IM MOO – Let it Flow

Flow is being completely involved in an activity for its own sake. The ego falls away. Time flies. Every action, movement, and thought follows inevitably from the previous one, like playing jazz.

– Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, Hungarian psychologist

Some people may call it the “runner’s high” or being “dialed in” – it’s that magical feeling in the water, on the bike, or on the trail when everything just clicks and every movement seems effortless. There is an absence of negative thoughts, altered perception of time and space, and a general sense that performance is going well. My age group win in 2014 at Ironman Canada was the last time I truly felt this way in an Ironman. While rare, it’s these special moments which have provided me with enough fuel to keep me motivated and in the game. Riding the high of a clutch performance and enjoying “finding flow” is an out-of-this-world feeling and I was confident to revisit this state at Ironman Wisconsin.

Pre-Race and Travel:

This has been one of my most successful seasons to date. I started it off running a big personal best at the Boston Marathon in 2:40:01; smashed my best time at Victoria 70.3; finished first amateur at the Beastman 70.3; and took two overall local triathlon wins. Joining Team Every Man Jack has been a game changer for me; attending camp in Las Vegas this year and training with some of the best amateur (and some pro) men in the nation was inspiring and motivating. I’m hoping my social media game was strong enough to be accepted back next year. Please go to my Instagram and smash that like button.

Our focal race of the year was supposed to Ironman Canada. Two weeks prior to race day, we were notified the event had been cancelled due to the wildfires and smoke. While initially quite upset, alternative options were presented to us. While a full refund sounded nice, Ironman offered athletes the option to transfer into any 2023 North American race. Most of these races were either a downriver swim, a pancake flat course, or a race I’ve already done way too many times (IMAZ, yuck.). Ironman Wisconsin was always on my bucket list and it was only 75-minutes away from Becca’s parents. This gave us the opportunity to see her parents and stay on their beautiful homestead, do the race, visit her sister in Iowa, and sightsee across the Midwest — all in one fell swoop.

The drive there took 29 hours and just over 2,000 miles. We broke the drive up in three days and got to see many states I’ve never visited. Idaho was boring; Montana was by far the most beautiful; North Dakota was nice other than the main cities; Minnesota had a nice LA Fitness pool (our one only stop in this state); Wisconsin had A LOT of billboard signs for cheese and beer; and Illinois had a lot of Casey’s which I especially enjoyed their breakfast pizza, cream-filled pastries, and coffee. After listening to countless road trip playlists and Howard Stern shows we finally arrived to the Homestead on Labor Day. This gave us a few days to unwind and relax before the race.

Road trip!!!

It was a nostalgic trip back home for Becca as we had a bunch of time to visit and train in her hometown of Stillman Valley before heading off to Madison. We swam at the pool she first took swim lessons as a kid, ran at her high school track, rode our bikes past her old house, and reminisced over all her childhood memories. It’s a small farm town of about 1,000 people; not a lot has changed since she left which I found amazing in a world that’s rapidly expanding. I loved it there.

Thank you Mary and Todd for being so accommodating and supportive throughout this entire trip. Becca’s parents have an amazing Airbnb on the property which they let us use for as long as we wanted. Mary was also warned well in-advance, we eat a lot of food. She went above-and-beyond with the meal prep and made sure we were well-nourished with deliciousness each day. The chicken, pork chops, salads, and steaks were all so tasty, but nothing topped the sweet locally grown sweet corn. I had three ears a night!

Friday, we packed up for the millionth time, and made our way to Madison. We swam the course as soon as we got in, checked in, and drove (and rode parts of) the bike course. I wish we had more time in Madison as it looked like a very fun town with excellent people watching. Becca and I did our best keeping a low profile, spending most of our time in the hotel room, and focused on the big day ahead.

Bike check-in, meeting my client Matt who was competing in his first Ironman, and an Alfredo sighting!

Race Day:

As soon as we decided to transfer into Wisconsin I immediately reached out to my teammate, James Harrington, who won it back in 2021. He was incredibly helpful as he explained the entire course profile, provided GPS files of the bike and run, and gave insights which served to be extremely beneficial on race day. I also reached out to former pro and past Wisconsin champ, Linsey Corbin, for some tips. She always goes above-and-beyond when giving me tips and advice, and the email she wrote for Wisconsin did not disappoint. Thank you James and Linsey!

Past champs!

We woke up at 4 AM for a 7 AM race start. Our hotel was about 20 miles away so we opted to park at a designated athlete parking area and got shuttled to transition. We were nervous for the day ahead, but both quietly confident, in good spirits, and happy race day was finally here. This race is unique because the transition areas are inside a convention center and the bikes are located in a parking garage; athletes had to run (or ride) up and down a parking garage helix each time they entered transition, which was a very unique experience filled with screaming spectators.

