From Lake Placid to Steelhead….

I was not sure how I was going to feel being back at Lake Placid.

I hadn’t been back since 2003 – what I call “the race that changed my life”. It quite literally did.

Only my 3rd year in the sport, I was an unknown age grouper doing her 2nd Ironman race. The previous year (2002) I had done my first Ironman at Lake Placid and finished in a normal, nothing over-the-top 12 hours. I was thrilled with that finish and never in my wildest dreams imagined what was in store.

The following year I returned to LP, having trained under the guidance of Wendy Ingraham, and apparently tapped into some unknown potential to have the race of my lifetime. I led the women out of the swim (caught the pro pack after their head start in front of our amateur wave) and remained in the top 3-4 women throughout the bike, and somehow finished 4th overall. (!!!!!) I was beside myself, mostly with shock.

I will never forget that day and...