Why race a half Ironman exactly two weeks after an Ironman?

1. I’m always up for a little experimentation:

2. In small doses, I really like the city of New Orleans:

Pretty sure this was a parade of auditors and giant puppets on Canal Street.

3. I was the defending champ!

I should post this picture weekly just to make myself smile!!!

I knew racing New Orleans was risky this year, but it was a risk I was more than happy to take. I had fully convinced myself Ironman Los Cabos was just a big training day and my legs were more than ready to tear through the Crescent City.

For the first hour and a half of the race, I was RIGHT! The swim and first 20 miles of the bike were a BLAST.

First out of the South Shore Harbor Marina! Woo hoo!

I was riding up the front with Anna Cleaver and LOVING it. I felt like I was really racing and it was awesome. Shortly after the 20 mile mark Anna took the lead. And that’s when it happened:

BIKE MELTDOWNNNNNNN!!!!

I’m no stranger to blow ups, but this one was different. I was close to falling off the bike laughing because my head and my body were totally still in “race-mode” but I could barely turn over the pedals! I had nothing but love for my legs in that moment. I’d asked a lot out of them, and for an Ironman + 1/4, they had delivered spectacularly!

From that moment on I went into a bit of survival mode. I switched my focus from watts to calories, trying to get in as much nutrition and hydration as possible, knowing I still had a finish line waiting on me!

Once off the bike, the comedy continued. I was running in sixth place and within striking distance of the leaders, but my first couple run splits looked more like “controlled Ironman pace” than what I typically shoot for in a half. Poor legs! In that moment I decided that what I wanted more than anything in the world was to get sixth place. I was going to FIGHT with whatever I had for sixth. There’s no prize money for sixth, not much glory, but hell, I WANTED IT.

Headed to the finish, FOCUSED!!

Crazy things can happen in the 70.3 miles between the start and finish lines. I managed to lead, blow up, get passed, and even pass back! More important for me this year, is what didn’t happen – me giving up! I finished the 2014 Ironman 70.3 New Orleans in 5th place and a time of 4:27!  Not quite my 4:18 win from the previous year, but I couldn’t be prouder of myself. I fought through a tough day and a tough double. I got to race with some amazing people in an amazing city and I got to cross another finish line.

No tape, but still smiling!!

In the end, I wasn’t completely wrong. Mentally, I was more than ready to race New Orleans after Los Cabos. And THAT gets me extremely excited. Because next time, my legs will be ready too!

Thank You!

Major thanks to my parents for making a last minute trip to New Orleans. I always love having you guys at races! Especially when it involves post-race steak and beer!

My folks! (Pic obviously not from New Orleans, haha)

Thanks to Dynamo Coach Andrew Shanks for being on the run course with some really positive words of encouragement. Talk to yourself like that in Kona, and those lava fields will be a breeze, buddy!

Thanks to Coach Matthew Rose for getting me prepared for not only a March Ironman, but for a half two weeks later. And for running a 2:47 in Boston this week and giving former swimmers everywhere a big reason to celebrate! We ARE land animals!

Thank you to Coach Maria Thrash and the entire Dynamo Masters Swimming and Multisport Teams for the cheers on race day and every day. GO GREEN! And yay for long course season!!

Thanks to Hillary and Michele for including me in the amazing Smashfest Queen community! I love my kit, but I REALLY love the people it continues to bring into my life!

Pre-race with Smash ladies Kris, Orissa, and Aixa !

Thanks to Quintana Roo, Reynolds Wheels, SRAM, Quarq, Kask and bike guru Allen Heaton for getting my amazing Illicito race ready. Personal best 20 mile ride! Next time my legs will be there for the full 56!

Thanks to TYR for making the best wetsuits, swimsuits, and goggles EVER. (And yes, I’ve been swimming forEVER so I know this is true.) The fast and stylish new Mizuno Wave Hitogamis transitioned perfectly from the race course to the awards stage and I couldn’t have made it across that finish line without a solid nutrition plan and lots of gear, so thank you Osmo Nutrition and all3sports.com!

Thanks to Bill and Michele Burke and Premier Event Management for putting on a great race. New Orleans isn’t the easiest location for a race, but PEM makes it happen and keeps me and many others coming back year-after-year.

New Orleans was extra special this year because I got two race with TWO fellow University of Georgia Swim Dawgs!

Me, Abbie, Stef! Go DAWGS!

Abbie is a few years younger than me, but she KILLED her first ever half! I was lucky enough to swim one year at UGA with Stef and now she’s the Bulldogs’ Assistant Coach! Stef has FIVE National Championship rings and more NCAA All-American Honors than I can count!! I think Ironman might be too easy for her!!

And finally, thank you to everyone who cheered for me both in New Orleans and at home. Special shout out to the Tri Coach GA/Dream Team/Athens crew! When I walked up to claim my 5th place award the roar from Harvey, Seth, Ryan, Gin and the whole crew was so loud that Andy Potts himself commented on my fan club. Thanks guys, you make me feel so awesome!

Top 5 Pro Women! Congrats to Hallie, Lauren, Sarah, and Laurel!