Blog November 2015

My last Ironman race was back in 2010.  I needed to re-qualify to keep my Pro card, and I did, at Ironman Florida.  My Professional license was good for another 3 years!  I knew I was starting to get burnt out with racing at this point, but I trained for another race because that’s just what I did (I was training for Ironman Wisconsin 2011).  My friend Erin came with me to be my support crew in Wisconsin (Erin, my “lucky charm” also came with me to Ironman Austria, which happened to be my Ironman PR, a 9:38, placing 6^th overall...see pic below).  I was not into my training for Wisconsin...I just didn’t have that “edge” and “focus” that I normally did, but I travelled to the race, because that’s just what I did! 

I started the swim and felt terrible right away.  I even started hyper-ventilating and began unzipping my wetsuit to get some air!  I was panicking!  Then I stopped and did some self-talk, “get a grip Danielle!  You are a Pro and you have been swimming most of your life!!”  That helped me to snap out of it.  I finished the swim, but I exited the water dead last in the Pro field.  I remember heading to transition only to see my bike and no others on the Pro rack!  Part of me just didn’t care while the other part of me was embarrassed…  I hopped on the bike and began the 112 mile journey only to realize that I felt worse than I did in the swim!  I couldn’t hold anywhere near my Ironman wattage.  People were passing me like I was standing still.  Again, I just didn’t care.  I remember thinking, “there is NO WAY I can ride for 112 miles!  I just don’t want to do this!”  I finally decided that I would pull over and abandon the race when I saw my friend Erin, and that’s exactly what I did.  At mile 40, when I finally saw Erin, I pulled over and told her I was DONE.  “Are you sure you want to do this?”   Erin asked?  “Absolutely.”   I said.  I felt zero guilt or remorse over my decision.  In fact, we went back to the finish line to cheer on the other Pro Women in the race.  I left Wisconsin and decided to hang up my “Ironman shoes” for good.  This was a tough decision for me.  This is what I did!  I had been racing seriously at that point for 10 years of my life and I didn’t know what to do without an Ironman race on the horizon!  I still had two years left to race as a Pro, but I was done.  15 Ironman races was it for me.

I never looked back.  I started focusing on building my coaching business, which I love and feel so fortunate to have.  I love the sport, and I am thrilled that I can keep Ironman and the sport of triathlon in my life by helping to coach and motivate others.  In my 18 years in the sport I have learned so much, and I am still learning!  I coach such an amazing and wonderful group of athletes…  I feel SO lucky to be able to do such a thing!  I have truly been blessed in my life. 

Though I gave up racing Ironman, I still continued to race shorter distances at a less-intense level.  I got in training when I could, but certainly not near the same level that I used to train at. Towing the line at a race with the “lack-of-fitness” that I am used to is sometimes nerve-racking for me, but I know that’s just my ego talking, so I go for it anyway.  I just finished my 18^th year in a row racing triathlon.  Some races I win and some I don’t.  I remember telling my life partner, George that I will never again race an Ironman as an amateur.  After racing Pro I just wouldn’t want to race amateur again…BUT as George said to me back then, “you can NEVER SAY NEVER!”

I just turned 39, and I am coming to the realization that in a just few years, breaking 10 hours in an Ironman could be impossible for me…  I have 2-3 years to have the ability to race a PR Ironman.  Also, the more I think about it the more I realize that I’d love to go back to Kona and race to win my age group.  I guess I was short-sighted when I said I would never race Ironman as an amateur again! Back when I raced Kona in the 25-29 year age group, the year before I turned Pro, I placed 2^nd in that age group and 4^th amateur overall (see pics below). How great would it be to come back to race in the 40-44 year age-group and try to get that 1^st place spot!

So, I am officially signed up for Ironman Florida 2016 to try and get that spot to head back to Kona.  Florida is a familiar race for me (I’ve don’t it 4 times and it was my very first Ironman back in 2001).  I’ve always raced well there and I am going back.  I am also signed up for IM Atlantic City 70.3 with a bunch of my athletes and many other Long Island triathletes, it seems!  It should be fun to see familiar faces, and all of the different Long Island tri groups out there on the course.  I’m excited to put in long training rides with my group and to race together down in A.C as well as other races locally!  Event Power always has a great line-up for local races, so I will certainly be at a few of their events!  It also looks like “Race Awesome” has some new events this upcoming season as well!  I’ll also be heading to Mont-Tremblant to cheer on two of my athlete’s race, and get in some great training while I’m at it!

I will approach this Ironman a bit differently….coaching is my number 1 priority.  It is my passion and it must come first, but I am lucky to be able to work and train!  Also, I have fallen in love with surfing and I love boating with George and our dog Salty.  I plan on having a much more “well-rounded” existence than I did back in the day….this is also a priority for me.  It will be interesting to see if I can race at a similar level and have a more well-rounded life.  I think I can and I encourage my athletes to do the same!   

