Kelly Wilson, my wife, is running did the 2008 Louisville IronMan triathlon on August 31st, 2008!!!

SWIM	BIKE	RUN	OVERALL	RANK	F30-34
1:11:19	7:03:56	6:02:36	14:36:47	1228 of 1975	52 of 86

Kelly trained for this event for nearly a year and was overjoyed to see her friends and family cheering her on the day of the race.

Kelly Wilson: IronMan, the Video

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IronMan Louisville 2008 Highlight Reel

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Photos and Such

More photos in the 2008.08.31 – Kelly’s IronMan Race gallery!

A whole bunch of other folks have added photos to Flickr of the 2008 Louisville Ironman race, too…

Live Update Archive

The day of the race, Hunter and I used my cellphone to send LIVE updates to the web via Twitter.  Here they are for perpetuity:

• Going for a run… Because Kelly makes me feel lazy. about 16 hours ago from txt
• WLKY32′s John Boel crashed @ 2008 Louisville IronMan: http://tinyurl.com/66mekq Sorry to hear it, John – I was rooting you on Southern Pkwy! 11:03 AM September 02, 2008 from web
• Helped Kelly stretch her aching IronMan muscles. If seen by a stranger, it would appeared as if we were wrestling in slow motion. 12:00 AM September 02, 2008 from txt
• I am listening to Kelly make very earnest and deep snoring noises on the couch. IronMan snores… 12:00 AM September 01, 2008 from txt
• Kelly finished just before 10 pm! She’s just fine and eating chocolate cake. 10:15 PM August 31, 2008 from txt
• Debi just finished! 09:42 PM August 31, 2008 from txt
• Debi is @ 25, kel close bhind! 09:29 PM August 31, 2008 from txt
• Kelly’s less than 2 miles out! 09:22 PM August 31, 2008 from txt
• I’m back at 4th Street Live! Now, we wait. 08:58 PM August 31, 2008 from txt
• Kelly is almost to the last Iroquois Park Turnaround! 6 miles left! Probabl finish in 75 mins or 945 to be exact. 08:16 PM August 31, 2008 from txt
• Kelly just got past mile 14! Walking a lot now, but she’s smilin! 06:52 PM August 31, 2008 from txt
• Kelly just passed mile 12 on the run. She says “now the walking is better than the running.” 06:16 PM August 31, 2008 from txt
• Saw Kelly @ mile 10! Looking good, still moving forward. Still thinking 10 pm finish. I’m on te hunt for somefood! 05:57 PM August 31, 2008 from txt
• Kely just passed mile 6 in about 1.5 hours, so I expect her to finish around 10 pm! Stay tuned. 05:04 PM August 31, 2008 from txt
• Kelly is off the bridge! 24 or so to go! 04:08 PM August 31, 2008 from txt
• Kelly is off the bike in 7 hours! On the run and feeling “pretty good”. My spies tell me she’s on the bridge. 03:55 PM August 31, 2008 from txt
• Heading downtown to see the start of the marathon. ETA 2 hours. -HD 01:50 PM August 31, 2008 from txt
• Katy & Ron joined us @ L’esprit to cheer Kelly on. Lloyd Dobler style shenanigans ensued. Status: “I don’t know,” but she was laughing … … 01:48 PM August 31, 2008 from txt
• On our way back to L’esprit after seeing Kel at the 146 turn. Status: “OK” at 66 miles in. Discussing intestinal habits of Ironmen. -HD 12:56 PM August 31, 2008 from txt
• L’esprit turn! Kelly looks good! Ben ran next to her with a Louisville flag. AVG MPH=16. -HD 11:43 AM August 31, 2008 from txt
• Hunter here, btw. Saw Kelly at one secluded spot, barely missed her at another. Heading to Le Sprit turn! 11:11 AM August 31, 2008 from txt
• I think I screwed up the last tweet. Update- Kelly had a flat in T1 but still made good time. 11:09 AM August 31, 2008 from txt
• Kelly is out of the swim in excellent time! Got ou around 815am! Now in T1. Matt, sara, chris, hunter and Kelly’s dad down here, too! 08:24 AM August 31, 2008 from txt
• Kelly is off on her IronMan race! Hopped in the water @ 7:07am. Expected to be done in 1h15m down @ joes crab shack. Headed there now. 07:14 AM August 31, 2008 from txt
• Kelly is “staged” in the chute for the swim start! Little more than 1/2 hour left… Water is warm, winds light. 06:24 AM August 31, 2008 from txt
• Heading to the Tumbleweed swim start. First crisi already met and conquered in the form of a popped bike tube while topping off tires. 05:22 AM August 31, 2008 from txt
• Met up with Team Hatton and am waiting with a growing thong of IronMan hopefuls to turn in their “Special Needs” bags. 04:50 AM August 31, 2008 from txt
• Kelly and I are sitting in the parking lot across from the Great Lawn – 45 minutes early. 04:16 AM August 31, 2008 from txt
• I just set my alarm for 3AM, and it felt very, very weird. 09:26 PM August 30, 2008 from txt
• I am ready for some hard core cheering tomorrow! 09:17 PM August 30, 2008 from txt
• Packng up Kelly’s bike and gear for IronMan check-in down at the Convention Center. 12:03 PM August 30, 2008 from txt
• Down at the pre-race practice swim for IronMan Louisville. Lot of people and Kelly is really nervous! 08:27 AM August 30, 2008 from txt
• Louisville IronMan course preview video series on the YouTube with 2008 winner Heather Golnick : http://www.youtube.com/user… 11:07 PM August 29, 2008 from web
• The ‘Ville Voice says that WLKY-32 TV will be covering the IronMan race on Sunday. Read more: http://tinyurl.com/628tt4 03:02 PM August 29, 2008 from web
• Kelly and I put together her fixed-gear Peugeot mixte tonight. Took it for a little spin across the street. Then, I made a tasta marinara. 11:40 PM August 28, 2008 from web
• Kelly’s interview was the only one of the few IronMan spots WDRB did this morning that is on the website. View it: http://tinyurl.com/6z2vd8 09:27 AM August 27, 2008 from web
• Kelly will be running into her interview! Just mere moments away. 07:48 AM August 27, 2008 from txt
• Kelly will be on WDRB very shortly! Just a few minutes. She is ready for her closeup. 07:33 AM August 27, 2008 from txt
• Kelly is gong to be interviewed tomorrow AM @ 7:45 by the local Fox affiliate (WDRB) about Ironman Louisville on Sunday. 09:22 PM August 26, 2008 from txt
• Making signs for Kelly’s IronMan race on Sunday. https://thelocust.org/blog/i… 06:15 PM August 24, 2008 from web
• 71 miles on the bike with Kelly, the first half with Power chum Lindsay S. Did the Louisville Ironman loops! Me totally wasted, Kell fine. 01:44 PM August 09, 2008 from txt

