Ironman Plus 5

[ironmanplus5]

Ironman Lake Placid Triathlon 2019 - A Great Ironman Experience and Fantastic Family Vacation

I competed in and successfully finished the Lake Placid Ironman Triathlon on Sunday, July 28, 2019, my 9th Ironman Triathlon and 8th Ironman Lake Placid.

I have the best support crew in Jenene, Lizzie(14- just turned 15), Angelina(13), Brady(10 1/2), and Juliana(8 1/2).  They all had matching yellow Ironman shirts on that Jenene had made for the family.  During the race, they cheered me on 11 times from the start to the finish.  The swim, bike and run all consist of 2 loops and each run loop has an 11 mile loop and a 2 mile loop, so the course is very spectator friendly.  I was motivated and inspired to see my family each time, especially when finishing the Ironman.

Each part of the Ironman course in Lake Placid consists of 2 loops: the 2.4 mile swim is two 1.2 mile clockwise loops in Mirror Lake, the 112 mile bike is two 56 mile loops through the Adirondack Mountains and the 26.2 mile marathon run is two 13.1 mile loops - each consisting of 2 out and back loops, an 11 mile loop and a 2 mile loop along Mirror Lake.  Transition and the finish are at the Olympic Speed Skating Oval.

We stayed at the Golden Arrow Lakeside Resort for the 7th time. It is our favorite place and the absolute best place to stay in Lake Placid. Upon arrival, we were greeted with a spectacular suite called the Panther Suite on the 5th floor with spectacular views of Mirror Lake and the Adirondack Mountains.  And we looked directly at the Ironman swim course.

My goal was to qualify for the Hawaii Ironman Triathlon World Championship in Kona, Hawaii to be held on October 14.  My time goal was to break 10 hours or be in the low 10:00s.  Before the race I expected there would be about 4 Kona slots available in my age group(45-49), the largest age group with over 300 competitors.  Sometimes people don’t take a qualifying spot, so places below would have a chance to qualify also.  Every age group gets at least 1 slot, and the number is based upon how many people are in the age group.  40 Kona slots were available in the Ironman.  After missing by 2 places and under 4 minutes in 2017, I was eager to race here again.

On race day we were greeted with great weather.  The temperature of Mirror Lake was 73.8 degrees so it was a wetsuit legal swim.  

After going to transition on race morning before 5:00 am to get my body marked with my race number and age and do final preparations with my bike and transition bags, I returned to my room to get my wetsuit on and head to the swim start.  I was greeted by my family who were excited about the big day.

I felt great the morning of the race and was confident I would have a great race and achieve my goal.  I felt so strong in the days leading up to the race and my had excellent training this year.

I arrived at the swim start at around 6:15 am. The pro men started at 6:30 am.  The rest of the field of about 2,400 started at 6:40 with a rolling start that takes about 20 minutes for everyone to enter the water.  I started at 6:41. I felt good when I started the swim. The swim started well and I swam most of the two loops seeing the rope below the water that goes in a straight line throughout the course.  When I looked at my watch half way, I was disappointed to see that my first 1.2 mile swim loop was in the mid 37:00s.  After finishing the loop the first time, athletes run out of the water to the other side of the beach and swim a 2nd loop. I felt that my timing chip got loose and was no longer tucked under my wetsuit by my calf. I had to stop and fix it when I started the 2nd loop. I felt pretty good and kept the same pace for the first half but unfortunately lost 4 minutes and finished the 2nd loop in about 42:00 for a swim time of 1:19.  Very disappointing to be 5 minutes slower than last time at Lake Placid in 2017 and 10 minutes slower than my best Ironman swim time and goal for this year’s swim.  I wasn’t deterred because I knew that I was still in good position because I could make up the time on the bike and run.

I saw my family cheering for me as I ran through transition.  My swim to bike transition was good with a time of 5:01.

The bike started great.  My family cheered me as I sped down the hill at the start.  I felt strong on the bike and kept passing people. I was on goal pace through 40 miles. The only snag early on was when my bike computer stopped working, I tried to adjust it at my front wheel and it broke off and flew across the rode. After about 40 miles I started to slow some and didn’t feel as good.  I lost about 12 minutes during these last 16 miles and finished the first 56 mile loop in 2:52, 12 minutes off my goal and 12 minutes off what I usually ride for the first loop. I saw my family cheering wildly as I made the left turn onto Main Street at the end of the first loop.

The 2nd loop did not go well.  After 60 miles and a bathroom break I slowed up and felt lousy. I felt weak, my lower back was in bad pain and my stomach hurt. I took 4 Ibuprofen which helped with the back pain. I never gave up and kept pushing but I was riding so slow. Finally after my 3rd bathroom stop at mile 106, I felt better the last 6 miles.  It was probably from the excitement of finishing the bike and seeing my family.  When I flew past my family before the final turn near the Olympic Center I almost lost control of my bike because I was going too fast around the bend but luckily regained control. 

Even though I was over 1 hour 20 minutes behind where I should have been, I was excited to run and finish the best I could.  

