The

Undeniable

Ruth

®

…and the Ruth shall set you free!

  • Undeniable Recap of 2024

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    Ruth Carter

    It was a busy year with lots of ups and downs. In case you didn’t know, I keep a Word doc going all year and add to it as pertinent events happen. It gives me a richer perspective as I look back on the year, and I’m glad I get to share it with you. Here are some of my top events from 2024, in no particular order:

    PR at Mesa Marathon: 4:03:33

    When I started running marathons, my goal was just to finish. I didn’t care how long it took me to cross the finish line – but then the Boston Marathon added a non-binary division in 2023.

    Previously, I thought the qualifying times for Boston were too fast for me to have a chance, but this motivated me to try for it. In 2023, I finished in 4:22:59, cutting about 11 minutes off my previous personal record. For 2024, my goal was to finish in under 4:20, and my super lofty goal was to finish in under 4:05. (I need to finish in under 3:50 to qualify for Boston.)

    It was rainy and cold on race day. When I started the Mesa Marathon, I couldn’t feel my feet. Somewhere in the middle, I couldn’t feel my hands. I was shocked when I finished in 4:03.

    Besides my amazing finishing time, the other highlight of the day was my friend Randy Walters holding a sign for me around Mile 16. I was so touched, I almost cried.

    (I know watching other people race can be so boring, but being there means so much to the athletes.)

    Hanging Out with PJ

    This might be the best night of the entire year. I met PJ online in 2022, through an Ironman Facebook group. He stood up for me when others gave me a hard time when I asked if any other non-binary athletes were doing IM Lake Placid that year. We finally got to meet in person this year, when he came to Lake Placid to watch me race and do some training himself because he had his Ironman in Wisconsin on the horizon.

    My favorite memory with PJ was the night before the race. We were in my hotel room, sitting side by side on my bed, eating dinner, and talking. Nothing fancy – just two friends connecting.

    Bonus memory with PJ came the next day when he ran onto the course when I had about 2.5 miles to go and made a video with me – at least until the race official made him go back to the sideline.

    PR at IM Lake Placid: 15:00:33

    Ironman is a brutal race: 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike, 26.2-mile run. Lake Placid, New York, is gorgeous, but it has so many hills – helpful on the way down, brutal on the way back up.

    I took 21+ minutes off my finish time from Ironman Lake Placid 2022. Most of this was on the bike. Even though the course had more elevation this year, I still finished faster finish time.

    The crazy part about it was how well I did because I felt so depleted during the race. Ironman changed the sports drink it offered on the course from Gatorade to Mortal Hydration, something I’d never heard of. I thought it would be ok, and it wasn’t. When I crossed the finish line, the volunteer who “caught” me asked, “Are you ok?”

    “How bad do I look?,” I responded weakly. I could barely hold my head up.

    Shortly after that, I went to the medical tent where they had an impressive field hospital. The volunteers helped me lower down to one of the vintage jelly tube folding chaises they were using for cots and covered me with a heavy foil blanket. I was so dehydrated, my blood pressure was only 88/60. I still remember my conversation with the medical staff:

    “Let’s get you a Gatorade.”

    “You have real Gatorade?” My eyes went wide with disbelief and joy.

    The volunteer smiled. “What flavor would you like?”

    “Can I have a red one please?”

    My body was so shut down, I could barely manage sips of it at first, but within 30-ish minutes, my blood pressure was back to normal, and the medical staff released me just after I heard the announcer call Coach David’s name as he crossed the finish line.

    My photographer friend Marc Farb also came up for the race. We did a photoshoot before race day, and he got himself a press pass so he could be on the course during the race. My favorite photo from the race was this one he took a few seconds after I crossed the finish line, and I could finally let myself feel exhausted.

    Photo by Marc Farb

    Finished the Penny Experiment

    I did a year-long experiment, from October 11, 2023 (National Coming Out Day) through October 10, 2024, where I kept track of the times I was misgendered, the times I was correctly addressed, and the instances where I either misgendered someone or assumed someone’s gender. I had a jar for each category, and for each instance, I added a penny to the appropriate jar. I did this to tangibly show what it’s like to be a non-binary person living in a gender binary-centric society. Here were the results:

    Misgendered: 893
    Correctly addressed: 230
    I assumed someone’s gender or misgendered someone: 72

    I was, and for the most part continue to be, misgendered on about a 4:1 basis.

