A Powerful Finish-Ironman Arizona 2016

Now that I am about 1 month post Ironman, I think I have started to process the epic adventure that led to Mike Reilly saying "Anna O'Donnell, YOU ARE AN IRONMAN."

Before I begin the race report, the song below captured my 2016 during training in the sun, cold, wind, rain, on the bike, in the water and on my runs.

The Greatest

Week Before

We arrived in Tempe the Wednesday before the race. I am so glad we did.  After we pulled up to the condo and unloaded, I changed into my bike gear and headed out to do a 45 min ride and a 20 min run. There was this great little neighborhood across the street with no traffic and cute houses. You know the houses, the ones that have the little library houses in front of them so you can take a book or put a book in it.  I shifted my gears back and forth, dropped in aero and played around a bit to get loose. I stopped at a couple of book houses and looked in, I said hi to people I would repeatedly see-like the mail man and people working in their yards. I could feel the warmth of the sun and birds were chirping. Then on my last go around, I came across this house with this gate.  How awesome is this? People could come by and put what they are thankful for.  I got off my bike, read what strangers had written and then added my own: My Health (with heart symbol).  I then pedaled to the condo and ran around our own little neighborhood, weaving into each subsection.  This was a total mood changer after being the car for so long. 

                                    

Thursday I got up and headed to a pool for a shakeout swim and then a hour bike.  I came home ate and then headed to the expo with Summer and my dad and checked out the vendors and showed them the logistics for the race and where to be. After they left the expo I met Heather Grahame (from my home town) and my Betty teammate, Jenni.  I registered this day and headed over to the athlete talk. I checked in with Heather to see how she was feeling and it calmed my nerves.  Jenni and I then went over dumped our things in her car and did a 40 min run on the run course.  We ended at the swim start. I stood on the ramp and envisioned my race plan and getting in the water.  On our way out of the expo, we snapped a picture with Pro Woman Triathlete, Heather Jackson.  She placed 3rd at Kona and the first American to place at Ironman World Championships in 10 years!  I describe her as the Pink! of  triathlon.  She is super sweet and badass.  Then, Jenni and I drove the course a bit.  That was a long day and I was beat.  Once getting home, I ate and went to the hot tub and then to bed.  

On Friday, I woke and took the day off. I did go over the expo again to meet another Betty teammate, Kayla and to hear the athlete talk again, just to make sure I heard everything. Then Heather G. and I stayed to listen to the Pro Panel.  It was a great opportunity to hear some of the greatest triathletes talk.  I asked the question "What do you think about when you are really suffering out there?" Because Ironman is more mental than anything. Afterwards, I got my picture with Meredith Kessler. Now she is one of my pro-crushes because: I grabbed her bike last year at IM AZ, I follow her on Instagram and she replies to her fans and shares tips and she knows who I am (which is nuts) and she is a true class act and very approachable.  Her book is also very good! Check it out: Life of a Triathlete. Then I headed back to the condo and relaxed and napped.  I got up and started putting my bags together.  You get 5 bags: Run Gear, Bike Gear, Special Needs Run, Special Needs Bike and Morning Gear.  On Saturday I had to turn in Fuego (my bike) and both special needs bags.  In my special needs bags I put extra fuel, shirt/jacket, socks, Aleve, Imodium, caffeine, treats (gummy bears and oreos on the run), tube for my bike, cream, small flashlight, band aids.  I always took the little baggy with Aleve and Imodium and on the run took the caffeine and on the run I took the little baggy of gummy bears and oreos (only could consume gummy bears-it pained me to toss the oreos). 

