Unlikely: A Rookie's Ironman Triathlon Diary

#16. The Longest Day: My unlikely middle-age quest reaches an unexpectedly happy conclusion

Yes, it is possible to enjoy an Ironman triathlon. How weird is that?

Dec 1, 2023 • 

Andromeda Romano-Lax

6

8

November 2023

#15. Astronaut mindset, the last big ride, and a million other Ironman to-dos

When you're still learning about nutrition, the best way to inflate a tire, and seemingly everything else three weeks before the biggest challenge of…

Nov 1, 2023 • 

Andromeda Romano-Lax

1

September 2023

#14. Countdown to Ironman Arizona plus...

Explaining to visitors, and places to ride with less or no traffic, including Yakima's "Your Canyon For a Day" ride

Sep 15, 2023 • 

Andromeda Romano-Lax

5

July 2023

#13. Starting Over: Building Base and The Long-Term Vision I Needed

Three to six months to the best bike ride of your life. The secret: build slowly and consistently.

Jul 12, 2023 • 

Andromeda Romano-Lax

2

April 2023

#12. The Winter of my Discontent: Training, COVID, and Bouncing Back

(More than you may want to know about how I’ve spent the last many months, but here we go!)

Apr 16, 2023 • 

Andromeda Romano-Lax

4

1

February 2023

#11. The final running leg of the 70.3, plus the fitness secret that took me decades to learn

I'll spoil the secret here. Walking. The secret is walking.

Feb 25, 2023 • 

Andromeda Romano-Lax

3

1

January 2023

#10. Mantras, lessons and luck: the bike leg of the 70.3 Victoria Ironman

To read about the full Victoria 70.3 in order, start with #1 (about the race start), then read #9 (about the swim).

Jan 9, 2023 • 

Andromeda Romano-Lax

1

1

December 2022

#9. Buoy by buoy: The Victoria 70.3 Half-Ironman Swim

Surviving the part most first-timers dread

Dec 15, 2022 • 

Andromeda Romano-Lax

2

November 2022

October 2022

#7. Necessary failures: lessons from the worst marathon of my life

Even after your seventh outhouse visit, with an icebag on your head, it's possible to remember that bad experiences make the best teachers

Oct 20, 2022 • 

Andromeda Romano-Lax

1

2

September 2022

#6. Looking for (sport) love, even when it hurts

Bicycling takes up half a triathlete's time, in Ironman events and in training itself. Could I re-learn how to ride and even more, learn to love it?

Sep 24, 2022 • 

Andromeda Romano-Lax

1

#5. Natalie Portman's Amazing Thor Arms and Body Image in Triathlon

Even the pros hate their race photos, as it turns out. A digression from the chronological tale of my training to wade in the shallows of vanity. Yep…

Sep 15, 2022 • 

Andromeda Romano-Lax

4

1