IMCdA

[colby]

The area has Iron Fever, with a lot of signs bearing "welcome Ironman" and "welcome triathletes" (and one "bike run swim Ironman" that meant well ;)). I lost track of time with my superbusy work schedule lately and didn't get a chance to sign up to volunteer. :( They did change the bike course to go right by a friend's house, so we're going to head over a little later and watch, then head down and watch some inspiring finishes. Usually IMCdA is the same weekend as Hoopfest (a 3 on 3 basketball tournament), which divides the spectator crowd, but this year they got smart and separated them.

Coeur d'Alene just signed a 5-year renewal, so there will be at least 5 more IMCdAs. For anyone wanting to sign up, the signup is tomorrow at 9AM physically at the site, or starting at 11AM at active.com (linked here: http://www.ironmancda.com/entry.php). If you do, you have some guaranteed cheerleaders who will also tell you where to eat when you're in town. ;)

[tprevost]

she's bib #2290 and she's rockin' this course! Whooo Hoooo!!!!!! Go Melisa!!!!

http://www.ironman.com/events/ironman/coeurdalene?show=tracker&y=2007

[Running Mommy]

I didn't realize she was racing. GO MELISA!!!! She is such a stud! And so nice too!!!

[Tri Girl]

I didn't know she was racing either. I've been watching live coverage for the last hour or so, and it's making me want to do another one. I think I'm going to try to sign up for the race tomorrow morning....

Go Melisa!!!!! :D

[colby]

I didn't know she was racing either. I've been watching live coverage for the last hour or so, and it's making me want to do another one. I think I'm going to try to sign up for the race tomorrow morning....

Go Melisa!!!!! :D

It's really inspiring. Seeing people finish makes it harder NOT to want to enter. It's just an extra 10 miles out of my way to go sign up on my way to work... ;)

[colby]

she's bib #2290 and she's rockin' this course! Whooo Hoooo!!!!!! Go Melisa!!!!

http://www.ironman.com/events/ironman/coeurdalene?show=tracker&y=2007

Go Melisa Go! If we could predict her finish, I'd go cheer her on!!

[tprevost]

Go Melisa Go! If we could predict her finish, I'd go cheer her on!!

if it helps, her run pace in IMFL was 11:23/mile and she's been training....

not sure how to project from there as I'm not positive what time they started....

[tprevost]

Way to go Melisa!!!!!! Congratulations :D

Total time 13:19:01

Whooo Hoooo!!!!!

[Running Mommy]

I just got back from dinner and checked in and saw that AWESOME finish!! I hope she posts a RR! I have her cell # programmed in my phone so I have half a mind to call her and wish her a congrats... But I don't want to bug her. I wanted to spectate this year too, now I'm bummed!! If I had known she was going to be up there I would have made more of an effort to be there. That race is on my radar, so I wanted to see what the bike course looks like. I know the lake is COLD!!
WAY TO GO MELISA!!!!!!

[Running Mommy]

I just sent her a text on her cell phone, so hopefully she can get texts. I gave her a congrats from all of us.

[tprevost]

I just got back from dinner and checked in and saw that AWESOME finish!! I hope she posts a RR! I have her cell # programmed in my phone so I have half a mind to call her and wish her a congrats... But I don't want to bug her. I wanted to spectate this year too, now I'm bummed!! If I had known she was going to be up there I would have made more of an effort to be there. That race is on my radar, so I wanted to see what the bike course looks like. I know the lake is COLD!!
WAY TO GO MELISA!!!!!!

I read on the website that the bike course is more challenging than people expect... don't know why but I suspect Melisa will let us know ;) You should sign up for next year's race Denise!!!! :p

[tprevost]

I just sent her a text on her cell phone, so hopefully she can get texts. I gave her a congrats from all of us.

