Ironman Arizona Race Report- By Gina Anixter

Nerves set in strong. I awoke the morning of the race at 2:45 and couldn't go back to sleep. I got out of bed at 3:30 and ate oatmeal, a banana, and drank a cup of coffee. This would be the last real food until after the race. I laid back down until 4:30. My friend Mark and I walked over to the race start at 5. The battery on my bike monitor had gone dead on the drive to Arizona so I needed to change it before the race started. I checked my special needs bags. These are bags that you pack for yourself with stuff you think you might need during your bike and run; they are in addition to your transition bags which were checked in the night before. So many logistics! Next, it was onto body marking; volunteers write your race number on both arms and your age on your calf muscle. The age on the calf is strictly for athletes so they know who they are passing or who is passing them. The number on the arm is for race officials and volunteers. After body marking I put on my wetsuit and race officials called us to get in the water. There is a concrete edge along the lake so we had to jump out a few feet to get into the lake. The water was cold, about 61 degrees, and it took my breath away. There were 2800 athletes needing to jump in to the water so it took at least 15 minutes to get everyone into the water. We treaded water for what seemed like 20 minutes. My strategy was to start near the front left side of the pack. I had hoped to go out fast and then settle into a pace; knowing this effort would make me breathless, but I was hoping it would get me away from the masses. I've done several deep water starts but none to this magnitude. Hands and feet collided with fellow athletes, both men and women, as we waited to start. The lights from the buildings and the brides overhead shown on the water of Tempe Town Lake. The bridges were lined four deep with the athletes' friends and the family. There was no countdown, suddenly the canon shot off with a loud BANG. I started my watch so I would know my race splits throughout the day. We were off...elbows, feet,and hands were flying everywhere. This was by far the most brutal part of the race. Just when I thought I could settle into a pace I would get hit and not just a simple tap on the
shoulder but a full on arm coming onto my shoulder and dragging me down, then onto my back and my legs. I got hit multiple times but the worse was a hard heal to the goggles which I thought must have cut my eye. I kept thinking stay strong, be tough, give back what you're given, don't give in, you've got this, relax. It was brutal! I got out of the crowd at the half way point of the swim, only to realize it was because I was swimming a bit off course. I never felt tired on the swim, the distance felt completely fine. I felt beaten up for sure but never tired of swimming. You couldn't see more than a foot in the water, it was so murky, green, and it smelled funny. The second hardest part of the swim was the intense charlie horses in my calves and hamstrings on the back half of the race. This has happened to me in other races and I haven't figured out why. It's an intense surge up my soleus followed by a rock solid tightening in the center of my calf. Thank goodness I had experienced this before so I kept as calm as possible and drug my legs behind me until the pain lessened. The wetsuit keeps me afloat so I basically used my arms to swim. Eventually the intense tightening in the calf subsided and I could kick again. This definitely added stress to the swim and it slowed me down but I never stopped as a result. Towards the end of the swim most athletes kick vigorously to bring blood back into their legs before exiting the water.

Arizona Ironman had close to 4,000 of the best volunteers imaginable.! A volunteer pulled me out of the water onto the steps where athletes exited the lake. My calves were so cramped that I used the step to stretch them out before hitting the wetsuit peelers. That's what the volunteers are called who help take wetsuits off the swimmers. I heard volunteers yelling my race number as I approached the thousands of bike transition bags. I grabbed my bag and entered the women's changing tent. Volunteers helped me put on my bike jersey, arm warmers, socks, cycle shoes and helmet. I was off to grab my bike and headed for the three loop course. The air temp was about 56, but it felt much colder because my tri suit was wet. I had planned on riding conservatively the first lap, then gradually increasing my pace.

The second lap of the bike course was the most challenging, both mentally and physically. The wind had picked up and it wreaked havoc on all of the athletes. During the second lap athletes were allowed to pick up their special needs bag. I picked up a fresh bottle of Perpetuem and dropped off my cycle jersey and arm warmers. My family was worried that my pace was declining because my split had slowed, but thankfully this was a reflection of my stop and not my legs. I felt really strong on the third lap of the bike leg and I began to pass cyclists right and left.

