ironmantra by Shannon Thompson Somehow, with all the miles I’ve put on in the last 7 years, I’ve only had one flat tire, and at the time I was only a mile away from my destination so I hitched a ride back and let some guy deal with it. See, as independent as I am, I […]

ironmantra by Shannon Thompson This is the big weekend, long bike Saturday followed by long run Sunday. I have a rigorous week to come, but then my taper starts. All the hay is in the barn, as they say. Oh shit, I say. This is as good as I’m going to get. I will have to […]

iron mantra by Shannon Thompson Three weeks to race day, my last long ride. With my late start on training, I’ve been building volume unusually quickly, paying extra attention to my body and crossing fingers and toes that I don’t get injured. Coach Scott had me scheduled for a 5-hour ride, but I felt I needed […]

ironmantra by Shannon Thompson Bike ride to Bangor @scsmaine #paulbunyan #feltbicycles #longride #ironmantraining #sidecountrysports

ironmantra by Shannon Thompson My alarm went off at 3:15 this morning. I was dreaming that I was standing on a cliff overlooking a bay full of leaping dolphins, sharks, and an enormous sea creature that revealed itself to be a brontosaurus when it lumbered out of the water. I had been fly fishing for sea trout […]

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 We were rolling by 5 this morning, the light coming up just enough to brush the world with color, the air crisp and full of birdsong. There was little traffic on the roads, only a handful of builders in their pickups headed to early jobs, offering us a rare chance to talk a […]

Triathletes round the buoys during the swim leg of the Hope Tri this morning on Hobbs Pond. The Maine’s Outsider and Thorfinn Expeditions provided paddle support for the 100 individuals and teams. What a day for a race!