2025 Boston Marathon

My goal to go to Boston started in 2013. I'm not sure I was aware of it when I signed up for my first California International Marathon, but I was well aware of it at the end of that race. Boston qualifying for my age group that year was 3:55:00. I ran a 3:55:04. I was pretty bummed realizing that I missed it by four seconds. I didn't realize that the actual time needed was probably even faster due to the sliding scale.

"If the total amount of submissions surpasses the allotted field size for qualified athletes, then those who are the fastest among the pool of applicants in their age and gender group will be accepted."

I ran CIM again in 2014, 2015, and 2016 with the crystalized goal of qualifying to go to Boston. Unfortunately, the only thing I accomplished on these attempts, was adding to my time. Each year was a bit slower than the year before. 

In 2017, three months before CIM, I was involved in a hit and run while riding my bike. I resumed training as soon I was cleared by my doctor to run again. With a fear of cars and a desire to be close to home in case I needed to stop running, the rest of my training was done on my treadmill...a ProForm "Boston Marathon". The treadmill had videos of the race course as a built in feature so you could actually see the course as you ran. 

That year, I finally reached my goal. It didn't hurt that I aged up and entered a new, slower age group either. I finished with a time of 3:58:39, just below the 4:00:00 qualifying time. When registration opened in 2018, I applied and crossed my fingers. That year, 30,458 runners applied and 23,074 were accepted. Qualifiers needed to be 4 minutes and 52 seconds faster than the qualifying time. My time wasn't fast enough.

Ringing the BQ bell 2017

I didn't sign up for CIM again for four years. When I ran it again in 2021, my finish time was 4:24:29. The following year my time was even slower at 4:26:06. I cut myself some slack and blamed my slow time on IRONMAN California a month earlier. I was beginning to wonder if I had missed my opportunity to ever qualify for Boston.

In 2023 I found myself in a new location. I signed up with a local training group (Thank you, Karyn) and once again prepared for CIM. I'm not sure if I was even considering Boston at this point. My confidence was at a low point but I stuck with the program. Even though I was a bit banged up by the start of the race, I finished with a time of 3:56:47.  Boston qualifying that year for me was 4:05:00. When registration opened in September 2024, I applied and crossed my fingers again,

For the 2025 Boston Marathon, your qualifying time needed to be 6 minutes and 51 seconds faster than the posted qualifying time for your age group. I made the cut...I was in...finally!

Training for Boston

After I was officially accepted into the race, my focus returned to training for the 2024 IRONMAN California. I finished with my best long course time ever. I followed that up with a PR at CIM and another Boston qualifying time. I was on top of the world. After CIM, I took three weeks off for rest and recovery before starting a new training program geared specifically for Boston titled "McMillan: Boston Marathon Level 4 (Intermediate/Advanced)". The description of the program said it was for runners who could run 50-60 minutes for regular runs and 90 minutes for a long run so I purchased it and started my training on Sunday, December 29, 2024.

On February 1, 2025, I ran the Jed Smith 30k. It fit in nicely with my training plan and provided me a supported long run. I didn't have any expectations for this race, I merely wanted the miles. I noted afterwards that my legs felt tired but chalked it up to a 50 mile week. It dawned on me that I had logged a lot of weekly miles, more than normal for being early into the training plan. Things did not begin to improve. So, a few weeks later, I pulled the plug on the Boston specific plan and loaded up a tried and true plan. While the new training plan gave me some relief, I still wasn't feeling "normal". My legs were always tired and I couldn't run at my normal training pace.

A month later, after expecting to bounce back, I was still feeling slow. I stuck with the plan and expected that eventually things would normalize. I had moments where I seemed to be back to my normal running self, but the two 20 milers on the schedule were awful. My first one was cut short at 18 miles and that was after walking the last few. My second one was a little better, but nowhere near what it should have been. I was starting to get worried.

On March 26, I donned a pair Adidas Adizero Pro 4's and took them out for a short run test run. They felt OK, albeit a bit softer and squishier than my 3's. A few days later on my last 20-miler I noted a tight achilles and had to stop mid run to take some Aleve. I didn't run again for five days in the hopes that my achilles would start to feel better. I laced up my new yellow shoes and headed out for a 4 mile run. The first two miles were good and then the pain started to set in. I hobbled through mile 3 (probably not a good idea) and then had to walk the last mile. I was starting to get really worried. 

