Team Member: Rusty Burns

Race Name: Ironman Coeur d’Alene

Race Date: June 27, 2010

Race Placement/Time/Qualification: 10:52:06 – 52nd out of 474 AG

Tell us about your race (limit 500 words)…: This was my 3rd Ironman, but the only one that I’ve approached with a coach and a plan (for pacing and nutrition.) Coach Jon had me ready for this one.

The swim was like an extremely COLD washing machine especially around the turn buoys on the first loop. Loop1 down in 35:00. On track for 1:10 so that would be a good time for me. I guess the 2nd loop was a little longer. I ended up with a 1:13. I am ALWAYS relieved to be getting out of the water and headed to my bike!

The bike course was interesting. It is a very hilly course overall, but the hills are packed into roughly 16 miles of the 56 mile, 2 loop course. I had a power strategy from Coach Jon that turned out beatifully! I was worried at first because some guys were hammering ahead of me, but I stuck to the plan knowing that I still had a marathon to run. Bike time was 5:34 for a 20.1 MPH. I was hoping for a little faster, but was within 10 minutes of where I wanted to be.

On to the run… here is where my bike pacing paid off. By the first loop, I had caught and passed a lot of the hammerheads. I had a mental battle after about mile 18, but I knew I had a chance to go under 11 hours if I could muster out the last 8 miles. At this point, the strategy was to stop thinking and just run visualizing the finish.

It was awesome running down the finishing street with the clock in site with a few minutes to spare before it rolled to 11:00. Finished! Run time – 3:55; overall time – 10:52! Both PRs!

Kudos to the folks and volunteers at Coeur d’Alene. The community was very supportive. The scenery was outstanding. Thanks, Coach Jon Adamsom without whom it would NOT have happened.