Ironman Wisconsin 2007 Images Posted

My sincerest apologies to those who have patiently awaited the images that I captured at the Ironman Wisconsin Triathlon. A business trip immediately following the race, and a death in the family slowed down the processing.

Of the 700+ images captured Ironman Weekend, approximately 100 images make up the slideshow in the Gallery. Playing to an audio track, the show takes just 10 minutes. Take a break an check it out.

Let me know what you think of the images. Send email to: wes@ironjen.com

My Sincerest Thanks!

I FINISHED!!!! I still can't believe it! It was truly the most amazing experience! I've never worked so hard, and been in so much pain, and had so much fun...all in 1 DAY!

You all helped carry me thru many of those difficult miles! THANK YOU just doesn't seem big enough for how lucky I feel to have you all in my life. I appreciate everything you've all done...from listening to me ramble about training, to patching me up when I've needed mending, to giving me countless hours of love and support...

I can't say enough about how much it meant to me along the way and how much I held onto ALL of it during IRONMAN! My dream was possible because of ALL OF YOU! I couldn't have FINISHED without the love of my family, friends, and supporters! THANK YOU FOR HELPING MY DREAM COME TRUE!

Jen - "Ironjen"

Jenifer Maggio, You are an IRONMAN!

The energy at the finish line Sunday night was nothing short of amazing. Jen's fans and I were positioned on the fence in front of the bleachers that lined the chute, just twenty feet from the finish line. There, we anxiously awaited Jen's arrival. Emotions ran high as Mike Riley greeted competitors from all over the world and told their stories. Many of them first-time Ironman finishers. In fact there were over 1100 first timers!

Soon, Jen emerged from under the Ironman banner that sat between the Capital building and the finish line. We roared with reckless abandon to welcome her home, and at 9:33pm, Mike Riley's voice rang out , "Jenifer Maggio, you are an Ironman!"

Again, the experience was absolutely amazing! To witness the achievement that these athletes worked so hard to attain was inspirational beyond words. I highly recommend that you someday take in such an event.

Jen was very pleased with her performance. Although simply completing an Ironman is a tremendous accomplishment, she went into the race intending to finish in under 15 hours. Her total time, 14:33:41. Great job Jen!

It deserves mention that my upbeat, positive tone in the post covering the first half of the race soon changed as I returned to the start of the run course, where I would see Jen next. Coach Carla had learned that Jen was slowed on the second half of the bike course by a kidney stone.

After enduring excruciating pain in her abdominal area, Jen stopped to talk to some EMT's on the course. She informed them that she noticed a small amount of blood in her urine, and that she has kidney stones. They said that the stone likely moved from her kidney into her bladder causing the blood. They further said that if they treated her in any way that she would be disqualified. They advised her to withdraw from the race. Jen kindly noted their advice, but in true IRONJEN form, decided to press on! She later said, "The friends and family that came out to see me, came to see an Ironman, and thats what I intended to give them."

My personal thanks goes to all of those that supported Jen on this journey. We all have very busy lives, and it is truly appreciated that you took the time to show Jen encouragement along the way. Jen wished to thank you personally so she is planning to do so in the next post.

PS The posting of images from Ironman Wisconsin will be online shortly. I've been called out of town for work and been unable to get it together (in fact I am writing this post on a delayed flight to Orlando. uugh)

IRONMAN WISCONSIN 2007!

Sorry I missed my Saturday post--it was a long day in Madison. Check in went well. Jen got her morning training segments in. A 20 minute swim at 7:30am in Lake Monona, a 45 minute bike and a 15 minute run. She looked and felt great. She was a little shaky on the swim start, but better to get the jitters out then than on race day!

Jen and I enjoyed a nice dinner with her Mom and Dad (Barb & Jim), her sister Pam and friends, Mel and Pam D. After much discussion over where and when we would see Jen, we did our best to turn in early. (Jen went to bed before 9pm Carla!)

Enough already! On to Race Day! Ironman Wisconsin went off without a hitch today, with the pros hitting the water at 6:50am. The lake was very calm although yesterday was like glass. A beautiful sunrise came up over Lake Monona and there was little-to-no wind.

Some 2200 age groupers entered the water and started the swim at 7am. Jen had a killer swim, completing her 2 lap course and coming out of the water in 1:26:30. More than 10 minutes faster than we expected! Her T1 was 10:48.