New shoes for race day

I decided to buy another pair of the Adizero Pro 3's but could not find any for sale. A Grok search informed me that the closest thing would be the Saucony Endorphin Pro 4. I ordered a pair, swapped out runs for rides, and prayed for a miracle. As race day approached, I had good days and bad. I popped Aleve probably more than safely prescribed, but I wanted to knock down the pain and inflammation. After all of this time, money, and effort, I didn't want to miss the opportunity. 

Grok's recommendation

Pre-Race

Once I knew I was accepted in the race, I booked our hotel room through Marathon Tours & Travel. I should have booked it sooner and just canceled if I didn't make it in. The pickings were slim by the time I tried to find a place. I decided on the Hyatt Regency Cambridge on Boston. It would have been better to have a day or two extra before the race, but they only had Saturday, Sunday and Monday nights available. Lesson learned.

We splurged on first-class airfare thinking that we would be comfortable enough to sleep on our red-eye flight to Boston. Unfortunately, it was a very bumpy flight and even HS, who sleeps through just about anything, found it hard to get some rest. We dropped our bags off at the hotel and went to find breakfast and then head to the Expo to pick up my bib.

The walk felt good at first but we struggled to find a decent place to eat. We walked down Boylston St towards the finish (past the Expo) and then turned around. Eventually we found Tatte Bakery & Cafe and stopped to eat. I had been awake for well over a day and my stomach was in knots probably from the Aleve I had been taking for the last few weeks. I ate what I could.

We headed back to the Expo, which was now open at this point. There was a roped line out front which snaked back and forth. We didn't stop moving until we got inside the building and had to go through security. We took the escalator to the second floor and were ushered into a very large hall/room which had a crazy maze going back and forth across the room. I couldn't imagine how long the wait would be if the line wasn't moving. I think we must have walked a mile just in this room!

Crazy maze!

 

Bib in hand, we headed back to the hotel. It was late morning and we couldn't check in until 4pm. HS was not happy about this. We were both exhausted and willing to pay anything to climb into a bed. HS went up to the front desk to see if we could check in early. Thankfully, for an extra fifty bucks (a bargain in our minds), Hyatt let us into our room well before noon. By the time my head hit the pillow, I had been awake for over 30 hours.

After a nap, we headed out to see Cheers. It was the one place I really wanted to see during our visit. Plenty of well meaning people had offered their suggestions of where to go not realizing that walking tours were not really something recommended before or maybe even possible after a marathon, depending on how things went.  

The next day, Easter Sunday, we took things easy. The day started with breakfast at the hotel followed by a live stream of our church service (the first time missing Easter in over 25+ years).  Eventually, we headed down the road to Trader Joe's to get some snacks before returning to our room. I did a little reading before cracking open my computer and coming up with a race strategy for the next day. 

Using the Boston Marathon Pace Calculator on the Runners Connect website, I meticulously programmed my Garmin for a 4 hour and 5 minute finish time. This was roughly 9 minutes slower than my qualifying time, but given the state of my achilles, I didn't want to push it. I figured I would take it easy and just enjoy the run. Besides, it's not like I was trying to qualify for anything. In fact, I checked the results from the last few years just to see how slow I could actually be without coming in last. 

The plan

Race Day

The hotel offered a shuttle service to take runners over to Boston Commons to catch the bus to Hoptinkin. As instructed, I arrived in the lobby an hour before my assigned time slot for the start line bus. It was chilly this morning but I opted not to wear anything other than what I was running in. Even though it was a short distance, it took a while to make our way through the city streets to our drop off which seemed to be quite a ways from our destination. I walked through the cool streets shaded by tall buildings over to the commons.

I am always amazed when I see all the buses at CIM and the long line of portapotties. The bus situation in Boston made CIM look small time. Since I had a while before I was allowed in the area to even line up to get on a bus, I decided to use the bathroom one more time. I was a little surprised by the number of portapotties. There was no where near the number in Folsom. I noticed a sign that said something to the affect of last chance bathroom before a long bus ride. I thought it was a joke.

After using the restroom, it was finally time for me to take my place in the que for the bus to the start line. I chatted with a few of the women around me. One lady had just ran a marathon the previous weekend and said she was running Boston just for the experience. I was here for the experience too, but I couldn't imagine not wanting the freshest legs possible.

Finally time for the blue bibs

So many buses

Well, the porta-potty signs were not joking. It was a very long bus ride to the start. I had assumed a 26.2 mile ride would take about 30 minutes give or take. Nope. It was well over 45 minutes and may have been close to an hour. My worries about being at the start too early and having to stand around were put to rest.