My time for Transition 2 was 3:01. I ran hard out of transition past my cheering family and averaged 5:50 per mile for the first 4/10 mile before settling down.  I passed hundreds of people on the first run loop with no one passing me. For how bad I felt and with stomach issues, I ran well but knew I may be in trouble because I was having trouble eating and drinking anything besides water. I averaged upper 7:00s for the first half, not as fast as my 7:20 to 7:30 per mile goal but good for how I felt and that pace would have given me the top run time in my age group.  It was awesome seeing my cheering family at mile 11 finishing the hill back into town and again at mile 13.1.  I started the 2nd run loop strong but soon slowed up and started to struggle.  I felt weak and my stomach was uneasy and ran very slow after 15 miles.  I felt awful and at mile 18 my body suddenly stopped and I started to walk.  It wasn’t planned, it just happened.  Every time I tried to run my stomach ached very badly.  I couldn’t eat or drink anything besides ice chips and water.  I no longer could handle the oranges I ate early or the little sips of Gatorade I had. I had a little coke and Red Bull but now I knew I could not handle anything besides water. I walked most of the last 8 miles with my hand on my stomach. I looked forward to getting to every aid station, which were at every mile, to get ice chips and water. It seemed to take forever to get through each mile. Many people were walking and some of the walkers and runners gave me advice. I must have looked bad.  Some of the people said they were on the first loop which meant they had another half marathon after they finished this loop.  I threw up at mile 20. Then at mile 23 a medical student who was in the race said to take more salt.  At mile marker 23 I took salt and washed it down with water. That didn’t go well. I was hunched over throwing up and gagging while a big group of spectators watched and cheered me.  

I was motivated to finish.  In one more mile I would be back in town and see my family and then finish the last 2.2 miles.  I felt bad for my family who had been waiting so long.  Never the less they were excited to see me and cheered for me like when I was having a good race. You would have thought that I was on track for my goal of qualifying for Kona.  They told me to run. I ran some with extreme stomach pain, then walked again.  But I ran the last few tenths of a mile past Mirror Lake and around to the finish on the Olympic Speed Skating Oval.  

The Lake Placid Ironman finish is amazing.  You turn right onto Main Street and then left to enter the Olympic Speed Skating Oval and run half a counter clockwise loop to the finish. I gave high 5s to Jenene, Lizzie, Angelina, Brady and Juliana on my way to the finish.  As I finished I heard the Voice of Ironman Mike Riley announce the words every Ironman longs to hear, “Mark Hunkele, you are an Ironman!” 

I received my finishers medal, shirt and hat. I was very excited to be reunited with my family who were excited to greet me after a long day. (First I had to go to the medical tent to get an IV.) They were amazing cheering me on at 11 different places throughout the Ironman and tracking my progress throughout the race.  I am so appreciative of the love and support they give me on race day and every day!  Jenene and the kids inspire me to be my best!  It was fun having the kids experience the Ironman again.  It was awesome having Lizzie, Angelina and Brady bike, swim and run on the courses during our trip. They inspire me with their triathlon training and racing.

My marathon time was 5:07. My final Ironman time was 13:20. 

Even though I was over 3 hours behind my goal and almost 3 hours slower than 2017 Ironman Lake Placid, I was just as proud to finish!  Things happen in an Ironman.  But it is not about one race, it is about the journey.  The first goal is to finish no matter what the circumstances.  

Obviously I did not qualify for Kona.  But I am even more motivated and determined to get there and it will be even sweeter when I do.  I look forward to my next Ironman Triathlons.  I may do Ironman Louisville this October 14. And I will be back in Lake Placid in 2021!

In addition to my family, I want to thank my great coach Joella Baker and her amazing support!  I am very gracious for your commitment to me and to our children, who she also coaches!  Thanks to all of my family and friends for tracking my race, words of encouragement and wishing me luck!  I appreciate all of the great support!

Thank you to Newton Running for all of your support.  My Newton Elite running shoes carried me through the run.

Thanks also to Cindy Smith, our friend and general manager at the Golden Arrow. Thanks for cheering me to the finish and for your support!  My family and I enjoyed spending time with you in Lake Placid.

On Friday two days before the Ironman the kids had a blast at the Ironkids Events.   Lizzie, Angelina, Brady and Juliana did great in the mile run. Lizzie and Angelina ran in the 5:50s on a hot, sunny afternoon after an 11 mile bike ride and were the first two female finishers.  It was inspiring seeing hundreds of kids take part in the Ironkids events.

Every day of our trip, besides race day, we spent lots of time on this beach.  All 4 kids, Jenene and I enjoyed lots of time boating on the water.  We enjoyed kayaks, canoes, stand-up paddle boards, paddle boats and row boats. It is such a beautiful, peaceful and amazing lake.

We loved exploring the 1932 and 1980 Olympic Ice Skating Rinks on Thursday. 

We attended mass at St. Agnes Roman Catholic Church, where the priest brings up all Ironman athletes to the altar for a special blessing.  Father Dan Callahan from Toronto gives the homily at this mass every year and has competed in the Ironman Triathlon many times.

On Tuesday we had a blast climbing and hiking at the top of Whiteface Mountain after taking the scenic drive up.  We hiked a good ways down the rocky mountain before turning around and doing the difficult hike back up.

We all love strolling down Main Street in Lake Placid. Main Street has such a great atmosphere with shops, restaurants, pubs and more...it has a great “Olympic feeling” on Main Street and throughout town. You can just imagine how great it was being here for the Olympics.  It is hard to describe the magic of Lake Placid, you just have to experience it for yourself.  We would vacation here, even without Ironman. It is one of my family’s favorite vacation spots.  We had a great trip visiting Lake Placid in the winter this past February and hope to go again next February.

Lake Placid was another memorable family trip, including another great Ironman Triathlon experience and lots of other family fun in Lake Placid!  Thanks for reading about my experience!

[ironmanplus5]

Ironman Louisville, my 2nd Ironman Triathlon in 11 Weeks

Ironman Louisville Triathlon 2017 - A Great Ironman Experience

I competed in and successfully finished the Ironman Louisville Triathlon on Sunday, October 15, 2017, my 8th Ironman Triathlon.  It was 11 weeks since my last Ironman in Lake Placid. This was my first Ironman outside of Lake Placid.