    An unexpected result of this experiment was how people who knew I was doing this experiment became more self-aware about their word choices. It became common to be in a situation where a friend would either correctly address me or inadvertently misgender me, and they’d follow it with, “I get a penny for that.”

    Taking Lucy Jane to Coronado Dog Beach

    I was so happy when Content Marketing World announced that their 2024 conference was going to be in San Diego. At the top of my list of things to do, besides the conference, was taking Lucy Jane to the dog beach. She loved our trip to Rosie’s Dog Beach in 2023.

    No surprise, Lucy Jane loved Coronado Dog Beach. She loves being near the water, as long as she doesn’t have to touch it. Lucy Jane ran up and down the beach, and when she was tired, she plopped herself down on the sand next to me. This photo may not show it, but this trip was filled with joy.

    Lessons Learned (or Re-Learned)

    Some white girls wear bonnets, just like black girls.

    Even if she’s stoned off her ass on trazodone, Lucy Jane will still throw a fit during a nail trim.

    I don’t like loud noises or children.

    If you fart on an airplane during a flight, other people probably won’t hear it because of how noisy everything is.

    You cannot pick up your next bottle of ADHD meds until it’s been at least 28 days after you picked up your last bottle of ADHD meds.

    Lucy isn’t allowed to go to the gym with me if I’m going to be running on the indoor track. She will whine constantly when she can’t see me – and I mean for hours.

    Turn on the volume on your phone when you go to bed so you’ll hear your alarm the next morning.

    If you learn about “breaking news” 12 hours after everyone else, it seems like dramatic, and it’s easier to accept it and move forward. (Biden dropped out of the race and endorsed Harris while I was in the middle of Ironman Lake Placid.)

    Non-binary people are described as having purple shadows.

    If you forget to remove your CO2 cartridges from your bike before putting it on the plane, they will not blow up the plane. They may be perfectly fine when you land at your destination. Also, TSA may not notice your CO2 cartridges, even if they search your bag.

    Don’t put your fingers in Winston the goat’s mouth. He bites.

    I am a better version of myself when I’m properly medicated.

    Lucy Jane likes being an only child.

    Mortal Hydration sucks as a sports drink.

    There’s nothing like seeing a familiar face on the sideline on race day.

    Dogs at airports and pre-race events reduce anxiety and bring joy.

    If you want a particular number on race day, ask for it.

    Trisuits need more pockets.

    If you wear a shirt with Hebrew verbiage across it, people will assume you speak the language.

    Starting the race hand-in-hand with your friends is awesome.

    Barely jogging is still faster than walking.

    Verify that the porto-potty has toilet paper before sitting down.

    Starting Ironman Lake Placid with Coach David and Shlomo

    Firsts

    A stranger committed assault and battery against me. (It was nothing crazy, just a drunk person walking up and purposely bumping into me.)

    Baby goat chewed on my ear. Baby goat chewed on my nose.

    Ellie, the super skittish goat-sheep hybrid, touched my hand!

    I put too much soup in glass jar, and then I put it in the freezer. The jar cracked from top to bottom.

    I picked up a rooster.

    Coach David sent me an emotional support pickle.

    I attended my first Savannah Bananas game!

    A flight attendant asked a plane full of people if there was a doctor or nurse on board.

    My flight was diverted to a closer airport due a passenger’s medical emergency (not mine).

    I bought a kid-leash where both wrist straps fit an adult-size person. (Since I have a tendency to  wander when I’m nervous, I figured it would come in handy during race weekend.)

    While volunteering at Aimee’s Farm Animal Sanctuary, I administered subcutaneous medication to a farm animal, applied diaper rash ointment to pigs’ skin, changed dressings on an animal’s wounds, and gave an intramuscular injection to a pig.

