2009 promises to be quite a year for 5 time Ironman Champion Heather Gollnick.  In addition to racing a full schedule, raising 3 kids under the age of 12, Heather will be putting on a half iron distance triathlon right here at Quassy Amusement Park in Middlebury, CT.  This race has already attracted commitments by Desiree Ficker, Belinda Granger, Cameron Brown, Luke Bell and TriMax contributors Joanna Zeiger and Bree Wee.  With so much talent coming to the foothills of the Berkshire Mountains, this should be quite an event for pros and amateurs alike.  Heather took time out of her “juggling act” to share her thoughts on how she picked Connecticut for this race and gave us her take on the sport.

A $100,000 for the pros and $20,000 in prizes for the amateurs!  What a headline for a new half Iron distance race.  Tell us a little bit about The Revolution3 Triathlon Race at Quassy Amusement Park in Middlebury, CT.

One of the main things we wanted to do with this new Triathlon was make it family friendly, something that has really been a struggle for our sport.  To that end we have rented Quassy Amusement Park for the day for the families of competitors and volunteers.  We really feel like this will be a win-win for all involved.

This race will also feature cutting edge technology in using real time GPS tracking so all the fans can follow their favorite athletes.  What information and how often will this information be available to follow?

Trakkers is an awesome product and one that we believe will change the face of how people are able to interactively participate in our sport.  For each athlete wearing the device various bits of information are transmitted every 30 seconds to include an athlete’s current speed, max speed, distance, heart rate, average heart rate.  On the run will measure current and average pace, distance covered, as well as current and average heart rate.  Family members will be able to track their loved one on laptops made available under the Trakkers tent.  Athletes can then view all information after the fact – it’s really a cutting edge technology.

All of us Connecticut locals know what a beautiful (but brutally hilly!) area Middlebury, CT is.  How did you and your husband find and pick this site for such a prestigious race?

Several years ago when I was a member of the Timex Triathlon Team I met Joanne Frantzis, we immediately clicked – both of us moms, lots in common and we have been friends ever since.  Joanne and her husband George own Quassy Amusement Park.  Joanne has been telling me for years how Connecticut could use more quality events – it was a match!!

Putting on a race is no easy task especially for someone like yourself who is competing, coaching others and mothering 3 kids!  What can the amateurs thinking about doing this race look forward to in terms of a quality race experience and support?

We are putting a terrific Team together of individuals throughout New England who have extensive experience in event planning.  We are fully prepared to put on one of the best half distance Triathlons anywhere!

With the growth of the Ironma 70.3 series and many other strong half Iron distance events, what will make this race different?

What makes us different is our desire to make this a more interactive experience for all involved.  Amusement Park for the families, the Trakkers Technology, our Little Rev Splash and Dash, we will have six cameras out on the course capturing all action and transmitting to the web, industry leading prize purse and more being added each day.

What are the top 3 mistakes you see amateurs make in their training or racing at the half Iron distance?

I have always believed that pacing is important – I see so many athletes take off like a shot but then are unable to maintain over the course of longer distance events.  Also – nutrition is always a big challenge when you approach longer distance racing.

Before you were a professional triathlete, you were an outstanding gymnast.  Generally speaking, gymnastics calls for significant "fast twitch" muscle fiber while long distance triathlon mandates more of a "slow twitch" muscle fiber make up.  How did you make this change?

Gymnastics was great as it provided for me great core strength and what has become one of my main strengths – that being the mental side of racing.  Gymnastics requires tremendous focus and that is something I have been able to incorporate on race day – I love competition!!

Your 3 kids are mainstays at every Ironman finish line you compete in.  What is the first thing they ask you when your race is over?

Can we go play now?

Of all the experiences you've had in the sport, what is the number one experience you'd like to have before you retire?

I have been fortunate to win 5 Ironman’s in my career and there is nothing like that feeling of satisfaction when you cross the line.  I wouldn’t mind experiencing that a few more times as well as a Top 10 finish in Hawaii.

With so many races under your belt, I'm sure they're have been a few that stand out from a "pain management" perspective.  What's the worst you have ever felt in a race and how did you push through it?

In every Ironman Competition there comes a time when you hit a wall – I really think it is unavoidable.  The key is how you deal with it and a lot of that can be done pre-race.  I suggest creating a script of your race day and go through in your mind exactly how you will handle those trying times – when it happens it’s easier to cope with.

All details about the The Revolution3 Triathlon Race can be found at http://www.rev3tri.com/index.htm.

Heather Gollnick
Born: March 9, 1970
Age: 38
First Triathlon: 1995 Olympic Distance
Turned Pro: 2002 Ironman Wisconsin
Family: Husband - Todd (High School Sweetheart); Children - Jordan(11), Josh (11) & Zach(8)
Lives: Lakewood Ranch, Florida

Career at a glance

• 2008 U.S. Long Course National Champion - 1st
• 2008 Pucon 70.3 - 1st
• 2008 Louisville Kentucky Half - 1st
• 2007 Ironman Louisville - 1st
• 2007 Ironman Arizona - 1st
• 2007 Med Express Mountaineer - 1st
• 2003 Ironman Wisconsin - 1st
• 2003 Ironman Coeur d’ Alene - 1st
• 2003 Wildflower Half - 1st
• 2002 Ironman Wisconsin - 1st

Thanks for stopping by Heather and we all wish you the best in putting on such a world class race in Connecticut!

Interview by Max Wunderle

Back To News Center »