As with any race, there are things that happen that can throw your race plan off. Ironman was no different than any other race. On lap one of the bike I hit a bump in the road and POP, out of my bento box came my bottle of Nuun. Nuun is my favorite electrolyte supplement. I packed extra Endurox so this would become my back up plan. Then on lap two of the bike when I dropped my cycle jersey I accidentally gave my Endurox container and with it the tabs! I was faced with a decision of taking the race electrolyte or waiting until the run to replenish my electrolytes. I know this doesn't seem like a big deal but I am a planner and this can really play on my confidence. I worried about the race fuel upsetting my stomach. I had heard from so many athletes that their fueling was the biggest problem in their ironman. I decided to wait until the run to refuel with the electrolyte that my body was use to having. In retrospect I think this was the right decision, as I had no stomach issues at all!

I had four friends who raced AZ Ironman: Mark Richard, Terry McNiff, Jeff DuBois, and Michael Myette. These guys are all great guys and I really enjoyed training with them. I saw Terry, Jeff, and Mark on the bike and that really helped keep me rolling. Jeff and I finished the bike at the same time, which was really pretty cool.

The volunteers took our bikes and once again we collected our transition bags, only this time we were preparing for a marathon. I changed quickly and started my run. The course is a three loop course and the first loop felt pretty good. Once again, the second lap was the toughest both mentally and physically. The race director had said something the day before the race that really stuck with me. He said "You can't rush an Ironman, let it come to you." You know what? He was absolutely correct! I kept thinking to myself, keep lifting those legs, one step at a time, you've got this, going the distance today!

My friend Andrew Garmin, a local ultramarathon runner and fellow triathlete had flown in to register for Arizona Ironman 2012, and he cheered us on during the race. He knew what to say to me to keep me on track and get me going. I really started fading in the third lap and he yelled at me "YOU NEED TO EAT AND DRINK" I did, and boy what a difference!! After the fuel kicked in I was able to pick up my pace and really go. I ran up on my friend Terry, whose stomach was upset. I yelled at him "come on Terry, we gotta go!" Together we ran the next five miles. It was a gift to run into Terry. We had trained for months together and we understood the magnitude of what was happening. Terry and I flew passed other competitors like they were standing still. We were MOVING and were so excited to be finishing. I'll never forget those last few miles. As we got within a mile of the finish line Terry had more left than I did and he pulled ahead. When I came down that shoot I felt invigorated, proud, and accomplished. I heard my husband Jeff, my daughters Aly and Natalie, and my best friends the Richards, screaming and yelling my name with excitement. Then finally, the announcer yells "Gina Anixter YOU ARE AN IRONMAN"!!! Simply put, this was one of the best days of my life. Nothing feels better than accomplishing something so BIG in life. I've learned that through hard work and dedication anything is possible! My overall time was 11:14. I placed 5th among women in my age group and was proud to stand on the podium for my first Ironman!

Greg Bomhoff Community Hero Award

>From Gold Country Media-

The Placer County Youth Commission helped a group of young people say “thanks” to adults who made a difference in their lives – including three from the Roseville area.

During the Community Hero Awards ceremony held at Rocklin’s Whitney Ranch House residential clubhouse on May 26, Greg Bomhoff, of Granite Bay, and Roseville residents Karl Dyer and William “Wild Bill” Hill were honored for having changed the lives of young people.

Eight-year-old Jake Whittle nominated Bomhoff for his “Go the Distance” run that raised more than $20,000 to save Franklin School’s physical education program.

“When everyone heard that we might lose our PE program, no one knew what to do,” Whittle said. “But Greg did something about it and he raised lots of money to help us out.”

“It was a simple plan and it required me to run around the Franklin School track for 24 hours,” he said. “That’s almost running 130 miles. It was crazy but I thought I could raise money and awareness at the same time."