    I attended the Ironman Arizona volunteers’ dinner, something I’d usually skip because unfamiliar people.

    While training for Ironman, I rode my bike up the 11% grade to the top of South Mountain – up by the antennas.

    I swam at the public pool while wearing only bikini bottoms. This is now the only type of swimsuit I own.

    I saw Hamilton on stage at Gammage, and treated myself to a seat in the front row in the balcony so I could see all the choreography.

    Professional comic artist Travis Hanson drew me a portrait of Lucy Jane.

    Portrait by Travis Hanson

    Adulting Merit Badges Earned

    Removed back tire from the bike

    Reinstalled back tire on the bike

    Changed a bike tube without getting a pinch flat – and I have Gatorskin tires on my bike.

    Assembled and filled a fountain pen.

    Disassembled the bike and packed it into the bike bag.

    Flew to Ironman Lake Placid with my bike.

    A colleague was defending a deposition in Texas when his flight was cancelled due to weather. My colleague and I managed to get him home that night on the last flight out, after scrambling to determine his birthdate for his new ticket. Did I mention it was also his birthday? We were determined to get him home.

    In Memoriam

    Hoomans: Jeffrey Mutter, Toby Keith, Richard Lewis, Larry Murphy, Morgan Spurlock, Dr. Ruth Westheimer, Richard Simmons, Bob Newhart, Patti Yasutake, James Darren, James Earl Jones, Dame Maggie Smith, Jeri Taylor, Tony Todd, Jimmy Carter

    Animal Friends: Bentley, Bella, Ra, Oliver, Bertie, Lily, Lulubelle, Penelope, Pumpkin, Giggy, Watson, Bug

  • Ironman Lake Placid – Your Questions Answered

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    Ruth Carter

    Thank you for being part of my journey to become an Ironman. I hope you’ve enjoyed the other posts to date that highlighted the 2.4-mile swim, the 112-mile bike, the 26.2-mile run, and the numerous supporters who helped me along the way. Now it’s time to answer your questions:

    What Made You Start Doing Ironman Races?

    Coach David is certified in train people to do running races and triathlons. After I completed my first marathon, I said I wanted to cross train with swimming and biking. That led to me signing up for a sprint triathlon in 2018 to see if I liked doing all three activities consecutively.

    About 10 seconds into that race, I thought, “Yeah, I like this.” Once I finished that race, I signed up for and competed in my first Half Ironman in Maine in 2019. That was also the first race I did with my coach. I went into that race with the plan that if I liked the Half Ironman that the next step would be to do the full.

    What is the Cut Off Time for Each Segment?

    Swim: 2 hours, 20 minutes after the last swimmer enters the water

    Bike: 5:30 p.m.

    Run: 17 hours or midnight

    Did You Have a Time Goal for Each Segment or was the Goal to Finish with Little Regard for Time Other Than to Make the Cut Offs?

    My goal was to finish within 17 hours. I didn’t have any goals for each segment.

    What was Your Strategy for Preparing for this Race that Wasn’t in the City Where You Live?

    Most of my swim training was in the pool and not in a lake, but that’s probably true for most racers. Two days before the race, my coach took me for a practice swim in the lake where we’d be racing so I could get comfortable with the water and the guide cable.

    The Lake Placid bike course is notorious for its hills. Earlier in my training, I did my long rides at South Mountain where the inclines were as steep as Lake Placid, but not as long. As it got hotter, I had to do my bike rides closer to home because I couldn’t logistically make it work to get up, drive to the mountain, and do my workout before it got too hot.

    I had the same issue with running. For my long runs, I had to do loops where I regularly stopped at home to refill my Gatorade and drink extra water because it was so hot. I regularly ran hills because the Lake Placid run course was also quite hilly, but the shorter hills closer to home were more than sufficient.

    We knew my longest training days would be hotter but less humid than Lake Placid. Part of why I arrived days before the race was to adapt to the time change and get used to the humidity.

    Team Roher started the race together.

    Did You Get Kicked a lot in the Swim?

    Did I get kicked? Yes – kicked, hit, and bumped. I also ran into a kayak and more than one buoy.  

