Spreadshirt CEO - Iron(wo)Man!

Read on for an interview with our very own CEO Iron(wo)Man.

Debbie: How long have you wanted to compete in an event this huge?

Never! When I started training for my first triathlon, I had a good friend (Paul McCarron, http://whassup.com/) who has raced in many IronMan events. He said, “I know you. You will do an IronMan.” I told him never, ever. Evan, my husband, was the one who signed us up. I just went along.

We know you have done other races but what made you decide to run in an IronMan competition?

Well, now you know how I was signed up by Evan. After that, it was really my curiosity as to whether I could actually do it or not. So many people tell me they could never do it, but I assure you, if you follow a training program, you could do it. I’m not athletic or in the best shape of my life. IronMan is a physical event, but it is also very mental.

What was your training like to prepare?

Time consuming. The great part though was all the places I found to train. I love the running that there is in Leipzig. It is a great city for running. And, the swimming pools here are amazing. I have not found hills for my bike workout here yet, but I’m sure I will. I didn’t focus much on the bike for this race.

Was it difficult to juggle your day to day activities with training and preparing for the race?

That was hard. I often ran late, even after midnight at times. I was lucky too, as our own CTO, Matthias, was an incredible run partner for me. He makes me run faster than I would run on my own normally. Then, when I would run on my own, I would try to beat our times. The run training is key to feeling great when you finish. Thanks, Matthias!

How did you use time management and prioritize with this event in mind?

I didn’t use anything extraordinary related to time management. That was one of the great things that my training book, http://www.amazon.com/12-Week-Triathlete-Train-Triathlon-Months/dp/1592331262, taught me: the most important thing is putting in the time; the distances would work themselves out at that level.

How did you prepare mentally?

It is hard to prepare mentally. The workouts are always worse than the event, so I found myself really doubting whether I could finish or not. The night before the race and until you get into the water is the worst part mentally. After that, you know what you need to do!

Are there psychological effects to the training and the event itself?

Yes, as hard as it is to motivate yourself to train consistently, you do miss it when you are stuck in a plane. There is a freedom that comes from running that is incredible. Swimming is just methodical, so you can really focus on form. I don’t really like the biking, so that was always a mental feat to complete those long rides.

Do nerves come into play for an event like this?

Most definitely! I was more nervous for this than for my college scholarship interviews, or facing my parents when I came home late in high school.

Did you have any special shirts or supporters with you? Did you see any funny shirts on the course?

I had three shirts with me: “Swim, bike run, EAT!”, “If you are going through Hell, keep going!” and “The shortest distance between two points is not a triathlon”. I changed on the course. My parents came and they were wearing Spreadshirts that they created. My dad’s said, “All the way in Brazil”, and my mom’s said, “Chubsy!”, which is mine and my dad’s nickname for her. I didn’t see any funny shirts. We have to work on that! Most supporter shirts just said, “Go [insert name here]”. Very boring! My Spreadshirts always get attention. I love our shirts!

How did you place? Evan?

I was 1136 (15:20), and Evan 1039 (14:11) — both near the end. We are “compete to complete” athletes. You can see our results here: http://www.ironmanbrasil.com.br/br/2009/eng/resultados_performance.asp?atleta_nome=eggers&id=32&btnPesquisar.x=34&btnPesquisar.y=1

Was it everything you thought it would be and will you do it again? What was the biggest surprise?

I had no idea what to think, so it was more than I thought. The Brazilian people were amazing… very supportive. I am doing it again… Florida in November. The biggest surprise? That I finished and felt great afterwards! It is a long race. There is definitely a reason to call it IronMan.