It didn't take long for Erin Holmes to achieve one of the biggest goals on her five-year plan.
The former Kamiakin High School swimmer was one of 65 Subaru Ironman Canada competitors to qualify for today's Ford Ironman World Championship in Kona, Hawaii. She will be among more than 1,800 triathletes.
The 22-year-old from Kennewick qualified for the world's top triathlon in her first Ironman.
"I had no idea that I would qualify for this," she said. "I wanted to qualify when I was 24."
After swimming for a year at the University of Maryland, Holmes, who now works as a personal trainer and swimming instructor at the Tri-City Court Club and also coaches the Kennewick High School swim team, decided she wanted to attempt triathlons.
"Ever since I was a kid, I was very motivated," she said. "I love the challenge, being at practice, being around people. I grew up watching my mom (Lori Bartol of Richland) do triathlons. There were a couple local triathletes I admired, too -- Robyn Poulson, who just moved to Australia, and Adrienne Farabee. I just thought they were gods."
In May 2010, Holmes signed up for her first marathon, the Napa Valley Marathon in California, as part of her Ironman preparation.
"I actually Boston qualified," she said. "I realized, 'This is kind of fun.' "
Holmes began to ramp up her training for Canada this past May, running, swimming and training for the bike portion on a CompuTrainer.
A full Ironman consists of a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bicycle ride and a 26.2-mile run. Holmes passed the test with flying colors.
On Aug. 28 in Penticton, British Columbia, she finished in 11 hours, 43 minutes, No. 1 overall out of 15 competitors in the women's 18-24 division. Her swimming background helped her clock 51 minutes, 28 seconds in the water, ninth overall among the 2,832 finishers and first among women.
"My biggest goal was to be first in the age group out of the water," she said. "I thought, 'I need to be up in the front, and some say mass starts are very scary, but if I'm going to hit my goal, I need to be right here.' I was surprised to beat the pros."
She timed 6:48:12 on her bicycle -- "I hit my bike (goal) time dead on the money, which was crazy," she said -- and ran a 3:55:44.
Holmes' boyfriend, JM Storton of Kennewick, competed with her in British Columbia.
"She actually beat me in Canada," said Storton, who finished in 12:17:48. "I was seeing her on the course, and she kept looking good. She came past me at the end and said, 'You want me to hang with you?' I said: 'No, are you crazy? You're running 9-minute miles, and I'm dying. Go, girl.' "
Holmes has found joy in the triathlon world and is eager to find out what she can do next. Turning pro is on her five-year plan, she says.
"I burnt out a little bit in the swimming world," she said. "I'd be bawling. I was so stressed, so nervous. With the triathlon, I have goals and aspirations, but I don't want to make that what it was."
w Katie Dorsey: 582-1526; kdorsey@tricityherald.com