I have the best support crew in Jenene, Lizzie(13), Angelina(11), Brady(9), and Juliana(6).  They all had matching yellow Ironman shirts on that Jenene had made for the family.  During the race, they cheered me on 9 times from the start to the finish.   I was motivated and inspired to see my family each time, especially when finishing the Ironman.

My goal was to qualify for the Hawaii Ironman Triathlon World Championship in Kona, Hawaii to be held on October 13, 2018.  My time goal was to be around 9 hours 50 minutes. Before the race I expected there would be about 4 Kona slots available in my age group(45-49), one of the 2 largest age group with over 300 competitors. 

On race day the weather was warm with a temperature in the upper 60s at the start but very windy.  The wind continued to pick up throughout the day.  

I went to transition on race morning before 5:00 am to get my body marked with my race number and age and do final preparations with my bike and transition bags,

I arrived at the swim start at around 5:50 am. Thank you Joella for saving a spot for me and your other athletes at 4:30 am! The pro men started at 7:25 am. The rest of the field of about 2,750 started at 7:35.  There is a long line of people with one person jumping in at a time off the docks into the Ohio River. The next person in line jumps immediately after the person before them.

The water temperature in the Ohio River was 72 degrees so it was a wetsuit legal swim.

The first 1300 meters is into the current and then you make a turn and swim with a current behind you.

I started near the front of the line.  I jumped in the water at 7:35, it was surreal being that it was still a little dark.  I got off to a good start and I felt strong.  It seemed to take forever to get to the turn at a big red buoy.  After making the turn I thought I may get seasick with strong waves coming over me and the current into me.  Luckily after a minute or so, I could feel the current coming slightly from behind.  The water was choppy from the strong wind.  I kept pushing forward and felt good, but I had no idea how my time would be.  My hands and feet were turning numb from being cold, I unfortunately get cold very easily when I swim  Despite not being able to feel the water completely from the numbness, I pushed hard to the end.  When I saw my watch was just turning to 1:09 I was pleased to have my fastest Ironman swim by 5 minutes.  I was hoping for a 1:05 but I was pleased to swim 1:09.06 in the choppy conditions.

I had a fast transition of 4:47 and as I ran my bike out of transition I was excited to see Jenene, my kids and Joella cheering me on.  It was a long run with the bike before I could finally mount and head out on the course.  The bike goes out about 30 miles and then there are 2 loops of about 30 miles and then there are about 30 miles back.

The bike started fantastic.  I felt great but I was cautious not to go too fast knowing that it was windy and the wind would probably pick up throughout the bike.  The road heading out on River Road is rough in parts.  I hit a bump about 2 or 3 miles into the bike and launched one of my nutrition bottles with 560 calories of Cocoa Elite Endurance Formula in it.  Since I was going 26 miles per hour and didn’t feel like going back, I made the quick decision to not stop to get it figuring I could make up for it in Gatorade Endurance Formula and Clif Bloks at the aid stations. Plus I had food on the bike.  I rode the first 22 miles in about 1 hour.  I was riding the up hills very strong.  I was excited to zoom by Jenene and the kids and Joella at about the 32 mile mark.  They took a shuttle bus to LaGrange to cheer on the bike course.  I kept riding strong and hit the 56 mile half way mark in about 2:41, a good time with the wind, even though it was a few minutes off pace.  I continued to feel strong on the 2nd 30 mile loop and was excited to ride past my family and Joella again around mile 64.  Things were going great and I felt on track to have the race I needed to qualify for Kona.

The only bad thing was I dropped an energy gel and Clif Bloks on the bike.  I did drink Gatorade throughout and grab one Clif Blok package at an aid station but it was not enough.

Then I turned into the wind at mile 80.  The head winds became very strong.  For some reason I slowed up more than I should have.  I got passed by a bunch of riders who I already passed. I felt weak and I struggled the rest of the bike.  Although not the reason I slowed up, I did not have enough calories from my lost bottle and food and that also affected me at the end of the bike.  I did pick it up some the last few miles.  With about a half mile left, the sky became very dark and the wind picked up so much that it was hard to stay on the bike.  It was comical at the end of the bike fighting the wind, dismounting off the bike and then running with me bike through transition with the wind gust blowing things everywhere.  I waved to my cheering family and ran fast through transition to start the run. My transition 2 time was 4:13.

My bike time was 5:39:22, a very disappointing time well off pace.  I refocused and got ready to try to run a great marathon.  There was no room for error and to have any chance at Kona, I knew I had to run a great marathon.

I ran out of transition past my family who told me I was in 38th place. I was hoping they would say 20 something.  My target was to be in the top 10 to 15 here.  Never the less, I never give up.  If I can go from 28 to 8 at Lake Placid without having my best run, I could surely go from 38 to top 4 to 8 here with a perfect run I thought.

The run started well.  After a couple of miles I hit my stride and got on a great pace. My 3rd mile was 6:55 and I felt great.  I was trying to run 7:00 to 7:10 miles.  I started to slow to the mid 7:00s and then I started to feel weak.  I knew what was happening: The calories and nutrition I didn’t get on the bike (particularly the last couple hours) was coming back to haunt me.  I kept slowing but I looked strong as I finished the first run loop and ran past my family.  Jenene, Lizzie, Angelina, Brady and Juliana screamed for me and gave me high fives while I made the turn to head to the finish of the first loop and did the same as I headed back out on the second loop a couple minutes later.  At this point I moved up to around 30th to 32nd place in my age group, where my expected run probably would have moved me up to the top 15 or 20.

