Judy Caron

Judy Caron uses yoga to supplement training for the Ironman

Judy Caron wanted another crack at the mountain that unceremoniously knocked her off her bike two years ago. In August 2005, an ill-tempered gust sent the 5-foot-4, 114-pound dynamo from Concord, N.H., sprawling on one of the notorious hairpin turns above the treeline during the Mount Washington Auto Road Bicycle Hillclimb in New Hampshire.

Undeterred, Caron got back on her saddle and won her age group with a time of 1- hour, 50 minutes, and 35 seconds. In 2006 she bettered that time by almost 15 minutes. So in 2007, two months shy of her 60th birthday, Caron was primed to eclipse Mary Lou Lowrie's age-group record of 1:27:30, and a broken wrist suffered in a cycling spill at Whiteface, N.Y., that spring wasn't going to stop her. The weather, however, did, as winds hitting 100 miles per hour and freezing rains forced the cancellation of the annual event. "I felt great," says Caron. "I was ready for Mount Washington, but the mountain wasn't ready for us."

In 2008, Mount Washington will have to wait, as Caron, now 60, has bigger fish to fry. Her race calendar is filled with triathlons, including two half-Ironman races in New Hampshire and an Ironman qualifier at Lake Placid, N.Y., in July. The target, though, is to compete in the Ironman World Championships at Kona, Hawaii, in the fall. "That's my goal, to get to Kona," says the mother of three (and grandmother of two).

Today, the former registered nurse is a certified holistic health counselor and yoga instructor. For Caron, triathlon's three disciplines -- swimming, cycling and running -- offer the supreme test of mind, body and spirit, and training for them naturally "incorporates a lot of different things that I find make a huge difference in my personal life. "There's the fact that you're doing something with your body, so you're learning how to be very focused on not just moving it, but how you're moving it," she says. "Then there's the mental aspect that comes with the longer distances. The longer you're out there, the more important it is that you're paying attention. There is a sense of depth, of learning about yourself, especially when you're out alone, or in the pool swimming, for a long time. It's just you."

Triathlons also allow Caron to fuse her holistic approach to work and life with an undeniable competitive gene. "When I was younger I always had this spark. If the boys were running down the street I'd run and see if I could beat them," she says. "It wasn't a fight, but a liveliness. I've got this spunk in me, and I need to see what I can do."

MONDAY
Caron starts her work week with a yoga routine. Afterward, she runs. The distance varies, but she always focuses on efficiency, both in her stride and fuel consumption, while maintaining a heart rate under 140. "Heart rate is the most important element," she says. "For an Ironman, you're trying to train your body to get steady and maintain that steadiness over a long period of time." In the late fall Caron's runs averaged between 5 and 6 miles. In the winter she runs longer distances due to the poor cycling conditions. The run is followed by time in the pool, ranging from 20 minutes to an hour. "The swim workout is a combination of things, sometimes intervals, sometimes sighting," she says. "It's not super fast work. I pay a lot of attention to technique."

TUESDAY 
Caron loosens up before heading to the local YMCA to teach an early 1-hour spin class, followed by a whole-body weight routine that features lower weight and more repetitions. "I do a lot of abs and stretching mixed in," she says. "As a triathlete, I'm not interested in building bulk. But weight training makes a lot of sense, especially as we get older." Afterward, Caron may swim, but if the weather is nice, she'll go for a ride instead. In the evening she teaches a beginner/intermediate yoga class.

WEDNESDAY 
Caron teaches a sunrise yoga class at 6 a.m., and then goes for a run, typically about 5 miles. "This is one of the best runs of the week, very magical," she says. "Not only is my body prepared, but I feel extremely focused. The breathing we do in sunrise yoga is very energizing and invigorating. So when I head out for the run it's like an effortless effort. It's wonderful." At noon, Caron swims with a specific routine, either intervals or a longer time in the pool. Weather permitting, she'll go for a bike ride in the afternoon.

THURSDAY 
Caron's morning mirrors Tuesday, and then she teaches a yoga class at noon and again that evening. If time allows, she'll squeeze in an hour of pedaling after her noon class.

FRIDAY 
Caron's official rest day. "I love the idea of not setting my alarm, though I'm still awake by 6 a.m.," she says. "Compared to 4:30, when I'm usually up, it feels like sleeping in."

SATURDAY/SUNDAY 
The weekend reveals Caron's organic approach to training. "One day might be a long ride, 4 to 6 hours," she says. "The other will include a longer run and a swim, and sometimes an easier ride. I do yoga first thing in the morning, and always stretch after running and riding." It's all in an effort to compete in Kona. "I think it's important that you're willing to bring things into your life, on a daily basis, that shake you up a bit, challenges that are easier to walk away from than to take on," she says. "When you do take them on, it keeps you alive. And it keeps you young."