Athlete Race Recap: 174th Attack Wing Runway 5K, Littlefoot Triathlon, Finger Lakes Triathlon, & IRONMAN Wisconsin

Posted On:
Wednesday, September 13, 2023
Updated On:
Monday, September 11, 2023
Stream On:
Apple PodcastsSpotifyBuzzsproutiHeart RadioiHeart RadioPocketCasts

It was a busy weekend for Full Circle Endurance athletes!

  • 174th Attack Wing Runway 5K - Syracuse, New York
  • Littlefoot Triathlon - Lakewood, Colorado
  • Finger Lakes Triathlon - Canandaigua, New York
  • IRONMAN Wisconsin - Madison, Wisconsin
174th Attack Wing Runway 5K
Christina and Lisa on the runway at Syracuse-Hancock International Airport!

The second annual 174th Attack Wing Runway 5K took place on Saturday, September 9, 2023 in Syracuse, New York, and Christina Barker and Lisa Crockford were both there to run it!

The Syracuse-Hancock International Airport shut down its main 9,000-foot runway for the race, which makes for a unique and fast running experience; Christina and Lisa ran this race last year and loved it.  They decided to run together this year, and implemented a solid run/walk strategy that enabled them to finish the 5K strong and well within the strict 45-minute time cutoff.  (The runway does have to reopen, after all.)  Last year, the secondary runway was closed due to construction, but this year it was open.  A jet took off on it right in the middle of the race, and it accelerated right next to Lisa and Christina at Mile 2.5!

Overall, this race was a fun and amazing experience for them both.  Way to go, Christina and Lisa!


Littlefoot Triathlon
Jennifer shows off her medal while driving home!

The Littlefoot Triathlon returned to Bear Creek Lake Park in Lakewood, Colorado this year on Saturday, September 9, 2023.  Jennifer Pearce absolutely loves Bear Creek Lake Park; she trains there all the time and it is a place where she feels grounded and connected to nature.  As such, she loves this race, and it was her ninth time doing it!

Jennifer has been really working on her swim form and strength, and those skills were put to good use, as the swim was choppy.  (There was a much higher-than-normal DNF rate, but Jennifer was not among those who didn’t finish!)  Ultimately, the swim ended up being the leg of the she felt best in, which is not normally the case for her.  All that hard work in swim training paid off!  She had a strong bike where she focused on riding with strength and good form.  Her run was really strong and surpassed her expectations.  She finished the race smiling and feeling great!  This was a wonderful way to round out her triathlon season.

Way to go, Jennifer!


Finger Lakes Triathlon
Two-time triathlon finishers!

Melissa and Dan McAllister had so much fun last weekend at their first triathlon (Alpha Win Lake George) that they decided to sign up for the Finger Lakes Triathlon in Canandaigua, New York on Sunday, September 10, 2023.

Once again, they both had a lot of fun.  They swam a steady swim that set them up to have a strong ride and then both of them negative split the 5K run (meaning that they were able to run faster with each passing kilometer).  How they each felt on the run indicates that they were wise in how they handled their executions of the swim and bike.

Congratulations, Melissa and Dan!


IRONMAN Wisconsin
Mary is all smiles after a wonderful swim at IRONMAN Wisconsin!

IRONMAN Wisconsin took place on Sunday, September 10, 2023 in Madison, Wisconsin.  This was Mary Houck’s A-Race of the season and she was really, really excited for it.  Her friend Diana was racing in IRONMAN 70.3 Wisconsin, which took place on Saturday.  Mary was there to cheer her on, which started off the weekend on a really high note.

Mary’s race day came, and she had a fabulous swim.  She was smiling and feeling great as she started the bike.  She stuck to our race plan, which included Normalized Power (NP) targets, average heart rate limits, and power limits when she was climbing.  Just over halfway through the course, she started experiencing leg cramps.  They got progressively worse, forcing her to get off her bike and walk some of the hills in the later part of the ride.  She made it back to Transition and was still smiling as she started the run.

Unfortunately, things really took a turn for the worse around Mile 2.  Mary started having severe back pain, which was very limiting.  Just as she did on the bike ride, Mary adapted her race plan and strategy, managing the adversity that she was dealing with.  By the time she finished the first loop of the run course (13.1 miles) her pain was significantly worse and Mary knew what she had to do: Withdraw from the race.

Withdrawing from a race is never easy.  Withdrawing from an A-Race is particularly difficult.  Honestly, continuing the race and finishing would have been the easier path.  But Mary didn’t choose the easier path; she exhibited true toughness by doing the hard thing and choosing the wiser path of taking a DNF (Did Not Finish) in the race.  This choice, while extremely hard, was the right one because it kept Mary safest and will help her be able to return to activity and what she loves in a healthy way sooner.

