I FINISHED! - Message from IRONJEN

THANK YOU....THANK YOU....THANK YOU to EVERY one of you that continue to support me along this journey. All of your kind words have meant SOOOOOO much you will never know! I appreciate every once of it, and really go back to it along the way for support.

What an amazing experience Ironman was again for me. I had a blast all weekend, Madison is an incredible city, with generous volunteer's (I will be one next year!) I truly feel blessed to have been able to compete again, and it's just an amazing venue to be part of.

I was stronger this year, and took on different obstacles...and it wouldn't be Ironman with out them. So even though my race wasn't what I had envisioned, my mind and body fought it out and in the end I got what I had gone to Madison for, and that was to give everything I had to have another Ironman finish.

It's been a long year of training and I'm happy to say that I'm taking it down a notch in the next year to give my body the proper time to really recover and get healthy again. And thank you to WES for his continued support and ongoing incredible gift of the ironjen website. I am truly grateful for all of his hard work on the blog and beautiful photo's.

I love you and thank you, & much thanks to all the “IRONJEN” fans!!!!
Check out the images from the race in the Gallery.

Jen

Ironman Wisconsin 2008 Images Posted

The Images from the 2008 Ford Ironman Wisconsin triathlon have been posted in the Gallery.

Check`em out HERE and let me know what you think.

Jenifer Maggio You are an Ironman - Again!

First of all, my sincerest apologies to those that followed Jen's progress throughout the day only to be left hanging until now for the outcome. It was a late night after the race and a long (and rainy) day following...

Joined by just over 2200 athletes, Jen completed her second Ironman Sunday in Madison, WI. Despite a personal record breaking pace on the swim and bike legs, shortly after the start of the run, her stomach suddenly cramped up causing her to make frequent stops to use the facilities. (I'll spare you the graphic description.)

Physically and emotionally drained, for a split second she wondered if she could go on. Determined to beat her time last year, and if nothing else finish as strong as she could, she picked up her pace to reach her friends, family and finish line at 14:47:14.

Coach Carla says that not every race can be a great race, but Jen cherishes the fact that the journey is the reward, not a PR. Despite her time she is truly thankful that she has the opportunity to compete at all.


Full Race Day Recap

Under mostly sunny skies, a welcome change in what was expected just a day earlier, Jen showed a promising performance at this year's Ironman Wisconsin. With a much improved skill set in the water, she was comfortable in the mix of aggressive swimmers. The downside however was the beating she would take--getting kicked hard, once in the shoulder and in her ribs. Still she pulled out a swim time of 1:23:42.

Following an improved swim and T1 over last year, Jen tore off on the bike confidently. Having trained on the course she was prepared for the hills. Though it was significantly more windy than she had experienced. And the cool temps made the decents pretty chilly. She found it refreshing not to be riding with the kidney stone that she had last year! She was pleased with her 7:18:26 performance, feeling she balanced her energy on the bike, leaving enough for the run.

With the stronger of [her] three disciplines behind her, Jen started the marathon visibly winded. She passed us, not speaking a word. Shortly thereafter, the cramping started knocking her way off her pace. Numerous stops at the porta-potty's would continue over the first 13 miles causing her fans concern. At mile 12, I walked with Jen to get an update. She was near devastated at what had happened. She was doing so well, and on track to reach her sub-14 hour goal. Her body, nearly dehydrated, made her search deep for the motivation to continue. Not accepting the possibility of a DNF after her name, she started the run once again! Picking up her pace in the second segment, she managed to squeak out a 5:48:03 run to finish at 14:47:14. (Just over her total time at last year's Ironman 14:33:03)

After crossing the finish line, Jen was helped to the medical tent where she sat for nearly an hour drinking fluids and eating chicken broth under observation. She was released under her own power, where she joined her crew and (finally) got to eat something.

There wasn't the fanfare that she experienced at her first Ironman, but she appreciated everything that she had accomplished throughout the day and the tremendous support that she received from all of you!

RACE DAY PHOTOS will be posted soon in the Gallery. An email will be sen to all IRONJEN Subscribers when it is ready. Thank you for all of your kind words and encouragement!

IRONJEN on the RUN!