The walk from the bus to the athlete's village wasnt' too far. I immediately joined a porta-potty line and took care of business one more time. A quick glance at my watch told me it was time to find my starting corral. This time the walk was a bit further. 

Corral 8

I found my corral and joined the other runners with similar qualifying times. Music was playing and the mood was festive. I watched in amazement as runners who were a bit behind schedule ran to find their starting corrals. I don't think I would have expended that energy for a 10:50am start time. No one starting at this time of day would be setting records or winning their age group.

Walking to run

As the rolling start began, the group began a slow shuffle which turned into a jog and finally a run at the official start line. Here goes nothing!

The "Race"

As I mentioned earlier, I had my entire pacing strategy programmed into my Garmin and I planned to stick to it. I would hold back in the early downhill miles and I wouldn't fret when my pace slowed on the uphill portions. Everything started great.

Below is a comparison of my actual pace vs. my programmed pace. Everything was fine through the first six miles and then things slowed down. My achilles started to ache even though the rest of me felt fine. 

Mile 10 was the beginning of the end of running. I even stopped to take a photo at mile 10 to send to text to family. My smile is more of a grimace. I sent along the message "I'm dying" which really wasn't accurate. I wasn't dying, I didn't hit the wall, I was just in a tremendous amount of pain.

Mixed messaging

At that point, I started walking and trying to hold back the tears. I couldn't imaging how long the next 16 miles were going to take me. When the thought of several hours of painful walking became to much to think about, I tried running again. Typically I will start off on my left foot, but for whatever reason, I pushed off with my right and was met with a piercing pain in my achilles that shot up my calf. I yelped loud enough to startle the man running next to me. He asked if I was OK. I nodded and resumed my hobbling walk. This time I was unable to rein in the tears.

The miles seemed to tick by so slowly. I had plenty of time to take in the people and scenery but I wanted to move a bit quicker. I tried to run again, well shuffle. I lead with my left foot and began moving in a manner that limited the amount of pushing I had to do with my right foot. It wasn't fast, but it was faster than walking. At least the mile markers were coming a bit more quickly.

I tried to put the pain out of my mind and to focus on the fact that I was actually here...running the Boston Marathon. I tried to take it all in and took time to snap some pics (something I wouldn't normally do in a race). The course was beautiful and I even recognized some of it from the treadmill videos. 

Heartbreak Hill

Amazingly low gas prices (at least to a Californian)

The "Boston Shuffle"

Getting close

As I made my way down Boylston Street, I searched for HS. Every time I saw a white ball cap my hopes were lifted only to be quickly disappointed. There were so many people and so many white hats that I gave up trying to find him. At least I had my phone, something he insisted I carry with me so we could find each other after the race.

Final stretch

And just like that...it was over

I crossed the finish line in 4:51:35. It was by far one of my slowest marathon times ever. In fact, it was 24 minutes SLOWER than my 2024 IRONMAN California marathon split of 4:27:36.

Happy, but tired, face!

With my medal in hand, my mind went to finding HS so we could get back to the hotel. I followed the signs pointing me to the meet up areas. I found a sign with a P on it and sat down. Eventually HS found me.

P Marks the Spot

For all of the fretting and worrying about the logistics of getting to the start, I really didn't give any consideration to how we were going to get back to the hotel from the finish line. I heard someone mention that the hotel shuttle would give us a ride back, but I had no idea where the pick up point was. We opted for an Uber. It took a while for the driver to make his way through the traffic and people, but we were finally in the car and on our way back in what turned out to be one of the most expensive rides we took all weekend.

Back at the hotel, I showered and iced my ankle for a bit before summoning the energy to get dressed and go down for something to eat. I wore my Boston Marathon shirt but not the medal. Apparently I missed the memo that said all finishers should wear the medals everywhere until they leave Boston. Everyone in the restaurant that night had their medals around their necks. The following day, everyone we saw on the street had their Boston shirts and medals on. Even people at the airport were sporting their medals! Eventually I slipped mine on for a quick pic before tucking it safely away in my purse.

Just trying to fit in :-)

Final Thoughts

I thought crossing the finish line would feel different than it did. At best it was bittersweet. I hated not being able to run like I wanted. Now I've got that little voice in the back of my head reminding me that I'm qualified for next year. I'm going to ignore it for now and just enjoy the fact that I faced my fears, got on that plane and made it through the race.

California International Marathon (No. 9)

What can I possibly write about a race that I have completed nine times? Believe it or not, there always seems to be plenty.

