Category: Race Reports

Guest Post: Shake Dreams from Your Hair – John’s IMLP Race Report

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The following is a guest post by my husband, John Jenkins. My race report from a few days ago gives you the mid-packer’s view, but John’s will give you a sense of how the fast boys and girls roll at IMLP. Shake dreams from your hair… ~ Jim Morrison 3:30 a.m. I woke up to allow time to take in some fuel. I had to force the calories in as I do not care for eating so much in the early morning. But, I was kind of hungry since we hadn’t eaten later than 6 p.m. the night before, which …

IMLP Race Report Part 3: Making buddies with the beast

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(Looking for part 2 of the race report? Click here. For part 1, click here.) The Ironman Lake Placid marathon is a tricky beast that requires considerable patience to tame. Last year, I royally messed up my pacing by running as if I were starting a “regular” marathon, rather than preparing for 26.2 miles after I’d already gone 114.4 miles. (Last year’s run report can be found here.) All year long, I’ve been committed to running patiently and not repeating the same mistake. Here’s a little snippet from the run portion of the race plan I wrote for myself: DON’T …

IMLP 2011 Race Report Part 2: Sticking to the Plan

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(Continued from yesterday: IMLP Race Report Part 1: Everybody was Kung Fu Swimming.) Immediately after you exit T1, the bike course makes a short descent on a narrow strip of gravel and goes directly into almost 180-degree turn.  This area is lined with other bikers trying to clip into their pedals and spectators trying to catch a glimpse of their athletes. Suffice to say, it’s a tight squeeze. Rather than get caught up in the throng, I walked my bike to an open space just after the apex of the turn. I clipped in and was off for 112 miles …

IMLP Race Report Part 1: Everybody Was Kung Fu Swimming

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Training, racing and finishing a second Ironman is not like the first. It is both easier and harder. Easier because all of the mysteries, like the behind-the-scenes details of transition, were revealed during last year’s race. Harder because you know what’s coming. Easier because you’ve done it once, and there isn’t the pressure of wondering whether or not you can do it. Harder because there is the pressure of doing it better, faster, stronger. Going in to this year’s Ironman Lake Placid, I was feeling the pressure. It’s not like I didn’t have pressure last year, but it was more …

The downhills are *almost* fun: Rev3Tri Quassy Half Iron

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When John and I signed up for Revolution 3’s Quassy Half Iron a few months back, I posted our registration to Twitter: “Rev3Tri Quassy – we are in!” I quickly received a reply from the Rev3Tri staff: “Awesome! That bike course is EPIC.” At the time, that response sent little shivers down my spine. When you love cycling, as I do not, “EPIC” sounds great; I realize that. However, for someone like me, the word “epic” conjures images of death-defying descents, with crazy twisting turns, and shoulders that drop off into oblivion. So, I was a little nervous. But, I …

2 out of 3 ain’t bad: NJ Devilman race report

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I almost scratched this race because I knew I shouldn’t run at race pace to ensure full recovery from Boston.  I could claim to take it easy on the run portion, but let’s face it, I wouldn’t. Usually, I get out on the course and the competitor in me makes instant revisions to my “take it easy” plans. Boston itself is a case in point of this pattern. Given my tendencies to ignore intelligent thinking while racing, I figured the smart thing to do would be to skip the race altogether. After all, I couldn’t start a race knowing I …

Blessings in Boston

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A little over three years ago, I committed to running my first marathon. I’ve beening running since I was 13 (I’m 37 now), and the marathon seemed the logical progression of my love of the sport. My first understanding of Boston was that it was a marathon runner’s promised land, the mecca, the big daddy, the superbowl of marathons. (Insert your favorite corny cliched metaphor here.) But, in early 2008, I hadn’t even completed my first marathon, and the thought of running the Boston Marathon with its daunting qualifying times seemed a tremendous longshot. Then, I finished my first marathon …

33rd Annual Atlantic City St. Pat’s 10 miler: Race Report

I look forward to the annual Atlantic City St. Pat’s 10 miler as the “official” start to my race season each year. Community, friends, positive energy, and running to raise money for a worthwhile local charity–the Donny Fund. Whatever the reason, this event is a perfect way to start the season. With a 10 a.m. race start on Sunday, March 12, there was no need to set the alarm for the O’crack hour of the morning. (I told you: PERFECT!) This “late” start allowed us to wake up naturally, which is a nice change from most race mornings where the …

The Caped Cruise-aders Cruise the Cape to Gate Relay Race

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The Cape to Gate 44-mile Relay Race, held on Saturday, February 25, was my first “race” of the season. I use the term “race” very loosely, as our team– alternatively named Team Gimp, Team BQ or Caped Cruise-aders–did not plan on racing at all. Our team runners consisted of Tracy, my sister-in-law (you may remember her as my pacer for the VT50), Carole Donohue, our new running buddy, and myself. Our team also benefitted from having a head cheerleader, sherpa-in-charge Mrs. Regina Jenkins, my lovely mother-in-law, who chauffeured our stinking asses 44 miles from Cape May, NJ to Margate, NJ. …

Spirit of the Holidays: Exodus 10 mile Holiday Run

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The sounds of “Eye of the Tiger” awoke me as my alarm went off at 6:30 a.m. Race morning! I can almost hear the blare of trumpets in my head on race mornings. I walked into the kitchen to get the coffee started, and took a quick peak at the thermometer. 18 degrees. Hmmph. That’s cold. Er, I mean, invigorating… John and I were running the 10 mile Exodus Holiday Run, hosted  by Exodus Wellness in Ocean City, NJ. To give you a sense of the spirit of this race, the announcement from Exodus Wellness founder Amy Godfrey started with …