone’s feet or the hip - both have danger spots though. In previous swims, I tended to avoid being that close to someone if I could help it but then I was making my way through the water without the advantage of someone else cutting through the tension of the water and pulling me along. So, I was on feet a lot but this meant I was in the grand melee of people in the middle of the pack closely following the buoy line. Men and women have different coloured swim caps issued for the event - pink and green (I am sure you know which gender was which colour…). Anyway, swimming next to a pink cap was good; but green equalled nasty in this particular event. A female hand might connect with you once and then the next stroke is placed where you are not; the wearers of the green caps would connect with my head, then my neck, then mid-back (pushing me down with the force of their stroke) and sometimes a leg if I surfaced from the depths with enough time to receive yet one more powerful stroke. I managed to maintain my cool and continue swimming straight for the next buoy despite this pattern repeating several times over for 2.4 miles. Mirror Lake was warm which eliminated one unpleasant element, I am not sure I would have fared as well had the temperature been several degrees cooler. Second lap of the swim the water was choppy, so we knew the weather was changing and the wind picking up. I exited the water to somber grey skies.
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​Through the wetsuit strippers, onto the 600m run to transition, around the corner to grab my T1 bag and down the chute to the change tent I went. It was not looking too bad out there, so I did not put on gloves or arm warmers. After all, I am a Vancouverite so what’s a little rain? I’d survived previous weather calamities unleashed by Mother Nature (IM Whistler in 2015, IM Mont Tremblant in 2016 and Boston Marathon 2018 were all completed despite cold temps and torrential rain). So, I popped on my helmet, clear glasses and cycling shoes and tapped my way out to my bike. Running in cycling shoes is an art and one that I think I do well. It is a matter of being quick on your feet, balanced more on your forefoot and toes as you are running forward on the cleat. Grab the bike by the back of the seat and guide it towards and over the mount line. The mount line is the second circus in triathlon. People go over the mount line by millimetres and then try and get on their bikes. My strategy is to run a few meters beyond the mount line, stay to one side and then get on the bike. Much less pressure with a bit of personal space. You don’t want your day to be over because you got caught up in someone else’s panic at the mount line!
 
So, the bike. This too had elements of good, bad and UGLY. Within minutes of getting settled on the bike we navigated some steep downhills and turns. I am a confident rider and my plan was to settle in, get my heart rate down and ride for a bit before worrying about starting to fuel. Within the first 10 miles, we encountered some awful headwind. By 20 of the 112 mile ride, I was close to being hypothermic as the driving rain had started, the wind had not let up and we were on a long downhill section towards the city of Keene. My teeth were chattering, my body shivering, and my hands shaking. I contemplated stopping in a port-a-potty to get out of the rain and wind and warm up. I regretted leaving my arm warmers and gloves in transition. I tried to remember if I left my cycling jacket in the car and was willing to risk disqualification if I saw Rob on the course and had him hand me my jacket (triathlon is an individual event and outside assistance is against the rules). I started to think about warm blankets, or tropical places and was thankful for every opportunity to ride uphill as this was a chance to generate some heat. I warmed up by 60 miles but that 40 or so miles took a lot more energy than I had expected. The route for IMLP was two loops through some beautiful areas; lots of trees, colourful rock - much of the ride along the Ausable River and its arms. The rain let up for sections but the triathlon gods were not kind with the wind. You would expect that a headwind on one side of the mountain would result in a tailwind on the other side, but this was not the case. Winds were from the front or side but seldom at your back pushing you along. Second loop of the bike was warmer with less rain but the same wind. The last few hills towards Lake Placid were easy to tick off as they were named. First I encountered Goldilocks, followed by Mama Bear, then Baby Bear, and finally Papa Bear which as you can imagine was the worst of the four. Once you conquered Papa, you just had a few more kms and smaller climbs until you were cruising through ironman central in downtown Lake Placid. 
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​And now the run. The rain and wind had moved on and left behind humidity and heat. My run plan was to find a pace that felt easy and maintain it. This was a challenging task as each time I looked at my pace, it was all over. Sometimes I was running a 4:50km, other times a 5:20 even though it felt like the same effort. My foot turnover was good, I was feeling strong despite struggling to find a pace that I could sustain. Unfortunately, this did not last beyond the half way mark. My Garmin’s full charge died at this point as well so I was running on feel. Sometimes I felt good, but then I’d start scuffing a foot and I’d slow to walk for a bit as I was fearful of tripping (which in January had resulted in a hamstring rupture that I was not keen to repeat!). I’d walk for a bit, mostly through aid stations, but also on some of the hills. My plan had been to settle in, attack the hills, walk the aid stations and run this marathon in 4 hours 15 mins max. With no wrist metric anymore, I lost track of where I was; I let this mess with my head so I lost sight of my goal. Ice in my hands helped keep me cool; salt and water kept me from cramping. By mile 20 of the 26, I was focused on putting one foot in front of the other to keep moving forward towards the finish line. A daylight finish was my new plan.
 
