Ironman Ottawa 2026:
I completed my eighth Ironman this year and achieved my fastest full-distance time yet: 10:47 and change. Technically, I once finished Ironman Kentucky in 10:36, but that race included a shortened 1,000-meter swim. Heavy rain created such a strong river current that I barely had to swim. In Ottawa, everything came together. I was able to apply science, use the conditions to my advantage, and race in an environment that suited me. Significant changes to my training and nutrition helped turn this goal into reality.
Let me take you through the science, psychology and training pattern for me to achieve the time for Ironman. Based on the plan I should be able to finish the race within ten hours and 30 minutes.
Science: Until 2024, the prevailing view in endurance nutrition was that athletes who could efficiently use fat as fuel were most likely to perform well. The formula seemed simple: eat less, train longer, and lose weight to succeed in Ironman and ultra marathon events. I applied this theory in nearly all my Ironman races, but I consistently bonked—running out of energy and hitting the wall—around the seventh hour. Over time, I became convinced that breaking 11 hours in a full Ironman might remain just a dream. My body had adapted well to performing in 70.3 races, or half Ironman, under this same philosophy.
Ultramarathon runner David Roche helped popularize the high-carbohydrate approach and demonstrated its effectiveness by not only winning the Leadville 100-mile race but also breaking a 19-year-old course record. Norwegian athletes using a similar strategy have also begun setting records across long-distance Ironman events. My goal was to take in at least 75 grams of carbohydrates per hour on the bike and 50 grams per hour on the run. In practical terms, 75 grams of carbohydrates is roughly equivalent to 1.5 cups of cooked white rice or oatmeal, or four to five slices of regular white bread. Professional endurance athletes started to take above 120grams of carb per hour.
Psychology: I wear at least two hats: fitness professional and endurance-sports enthusiast. As a trainer who leads wellness classes, I wanted to maintain a certain physique. But learning to consume and digest 75 grams of carbohydrates per hour was far more difficult than I expected. For several weeks, my abdomen felt bloated, and I felt out of shape. Looking in the mirror was hard, and it was difficult to let go of part of my identity as I prepared to become a stronger endurance athlete. I gave myself three months to focus on eating more and adapting my body to absorb the fuel. I usually weigh about 154 pounds during a training cycle and arrive on race day around 153 pounds. This time, I weighed 157–158 pounds—not a huge difference, but mentally challenging. I could feel myself running longer and biking more efficiently, but I did not look the way I wanted to in the mirror.
Race day: A few things did not go as planned at the start, but nothing was serious enough to break my spirit. I usually eat a banana with peanut butter and a bagel, or overnight oats with banana, berries, and nut butter. The evening before the race, we searched everywhere for a bagel but could not find one, so I had to start without my usual race-day meal. I also did not want to wake my family at 4 a.m., so I quietly tiptoed around the hotel room and left to begin the day. The swim took place in the Ottawa River. The water was slightly choppy, and after about 500 meters, my goggles started leaking. I am not relaxed in the water, and I do not really know how to tread water without using my hands, so stopping fixing them felt stressful. I thought I had lost a lot of time, but I finished the swim in 1 hour and 20 minutes—only about five minutes slower than expected, which was not a big deal. It rained on and off throughout the bike course, which otherwise felt uneventful. I finished the bike in 5 hours and 28 minutes. One rider passed me quickly in a no-passing zone, which upset me, but I did my best to refocus on my plan and execute my strategy. The run started surprisingly well. I approached the seven-hour mark, where I had bonked in past races, but this time seven hours passed, then eight, then nine, and I was still holding up. At that point, I knew the plan had worked. With about seven miles left in the marathon, I saw the same rider who had passed me illegally on the bike. For some reason, I felt I needed to pass him, so I picked up my pace and overtook him. However, my heart rate climbed much higher than it should have at that stage of the race. I had to stop, close my eyes, and wait for the dizziness to pass before I could run again, losing a few minutes. Then, near the final two-mile marker, I saw my family, and my body started to give out again. I wanted to lean on them and stop, but both of my kids ran with me for about 500 meters, and I was able to finish the race.
Alright, that is my race review, and I am very excited to work on getting close to the ten-hour Ironman. I believe I should be able to achieve this within my 10th Ironman.