My legs felt great but I kept getting weaker and I was hungry.  My body “crashed”.  By about mile 15 or 16 I was running extremely slow - about 5 minutes per mile off goal pace.  I was so hungry that at one aid station, I grabbed handfuls of pretzels and chips, then oranges and Clif Bloks and also a drink.  It was the first aid station I have walked through in my life in any race.

How did I handle my race totally unraveling and this super slow pace? .... with a smile!

I took it all in and appreciated that I was out there in this awesome race and had fun!  I kept thinking positive.  

Joella rode her bike all throughout the run course to cheer on her athletes and friends.  It was great to see her around mile 21.  I told her what happened in the race and she kept cheering me on off and on through mile 25.

Even though I was over an hour behind where I expected to be, I continued to have fun and I was excited about the finish.  I kept gradually picking up the pace and I picked it up to a good pace for the last 5k.

It was very exciting to make the final turn and then push to the finish through the great cheering crowd at 4th Street Live.  I loved seeing my family cheering loudly for me about 50 yards before I crossed the finish line!

My run time was 4:01.59. I stopped looking at my watch before the half way point of the run. So I when I saw my finishing time, I was pleased that I at least broke 11 hours with a finishing time of 10:59.37.

My family greeted me at the finish.  They were very cold from the falling temperatures and strong winds.  I was excited to celebrate my 2nd Ironman finish in 11 weeks with my family.

After having great training leading up to the race and feeling that I was in my best Ironman shape ever, I was very disappointed not to qualify for Kona and reach my time goal and be so far from my time goal.  But I still thoroughly enjoyed this experience.  

I will do my next Ironman event soon.  And I’m more determined than ever to qualify for the Hawaii Ironman Triathlon World Championships.  It will be even more satisfying when I do after the exciting journey I am taking to get there.

Thank you to all of my family and friends for your incredible support!

[ironmanplus5]

[ironmanplus5]

Ironman Lake Placid Triathlon 2017 - A Great Ironman Experience and Fantastic Family Vacation

I competed in and successfully finished the Lake Placid Ironman Triathlon on Sunday, July 23, 2017, my 7th Ironman Triathlon, all in Lake Placid.

I have the best support crew in Jenene, Lizzie(12- just turned 13), Angelina(11), Brady(8 1/2), and Juliana(6 1/2). They all had matching yellow Ironman shirts on that Jenene had made for the family. During the race, they cheered me on 11 times from the start to the finish. The swim, bike and run all consist of 2 loops and each run loop has an 11 mile loop and a 2 mile loop, so the course is very spectator friendly. I was motivated and inspired to see my family each time, especially when finishing the Ironman.

Each part of the Ironman course in Lake Placid consists of 2 loops: the 2.4 mile swim is two 1.2 mile clockwise loops in Mirror Lake, the 112 mile bike is two 56 mile loops through the Adirondack Mountains and the 26.2 mile marathon run is two 13.1 mile loops - each consisting of 2 out and back loops, an 11 mile loop and a 2 mile loop along Mirror Lake. Transition and the finish are at the Olympic Speed Skating Oval.

We stayed at the Golden Arrow Lakeside Resort for the fifth straight time. It is our favorite place and in our opinion the absolute best place to stay in Lake Placid. Upon arrival, we were greeted with a spectacular suite called the Panther Suite on the 5th floor with spectacular views of Mirror Lake and the Adirondack Mountains. And we looked directly at the Ironman swim course.

My goal was to qualify for the Hawaii Ironman Triathlon World Championship in Kona, Hawaii to be held on October 14. My time goal was to break 10 hours. Before the race I expected there would be about4 Kona slots available in my age group(45-49), the largest age group with over 300 competitors. Sometimes people don’t take a qualifying spot, so places below would have a chance to qualify also. Every age group gets at least 1 slot, and the number is based upon how many people are in the age group. 40 Kona slots were available in the Ironman.

On race day we were greeted with great weather. The temperature of Mirror Lake was 74.5 degrees so it was a wetsuit legal swim.

After going to transition on race morning before 5:00 am to get my body marked with my race number and age and do final preparations with my bike and transition bags, I returned to my room to get my wetsuit on and head to the swim start. I was greeted by my family who made me awesome good luck posters and cards and had on matching yellow shirts with personalized messages.

I arrived at the swim start at around 6:15 am. The pro men started at 6:30 am. The rest of the field of about 2,500 started at 6:40 with a rolling start that takes about 20 minutes for everyone to enter the water. I started at 6:43. I felt great on the swim. The swim started well and I swam most of the two loops seeing the rope below the water that goes in a straight line throughout the course. My first 1.2 mile swim loop was 36:25. After finishing the loop the first time, athletes run out of the water to the other side of the beach and swim a 2nd loop. I felt strong on the second swim loop all the way to the finish. My 2nd 1.2 mile loop was 38:14.. My total swim time was 1:14.39, a personal best on the course by 2 seconds. I was in 786th place overall and in 93rd place in my age group. That put me in about the top 30%, my best swim finish. When I swam 2:14.41 in 2009 that put me around the 50%, so that shows this was a better swim even though it was only 2 seconds faster. The overall swim times in the race were slower for some reason. There is still much room for improvement, but I was pleased with the swim and in put me in a good position going into the bike.

I saw my family cheering for me as I ran through transition. My swim to bike transition was good except for losing a little time getting my wetsuit over my watch and having trouble getting my bike bag off the hook. My Transition 1 time was 5:01.