FARRAH FAWCETT KNEES

Ok, this may sound stupid and vain, but I spent a lot of time this year worrying about what to wear. You would think I would have this figured out by now, but sadly I don't. I fret about the weather and worry about being too cold or too hot. I also worry about hideous race photos and Farrah Fawcett knees. 

What are Farrah Fawcett knees? Short answer, they are loose skin that wrinkles and bunches up as your foot strikes the ground. It's the worst possible time for a photog to snap a pic. I prefer pics where both feet are hovering above the ground in complete defiance of gravity ;-)

OMG! Farrah Fawcett knees!

I call this phenomenon Farrah Fawcett knees because of the National Enquirer (or other gossip mag) that had a picture of Farrah running. At the time, she was probably close to my current age.  The picture was taken at just the wrong moment making her leg look horrible (see example above). 

I don't know why that photo or the commentary that went along with it stuck with me. I just remember being angry (and horrified) that they would publish something like that...and they called it out...like look how bad her legs look!! I really didn't think much about the picture again until I saw the 2024 IRONMAN California picture above of my own legs.

I hemmed and hawed all weekend before settling on compression shorts. Unfortunately, I found a couple of ill-timed race photos that proved my shorts only offered a mild improvement. 

Well that didn't work LOL

SHUTTLE CHANGES

I will be the first to admit that I absolutely HATE change. For the past several years, I have been dropped off at the shuttle location on Folsom Blvd. and Greenback Lane. It had become a familiar site on race day morning. 

This year, I pulled up the CIM website to double-check the drop off times and I didn't see my "normal" location. I tried a few other sources but everything sent me back to the original site. The two closest options were:

• Location: C/D - Folsom - All buses leave Locations C+D continuously between 5:00AM-5:30AM (No buses guaranteed after this time)
• Locations: E - Granite Bay - Buses leave continuously between 5:15AM and 6:15AM

Since location C/D was recommended for people off of the 50 Corridor, I figured it would be my best bet. I also assumed (shame on me) that we would be allowed to stay on the bus after being driven to the start. I mean, really, it's a 10 minute drive, the race directors couldn't possibly expect people to stand around in freezing temps (by California standards) for that long.

HS and I made the quick drive from our house to the drop off location on Iron Point. The drop off was much smoother than at the old location. Shortly after 5:00am, I gave HS a kiss and hopped out of the car. After a short walk across the street to the Folsom Outlets I found plenty of waiting buses.  I boarded the first available bus and tried to relax. I don't think I looked relaxed because no one would sit next to me. 

After a short ride up Folsom Blvd, the bus slowed and made a u-turn. Everyone on the bus started to stand and, to my dismay, began to exit the bus. It was 5:25am!!! The race wouldn't start for over 90 minutes. My first thought was to find a phone and call HS to come and get me. Ugh! I dutifully followed the pack up to the start area. 

My mind drifted back 11 years to my very first CIM. The race that actually did have freezing temps. I remember huddling near the exhaust vents of a bus just to stay warm. I only had to do that for about half an hour on that day...not an hour and a half. This time, being a seasoned CIM veteran, I walk up to the first bus in the line and waited for the driver to open the door. I was granted entrance and slowly walked up the aisle to an available seat. I was warm and sitting. Things couldn't get much better.

Correction, a short while later, my seat mate decided to get off the bus (must be my RRF...resting race face) so I had the whole seat to myself. I slid over to the window and curled up, resting my head against the seat back. Now things couldn't get much better. I closed my eyes and tried to block out the conversations going on around me.

Time crept by slowly. Eventually, more and more runners began to exit the bus. I checked my watch and decided to wait until 6:25am to leave. The plan was to hit the porta-potty and then go to my starting area. The lines at the potties moved very slowly. I thought I saw Donnie Osmond a few lines over, so that took my mind off of things (Note: I checked the results, no Donnie Osmond LOL).  After my turn in the dark, cold blue box, I had about 10 minutes to get to my starting area. 

THE PLAN (SORT OF)

My plan this year was to push myself and run with the 3:55 pace group. Last year I ran with the 4:00 group, so why not do something different. The only problem with 3:55 is that this group was headed up by my friend and coach from last year, Karyn Hoffman, along with her boyfriend, Scott. 

Official CIM Pacer Photos

So you may be wondering what could be so bad about knowing the pacers. The answer is simple, I was afraid that they would push me out of my comfort zone, especially if I got a bad attitude mid race and decided I just didn't feel like running. In the past, these two would race IRONMAN Cozumel sometime around Thanksgiving and then head back home and run CIM an couple of weeks later like it was nothing. I knew they would have no sympathy if I started whining about doing IRONMAN California at the end of October.