    I wouldn’t say I got kicked a lot. Taking the inside track had the advantage of keeping me away from a lot of the other swimmers. I wanted to be on the left side of the guide cable, and most people opted for the right side.

    Did You Use Multiple Strokes and Which One was the Dominant One?

    I used freestyle (front crawl) for the entire swim. That’s what I trained with. I saw and passed one swimmer who appeared to be doing the breast stroke the whole way.

    Unlike most races, Lake Placid had a guide cable, so I didn’t have to spot the buoys during the swim. It’s also why I ran into at least two of them. In a race without a guide cable, I could see myself doing mostly freestyle with the occasional breast stroke break to better track the buoys while maintaining forward momentum.

    As a Non-Binary Person, How was Your Experience in the Transition Area?

    The transition area had two changing tents – one for men and one for women. As I entered the transition area during T1 (swim to bike) and T2 (bike to run), there was a different volunteer directing the racers to the tents, saying “Women here. Men down there.”

    Each time, I responded with “I’m non-binary,” and without skipping a beat, the volunteer said, “Use whichever one you want.”

    I doubt the volunteers had training about what to do with non-binary racers because Ironman does not currently offer a non-binary division. Instead, I think their supportive responses were likely due to the volunteers thinking one or both of the following:

    1. I don’t care.
    2. It’s your race. Do whatever you need to do.

    What Socks Did You Wear for Ironman?

    For the bike, I wore DeFeet 6” cycling socks. For the run, Feetures Elite Max Cushion socks.

    How Were Your Interactions with Other Competitors?

    Super friendly! If you’re racing near me, you’re not there to win. You’re there for the experience and to finish. There was lots of upbeat encouragement between us.

    What Did You do for Nutrition?

    In the final days before the race, I ate as much as I could. In the morning before the race, I had overnight oats loaded with pumpkin seeds, almonds, chia seeds, ground flax seeds, peanut butter powder, protein powder, and raisins. I also had a banana.

    Between the swim and the bike, I had a calorie-bomb cookie. During the bike ride, I had 2.5 scoops of chocolate protein powder in one of my water bottles. I grabbed a fresh Gatorade and half a banana at every aid station. I took a hit of BASE salt at every aid station. I had some gels during the ride too.

    Between the bike and the run, I had some electrolyte gummy candies with caffeine. During the run, I had gels at Mile 5, 10, and 15. I drank Gatorade at most of the aid stations, and I took a hit of BASE salt at each mile marker.

    How Did You Eat Enough?

    You don’t. My coach lost 7 pounds during the race.

    I couldn’t eat right after finishing the race, but once my body settled for a few hours, I was famished!

    How Did You Handle the Heat?

    Pretty well. Starting at Mile 47 of the bike, I dumped a bottle of cold water over my head at each aid station. During the run, I dumped ice into my sports bra at each aid station, and I ran through the “human car wash” each time a spectator set one up for us.

    How Many Moments Did You Want to Quit During the Race?

    None.

    Less than 10 miles to go – still smiling!

    Did You have to Push Through any Walls You Hit, Both Physically and Mentally?

    I never wanted to quit, but there were some challenging moments. The first was right before the race when we were squished together waiting to start the swim. I don’t do crowds well.

    The second challenge was near the end of the first loop on the bike. I took a break at one of the aid stations, tired and frustrated, and I realized I was probably under fueled. Once I bumped up my calories and protein, I felt better. Shifting my mindset to accepting the pain made the second lap much easier.

    At any Time During Training (as opposed to the race itself), Did You Consider Backing Out? If so, How did You Keep on Track?

    No. Once I paid my registration fee, I was committed to race and the training it would take to get to the finish line. It was exceptionally challenging to do my long bike and run workouts in the Phoenix heat, but I pushed through.

    What was Your Biggest Surprise During the Race?

    I don’t think anything can fully prepare you to bike up the Lake Placid hills, particularly how long those climbs are. I trained on hills that were as steep as the Lake Placid hills, not nothing like how long those hills are. During my training, I regularly stood up on my pedals while climbing hills, and early on in the race I learned I go faster when I stay in the saddle.

