Ironman Florida Race Report - '19 Kona Bound

Pre-race
While the alarm was early at 3:45am, the recent time change made it only feel like 4:45am. Karel was quick to get out of bed for his morning espresso, followed by his typical pre-race/workout bowl of oatmeal. He ate standing to help with digestion and shortly after, he went for a quick jog around the neighborhood to get his digestive tract flowing even more. After getting all of his gear organized, it was time to drive to the race venue around 4:50am.

It was a quick 2 mile drive from the Southern Dunes property to the Lake Eva community center/park (race venue). I drove Karel (and our other coach Joe) and dropped them off near the transition area. Campy and I then drove around to find parking. Thankfully, Haines City does a great job opening almost every parking lot available for their triathlon races. After parking in the lot of a pharmacy on 5^th street, Campy and I walked to the transition area to wait for Karel after he pumped up his tires. The weather was perfect as it was cool, but not too hot and certainly not too cold. After collecting Karel’s pump, I dropped it off back at the car and then went to the Lake Eva pool to meet up with Karel and Joe. The pool was open Wed-Sat of race week (9am-1pm) and on race morning from 4:30-6:30am. I was surprised to not see more athletes take advantage of the pool for a pre-race warm-up. We are big advocates of getting in the water before a triathlon, especially when it’s a wetsuit swim (as it was for this race as the temperature of the water was around 73-74 degrees). Campy and I hung out by the pool area until Karel and Joe were finished with their warm-up swim (about 10 minutes) and then I collected their bags to drop back off at the car.

Nearing the race start at 6:30am, Campy and I made our way on to the beach/sand area by the swim exit (two loop swim with an out-of-the-water transition to the second loop) just in time to see the athletes start the rolling swim. 

2.4 mile swim
Although an interesting course layout for a swim, the lake was very well-marked with buoys. Also, Ironman did something that I had never ever seen before – there was a timing “mat” in the middle of the swim! While a great idea to capture mid-swim splits for each loop, the set-up caused a lot of mayhem as there were two large buoys making a tunnel for athletes to swim through, with the timing system above the water. As you can imagine, place 2000 athletes in a small lake and have hundreds of them try to swim through the tunnel at the same time, there’s going to be some major congestion.
Karel started with the sub-1 hour group for the rolling swim start and within 30 seconds, he was in the water. The first loop was rather uneventful for Karel and he felt comfortable in the water with a strong but sustainable effort. Karel exited the water around 29 minutes before re-entering the water. However, at this point, the rolling start was nearing the end and the lake was filled with 2000+ athletes. Certainly, this caused Karel to slow down a lot. While he felt comfortable with his effort, there was a lot of changes with speed and direction to navigate through all the other athletes. At one point, a lady grabbed Karel’s ankle and yanked it so hard that he lifted his head to turn around to see what was going on. The lady yelled “you kicked me!” Karel couldn’t help but laugh. Who knows if Karel really kicked her as it wasn’t on purpose. Karel has been in that position before where it can be scary, exhausting and frustrating to be swum over so he is always sympathetic when he swims in the open water and tries to be as nice as he can with the slower swimmers. 

Although the second lap was much slower for Karel, he swam very well on a very technical swim course. He exited the water in 1 hour and 1 minute and then made his way to the gear bags in the tennis courts. 

T1

As a last-minute Ironman venue change, there were some logistically issues with this new venue. One of them being the layout of the transition area. The gear bags and changing tents were on the far other side to the location of the bikes. With no carpet on the ground, athletes had to run through the park area on chipseal, which was a bit uncomfortable for the feet. Karel wasn’t complaining as he was just thankful to be racing but it wasn’t the most pleasant of run from swim to bike. After a quick transition, Karel ran to his bike to start the bike portion. 