The bike started well. My family cheered me as I sped down the hill at the start. I felt strong from the beginning to end of the 1st 56 mile bike loop. The only issue I had was that my bike computer stopped working 6 miles into the bike and I had to bike the rest of the way not knowing my speed or being able to see my distance biked. I glanced at my watch after riding up Papa Bear, the last big hill on the course and knew I would have a good bike split. My family cheered loudly as I rode by at the end of the first bike loop. My bike time for the first 56 miles was 2 hours 40 minutes 50 seconds and was right on my goal bike pace.

The 2nd loop started well. I battled through the hills on the way to the big downhill section to Keene. I rode the first 14 miles of this loop strong but not quite as well as the first loop. From miles 70 to 80 I felt incredible and rode strong. Through 80 miles I was having a great bike. But I struggled some from after mile 80 until about 102 miles. I rode ok but not as strong and lost a bunch of time. After going to the bathroom with about 10 miles to go, I rode the rest of the tough, hilly section back to Lake Placid well. I had a good finish and loved seeing my family as I made the final turn on the bike course. My 2nd 56 miles was in the 2:57s for a total bike time of 5:39.16 for the 112 miles. It was a good bike, although I was a little disappointed I slowed up as much as I did on the 2nd loop. I was about 10 minutes off my goal split and also about 10 minutes off of my best bike time on the Lake Placid course. I had the 23rd best bike in my age group.

My time for Transition 2 was 2:36

Now it was time to run and I had to focus fully on having a good run. Although a little slower than planned, I was in good position to have a shot at qualifying for Kona with a strong run.

When I ran out of the Olympic Speed Skating Oval and started the run, my family cheered loudly and Lizzie yelled out that I was in 28th place in my age group. This was extra motivation because I knew I can catch most of the people in front of me. I had to in order to have a chance of reaching my goal and qualifying for Kona. I started passing people and was the fastest runner of the runners who were running around me. I didn’t feel as good as I usually do on the run or as strong as I should but I kept pushing. I was running slower than expected but I was able to pick it up and run strong from miles 6 to 10. When I pushed up the enormous hill back into town, my family greeted me with cheers around the 11 mile mark. Lizzie yelled out that I was in 16th place. I was excited and picked up the pace and pulled away from the guy I was running with. I felt great and was running my best miles when I passed my family again two miles later as I started the 2nd 13.1 mile run loop. Miles 13 and 14 were my best two miles, averaging about a 7:10 pace, which was my goal pace for the Ironman run. I slowed a little the next couple miles but was running strong. It was sunny and felt hot but I kept pushing. I slowed some more after mile 18 but still felt good and was pushing hard. I still kept passing lots of people, some who were on the 2nd loop and some who were on the 1st loop. My quads started to ache and progressively got worse the rest of the way. I continued to slow but pushed through the pain and gave everything I had. I knew what was at stake and how I finished would determine if I would qualify for Kona or not. The guy in my age group who I was running with earlier caught me on mile 24 and cheered me on. Even though I was running alot slower these last couple miles I was still passing lots of people. Most people were struggling. Although I was hurting I kept pushing and running the best I could. The last big hill back into Lake Placid was tough. When I made the turn onto Mirror Lake Drive with 2 miles to go, my family cheered loudly. Jenene yelled out that I was in 10th place in my age group and close to others. I picked up the pace and once I hit mile 25 I picked it up some more and had a good last mile.

The Lake Placid Ironman finish is amazing. You turn right onto Main Street and then left to enter the Olympic Speed Skating Oval and run half a counter clockwise loop to the finish. (The song Legs by ZZ top was playing, not as inspirational as some other finishing songs like The Warrior which played when I finished my first Ironman in 2003.) Jenene and the kids, my amazing family, were in their usual spot just around the bend and at the beginning of the straight away leading to the finish. I gave high 5s to Jenene, Lizzie, Angelina, Brady and Juliana on my way to the finish. As I finished I heard the Voice of Ironman Mike Riley announce that Mark Hunkele from Pittsburgh was finishing and then heard the words every Ironman longs to hear, “Mark Hunkele, you are an Ironman!”

I received my finishers medal, shirt and hat. I was very excited to be reunited with my family who were excited to greet me after a long day. They were amazing cheering me on at 11 different places throughout the Ironman and tracking my progress and updating me throughout the race. I am so appreciative of the love and support they give me on race day and every day! Jenene and the kids inspire me to be my best! It was fun having the kids experience the Ironman again now that they are triathletes. Lizzie and Angelina are already talking about competing in the Ironman when they are older.

My marathon time was 3:32.22. My final Ironman time was 10:33.50. Even though I missed the slow end of my run goal by over 17 minutes, I was very happy with my effort. I did the best I could today.

My family shared with me that I finished in 8th place in my age group. I moved up two more places the last 2 miles. I knew that I had a chance to go to Kona, Hawaii for the Ironman World Championships. I would have to wait until the awards, slot allocation and roll down on Monday morning.

Dwayne who I was running with during the race congratulated me after the race and thanked me for pacing with him. He ended up 6th in our age group. I was only 50 seconds out of 7th in our age group.

I felt dizzy and sick after the Ironman. After resting some and trying to eat and drink, I retrieved my bike and bags and we walked back to the Golden Arrow. My stomach got worse and I spent the evening sick and laying down. I couldn’t eat and was very weak. Our good friends Ed and Paula met Jenene and me and walked me down to the medical tent at the finish after 10:00. After receiving an IV I felt much better. I felt good enough to watch the last 20 minutes of the Ironman finish party until midnight. Watching the last finishers is always inspirational. The Ironman finish is exciting all day, but the last couple hours is the biggest celebration with the biggest crowds.

