May 19, 2019 by Carol Britton Meyer
Hingham High School Science Teacher Livvy Kates competed May 11 in the Ironman 70.3 Gulf Coast, and even more exciting is the fact that she qualified for the World Championship Ironman in Nice, France, next September.
The Ironman 70.3 -- consisting of a 1.2-mile ocean swim, a 56-mile bike ride, then a 13.1-mile half marathon -- was completed in the Gulf of Mexico in Panama City Beach.
" It was a challenging race given the conditions – rough seas, headwind on the bike, and hot with very humid temperatures," Kates said. "Given this area was hit by Hurricane Michael back in October, it was for me a small way to support the local area. That’s part of why I chose this race, which brings in a lot of people (more than 2,000 participated)."
"That's pretty amazing," said Principal Rick Swanson of Kates' accomplishments.
She has been doing triathlon for nearly 10 years. "I started swimming following a back injury from running," she said. "After six months of no exercise and multiple rounds of cortisone shots, it was all I was cleared to do at that time."
Kates later took a suggestion from a friend to give triathlon a shot. "I was hooked after just one race," Kates said. "I started doing Sprint races and Olympic races – these are shorter. Then I upgraded to the longer ones. I enjoy the challenge to test myself and see what I can do."
So far she has completed in two full-distance Ironman races at Lake Placid and "has done plenty of 70.3 half-distance races as part of the E3 Performance Team," Kates said.
For the 2018 season, Kates was named an All-American (by USA Triathlon) and ranked by Ironman as an All World Athlete -- Gold Level (meaning she was in the top one percent of women in her age group globally).
Each Ironman 70.3 race allocates spots for the world championships. "However, you need to place high enough to have a chance. If someone declines a spot then it rolls down to the next person," Kates said.
The Ironman 70.3 World Championships will be held Sept 7 and 8 in Nice. Sept 7 is for the women and Sept. 8 for the men. "So it a real championships-style race," Kates said." Pros and age-groupers (amateurs) complete the same course on the same day, respectively."
Athletes participating in September will begin with a beach start and embark on a one-loop, 1.9 km swim in the pristine waters of the Mediterranean Sea. The 90 km bike course passes through villages and mountains, which offer panoramic views. The 21 km run will include a flat and fast two-loop course along the Promenade des Anglais. This event is known for its tremendous spectator support.
It's a huge accomplishment to qualify for the Nice event. "Competing with the best in the World is an amazing opportunity," Kates said. "I want to finish – always my #1 goal -- enjoy the experience, and do the best I can against such a stellar field."
Kates enjoys training, racing, and all that goes with it. "My family is extremely supportive. I grew up doing track and competed all four years in college. My my parents always came to every event. They still come any chance they can," she said. "My husband is the head coach for Track & Field at Notre Dame Academy in Hingham and our daughter (8th grade) competes for him. So we balance everything and support each other."
Kates takes great pleasure in being "a multitasking mom and role model for my daughter and also for my students. They see my hard work and dedication to something," she said. "I am still out there, as it’s a lifelong sport. I hope that I inspire them both in the classroom and out."