Ironman Wisconsin - TriathlonFull Ironman

I started to swim with everyone else when the cannon went off, but it was just crazy so I actually stopped and treaded water for a minute and let everyone go before I started up again. I stayed wide and when I got to the first buoy I realized I was way too wide. That cost me a couple minutes to get back in where I should be. From there on out I didn't have a lot of problems.

Here's the swim getting underway. Can you tell which one is me?


I drank a lot of water before starting the swim so I had to pee by halfway through. I have never mastered swimming and peeing so I stopped and treaded water. One of the kayakers asked me if I needed help. I told her no, just peeing and she laughed and started chatting with me. Apparently I got performance anxiety because after sitting for a minute, it was clear I couldn't go.

I did get kicked once. It was really hard and I was glad it was on my arm and not my face. I almost got kicked again as we were exiting the swim. I was probably 10 meters from the ramp and I felt the water flow by my face and actually saw the foot in front of my goggles. I was glad that one missed me. It was monstrous and I fear it would have done damage.

I stood to pee before I left the water and I think volunteers didn't like it. They kept rushing me. I held my ground and finished. And then I was done.

Maybe not start quite so wide. Maybe swim a little harder and be more aggressive. That's about it.

Good Lord! What was I doing in here that took so long?

Take swimsuit off

Try to put bike shorts on over wet skin (NOT a quick process, but it doesn't take THAT long)

Have volunteer put a half gallon of sunscreen on your legs and then figure out what to do with it all

Get ponytail stuck in helmet so you have to take it off and start over from scratch

Stop at porta potty

Stop to kiss Drew when you see him sitting on the wall by your bike and he's saying, "You're in a RACE! Go!"

Okay. It's all coming together now.

I saw jschmitchicago running into the change room, which was awesome. I knew she had been worried about the swim and she seemed really happy with how things went, so I was glad for her. She was out of transition way faster than me, so I was jealous about that.

Do all of that faster, minus the sunscreen and stuck ponytail, which I would not have happen at all.

Ahhh, the bike. My nemesis! I trained my @ss off for this bike and I really wanted to see a better bike split this year than last time.

I started out and I could tell my brakes were not working like they should coming down the helix. Then things seemed fine until we got to the sharp turn onto the bike path and I couldn't really stop. I rolled off into the grass, got myself to a stop and realized that somehow my back brake was wide open! It had had been closed when I rode on Friday so I don't know how that happened.

I felt good loop 1, but knew I was probably going a little too fast. I didn't care. I smiled up all the hills, and saw the guys when I was climbing B!tch #2. The crowds were awesome, just like the Tour de France, and it was good to see familiar faces cheering for me, especially Drew. I couldn't help but smile! Then I smiled through Verona and on to special needs.

I was also glad I wore my Colorado jersey for the bike. People saw the jersey and yelled things like "Go Colorado" or said something about the hills should feel like nothing compared to Colorado. It was good to have a few extra people cheering for me like that.

I spent longer than I should have in special needs, but I decided I would inhale half a Payday bar and half a bottle of Gatorade way faster standing still than when riding the bike. After a few minutes I took off and could feel the headwind right away. It wasn't strong, but it was enough to make you work harder. I knew I had to make a decision: Back off the bike pace and try to save my legs for the run or keep pushing knowing just how much I would pay for it on the marathon.

I wanted a faster bike split. So I decided to give myself one. I knew what the consequences were going to be and I accepted them.

I still smiled up all the hills. They were tough, but the crowds made them fun, even if things were thinned out a little this time around. I'll admit I was a little sad when I got to the second hill and didn't see Drew. I was really hoping he would wait for me on the second loop. I did see Jonathan though and he told me Jen was just about 20 seconds ahead of me. I rode like a maniac for the next 30 minutes trying to catch her because I knew it would pick me up, and because I wanted to see how she was doing. I never did see her though.

There was some sort of club that had tents on the first and third hill and guys with megaphones. As I was riding up the third hill, he said, "I think we need more cowbell folks." He saw my smile and said, "She likes it! We definitely need more cowbell! Yay Kelly!"

I came around to Verona and knew I was almost done with the second loop. As I was riding through Verona I suddenly saw Drew and Okcy! Yay! It was great to have them out there cheering for us, and how could I not smile when I saw Drew.

Here I am cruising into Verona, checking my watch to make sure I'm going to have time for all that other stuff I had planned today:


My pace was slower in the second loop due to the headwind, but on the stick on the way back in we had a tailwind and I worked it for all I could.

As I was coming through the bike path near the end of the route, I was a woman holding a sign that said, "140.6 miles because 140.7 would just be crazy." Awesome.

Overall I came in about 15 minutes faster than last time.

Nothing. I wanted a faster bike split and I got it.