Swim:

The race started just after sunrise so lighting was still a bit dark. I lined up about five rows back and we were off! Water temps were comfortable, in the low 70s, with minimal choppiness on the first loop. I swam with the same pack of 4-5 swimmers the majority of the swim. While we ran into quite a bit of congestion on the second loop, I felt like we held a solid, consistent pace throughout. It was frustrating colliding with countless people floating on their backs, doggy paddling, or just stopped; however, I had practiced a lot of change of pace style swim sets leading up to the race which I think helped. I had to surge and get back onto feet countless times on the second loop. While I was warned the second loop of the swim was always typically slower due to the congestion, I was happy not to lose too much time maneuvering through the field.

First loop: 28:51

Second loop: 29:52

Total Swim: 58:43 (2nd AG, 20th OA) – just four seconds down on the age group lead!

T1: 5:05

The run up the helix was unreal. There were so many fans cheering and screaming which echoed off the parking garage; I’d say it was louder than the scream tunnel at Wellesley College in Boston. It was a surreal experience.

While a five-minute transition is usually nothing to brag about, there was a lot of ground to cover between exiting the water, running up the helix, grabbing my gear bag, going through the change tent, and running the lengthy T1 area to retrieve my bike. I had the fastest T1 time in my age group and took the lead starting the bike! Though, I didn’t beat Becca who had the only sub five minute T1 of the day. Chicked again.

Bike:

I started the 112 mile bike leg with the age group lead and someone shouted to me I was in 5th overall position. I smiled, as I knew I had passed several competitors in transition. Like the start most of my past Ironmans, my body felt incredible and adrenaline was sky high. I pushed the first part of the bike as I tried to keep pace (legally) with competitors in front. I remember riding with Matt Jackson (who eventually won overall) for the first several miles; having someone just ahead really helped in navigating the very windy, twisty, and technical course.

The early portions of the bike have a lot of zig-zags before getting out to the two-loop “lollipop” section of the course. There was one instance where I almost crashed into the rails as we made a tight turn in an underpass; my back wheel skidded as I lost control temporarily before thankfully gaining back control. By mile 10, a spectator told I was third overall and seven minutes down on the lead.

The main bike portion began at the two loop lollipop, around 15 miles into the bike. None of the climbs were daunting, but this course had constant rollers and turns with just over 6,000 feet of total elevation gain. Linsey had warned me prior to the race which I constantly reminded myself early on in the first loop: You really have to ride it smart / pace accordingly as the short hills that feel like nothing, can all of sudden becoming something real fast!

I’ve worked really hard on my cycling this year as it’s been a weakness and where I lose the most time in races. At mile 20 I was still sitting in 3rd overall and maintaining the age group lead. This is the point where I made a decision to stop chasing and follow my game plan. I’ve done enough of these where I know if I over-bike, especially on a course like this, it could end in a death march when I got to the marathon. Per Linsey’s advice, I stayed seated and in control on the climbs throughout the first loop. I was very attentive to staying on top of my nutrition and fluid intake throughout.

Halfway through loop one, I was still managing to hold onto the age group lead, though I sensed competitors were fast approaching. A few guys passed as I began loop two but knew I was still in a good spot, both from a placement perspective and physical/emotional standpoint. I was riding to the best of my abilities and staying within myself.

The second loop was a lot tougher. Temperatures starting to rise as there were sections where I felt really hot, especially on the steeper climbs. I was out of my saddle a lot more on this loop trying to ride a bit more aggressively, but could tell I was starting to tire a bit. I lost most of my time on this loop as I had slipped to fourth in my age group nearing the finish of the second loop. Then, James Harrington came flying past me on one of the climbs like I was standing still. No way I could have hung with him. He was out of sight in no time.

I was warned the final 15 miles back into town can be tough. Don’t lose focus, I constantly reminded myself. At this point of the race, around mile 100 of the bike, everyone is a bit tired and I actually found myself passing a few stragglers in this section. It was hot, a bit humid, and there were a few sneaky rollers in this section. Although still in a decent headspace, I was ready to get off my damn bike, and looking forward to make magic happen on the run.

Bike time: 5:17:47, 4th AG (6:35 from lead), 12th Overall (15:22 from lead)

T2: 2:23 (fast for me, but Becca chicked me here as well!)

The Marathon:

I did not pre-ride or jog the run course at all, and really had no idea what was ahead. Looking at the course profile and map, it seemed like a flat and fast course. Though, there were a few tricky sections and a steep hill on each loop. Just like the bike, the small rollers, constant turns, and varying terrain made this course engaging and always on my toes. It contained just under 1,000 feet of total elevation gain.

I was running on clouds for the first 13 miles. Running felt easy as I was consistently running 6:30-6:40 miles. It felt magical. I smiled, gave out plenty of high fives, and thoroughly enjoyed all the enthusiastic spectators along the course. I was in flow state. Running was effortless, I was fully immersed in the task at hand, and it was one of the most pleasurable experiences I’ve had at an Ironman to date.