 I am very lucky to have a very supportive family.  George is always 100% behind me, and always has been.  There were many days when I was a Pro that he headed out on his commute to work as I was hopping on my bike or as I headed to Arizona or Florida to train for a few weeks.  He was never anything other than supportive of what I was doing.  My parents and most loyal support crew are also on board and looking forward to it!  They have travelled to and watched 13 of my 15 Ironman races.  Though I raced on the Zoot Team, my parents were a large part of financial support back then.  It was a crucial part of being able to travel and race in a sport where only the top percentage of athletes can actually make a living doing it!  I am looking forward to a great year with Iron Fit Endurance and am excited for whatever lies ahead!  Dee

Gordon Lewis competed in his first Ironman down in Louisville!   Two and a half weeks out from the race, while running in the trails with me, Gordon threw his back out.  It was so bad that we had to completely shut down training!  The week before the race (after seeing Dr. Larry Lembo who treated Gordon) the back was feeling better, but his reoccurring knee injury was giving him trouble as well.  I have to admit that I was nervous. Gordon had been killing it in training and racing this year, and the timing of these injuries was unfortunate.  However, Gordon has been dealing with the knee issues on and off for the past 30 years (after an accident at work) and he was mentally prepared to take on the Ironman! 

Come race day Gordon had a strong swim and bike, but after the bike, in his own words, “I knew I was done.  I ran the marathon on one leg”.  Knowing that he was in major trouble with his knee, Gordon spent the necessary time in transition to wrap the knee and put a brace on to get through the race.  In typical Gordon fashion, he toughed it out and finished his first Ironman!  His family was there to watch and cheer him on.  2016 will be a focus on getting the knee back to working condition as well as racing shorter events to focus on speed before his possible attempt at another Ironman the following year. 

As we all know, each long race is a learning experience that has its share of ups and downs.  I’ve found that the best athletes can learn to adjust and modify the plan when the “downs’ come…Gordon is one of these athletes.

As we all know, the NYC Marathon was this past weekend!  Paulina Ballaban and Noah Lam both competed on Sunday!  Noah has been running better and stronger than I have ever seen him run and while he didn’t do what he had hoped (or what he is ultimately capable of), he had a great race.  Noah came down with something right after the race, so I have to wonder if this is what affected him during the event!  Either way, Noah toughed it out and was able to see his very supportive wife and kids on the course, which is the best part.

Paulina Ballaban finished her very first marathon in amazing fashion!  Paulina was nervous going into the event after traveling and then getting sick during the last crucial weeks before the race.   Because of this Paulina missed some of the last long runs, but I knew that she was in great shape going into the race.  Paulina finished with a sub-5 hour race!  I should note that Paulina stopped to help a fellow competitor that was very sick on the side of the road, because that’s what this nurse does!  Paulina spent at least 10 minutes with this woman to help her out!  That makes Paulina’s finish even more impressive!  Congrats to her!!

In other race news:

Frank Fiorello has been racing down in Florida, where he finished 2^nd in his division at the Longboat Key Triathlon as well as 2^nd in the Marco Island Triathlon.  He’ll be racing again down in Florida this weekend at a draft legal event!

Christa Dwyer, Susan Roman and myself had a great time a few weeks ago doing the “Race for Ridley” 5K.  I don’t usually report about 5K’s, but with this pic, I had too!  Congrats to Christa on a PR too!

Ken Krill has been suffering from hamstring cramps off the bike in his races this year.  After narrowing it down, we figured it was his bike fit.  So he had a bike fit redo from Mike Monastero and finally remedied the cramping problem that he has been having at every event!  He competed in the Cedar Creek Duathlon, besting his time from last year by 4 minutes and finishing 4^th in his age group and the best run he has done off the bike with NO hamstring cramps!

Irene and Noah Lam, along with their two sons competed in the Wildwood Warrior Triathlon.  Irene was one of the few to brave the COLD temps in the morning by opting to do the swim!  here's a pic of their sons during and after the race!

Jackie Lott had a fantastic race at the Hershey Half Marathon, surprising herself!  She is doing the “Avengers weekend” which consists of a 10K Saturday and a Half Marathon Sunday!  Also, good luck to The Lott’s son,Aaron who will be heading to boot camp for the Marines that weekend (pictured below with Jackie after the race)!

We have some more marathons coming up:  Peter Morandi and his wife Donna and Shelley Bache will be running the Philadelphia Marathon on the 22^nd!

Also, Shayne Lewis and Jose Hernandez will be competing in "Something Wicked at Cathedral Pines", a 6-hour Mtn. Bike event on the 21st!

The winter months will be spent doing outside rides when the weather cooperates and group trail runs when the weather starts to get colder.  Winter is also a great time to really focus on strength training, which will be a major focus for IFE athletes.  I am lucky to have help of DPT Susan Roman for her guidance in this matter! 

Here are some pictures from training rides this month.  The first in Head of the Harbor with Chrisa Dwyer and John Burgess and the second is Bear Mtn. with my friend and Iron Fit Endurance athlete Erin Miller!

Happy Training and Racing!

Dee :-)