Jen hit the run course at about 4pm. She looked a bit winded, but that was to be expected--last year, she turned it up a few miles into the course. The sun is still shining on Madison w/ temps in the low 70's. A welcome change in what was expected!

According to IronmanLIVE, Jen is about 17 minutes ahead of last year's time, and 16:30 behind her goal time of 13:59:59 (a sub 14 hour race).

Don't check my math, but I believe she is tracking the following:

SWIM (2007) 1:26:30 - (2008) 1:23:42 -2:48
T1 (2007) 10:48 - (2008) 9:45 -1:03

BIKE (2007) 7:31:42 - (2008) 7:18:26 -13:16
T2 (2007) 6:45 - (2008) 7:18 +0:33

This is a short post... We are meeting my Mom, Miller and Carter to get some dinner and watch Jen finish. Next post, late this evening with post-race report.

Bike Anything But Smooth

The bike leg in Ironman Wisconsin is notoriously hilly. Some 400 feet of of travel is ridden up and down over the 112 mile course. That said, Jen looked very strong as she passed us at mile 42--the peak of one of the tallest climbs.

Road closures and construction made it pretty tough for us to follow, so Jim, Pam and I decided to grab some lunch at the Atlanta Bread Company then head back to our hotel to regroup and plan the rest of our course.

The weather has been beautiful thus far. 65 degrees and mostly sunny. The winds have picked up a bit to 10-15 miles per hour. It is cool in the shade. The latest check of the weather forecast shows that the rains have moved out of the area!

We are headed out to the run course to see Jen start the marathon leg. She's expected to come in around 3:30 or so. This may be the last post during the race... We have 5 opportunities to see her on the run, but it takes some hiking for us to pull it off. (We also need to stop at Frieda's for dinner and a margarita!) See you soon!

The Race is On!

Jen rose this morning at 4:30am. She was more confident than I've ever seen her. It was a smooth morning overall. She hooked up with Carol, Carla and set up there bikes for the improved weather outlook! Mother nature has cleared the rains (for at least the first part of the day) for an absolutely beautiful swim start.

Jen came out of the water at 1:23:42 - approximately 3 minutes ahead of last year and cleared T1 at 9:45 - a solid minute ahead of last year. She started the bike leg at approximately 8:30am. She is expected to be out there for around 7 hours. Her dad Jim, sister Pam and I are headed out on the course to see Jen tackle "The Hill" (affectionately known as "The Bitch")

I've posted a First Look Slideshow for you to check out.
Check'em out... More photos to come!

Ironman Dinner Then Off to Bed

After we got Jen's gear checked in we hit the "Ironman" store to check out some "iron-wear", and there was plenty of it. Typical of any themed store. Wardrobe for every occasion. Coffee mugs, mouse pads, playing cards, luggage tags, the list goes on and on (and so does Jen's shopping list!)


We strolled over to a little Irish pub around the corner from the Capitol building to wait for Jen's dad and sister. While there, we ran into Coach Carla and Sue again. After a short while, a stranger tapped Jen on the shoulder and asked if there was some big race in town--to Jen's big surprise, it was her friend Mel and her daughter Jackie who drove up just to have dinner with us. (Thanks Mel!)

When Jen's dad and sister arrived, we all had dinner down the street at Jerome's Restaurant and Lounge. It's not winning any food critic awards, but it was close and hit the spot. Afterwards it was back to the hotel to get our last minute gear together and get to bed. Which reminds me, I need to get there too! Next post from, from the course!

Don't forget to follow Jen on IronmanLIVE Sunday...

Step 1 Click >>> TRACK JEN
Step 2 Click "2008" on the left hand side of the page. (A pop-up window will open)
Step 3 Click "Tracking"
Step 4 Enter bib number 2128
Step 5 Click "Search"

Ya Hey Der from Madison!

Jen and I are in Madison to get her gear and bike checked in. She came up Friday with her friend Carol. I joined her today.

Jen went for a little, swim, bike, run this morning to stay limber. She's feeling pretty good having been on the course now a few times. Last year obviously, again a few weeks before for the USMS 2.4 mile Open Water National Championships and today.

Weather is nice here--today--but there is a pretty good chance that we'll see some rain tomorrow. Mild temps w/ scattered T-storms are possible as of 12 noon. We'll be keeping an I on it throughout the day.