    Did Your Body Have any Serious Difficulties at any Point such as Cramps or Muscle Tightness that Made Progress Difficult?

    No. By the time I got off the bike, my quads and hamstrings hurt a lot. I couldn’t lift my feet far off the ground. Every step hurt, but I was happy taking each of those steps.  

    At What Point on the Marathon Did You Know, “I’ve Got This?”

    I knew from my first step into the run course. My legs were sore and tired, but I had plenty of time on clock to finish. It was just a matter of putting one foot in front of the other.

    What was the Last Mile of the Marathon Like Physically and What was Going Through Your Mind?

    By the last mile of the run, my legs were exhausted. I only ran when the course was flat or going downhill and walked every incline.

    What was going through my mind? I was excited to cross the finish line and achieve this massive goal of becoming an Ironman. It was a bit overwhelming. I’d worked so hard for years, and this moment was finally here. As I crossed the finish line, I burst into tears, overwhelmed with joy and relief.

    Being Non-Binary, Does the Gender Specific Name “Ironman” Bother You?

    No. Ironman is a brand.

    I’ve had people refer to me as an Iron Person, and I correct them saying, “I’m an Ironman.”

    I already have the M-dot keychain!

    Are You Going to Get the Tattoo?

    Of course! I plan to put a variation of the M-dot on the back of my calf.

    Are You Going to do Another Ironman?

    There’s a good chance. I’m looking at a Half Ironman for 2023 and a full Ironman in 2024.

    Those of my quads – covered with exercise-induced vasculitis.

    What Would You do Differently?

    If I do the Lake Placid Ironman or a race with a hilly bike course, I’ll change my winter and spring long bike workouts to include steeper and longer hill climbs.

    One of the challenges I had with the long run workouts in the hot sun leading up to my race was exercise-induced vasculitis, aka Disney Rash. My legs between the bottom of my shorts and the top of my socks were covered with red splotches. After the race, I learned there are climate controlled indoor running tracks in my community. I will definitely use one of them for my long runs instead of running outside if I do another summer Ironman.

    Do You Feel any Shifts in How You Think About or Carry Yourself After Completing such a Herculean Goal?

    After the race, I started using the mantra, “Fuck you. I’m an Ironman.”

    I only say this in my head, and I don’t use this in an I’m-Better-Than-You way.  Instead, it’s an exultation to mean, “I can do this” when directed toward myself, and I’ve used it to mean “You can’t intimidate me” when directed towards opposing counsel.

    Thank you for following along for my Ironman journey. I hope you enjoyed it!

  • Ironman Lake Placid – The Run

    ·

    Ruth Carter

    Previously on The Undeniable Ruth: I had just finished the 112-mile bike ride on the grueling hills of Lake Placid. After I handed off my bike to a volunteer, I walked into the transition area, grabbed my run gear bag, and made another pit stop at a porta-potty before heading into the women’s changing tent.

    Transition Two (T2)

    After sitting on my bike for nearly 8 hours, my quads and butt did not want to sit on a chair to change my shoes, but I forced them to do it. I also exchanged my cycling helmet for the Ironman Arizona 70.3 hat that Coach David gave me after he did the race in 2018.

    I peeled off my cycling socks and placed my bare feet on a small towel from my bag. Then I sprinkled them with baby powder, making sure both sides of my feet were dry before pulling on my running socks with built-in arch support and then my shoes.

    I snapped my race belt around my waist with a click. Our race numbers were given out sequentially based on when we checked it, but volunteers customized them upon request. Most people opted to get their name, but I asked for “Baby Duck.” This was a nickname my gymnastics coach Rocky used for his gymnasts, much like how someone would use “sweetie” or “buddy.” 

    As I prepared for the run, I heard Mike Reilly’s voice coming through the speakers across the transition area, announcing people’s names as they crossed the finish line.

    There were people finishing the race, and I literally had a marathon (26.2 miles) to go.

