Sue Huse on Competing in the Ironman 70.3 Muskoka
She’s done it again! Our ever-inspiring Brand Ambassador (and professional triathlete) Sue Huse raced in the Ironman 70.3 Muskoka on July 5th in Muskoka, Ontario, and she kicked some serious tail. Sue came in third place with a total time of 4:50:18! We caught up with her after the race to find out more about her experience and what she has planned next. Check it out!
How long did you train for the Ironman 70.3 Muskoka ?
The Muskoka race has been on my race schedule since February. My coach and I usually the plan the upcoming season during the off season, but since I had hip surgery in December, we didn’t plan anything until I was healthy enough to train. Muskoka fit well in this year’s plan so along with a few other key races, I’ve been training for it since February.
What did weekly training consist of?
My training schedule varies quite a bit depending on when my next race is, how my body and mind are feeling and recovering, as well as my family schedule. It consists of swimming, biking, running, core strength training, physical therapy and massage. I’ll train from 13 hours to 23 hours per week depending on all of those factors.
Do you have a favorite discipline (bike, swim, run)? If so, why is it your favorite?
My favorite discipline is the run. I ran at the collegiate level and then continued to run competitively post-collegiately. It comes the most naturally to me.
What was your greatest challenge during this race?
The swim, as it is during most of my triathlons. Growing up, swimming only consisted of swim lessons every now and then. I’ve grown to really enjoy swimming, but it is still definitely my weakest discipline in the triathlon.
Did you learn anything from this race?
I think I was very much reminded that racing hard isn’t easy. Although I placed third, it was one of those races that didn’t feel good from the start, so I really had to work on staying focused and pushing myself. I had to remind myself that some days we feel great and things are easier, and some days you really have to work harder than expected.
One word to describe how you felt crossing the finish line:
Happy!
What’s next for you?
I race Ironman Racine 70.3 in Wisconsin on July 19th. This will be my last opportunity to earn points to qualify me for World 70.3 Championships which take place in Austria on August 30th. I will know by July 27th if I qualified! Hoping I do!
SPOILER ALERT: On Monday of this week, Sue found out that she did in fact qualify for the Ironman World 70.3 Championships in Austria this August! She’s got one more race and seven weeks to prepare – be sure to follow along with her journey here, here and here. Good luck from the whole VIM & VIGR team! Have any questions for Sue? Drop them in a comment below!
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