Saturday I did one last 15 min ride on my bike to get the gears where I wanted them and then once again ran around the condo complex taking trails connecting each subdivision.  Got back, ate, showered and got my bike ready.  I put pink ribbon on my bags so they would be easy to find in case a volunteer couldn't grab it for me.  I grabbed my gear bags -special needs bags went on the morning with me. I went through them one more time-Run: running shoes/belt/hat/timer/socks/fuel/glide-CHECK. Bike: Helmet/shoes/socks/jersey/shorts/beacon tracker/glasses/sunscreen-CHECK. Fuego had all the supplies in back pack for flats, tires were good and chained greased one more time.  I headed over to the expo early.  Mainly I wanted the bike guys to look at it-mainly for peace of mind of first Ironman nerves and avoid the crowds.  Fuego likes to be first on the rack and ensure his position.  I entered the bike area and they stop you and take a picture of your bike for legal purposes. I racked Fuego and headed to turn in my bags and look at how I would be coming in from each transition and looking for my bag.  I came back to my bike and looked at it one more time and the girl down a few bikes came over and introduced herself, I forget her name, but she was from Kona, so I nicknamed her Kona.  We shook hands and talked for a bit.  We would start the run together-I yelled "Kona!" when I saw her and we chatted for a bit.  I then went over to meet my Betty Teammates for a photo and a quick mentor session from those that have complete Ironman's before. I met up with Kayla after and we had a quick catch up at the local coffee shop to clear our heads and hang out for a minute. I headed back to the condo.  My friend Mark recommended to go to a movie the afternoon before.  It's quiet, dark and no one can talk to you!  Perfect advice!  My friend Summer and I headed out and my dad watched the Notre Dame game in peace and quiet as well #winning. In line for the movie we met a triathlete from Ireland.  We chatted him up a bit-he had the same idea as us.  The best part, they had reclining seats! After the movie we headed back to the condo for my typical pre-race dinner: salmon, sweet potatoes and a few veggies. Laid out morning gear, wrote notes on what I needed from the fridge and headed to bed. I was exhausted so I slept from 7:30 pm to 3:30 am. Pretty decent sleep.

                                     
                 

RACE DAY

3:30 alarm goes off.  I get up, grab some coffee, make my oatmeal and put hot water in my hot water bottle for my Achilles (nothing was wrong-just a good practice to keep everything loose). I drink my coffee and eat my oatmeal while looking over messages on my phone.  I do this for 10 minutes.  I then go and make sure everything is in my bags, especially my morning bag-which has my bike bottles and nutrition.  I grab things out of the fridge/freezer (waters, PB crustables) and make sure I have my wetsuit/cap/googles. All the while drinking coffee to warm up the system. Then head to the bathroom and put on my tri suit on.  After I went to the counter where I had my race numbers and Betty tattoos, watch, road id, USA bracelet (good luck charm).  Put everything on.  Texting teammates at this point as well.  Making sure we are all headed over.  I put on sweatpants, jacket and hat on, flip flops and breathed.  I make sure my sherpas all have their stuff.  We take a selfie and head out.  I sit in the back and play a song that gets me ready before every race: Bon Iver's Holocene.  This song centers me.  I heard it in a yoga class in 2013 and listen to it whenever I need to find my center and remember to breathe.  

As we are driving, I visualize the race and the morning and remind myself to embrace the energy.  We cross the infamous Tempe bridge-the one in just a couple of hours I would be swimming under-and I look to my right and I see the frenzy that is Ironman.  I start to tear up.  I tear up not out of fear, but realize that I am about to embark on a journey that started a year ago and accomplish a dream. We park and I grab my stuff and we had over to the bike section.  Since only athletes could come in, I point to where my bike is.  Luckily for me, it was only 4 rows from the bike out, so not a lot of running and dodging other people with my bike.  I take my morning gear bag over with my bike pump to Fuego.  Tires are good, no need for the pump, so I let others use it. I put my fuel on my bike-which is perpetuem, gummy bears in my bento, honey stinger coca cola chomps, base salt, and electrolyte drink of Isagenix, and Nuun.  I taped fuel to my main bar so I could grab and rip it off during the ride.  I also put a gel and a crustable sandwich in my bento box.  In my back pocket of my jersey I have endurolytes extreme and anti-fatigue.  I head over to drop off my special needs bag and head back to meet my dad and Summer. I take an Imodium. I meet up with Jenni and we hop in the bathroom line one more time before transition closed and then we head over to put our wetsuits on.  Kayla meets up with us at this point. I keep pulling my sleeves up and the sleeve on the right I make sure is pulled over my watch so when they strip my wetsuit off me after the swim, it doesn't get stuck. Jenni and I head over to the swim start and I hug my sherpas and head over.  I am so thankful for Jenni that morning, her calm energy really calmed my nerves.