    There were other athletes who weren’t as lucky as me. Some of them DNFed during the bike due to injury or they opted to stop because they knew they wouldn’t make the cut off time. (During an Ironman race, not only do you have to finish in under 17 hours, but each section has its own cut-off time.) Behind me in the tent was a woman lying on the ground being tended to by medics. Her race day was done.

    I sprayed myself down with sunblock one more time, put my sunglasses back on my face, and headed out.  

    Running a Marathon with Sore Legs

    In every picture of me running during this race, my feet are barely off the ground. That’s because it felt like I could barely lift them.

    The run course was 2 loops of 13 miles each followed by a final turn into what was the Olympic outdoor speed skating track to reach the finish line. Within each loop were several out-and-back portions.

    Not as severe as the bike portion, the run course had several hills, which was nice on the way down, but not so nice going back up. During the first loop, I walked only when going up the steepest hills, and even then, I power walked.

    Even though my body hurt and I had miles ahead of me, I was still smiling. A spectator looked at me quizzically and said, “You’re having fun, aren’t you?” I responded with “Fun is what you bring with you,” my favorite quote from Drew Barrymore in Riding in Cars with Boys.

    Aid Stations = Buffets

    Ironman does an impressive job of taking care of its athletes, and nowhere is this more apparent than the aid stations during the run. They were placed every 1-1.5 miles where volunteers offered water, Gatorade, Coca-Cola, Red Bull (they were a sponsor), chicken broth, electrolyte gels, fruit, chips or pretzels, and granola bars. Whatever you needed, it was available.

    My stomach does not want to eat when I work out. I ate a gel at Miles 5, 10, and 15, and took a hit of BASE salt from my vial every mile. I mostly drank Gatorade at every aid station. I tried the Coke a few times to treat myself to the sugar but realized my body didn’t like that. There was a final table at each aid station that held cups of ice cubes. “What’s this for?” I asked the volunteer. She responded, “Put it in your bra.” I shrugged and thought, “When in Rome,” grabbed a cup of ice, and dumped it into my sports bra. It did help me feel cooler, and I regularly reached in to grab a cube to suck on between aid stations.

    I Have to Poop Again?!

    Along with the buffet, each aid station also had 2 porta-potties. As I approached the aid station at Mile 5, I felt a familiar sensation in my stomach.

    Seriously?! How do I have anything left in my system?

    I hadn’t seen Coach David since he passed me early on during the bike portion of the race. Stepping into the porta-potty, I figured it would be just my luck that he’ll pass me going the other direction while I’m going to the bathroom.

    Using a porta-potty after it’s been available to literally thousands of racers and baked in the afternoon sun was an assault to the senses. Getting my triathlon onesie back up my skin that was slimy from sweat while standing in a warm, smelly, plastic box was a bit of an ordeal.

    Catching Coach David

    Throughout the run, I was constantly watching for Coach David. I scanned the group for an athlete wearing a neon yellow jersey and a backpack. (It’ll make sense later.)

    Finally, near Mile 13, I saw him as we passed each other going in opposite directions. (I called it! He must have passed me when I was in the porta-potty.) I knew he knew I was ok because he’d been tracking me on the race app all day, and it alerted him each time I went over a race sensor.

    I later learned he was worried about me and relieved to finally put eyes on me. Apparently, I dropped off the app for a bit.

    David was doing a run/walk, and I pushed myself to run even faster, determined to catch up with him. I finally caught up with him at Mile 17 and we took a selfie – still smiling.

    I continued to run ahead of David. The sun was going down and I moved my sunglasses to the top of my head. One of the volunteers on a golf cart drove through the course, turning on the portable lights to illuminate the road for those of us who would be finishing the race after dark.

    Someone from Ironman snapped a photo of me on the road and put it on their Instagram story. That was so cool to see after the race.

    Around Mile 19 or 20, David and I passed each going in opposite directions again. He yelled to me, “In 45 minutes, you’re going to be an Ironman!” (Looking back, that wasn’t accurate given my pace, but I appreciated the sentiment.)

    Race Math

    It started on the bike. I determined when I was 100 miles into the bike, I was over 70% done with the total distance of the race. When I finished the bike, I was over 80% done.

