I’m excited to be racing Ironman Jacksonville in May. This will be my 22nd Ironman race, but it will be my first Ironman in 3 years. You would think that racing Ironman wouldn’t be such a big deal after having done so many, but it almost feels like I’m doing my first all over again. I sometimes wonder how on earth I’ll be able to race an entire Ironman! Yet, at the same time, I’m excited to do it.
I am not taking this endeavor lightly; I am focused and locked into training. Something I haven’t really been in a few years. Sure, I’ve been training and racing, but this year is an entirely different level of focus. I truly believe this is what it takes to train and perform as best as I can. I will be entering the 50-54 age group and recently realized that I’ve raced in every age group up to this point. 18-24, 25-29, 30-34 (I may not have raced an age group category in this time span as I was racing Pro at this time, but I was racing from 30-34!), 35-39, 40-44 and 2025 was my last race in the 45-49 Age Group!
The goal: Qualify for Kona again! 2026 will be back to the original men’s and women’s format, and I want to be back there!
I see trends in the athletes I coach, and 2026 is a big Ironman year. I always have some athletes racing Ironman, but for whatever reason, I am finding that many more of my athletes are racing an Ironman, as opposed to the past few years, where most athletes raced 70.3 or shorter. It's looking like an exciting year for everyone!
Last year I wrote a blog about what I’ve learned over my many years in the sport, how I’ve changed as I’ve aged, and tips for my athletes. I thought it was worth posting again!
*The most successful athletes I have are the most CONSISTENT. Hands down, that is the most important aspect related to success. Almost 30 years of consistency has most certainly shaped me.
*I recover more. Don’t be afraid to REST and RECOVER! I used to dread doing this in my 20’s, now I love a good recovery day (or week!)! Recover so you can make the most out of your key sessions.
*I do “stretching and mobility exercises” every day (and a dynamic warm up before my runs!). I never had to do this, but now I do. I use an app and follow their 16-20 min routine daily as well as their 5 min dynamic warm up. I truly believe it helped me to evade injury the past few years. The less injuries, the more consistent you become!
*Consistent strength training. I dabbled in this throughout the years but was never consistent. This is the key as we age. No excuses, we must do it!
*I eat a lot of protein. This was something I discovered in my late 30’s after reading Dr. Stacey Sims’ book, ROAR. I was dealing with stress fractures for the first time in my life. Discovered I wasn’t eating enough protein. Changed it up, added a LOT more and never had another stress fracture again! Protein is especially important for women!
*I'm not hard on myself. After almost 30 years of doing this, I realize training doesn’t have to be perfect. Some days you’ll feel great and nail the workout. Other days, you may have to cut a workout short or even skip it! As a younger athlete, I’d feel bad about this. Now I know it's just part of training! Consistency is what wins in the end, not nailing every workout! I find this is the hardest concept for most triathletes to get!
*I run my easy runs EASY! This is a big one. In 2021 I did an experiment with myself, Zone 2 HR running. This changed my view on how to train, both for me and my athletes. My easy runs are super easy, I don’t really care about what pace those runs are! Hey, if Kipchoge can start his long runs at 9 min pace, I can certainly stand to slow down! I believe this has also led to me having far less injuries. MOST of the training volume I do in a week is in the “easier” zone!
*I continue to do this sport because I really enjoy the community! Isn’t that part of why we all do it? Sure, I’ve made a career coaching triathletes (lucky me!), but triathlon has enriched my life in so many other ways too. First and foremost, it's the people, the community! Train with a group, find a training parter around your ability! Sharing the journey with others is the best part of the sport!
I plan on documenting my journey throughout my Ironman training and my goal of getting back to Kona, plus updates on my athletes racing ironman, 70.3’s and even the shorter local races which are the lifeblood of the sport!
2026 is going to be a special year!