On Monday morning we attended the Athlete’s Celebration Breakfast and watched the awards ceremony and waited anxiously for the Kona slot allocation and roll down. It has been a dream of mine to compete in the Hawaii Ironman Triathlon World Championships in Kona, Hawaii since I was a child and it has been my goal since I started competing in Ironman Triathlons. It is harder to qualify now because there are more Ironman races and less qualifying slots at each race. There were 40 slots at Lake Placid, with at least 1 going to each age group and more going to the bigger age groups. I had the biggest age group and expected there would be 4 or 5 slots. When my age group came up, it was announced there were 4 slots. 3 of the top 4 took their qualifying slots. There was 1 slot to roll down until someone took it. 5th placed said no because he already qualified. But 6th place said yes. I missed qualifying by 2 places and 3 minutes 53 seconds. It was very disappointing to be so close but come up short.

I kept thinking if only I ran the way I was in shape to run. If only I finished the last 10K stronger. Or if only I finished stronger on the bike. It was hard to take that I was in such great run shape but my body didn’t feel as good as usual and I wasn’t able to hit the run time. But I still had one of the top run times and my strong run got me into position to possibly qualify. And I know I gave my best effort. So I am proud of myself and will give my best shot next time. I am happy for Dwayne, the guy who I ran with who got the last slot in our age group. He was very gracious after the race. He was excited and deserving of a spot to Kona.

What’s next? I am competing in Ironman Louisville on Sunday, October 15 this fall. I will do my best to qualify for the 2018 Hawaii Ironman Triathlon World Championships!

In addition to my family, I want to thank my great coach Joella Baker, who is amazing and was with me throughout my training for the past year and was incredibly supportive all the way to race day. I am very gracious for your commitment to me and to our children, who she also coaches! Thank you also to my friends Chad, Jen and Andy Holderbaum for cheering me on to the finish. Congratulations to Chad for his 9th place overall at Lake Placid as a professional triathlete. Thanks to Ed Koontz and Paula Bennet for cheering me on and taking me to the medical tent. Thanks to Woody Freeze for cheering me on! Thanks to all of my family and friends for tracking my race, words of encouragement and wishing me luck! I appreciate all of the great support!

Thank you to Newton Running for all of your support. My Newton Elite running shoes carried me through the run.

Thanks also to Cindy Smith, our friend who works at the Golden Arrow. Thanks for cheering me to the finish and for your support! It was great seeing you every day we were in Lake Placid.

On Friday two days before the Ironman the kids had a blast at the Ironkids Events. Angelina and Brady did great in the Dip N Dash with a 100 meter swim in Mirror Lake followed by a mile run. Lizzie and Angelina did great in the mile run. Lizzie couldn’t swim yet because of having 7 stitches in her left palm so she switched events. It was inspiring seeing hundreds of kids take part in the Ironkids events.

Every day of our trip, besides race day, we spent lots of time on this beach. All 4 kids, Jenene and I enjoyed lots of time boating on the water. We enjoyed kayaks, canoes, stand-up paddle boards, paddle boats and row boats. It is such a beautiful, peaceful and amazing lake.

We loved exploring the 1932 and 1980 Olympic Ice Skating Rinks on Thursday. We also had a great time going to the Olympic Ski Jumps on Friday.

We attended mass at St. Agnes Roman Catholic Church, where the priest brings up all Ironman athletes to the altar for a special blessing. Father Dan Callahan from Toronto gives the homily at this mass every year and competes in the Ironman Triathlon the next day.

On Tuesday we had a blast climbing and hiking at the top of Whiteface Mountain after taking the scenic drive up. After that we had a blast hiking for a couple hours at Stag Brook Falls at the Whiteface Mountain Ski Resort. The waterfalls and cascading water was incredible.

We all love strolling down Main Street in Lake Placid. Main Street has such a great atmosphere with shops, restaurants, pubs and more...it has a great “Olympic feeling” on Main Street and throughout town. You can just imagine how great it was being here for the Olympics. It is hard to describe the magic of Lake Placid, you just have to experience it for yourself. We would vacation here, even without Ironman. It is one of my family’s favorite vacation spots. We are seriously considering a trip to Lake Placid this Winter to ski and enjoy all of the Winter activities.

Lake Placid was another memorable family trip, including another great Ironman Triathlon experience and lots of other family fun in Lake Placid! Thanks for reading about my experience!

[ironmanplus5]

[ironmanplus5]

Boston Marathon and BAA 5K

On Monday I am running the Boston Marathon for the 12th time.  It will be my 50th marathon, including 6 marathons in Ironman Triathlons and 1 marathon run with Jenene.

Elizabeth and Angelina are running in the B.A.A. 5K (Boston Athletic Association) on Saturday morning.  It runs through the finish of the Boston Marathon and the start and finish is at Boston Commons.  They are excited to race on this course with 10,000 people.

My race number is 1571.

You can track results at www.bostonmarathon.com and watch the race live on cable station NBCSN or watch it online at NBC Sports or www.bostonmarathon.com.

I am feeling great and ready to run strong!

[ironmanplus5]

Great Week of Running for Elizabeth and Angelina Begins with Gatorade/Steelers 5K

Elizabeth, Angelina and I ran the Gatorade/Steelers 5K on Sunday.  It is a great race with almost 3,000 people.  It’s runs along the North Shore and has an exciting finish inside Heinz Field.

Both girls had great races!  Angelina(9 years old) ran 23:58, a personal best.  She finished 4th out of 83 in the 11 and under age group and was only 19 seconds out of 3rd and 34 seconds out of 2nd.  She just missed an award for top 3.  Angelina also placed 88 out of 1,460 females.

