Paula Findlay says a switch was flicked with her victory at IRONMAN 70.3 Oceanside which has set up the 2025 campaign perfectly.
She won a great run battle there with Jackie Hering in the first big North American race of the season, crossing the line 19 seconds to the good.
Findlay is number seven in the world rankings and heads next to 70.3 St George where she will look to defend the title she won so impressively last season.
And the bad news for her rivals is that she goes there arguably a stronger athlete than 12 months ago.
‘That really flipped something in my brain’
As a three-time Canadian time trial champion, the bike is Findlay’s biggest weapon but at Oceanside she was only fifth best in that discipline and it meant she had ground to make up on leader Jackie Hering from early on the run.
But chatting to Matt Lieto on the latest IRONMAN Insider video, which is embedded below, she explained: “Lisa [Becharas] was first off the bike, then Jackie and me.
“So a good group of women that are great runners. And especially Jackie. She’s had some really fast run splits and usually outruns me from wherever she is in the field. She came by me – and I’m good friends with her – and she’s like, ‘we could do a nice run together’.
“I was like, Jackie, I don’t feel good. I think you’re gonna drop me. And she did put 30 seconds on me but I could see her there the whole time. I wasn’t feeling amazing, but I was keeping her in my sight.
“And when I came past Eric [Lagerstrom, Findlay’s husband] at around 9k, he’s saying ‘you can win this. It’ll be so sick if you could win’.
And I was gaining a bit of time on her every mile. I could see it and I was getting splits and that really flipped something in my brain.
Nutrition gains also part of the process
Talking about that moment in more detail, Findlay added: “A lot of the time in 70.3s – and I’ve done so many in my life – I’m really complacent. And where I am on the run is usually where I finish on the run. So sometimes I’ll get caught by people, but I don’t usually have this fight in me to be able to fight back and re-pass or hold position when it’s a close race.
“But for some reason, this race was different and I got really competitive in the last 10k and I was looking at my watch running 15 seconds per k quicker than I was at the start, and that was motivating. And yeah, I had a little pep in my step. I could feel my stride changing. I was more on my toes and it was exciting to be catching her and have some energy to be able to do that.
“And even when I caught Jackie with 5k to go or so, I still felt fairly in control and thought, if she stays with me, I think I have a kick in me right now. So that was kind of fun. It was the first time I’ve actually had fun in the last half of a 70.3 run.”
Findlay also explains in the video that focussing on nutrition on the bike was a big contributory factor, adding: “I’m finally learning to eat on the bike.
“I’m sure that was why I felt so much better in the second half of the run and it’s totally transformed training as well, it feels easier, recovery feels easier, getting up the next day feels easier.”
Happy memories
All of which bodes incredibly well for 70.3 St George on May 10th, the scene of her first big middle-distance win as a pro in 2018 as well as last year’s victory.
This will be the last running of the race at the iconic venue and when asked what she loves about the course, Findlay replied: “The bike race really suits me – I think it’s hilly enough to be hard but it’s not it’s not as technical as Oceanside or some of the other races.
“It’s like big sweeping ups and downs which I can ride and push power the whole time.
“I’ve also had great races there so obviously that helps – just to have positive memories and good vibes going into it. And it’s the last year there so it’d be fun to go out with a good race.”
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