IRONMAN LAKE PLACID — My First Full Distance

226km. 11 hours. 1 day I’ll never forget.

It took me longer than usual to write this. Not because I didn’t want to — but because I needed to let it sink in. To feel it.

I expected relief when I crossed that finish line. I felt it, sure — but something else has stayed with me in the days since. Something I can’t quite name. Maybe it’s passion, probably obsession, or maybe just the realization that I absolutely loved this distance. Even the hard parts. Especially the hard parts.

The Build-Up
Race week felt… right. My body was firing. My head was calm. I was sleeping better than I ever have before a race, early nights, deep rest, hyper-aware of every little sensation in my body. I was more disciplined. More present. And in that discipline, I felt confident.

Then Saturday night came. I barely slept. I felt sick to my stomach. Stress was sky-high. Sunday morning wasn’t much better — until I hit the water to warm up. In that moment, the nerves disappeared. The focus kicked in. I was ready.

Swim 3800m- 1:02
I loved this swim. Loop one felt smooth, I was in a fast pack, sometimes leading a few folks, like almost surreal perfect picture, I had a moment where I thought, “Wow… I’m really doing this.”

Loop two was less fun …slower. The second lap was packed, and I spent a lot of it navigating slower swimmers. (Garmin even clocked me at 200m extra). No frustration, just flow. If anything, I came out of the water more energized than expected , a great way to start the day with a first WIN.

Bike 180km- 5:37

Loop one was a mental battle. I rode alone for long stretches, and I couldn’t tell if I was overbiking. I questioned my pacing, second-guessed my watts, and found it hard to sit in the draft zone without doubting myself If I should stay or head out and do my thing.

Loop 2 was magic. The roads opened up more in the fast descents, I found rhythm, and the final 20K climb I shared with another athlete, he gave me the momentum I didn’t know I needed. We pushed each other. I might’ve gone a bit above plan, but it felt right.

Nutrition was nailed. Everything on schedule. Drank what I was supposed to. Ate what I was supposed to. Peed three times, exactly what you want. Legs were ready to run tho haha.

Run 42km- 4:07
The first 15K were under control. I ran by heart rate, ignored pace, and stayed under 140 bpm. I felt smooth, steady, I did not want to blow up in the first half……..But then the stomach started acting up. First porta-potty stop helped a ton, and I got back on track quickly. Still fueling, still smiling.

Loop two was tougher. Stomach turned again. More walking, more breaks. I tried to keep it to aid stations only, but I had to stop more than planned. And yet, mentally? I never cracked wanting to stop. I stayed positive, reminded myself this is what Ironman is all about. ADAPTATION

Even tho I had NO time expectations, when I realized I was close to breaking 11 hours, I picked it up,but it backfired. My stomach revolted. Two more stops. I backed off and focused on just finishing strong.

I had a few emotional moments. One of the things that kept me going, funny as it sounds — was thinking about Vi giving birth. I told myself, “Nothing is harder than that. So don’t even think about quitting.” That thought pulled me forward when things got dark.

Aftermath
I crossed the line not broken, but very proud. I truly enjoyed my day. It was hard, but it was so rewarding in every sense.

And here’s the part I didn’t expect: not once during those 11 hours did I ask myself why I was doing this. In nearly every 70.3 I’ve done, there’s always been a dark moment where I question it all. But this time? Nothing but presence. And excitement. Even mid-race, I was already looking forward to the next one. That says a lot.

Fitness-wise, I was ready. Mentally, I grew. I think I executed well , but more importantly, I learned.

This was the final race of a long season — I’ve raced every month since April. Now it’s time to rest, recover, and rebuild. With three months to go before 70.3 Worlds in Marbella, I’m more motivated than ever to bring this version of myself — the long-course athlete version — into that next build.

Part of me wishes I could race another full this year. But it doesn’t line up. And that’s okay. That fire will burn until next time. I’ve already started sketching out next year’s plan — Options A, B, and C — all built around long-course. And all focused on becoming a better, smarter, stronger athlete.

This was my first Ironman.
But it won’t be my last.