And I have to admit, as glad as I was to be off the bike this time, I didn't hate it. I actually sort of had fun. I think having done this before I knew I could make it so I was less stressed about things.

Yay! Progress!

This was better than T1, but still slow.

I did a full costume change, and then asked my volunteer to hand me my compression sleeves. Her response was to hand me the arm warmers I had just removed from the back pocket of my jersey. I had to put one on first and realize it was way to loose and way too long to be a compression sleeve before either of us caught on.

I also stopped in the porta potty to pee and my legs were shaking. Eek! The marathon was only just starting for me!

Eh. Not much.

I don't know what to say about this. It was tough from the start. I felt 'okay' the first few miles, but I felt bloated. I knew I had started shutting down my digestive system on the bike and I knew I was going to need to slow it down on the run to get things restarted. So I did.

I did see Tammy (tripletmom) starting her second loop right as I was coming out of T1 and I saw her a few more times on the first loop so that was nice. I also saw Laura around 5 miles in and we talked for a few seconds.

I trudged along and it became very clear after I saw Laura that one solution to my problem would be to... ahem... clear the pipes. I stopped in a porta potty and a great big fat nothing. So I looked at my watch, thought, "Well that's three minutes of my life I can never get back," and I stumbled out dripping with sweat (the porta potties were about 11 million degrees inside), feeling dizzy, and trying to get a grip. I caught Laura shortly after the second loop and walked with her for a minute or so, but my quads were destroyed from the bike and starting to hurt pretty bad by that point. My knees felt like someone was taking a sledge hammer to them. I knew if I didn't start running again I never would, so I took off.

From that point on, things were ugly. I saw Drew a few times on the run and that was awesome. I had to smile when I saw his sweetness out there cheering for me. I was always glad to see him. :) I had to force myself to run after walking the aid stations though and if felt like someone was tearing my quads when I did so. I wouldn't let myself keep walking though. I told myself, 'You made your deal with the devil on the bike course and you knew the consequences. Now that it's time to pay up, you don't get to walk just because it's tough.'

Here I am, gutting it out on the run:


I did see the message someone left for me on the electronic sign. It read "KMarzano good job." I thought maybe it was Drew, but he said no. Whoever left that, thank you. I wish they would have had the sign running on the second loop too because I really appreciated it.

In the second lap I started on the chicken broth and took in as many calories and fluids as I could to rehydrate myself. Finally around mile 19, after multiple failed attempts in the porta potties (I think I probably lost 15-20 minutes on my run with these), I was able to clear the pipes and pick up my pace a little. By then all the stopping and starting for failed bathroom attempts, hills, etc, had taken its toll. I walked the aid stations and made myself run the rest, but my pace was still pretty slow.

I don't care though. I finished. And I smiled for a good portion of this (although admittedly not as much in the second loop - heh). I was smiling as I came around the last corner to the finish, and then I saw Drew and a couple other people. I smiled even bigger, and then I heard Mike Riley announce my name as I came into the finish. Almost as if beyond my control my arms went up above my head, my smile got ear to ear, and then I blew a kiss to the finish line just before I stepped underneath.

All the stress and struggle of training? All the 5:00am wake-ups, all the hours spent on the bike, on the run, or in the pool, and all the mini-meltdowns when I just wanted to remember what a weekend felt like without a multi-hour bike ride? Absolutely worth it. (Although I will ask Drew to remind me of those things when I start getting it in my head that maybe I'm not out of the Ironman business afrter all.)

Not much. I made my choices on the bike and knew I'd have to live with them. And if I had to do it all over again, I'd stand by them.

I was dizzy when I finished so they had me sit down and drink some water. Eventually I found Drew and he took me over where Shannon (swgtri) and Okcy were hanging out. I could barely stand or walk and it still felt like someone was taking a sledgehammer to my knees still. My knees have never ached so bad in my life, and my quads were useless.

I had a piece of pizza and then we headed for the hotel. I got dizzy and had to sit again and we heard them announce Laura's name as she crossed the finish line. I was bummed we weren't over there to see her and even more bummed when I found out Chris proposed to her and we missed it!

I hobbled my way back to the hotel, ordered a Jimmy John's sandwich, showered, and tried to sleep.


Lack of bike legs. That I'm a slow swimmer. GI stuff. All the same stuff as last time.


This race was fantastic again. The volunteers were amazing, things were organized, and the day was all about celebrating the athletes and their accomplishments.

They have gotten rid of a few of the perks that helped justify the hefty registration fee you pay for an IM branded race (no inspirational mile, the electronic sign that reads a message someone has left for you only worked for the first loop, really limited selection of finisher gear, stuff like that), and I would encourage them not to get ride of anymore, but it's still a top notch event. Those things are minor. I'm glad I was a part of it and I would absolutely recommend the race to someone considering an Ironman.