Ironman Arizona Race Report Part 4: Run

Let's just say that I had an amazing run! Running is my favorite part of triathlon, I knew that once I was on the run, I would be an Ironman. The run course was two 13 mile loops, along Tempe Town Lake. 


In my research I knew that my first six miles were going to be my fastest. I knew that I could easily do 8:20-8:40 pace those first 5-6 miles but I had never ran a marathon before so I knew that I had to slow my pace down. My plan was to run my first six miles at 10:00 pace then miles 6-26 try to say at a 11:20 pace.  If anything I have learned since my very first triathlon three years ago is how much of this sport is mental. I had paced the Newport Marathon in June. I paced the second half of the marathon~11:20 group. It was slow and easy for me.  Going into this part of the race I knew that after swimming and biking a 11:20 pace was going to be about perfect and totally doable for me. If I was slower, so be it. Remember, under 17 hours, happy and not end up in the medical tent.  I was excited as lemon lime flavored Gatorade was going to be on the run course, my favorite! The plan was every four miles three Cliff Shot Blocks. I had my fuel on me and if needed I'd stop at the aid stations to fill up, otherwise I'd blow past them. After mile 18 I would start fueling with Red Bull and Coke.


I was so happy to be off the bike. The first mile was a total blast! In the overnight relays that I did over the summer, especially Hood to Coast, I got passed a lot. It pissed me off. Mostly because men were passing me and not even acknowledging my presence. When I pass someone I always give an encouraging word.  I love running off the bike. Bike/run bricks are my favorite during training. I ran some of my fastest training runs after biking. Easy 8:20 miles for a 5 mile run after biking 100+ miles. C-R-A-Z-Y.  According to my Garmin my first mile was 8:45 pace and I counted passing 45 people in the first mile. I thought of my friend Heather, who was all about the "kills"on HTC.  Passing the guys gave me extra energy. More than likely they had totally flew pass me on the bike but now I was passing THEM on my way to the finish line. 

I remember looking down at my watch at mile 13 noticing that my half marathon time was 2:14. The first 13 miles went by pretty quickly. I love my Desoto coolwings. I love how cooling they were but I also knew they would offer me a little bit of warmth as the night went on. I was warned that I could become cold out on the run course. Before the sun fully set, I had volunteers at the aid-stations pour water on my arms, which helped to cool me.  I grabbed my special needs bag before starting the second loop, where I sat down for a brief moment and changed my socks. I was getting blisters on my right foot. I was too close to let a few blisters slow me down. Thankfully my overpacking of my special needs bags came in handy. I had pretty much a complete first aid kit at my fingertips to doctor my feet for the final half of the run. I chugged my final warm V8 of the day along with a Tylenol and slathered arnica gel on my legs and back and off I went. 


This is mile 18 seeing my friends and family. I was so happy to see Mr. W. I went in for a hug before giving high fives to the rest of my cheering squad. My overnight relays that I ran during the summer prepared me well for running at night and running on tired legs. I enjoyed talking to people along the course and seeing all the spectators. After training solo majority of the past seven months race day felt like a day long celebration. 

The second loop I was walking more but still feeling really good and still in a great mood. Never once during the run-as well as the entire day did I feel unable to continue, sick or feel negative about my performance. I chatted with a lady for awhile who was a nurse from Northern California and later a gentleman from Maryland. That helped pass the time. What I found irritating were all the people on bicycles who were supporting people on the run. Seriously? I would have loved to have had my friend Miranda out there riding along side me. I didn't think that was allowed sort of like no headphones during Hood to Coast, which was blatantly ignored. 

Where I live at the Edge of the World I do a lot of my training by the water. The area where I bike has lots of herons and cranes. My husband calls me a bird nerd. I think they are beautiful birds. I would see a lot of them on my early bike rides. I remember having a heron fly right in front of me so close I thought it was going to me. During my run, I was right along the water. I looked over my shoulder, down a set of concrete steps, there I saw a magnificent bluish grey heron and a beautiful white crane standing together. In my exhaustion and shear excitement of knowing I was going to finish the race I teared up. It was a reminder of training at home, like it was with me in that very moment in Tempe. It's a moment that I'll never forget. I didn't think Arizona would have cranes and herons. 


I remember about a mile from the finish line I began to hear cheering and Mike Reilly's voice. I started to get excited and a little sad. My Ironman experience was almost over. I know that sounds crazy, I had been racing ALL DAY but I had been planning, training, visualizing this day for the past year and here it was about to end. End in the most amazing way....Mike Reilly announcing that I was an Ironman. I didn't get emotional until I saw my friend Jessica. I was surprised to see her and her friend cheering for ME. She was waiting for me. I stopped briefly and she yelled, "Mary, your almost done!" Then it hit me. I was going to really do this. I was going to finish an Ironman. BOOM, in front of me was the beginning of finish line. All I remember is how long it was and how many people, complete strangers with their arms outstretched high fiving me as I made my way to the finish line. Then I hear Mike Rielly say, "Mary Williams, you are an Ironman!"

RUN: 5:09:08
Pace: 11:57

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