Feelin’ fresh:

Shoutout to Todd (Becca’s dad) for running alongside me briefly to provide splits. He came out of running retirement from his 5K at Ironman Arizona in 2017 and was a huge help throughout the marathon. Gettin’ it TD!

By the halfway point, I had run myself into fourth overall and could see the next kill ahead. I was able to shake every competitor right away… except this one guy, who I soon found out was also in my age group. I ran with (or in close proximity) to Luke for the next several miles. I chatted with him briefly (great guy, and former EMJ member) and based on our conversation and updates from supporters he had about a 45 second virtual lead on me (he started the swim several rows back). This is where the dynamic of the race changed and I had ask myself: How bad do I really want this?

I had to crack and gap him. I tried every Jedi mind trick up my sleeve. Breathing softly, trying to gauge how tired he was based off our brief conversations, altering my pace, surging up hills… he managed to hang on as I couldn’t get rid of the sound of footsteps behind.

Clutch state occurs when an athlete performs exceptionally well in a pressure situation. Unlike in flow, clutch feels less pleasant in the moment. It requires purpose-driven, effortful concentration, as well as intense physical effort, which often leaves the athlete feeling energetically drained. While there is also an absence of negative thoughts, the ego is much more involved in this psychological state.

Things got rough. I threw up around mile 20 and relinquished the lead, as he was now several yards in front. At this point I thought I was going to have to settle for second, as I felt miserable and in survival mode. My teammate, Alfredo, was out spectating all day and witnessed me puking at this exact moment. When he asked if I was okay I lied and muttered, “I feel great.” I did not want to show any signs of weakness to Luke. The next day, Luke and I recalled this moment and he said, “I knew you were a tough motherfu*ker when I heard those words come out of your mouth!”

I dug so deep and managed to slowly claw my way back. By mile 23, I attempted one last “surge” (albeit slow) and he dropped off. I skipped an aid station to grow this lead, as I knew I needed a substantial gap on him across the finish line. At each turn I briefly glanced off to the side and saw the gap growing. I closed my eyes as my vision got blurry, body was tingly, and I was at my limits. I felt like I could collapse at any moment.

I don’t remember much running down the finishing chute. I managed to beat him by just under a minute, as I immediately fell into the arms of volunteers and carried to medical. I left some of my soul out on the course that day, but it’s experiences like this I wouldn’t trade for anything. To me, this is amateur racing at its best. Thank you Luke for a hard fought battle to the very end.

Total run time: 3:04:42, 1st AG, 4th OA

Total race time: 9:28:39, 1st AG, 3rd OA

I spent over an hour in the med tent and sadly missed Becca’s overall win! She absolutely dominated the women’s field and I’m so freakin’ proud of her. We both had to make a quick decision to even do this race and both had phenomenal days. You can read all about her day here!

SO, SO PROUD.

Awards:

We got a special call up to stage announcing we are the fastest amateur couple in triathlon!

Suck it Ironman:

Lastly, we’ve made a decision not to take our Hawaii or Nice spots. I’m not a fan of this one gender only format and don’t like the direction WTC is heading. While I absolutely love racing in Hawaii, sharing and experiencing the event with Becca, in a truly elite field, racing one day, would have been my preference. A World Championship should be a shared event, celebrating the best male and female athletes in the world, on one day. Segregating the genders and holding WC races five weeks apart, thousands of miles away from each other, degrades the field and is a huge slap in the face to the sport I love. Pro racing is cool and fun to follow, but it’s the age groupers who are the true blood and livelihood of the sport. While I get this is a “business decision” it’s not good for triathlon (IMO) and I will no longer be partaking in these events until this format changes.

A trip to remember:

We took the scenic tour back home. After spending a couple days to recover at the Homestead in Stillman Valley we headed off to Iowa to visit Becca’s sister in Iowa City. We then drove to Omaha, Nebraska, before heading north through South Dakota and visited the World’s *Only* Corn Palace; this place was truly astonishing with corn memorabilia, corn exhibits, a corn basketball court, and corn book store – truly a once in a life time corny experience! We also visited Mount Rushmore and went on the President’s Trail walk. We then ventured all the way north through Montana to Glacier National Park. While I could write an entire blog on this place, it was a perfect ending to a successful long trip; we stayed in the park, hiked to Avalanche Lake, drove the entire Road-to-the-Sun Road stopping numerous times for some of the prettiest outlooks I’ve ever seen, and went horseback riding! It was a great way to cap off an epic and memorable season of adventure and racing.

We made it home! Over 4,000 miles of driving, 60+ hours in the car, nine states, and 0.0 fights!

Thank you all for the messages and texts during and after the race. It truly meant a lot to me as I had a huge smile on my face reading them afterward. We put our heart and soul into this sport, both from an athlete and coaching standpoint, and hope we’ve motivated others to dream big.