PR Tri Coach's Lee Simril Interview with Ironman Triathlete Kathy Gibson on 4/15/2008 LS: Congratulations on finishing the 2008 Ironman Arizona. KG: Thank you very much! LS: How was your training leading up to the big day? KG: I knew all of the training for this race was going to be inside which was different for me, so I felt I needed some guidance with the workouts and some good advice with nutrition to make sure I was doing all the right things. I heard about PR Tri Coach through the Fox Cities Triathlon Club and heard from someone else who had hired you as a coach and thought this would be a good idea for me. Previously I had sort of followed a schedule found in a triathlon magazine and had done some reading. It was so nice to have the daily workouts written out for me and to have someone there to answer questions and give advice. With this race I felt so much more prepared, ready and confidant than before. Training with a heart rate monitor was new for me as well and I learned to appreciate this tool. LS: Please give me a run down of your nutrition for race day, beginning with the night before the race and ending at the finish line. KG: Night before the race: Spaghetti and meatballs, salad, two pieces of French bread, water. Race Morning: We got up at 0400. I had two pieces of toast with peanut butter and honey, ½ cup coffee, Gatorade, water, and my vitamins that I normally take. We left for the race at 0530 for a 0700 start and I took an Enduralyte tablet prior to the swim. During the Race: I had a gel and an enduralyte tablet every hour on the bike, alternated 20 0z water with 20 0z Gatorade every hour on the bike. I took a ½ banana a couple of times on the bike too. I thought I would be able to continue the gel every hour on the run, but my stomach said otherwise. I continued with one enduralyte tablet every hour on the run. I was able to eat one gel, pretzels occasionally, chicken broth and a bit of banana here and there. I drank coke and ice water at every aid station. LS: Please tell me your best moment of the race. KG: That would have to be the finish line! The roar of the crowd and the voice of ironman is just so exciting! LS: Please tell me your worst moment of the race. KG: Mile 3 on the run. I felt like I wanted to quit because of feeling so sick. I didn't know what to do. I carried my cell phone on the run, so I called my husband and started crying because I didn't feel I could go on. He told me to just get to the next aid station, sit down in the shade for 5 min., get cool sponges, drink coke etc. I did that and felt better and was able to press on. The run was truly a roller coaster of ups and downs in terms of my waves of nausea. Every time I took an enduralyte tablet, I felt better, along with the coke. I walked (sometimes at a very good clip and sometimes just mere baby steps to keep going) and I shuffled or jogged at times and towards the end was really able to run like I had wanted to run the entire race. I felt so good and so happy starting at about mile 22 and was able to finish strong. LS: Did you get to enjoy the post race party? KG: Yes, my sister and brother did this with me and when I finished my sister was there and I learned that she had dropped out at mile 11 of the run. We cried and talked about everything, had pizza and beer and then waited for my brother to finish. Listening to the music and the crowd and seeing others finish was so exciting. LS: What motivates you to compete in triathlons, as opposed to just exercising for the sake of fitness? KG: Good question! I like the challenge of trying to improve my times and seeing where I place in my age group. I think the races are so exciting and fun! It's fun to see people I know at races and be around people who like to do what I do. I love to see older people doing the races too. That inspires me. When I see a 79 year old doing an Ironman or hear about a 101 year old running a marathon, I am in awe and think how amazing it is that their bodies are physically able to do it. I would like to continue to compete for as long as I can. I would say I am addicted to exercising, so the training for racing just comes natural to me and it's just a hobby I guess. LS: What are your race plans for the rest of 2008? KG: I'm thinking about doing the Aurora High Cliff Tri and the Pewaukee Tri. I plan on running a half marathon in Sept. and the Minneapolis Marathon in October and my sister, husband and I might do the Silverman Triathlon (relay) in Nevada in November. We would love to get some other teams together to do this with us. It's an "iron distance" tri, but relays are allowed. Any takers? Thank you, Coach Lee. This race was definitely a PR for me!