Thanks! I sent her an e-mail just after she finished... after IMFL I talked to her DH and if I remember correctly she went straight to the tub! :D

[Running Mommy]

uhhh yeah.. I dunno.. Lets just say that I have ridden with Melisa before and she is an animal on the bike. Me, not so much! :p
I know they changed the bike course, and it sounds like they are changing it again. I'll have to wait to see what the profile looks like, maybe 09. I'm already in for IMAZ 08. Also looking to do IM western Australia at the end of 08- but may have to save that for 09 as well. Two IM's in one year is brutal! Tho Melisa did IMFL last november and then just did CDA, so that's pretty impressive!

[colby]

Congrats, Melisa!! IMFL and IMCdA, you make some of us look lazy... ;) And in 12:29! :D WOOHOO!!

I'm also curious about the bike course. I don't know that area too incredibly well (yet), but most of the area around here is rolling hills. I'd imagine around Hayden Lake there is some hilly area, and if it does go to the Higgens Point turnaround there are some hills along Coeur d'Alene Lake Drive between Coeur d'Alene and Higgens Point.

The marathon would be similar, not superflat, but not as hilly as some. As for the swim, the lake was supposed to be about 62 degrees. Probably a little chilly for the Zonies. ;) The weather was supposed to turn worse, it seemed to be most windy later in the day but the cooler temperatures, super wind, rain, and thunderstorms never came. Spring weather here isn't the most predictable.

[Tri Girl]

Wow- super congrats to Melisa!!! I'm so impressed with her time- and for doing 2 IM's within 7 months of each other! :eek: I'm so in awe of her! Wow!!! Hopefully a race report will come soon (along with pictures of her victorious finish).

I'm seriously debating trying to sign up for the race this morning. Seriously... I want to do another IM and I want my next one to be an M-Dot race- with the thousands of racers and thousands of spectators. I want to do the next one big.
Can't do IMAZ ever because of the cold winters here (and I'm NOT doing 5-6 hour rides on the trainer in Jan/Feb), don't want to do IMLP because it's too far, but CDA is just the right distance away (that's my Goldilocks impression). I take that back- after looking online- CDA is further than NY. Drats! Maybe I'll have to do LP instead....
The bike doesn't look too terribly bad- only 500 ft of climbing or so. Doable.
Hmmmm.... I may try to sign up and see what happens...

[Running Mommy]

Trigirl.. I would LOVE to do IMLP, but looking at that bike profile makes the hairs on my neck stick up in fear! I am NO hill climber!! :eek:
But it just seems like such a classic race.
Spencer was asking me why I haven't done any other ones. I told him that CDA was the only other one I would consider..
IMFL- Jelly fish (my friend Gail was stung in the mouth once and that did it for me)
IMLP- Like I said- HILLS!! nough said
IMMO (WI)- NO desire to go there. Hear it can be hot and humid. I do hot, not humid. I know last year it was bone chilling rain. Just can't see myself going to WI for anything...
IMKY- A new race that sounds about as appealing as IMMOO...

So that leaves IMCDA and IMAZ. I wish they would do one in TX. I would go to TX...
Anyhoo, I can't wait to hear from Ms. Melisa the STUD!!

[colby]

This signup decision is killing me. I haven't even done a HIM, but I will by the end of this year, and I will have ran another marathon, along with several other shorter tris. My husband keeps making suggestions like "I think you should do a HIM first" and my response is "by then, I will have" (or, "you should run another marathon first" -- "by then, I will have"). It's really hard to decide where you want to be a year from now. The timing for IMCdA training will start perfectly after I finish my marathon, and I will have enough cross-training opportunities to finish out the ski season before serous IM training.