Click here to pop it open into a new window!

Kelly on the TV

Kelly was contacted by the fine folks at IronMan to be interviewed by WDRB on Wednesday morning!

I’ve cheaply recorded (most) of the Fox in the Morning stuff they did on Wednesday. Kelly first appears at 1:50.

What is the IronMan Triathlon?
When and Where You Can See Her
Why is Kelly Doing This?
Should I Be Concerned?

Live Updates (Day of Race Only!)

Quick Links

Race Information @ IronMan.com

IronMan YouTube Videos Galore

Kelly’s IronMan Blog: Wanna Tri Some?

What is the IronMan Triathlon?

It’s what’s known as an “endurance race”. It combines three sports – swimming, cycling and running – into one nearly day-long race. First, Kelly will swim 2.4 miles in the Ohio River and then she will bike 112 miles from Downtown Louisville to LaGrange and back, and then she will run 26.2 miles – a full marathon. It is likely going to take her 14-16 hours to complete it.

The IronMan is considered the ultimate physical challenge. It is also the best-run, most professional and safest race I’ve ever seen. Over 2,500 volunteers from Louisville and abroad man all 140.6 miles of the course and the race HQ at 4th Street Live in Downtown Louisville.

IronMan Louisville is one of many IronMan(tm) races that will be held this year. It was held last year, and was extremely well received. They had to turn away volunteers and the registration sold out. The finish for the race is under the glass ceiling of 4th Street Live and the excitement there is really, truly a spectacle to behold. Kelly volunteered in 2007 and was hooked!

When and Where Can I See Kelly at the race?