We’ve been able to identify some of the things that snowballed into this situation for Mary, and they are all opportunities for growth in her future goals and optimization in her future training.  But today, I am more proud of Mary for withdrawing from IRONMAN Wisconsin than I would have been if she pushed through to try and finish.  If she had done that, it is highly probable that she would have caused an acute injury or caused enough damage that she puts her future goals and activities at risk.  Even though finish line experiences are glorious, they are not worth that.

So please join me in celebrating the hard work that Mary put in to get to IRONMAN Wisconsin, and please congratulate her on a solid day when she became an example for us all by doing the actual toughest and hardest thing.

Previous post

There is no previous post
Back to all posts

Next post

There is no next post
Back to all posts

Why Winter & Off-Season Training is Vital for Endurance Athletes - Coach Tip Tuesday

Required "current" page

What to Modify in Training When Things Change or Don’t Unfold as Expected - Coach Tip Tuesday

Required "current" page

Why Multitasking is a Myth…Especially When it Comes to Workouts - Coach Tip Tuesday

Required "current" page

Why Endurance Athletes Should Strength Train Year-Round - Coach Tip Tuesday

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: Rescue Me 5K

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: Cold Turkey Run

Required "current" page

What Does Nothing New on Race Day Actually Mean? - Coach Tip Tuesday

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: Nevada Day Classic

Required "current" page

Confidence Comes From Surviving Doing The Scary Thing - Coach Tip Tuesday

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: World Triathlon Age-Group Championships Málaga, Brooktondale Easy as Pie 5K, & Topsfield Fall Foliage Classic Road Race 

Required "current" page

Is Exercise as Good as Medicine? - Coach Tip Tuesday

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: Army Ten-Miler & XTERRA WETSUITS Mission Bay Triathlon

Required "current" page

Why Switching Up Goals Can be a Positive Thing - Coach Tip Tuesday

Required "current" page

What to Ask Instead of “Can I Accomplish This Goal?” - Coach Tip Tuesday

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: Waterman’s Triathlon & The Bear Chase

Required "current" page

How Do Long Runs & Long Rides Work & Benefit Endurance Athletes? - Coach Tip Tuesday

Required "current" page

How Masters Endurance Athletes Show Us How We Can All Thrive in Endurance Sports and in Life - Coach Tip Tuesday

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: IRONMAN 70.3 Cozumel & IRONMAN 70.3 Washington Tri-Cities

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: USA Triathlon Olympic Distance National Championship

Required "current" page

Being Hard on Yourself?  Try This Instead. - Coach Tip Tuesday

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: Littlefoot Triathlon & Erie Marathon

Required "current" page

How Doing Something New Can Help You Achieve Your Endurance Sports Goals - Coach Tip Tuesday

Required "current" page

Why It’s Important to Look for Lessons Even When Race Day Goes Well - Coach Tip Tuesday

Required "current" page

Why Disappointment on Race Day Leads to Greater Success - Coach Tip Tuesday

Required "current" page

How Much Does it Cost to Train for an IRONMAN 70.3? - Coach Tip Tuesday

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: Coeur Outdoor Divas Sprint Triathlon & Peasantman Steel Distance Triathlon

Required "current" page

How Much Does it Cost to Train for an IRONMAN? - Coach Tip Tuesday

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: Max Performance Sharon Triathlon

Required "current" page

How Much Does it Cost to Train for a Half Marathon? - Coach Tip Tuesday

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: 174th Attack Wing Runway 5K

Required "current" page

Athelte Race Recap: IRONMAN 70.3 Maine & Donner Lake Triathlon

Required "current" page

How Much Does it Cost to Train for a Marathon? - Coach Tip Tuesday

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: Tri Boulder, IRONMAN Lake Placid, & IRONMAN 70.3 Ohio

Required "current" page

Are You on Track to Reach Your Goals?  The Value of a Mid-Season Athletic Performance Review

Required "current" page

Why You Shouldn't Wear a Wetsuit in Triathlons and Open Water Swimming

Required "current" page

Coach Tip Tuesday: The Best Way to Avoid Injury

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: Freedom 4th Eagle Firecracker Run

Required "current" page

Coach Tip Tuesday: A Longer Goal Isn't a Better Goal

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: Relay for Life of Southeastern Connecticut, Loveland Lake to Lake Triathlon, & Cohasset Triathlon

Required "current" page

Coach Tip Tuesday: Why Race Execution Matters

Required "current" page

Coach Tip Tuesday: The Best Thing for Beginner Endurance Athletes to Do

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: IRONMAN 70.3 Western Massachusetts & IRONMAN 70.3 Eagleman

Required "current" page

Coach Tip Tuesday: How to Train and Perform Well in the Heat

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: Bass Lake Yosemite Triathlon, Silver Serpent Multisport Festival, & Rock Hall Triathlons

Required "current" page

The Three Best Things Endurance Athletes Can Do for Training and Performance - Coach Tip Tuesday

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: J.P. Morgan Corporate Challenge

Required "current" page

Coach Tip Tuesday: Using All of Your Senses in Workouts

Required "current" page

Coach Tip Tuesday: Are Morning or Evening Workouts Better?‍

Required "current" page

How to Train for a Sprint Triathlon

Required "current" page

Coach Tip Tuesday: You Don’t Always Need to Do The Hardest or The Most

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: Greenland Trail Race & Upstate Orthopedics Mountain Goat Run‍

Required "current" page

Coach Tip Tuesday: How to Handle The Transition From Indoor to Outdoor Training

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: XTERRA New Jersey

Required "current" page

Coach Tip Tuesday: What if You Fly?

