Montana resident Linsey Corbin won the 2007 Ironman 70.3 Baja in her first pro season. Ironman Hawaii though did not go as planned, she checks in with Slowtwitch.
ST: Linsey, overall you must be very pleased with your 2007 season. What do you consider your highlight?
Linsey: I wouldn’t say I had just one highlight, but a few. It was my first year racing professionally, so to be able to accomplish something people dream of was great. One highlight is that I got to go to some great places (Mexico, Canada, New York, Hawaii…) and meet some great people that I have actually become close friends with. To run a 3 hour 10 minute marathon at Lake Placid was a highlight, as well as winning my first 70.3 in Baja.
ST: Do you mind talking to us what happened to you in Kona this year?
Linsey: Kona was a tough pill to swallow this year… I think that is what keeps me coming back for more though. Last year in Kona I was 23rd and I raced with a broken collarbone after having been hit by a car 5 weeks earlier. This year, my goal was a top ten finish. I went to Bend, Oregon for 5 weeks to prepare for the race and I was hitting training goals that I had once thought unattainable. I got on the plane to Kona healthy, and when I got off the plane my left hip was all locked up. I spent race week trying to get the problem worked out, and unfortunately, it just never did. I had a decent swim and great bike. I was in 14th place at mile 12 on the run before I had to call it a day before I caused damage that would take me months to recover from. I raced the best I could with what I was given on that day… but I will be back for more.
ST: How will you be spending you off-season?
Linsey: Due to my hip injury, off-season started about a month ago. It has been great. I have been spending lots of time with my husband Chris and our dog Madison, enjoying some nice craft-brews (Montana’s largest brewery, Big Sky Brewing Co. is one of my sponsors), traveling to see family and friends and making plans for 2008. In the next month or so I will also do some cross country skiing (it is dumping snow right now!), dog walking, baking bread, playing Scrabble, reading, and improving my swim stroke! We went to a Wild West party last weekend, too.
ST: What is your athletic background?
Linsey: I grew up in Bend, Oregon as a ski racer. I wanted to be an Olympic ski racer so bad, but just couldn’t hack it. After that I started running and noticed I had some talents there. I spent the rest of high school on the cross country and track teams. A few summers ago I went on a bike tour with my parents and loved every second of it. After that I entered my first triathlon, and the rest is history.
ST: Most folks would not think of Montana as a base for a pro triathlete. Can you tell us a bit more about the training conditions there?
Linsey: Montana is wonderful! I live in Missoula and we are surrounded by great mountains, but also lots of ranch land. I love the simple life here… you can be riding your bike down the road and get stopped by a cattle drive! We don’t have a 50m pool, so in the summer you can find me swimming upstream in the Clark Fork River! The winters here get long for sure, but I love the snow, and who can complain about skiing out there front door? I think having the snow really gives me an "off season" and makes you appreciate those sunny days. Besides, I think riding the trainer makes you tough! I also enjoy training blocks in Tucson, AZ, Bend, OR, and with my coach Lance Watson in Victoria, BC.
ST: What is on your schedule for 2008?
Linsey: I look forward to traveling some more, meeting more great people and staying injury free! I am hoping to race a bunch of 70.3s this year as well as Ironman Coeur D’Alene, as it is just a few hours from where I live. I also plan on being in Kona and Clearwater.
ST: What is your favorite race event anywhere and why?
Linsey: Tie- The Grizzly Triathlon is a sprint distance triathlon in Missoula every April. It is dubbed as the Montana World Championships. It took me 3 attempts to win it, you never know what the weather will do, and it is cut throat competition. The winners get huge engraved rocks for trophies, too! Wildflower… not only do I love to camp, but I also love biking up big hills, so what’s not to love?
ST: What is going on with you on the sponsorship front?
Linsey: I feel so fortunate to have such a great support network helping me out. 2007 wouldn't have been quite the year without the help of Big Sky Brewing Co., Clif Bar, Katalyst Multisport, Missoula Bicycle Works, Lifesport Coaching, Orbea, Saucony, Trigger Point Technology, Vision & Full Speed Ahead, Zoot Sports and of course my family & friends! As far as 2008 goes I have some exciting things in the works, you will have to check out linseycorbin.com to get the inside scoop!
ST: Do you follow any other sports?
Linsey: I enjoy following the Montana Grizzlies as well as Arkansas Razorback Football.
ST: Tell us about the foods you like and dislike, plus we’d like to know what is in your fridge.
Linsey: My major dislikes are bananas (what a shame, I know) and fast food. Things I like are dark chocolate, quality cheese, good beer, sushi, peanut butter, chips & salsa and I also have an espresso nearly every day.
We eat pretty healthy at the Corbin house so currently our fridge is stocked with spinach, apples, 6 kinds of cheese, Moose Drool beer, plain yogurt, Odwalla OJ, eggs, salsa, whole wheat tortillas, and some leftovers. Yum!
ST: What about music? What do you listen to?
Linsey: I like it all, 80’s, traditional country, hip hop, you name it. My iPod is such a mixed bag: Xavier Rudd, Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Madonna, Nelly Furtado, Old Crow Medicine Show, Coldplay, Jack Johnson, Tom Petty, Pearl Jam.
ST: What was the last movie you saw?
Linsey: Weekend at Bernies while riding the trainer. I was laughing so hard I almost fell off my bike.
ST: Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
Linsey: Since I am only 26, that would make me 31… Hopefully I will be doing what I am doing right now: racing triathlons. I would like to start to traveling to some great places with Chris to race such as Europe, Australia and New Zealand. I better have won an Ironman by then, too!
ST: Is there anything else we should know about you?
Linsey: I am married to my #1 fan, Chris Corbin who is an avid fly fisherman. I finish every race with a cowboy hat on: I am Montana Made! I have a massive fear of puking. I have one older sister and my parents are still married after 34 years. I hate being cold, especially my hands and feet. I am the proud owner of a big red Golden Retriever. And, finally in my first Ironman I lost 8 toe nails, and my feet haven’t been the same since.
Linsey Corbin 2007 results:
- Vancouver Half Ironman (Vancouver, BC, Canada) 1st
- Ironman Lake Placid (Lake Placid, NY) 5th
- Lake Stevens 70.3 (Lake Stevens, WA) 9th
- Baja 70.3 (Baja, Mexico) 1st
- Victoria 1/2 Ironman (Victoria, BC) 2nd
- Columbia Triathlon (Ellicott City, MD) 2nd
- Wildflower 1/2 Ironman (Lake San Antonio, CA) 7th
- Seeley Lake 1/2 Marathon (Montana) 1st
- California 70.3 (Seaside, CA) 8th
- Grizzly Triathlon (Montana) 1st
