Theory paper avoidance technique #1

Hey do you know what motivates you to get your Ironman Race Report done? Avoiding editing your 4000 essay, Muted Group Theory on Women in Sports. (yes, Julie your copy will be waiting for you in your inbox before the weekend is out)

So with out (too) much delay I give you my 2008 Ironman Race Report



It's 4:20 and the alarm goes off and before I even open my eyes I can feel the butterflies moving around in my stomach. This is it, the morning I've been both looking forward to and dreading for a year, it's Ironman. As I rush around double checking everything and making panicked phone calls (why did I wait until last night to read the info sheet! Reflector tape!) the time is flying by.

On to body marking and you can feel the anxiety from the crowd from a block away. I drop my special needs bags off and bump into a TriCops teammate, happy to have some company to nervously chat with in the lines. As they mark me up I ask for a smiley face not aware how much pivotal that smiley face is going to be later in the day. As I walk into transition the wave of anxiety grows. I keep in mind some advice I was given months back and as I smile at everyone I feel the butterflies starting to relax. I look up at the sunrise and think uh oh, red sky at night sailors delight, red sky in morning... crap! Not willing to let a little nersery rhyme ruin my day I get every sorted, drop off my dry clothes bag thinking how warm they will feel in many, many hours and cross the first of many timing mats.

The swim... This was my foe. I had worked so hard and had so many set back with the swim this year I wasn't sure which Sharkie was going to come out. Okotoks 8th outta the water sharkie or panic and flail sharkie from Chinook. I had a brief giggle to myself as I thought about Shannon's flower powered shark and thought again what noise a flower powered shark would make? I had worked hard for this day and wasn't prepared to let a little bit of swimming get in my way. Then the butterflies were gone and its game time. Fat Boy Slim was blaring and I started to get psyched! The gun goes and we're off. I had placed myself off to the left but as we headed into the water I realized I had a lot of open water and started to beeline over to the main pack. I was calm and ready to get thrashed around a little bit if it meant getting on some quicker feet. Thinking about Sly Corbett's many swim mornings were working. I was psyched to be there elbows and all. I kept myself entertained. In no time we were at the house boat, I waved at the scuba diver, one more turnaround before heading back to the peach. I have to admit this was the only time of the entire day I found myself bored. I was being (perhaps overly) cautious with my pace and just wanted to have a great swim. There are only so many times I can think in my head 'my blueberries, my blueberries, my blueberries and stretch the stroke, stretch the stroke ,before you started to get a little stir crazy. The hotel was getting closer and then I started to hear the crowd. As I got out of the water I was so proud of myself. That swim was the scariest thing to me a year ago. I remember feeling panicky just watching the swim. I never thought I was going to be able to make it, I never thought I could become a swimmer. But there was no time for gloating it was time to get on that bike!

Having ingesting too much lake water my stomach was sketchy heading out of town. Trying to remember what everyone had said about pacing the first 50km I just let them all pass while I tried to bring my heart rate down to a more reasonable 175 while trying to jam as many fig neutons into my tummy as possible! By the time I got to Osyoos my tummy wasn't feeling too hot. Then outta nowhere as I was climbing up Richtor Pass I got extremely dizzy and very fatigued. I thought it was WAY too soon to be feeling this terrible. I remembered this feeling from California and thought sodium, that's what I need, and lots of it! I threw out my dream time and said now we're here to finish. Be cautious and don't do anything stupid. By the time I got to the 3rd roller I had brought myself back from the dead. I felt strong but I was still cautious about the pace. I found myself in better spirits then I have ever been climbing Yellow Lake. I was having such a great time on the bike I never wanted it to end. I love the bike. I make my major error at the top of Yellow and grabbed two waters, not wanting to take the time to get the lid off and get nuun in I figured I was fine and just tried to get hydrated with water. I believe this to by my major error of the day. Coasting back into town I started to feel extremely fatigued again but excited knowing I was almost 2/3 of the way to the finish line.


