Endicott’s Misner finishes hot Ironman at Coeur D’Alene

Misner pulls in at the finish of the 112-mile bike segment in six hours, 20 minutes and 11 seconds. The 26.2-mile run came next.

While most people might have spent the hot weekend relaxing inside or by a pool, Endicott’s Jamie Misner — with 55 supporters in tow — made her way to Coeur d’Alene to compete in the second hottest Ironman competition ever.

“The heat was just so unreal,” she said. “It was really hot.”

Record-breaking temperatures topped out at 104 Sunday, nearly 40 degrees above the average Coeur d’Alene Ironman temperature of 65.

“I thought I had trained in hotter weather,” Misner said. “I don’t think I could have been prepared for that kind of heat.”

Despite the heat, Misner crossed the finish line at 13 hours, 20 seconds. Her aim was to finish at 13 hours.

“The ultimate goal was to finish,” she said. “That was the big goal.”

The race was set to begin at 6 a.m., but was pushed up to 5:30 for the heat. Competitors had 17 hours to complete all three portions of the race: a 2.4- mile swim, 112-mile bike ride and 26.2-mile run.

Misner came out of the swim with a time of 1:07:55, ranking 10th in her division, 83rd for her gender and 395th overall. She said she completed the swim in about the time she expected.

“With the swim, it was nice to have the warmer water,” she said.

Moving onto the bike, she completed that portion at 6:20:11 — faster than she had expected. Her finish time in the bike ride put her 17th in her division, 79th for her gender and 468th overall. Throughout the bike ride, she stayed cool when spectators threw ice down her back and sprayed her with water.

“I was soaked from head to toe. It felt really good!”

The run did not go as she expected, but she still clocked a time of 5:16:02, to round out her second Ironman finish at 13:00:20. She said her faster time on the bike in this race helped her to make up for her slower time on the run.

Of the run, she said “it was probably one of the most challenging ones I’ve done.”

“People were literally falling over. I passed people on stretchers and in the medic tents,” she said. “It reminds you that I’m out here and it’s okay to walk. I was told ‘make sure you run a smart race for you to finish’.”

Overall, 1,331 competitors finished, though 2,012 were registered. About 300 people who had registered for the race did not make it, and another 400 who started the race were unable to complete it.

Her overall finish ranked her 18th in her division, 106th for her gender and 461st overall.

“As much as it was extremely intense, I had fun,” she said. “I just go out there and have fun and I think that’s what actually helped me to finish. And my supporters. I had a lot of supporters. They are totally awesome!”

As for what’s next for Misner?

“Recovery. Recovery is definitely next!”