My plan to remedy this situation was to be in the group, but stay far enough behind that they didn't know I was in the group. By the time I got to the starting corral, this wasn't a problem. There were hundreds of runners in the area I wanted, so I hung out towards the back. Occasionally, I saw the 3:55 sign pop up above the crowd, so I knew I was in the right spot.

Unfortunately, just like last year, I lost the pacers as soon as the race started. I knew they were well ahead of me when I heard the announcer call out Karyn's name as she crossed the start line. By the time I crossed and finally started to run, I could not find the sign. I checked my Garmin and saw that I was running too fast. I tried to slow down, but my adrenaline overrode my brain.

RACE

I battled my pace for the first 10k as evidenced by my splits below. My extra speed paid off only in that I finally caught up with Karyn and Scott and was able to slow to a controlled pace. I prayed that I wouldn't pay for those speedy miles. I kept a safe buffer zone and followed along silently as we made our way downtown. 

The middle miles seemed great. I had a chance to chat with a teammate from last year's training program, When my hands got a bit too toasty in my gloves, I was fortunate to see my next door neighbor on the sidelines in Old Town Fair Oaks. I handed her my gloves as she tried to snap a pic. 

After doing this event so many times (and now living in the area) landmarks are easily identifiable and I no longer try to do any mental math to figure out distances, besides my pacers were in charge of that, I just needed to keep them in site and trust the process. 

I spy...on the right side of the picture :-)
(Photo credit to Alex Chiu for taking this pic, and Karyn Hoffman for sharing)

Feeling sneaky

And then I reached the dreaded "Why am I doing this?" point. 

The last 10k was a mental struggle for me.  I decided to slow my run and walk the aid stations. As I entered the last 3 miles, I fought the urge to just walk. I was dangerously close to the "F*** This!" moment where I want to completely give up. 

Final push to the finish

I reminded myself of IRONMAN California just about 5 weeks prior. After that race, I kicked myself for the amount of walking I did, especially in the last few miles. So, during the tough final miles of CIM, every time I wanted to start walking, I thought of IMCA and kept shuffling along...and it paid off!

Smiles now that the end is near :-)

POST RACE

I crossed the finish line about a minute behind the pace group. I found Karyn and Scott and said "Hello". I admitted to secretly following them along the course, and if they don't read this, they won't know I backed off at the end. My earlier speedy miles offset my final miles and I ended up :18 seconds behind them and :05 faster than my best time. 

Running a PR, no matter how small, 11 years later is a great feeling. It was also my third Boston Qualifying time, but I don't plan on registering for that race again. Boston is a one and done race for me. I prefer to stick close to home and enjoy my Christmas tradition of running CIM.

See you next year!!

NOTES FOR NEXT TIME

2024 temps: 40 at race start, 60 at race finish.

Shuttle location C worked out fine, be prepared to find a spot on another bus to keep warm. Wear an old bathrobe for extra warmth. 

Do not wait any longer than 6:25am to hit the porta-potty, lines are slow.

Clothing: Compressions shorts were OK. Would have been better later on with short sleeved shirt. Hands got warm with running gloves around mile 10, maybe get cheap pair to discard next year.

Running slow is preferable to walking.

Race Report - IRONMAN California 2024

May 13, 2024 was the official start of my training for IRONMAN California. I decided to try something different and purchased the "ADVANCED FULL DISTANCE (50yrs+) 24 week Plan" by Steve Moody on Training Peaks.  After several months trying to get back into shape and recovering from a string of injuries over the past year, I wondered if I had the dedication or physically ability to do IRONMAN training one more time. 

Day 1 swim test

Over the next six months, I stuck to the plan as close as possible and only missed a few workouts. I also made an effort to work on my weight and nutrition (Hello neglected mitochondria!), something that I never really focused on for previous races. Honestly, I think this helped just as much as the physical training. By race day, I was 15-20 pounds lighter than when I did IRONMAN California in 2022. I had stopped drinking any alcohol for 6-7 weeks prior to the race. I also worked on my sleep hygiene so my body had a chance to recover from the workouts. I was feeling the best I had in years!

