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GNOTRI member, Maria Martinez of
New Orleans has qualified for the Ironman Triathlon World Championship
set for Oct. 15, 2005 in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii with a time of 10hr. 26
mins.
My source of motivation is my
enthusiasm for learning and my passion for people. I started competing
in triathlons at first to socialize. Someone suggested that I try the
half-Ironman distance. On my first attempt I could not complete the
swim and had to withdraw from the race. But I still believed that
anyone could do the distance if they really wanted it. The one thing
you need is will- and will I have plenty of. I just needed to find a
way to channel that will into positive results. If you do your best in
preparation, training and execution, you should be satisfied in
whatever the results may be.
It was very important to do it for
myself, but it would have been near impossible to train by myself. I
owe my success to the many groups I was fortunate enough to train with
this season. I want thank GNOTRI who introduced me to the sport and the
three disciplines it takes to compete and especially for the long
Saturday bike and run training sessions. My Thursday running partners,
a group of girls with equal success in the running community, who’s
camaraderie and great conversation helped me through the long tempo
runs. I suggest that you find a masters swim team. Elmwood masters swim
coaches taught me to pay attention to each stroke, swim pace and
swimming in a crowded lane, perfect for an Ironman mass swim start.
First and foremost I couldn’t have considered this schedule
if it wasn’t for my mom who’s love and great cooking strengthened
my body and daily resolve. And thanks to Adam’s
Bicycle World whose knowledge of bikes and bike fitting found the most
productive
position for long distance races. Yes, Ironman may be an individual
sport but
to maintain that spirit it does take a community of friends and family.
The spirit of Ironman is much more than a race, a place or time; it’s
about
the overall journey- the entire process of preparing for the greatest
of all
endurance challenges. My arm hairs stand and goose bumps surface at the
thought
of competing with these world class athletes in Kona next year. If you
ever get
the chance sit in the stands at an Ironman event and watch one by one
as the
exhausted bodies cross the finish line, and look at their expression as
the announcer
barrels out, You Are An Ironman! My bet is you will in some capacity
compete
in a triathlon before the next year.
My weekly effort included workouts averaging 20-24 hrs. A typical week
includes
7 miles of swimming, 225 miles of biking and 48 miles of running. Other
workouts
not be excluded include cross-train with weight, stretching, massages,
and yoga.
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