I'm sitting here w/ Coach Carla and Sue Voelz drinking some Spotted Cow while Jen goes over her special needs bags... She's got it together--just trying to determine what the weather is going to be like at different times throughout the course.

We are headed to Monona Terrace to drop her gear and cover her bike (seat and bars) for the night, then head somewhere for dinner. Check in with you soon!

Message From IRONJEN

"The person that starts the race is the not person that finishes the race."

We'll I'm 2 days out...and I'm ready! I'm also anxious and excited. So much takes place within that LONG day. MANY have asked why I'm doing another Ironman..."one wasn't enough?" To me there was never a question. (I actually signed up the day BEFORE I raced last year!) Yep, I hadn't even experienced "the day", and I was already hooked. The energy is amazing all weekend up in Madison, and I'm soooo looking forward to soaking it all in again. It's like no other weekend I've ever had, to be surrounded by fellow athlete's that all have a different story on getting here, but hopefully will all share the same ending. That sacred 140.6 mile Ironman finish!!!!

Ironman to me was something of a dream until last year. This year I go into it w/ different expectations and different goals. But one thing remains the same and that is "the journey is the reward". I'm excited to see what the day will hold. And even though the course will be the same as last year, it will not at all be the same race. What I love most about Ironman is the
challenge to see what I’m made of. To push beyond the point that your body is saying it “can’t” anymore, and that's when the mental challenge really begins, and it's when you realize your stronger than you ever gave yourself credit for. It becomes the true test of ones body and soul.

Thank you all for all of your love, support and well wishes. I look forward to our next journey.

Jen - "IRONJEN"

Follow Jen on IronmanLIVE!

Real Time IRONJEN Tracking will be provided at Ironman Wisconsin this Sunday Follow Jen's progress throughout the course with split times, pace, transition times and position information!

To register, at the start of the race,
CLICK HERE

Enter Jen's bib number: 2128


You may also access race day coverage by navigating to http://ironman.com/events/ironman/wisconsin

I too will attempt to post some Mid-day race coverage and photos, but this will be based on traffic and weather conditions on the course. I will send an email blast Sunday afternoon if get the opportunity. Otherwise, if you happen past the computer, check out ironjen.com for the latest info.

Thanks again for all of your support!

The Champion Inside of YOU

Whoa, this is IRONJEN's blog, what's HE doing here?! I ran across an inspiring text the other day that I thought everyone could benefit from... It's by Jill Koenig, an expert on the subjects of Goal Setting, Time Management, Leadership and Business Success. She wrote about Michael Phelps and his accomplishments at the 2008 Summer Games in Beijing recently on her blog at GoalGuru.com.

A shortened version of her piece can be found below. A link to the full text can be found at the end of this post.

Although I had a busy travel schedule this past week, just like millions of people around the world, I was glued to the television every time Michael Phelps took to the water in the Olympics. Because success leaves clues, I study the best of the best in every sport, business or craft I possibly can, and you should too.

Sometimes in life what separates first place from second place is one point, a fraction of an inch or even a tiny millisecond that requires the most sophisticated technology to measure. Those small gaps define who wears the Gold Medal around their neck, who breaks a world record, who earns millions of dollars in endorsements and who graces the top magazine covers.
You may feel you have nothing in common with Michael Phelps but the fact is that there is a Champion inside you.

There is a Champion inside you.

Perhaps your area of passion is being a parent or an entrepreneur or a weekend athlete or a singer or writer, whatever your Goal, you don’t have to be a swimmer to unleash it. All you have to do is apply a few simple strategies to your own pursuits and practice them consistently everyday.
Five Things You Can Do Today to Be a Champion Like Michael Phelps

1. Improve on the Small Things that Make a Big Difference
2. Study Other Champions
3. Put Blinders on to Focus Your Energy When it’s Time to Perform
4. Do what you love
5. Finish Strong

These few lessons are just some of what I extracted from watching Michael Phelps become the greatest Olympian of all time. They are things that you and I can easily do every single day if we simply apply them to our lives.