And raised more than $27,500 as well.

“I was just happy that I did it and helped the kids save their PE program,” Bomhoff said. “Then I heard Jake had nominated me. I knew then that I did something more than raise money for kids. I showed them that anything is possible if you work hard and never give up.

Update:

September 11, 2018 - Go the Distance (Michelle Guardino and Greg Bomhoff) First recipients of Loomis Certificate of Appreciation from Council Member and former town Mayor Brian Baker. On this year Go the Distance eclipsed half million dollars raised for Loomis Schools.

How do I know if I'm ready?

I’ve been training specifically for this 24 hour run for the last six months. Week after week and month after month I’ve torn the muscles down so they will rebuild stronger. Much of the last two month I’ve felt physically drained of energy due to the hours of exercise every day. The legs have never felt completely recovered and as a result I’ve never really known what kind of shape I’m in. After each long test run I’ve asked the question, “How much better would I have run if I weren’t so tired?” How do I know if the training is working? How do I know if I am going to be ready on April 22nd? I guess I just have to believe in the training. I don’t write up a specific training plan but I do keep a log of what I’ve done. The training log is what tells me if I’ve put in the work that is necessary and gives me the confidence that it will all come together. Everyday I look in the mirror and ask myself, have I done enough? Have I trained correctly? Will I be ready? Several weeks ago I began to taper down the miles and the legs have slowly begun to feel better. My pace has become quicker and the miles seemed to fly by with ease. With two weeks to go rest days became more important than the run days. The legs have now had time to recover and the rewards of months of hard work are beginning to show. Today was a bittersweet day. Today I did my last workout before the 24-hour run. From the first steps I knew it was going to be a good run. The asphalt felt soft under my feet and the long quick stride felt effortless. My breathing was shallow and my heart rate was low. As I made the turn for home I continued to increase the pace only to find I still had another gear left. Feeling good and knowing this would be my final run I continued to pushed the pace faster and faster each of the remaining miles home. Having a run like the one I had today was the perfect way to finish off my training. Lance Armstrong has described it as “no chain” meaning he sometimes feels like there is no chain on his bike and he can spin the pedals as fast as he wants without tiring. That’s how I felt today. “No chain.” So there it is. The work is done. There is nothing more I can do to prepare other than rest. I’ve put everything I have into the training for this run and after today I have to believe… I’m ready! Ready to Go the Distance! ~ Greg Bomhoff

Meet the Go the Distance Team

In a couple of my previous posts I made mention of the Go the Distance Team that has been assembled and is responsible for putting this event together and I thought it would be a good idea to introduce some of the key members.

There are really two teams at work right now. First, there is my personal team, my handlers. They are responsible for caring for me during the event and making sure I have what I need to continue for 24 hours. Second, there is the team of Franklin parents who are putting in many hours to ensure this event will meet the goals we are reaching for.

My Handlers:

Ron Bomhoff – If there is one person you would want in your corner taking care of you as you push yourself to the limit why not choose the person that has been taking care of you from day one. My Dad has crewed for me on many of my races and is not only knowledgeable of the trials of ultrarunning but he also has a very good sense of my condition during the runs. He will ultimately be the one responsible for monitoring my weight, electrolyte levels, hydration, calorie composition and overall health during the event. Decisions will be made here.

Kevin & Stacy Guerrero – (Sister and Brother-in-law) Stacy and Kevin have crewed for me at some of my longer races and know what to expect on April 22nd-23rd. Stacy was there for possibly my most difficult race and has seen the physical and emotional highs and lows a runner goes through in a long run. Kevin is an EMT and is known for his attention to detail. He will likely also be tracking my health by watching my electrolyte intake, weight, hydration, calories and split times. All this information will be charted and routine medical checks including blood pressure will be performed throughout the day and night just as a precaution.

Sheri Bomhoff – Like Stacy, Sheri has also been at enough races to understand what is needed and when. Sheri is multi-tasking and also will be in charge of some of the events scheduled to take place Thursday evening at the track. It is no coincidence that my handles are all family. Who else is going to stay up all night long and remain totally focused on making sure I have everything I need. Anybody?

