Lisa Bentley 11x IRONMAN Champion

Pre-Race Update

Hi there from Kona – I have now been in Kona for about 11 days and I am almost about to start my taper. I have been writing updates for that cell phone update thingy advertised on the Tri Dubai website (www.tridubai.com) – and I keep forgetting to cut and paste them to my website – so I’ll give a little brief overview.

Since Subaru Ironman Canada (yes, I am working on my race report but it is hard to work here in Hawaii!!!), I have been recovering and getting healthy. I must admit that I let my physiotherapy slide a bit this summer. I was pretty busy this summer with many exciting things – I was a commentator for CBC Sports’ coverage of the ITU World Cups, I was training for Subaru Ironman Canada and I ran a training camp for the Cops 4 Cancer group in Edmonton. There wasn’t a lot of energy or time for physiotherapy. Well, that haunted me at Subaru Ironman Canada with some niggly aches and pains but after some very aggressive physiotherapy, massage, acupuncture and ART, I am feeling 100%. It is interesting what you can do when both legs are working at full capacity.

The day after the awards at Subaru IM Canada, I was off to Lausanne, Switzerland to do the commentary with Scott Russell and Barrie Shepley for the ITU World Championships on September 3rd. That was one heck of a travel day – drive from Penticton to Kelowna, fly Kelowna to Toronto, 2 hour stopover, fly Toronto to Munich, fly Munich to Geneva, train to Montreux and check into the hotel! It truly was planes, trains and automobiles!!! Of course, I LOVED doing the commentary for the World Champs and it was equally wonderful to watch Dave race in the Age Group World Champs the day before the professionals!

After a few weeks at home, I was off to Hawaii where I met my training partner and Tri Dubai teammate, Craig Alexander. Craig is a short course and half Ironman specialist – winner of Lifetime Fitness 2005, Chicago, St. Croix and almost any other race he toes the line of. We have had some amazing training – tough days – easier days – great rides – amazing runs – awesome swims! It has been a fantastic training camp. Today was our last big, fast run – it was all good! And now it is off for a swim! That is, when the Detroit Tigers and the NY Yankees are done their playoff game – I think Detroit is going to win – it is 8 to 1 in the 8th!!!

Lisa

2007 Ironman Canada

Lisa Bentley's third Subaru Ironman Canada title did not come with the apparent ease of her 2003 and 2004 Ironman Canada wins. At this year's Ironman Australia, Bentley suffered a lower leg injury that side-lined her run training for three months and threatened her chances of even competing in the race.

Bentley came into the 25th Subaru Ironman Canada displaying a different "race face" from previous appearances in the Okanagan Valley. Gone was the subtle confidence usually displayed in her pre-race comments and appearances. Yes, the words, responses and comments were similar to those of years past, but there was a noted restraint in her tone. It was more of an "I am just glad to be here" attitude.

Throughout April, May and June, Bentley replaced her seven day a-week running program with sessions lying motionless in the hyperbaric chamber, having physiotherapy, active release therapy, acupuncture and injections into the tendon on her heel. Her focus during in her recovery turned to her bike training, which paid off in spades for her in the race.

View the Ironman article