Line up in the swim start. Slowly kept moving to be in the middle of the 1:10-1:20 group. My practice swims had me at 1:19.  I wanted to be out of the water by 90 min, so thought this be a good start. I lined up and moved to the right. My friend Stephanie told me to keep right, she did it last year and the people around me seconded that.  I chatted with those around me. We are all on the same adventure, some first timers-others were multiple Ironman.  We all wish each other good luck.  The cannon goes off and we all start moving forward. It's a wave start and we watch how people are getting in and it doesn't look that bad. They are spreading people out pretty well.  I head down the steps to the water and jump in and instantly feel calm.  I love the water and swimming and my body was ready. I began swimming and sighting and just doing my thing.  I kept telling myself that this is a long day, so keep consistent and stretch out your stroke.  Then half way through the first length I felt something on my right under my arm pit.  My wetsuit was cutting into my side.  I put it out of my head and hoped for the best.  With each stroke I could tell it was going to be leave a mark and hoped I wouldn't feel it the rest of the day.  I either didn't pull it up properly after making sure my watch was covered or lost enough weight that the suit needed to pulled up more regardless.  I modified my stroke a bit, but mainly just put the pain out of my head.  I really didn't get hit a lot during the swim, only really once close the turn buoys, a women hit my head and goggles.  I did scream-only because I was shocked.  She did ask if I was okay, I said yes.  It happens.  Otherwise people would hit your legs and move over.  Turned at the last buoys and picked up the speed a bit. More swimmers now and just moving past them.  Sighting was pretty easy in one way, I just would look at the buoys on sight and then the bridges the next.  Just get to that bridge.  It was hard to sight sometimes because the volunteers had bright orange shirts on as well.  I would see the numbers on the buoys and count down.  Final turn and I could see all the volunteers on the steps cheering and pulling people out of the water.  I swam over to them, reminding myself that there are steps underwater so pull my legs up. Grabbed the volunteers hands and up I go.  You are always a little disorientated from having your body horizontal and then all the sudden vertical, but put my goggles up, pulled my wetsuit cord and got it down to my waist, found a stripper, sat down and she yanked it off and another grabbed my hand to pull me up.  She handed me my wetsuit and said have a great race! The crowds are awesome. I start running to T1 and I hear Summer and my dad and gave a thumbs up and yelled "I made it out!"

                         











                               

I ran into T1, a volunteer handed me my bag with the pink ribbon on it and I headed off into women's section.  I wasn't changing so I plopped in a chair.  I put my wetsuit on the ground and opened my bag.  I opened my sugar free red bull and it was about the time I gulped it that the volunteer next to me tried to give my wetsuit to another racer and I was doing the screaming with your mouth full of liquid, thank goodness she heard me.  I laughed and so did she.  I said "Please don't give away my ROKA wetsuit!" She helped me put my Big Sky Cyclery shorts on and Betty jersey and I wiped my feet dry and got rid of the grass, put on my socks and shoes.  She handed me the items to put in my jersey pocket.  Put my helmet on and sunglasses on.  I sprayed sun screen on and thinking since I didn't have any glide I would just add it to the gash on my right side from my wetsuit.  I did.  Then I immediately closed my eyes, did a silent scream and tried not to pee myself. Not the best idea. Said thanks to the volunteer and headed through the tent into the bike area.  They yelled out my number and grabbed my bike and handed it to me.  I ran to the mount line and silently said to myself as I clipped in "Let's do this Fuego" and we headed off.  