Elizabeth ran 25:07 and finished 9th in the 11 and under age group.  She was the 120th female.  

I ran 18:09 and finished 3rd in my age group (40 -44) and received a award.  I didn’t feel too good during the race and fell off pace in the 2nd mile.  Despite being slower than usual, I still managed to place in my age group.  I am happy that I was able to pick up the pace some and finish strong into the stadium.  This was a good workout for my marathon training.

Immediately after I finished I ran back onto the course to cheer Angelina and Elizabeth on near the finish.  They both looked strong on the stretch leading into Heinz Field.  Jenene, Brady (6) and Juliana (4) also cheered us on at the start and finish of the 5K.

It was the 2nd time the girls and I all race in the same race.

Elizabeth & Angelina are running cross country with Get Fit Families and are coached by Joella Baker, an amazing coach!  They had a meet at St. Vitus in New Castle on Wednesday with 5 teams.  My girls ran in the meet with 6th grade and under girls.  The course was 1.75 miles long.  Elizabeth finished 2nd in 13:04 and Angelina finished 4th in 13:06.

The girls did a hard workout with the Get Fit Families team on Thursday and then ran 2 miles with me today.  Next week they have 2 cross country meets.

I am very proud of Elizabeth and Angelina and I’m happy they are having fun and enjoying running so much.

[ironmanplus5]

My 11th Boston Marathon on Monday, April 20

I ran the Boston Marathon on Monday, April 20 for the 11th time.  My time was 2 hours 52 minutes 58 seconds.

I had a good race on a windy and rainy day.  There were strong headwinds the entire race, especially the 2nd half.

It was exciting to be back in Boston for the first time since 2010 after running 10 Boston Marathons in 10 years, including 8 in a row from 2001 to 2008.  The Boston Marathon is a special race with a great atmosphere in Boston all weekend and a race course lined with a couple million people.  People cheer you on the entire way!

After the hour bus ride to the Athlete’s Village in Hopkinton, I was greeted by rain and wind.  I found a spot under one of the tents and wrapped myself in mylar blankets to keep warm.  By the time I left for the .7 mile walk to the start, the rain had stopped for a little while.

When the starting gun fired at 10:00, it was just as exhilarating starting the Boston Marathon as it was for my first 10.  I had a good start with a first mile of 6:09, then the next 3 between 6:00 and 6:05.  I slowed some but ran well for most of the first half, besides when I struggled on mile 8 and started to get passed by a large group of people.  I refocused and got back on pace and ran strong all the way through Wellesley College on mile 13 and finished the first half with a good time of 1:22.52.  I made it through mile 16 in great shape.  I enjoyed the long down hill on mile 16 before hitting the toughest part of the course, miles 16 through 21...the Newton Hills.  There are four long up hills with down hills in between.  I slowed on these miles, which is expected but slowed a little too much.  The head winds were stronger the 2nd half and the rain was picking up.  I felt pretty good but couldn’t run as fast as planned.  I was confident I would run a strong last 5 miles after cresting Heartbreak Hill and still run between 2:49 and 2:52 according to my calculations.

I surged over the top of Heartbreak Hill and picked the pace back up past the great crowds at Boston College.  I battled the head winds and steady to heavy rain the best I could.  I ran a good last 5 miles.  When I ran past mile 25 near Fenway Park, I knew I would have to run a good last mile to break 2 hours 53 minutes.  I let the incredible crowds of screaming people carry me to the finish.  It is an amazing feeling make the right turn onto Hereford Street and then a quick left onto Boyleston for an exciting finish.  I pushed through the finish line and finished in 2:52.58!

After finishing I instantly became very cold and started to shake from being cold and wet.  It was raining hard and I was soaking wet.  A post race massage was very helpful.  Then I walked a half mile to Boston Commons to pick up my gear bag to get warm clothes.

Even though Jenene and the kids weren’t there, they still inspired me to run my best.  They made me inspirational pictures and cards wishing me good luck.

This was my 48th marathon, including 6 marathons run during Ironman triathlons and 1 marathon run with Jenene.

I am looking forward to shorter races over the summer including some with my kids.  Then I will run the Chicago Marathon in October for the second year in a row and 4th time total.

[ironmanplus5]

Boston Marathon Bound

On Monday I am running in the Boston Marathon for the 11th time.  I am excited to be going back to Boston after not being there since 2010!

My race number is 1205.

You can track results at www.bostonmarathon.com and watch the race live at www.bostonmarathon.com or on the Universal Sports Network.

I am feeling great and ready to run strong!

This will be my 48th marathon, including 40 marathons raced, 6 Ironman Triathlons and 1 marathon run with Jenene.

[ironmanplus5]

Elizabeth and Angelina Run Strong Together in Pirates 5K Today

Elizabeth(10) and Angelina(8) ran the Pittsburgh Pirates Home Run 5K this morning.  Elizabeth ran 25:25 and Angelina ran 25:26.  They ran most of the race together.

They were the first 2 girls under 11 to finish.  They finished 6th and 7th out of 79 finishers in their 14 and under age group.  They were fairly close to the girls in front of them.  They were 143rd and 144th out of 2,037 females.

It was fun watching them work together and support each other throughout the race.  When they came into PNC Park and ran around the field to the finish near home plate, Elizabeth had pulled a few seconds ahead.  Angelina sprinted the last 75 yards and almost caught her at the finish line, finishing less then a second behind her.  No matter which of them finishes in front in a race, they both are good sports and happy for each other.