The IRONJEN crew saw her run into transition from the swim, then back out to pick up her bike. She looked great! She is currently maintaining a steady 16 minute pace (average) on the bike course. The winds have started to pick up as it is expected to get a bit cloudy as the day progresses.

I followed her a good distance on the bike (Thanks to Ed) and she continues to look awesome and full of energy. She is expected to be gone for approximately 2 more hours as of this post. Hence the time to update those at home. I am headed back out to get positioned to photograph her on the bike into T2. After that its off to the marathon leg, her toughest.

Look for more coverage tomorrow, and a first look at the images I captured at Ironman Wisconsin.

Keep track of Jen LIVE, Visit "Track an Athlete" at IRONMANLIVE.com

The Event Has Begun!

This is it! Game time. The event has begun! Jen and her friend Brett have left Bartlett, bound for Madison, WI. In just a few short hours they will be amidst thousands of athletes competing in the Ford Ironman Wisconsin Triathlon this weekend.

A busy weekend lies ahead so here are a couple of items to note:

I am heading up to our place in Milton, WI (aka Lakeland) this afternoon. I will continue on to Madison early Saturday morning to meet up with Jen and check in myself... No, I am not competing in the race, but I have obtained media credentials to photograph it! Be sure to check out the Gallery next week.

Saturday evening, Jen and I are hosting a dinner for those that are spending the night in Madison and coming out to cheer her on, Sunday. Got plans this weekend? Consider joining us. So far the weatherman is calling for beautiful weather Sunday. 76 degrees and partly sunny! Perfect race weather!

Send me an email to wes@ironjen.com or simply call 630-730-2477 if you'd like to join us. Rez is for 5pm. Let me know ASAP, and I'll add you to the list and give you directions.

If you can't make it out, I hope you have signed the Guest Book to show Jen your support.

The race starts at 7am Sunday morning and is expected to last 14-15 hours! Check out the Ironman Wisconsin page on IRONJEN.com for the latest info on the race.

The next post will be from Ironman Village in the heart of Cow Town (Madison). Talk to you soon! --Wes

Chasing Ironman

This one is for you Jen... From a hotel room in Las Vegas, I contemplated the words that I would write in one of the last posts before Ironman Wisconsin. I'm sorry I couldn't pull out of this event entirely this week, but I will be home soon.

Since I gave a shout out to the team yesterday, I thought it would be nice to give one to you.

September 9th is less than 3 days away. You are leaving for Madison in less than 24 hours. And you are undoubtedly feeling a whirlwind of anxiety as you make your last minute preparations. I wanted to remind you however that as you make your way to Madison tomorrow, be sure to take it all in. The journey you've been on has been a long one and you deserve to bask in this moment. When you get there, look around you--at all of the other athletes that are arriving. Remember that each and every one of them has a story, a reason for being there.

Remember why YOU are there and know that you ARE prepared. You've worked so very hard for this and no matter how the day unfolds, you should appreciate all that you have accomplished.

I love you Jen and look forward to seeing you become an Ironman. Your fans and I will be cheering you on.

Your biggest fan --Wes

I follow a number of tri-related sites. One of which is Trifuel. A couple of days ago I ran across an article by Tracy Korn. Tracy is an English teacher at a high school in the Midwest and also a competitor this weekend at Ironman Wisconsin. In the article, she reflects on her journey and that of all athletes "Chasing Ironman". Its a good (short) read and I recommend it to you Jen, and to all fans of IRONJEN.

See you soon.

Shout Out to the Team!

In the era of "shout outs", I thought it only fitting to give one to the team as we approach race day. Thank you to all the people that have helped Jen on her journey to Ironman Wisconsin.

A special thanks to Chris from the Bike Shop for dropping off the bar end caps on Tuesday night!

Check out the list of people and organizations on the Team Page. Members include: Training Bible, Olympic Chiropractic, Multisport Madness, The Bike Shop, TriChic, Midwest Orthopaedics and Athletico.

And finally to all the friends and family that are joining Jen and I in Madison this weekend... Barb, Jim, Tonya, Miller, Carter, Pam G, Mel and Pam D. If you think you might make it up, please let me know. Send me an email to: wes@ironjen.com

Show your support! If you can't make it to Madison, be sure to sign the Guest Book.