       
                                                                         

I heard Summer and my dad cheering at the first section.  I know it takes me 6 min or so for my quads to warm up to biking. They didn't feel like they needed it this time, but still took it easy.  A few turns later, the bike portion started the accent up the last stretch before the turn around point.  I stayed in aero and started climbing and passing people. Every so often I heard someone I pass say "I thought this was supposed to be flat."  I kept thinking to myself "thank goodness for all the climbing I get to do in Montana." Then a girl passed me and said "oh you are from Hellllaaayyynnna" (my bike shorts say Helena, Montana on the back) and then she says "my good friend is lives there!"  I reply "Oh awesome!" And I quietly think to myself if she was that good of a friend she would tell you how to pronounce the town.  Hit the turn around and put it on the hardest gear and put the hammer down. Looking at my computer and very happy with what I was seeing!  Nutrition is on point, feeling good and rounding the turn around to start the second loop.  More cheers from the crowd and my sherpas. I am heading in to the second loop and doing my thing.  And a girl passes me and slows down and so I stop pedaling.  You needed to be 6 bike lengths behind someone.  I didn't hit my brakes but was coasting to let her be in the lead and then BAM! An official kindly tells me: 1681 you have a penalty, stop in the penalty tent.  I replied "where is that?!" She tells me at the turn around and that it's a stop and go.  If you don't stop, you can get a DQ, so you definitely don't want to miss it. Damn green sock girl.  So off to climb I go, being a bit more careful.  I reach the turn around and I see the penalty tent and roll in.  They mark me and let me go.  Heading back out I look over to my right and see a guy just sitting on the side of the road and his bike leaning against a trailer.  I hope he is just taking a breather and not done.  I hammer down.  My stomach starts to tighten at this time.  I keep on my nutrition and add more water.  I get to the special needs bags for the bike. Refuel, grab my baggy of Aleve and take an Imodium and head back out.  I get out of aero to see if that makes my tummy feel better.  A bit and I just breathe.  I inhale and exhale.  Thankful that I can be out here doing this and even though my stomach hurts.  My right hip begins to ache.  It did this early in the season but hasn't since late August.  But, I am pushing hard and have been in aero most of the time.  I come to the last turn to start the third lap.  My plan was to do the first lap easy, second lap moderate and third lap fast.  

I start on the third loop, hearing the cheers and then there she was.  A girl jumped out in the course, in a tiara, pink boa, a sign that said "Don't Suck" and she was screaming.  It was my Betty sista, Kristina Jensen.  She flew in and surprised us.  I text her a couple days to pray for me on the course and for the day.  She is amazing.  I scream and start crying and reach my hand out to hers. That moment gave me the best energy.  Pretty soon my stomach eased up, my hip pain was gone (courtesy to an Aleve and an agreement to my kidneys to not fail me now, please).  I kept thinking this is it!  Last loop and I have to get back and see Kristina.  On the third loop I was wondering why there were no desert horses out here to cheer us on?  What kind of race is this?  This gal and I were working together to get it done, taking turns passing each other. Doing saddle breaks when I needed them. Staying on nutrition and hydration.  I dropped a hammer product and all I could think was "please let there be no official behind me."  Clear.  The mantra I told myself on training runs I was saying now and especially on the second loop pacing and it is "settle in...settle in." Settle in your bike, on your run, in the discomfort, in the pain at times, in the joy and the gratitude.  Settle in it, take it in and make it part of you.  Use it.  I spy the bike end and roll up in there and a bike handler greets me.  It wasn't hard to get off my bike as I thought it would after that long.  I head in to T2, look for my sherpas (where are they?! I need cheering damn it-ha) and then a volunteer hands me my bag and I head over to find a chair. 