The total distance to cover in under 17 hours is 140.6 miles or 226 km. The majority of this is on the bike so there are rest periods where you are going downhill at such speed that it is pointless to pedal. There is no rest on the run. It’s just you and your feet pounding the pavement for thousands of steps. There is something magical that happens in the last mile or so of an ironman marathon though. In that last mile, suddenly your feet don’t hurt quite as much, your breathing becomes easier, your mind clearer, and your mood generally happier or at least headed towards happiness in the anticipation that you can stop moving soon. The booming announcer, bright lights and red carpet of the finish chute welcome you into that place of relief. The clock showed 13:21 as I crossed and I was ok with that. It was not my best, it was a far cry from the 11:50 goal I started with, but it was not my worst; it was ok given how my day went. I was in tears of both relief and grief when I found Rob. Yes, I had finished my 11th ironman but I was shattered that I had missed my goal by so much. In my post race fog, I had not calculated how long it had taken me to shuffle with hundreds of other neoprene clad bodies down the swim chute to start. My official finish time was 12:55:45. Still an hour plus beyond my goal time but registered as less disastrous in my tired brain. I had been 52nd in my age group exiting the swim, moved up to 14th on the bike and held that position through to the end of the run. In looking at my stats, I was still passing people on the run despite feeling like I was hardly moving at times.
 
Overall, I had a good swim, a longer than usual bike but not a terrible run as I ran the distance in 4 hours 34 minutes. Yes, I finished but after doing several of these, that is no longer the only objective. I know I can do better.
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IM Lake Tahoe race report.

10/11/2015

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IM Lake Tahoe 2015

​​Here is my IM Lake Tahoe race report. Sad that it has been cancelled as it was a beautiful venue.
A change in altitude requires a change in attitude. Racing Ironman Lake Tahoe on September 20 meant competing at an altitude that started at 6000 feet so I knew it would be a challenging race and not likely to result in a personal best.
The crystal blue water of Lake Tahoe provided a swim course like I have never seen. Even with a few hundred people thrashing about around me, the details on wet suits and goggles were clearly seen. At the farthest turn I could still see the bottom and all along the course the divers there to ensure our safety. Most times the water is murky and it is difficult to distinguish black neoprene from shadow but not in this lake; each swimmer was outlined with tiny shimmering bubbles. Even with this clarity there was still the usual pushing, shoving, and careless swamping that is typical of triathlon swims. I caught glimpses of the dawn of a glorious day on my second loop.
​Exiting the water and running up the beach to transition was such a great feeling. I had been prepared for a tough swim because altitude means thinner air and less oxygen and swimming is already an oxygen deprived environment so I wasn't sure how the combination would feel over 3.8km. Into the wading pool to wash feet, down on the ground for the stripping and off to the change area in the events centre. I had a lovely Kiwi assist me and then I was off to grab my green machine and start tackling the two and a half loop bike course.

