Savino poised to return to Lake Placid
By Steve Sherman
Sports Editor
After competing last month in her first ironman triathlon ever at Lake Placid, Pennington resident Elizabeth Savino says she is poised to do it all over again.
This coming from a woman who experienced so much stomach distress on the third—running—leg of the race, she had to stop and walk.
The thing is, competitors have to sign up to do the Lake Placid Tri sometimes more than a year in advance in order to be guaranteed a spot. So Liz and Hamilton resident Chris Draper, who also competed in last month’s event, signed up for next year’s ironman race before participating in this summer’s ultra marathon.
No matter.
Savino says she would have signed up either way.
“It was such a wonderful experience—monumental even,” stated Savino. “It was life-changing.”
Despite finishing—that’s all that matters, right?—the grueling super marathon that requires participants to swim 2 1/2 miles, bike 112 and run 26.2, Savino says she made some mistakes along the way including consuming too much food in the bike portion of the event. The Pennington mom and life coach says her body couldn’t process it all and it hence caused severe stomach pains that hindered her in her marathon run.
Another thing that Savino found difficult about the run was looping past the finish line with 13 miles to go in the run. By that time, Draper, a 33-year-old conditioning specialist based at PEAC Health & Fitness, had finished the triathlon in just under 12 hours (11:52:41).
“It’s hard to go past the finish line when you have to go back out and run another 13 miles,” she said. “Somehow you have to dig deep—find it somewhere inside yourself to keep moving.”
At mile 19, Savino says she considered quitting. She was dehydrated and could no longer run. So she stopped at an aid station, manned by two elderly women who offered oranges together with a slice of encouragement.
A mile down the road, Savino found it deep inside herself to pick up the pace and start running again. She finished the grueling course in just over 14 hours (14:19:36).
Savino says she’ll never be the same.
“It’s an emotional experience,” says Liz. “It helps make you a stronger person. You learn how to center yourself, regroup and keep going.”
Next up for Draper is the Florida Ironman competition that takes place in November in the Sunshine State. Savino may yet join him if she can raise the funds necessary to pay for a charity slot. If not, she says she’ll concentrate on qualifying for the Boston Marathon. She’s qualified twice before but has never run a marathon in Bean Town.
If—when?—she qualifies this time, she said she plans to run in America’s most prestigious 26.2-miler.
Sports Editor
After competing last month in her first ironman triathlon ever at Lake Placid, Pennington resident Elizabeth Savino says she is poised to do it all over again.
This coming from a woman who experienced so much stomach distress on the third—running—leg of the race, she had to stop and walk.
The thing is, competitors have to sign up to do the Lake Placid Tri sometimes more than a year in advance in order to be guaranteed a spot. So Liz and Hamilton resident Chris Draper, who also competed in last month’s event, signed up for next year’s ironman race before participating in this summer’s ultra marathon.
No matter.
Savino says she would have signed up either way.
“It was such a wonderful experience—monumental even,” stated Savino. “It was life-changing.”
Despite finishing—that’s all that matters, right?—the grueling super marathon that requires participants to swim 2 1/2 miles, bike 112 and run 26.2, Savino says she made some mistakes along the way including consuming too much food in the bike portion of the event. The Pennington mom and life coach says her body couldn’t process it all and it hence caused severe stomach pains that hindered her in her marathon run.
Another thing that Savino found difficult about the run was looping past the finish line with 13 miles to go in the run. By that time, Draper, a 33-year-old conditioning specialist based at PEAC Health & Fitness, had finished the triathlon in just under 12 hours (11:52:41).
“It’s hard to go past the finish line when you have to go back out and run another 13 miles,” she said. “Somehow you have to dig deep—find it somewhere inside yourself to keep moving.”
At mile 19, Savino says she considered quitting. She was dehydrated and could no longer run. So she stopped at an aid station, manned by two elderly women who offered oranges together with a slice of encouragement.
A mile down the road, Savino found it deep inside herself to pick up the pace and start running again. She finished the grueling course in just over 14 hours (14:19:36).
Savino says she’ll never be the same.
“It’s an emotional experience,” says Liz. “It helps make you a stronger person. You learn how to center yourself, regroup and keep going.”
Next up for Draper is the Florida Ironman competition that takes place in November in the Sunshine State. Savino may yet join him if she can raise the funds necessary to pay for a charity slot. If not, she says she’ll concentrate on qualifying for the Boston Marathon. She’s qualified twice before but has never run a marathon in Bean Town.
If—when?—she qualifies this time, she said she plans to run in America’s most prestigious 26.2-miler.
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