GEAR CHECK

I didn't buy a lot of new gear for this race but I did get a few things: 

• New tires (Continental Grand Prix 5000) and tubes for my bike (better safe than sorry)
• Profile Design Heat Shrink Bar Tape (I was tired of dealing with wrapped tape coming loose)
• Zoot Elite Aero Calf Sleeves
• Fresh pair of Adidas Adizero Adios Pro 3 (Why not? LOL)
• Silicone ear plugs for the swim (can't stand cold water in my ears)
• The Feed running hat

Running gear 

PRE-RACE

TLDNR: Picked up race packet at noon on Thursday (the earliest time), spent some $$$ in the IRONMAN store, dropped bike off on Saturday around 2pm, woke up a bit earlier than planned, ate what I could, did my bible study, headed to the race.

I was awakened at 4:00am to my phone ringing. I instinctively grabbed it and flipped it around to silence the alarm. Instead of seeing the alarm, which I had not set to go off until 4:45am, I saw a message from Ring. My mind was foggy from sleep (or lack of) and I struggled to understand why I was getting this message. I listened to the voice mail and realized it was my daughter's alarm. I sent a quick text asking if she was ok. She was fine and apologized for waking me up. I told her it was OK, and actually it turned out to be a blessing. If I would have waited, I would have been pressed for time.

FACT CHECK: It was actually 3:57am :-)

That wake-up call was the start of my new approach to IRONMAN racing. It was going to be a long day and I was not going to fret about things I could not control. If there was an obstacle or mishap, I was just going to roll with it. 

I got up, ate most of my oatmeal, sipped on a cup of coffee, and did my bible study. I thanked God for all the blessings this training season. I was feeling fit, healthy, survived the training injury free. I checked the weather and thanked Him again for the day ahead. It looked to be nearly perfect for this time of year. I wrote "Philippians 4:6" on my left hand as a reminder. 

"Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done."

(IRONMAN is a long day, and letting anxiety get the best of you can zap your energy) 

I had originally planned on leaving the house at 5:30am but since I was up, fed, and dressed early (wore my wetsuit pulled up to my waist), we left about 5:15am which ended up being for the best because traffic was S-L-O-W getting off of 50/I-5 and into the parking lot. I could tell that HS was getting frustrated by cars squeezing in a the last minute. I did some deep breathing and told myself that the worst case scenario would be that I had to hop out of the car and walk to transition, but I knew we had plenty of time still. I told HS "It's OK"...and it was.

Picture of the ball field from our stationary spot on 
the freeway.

To me, everything IRONMAN California is relative to 2021, the inaugural year, the year of the Bomb Cyclone. Compared to parking that fateful morning, today's slowdown was just a minor issue. Once we were in the actual parking lot, there were plenty of volunteers guiding the way. We parked, I grabbed my "Personal Needs" bags and headed towards transition. 

First stop...bike personal needs bag. It contained an extra tube and a CO2 cartridge (I had two tubes and 3 cartridges on my bike) but I figured better safe than sorry. I then dropped my run personal needs, I had an extra pair of socks, band-aids, and some Aleve. I really didn't want to put a good pair of running socks in the bag because I knew I wouldn't see them again. However, it didn't make sense, after all the time and money expended, to get cheap and worry about a pair of socks.

My final stop was my bike. I filled up the hydration bladder with Mauten Drink Mix 320 and gave my tires a squeeze. Everything was good. I double checked my run gear bag, shoes, socks, hat, running belt/bib. All good. Just to easy my mind, I walked to find my bike gear bag. Everything was still inside. I took a deep breath and went to find HS.

We walked in silence to the shuttle pick-up area. This year it seemed that there were plenty of buses. HS gave me a kiss and wished me luck. There was no point in him staying so we parted ways. I was alone in a crowd. When the next empty bus showed up, the volunteer asked that we all have our wrist bands showing and instructed us to go to the back of the bus and fill it from front to back. I watched in amusement as the first few gentlemen boarding plopped down in the first rows. So much for following instructions. LOL

SWIM

TLDNR: Crowded swim start made it impossible to get to the pace group I wanted. Asphalt walkway leading to the swim start was soaked in pee (kept my shoes on as long as possible), a little bit of nerves walking down to the water, cold fingers and toes but not for long. Remembered to go wide at the confluence. Great swim.

As soon as I stepped off the bus, I made my way to the area where the volunteers were collecting the day wear bags. I took out my cap, goggles and ear plugs and stuffed in the fleece sweater I was wearing. I put my wetsuit on the rest of the way and walked to the swim start staging area. As I approached, the staging groups moved into the corral and I could not get to the group I wanted to start with. I shrugged it off and just moved with the people around me. Eventually we stopped moving right next to the volunteer handing out timing chips.