They also ran a 5K last weekend.  I am very proud of both of them!

Angelina set a personal best last week of 24:52.  They both weren’t too far off of their best 5K times today.

The race benefits Pirates charities.

[ironmanplus5]

Angelina and Elizabeth Finish 1st and 2nd in Age Group in Ole’ 5K on Saturday, Angelina Runs Personal Best

Angelina(8) and Elizabeth(10) both had great races in the Ole’ 5K at the North Park Swimming Pool area on Saturday.  Angelina ran 24:52 and Elizabeth ran 26:17.  Angelina finished 1st and Elizabeth finished 2nd in the 10 and under age group, winning gold and silver medals.

Both girls worked hard on a windy day on the course with rolling hills.  They both finished strong.  

Angelina and Elizabeth both enjoyed the race and were excited about how they ran.

Jenene, Brady, Juliana and I cheered them on during the 5K and we are very proud of them!

The girls ran their 5Ks in the 25:00s last year.  

Angelina’s previous best time was 25:17 until running under 25:00 in the Peer-to-Peer Empowerment As One We Run Color Run 5K two weeks ago (no times or results recorded).  Elizabeth’s best time is 25:11.

The Ole’ 5K benefits the Anna Seethaler Hospital for the poor in Oaxaca Mexico. The race was founded by Father Scott Seethaler.

[ironmanplus5]

Fun Running with Elizabeth and Angelina in Color Run 5K

I ran the Peer-to-Peer Empowerment As One We Run Color Run 5K with my daughters Elizabeth (10) and Angelina(8) at Pine Richland High School on Sunday afternoon.  It was organized by Pine-Richland high school students, who are part of the Peer-to-Peer Empowerment Group.  It was a fun race for a great cause!

The girls loved getting colored while they ran.  It was a fun event!  They had a great post race celebration with food and drink and music with live singers and bands.

The course was half on the roads and half on grass.

Angelina decided to push the pace and ran 24:50.  Her previous best 5K time last year was 25:13.  No results were kept in the Color Run.

The girls are preparing for some upcoming 5K races.

[ironmanplus5]

Check out my new Newton Running Shoes

Recently I got new Newton Running shoes, the Men’s Distance Elite racing shoe.  

I love them!  The shoes feel incredibly light, comfortable and fast.  They weigh only 7.2 ounces.  I wear the Distance Elite for all types of runs: long runs, speed workouts and races.  It felt great during a recent 20 mile run.

My favorite shoe for years has been the Newtons Men’s Distance S (stability speed trainer), which is a very light shoe(7.9 ounces) that I wear for training and racing all of distances.  

I decided to try the Distance Elite which is even lighter and faster.  I plan to alternate between the 2 shoe models.  I tend to overpronate but even though the Distance Elite does not have the Extended Medial Bridge on the midsole for extra stability, it has been a great shoe for me.  

I run more efficiently in Newton Running shoes.  I love how they allow me to run naturally.  I feel they keep me healthier and also allow me to maximize my performance.

For more information on all of Newtons shoes, go to www.newtonrunning.com

[ironmanplus5]

Treadmill Workouts Aid in Fast Workouts in Snowy, Cold Winter

Whenever possible I run outside no matter what the weather is.  I have run in many near zero and subzero and snowy days this winter, with the coldest runs at negative 13 degrees and negative 8 degrees.

But frigid weather and snowy roads and tracks are not conducive to good speed workouts, so that is when the treadmill becomes a beneficial training tool.  Over the past couple of weeks I have run a couple good tempos on the treadmill including an 8 mile tempo run in 47:38 two Saturdays ago and also a 5K  in 17:19 11 days ago.  Last Tuesday I did mile and half mile repeats with mile times of 5:39 and 5:27 and half mile times of 2:38 and 2:35.

Hopefully the treadmill has prepared me to run similar workout times outside and to have my best training over the next month or so as I prepare for the Boston Marathon.

[ironmanplus5]

Spring Thaw 10 Mile Race - First Race of Year

On Saturday morning I ran the Spring Thaw 10 Mile Race at North Park in Pittsburgh.  Despite being a little sick with a bad cough and the frigid weather, I decided to race.  It beat the alternative of doing a 10 mile tempo on the treadmill.  The temperature at the start of the race was 10 degrees.

I ran 1:05.29 and finished in 19th out of 673.  I was 2nd in my age group (40 to 44).  By mile 2 I felt very weak and despite being well off pace, I decided to make the most of it and pushed through it.  I am pleased with my effort and my 2 five mile loops were almost the same exact time.

There is also a 15 mile and 20 mile race.  I also ran an extra 5 miles as a cool down to complete the 15 mile race.  I ran 18 miles total with the warm up and good down.

[ironmanplus5]

Running with My Daughters in the Winter

Angelina(8) and Elizabeth(10) continue to enjoy running even in the snowy and cold weather.  

They are running 2 to 3 days per week.  Two Mondays ago I ran 2 miles with each girl on a very, cold blistery day.  The following Friday Angelina and I ran 2 miles in 16:40.  On Saturday Lizzie, Angelina and I enjoyed a 3 mile run together.

The previous Saturday Angelina and I ran 6 miles together, her longest run ever.

[ironmanplus5]

Angelina’s 1st 6 Mile Run

Two Saturdays ago Angelina(8 years old) ran 6 miles with me on a cold winter afternoon. Our time was 54:30.  

She didn’t feel as good as usual on miles 4 and 5 and I told her she should stop, but she kept running. She felt great on her last mile and it was her fastest mile.

She ran 5 miles two times in the fall but this was her first 6 mile run.