I would honestly love it if there was another IM-distance race nearby that I could try first and NOT have to sign up for a year in advance, but IMCdA is physically the closest race to me other than a sprint tri in 2 weeks that I'll be able to walk to from my doorstep. The next closest IM-distance is probably 100 miles away. I need to move to San Diego or something. ;)

Maybe it is too soon for me... but a year is a lifetime. One more hour of internal battle... (negative one hours if you consider I could have physically signed myself up an hour ago)

[Tri Girl]

I didn't sign up. After careful consideration, I'll wait until '09 to do the next IM. I'm starting a new job in the fall, and I think it just might be too stressful doing a new job and training for an IM. Instead, I think I'll try to sign up for IMFL after the race (and for sure try to get in to CDA or LP next summer). I aint scared of no stinkin' jellyfish (ok- maybe a little...).
Did you do it, Colby??

And let us know when you hear from Melisa, Denise!

[colby]

I didn't sign up. After careful consideration, I'll wait until '09 to do the next IM. I'm starting a new job in the fall, and I think it just might be too stressful doing a new job and training for an IM. Instead, I think I'll try to sign up for IMFL after the race (and for sure try to get in to CDA or LP next summer). I aint scared of no stinkin' jellyfish (ok- maybe a little...).
Did you do it, Colby??

Signups aren't until 11 online... it's only 10:15. Still 45 minutes of torture. ;)

I thought about the job aspect, too. I have a demanding job, but I can train in the mornings and weekends. My job does involve some travel, but it's sporadic and planned well in advance (or is very short). The family commitment is another avenue, but they seem supportive. My dad offered to let me tow his kayak swimming, and tow him in a trailer on my bike. ;)

[Tri Girl]

Signups aren't until 11 online... it's only 10:15. Still 45 minutes of torture. ;)

It's STILL not time? I thought you were only one hour behind us. I went to the site and it let me enter all my information (I stopped right before entering the credit card info). I would like to do it, but just don't think this year is the year. I need to get far stronger on my bike before I tackle the next IM. I'd love to do a 6.5 hour bike- and that means dropping 1.5 hours off my last bike time. 2 years will give me plenty of time to do that. :p


My dad offered to let me tow his kayak swimming, and tow him in a trailer on my bike. ;)

Wow- how nice of him. :rolleyes: He just wants to do the IM without putting forth the effort. The only free rides on race day are for the bugs in my teeth/hair. Tell him you'll drag him in the kayak and in the bike trailer if he'll carry you piggyback on the run. ;)

[colby]

It's STILL not time? I thought you were only one hour behind us. I went to the site and it let me enter all my information (I stopped right before entering the credit card info). I would like to do it, but just don't think this year is the year. I need to get far stronger on my bike before I tackle the next IM. I'd love to do a 6.5 hour bike- and that means dropping 1.5 hours off my last bike time. 2 years will give me plenty of time to do that. :p

We're 2 hours from Central, they released it early! I totally missed that. Earlier the active.com page said you have to wait until 11:00, but it's not 11:00 (well, now it's 11:00, but when I started this it wasn't) and I see they put up the price and you can get to the actual entry page now. Man.

I wish it was about the money. It'd be easy to say no if $475 meant I couldn't do any other races.

[colby]

I wish it was about the money. It'd be easy to say no if $475 meant I couldn't do any other races.

Since I can refund up to May sometime and get $150 of my money back, I signed up and will make my final decision later. Now, knowing my personality, I probably will do it anyway, but this gives me until the end of the season to fully decide just how crazy I actually am.

PS: Pressing submit on the entry form is where your mental training starts... ;)

[Tri Girl]

I signed up and will make my final decision later.

YIPEE!!!! You know you're gonna do it! :D Nothing like dropping $500 big ones to make you commit to something a year away! ;)

[KSH]

Congratulations Colby!

Now... you simply MUST do it... so we have another IronWOMAN to cheer on from TE!

[Wahine]

I knew you'd end up signing up sooner rather than later. Well good on ya!!

We'll be here to cheer you on the whole way towards actualizing your Iron Dream.