The race begins SUNDAY, AUGUST 31st @ The Great Lawn @ 7 AM.

The swim start is NOT a mass start like most IronMan races, so we are not sure of the exact time Kelly will start. Keep an eye on the LIVE FEED that I’ll be updating throughout the day for exact info.

Kelly’s Estimate Race Times

Swim: 1.25 – 1.5 hours
Bike: 7.5 hour
Run: 5.5 hour
TOTAL: 14.50 hours, approximately

Kelly will likely be finishing after 9 PM, under the roof of 4th Street Live.

Where is the best place to see Kelly out on the course?

There will be lots of places, as the course is long and well-marked. I will personally be all over the place all day long, cheering on Kelly whenever and where-ever I can.

First, study the IronMan Course Maps.

The Great Lawn
The swim finishes here, the bike begins and ends here and the run starts here. The center of activity!

LaGrange
One of the most popular spots will be the bike course turnaround (near halfway) in LaGrange, Kentucky. There, the city will be hosting the LaGrange IronMan Festival, complete with shuttle service!

Southern Parkway @ Iroquois Park
The marathon course is two loops between downtown and Iroquois Park, via 3rd, 4th and Southern Parkway. Anywhere along here would be a good spot!

4th Street Live
The halfway point of the marathon is actually in viewing distance of the finish line between 3rd and 4th Streets at Muhammad Ali Blvd. This would also be an excellent place to cheer – and all the racers will need it at that point in the race.

The finish of the IronMan is under the roof of 4th Street Live.

Why is Kelly doing this?

Kelly has likely asked herself this quite a few times while training twice-a-day most days since November of 2007! Me being her husband, I can’t exactly say. Maybe it’s because she turned 30 this year. Maybe she’s looking for something she hasn’t found yet in her life. Maybe she’s just doing it because it is there. All I know for sure is that you can blame Debi for talking her into it.

Here’s an excellent clip about Women in the IronMan – they’ve been there almost from the inception…

Every IronMan has it’s own crop of inspiriational stories – and one of the best known is “Team Hoyt“. A father and his cerebral-palsy stricken son have completed 6 IronMan competitions. Six! Watch a clip about them here: Team Hoyt – Redeemer @ YouTube.

Should I be concerned?

Knowing what you know now about the Ironman Triathlon, you are likely worried about the health and well-being of Kelly. This is not an uncommon reaction. Let me allay those fears by giving you a little background on the amount of time and training Kelly has put into this:

Kelly’s Atheltic Resume

Training
Kelly has been training since November 2007 using BeginnerTriathlete.com‘s IronMan training program. Kelly follows the training religiously.
Kelly does not skip workouts.
Kelly understands her body – her limits, her nutritional needs and her goals.

Swimming
Kelly swam competitively between the ages of 10-16. There was a span of a few years where she did not lose a butterfly race. She is still considered extremely fast in the water – she has routinely finished in the top of her age group in the swim.

Cycling
Kelly began bike training in November, and has logged 2000+ miles both indoor and outdoor since.

Almost a month ago, Kelly did 4 days of 40 miles a day on the bike.

Kelly did a 100-mile bike ride two weeks ago (see my blog post about it), and while I kept up with her the whole way, she was in much, much, much better shape afterwards. It was hard to tell that she had ridden 100 miles!

Running
Kelly has been running long distance races since 2003:

2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 miniMarathons (13.6 miles).
2005, 2006 Chicago Marathons (26.2 miles)
2007 Marine Corp Marathon (26.2 miles)

Triathlons
2005, 2006, 2007 E. P. Tom Sawyer Triathlons (800m swim, 12mi bike, 3.1mi run)
2008 Shelbyville Olympic Distance IronMan (shorter than a half-IronMan)
2008 Taylorsville Half-IronMan (1.2mi swim, 56mi bike, 13.1mi run)
2008 Muncie Endurathon Half-IronMan (1.2mi swim, 56mi bike, 13.1mi run)

Even I, her husband, had concerns about her doing this race when she first told me. I had seen the videos of the pro-level athletes giving it there all and suffering some really terrible physical breakdowns during the race. I was concerned.

However, having trained side-by-side with Kelly for the last year, and seen just how strong and sensible she is, I no longer have those concerns. Kelly is going to kick this race’s ass and look good at the finish.