By Seeley Gutierrez

The typical triathlete spends years trying to qualify for the Ironman World Championships. Two area youngsters, however, got it right the first time.

Kate Harrison (age 22) qualified at her first Ironman, 2012’s Ironman Florida. Colin Abbey (age 18) qualified at May’s Honu 70.3. They represent an interesting dichotomy going in to the race. While Harrison has completed an Ironman and run marathons, she’s never raced in Hawaii. And, while Abbey became familiar with the course in May while racing Honu, he’s never run a marathon or done an Ironman. One thing is for certain, though. Both view the race as an opportunity few get to experience and are thankful they will be able to toe the line with the world’s best on October 12th.

While most athletes dread training during the hot and humid Florida summers, Harrison and Abbey have looked at the weather here as a way to prepare for race conditions in Hawaii. Harrison didn’t shy away from the sweltering temperatures.  “I’ve spent time training during the heat of the afternoon to make sure my nutrition plan works in hot weather.”

Hawaii is also known for its strong winds, which makes Harrison a little nervous. Abbey, whose grandparents live near the race course, had the chance to preview the course in the spring. “I had the opportunity to ride most of the section in the lava flats” Abbey states. “Having ridden on the bike and run course, experienced the wind and heat, and just feeling the vibes is an incredible advantage over those who’ve never been there.”

Despite knowing the course, Abbey holds a healthy dose of trepidation about the race.  “I’ve never raced an Iron-distance event, nor have I run a full marathon, and I’m still a few miles shy of hitting 112 miles on any of my training rides.  That’s definitely not a confidence builder; but I trust my coach.”

Both have had to up their training to prepare for Hawaii. When Abbey returned from Hawaii in June, he jumped straight into longer training. “My workouts extended by almost double,” he remembers.  “The hardest adjustment is not having a whole lot of spare weekend time; a five to six hour workout on Saturdays, and a long run on Sundays generally means I eat, sleep, workout and not much else.”

Harrison has adjusted her training as well. “My weekly training volume is slightly higher, I am doing more frequent long rides and runs, and my workouts are much more intense.  I’ve been working on getting stronger on the swim and bike; last year I was just hoping to cover the distance in one piece.”

Harrison gives credit to her coach for toughening her up, both physically and mentally.  “With Chuck Kemeny as my coach, I always have a challenge to look forward to.” She continues, “Working with him has helped me get good results without getting injured or burned out.  His bike trainer workouts are insanely hard, but I can honestly say they have made me much stronger, especially mentally.  I’ve learned to keep my mind relaxed, even when my body is screaming at me.”

Harrison and Abbey are excited about the chance to race amongst the elites of the triathlon world. Harrison is keeping it in perspective, however. “The most important goal is to cross the finish line and enjoy the experience.  I’d love to improve on my time from last year, but conquering the distance in Hawaii’s difficult conditions is a victory in itself. Aside from the actual race, I’m really close to reaching my fundraising goal of $10,000.”

Abbey, too, remains cautiously optimistic about the race. “My overreaching goal is to finish uninjured. I’m really excited about just going and doing an Ironman. In all honesty though, I’m kind of excited about the bragging rights too:  18 years old, and my first Ironman is World Championships! It’s just going to be an epic trip that hopefully I’ll never forget.”

And, while they probably won’t be at the weekend ride or pool immediately after Hawaii, they don’t plan on resting on their laurels for too long. Abbey knows most any workout after these will seem short in comparison. Harrison is already looking into a spring marathon.

Despite their age, these young athletes are proving to be an inspiration to all. As Harrison puts it, “I want people to know that anything is possible if you put your whole heart in it.  Growing up, I was uncoordinated, got picked last in gym class, and rejected from dance team tryouts two years in a row.  Don’t just follow your dreams, chase them.”

Harrison is raising money for the Tallahassee Memorial Cancer Center, where her mother was treated last year. You can donate by searching for her name on the Ironman Foundation webpage (ironmanfoundation.org).