text by Jonathan Ives photograph by Jessica Ives Driving is the norm when you live in rural Maine and want to do anything. We measure distances with time references rather than miles. “How far is it to Lewiston?” “Oh, ‘bout an hour and a half.” I rode my bike five miles to the store last […]

ironmantra by Shannon Thompson I got off the bike feeling like a million bucks, ready to burn my shoes and the bike itself, but still on top of the world. I took a longer time in transition than I intended, making sure everything was just-so and going to the bathroom a couple of times, and then […]

ironmantra by Shannon Thompson The moment the alarm went at 3:15 on Sunday morning, I was fully alert, my first thought clear and immediate: I’m awake to do the Ironman. I am awake to do the Ironman. I went through the tasks I had on my list: drink water, drink yerba mate, make oatmeak, poop […]

ironmantra by Shannon Thompson All packed. #organized #lakeplacid #holyshit ______ I’m a day or two early arriving at Lake Placid, and the athletes have not yet descended on the town. A band plays on the lakefront for a crowd of locals and normal-looking tourists. But the Olympic speed skating oval is full of Ironman tents, […]

ironmantra by Shannon Thompson As a kid, when I was especially cranky, my parents would threaten to throw Miss Fussbudget in the nearest major river. Exactly which one depended on where we lived; in the Michigan years it was the Detroit River; in St. Louis, the Mississippi. I don’t know where Miss F. ended up when we […]

ironmantra by Shannon Thompson Boothbay by way of Warren, Jefferson, Nobleboro, Damariscotta Mills, Alna, Pittston, Wiscasset, and Southport. An espresso at Treats in Wiscasset at about mile 65. _____ Bike: 84 miles, 15 MPH. Run: 4.5 miles, my fastest run of the whole year. Definitely trying that espresso trick again.

ironmantra by Shannon Thompson The plan called for a four-hour bike ride and a 35-minute run, so I mapped it out and set my sights on Port Clyde, with an Owls Head loop on the way back if I had time. My challenge for the ride was to run the first test of my preliminary nutrition […]

ironmantra by Shannon Thompson Our training plan said to ride bikes for 3 hours. Mara wanted to ride for 5. _________ Bike: 65 miles, nearly 5 hours including 3 photo stops, 2 pee breaks, 3 slipped chains, 1 lost straw, 1 map check Run: 3 miles, 30 minutes (Mara ran faster)