Ironman Interview #1: Maggs Morris

With just a few weeks to go until the Ironman World Championship in Kona, 808RaceReport is profiling a few local triathletes that will compete in this year's race. Our first interviewee is Maggs Morris, a well known age grouper from Kailua. She's been a regular presence on the podium at pretty much every Oahu race she enters, and this year qualified for Kona with a great finish at Ironman Arizona. She answers our questions below:


Name: Margaret "Maggs" Morris (have gone by Maggs since 1992, so NOBODY uses Margaret)
Hometown: Kailua, HI
Age: 36
Years in Triathlon: 7
Triathlons finished: wow, I'd have to say: at least 40-50, but I really have no idea... 35ish?
Best finishes: Ironman Arizona: 10 hours 48 minutes- 3rd place, women 35-39
Favorite races: Honu 70.3 and Silverman 70.3
Coach: Raul 'Boca' Torres and his gang (www.bocahawaii.com)

808RaceReport: Maggs, before we get into the heavy stuff- What do you do when you're not training and racing?

MM: When I'm not racing and training I'm eating or sleeping. And holding down a job. I have two dogs who run with me and a boyfriend who bikes with me. Recently I've been watching a lot of the Olympics on TV (I got cable just for the Olympics, so I'm not sure how long I'll keep it). In the off season I love to hike with my dogs. And this winter I'm going to try stand up paddle boarding (just like everyone else is). I wish I had enough time to be a paddler, but I just can't commit to it like you need to.

OK, on to the hard-hitting stuff... When I first met you five years ago, it seemed you were more likely to go to bed at 5 AM than wake up at 5 AM. What changed- when did you decide to go after Triathlon?

Yeah, when you met me, I dabbled in triathlon. I had some friends who did tris, and I was even doing half ironman distance races, but not really training for any races. Now... I'd still rather go to bed at 5AM than wake up at 5 AM for a workout. I'm a night owl. But my metabolism changed. I could no longer go out and party and still wear a size 6. As I cut out all the partying etc, I actually got faster and was able to train more. After sitting out most of the 2007 tri season with a lot of injuries (Achilles tendinitis, a broken hand, broken toe and whiplash), I decided to sing up for Ironman Arizona as a way to motivate me to get back in shape. As I stepped up the training and really started to enjoy it I set some goals and hired a coach to help me achieve them.

You're on the board of the Kailua Master's Swim Club... Obviously you learned to swim at a young age.. did you bike or run as well?

Actually, I wasn't a swimmer growing up. I took all the Red Cross swimming lessons and enjoyed that part of it, but I quit the age group swim team after two weeks. I was a gymnast all through high school and did high jump in high school. My last two years of high school I became a 400 M runner and then ran cross country my senior year. I fell in love with running and continued to run for fitness through college and after.

When did you decide to go from short-course races to Ironman distance? When was the moment that you said to yourself "yeah... i could do that race"?

My first Ironman was IM Florida in 2006. One night at a bar a friend talked me into signing up. She then deployed and I was activated and sent to Las Vegas. I almost didn't get signed up because of the timing of registration and working 12 hour shifts, but I managed to get signed up. I figured I would find a training plan and stick with it and hope for the best on race day. About mile 24 of the run, I said "yeah, I can do it"

What does a training week look like for you with Kona now about 8 weeks away?

My typcial week starts with a 'rest/recovery day" on Monday, which isn't always a day off. It's normally a very low intensity swim and bike or run. It can be anywhere from 30 minutes of working out to 3 hours, but my heart rate never gets very high.

Tuesdays is usually a morning swim with the Boca gang at Kaimana Beach. We do some intervals in the ocean. In the afternoon I usually do a 2 1/2 hour ride and 30-45 min run. The ride is usually around east Oahu, up and over the Pali. It's still pretty low effort level, strictly endurance pace.

Wednesdays are a track work out or a hill running session in the AM and then a serious speed swim workout in the evening.

Thursdays I join some of the Boca group for a trainer session of 90-120 minutes. We do some power intervals and then some longer tempo 'time trial' work. Thursday night I swim with Kailua Masters (it's long course that night) and usually tack on an extra 1000 M to get close to a 4000-4500 M workout.

Fridays AM I swim with Boca at Ala Moana beach park. We do 500 M repeats. It's a great opportunity to work on ocean swimming and do long intervals w/o getting tired of looking at the black line. After that I normally run an hour on grass at an easy pace.