The Event Management:

Gina Anixter – (Event Planner) – Gina is responsible for everything beyond this event being a guy running in circles for 24-hours to raise money for the school. (which is what it was when I first pitched the idea) Gina, an accomplished runner/triathlete herself, immediately came on board as the PTC liaison and began to get the wheels turning to make this a very special school event. She has been and will be involved in every aspect of the planning, fundraising and logistics of the event.

Kari jo Clark – (Public Relations / Marketing) Kari jo is putting the word out that there is an exciting event happening at Franklin School and has already distributed the first press release to all major media in the Sacramento area. In addition she has targeted local Loomis and Granite Bay community media and social groups to bring in interest from the entire community. When you see the news trucks at our school or the article in the paper you’ll know who is behind it.

Racine Shaw- (Treasurer) Racine is the PTC Treasurer and is working hard to figure out some of the details in setting up the online donation and registration issues and in accounting and reporting. This is one of those behind the scenes jobs that typically doesn’t get the credit it deserves given the amount of work that goes into it so thank you Racine! I had no idea how hard it was to collect money!

Michelle Guardino – (logistics Coordinator) Michelle will have her hands full on the day and the evening and the next day of the event. Her job as the Logistics Coordinator will be to take all the great events we have planned for the 2 days and figure out how, when and where to make them happen. I think we found the right person for the job! I’ve promised her it will be fun!

Andy Clark – (Emcee / Medic) – Andy has offered his talents both as the voice of the event and as a medic. I’m looking forward to hearing his skilz with the microphone but hope not to need his expertise as a medic. It will be nice to have him there as we do intend to have a trained medic on site for the full 24 hours. We’ll have to give him a cool DJ name too. Any suggestions?

Clint Nelson – (Corporate Sponsorship) Clint is also an experienced runner and triathlete and is working to attract athletic sponsorship and to partner with athletic promoters to support our event.

Lori Jorgensen, Connie Mancasola – (Assemblies and student involvement) We currently have two or three assemblies planned for Walk Toward Health Week. Lori and Connie will bring in individuals that will educate, motivate and entertain the kids about health and fitness. We are hoping to have assemblies at both the beginning and end of the event and involve the kids as much as possible.

Erika Small – Erika has become very involved in the planning of the event and is also doing some soliciting for Corporate Sponsorship and special guests. I understand she has some other tricks up her sleeve but I don’t know what those are yet. Surprise me!

Kristin Arietta – (Dinner auction) As you may know, Kristin has taken on the major task of putting on the Dinner Auction on March 20th. Somehow she has also found the time to be at our planning meetings and provided her valuable input. We intend to promote and raise money for this event at the Auction. Kristin is working with us on how that will be done and has come up with some great ideas. (I’m not crazy about that idea of wearing the running shorts to the Auction though!)

Ann Baker – (guidance and consultant) – Ann is our PTC President and has also been kind enough to be a part of this event and offer her wealth of knowledge and experience. This being my first fundraiser, having her direction has been invaluable.

Steve Stahlberg – (Sponsorship Consultant) Steve has provided his valuable insight to soliciting corporate sponsorship and helped mold our approach to fundraising. He is pretty well connected too!

There are many others who probably deserve to be on this list for their input. I have a long list of Franklin parents and friends who have offered their assistance. That kind of support is not only appreciated, it is also necessary. We will need many volunteers on the day or days of the event to pull the whole thing off and to tell you the truth that’s one thing I’m not worried about right now. Based on the feedback I’ve received from this community I have no doubt that we will have more than enough people coming forward to help make this happen.

I wanted to put this together to thank the people who have stepped up to put this event together. It has been a constantly evolving process where new ideas are implemented and new connections are made that shape the event. I’d welcome anyone who has an idea, a business sponsorship connection or who just wants to help to contact me at greg@gothedistancerun.com.

Gotta Run,

Greg