Unleash your inner Champion. Live Your Dreams. --Jill Koenig

Again, the full version of Jill's post can be found here. Jill digs deeper into the five points above, giving you some ideas on how you can find that Champion inside of YOU.

"Ironman" Defined

A couple of people chimed in and asked for a little clarification on this whole "Ironman" thing. So, to try and clear up the confusion about the term Ironman, I share this little Ironman Glossary that I compiled:

"Ironman" - Any race consisting of a triad of events (triathlon) featuring a 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike and a 26.2 mile run. If it refers to a particular Ironman event, the name of the location typically follows "Ironman". i.e. "Ironman Wisconsin."

"Ironman" - One who successfully completes a full or long course triathlon consisting of a 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike and a 26.2 mile run. This context is considered gender-neutral, so a female competitor who has completed an Ironman event is also called an Ironman. ­

"Ironmans" - Reference to multiple Ironman events, i.e. "After Ironman Wisconsin on Sept. 7th, Jen will have competed in two Ironmans".

"Ironmen" - Reference to a group of people who have completed Ironman events, i.e. "When Jen completed Ironman Wisconsin last year, she joined the ranks of the Ironmen."

And finally, and perhaps this is the most confusing to some is "Ironman Hawaii". "The Ironman World Championship in Kona, HI is the most notable of Ironman events for it's most grueling weather conditions and terrain.

"Triathlon" - Refers to racing three consecutive events (of any distance) in a row. For example, the following triathlon distances are common: Super-sprint, Sprint, Olympic, Half Iron (70.3).

I hope this sheds a little light on the whole Ironman triathlon thing. Have a great day!

Living with an Ironman

To live with an Ironman or should I say IRONJEN is an amazing experience. Inspiring does not even come close to describing it. When I think about it, other words, like persistence and passion come to mind, but still don't nail it. Insanity and psychotic are there too, still, not enough.

So what exactly is it like? Well, rather than attempting to describe it I'd rather let you form your own opinion. Here is an example of what a typical day for Jen might be like:

Get work out from Coach Carla Sunday night.
Go for run at 5:30am before boys get up and start the day.
Shower up and/or get ready for morning plan.
Head to the health club for strength training.
Drop the boys at child care center and hit the gym.
Pick boys up and go to the pool.
Shower up and work/follow up with a client.
Take the boys to karate.
Come home, make dinner.
Get the boys ready for bed.
Log workouts w/ Training Bible.
Follow up on emails and other daily tasks.
Wind down and set the schedule up once again.

I've abbreviated a lot here, but this snapshot gives you a glimpse into the daily life of an average Ironman... Not at all to suggest that an Ironman by any means is anything less than extraordinary! But, this type of schedule is not unlike that of anyone who has achieved membership among the ranks of "Ironmen".

So as you can see, its a bit hard to put into words what it is like living with and Ironman. What I can say is that I wouldn't trade it for the world. Kudos Jen, and thanks for being an example of what hard work and dedication can bring. Good luck this weekend!

All Work and No Play

As the saying goes, "All work and no play, makes not for a happy Ironman". Jen, the boys and I enjoyed a gorgeous day up at the lake, this Labor Day weekend. (Our new place is nearly complete!) This shot was taken at the Anchor Inn in Newville, WI on beautiful Lake Koshkonong. Yah, that's a mouthful. FYI - That's a bloody mary in Jen's hand, and those are cheese curds on the table. Mmmmm cheese curds.

The taper continues with Ironman Wisconsin just 5 more days away! I've opened up the IRONJEN Guest Book. You can click the link, or find the Guest Book in the sidebar. Show your support for Jen and leave a comment.

I'm making reservations this week for the Ironman dinner, Saturday night. If you would like to join us in Madison, let me know and I'll save a seat for.

Check the blog this week... I'll be posting (almost) daily leading up to The Big Event.
Thank you for your emails and kind words. It means a lot to Jen and I.

Welcome Back IRONJEN Fans!

First off, let me sincerely apologize to those that have been hitting the site over the summer looking for news on IRONJEN. It's of course my fault. Busy schedule aside though I do have a technical excuse. The web publishing software that I use was discontinued and I got a new computer that could not run the old software. Learning the new package has been more difficult than I expected. Ok, the geek stuff is over!

