IMAZ- who's racing?

[mommelisa]

I read some of your blog, and am so impressed that you dropped 90+ minutes on your IM time from CDA to AZ this year. What do you think made the difference, and did you train differently in between races?

hey, laura! congrats on a fantastic finish! april was MISERABLE, i'm so happy for you that you got the chance to do nov's race and that you did so well!

regarding the training... this was my fourth im. i did cda in june and it was my slowest time of the first three and i was disappointed. granted, i had a really tough training cycle that time (sick a bunch, a biopsy scare) but after the race i felt like i hadn't "left it all out there" and since i'd signed up for imaz - i decided to do try to see what i could do.

one of my problems was that i would get to the run and i was so tired, i didn't have that extra umph to keep going, so i'd walk or chat with people on the course - totally unfocused. this time around i did a whole bunch of interval training. speedwork at the track, speedwork on my bike. i really feel like it helped get me past that mental fear of the pain and helped me to push through when it got tough out there.

plus, too, the training cycle was shorter - i started training in earnest for imaz mid-august, which gave me 13 or so weeks vs. the 20 that i did for cda. i think, if you have a good base built up, the shorter cycles are better. AND i didn't do a whole lot of LONG LONG stuff. one 6 hour ride, 3 x 5:30, 1 18 mile run (2:45), 2 x 2:30...

send me an email if you want more info! and again, a huge congrats!!! it was such a beautiful day out there!

[knapplaura]

Mommelisa,

Thanks so much! I emailed you at the address on your blog; hopefully you got it. I did exactly what you said on the run; lost focus and started chatting with people on the course therefore slowing down and even walking more aid stations that needed. My friend who came to watch even said I waited for my chatting buddy after an aid station.

Although it was great for my head to have someone to run with and talk to, I know I could have done better with the fitness I brought to the day if I had pushed more on the run.

Very interested in how you adapted as I look for ways to improve over the season. The short training cycle focus is interesting; I have several Half IMs I want to do over the summer so I will focus on them and not IM in the summer to keep my head fresh.

thanks for the info,
Laura

[Pedal Wench]

Laura, I was recording the live stream (camcorder focused on my screen) to capture my friend who was finishing. Her time was close to yours -- do you want me to see if I captured your finish on the live stream? If so, we'll figure out a way that I can send you the file. I was trying to record in short segments - stopping in between runners - to keep the file size manageable. I'm guessing your first name is Laura...

[Aggie_Ama]

Melisa- Wonderful race report and I read about your mother. I hope you feel that you did her proud, it sounds like you definitely did.

Laura- Congrats getting back out after a DNF. We watched the April edition on Versus, it was painful to watch on TV.

[salsabike]

How great for both of you---Mommelisa, for your time, and Laura, for being able to go back and have a great finish after the last time. It is so impressive, to do an Ironman. Thanks for letting us know!

[knapplaura]

Pedal Wrench,

Wow! That is awesome! Yes, if you could send it to me that would be awesome! Will PM you with my email. I was #2262, Laura Knapp, from Montgomery Alabama.

thanks so much!!!

Laura

[mommelisa]

laura - sorry for the delay - i'm in a post-IM, post-thanksgiving stupor. :-) replying to your email now!!

[Pedal Wench]

Pedal Wrench,

Wow! That is awesome! Yes, if you could send it to me that would be awesome! Will PM you with my email. I was #2262, Laura Knapp, from Montgomery Alabama.

thanks so much!!!

Laura

I'll let you know if I captured it tomorrow. I can't find the memory card that it's on.

PW

[KSH]

I am very late on this... but congratulations to Melisa and Laura!!!!

Awesome times!!!

[colby]

Congrats Melisa, congrats Laura!

Sub-12... whew!! I have dreamed about that, but I don't see it happening anytime soon. Wow.

[Pedal Wench]

I found her! If anyone else knows anyone who finished between about 13:20 and 13:40, I probably recorded them. Let me know. Laura, I'm looking into a public FTP site that I can post the whole file to so you can download it in the best quality (which isn't much, since it's just my camcorder pointed at my computer screen!)