Thanks to winter training on my Computrainer I had an idea of what lay ahead. The Sierra Nevadas are beautiful but were serving up a mix of short steep and long gradual climbs with a few rollers thrown in. Looping this many times means you get to know what's ahead so it was important to stay mentally strong and focus on the miles that had passed. Special needs was offered three times but it was situated just before a short 12 or 14% grade which made actually eating my beloved PB&J sandwich nearly impossible. We visited Truckee and after a few more climbs turned onto a path with some technical switch backs, steep downs and a few "no pass" zones. Several miles later came the long haul up to Brockway Summit at nearly 7200 feet. Pacing and getting cozy with your granny gear was crucial as oxygen was rationed. This 5 mile, 9% grade portion of the course was preceded by a two mile climb that taxed your legs and laboured your breathing. The summit sign was the happy place because now it was time to fly. What goes up comes down so time to get aero and soar down to Kings Beach and on to lap two. Needless to say, all those hills the second or third time around seemed longer, steeper and just mean!
The cold, dark 2 C (35 F) morning was long forgotten by the summit. The day reached a high of 27 C (80 F) so hydration was imperative. Racing at altitude not only means less oxygen but a higher heart rate thus higher caloric needs. I had super concentrated my Hammer Perpetuem and supplemented this with Honey Stinger waffles, snickers bars and on-course offerings. Water and electrolyte bottles were switched out at many aid stations. Sometimes I drank the water, other times I used it to shower off my arms, legs and head. I received my first yellow card racing and had a "stop and go" visit in the penalty tent for a pass on the right. The penalty tent was of course halfway up a hill so this cost me time and momentum.

The last 20 miles of the bike I could feel the day and environment catching up with me. I started to feel slow, my cadence and power were down and I started to worry about the marathon yet to come. The cold I had been battling the last two days was winning and depleting my confidence in being able to finish this event. Electrolytes now burned my throat and everything was aching. I was in a dark mental place and struggling to find my way out of that funk. At this point I didn't know that I had actually rocked the bike and was 9th in my division.

Into T2 in Squaw Valley and I still wasn't sure I had a marathon in me. I handed my bike to the valet and walked to the change tent. The speedy volunteer got me ready to run but I needed to sit for a few minutes and figure out just how I was going to do this. I exited the tent, saw Rob who was ready with a hug and encouraging words despite my tears and moans about feeling awful and got myself onto the run course. I have a new appreciation of the marathon walkers and slower runners because that 26.2 miles was a LONG way. The miles ticked by slowly, my walking pace was only 40 seconds to a minute slower than the pathetic run pace I managed when I did run so this only reinforced for me that I was ok to walk. The hydration focus earlier in the day caught up to me and my belly was not happy being sloshed around so even more justification in my mind that it was ok to walk.
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So walk I did. I ran a bit, sometimes for 100m and other times for 40m but I kept trying. I fist bumped lots of other Hammer clothed athletes and found that my speed walk was faster than some of the runners. The best motivation came from a volunteer who encouragingly reminded me that I had completed 127 miles and only had 13 to go. Those words were golden. I found Rob at mile 17 of the run. He had been searching for me on the course and in the medical tent as the athlete tracker was behind and didn't show me moving forward anymore. He offered me an out - the truck was right there and I could stop. Through my tears (yes, again) I told him I only had just over 9 miles left and really wanted to finish so on I went into the now dark and cold night. This was not my plan! I had nothing but throat lozenges in my run special needs bag when really I needed a shirt and headlamp. Rob found me a few more times on the course and was there to greet me at the finish line. I finished this ironman in 14:08:11 and after all that was 16th in my division. It took courage and a lot of grit but I did it. Phew! So...when's the next one?!


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    I am an enthusiastic health professional with a passion for triathlon. I teach, consult and speak on best practices for return to work programs.

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