Jen has had a very busy year, starting the off in January with the PF Chang's Rock 'N" Roll Marathon in Arizona. We took a family trip to cheer her on and visit with some friends. Jen ran the race with her childhood friend, Craig. It was his first Marathon. They both did awesome!

A few months later Jen went back to Arizona (Tucson this time) for a triathlon camp produced by Training Bible. There she bunked and trained with elite triathletes and coaches from around the country. The highlight was a group ride up Mt. Lemmon. 9000 feet. That's almost 4 hours of continual climbing! She also met former pro triathlete, Wes Hobson of the famous Cliff Bar commercial! We love that one! I you haven't seen it, you gotta check it out!

After camp, three months of hardcore training ensued as Jen prepared for her next race, The Spirit of Racine in beautiful Racine, WI. Well, usually. That weekend (in July) was unseasonably cool, and VERY foggy. (See the pix here.)That said, Jen completely rocked it! Knocking 23 minutes off of her previous time, she qualified for the 2009 USA Triathlon Halfmax Long Course and Club National Championships (70.3) next year in Oklahoma City! Way to go Jen!

Just this weekend, Jen competed in a field mixed with master swimmers and triathletes in USMS 2.4 mile Open Water National Championships in Madison, WI. Though she wasn't in it to win it, she did well. Her primary objective was to take advantage of the organized race in the same waters that she will swim at Ironman WI. She followed the race up with a 4 plus hour ride and a run.

Ironman Wisconsin is less than 2 weeks away, and IRONJEN is in the fittest condition she's ever been! She is stronger. She is faster! And she is out to beat her time in `07 in a big way! And this is the place to be, to see her through it! Stay tuned and follow Jen to Madison once more.

I'll be posting every couple of days leading up to IM WI and a little afterwards. Additionally, I'll be posting pix in the Gallery from the race. So leave a comment on the blog for Jen, or better yet, plan on joining us in Madison on Sept. 7th! (I'm hosting a dinner for all IRONJEN supporters Saturday, Sept. 6th. If you would like to come, please send me an email and let me know so I can make appropriate reservations. ) Jen and I would love to see you there. Check out the Ironman Race page for details about the race.

Thanks again for checking out IRONJEN.com

--Wes

Two Weeks and Counting

A message from Coach Carla to her clients...

"ACHIEVEMENT IS LARGELY THE PRODUCT OF STEADILY RAISING ONE'S LEVEL OF ASPIRATION AND EXPECTATION." --Jack Nicklaus

If you believe you will achieve!! In 14 days (7 for Ryan) expect great things from yourself! Your hard work will all come forward and you will perform your best!

This week (for Madison people) is going to lead you into a full taper next week. Your body is hyper sensitive to everything!! A small twinge might seem like your arm fell off. This is normal!! You need to work on staying healthy, getting your rest, and thinking with a clear and positive vision of your race day. Take time each day and sit with yourself, go over every detail. Not only the positive things of the day--seeing all your friends and family, crossing the finish line with Mike Reilly announcing your name BUT the not so positive things too. What happens if you get kicked hard in the swim, your goggles fall off; flat on the bike; cramp on the run?? What is your plan of action? How will you handle situations that may come up. We all want a perfect and smooth race, but as you know that doesn't always happen. You can still end your day with turning possible obstacles into perfect situations.

Your volume of training will be coming down, you know how you have been camped out by the fridge and eating everything in sight?! Well, you could gain weight if you don't consider the fact that your training hours are dropping, so just eat well, stay hydrated and stock your fridge for the few days after Ironman (You would eat the paint off the walls if you could!!)

Mentally, your at the point - asking yourself - "Did I do enough training? Should I have skipped that one run (or bike or swim) workout? Should I have bought that new bike?" NOTHING is more important now than simple bits of "fine tuning" your fitness. Know that you did everything possible for yourself to prepare for your race, we all have days that workouts have to be missed for some reason or another, BUT we can't dwell on that!! The days of all the positive workouts out weigh anything negative. So put your focus there!!

Ryan - have a safe trip to Kentucky - we will watch you on Ironman live, the rest of you keep smiling, hang in there your day is almost there!! Be smart and train safe!

Carla Hastert
USAT Triathlon Level II Coach