Case of the Mondays'--err Tuesdays'?

Welcome back to work after a beautiful Labor Day Weekend! As you grab a cup of coffee and wipe your eyes, think about what is in store for Jen this week...

Final preparations are underway for Ironman Wisconsin. Jen is getting her gear laid out, going over her nutrition and course maps. I'm getting my camera and computer gear set to cover the race. The boys are getting excited about cheering their mom on--they can't wait to get their hands on the IRONJEN Cowbells.

By the way the IRONJEN Visors arrive today! If you put your name on one before August 12th, I'm putting it aside for you. If you've since decided to join us, let me know. I've still got a few cowbells available. Also, if you haven't already been told, plan on wearing a red shirt!

Health Update: At present Jen is at the doctor getting her throat looked at. She fears she has a case of strep, but we are all hopeful that it is just a cold. Regardless, its not going to slow her down!

Ok, grab another cup of joe and get some work done! --By the way, the title of this post is in reference to one of my favorite lines from the movie Office Space.

Peter Gibbons: Let me ask you something. When you come in on Monday, and you're not feelin' real well, does anyone ever say to you, 'Sounds like someone has a case of the Mondays'?

Lawrence: No. No, man. S**t, no, man. I believe you'd get your ass kicked sayin' something like that, man.

Ok, now seriously, get back to work. ; )

The Taper Continues...

Slowing down-way down. Taper is in full swing. Jen has scaled back her overall training volume to allow her body to repair itself from all of the hard work she has put it through in preparation for Ironman Wisconsin.

The taper phase of a training program can be difficult one. It requires the athlete to significantly lessen the time and distance that they have come accustomed to in training. While this much of the explanation may seem pretty easy to grasp, many athletes have trouble with it.

Slowing down requires one to readjust their mindset. It is common for athletes to become fatigued, and feel sluggish during the taper. They sometimes experience feelings of guilt as if they are losing the fitness condition that they've fought so tough for. Mentally and physically, the taper can take a toll. In Jen's case, she has come down with a cold with a sore throat and a congested head. She is headed to the doctor Tuesday to check it out.

Someone once explained the taper to me in terms of an automobile. To repair a car, you have to turn it off to tune it up for the big race. You obviously can't work on it while it is running! So for the rest of the week, Jen is focusing on her physical and mental health. Her workouts are much shorter and she is taking it easy. She is resisting the temptation to push it by sticking close to Coach Carla's plan.

More to come this week as Jen pursues her goal for Ironman glory!

What Exactly is an "Ironman"?

The term "triathlon" is pretty common place in today's vocabulary. A multi-sport event, in triathlon athletes compete in three disciplines: swimming, cycling and running. There are varying distance races making triathlon available to participants of all skill levels.

Ironman Triathlon is one of the most grueling events in the world of sports. It features a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike and a complete marathon (26.2 miles). Athletes have 17 hours to complete the event (from 7 am to midnight).

To suggest that completing an Ironman Triathlon is challenging would be an understatement. Perhaps that is why less than 1% of the world population has ever done so.

It can be difficult to fathom the scope of such a race. To get a feel for it, check out the attached movie from YouTube.

The Countdown is On!

I recall Jen's comments over the summer: 5, 4, 3 months-14 days till Ironman Wisconsin. Today starts the THE countdown. September 1.

Lots to do. Check the gear. Swim, bike, run--there is alot more gear involved than you'd think! From the laces in your shoes, to the drink in your bottles, everything has to be just right.

Study the course. Jen has pre-ridden the bike course a couple of times, but it is imperative that she review all of the course maps and be aware of the numerous twists, turns and climbs throughout.

Continue the taper. This is a hard one, even for me to understand. Swim, bike, run LESS! How hard can that be?! No more 4000+ meter swims, 6 hour rides and 2+ hour runs. Slow down!

Watch the diet. With drastic changes in a workout regimen, it is common to put on some added weight. Jen is carefully watching her diet to be careful not to let the lighter schedule allow her to bulk up!

Stay focused. Jen's training is nearly complete. Skill and perseverance will carry Jen across the finish line now. Now it is time to reflect over the last few months of hard work and preparation.

As race day approaches, show your support for Jen and her efforts to become an Ironman! Sign the Guestbook, or better yet, consider heading to Madison for the big race!