I was surprised and mildly amused by the number of people coming up to get a timing chip. I assumed some had lost their chips since yesterday, but others simply had not picked one up (as instructed) when they dropped off their bike. Thankfully, IRONMAN does a very good job of trying to protect people from themselves and had plenty of chips available.

Saving the "race" day! Found this photo of the timing chip
lady on the IRONMAN California Facebook group.
Photo credit: Janet Kramshuster

 

Screen grab from the swim start video on YouTube
(Click HERE to watch)

The race seemed to start a bit later than expected and I didn't start my Garmin until 7:42am. Since I didn't get up to my desired swim group, I did have to make my way around slower swimmers through the first two thirds of the race. The river temp seemed very similar to 2022. My feet, hands and face were chilly for a minute, but I soon was focused on nothing more than swimming. I relaxed and just enjoyed the effort and the beautiful morning. 

As I completed the American River portion of the swim, I kept my eye out for the large red buoy at the confluence (where the two rivers meet). Last time I did this race, I stupidly swam towards the buoy and then found myself a bit downstream from it and struggling to get around it. This time, I kept wide to the right.

Each time I looked up to sight the buoy, however, I was shocked to see it appear to move towards me. I had to remind myself that the buoy wasn't moving, I was. Thankfully, I had plenty of time to move around the buoy (keeping it on my left) and into the faster, chillier Sacramento River. Besides the temperature change, I also noticed a change in taste (yes, taste...couldn't seem to keep the river water out of my mouth) and smell. It seemed to be a bit like oil or gasoline. Yuck.

The sun continued to rise in the east and I was glad I chose my mirrored goggles. Before I knew it, we were being funneled to the exit ramps. The swim, my least favorite leg of the race, was over.

Struggling to put my Garmin back on
(I wear the Garmin on the outside of my wetsuit and 
have to remove it to get my sleeve off)

T1 

The run to transition was much shorter than in 2022. The wet suit strippers were friendly and efficient. The volunteer struggled to remove my bike gear bag from the clip on the fence and I could feel my anxiety rise. Once I had my bag in hand, I relaxed and made my way into the changing tent. I sat down in a chair, stuffed a Maurten bar into my mouth and went about the quick task of putting on socks, bike shoes, riding glasses and helmet. I stuffed my swim gear into the bag and trotted off to my bike.

BIKE

The weather was absolutely wonderful! There was a slight breeze, but after the wind storm of 2022, it was nothing to complain about. I smiled and thanked God for the day in front of me. 

Plenty to smile about on this ride.

I completed the first loop a bit above my planned pace. This small bank of speed helped offset the slow down on the third leg of the ride. As I headed back out, the wind picked up. It was definitely stronger than forecasted, but no where near the slow grind two years ago. I again thanked God and kept pedaling.

I carried my own Maurten gels on my bike and started the ride with my onboard hydration full of the Maurten 320 Drink Mix. At the aid stations, I would alternate between topping off with water and then Mortal Hydration. I had been training with the mango flavored Mortal Hydration mix because that is what was supposed to be at the aid stations. It may have been. However, Mortal Hydration doesn't not make a bottled version of their drink, so what they handed out were water bottles mixed by volunteers. Some of the mixes tasted much stronger than others and were quite bitter. 

Speaking of hydration. I'm not sure what was going on today, maybe I drank too much river water, but I have never had to pee as much and as frequently as I did on this ride. In the past, I have not been able to go "in motion". Today, after seeing the lines at the first aid station, I decided to try to go on the move. Success! Let's just say that after 112 miles of peeing followed by water wash offs at the aid stations, I was thankful that I packed a dry pair of socks in my run bag.

Besides not being allowed in an IRONMAN race,
drafting could result in getting a little wet ;-)

T2

Looking back, I wish I would have hustled just a bit in T2, but it is what it is. I racked my bike and sat down to put on my running gear. I chomped about half a Maurten bar and made a quick pit stop at the outhouse. Time to run!

Something Different: No bungee laces. I gave these up months ago and the few extra seconds it takes to tie my shoes has saved all 10 of my toenails!

RUN

TLDNR: I ran. When I got tired, I walked. 

For some reason, I really like the first mile where you run out and back past Drake's "The Barn". I checked my watch frequently and worked to slow down closer to a 10 minute per mile pace. The last thing I wanted to do was crash and burn.

