IM New Zealand

Wow...I want to cry...I can't stop smiling...that was probably one of the hardest things ever, harder than France. I'm overwhelmed right now, all of the love and support is so incredible and my heart is so full it hurts.

I started the day at 4am...walked to transition and checked on my bike and helmet before heading down to the swim. I danced as I strolled down to the swim, I had so much energy and excitement. I got the wetsuit on no problem, watched the Haka to start the race, and when the cannon sounded I quickly started to get in my rhythm, oh wait...no I didn't, the entire swim I was getting kicked, elbowed, swam over...in 100 yds my goggles were knocked off and my right side filled with water but I was too stubborn to fix them. Nearing the halfway point a large man literally grabbed me mid swim, held me up like a cat holding a kitten by my wetsuit and cussed me out for pushing him. I shook it off and went back to my thoughts of "grab, pull, push" and keeping my hips high...literally all I thought about. I finished the swim in record time for me and was so excited!! 1:07 roughly, over 11 min better than IM1. I sprinted past people on the 400m uphill to transition and quickly changed for the bike. The bike was two loop so I will go by quarters...quarter 1 I flew, I had a blast and thought of Kona the whole time, despite the roads reminding me of mountain bike trails, imagine gravel and that is pretty accurate, and making it impossible to stay in aerobars at times from intense vibration. Quarter 2, leaving the turnaround, I felt like I hit a wall...the wind coming at us as we went gradually uphill was brutal, combined with the unfamiliar rough roads I struggled to keep 15s...ouch. The views were spectacular, all farmland, and the cows corralled to kick up absurd amounts of dust so you couldn't see the road. Quarter 3, had hoped it would be like number 1, but the wind changed just enough to make it tougher, however I still hit 30s, so that was fun...sadly I started throwing up at this point and had to stop to refill water from my legs starting to cramp after the 45km into the wind/uphill/awful roads on quarter 2, and at one point I nearly got blown over on my bike, FUN. Quarter 4, I pushed on telling myself to hit below 6 hours, almost 50 min improvement from last time, and to get to the run. Another decent transition and onto the run...mile 1 7:05...oops, slowed to 7:30 mile 2 and that was when the wear from the bike started taking effect as we hit slight hills at that point. Perhaps it was mental, but I don't think so, and there was no mustard at aid stations...darn! In an effort to avoid cramping I walked up the hills and through support stations to solidly refuel. Apparently my stomach didn't handle the race course items well as I destroyed the lining of my stomach. I wanted to push hard, but I also wanted to be able to run and hit a PR. I did, 11:27, PR by 1:15 min from IM France...which at this point I would say was actually easier despite the tough bike only for the fact that the run is so flat and the worst of the bike is the first half with the second half giving your legs time to recover. Afterwards, I went directly to the medical tent. Feeling so much better now!!

I didn't hit my goal, but perhaps on further assessment that goal was unreasonable for me on this course. But throwing up 8 times, drinking 4 liters of water and still losing 3 kg bodyweight, cramping on the run, and killing my stomach shows me I still have lots to learn, in particular about nutrition. In less than a year at the beginning of my tri season and the end of the Aussie/Kiwi season, I killed my first IM time and I know that I will only get faster from here. To PR all of the disciplines/race was amazing and I am so blessed to be in NZ. Thanks to everyone who watched me and cheered me on. I ahooed for the pack multiple times I am so lucky to have the world's most incredible friends and I am so happy that at 24, I have now completed 2 ironmans. I will get to Kona one day, I will just keep working my butt off until I do. Now, time to shower and relax and enjoy the rest of my trip before I focus on 70.3 Oceanside.

Thank you Joey Perez for all that you did to prepare me for this, thanks to Gladys Liehr for helping me so much on the swim, thanks to Wolfpacktri for being the best teammates ever who I love with all my heart, thanks to Tom Anderson, Kevin Anderson, and Heather Anderson for being the most amazing siblings. Thanks to Ultrabikex KB, Trivillage.com, Nuun, SeeMeInTheDark.com, Rudy Project, iRun for being incredible sponsors. Thanks to Terry Rogers Anderson and my dad for being phenomenal parents, I wouldn't be who I am without you. Thanks to IM Nutri-Grain New Zealand for putting on an amazing race and for the crowds that carried me when my legs and stomach failed. And finally, thanks to work for allowing me to come to this!!!

Sincerely,

Happy, blessed, emotional iron(wo)man.