Saturday and Sunday are a long ride and long run, though sometimes I'll do the long run on either Friday or Monday and take the other day as 'rest/recovery' to give me some time between long efforts.

Any specific goals for your race, or are you just going into it trying to do your best?

My first goal for Kona is to make it to the start line. After that it's all about doing what I can. As the race gets closer I'll set some time goals, but will keep those to myself for the most part. I reserve the right to change those goals as the day goes on (something I learned you have to do in long course tris).

What does a finish in Kona mean to you, as opposed to any other race?

I'm not sure what I think about doing Kona. It's a great honor, but I think it's going to be such a different race from Arizona. I can't wrap my mind around the race, sort of like doing my first Ironman or even my first half ironman. I have an idea what to expect and am trying not to set any expectations for the race. I hope I can pull together a race where I have no major problems and if I can do that, then I'll be happy no matter what the clock says. I do know it will be a lot of fun racing with so many of my friends and training partners either racing or spectating.

What's going to be your first post-Kona adult beverage?

The boyfriend has been instructed to have a Fire Rock Pale Ale in hand at the finish line. Realistically I know I won't drink more than a few sips of it, but I've given up alcohol for the next couple months, so I will certainly be looking forward to it.

Mahalo Maggs! I look forward to seeing you on Alii drive in a few weeks!

Interview with XTERRA Champ Alex Eiler

Mountain Man Champ Alex Eiler has made a big impact on Hawaii's multisport landscape- finishing at or near the top in every race he enters. He graciously agreed to answer a few questions for 808RaceReport.

ATHLETE: Alexander Eiler "Alper"
HOMETOWN: Linz, Austria
AGE: 32
YEARS IN TRIATHLON: 2
RACES COMPETED IN: 9 Triathlons and more than 100 MTB races

BEST FINISH(es): 12th MTB Marathon World Cup Bourg d' Oisans, France 2005,
58th UCI MTB Marathon World Championships, Lilehammer, Norway 2006,
20th UCI World Cup Falun Sweden 2006,
1st Amateur Xterra Worlds Maui 2007,
1st Xterra Mountainman Oahu 2007, 2008,
2nd Tinman 2008

FAVORITE RACES: UCI World Cup Bourg d'Oisans, Xterra Mountainman, Xterra Worlds Maui

808RR: Alex, what do you do when you're not Training and Racing?
AE: Research on Marine Microorganisms, playing with my 7 month old daughter

808RR: Growing up in Austria apparently was good for your endurance and mountain climbing abilities!
AE: Japp. My grandparents had a house in the mountains. Running and cycling up steep hills comes pretty natural.

808RR: You came into Saturday's race as the defending champ and as the reigning top age grouper in the XTERRA World Championships. I have to imagine you were pretty confident. Was there any doubt during the race? When did you feel like you had it in the bag?

AE: Since the course was new, I did not know if I could make up the time lost in the swim during the bike and run. But when I passed Chad Seymour in the second climb of the bike split I was feeling pretty good. But you can never feel too sure since technical problems can cost you a lot of time. When I put my running shoes and I left T2 with no one in sight I was pretty confident.

808RR: What does a good training week look like for you with the world championship race a couple of months away?
AE: Right now I am in Cairns Australia on a conference in microbial ecology (2000 geeks are gathering that are working on microorganisms and their interaction with the environment). I will get up early in the morning for a ride or run (the MTB World championships where held in Cairns a couple of years ago, there are some nice tracks here). For the lunch break I will go for a swim. The rest of the day I will listen to scientific talks and prepare my talk that I will present on Friday about the dynamics and diversity of one of the most abundant organisms on our planet (a marine bacteria). The evenings will be spent with meeting other scientists and talk some more science.

808RR: What are your favorite training rides on island?
AE: MTB around Olomana, Peacock flats. On the road from Kaneohe to North Shore, running in Lanakai and up the pillboxes. Swimming around Coconut Island and to Flat Island

808RR: What other races/events are you doing this year?

AE: Dick Evans Memorial Race, Xterra Worlds in Maui

808RR: Do you have long term goals for your racing career or are you taking it one season/race at a time?

AE: My goals are having fun, enjoying life and staying healthy!

808RR: Alex- see you at the races... Danke!