he journey is sodangerous that a“corpse repatriationfee” is collected fromthose who choose it.

En cas de décès, the event’sFrench-language web sitewarns. Travelers carry theirown food, water, bedroll and

supplies—including avenom pump,since snakesand scorpionsregularly crawlinto sleepingbags. For sevendays and more

than 150 miles, they toil acrossthe Sahara on foot, bravingsandstorms, 125-degree daytimetemperatures and freezingnights. Soldiers on a militaryexercise? No. Try participantsin the Marathon des Sables(“marathon of the sands”), astage race beginning andending in Ouarzazate, Morocco,winding its way through theSahara Desert, shedding runnersmercilessly along the way.

In 1996, Cathy Tibbetts—optometrist, ultra-runner, and,more recently, triathlete andMasters swimmer—survivedthis winnowing process andfinished. That in itself isremarkable, given the gruelingconditions the race presentsand the fact that she was afirst-time participant. Duringthe race, she was certain she’dfinish last, if she completed atall. Yet, to her surprise, shecrossed the finish line as thethird female overall. Theexperience was a “confidence

builder” for Tibbetts. “I cameback a changed person,” shesays, “never afraid to sign upfor things again. Nothingscared me after that.”

Not the 135-mile Badwaterfoot race from Death Valley toMount Whitney. Not the prospectof the Hard Rock 100-milerwith 12 passes above 12,000feet. Not the series of 100-mile

races—including WesternStates, Vermont, Leadville andWasatch—that qualified herfor Grand Slam status in 2004,the only woman to achieve thefeat that year. And not theprospect of changing gears,refreshing her swimming andbiking skills to compete in anIronman triathlon.

“If it sounds like fun, I’m

going to do it,” Tibbetts, 51,explains. Only a courageousfew, however, have quite theall-encompassing sense of “fun”that Tibbetts embraces. Ithelps that her husband, MarcWitkes, a national-class cyclistand triathlete, shares herpassion for outdoor sports andis her number one fan. Twelveyears younger, he claims he

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Extreme Adventures With Ironman Cathy Tibbetts

ONE WOMAN’SVISION OF FUNT

Diane McManus, a contributing

writer for SWIMMER, based

in Upper Darby, Pa., is a member of

Ridley YMCA Masters and a

runner, who wouldn’twillingly give up

either sport.

by Diane McManus >>> Photos by David Balch

w w w. u sm s s w i m m e r. c om | september - october 2006 | USMS SWIMMER 25

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can hardly keep up with her.“She’s the star,” he says,deflecting a question about hisown accomplishments. “I mether on a trail run three yearsago, and we fell in love.”Clearly, they share a vision ofwhat life should be like.

Vision is key to Tibbetts’ life,whether she’s at work on thetechnical aspects of her optom-etry practice in Farmington,N.M., probing outer boundariesin mid-desert during the Mara-thon des Sables or mid-oceanin an Ironman competition.

When your first swimminglessons take place in a dammed-up pond that you share withleeches and other creatureshidden in the murky sediment,you become adventurous bynecessity, Tibbetts relates.When being on a college swimteam (in pre-Title IX days)meant no particular swim

training beyond the enforcedlap swimming you’ve alreadyhad in junior lifesaving classes,you become self-reliant bynecessity. When the demandsof work and school make threeto four hours of sleep eachnight the norm, you developendurance by necessity—orperhaps, more accurately, youdiscover your innate endurance.And you learn, she says, that“life is more than working 60hours a week.” As soon as shehad paid off her student loans,Tibbetts cut back her workhours to make more time forher favorite sports.

Although originally aswimmer, Tibbetts entertaineda dream of running a marathonwhen she finished school and,of course, realized her dream,discovering in the process howmuch she enjoyed long-distancerunning. Career and other life

demands diverted her fromrunning for several years, until,living in New Mexico, shediscovered the state’s trail systemand fell in love again withrunning—and more running.

This attraction led her firstinto ultra-distance racing,starting with 50-milers andmoving up. But running, asTibbetts admits, can cause alot of joint wear and tear. Afterher Grand Slam triumph, sherealized that her knees mightneed the break that triathlontraining could offer.

Some break. Her immediategoal upon undertaking triathlontraining was an Ironman.Shorter triathlons held nointerest. She had done a fewwhen younger, but this time,she wanted something with a

kick. Only an Ironman—a 2.4-mile open water swim, a 112-mile bike trek and a 26.2-milerun—would do.