I grab a chair and I look over and a volunteer is sitting next to me on her phone.  I have this look I am sure that says "Help me, please."  She gets off her phone, apologizes and starts helping me.  She tells me that she is trying to track her friend that is racing.  I tell her don't worry, I was volunteer tracking my friend last year.  I asked how her friend is doing as she is helping me change and fill my fuel belt. She says the tracker doesn't have her moving so she is concerned. I drink a red bull, put my race belt on, wipe my face and stand up.  That is when her friend shows up, with her bags and sits down.  Her friend says she was stopped on the start of her third lap because she wouldn't make the cut off and she already cried about it.  The volunteer turns to me and continues to hand me my hat and I tell her to take care of her friend, I am good.  Race belt and fuel belt clipped on and then I hear "Go Anna!" I look around and then I hear "Up here on the bridge!"  I look up and it's Kayla's husband, Brandon and her mom.  Then her mom yells "Get going!" I wave and yell back "I am!" Then I head to the run out.

I wasn't sure how my legs would feel after the bike.  I know that I trained a lot of bricks with biking and running, but still in the back of my mind I was like "I wonder how this will feel." I hit my Galloway beeper and head out. I feel great. I hear my family and friends cheer and I start out.  The energy from the crowd is amazing!  I start out and I see the girl I met when I first racked my bike-I yelled out "Kona!" and she smiled and said we should run together.  I tell her I do the Galloway method, but to go do her thing.  I feel pretty good.  I pass the first aid station and keep trucking.  I can't believe how the crowd and volunteers energize you.  I pass through a "party zone" of speakers yelling my name and cheers and head back towards T2 and pass it and keep going to the outer parts of the run.  I like this part only because you feel like you are on a trail with the trees and bushes on each side of the sidewalk path.  I can hear cheers on the other side of the lake and look over and see lights and a party zone over there and excited to get there.  I keep doing my interval of 2:1.  Feeling good.  I stop at aid stations for water and to put ice in my hat for my head.  Sips of coke and red bull at alternating aid stops.  I turn and head to the party and see Paige, Kayla and Jenni from the team running pass me heading back to the next loop.  We say hi and I high five Jenni. I pass the Base Salt tent and I see Kristina and Susan!  We hug and she puts glitter on me and runs with me a minute.  She asks about how I am feeling-I say good!  I continue to head out.  I smile at volunteers and cheerers and people pass me and say they love my outfit.  I continue through a neighborhood and hit the turn around and head back and then loop through bridges and by a main street.  I then head back towards the party and up the back side and I keep thinking how Stephanie did this route last year.  I turn and head to under the bridge.  I know from cheering last year, I am almost half way there.  I grab a glow necklace they hand out and head to under the bridge.  I see my cheering squad and smile.  I am still feeling good. Nutrition is on point, plus all the coke and red bull a girl can sip!  I am glad I am at mile 13.  I keep thinking about just making it to check points that could lead to cutoffs.  I see the signs saying go left of the second loop and straight to the finish.  I had back out for the second loop.

The second loop is quieter and the sun has set. I still feel good and I keep trucking along.  A lot of people are walking now.  At one of my walk intervals I am next to a gentleman and he mentions how cold it's getting.  I say that this is perfect weather and warm to me. He asks where I am from. I say Montana.  He says he is too, originally.  He asks where I live-I say Helena and then he says he is from Billings.  I say I am originally from there as well! My beeper goes off and he yells "I went to Skyview." I shout back " Go West High Bears!" I continue on until the next beep.  He catches up to me and we talk some more. His parents still live in Billings. We talk about our jobs and he works for State Farm and points to the building to our left.  He asks what intervals I am doing and if he can join me. I say sure and we head off on the next beep.  We do a couple intervals and he on the start of the next run he says he needs to let me keep going and I say bye and he shouts "You are a rock star!" I continue on and I see Kayla at mile 17 cheering for me.  I keep moving forward.  I give her family high-fives.  I am smiling and still feeling great.  