[colby]

Thanks ladies, how can I let you all down now? ;)

[tprevost]

Trigirl.. I would LOVE to do IMLP, but looking at that bike profile makes the hairs on my neck stick up in fear! I am NO hill climber!! :eek:
But it just seems like such a classic race.
Spencer was asking me why I haven't done any other ones. I told him that CDA was the only other one I would consider..
IMFL- Jelly fish (my friend Gail was stung in the mouth once and that did it for me)
IMLP- Like I said- HILLS!! nough said
IMMO (WI)- NO desire to go there. Hear it can be hot and humid. I do hot, not humid. I know last year it was bone chilling rain. Just can't see myself going to WI for anything...
IMKY- A new race that sounds about as appealing as IMMOO...

So that leaves IMCDA and IMAZ. I wish they would do one in TX. I would go to TX...
Anyhoo, I can't wait to hear from Ms. Melisa the STUD!!


you can do hills, you just have to practice them.... (coming from someone who crawls up them at 3mph :eek: )... but still, everyone else will be doing the same hills!!!!

I wanna come watch you race again!!!! :D

[tprevost]

Congratulations Colby!

Now... you simply MUST do it... so we have another IronWOMAN to cheer on from TE!

+1 YEAH!!!!!! She's committed! ;)

[mommelisa]

First of all - thank you so much for watching out for me yesterday. I can't tell you how much I appreciate it. Tracy sent me a message so I knew you were there with me in spirit and truly - everyone's good wishes helped me to have a wonderful race.

Oh.my.God what a BEAUTIFUL place for an Ironman. I can't even begin to tell you how wonderful the location is, how great the people are here and how amazing the volunteers are!

I will write a longer race report soon, but I wanted to give you the recap real quick. It was crazy at first. The water was so choppy the race director gave us the option of doing a duathlon instead of the IM. Hmmmm, NOPE, I figured I'd swum in that chopfest in Florida, I could do this. Well, it was crazy. The only thing that made it better than FL was that it was fresh water and when you got a mouthful of it, it tasted ok. :-)

Onto the bike and those hills - WOW. Just when you think there couldn't possibly be another hill, there was! And it was big. I tried to ride conservatively the first loop, and by the second loop I was feeling good and I could see a lot of people who'd gone all out on the first loop started to fade. I passed lots of people! I think I averaged just over 17 for the course and I'm SO happy with that. The best thing about the course was that there were people everywhere - truly - everyone came out from there houses, but not just for a few minutes - for hours! I saw the same people on the second loop of the bike as I did on the first!

The run was good. I pretty much ran the first loop (its an out an back like FL along the same course, so you see people a lot) and walked the aid stations. By the second loop, a friend of mine had realized his hernia had popped out and so I walked a bit with him. Then, the girl that I have done all my long runs/long rides with this time was about a mile behind me (she left transition 6 minutes before me and I caught and passed her on the first loop), so I dawdled a bit. We had talked about finishing together if we were ever close enough to do that, so I let her catch me and we ran/walked the last 6 miles together. We got to cross together - I let her go just before me so that my kids could run in with me. It was really great.

My hubby said, you slowed up a bit on the run. And I told him, for me, its all about the experience and making it fun, and running in with Krista made it a once-in-a-lifetime for me.

If you're thinking about signing up for an IM, DO CDA. Really. It is a fantastically managed, setup, held and run race. I can't say enough about good about.

RM - regarding the hills. I trained out in Fountain Hills. NOTHING was harder than that, I promise. They were unrelenting and the wind was pretty bad on the bike, but nothing that you couldn't do. Do it, you will LOVE it, I just know it!!

