Athlete Profile: Mary Quinn

Age: 41 Residence: Waterford, NY Occupation: Elementary school counselor Primary Sports: Swimming, bicycling, running Secondary Sport: Hiking

Top local triathlete meets the challenge of Hawaii’s Ironman

by Barry Henck

With only a week to get used to the tropical climate of Hawaii, Mary Quinn of Waterford touched down at the Kona International Airport last month to square off with the biggest challenge of her life: the Ironman Triathlon World Championship. Sure, she had completed several triathlons and placed well in the HSBC Ironman USA Lake Placid triathlon three months earlier, but this was different. There would be no easy trophies when competing with 1,700 of the best triathletes in the world.

She would also have to complete the bicycle stage in the heat of Hawaii’s scorched lava fields. Even though she had done most of her swimming workouts in pools and lakes, she would now battle the currents and waves of the Pacific Ocean. And instead of feeling the encouragement of local triathletes, Mary would complete the running portion of the race alone and under the cover of night.

The day started with temperatures in the 70s as a hoard of swimmers splashed into the water in Kailua-Kona, along the eastern coast of Hawaii’s largest island. Mary stayed behind the main pack to avoid a black eye from flailing arms and legs. When she noticed a trail of goggles and swim caps drifting beneath her, she knew she had made the right choice. “At the front people really can get beat up,” Mary said. “Swimming can be the most intimidating part of the race but it is also the shortest and the most scenic.”

After finishing the 2.4-mile swim stage in 1:13:44, the temperature had climbed into the mid 80s as she began a 112-mile bicycle ride that would last the better part of the day. Mary pedaled at a steady pace to save energy for the run, but she had to overcome a variety of setbacks. The wind was menacing, yet race marshals were posted throughout the course to make sure riders were not drafting — any misstep would have cost Mary a three-minute visit to the penalty box at the end of the ride.

Heat was a constant issue during the ride. The temperatures quickly rose into the 90s as Mary reached the lava landscapes. “It can get to be 100 degrees in the lava fields,” Mary said. “It’s like you’re on the moon — the heat just radiates. I drank about eight bottles of Gatorade on the ride, and I was very conscious of the threat of dehydration.”

The 6.5-hour ride was also a time for Mary to take several different refreshments. Besides pouring water over her head at every aid station, she ate energy bars on the fly and nibbled on candies that resemble gummy bears. There were also salt tablets to discourage muscle cramps, meal replacement drinks and antacid tablets.

At the end of the ride Mary’s back was sore and her stomach was upset, but after a five-minute break to change, it was time to start the 26.2 mile marathon. Surprisingly enough, the biggest challenge of the running stage was the darkness that set in before the competition was over. It was hard to see the road, raised reflectors dotting the shoulder, orange cones marking the course, and other runners. Even though a throng of spectators would cheer the runners in at the end of the course, most of Mary’s miles were done alone in utter darkness.

“I think that slowed me down physically and psychologically too — being in the dark,” Mary said. “Plus you couldn’t see the mile markers.”

After running for almost five hours, Mary entered the town and began to hear the welcomed cheering of spectators. There were reportedly about 25,000 spectators bunched up at the end of the race.

Her total finishing time of 12 hours, 41 minutes and 50 seconds was about 30 minutes slower than her fastest Ironman but she was relieved to be finished. Looking back, Mary said her best event that day was the swim. “It was a hard race but I like a challenge,” she said, “so on the way home I’m thinking that I want to do this again.”

After two weeks off, Mary has already started on her next goal, the 2004 HSBC Lake Placid Ironman.

So how does an elementary school counselor competing in weekend tinman races make the jump from the upstate New York circuit to the world stage? This is the question I asked Mary one Saturday as she was recovering from the Ironman Triathlon World Championship.

Her answers were calm and reflective; Mary is used to meeting tough challenges. She said her real initiation into triathlons started in the early 1990s when she hiked to the summit of the highest peaks of the Adirondacks. It took about nine years for her to reach that goal, but it has taken less time to master the triathlon.

She did the swim portion of a triathlon in 1992 and entered another triathlon in Columbia County the following year. This time she did all the events by herself. Mary said there are parallels between climbing a mountain and lasting through a triathlon. Like summiting a mountain peak, a triathlon is an all-day affair that taxes you mentally as much as physically. “I try to keep a positive attitude,” she said. Training is not to be overlooked either. Her typical week includes 14 workouts that mix weightlifting in with the three events of a triathlon.

There is another key to Mary’s success besides her persistent training, athletic abilities, and determination to reach the pinnacle. She has an extensive support system. Her training regimen is bolstered by the encouragement of students at the Chango Elementary School, part of Shenendehowa Central Schools in Clifton Park, where she works as a counselor. They were the ones really pulling for her during the trip to Hawaii. At a send-off party they presented her with hand-made gifts containing messages of encouragement. These messages, “Swim fast,” “we know you can do it,” and “ride hard” stayed with Mary during the agonizing miles of the Ironman. “The students really helped,” Mary said. “The first thing they wanted to know when I got back is if I won.”

Mary also is an active member of the Capital District Triathlon Club, a group of athletes from the Albany area who train together and keep track of each other’s successes.

Another key person in Mary’s success is Mark Allen, an Ironman champion who has become a successful coach. He won the Ironman Triathlon World Championships in 1989 and went on to win six more Ironman championships. Even though he lives on the other side of the country, Mary receives training advice regularly through email. Mark helped Mary to monitor her heart rate closely to make sure she was getting the most out of each run and bike ride.

Triathloning grew much bigger for Mary in Hawaii; she met people from all over the world and spent time visiting with veteran triathletes from Australia. “I thought it was neat that so many people from so many countries were there. I noticed a lot of other people and other languages.”

Mary admits she doesn’t have much of a social life outside of her sport, but she is committed to her long-term goals and hopes to enjoy triathlons most of her life.

“One of the things that impressed me about Hawaii is that people were so fit — men and women in their 60s were out there competing. One woman missed the midnight cutoff time and she was still out there after everyone else received their Hawaiian lei at the finish line. I want to be one of those women still competing when I’m in my 60s.”

Barry Henck (catskillian@hotmail.com) lives with his wife in Catskill where he works as a writer and editor. He enjoys bicycling and trail running and is active in the Onteora Runners Club.