The transition from bike to run was quite possible the most painful experience I had had that day. My toes were throbbing from my bike shoes. My ankle immediately spoke up and announced it's displeasure, while my shins throbbed in agreement. My tummy was extremely unhappy. I couldn't figure out what it needed. I hobbled my way out of town as the rain started, giving me a misguided sense of relief. I made a rookie mistake and thought, I'm good I don't need any salt tabs in this rain. Fatal error #2. I was getting dizzy as I ran out of town and sucked back one of many gels. It booted me temporarily and enough to get past my family looking fine but by the time I hit Skaha I was done. I was overheating, extremely dizzy and my vision started to go. Everything went to tunnel and blurry in the peripheral. I started to get a little freaked out and was getting upset that they didn't have any chicken soup at the first few aid stations. Damn those fast athletes! By the time I hit Mclean Creek Road I was weaving all over the place panic started. My shins were screaming and I could see my ankle swelling. I thought briefly about asking a paramedic to check me out but knew they would pull me off course. I did a self check, I knew as awful as I felt I could finish this. Seeing all the TriCops on their way home helped keep the negative spirits at bay and a hug from Jenna was a fantastic push up that hill into OK Falls. A former team-mate was looking rough heading out of OK Falls she see me as said 'oh poor Kelsey' I was floored and more then a little pissed off. People were encouraging the whole way and here is this person I've known and trained with telling me poor Kelsey! That was the anger I needed to push down to OK Falls and back up that mother of a hill. That and the flat cream soda in my special needs bag!

I was amazed by the women offering dry shirts at the half way point. Having heard so much about the Penticton fans I was still impressed by the energy from the crowds. They were crutial coming back. The great thing about the turnaround was that I knew every step was bringing me closer to the finish. I was still pretty dizzy and out of it but able to jog the back. I started dry heaving around the 20 mile mark right in front of Cal Zarinski. First, I was amazed that he was sitting out there cheering everyone in. Then he ran up to me and made me look him in the eye as he told me I was going to be ok. I will never forget that. I started to round the last corner before the city limits and started to feel even worse. This is where I knew the mental game was going to be all I had left to get me through. I started to think about Tricia my warrior from last year's trip to Austin and all that she has had to endure. Leukaemia, Necrotizing fasciitis and still the most positive person I've ever have the pleasure to met. I thought to myself suck it up Wiens you are able to do this, you choose to do this. As painful as this feels right now you will feel better in an hour. I don't know that I could have made that last push without her support.

I had made a deal with myself earlier in the run that despite everything I really wanted to finish under 15 hours. I'm not sure why this number was so important to me but as I got to the top of main street I realized I had 16 minutes to make it there. So out came the trademark Wiens sprinting legs. I don't think I will ever be able to tell you where this energy came from. I'm sure scientists say it's adrenaline but I like to think it was all of my friends and family back at home watching online helping push me that last 20 blocks. As I got onto Lake Shore I still wasn't sure I was going to be able to make it. I pushed and pushed and wait for the mother freakin turnaround, where the hell was that flipping boat! I knew I had to book it to make it back in time. A spectator shouted out I had plenty of time to make it there under 15. I could hear the announcer say we've got less then 5 minutes left. I swore under my breathe and begged my legs to keep moving the roar of the crowd pulled me in and I looked at the clock, I still had a minute and 10 seconds to spare. Entering the gate is a blur, the voices the crowds I tried to look for my friends and family but can't see anything but that number, the only thing voice I hear as I throw my arms up in the air to cross that tape is “Kelsey Wiens you are an Ironman”


There are so many things that you can't prepare yourself for. I had thought about that moment for a year. Keeping it in mind when I freaked out in my swim at the half, those months when I wasn't able to run, the frustrations at my training, the stress of not speaking with my Father, the joy of a perfect ride in California, the hours in the pool with Syl, the hill repeats on Edworthy, the school acceptance, packing, endless trips back and forth from Penticton. So many hurdles to overcome, so many things that bring you there. Only you know how it feels, only you know what it took to get there, only you know that nothing stands in your way.

I want to thank so many people. You'll have to forgive me if I forget anyone I promise it's not on purpose. To my friends and family who put up with my rants about triathlons, skipping dinners to train and generally being a pain in the rear. Thank you. Days like this are made possible by you.

To the blog-o-sphere. Shannon, Susi, Darryl, Jenna Keith and Julie thank you for always being there with words of encouragement and funny stories. Many dark days were brightened because of you guys.

To my Tri-Cops Team-mates. You guys made the day brighter with your cheers and support. Brad and Kath especially. Without you guys I don't know who would have answered my insane newbie questions. Thank you so much for taking such great care of me over the weekend. It would have been a lot harder without your support.

Mo, this is still all your fault! Thank you for being the first person who believed I could do it.

Thank you to Lisa and Chris at the Bike Barn, Lola felt great the whole ride thanks to you guys!

My bike boys, you guys from TCR's spin class and the California trip. I kept balance because of you. I miss my boys. Riding in Victoria isn't the same as those long ride south of Calgary. Jamie, thank you for all of your encouragement letting me bend your ear on all my Ironman questions. I can't wait to see you out there in 2010