    With every passing mile of the run, I recalculated how much of the race I had left. Six miles to the finish line meant I had only 1/23 of the race left. Five miles to the finish line meant I had only 1/28 of the race left to do. It gave my brain something to do and distracted me from my sore legs and feet.

    For the last portion of the race, whenever there was any incline in the course, I walked. I had plenty of time before the 17-hour cut off, and I wasn’t going to torture myself more than necessary.

    As I jogged and walked along, I saw others who couldn’t finish the race. Some were driven back to the transition area on golf carts with foil blankets wrapped around them to keep warm. I saw another racer puking on the side of the road. There were several people who looked like they could only walk the last remaining miles. I wondered if they were at risk of not making the 17-hour cut off.  

    Out of the 2,273 people who started Ironman Lake Placid that day, 456 DNFed because they either couldn’t finish the race or they didn’t finish it in time.

    The Finish Line

    Some people cry when they cross the finish line at Ironman. Around Mile 25, I felt my emotions start to bubble up. When I made the final turn towards the finish line, tears welled up in my eyes.

    After nearly 3 years of training, 3 years of early morning workouts, training in the cold and the heat, managing sore muscles and injuries, and overcoming mental setbacks, I made it.

    My sore feet hit the red and black Ironman carpet as I approached the finish line, and I heard Mike Reilly’s voice: “You finally got here, huh Ruth? From Phoenix, you are an Ironman!” (He knew from my bio that I filled out when I signed up for the race that my Ironman races in 2020 and 2021 cancelled due to COVID.)

    I raised my arms as I crossed the finish line – 15 hours, 21 minutes, 42 seconds after I plunged into Mirror Lake that morning to start this 140.6-mile journey. My race started at 6:39 a.m., and I finished it right at 10 p.m.

    I was an Ironman.

    Overcome with joy and gratitude, I burst into tears.

    Thankfully, David paid for his family to be VIPs so they could meet him at the finish line and his wife, Janet, could put his medal around his neck. She wrapped her arms around me in a big hug and told me that David was only a few minutes behind me.

    I got my medal, took a finisher photo with the Ironman backdrop, and walked into the athletes’ post-race area where a volunteer handed me a bottle of water. Another volunteer doublechecked that I was ok, and I hadn’t been crying in pain.

    At 15 hours, 24 minutes, 53 seconds after we started the race, I heard Mike Reilly’s voice again: “David Roher, He looks just like him! Look at him! David Roher, you are an Ironman! Tony Stark – right there!”

    I watched as my coach crossed the finish line in his Ironman costume. That’s what was in the backpack.  (He really does look remarkably like Robert Downey Jr.)

    After he kissed his wife and said hello to his family, David and I gave each other a big hug, and of course, I started bawling like a baby again. Once I regained my composure, he excitedly said, “Let’s take a picture!” It’s so cute when he’s in proud coach mode.

    Post-Race

    Prior to the race, I paid for valet service so Tribike Transport (the company that transported my bike to and from the race) collected my bike and gear bags. I’d pick up my gear bags from them the following morning.

    After the race, all I had to do was walk back to my hotel, which thankfully wasn’t far from the finish line. Unfortunately, it was also on a steep hill. My calves and quads screamed with every step. My body felt cold as my heart rate slowed and the adrenaline rush of the finish line wore off.  

    All I wanted a hot shower and to brush the film of Gatorade off my teeth. Oh my goodness, it hurt to bend down to untie my shoes. I posted a picture of my medal to Facebook, and I think I called my mom to let her know I survived the race.

    There were pizza, French fries, and chips at the finish line, but it would be hours before my stomach would settle enough to eat anything. I climbed into bed. I was exhausted, but my body was so sore it was hard to get comfortable. It hurt to move, and it hurt to hold still.

    At 2 a.m., I woke up ravenously hungry. I shuffled out of bed and ate 2 calorie bomb cookies before trying to get a few more hours of rest before I had to get up, pack my bags, and drive back to the airport to fly home.

    Next week on The Undeniable Ruth: Ironman Lake Placid – The Supporters.