I head around the same loop for the last 9 miles as mentioned above again.  I tell myself to keep moving forward, just keep moving forward. I run past people still cheering on the course and I hear "You're still running! Awesome-keep going!" And I think to myself "I am!" My race, my pace.  I do walk a little bit more from mile 22-24. I think to myself at this time "This is past your bedtime-get going!" I am on the last stretch and I am running with the same guys going back and forth.  I can hear the finish in the distance at mile 25. I go under the bridge one last time.  I turn the soft turn and see the sign that says finish with the arrow pointing straight.  I am not sure at this point how far away the finish actually is, but as I pass the sign I stop to walk.  I am in the moment.  The moment of someone about to realize a dream come true, a hug goal coming to fruition.  I hear from someone on my left yell "Turn your fuel belt around so they can just see your name!"  I nod and do so.  I do not look at the person as I am overcome with emotion because I see the turn for the chute is just ahead of me. I see the lights and I hear Mike Reilly.  I see a sea of people at that turn and I start running.  I turn left and I am now at the start of the finishers chute. People are lined up basically from the finish sign to the finish line.  I start down the finishers chute.  I see a guy leaning over the edge on the left and he is so pumped and cheering and he shouts "You are a fucking Ironman!" I smile at him and the tears start.  I am tearing up and running and hoping I can hear my dad and friends.  I feel myself wrapped in love from all these strangers cheering and witnessing such a great moment in my life.  Such an accomplishment.  Such a goal and culmination of sacrifice and hard work.  I hear my support crew on my left and I go over and high-five and they can see I am tearing up. And I continue on.  There is this blur of a force sending me towards the light.  I am energized.  I run in and do a little hop, then put my hands in the air and then I lose my shit. I hear Mike Reilly say "Anna O'Donnell, YOU ARE AN IRONMAN."  I put my hands over my face and weep. I look up, put my hands on my hips to compose myself and that is when a lady comes over to me and says "I don't know you, but you look like you need a hug." And I hug her. Then another volunteer comes over with my space blanket and wraps me in safety and love.  She takes me to get my chip off, gives me my finishers hat and shirt, asks if I need medical (which I don't) then takes me over to the picture line, then tells me where the food is. 

  

   

 

                                                

My dad, Summer and Andrea are all at the fence and I walk over and hug them and my dad says "Congrats kid, you did it." I tell them I am going to go get food and a massage and I will text them. After the massage I get cold and I want to go home and get warm.  I wanted to stick around for the final finishers, but I was shivering. I walked back to the that angel volunteer and asked her where I turn my Beacon tracker in.  She points me in the right direction.  I give her the special bracelet they give us to give to a volunteer that day that made my race.  I give it to her. I meet up with everyone and put on my warm clothes. We head to the car.  I almost don't want to leave this magical place.  

VIDEOS

Glitter Dusting and Hugs!

Surprise on the bike!

There were many times I teared up during the bike and the run.  Especially the run.  I thought about all the training I did for this one day.  Beginning in January going to the gym in the mornings to April starting the 30 week plan to get to race day.  Thought about all the bike rides and then running on the track after in the heat of summer to the fall trying to beat the sun from falling on me.  Thoughts of the bike rides that were hard, to the swims in the dark and to the runs seeing my horse. 

Thoughts of all my encounters on each training day that made me grateful. Thoughts of the regimented schedule I had and to parties, wine nights (I gave up alcohol) and dinners I missed-and many more things. Iroman is not just about you, it's about everyone who helped get you to the starting line.  It does take a village.  I had an amazing race year-on the podium 2x this year, Nationals and ended with an Ironman.  I couldn't be more grateful and breathed in every moment and bathed in the epicness that presided in each occasion.  I couldn't have asked for more.  It was all worth it.  Completely worth it.

Dream it. Wish it. Believe it. Achieve it.  You Do You. Always.