It took me 4 years, 14 hours, 13 minutes and 33 seconds to return to Kona and cross the finish line of the Ironman World Championships after my first failed attempt in 2009.  And what joy I felt when I arrived under the finishers arch on Ali’i Drive.  Ten days later, I am still smiling.   Race morning, I was crying.  I felt a lot of self-imposed pressure to finish the race this time, but I was not feeling confident…

Right before an Ironman, or any big race, comes what is called a “taper”.  This rest and preparation period is designed to allow your body to absorb the months of work it has done and rest for the big event.  It’s also a time to prepare mentally for the challenges that will arise on race day.   The taper period involves less time training.  Instead of 20-30 hours per week spent swimming, biking, running and strength training, during a taper…

I really didn’t think I would be going to the Ironman World Championships in Kona this October.  And my summer schedule showed it.  Pre-planned, extended trips to Europe, San Francisco and Boulder all took place within the meat of my training schedule. And a not-to-be missed trip to Santa Fe is coming up.   Instead of stressing out about how to do all of my training and therefore become a terrible person to travel with, I decided to 1) enjoy…

In 2009 I qualified to compete at the Ironman World Championship when I was the first Hawaii finisher in my age group at Honu.  But on race day at Kona, a pre-race injury caused me to DNF with only a half a mile to go when time ran out at midnight.   Since 2009, I have been on a mission to return to Kona, competing in a number of Ironman qualifying races around the world—in Mexico, Australia, France and New…

I have never had a problem finding my bike in T1.  And I have never had to maneuver among a mob of bikes leaving T1 as I start out on the bike leg of a triathlon.  That’s because even though I’ve been doing triathlons for nearly 10 years, I continue to be an exceptionally slow swimmer.   In some ways, being a slow swimmer has made me a better racer in the other parts of triathlon. My transitions are typically…

When I made it to Ironman Kona in 2009, it was when they awarded a slot to the first Hawaii finisher in each age group category and I won my category that year. (Now, slots are awarded by lottery.) Ever since that personally eventful race, I’ve been doing pretty much everything I could to get back.  At midnight in 2009, I could hear the cheering and announcements and see the lights at the finish line, but my race ended with…

Feeling fit, well-trained and confident, I entered the Ironman Hawaii 70.3 event with expectations of achieving a PR at my 8th running of this event.  My best time was in 2011 with a total race time of 6:20:45.  This year, my time was 6:55.58–more than 35 minutes off of my best time.  Here’s how it went for me.   The Swim.  I had been humbled by last weekend’s Outrigger Swim, but also encouraged.  I knew nothing could be as tough…

I’ve completed 6 ironman swims and 8 half ironman swims well within their cut-off times since I started participating in triathlons almost 10 years ago.  But when I enter a swim race, I prepare myself for frustration and even embarrassment as I exit the water behind almost everyone.  Wouldn’t most people think that an “ironman” would be a decent swimmer?  But I am consistently back-of-the-pack out of the water.   My performance in last Sunday’s Outrigger Canoe Club Invitational Swim,…

  I have always told myself to take chances and never look back or have regrets.  I haven’t consistently done this because other people are often involved, but it is my overall perspective.  My life so far has been a little haphazard because of this strategy, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.  This strategy was reinforced early in my career when an older client asked me over cocktails if I would choose to have a life that resembles…

I am often struck by how upset people get about other people, everyday things that happen in life, and notably health and political views.  I’m seeing it all of the time–swearing, nasty posts in social media, being pissed about a cyclist passing without a shout out, and even going off in a huff because of a misunderstood remark.  Maybe they’re having a bad day, but if that’s the case, it sure seems that there are more people are having more…