Lots of blogging to catch up on and a cross-country flight is the best place to do so. I’m currently headed home from the east coast and the 112th running of the Boston Marathon, but I want to backtrack a bit to recap the previous weekend’s Ironman Arizona race.
I went to Tempe merely to spectate and support two of GU’s finest athletes: Michellie Jones and Heather Gollnick. Heather returned as the defending champ from 2007, and Michellie had won the previous year in 2006, so the prospect of them toeing the line together to duke it out for victory was simply too good to pass up. Was it possible to want two people to win equally? I adore both these gals and have been honored to get to know them over the past several months, and both have my utmost respect and awe. I was as nervous and excited as if I myself were racing in the days leading up to the race, wanting them both to claim another championship and even more so, wanting them both to have a fun & rewarding day where they could walk away with a smile and the knowledge that they had given their all.
I also had some precious cargo to deliver to MJ and Heather. GU’s new gel, Roctane Ultra Endurance Energy Gel, was fresh off the production line from our first run of promo samples, and the packets I delivered on Saturday morning were added to both their race bags. Now don’t go throwing away all the advice you’ve ever heard about not trying anything new on race day. MJ has been using Roctane for years, as it’s a formula we’ve manufactured for our pro athletes, but have never made available to the general public. Heather started testing it when she signed with us a few months ago. You can Google "GU Roctane" to read some early product reviews and press releases or check out our website, www.GUenergy.com, for more info...and then you can rest easy knowing that Roctane will soon, this June, be available on store shelves for you to try. We started sampling it at the Sea Otter Cycling Festival this past weekend, and it will be the focus of our expo booth at St Anthony’s Tri in Florida, April 25th-26th, so if you’re there, make sure and get some.
Back to the race. I’m sure you’ve heard by now the stories and results, how MJ led out of the swim, powered the bike as though she were flying and was finally caught in the last few miles by a charging Erika Csomor of Hungary. Erika seemed a bit otherworldly as she ran, unfaltering, through the sweltering heat to capture the women’s title. But MJ showed us what makes a World Champion, running unstoppable the entire way, giving no indication of the asthma and allergies that were crippling her breathing. Her form totally intact and her talent, determination and competitive focus clear, she ran solidly into 2nd place amidst the roar of the crowds of fans who love her.
Heather started the run almost 8 minutes back from MJ, but with a rhythm and determination reminiscent of the Energizer Bunny (if only the Bunny was uber-fit, beautiful and clad in a pink & grey tri suit rather than wild pink fur!) she relentlessly picked off the minutes and the 2 or 3 women who stood between her and the 3rd place finish. In the end she closed the gap down to 3 minutes and proudly earned her spot in the winner’s circle.
To see both women race so hard was a great moment of pride for GU as one of their sponsors, a privilege to support these talented, driven and gracious athletes. It was also a wonderful experience, as a friend and as a fellow triathlete, to hear their post-race stories and to hopefully glean a little learning as to what lies behind that kind of determination. If Arizona is any indication, they’re both headed into stellar seasons where the tally of podium spots and the moments of personal joy and glory will quickly add up.