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: Carson Canyons Super-K Trail Runs & Delaware Half Marathon

Required "current" page

Coach Tip Tuesday: The Case for Walking

Required "current" page

How to Handle Training When You Get Sick

Required "current" page

The Dangers of Social Media for Endurance Athletes

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: Coastal Delaware Running Festival 9K & Zoo Run Run

Required "current" page

Coach Tip Tuesday: Seek Out Awe & Enchantment

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: Smithfield Sprint Triathlon & Run as One 4M

Required "current" page

Negative Splits are Positive Things - Coach Tip Tuesday

Required "current" page

Coach Tip Tuesday: Multisport Transitions Explained

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: Alpha Win Ocala

Required "current" page

Coach Tip Tuesday: Don't Pull Up on Your Bicycle Pedals

Required "current" page

Pace & Effort are NOT the Same Thing - Coach Tip Tuesday

Required "current" page

Coach Tip Tuesday: Demystifying Foam Rolling

Required "current" page

What Stretching Actually Is - Coach Tip Tuesday

Required "current" page

Cycling Cadence Matters

Required "current" page

How to Properly Conduct a Functional Threshold Power (FTP) Test - Coach Tip Tuesday

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: Lake Effect Quarter Marathon

Required "current" page

Face the Discomfort Dragon - Coach Tip Tuesday

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: Love Can Be Cold

Required "current" page

Live to Climb Another Day - Coach Tip Tuesday

Required "current" page

Coach Tip Tuesday: Is AI Coaching & Sports Training Software Actually Intelligent?

Required "current" page

Strength Training as a Backbone - Coach Tip Tuesday

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: Town of Celebration Half Marathon

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: Resolute Runner 5K

Required "current" page

My Top 10 Nonfiction Books of 2023

Required "current" page

Coach Tip Tuesday: How Do You Answer “What’s Next?”

Required "current" page

My Top 8 Fiction Books of 2023

Required "current" page

Coach Tip Tuesday: The Next Big Thing

Required "current" page

Coach Tip Tuesday: What is Preventing You from Reaching Your Goals?

Required "current" page

Coach Tip Tuesday: What Does It Mean to Set a Goal?

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: It’s A Wonderful Run & Run with Rudolph

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: 2023 Thanksgiving Day Races

Required "current" page

You Must Unlearn What You Have Learned - Coach Tip Tuesday

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: EOD Warrior Dash

Required "current" page

Coach Tip Tuesday: Exercise is Not a Punishment for What You Ate

Required "current" page

Coach Tip Tuesday: Include Buffers in Your Training

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: Lights on the Lake 5K

Required "current" page

Coach Tip Tuesday: Pause Before Assessing

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: Cold Turkey Run & The Burn Run

Required "current" page

Set Authentic Goals - Coach Tip Tuesday

Required "current" page

Coach Tip Tuesday: What Can Be Measured Isn’t What is Most Important

Required "current" page

Coach Tip Tuesday: Don’t Complain About the Wind.  Embrace It.

Required "current" page

Avoid Doubling Up to Make Up

Required "current" page

What to Consider When Purchasing a New Bicycle - Coach Tip Tuesday

Required "current" page

Athlete Race Recap: Foxy’s Fall Century, Spooktacular Stroll 5K, & Eastwood 5-Mile Run

Required "current" page

About

Coach Laura Henry

Laura Henry is a Syracuse, NY-based coach who is a USA Triathlon Level II Long Course and Level II Paratriathlon Certified Coach, USA Cycling Level 2 Certified Coach, VFS Certified Bike Fitter, and has successfully completed NASM's Certified Personal Trainer course. Coach Laura is passionate about helping athletes of all ability levels reach their goals and has coached many athletes to success.

She can be reached at laura@fullcircleendurance.com.

Read Biography

Check out our other
recent Blog Posts

Start Your

Coaching Today

Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.

Start Your

Coaching Today

Have a question or ready to get your TRAINING started?

Fill out our Contact Form to the right and we will get back to you shortly!

Check - Elements Webflow Library - BRIX Templates

Thank you

Thanks for reaching out. We will get back to you soon.
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.