[btchance]

Great job mommelisa!! Can't wait to hear more about it. And Colby - good luck next year! I'm sure you'll do it. No backing out now:D

[Tri Girl]

Congrats mommelisa!!!!! I can't wait to hear the longer report! The hills weren't that bad, huh???? Maybe I could do CDA! A duathlon? Ha! No way you're training that hard to do a duathlon instead!
Congrats on a great finish- and for having a wonderful time during the race! Way to go!!!!! :)

[colby]

Congratulations, Melisa! I guess this makes you SuperIron? :)

I read in the paper that something like 20 people opted not to do the swim, and started riding around 9:30 instead. Some people opted out altogether, standing on the beach in their wetsuits (one guy said "it's just not my year, I guess."). If I had trained that hard and long just to get there, it would take a lot more than choppy lake water to convince me to turn back. ;) Can't call it an Ironman without some unexpected twist -- last year it was the heat, this year the choppy water, but next year will be perfect... right? :p

Your times were great, I wish I'd have known earlier or I'd have made a point to be there when you crossed the finish. We were all there in spirit. :)

[Wahine]

Great work Melissa!! Thanks for the recap. I've been thinking about that race. Sometime I'll do it.

Great courage to go out there in the water in spite of the choppiness. I'm glad you had a great race and a FUN race.:D :D

[mommelisa]

ok, girls, i've written a race report. you can find it here: http://mommelisa.blogspot.com.

beware its long!

[colby]

ok, girls, i've written a race report. you can find it here: http://mommelisa.blogspot.com.

beware its long!

Great story, Melisa, and not too long. :) Congratulations, once again. Crossing the finish line with your kids must be amazing.

I'm glad Coeur d'Alene was good to you. Apparently the home sales in the area rise every year after Ironman, so there's a lot of people that agree with you. Not sure about the campground in your lake pictures... looks like it could be a golf course back there?

[Tri Girl]

Awesome race report, Melisa!!! I was so caught up in it, I didn't even notice how long it was until the end when I scrolled up (you're quite the writer!).

Congrats again, on an amazing race!!!! So glad you got to enjoy it with your training friends and you were able to share the moment with them!
I was watching live feed during the time that you finished- and I saw you finish with your kids. Didn't even realize it was you until after you crossed- "oh wait- that was mommelisa!!! Go Melisa"

I am seriously thinking of CDA in '09, but those hills scare me. Maybe if I can find something semi-comparable around here to train on (unlikely to find hills that big, tho), it won't be so bad. You made it seem doable! Then again, you're an animal on the bike.

Congrats, 3 time IRONMAN!!!!!!!!!!!!

[KSH]

Awesome race report Melissa! Great stuff!

Yea, there for a moment I was tempted... "maybe you should sign up". Then I was like... NO! Hills I like... but ice cold lakes I do not. And it's kind of cold up there this time of year.

I think I want to do IMFL 08, but now I'm scared of the jelly fish (thanks RM!).

[colby]

Sold out in 6 days.

I had a surreal conversation with a guy I work with (a much faster runner than I, but he hasn't ran distances). He says he's going to 'follow in my footsteps' and run a marathon this year. Then he said maybe in 2009 he'll do Ironman. We had a long discussion about how training for those distances would require certain nutrition and hours and types of training, and it would help to know what a marathon felt like, and have a year to train, and... Needless to say, he doesn't know I signed up. :P

[mommelisa]

i signed up too. it was too beautiful to pass up.

[KSH]

Well, I was tempted... but passed. Cold water and all.

And thanks to RM I got scared of the jellyfish attacks at IMFL... so know I'm eyeing IM Kentucky in 08!

It's looking like the perfect race for me.

[mtbdarby]

IMMO (WI)- NO desire to go there. Hear it can be hot and humid. I do hot, not humid. I know last year it was bone chilling rain. Just can't see myself going to WI for anything...


RM, I'll pretend you didn't just say that! I'm here:p I'm sure Queen, SJCzar, Lise and others would come root you on. Wisconsin isn't so bad - come on - who'll be the first TE'er to do IMMO (WI)???

[eclectic]

Great report Melisa! It wasn't too long at all I was reading it totally enthralled :)
All you Ironwomen are so amazing. When I read your abbreviated report I thought " she makes it sound like a walk in the park" Even after reading your full report I sensed total joy w/ no hints of agony.

Congratulations on a great race and a great day!