And since she has addedtriathlons to her repertoire—rather than substituting themfor ultra-running—she continuesher ultra training, adding to itcycling as well as three to fiveswim workouts per week. Herswim coach, Tex Doherty ofNew Mexico Masters’ FourCorners Aquatic Team, recallsa workout during which Tibbettswas having some difficulty.She mentioned casually thatshe was a little tired from herrun during the weekend. Onlylater did Doherty learn that the“run” was a 100-mile race.

Through her associationwith Doherty and the Mastersswim team, Tibbetts has foundan ideal training partner andfriend in Jenny Nuuttila, whowas training for the USMSNational 10K Championship atHorsetooth Reservoir in FortCollins, Colo., this past August.With similar swimming goals,they began training together,sharing a passion for distance,for swimming and for dogs—both recently adopted newpups, so their conversationsrange from race nutrition tocanine nutrition.

Tibbetts credits Nuuttilawith helping to keep hermotivated and energized. Aftercompleting a 2.4-mile swim,following the same course asthe one for Ironman Arizona,

>>>Mind GamesEndurance athletes have to be mindful of everything from training to nutrition, hydration, clothing andgear. More to the point, though, endurance athletes have to be mindful. Period.

Of course, in the middle of a long race, athletes will have moments of self-doubt. The pain catchesup: the blisters, the chafing, the cramps, the sheer exhaustion. And then, it’s not simply a matter ofhaving the right gear or the right electrolyte replacement drink. It’s a matter of having the right thoughts.

In an interview last year with Tim Bourquin (www.EndurancePlanet.com), Tibbetts describedstrategies she uses to survive the rough patches.

“I try to change what I’m talking about. Sometimes I’ll have a song that goes through my head. I tryto really keep up the positive mental attitude. That’s really important. I’ve seen athletes that are muchbetter than me just get in such bad moods, and they just beat themselves up and quit becausethey...haven’t figured out what tool they need to pull out of a bad mood.”

Sometimes it helps simply to detach oneself from the bad moods, and become an interestedobserver of them instead. Tibbetts explained to Bourquin, “I am fascinated with the ultra distancesbecause of the physical and mental changes that happen, and even though it’s a little bit uncomfortableat times, it’s fascinating to see yourself become psychotic, to see your body come in and out of bonks,you know, like you get into a bonk and you just don’t feel like you can move, and you think ‘OK, whatcan I do to pull myself out of this?’”

In her first Ironman she won her age group (50-54),qualifying her for the World Championship

in Kona, Hawaii. In Kona, she excelled yet again,finishing 12th in her age group. Tibbetts snagged

a spot for this year’s World Championship at the Ford Ironman USA Coeur d’Alene in June.

She then set a personal best time of 12:05:38 onJuly 22 at the Ford Ironman USA Lake Placid.

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Nuuttila set her sights on thelonger distance.

Nuuttila says she hasbenefited from Tibbetts’ abilityto keep a steady pace and hasapplied some of Tibbetts’distance run training strategiesto swimming. For example, inlong swims, Nuuttila now prefersusing a series of pacers ratherthan a single one, so that eachis fresh, thus helping to keep herpace even. Through Tibbetts,Nuuttila discovered the benefitsof Boost and Ensure nutritionalsupplements as well as greentea to help maintain energytoward the end of a longdistance workout.

Tibbetts gets advice fromNuuttila regarding speed andupper body strength. Bothwomen agree that they have a“fabulous coach” in Doherty.“He goes along with whatevercrazy scheme we come upwith,” says Nuuttila. “He draftsworkouts specifically for us andhas been helpful telling us whatwe each need to work on.”(Seewww.usmsswimmer.com fora sample workout.)

The progression of distanceswims Doherty has developedfor this dynamic duo is not forthe fainthearted. Tibbetts andNuuttila have workouts to doon their own that are longerthan the ones he gives in hisgroup practices—including1,800-yard time trials or 2x900s,moving them up gradually to10,800 yards. The trainingpartners do one distance and

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one pace workout per week.Pace work might mean 20x100on two minutes, trying to holdthat pace, and working up to20x300 yards.

Although both women preferdistance, Tibbetts’ enthusiasmfor learning new skills thatinitially seem unrelated to hertriathlete goals has earned theadmiration of her coach andher training partner. In theirMasters group, different daysare devoted to different sets ofskills: stroke work, distance,sprints or kick sets. Tibbetts isas ready to work on herbutterfly and her kick sets asshe is to work on distance,reports Doherty. “It’s easy totell she’s a serious athlete,” hesays, “because of the way shecame out and trained. She’sgone from a great ultra-runnerto a triathlete.”