The course went "off road" a bit as it took racers under the Tower Bridge and out along the River Walk Trail to the turn around point. After mile four, I hit a bit of a mental and physical slow down. All of a sudden, the realization that I had 22 miles to go seemed to be too much. I told myself not to worry about it and to just keep moving forward. I had no idea what my cumulative time was and I didn't care.

Crossing the Tower Bridge
(This is a great viewing spot for friends and family)

The course back tracked and took us over the Tower Bridge to the American River Trail. I noted that the sun was still out as I crossed the Jiboom Bridge and was happy to think that this year, the photographer would still be there when I headed out.

Sun is still out and I'm still running (sort of)

The course also took us through Old Sacramento. There were plenty of spectators cheering for everyone. I loved hearing "Go 6-1-9" but it made me long for the days when our names were on our bibs. There is something about hearing someone cheering for you by name that really lifts your spirits.

The Internet had me a bit worried about the run course. I had read about people getting lost in 2023 on the run. Honestly, the "H" shaped course didn't seem that bad. The split between Lap 2 and Finish was pretty clear and I was happy to cross the half way point. The second loop went along like the first. I walked every aid station and hill. The aid stations were well stocked. My go to became chips, grapes and coke. I also had a couple of Maurten Gels (one with caffeine and one without), and a half a banana. I switched on my light (clipped on my race belt) as I headed out of Discovery Park the second time. I had less than 5 miles to go.

The last miles were a struggle. Even when I got to the point where I could see the Capitol and hear the announcer, I still walked more than I ran. I finally got to the finish line chute and ran. I tucked my glasses behind me and made sure my light was off (I didn't want to ruin the finish line pics LOL)

This feeling never gets old!!

POST RACE

I waited a few strides before stopping my Garmin. At the press of the button, the watch face lit up and I saw my unofficial time...11:49:26. I did a double take and wondered if I had messed something up. My "B" goal was to try and beat my previous IRONMAN California time of 13:53:57. Based on my bike pace, I knew I was going to be able to do that.  My "A" goal was to beat my PR of 12:26:39 from IRONMAN Vineman (2016). I was prepared to beat it by a couple of minutes if everything went according to plan. I never expected to beat it by half an hour.

I gathered my finisher gear and walked to find HS. He had been tracking me and let me know that I got 6th place in my age group. He was excited and so was I, even though I knew it meant I missed out getting an age group award by one spot. It's funny how the elation of a great race and achieving a time I never even dreamed of can change just by knowing that I missed an award by a minute and forty eight seconds. My mind was flooded with "what ifs". What if I ran a bit more to T1? What if I pushed a little harder on the bike? What if I hustled more in T2? What if I ran the hills instead of walk?

I reminded myself that my ultimate goal was to enjoy the day and I did. The weather was nearly perfect, the course was great, I challenged myself and I was successful. I ended the day feeling incredibly blessed not only to be able to do the race, but to make it through the months of training healthy and injury free. 

I love our post-race photos :-)

Thank you, HS for sticking with me through another training season!!

NOTES TO FUTURE SELF

I'm not committing to doing this again, but I'm not saying I won't. I achieved things at this race that I never thought possible. With that in mind, here are somethings I want to remind myself of "next time" so I won't waste any energy worrying about them.

• Don't start to freak out when the days leading up to the race start to get chilly. 
• 4:00am is the perfect time to get up on race day. Eat breakfast, enjoy a cup of coffee and don't skip your daily bible study. It will feel cool in the house at this time, don't freak out, you will not freeze at the race.
• Don't leave the house any later than 5:00am. It's ok to be a bit early. Remember that traffic backs up at the exit.
• Don't make HS park the car. Getting dropped off is OK, there is really nothing for him to do other than fight his way out of the parking lot.
• Figure out how to protect your neck from the wetsuit...the anti-chafing stuff doesn't seem to be working! (Gross pic below)
• Check your bike and gear bags and get your butt on a shuttle.
• Wear a pair of worn out running shoes destined for the garbage can to the swim start. It will keep your feet out of the pee.
• Before you head down the trail to the swim start, dump water in your wetsuit to help pre-heat.
• You will not freeze on the bike if the temp is 65 degrees. Relax. It's a sunny course and with all the adrenaline pumping you won't feel a thing.
• Enjoy the ride, watch out for potholes and wheel eating cracks in the road. 
• Try to run (even if it's slow) in between all the aid stations. You will be happier when you look back at your effort.
• Don't get bunched up at the finish so the photographer can get a good pic!
• Smile and take it all in!

The only thing that really hurt the day after the race.