The training has paid offhandsomely for Tibbetts. In herfirst Ironman—Arizona 2005—she won her age group (50-54)with a time of 12:18:52, qualifyingher for the World Championshipin Kona, Hawaii. During herswim, she maintained a steadytwo minutes per 100 pace tofinish in 1:15:04, and during thebike ride, her least familiardiscipline, her time of 6:25:12translated into a respectableclip of 17 miles per hour, settingher up for a 4:22:03 marathon.

In Kona, she excelled yetagain, with a time of 12:19:39,finishing 12th in her age group.During that trip to Kona, she

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found numerous role models:women in their 60s whoremained lean, strong and com-petitive despite the setbacksand challenges of aging. “Thesewomen are my heroes,” shesays. They clearly had no plansto retire any time soon andneither does Tibbetts. Her nextgoal, says Doherty, is the awardspodium in Kona this Octoberwith a top-five age group placing.Tibbetts snagged a spot forthis year’s World Championshipwith a time of 12:09:36 at theFord Ironman USA Coeurd’Alene in June. She then set apersonal best time of 12:05:38on July 22 at the Ford IronmanUSA Lake Placid. Eventually,though, even an Ironman maynot be enough for Tibbetts.

Knowing his wife’s enthusi-asm for the event, Witkesbelieves she will eventuallyattempt a double or even tripleIronman. Masters coach Dohertyagrees, even though, for now,Tibbetts’ low body-fat percent-age (the happy consequence ofbeing a runner) makes coldwaterswims a challenge. Yet, Tibbettsis familiar with challenges.

Although New Mexico is aland-locked state, she findsways to practice open-waterswimming. “Just swim whereyou’re not supposed to,” shesays with a laugh. For Tibbetts,that’s a city reservoir and alake, both posted with “noswimming” signs. When youlearn to swim in a leech-infested pond, other bodies of

water—policed or not—holdfew surprises.

Friends confirm Tibbetts’poise under pressure. SaysMontrail teammate StephanieEhret, “The night before the2005 100-mile national trailchampionships, there was aknock at my door. It wasCathy Tibbetts wondering ifmaybe I had an extra pair ofshorts, jog bra, shirt and/orwater bottle carrier that shemight be able to borrow. You’dnever know it from her calmdemeanor, but the airlines hadmisplaced her luggage,” Ehretrecounts. “I can’t rememberwhat I was able to pulltogether for her but I doremember thinking how calm,cool and adaptable she was—taking it all in stride.”Fortunately, Tibbetts’ bagarrived during the night. ButEhret remembers how wellrested her teammate looked onrace morning, noting that thewaylaid baggage didn’t impedeTibbetts’ race—she placed asthe second overall female.

“She’s efficient and focusedin her workouts and herwork,” Doherty observes.

That’s likely becauseTibbetts’ vision of funtranscends lost luggage,scorpions, murky ponds andthe reservoir swim police toembrace life’s adventures.With competitive Ironwomenin their 60s and beyond as rolemodels, it’s likely Tibbetts willbe at it for years to come. <<<

>>>A Week in the LifeHow does a typical training week shape up for Cathy Tibbetts?As might be expected, it’s not easy to categorize, partly becauseher schedule changes depending on the phase of the training andpartly because of Tibbetts’ outlook. “I always try to make it funand don’t get too hung up on a schedule,” she says.

However, she offers some general principles for triathletes intraining: “The key workouts are one slow distance workout andone speed workout in all three disciplines.” Her routine alsoincludes “weights three nights a week, working different muscleseach night.”

An overview of her week might—with variations—look something like this:••• Monday: 60- to 90-minute swim, 5 miles speed work at thetrack, 90 minutes weights••• Tuesday: 90- to120-minute hard bike ride, 90 minutes weights••• Wednesday: 60- to 90-minute swim for distance, 10-mile run,90 minutes weights••• Thursday: 60- to 90-minute swim (intervals), one hour easyon the bike••• Friday: 10-mile run, two-hour bike ride easy.••• Saturday: 80- to 100-mile bike ride••• Sunday: 20- to 30-mile run

“But,” she adds, “some weekends I might head to the GrandCanyon for a rim to rim to rim (yes, that’s across and back) or doa three-day bike tour in Colorado.” And sometimes she will simplyenjoy a rest day if she feels the need.