112 mile bike
As Karel was finishing the second loop of the swim, I made my way to the very start of the bike course on one of the rolling hills by the school (near the lake). I was accompanied by Eedee (who was cheering on her hubby Josh, who we coach) as well as our athletes Stephanie (who was volunteering later in the day). When I saw Karel, I was relieved that he didn’t tell me that his shifting wasn’t working (like in Kona) so that was a huge relief. I quickly yelled to him that he was 8^th out of T1 (he moved up two places just in transition) and 7.5 minutes down from 1^st place. I felt like this information would be most beneficial to him at the moment so that he knew where he was positioned at the start of the bike.
After spending the next 30 minutes cheering for athletes, I went back to our rental home (with Campy and Stephanie) for a quick breakfast (well, second breakfast for the day). Nearing 9:30am, we drove about 7 miles down the road (backroads) to park on the bike course so that we could cheer for all the athletes, especially for Karel, Joe, Josh and Dave (our athletes racing). We positioned ourselves around mile 60 on the bike course so that we could see the athletes on their second loop. Since there was a timing mat at miles 56, this would give me updated results for Karel and Joe (they were both trying for a Kona slot).
Karel felt good for most of the first loop on the bike. The layout of the bike course is nice in that it is flat and fast for the first half of each loop and then comes the rollers. There’s nothing too technical or hilly about the course but you do need to be an active participant in your effort on the second half of each loop. Karel took some risks on the first loop to stay competitive in his age group but after he stopped at special needs to grab 2 more bottles (a total of 5 INFINIT bottles on the bike, a few bites of a Bonk Breaker bar and a few sips of Gatorade near the end), his back/hips started to bother him (nothing abnormal as it’s an ongoing issue for Karel on the bike) which forced him to ease up with his effort. 

At mile 56, Karel was still in 7^th place so his position didn’t really change much in the first half of the bike. However, at this point he was 16 minutes down from the leader. We assumed there would be 3 Kona slots but Karel always likes to be as safe as possible so he was more focused on 2^nd place. I told Karel where he was in his age group as he stretched his back by standing up out of the saddle. I purposely positioned myself on the one “hill” on the flat section of the bike course so I’d have more time to yell at Karel (which was only a matter of seconds). As Karel was nearing the next timing mat at 83 miles, we made our way back to the race venue. Throughout the time when we were cheering for the athletes and had the music blasting from my car. As we drove back to the venue, Campy had enough and he was ready for a nap. Ironman spectating is so exhausting! 

I continued to check the tracker and by 83 miles, Karel moved back a spot to 8^th place (which was still good position wise) but he was now 20 minutes and 24 seconds behind 1^st place in his age group (18 minutes from second). By the end of the bike, Karel was back in 7^th but moved back to 24 minutes behind the leader.

T2
As usual, Karel had a super fast transition (Karel says that nothing good happens in transition so get in and out). Because the changing tents were inside, Karel welcomed the air conditioning as it was getting extremely hot and humid out. He didn't want to leave. Although the forecast called for showers in the afternoon, the rain seemed to have other plans as the sun was popping out from behind the clouds.

26.2 mile run
Our assistant coach Joe had passed Karel near the end of the bike and made his way out on the run course right in front of Karel. It was really cool to see Joe and Karel both together. Karel gave Joe a few wise words as he passed him in the first ½ mile of the run.
Although Karel has proven to be untouchable on the run as that’s where he always moves up and runs down his competition (typically with one of the top runs overall), I was unsure of what his body would be able to do just three weeks after Kona.
The positive of this new run course was that there were a lot of timing mats. The downside was that there was a lot of turns. 

Picture by Stephanie G. 

And if you were wondering about the blue KT tape on Karel's knee, he had a phantom taper "pain" going into the race so he taped up his knee. Not pictured is Karel's back/hips all taped up with KT tape. 

To start the run, athletes ran out by the school (on the bike course) and then back to the park to start three loops around the lake. Within each loop, there was a lot of out and backs, turns and hills. 

I was hoping to give Karel good news as he left transition area but all I could tell him was that the other guys didn’t look as good as him (not entirely true but I wanted him to hear something positive).

I made my way near mile 4 of the run course so I could give Karel more updates as I would be able to see him three times over a short period of time. At this point, he was still in 7^th and still just under 22 minutes down from 1^st place. This was not the typical run race that Karel was use to as he can typically make up a lot of time in the first few miles but the first guy had a huge lead over Karel.

When I saw Karel, he didn’t look good. While he always has good form when he runs, it looks a lot more forced and labored than what I am use to. As Karel ran by, he told me that he didn’t feel good and he wanted to quit. I’ve never heard Karel tell me that before. I told him that he is still moving up and gaining time and to walk the aid stations and to just break the run into small sections. While I know that we all suffer at some point in the marathon of an Ironman, I felt so bad for Karel that his suffering started so early in the run.

Pic by Stephanie Gibson

Although Karel made up little time in the first few miles of the run, by mile 5.6 (timing mat), enough progress was being made for me to (attempt to) convince Karel that all this suffering would be worth it. When I saw Karel again, he had moved up to 6^th place in his age group. Although the gap to 1^st place was still around 21 minutes, it was only 13 minutes to second. At least 2^nd was a better probability than 1^st and would still give him a confirmed Kona slot.  When I saw Joe a little later, I gave him the exciting news that he was in 6^th in his age group. Although Joe was having some breathing issues to start, he walked it out and got it under control and only got stronger as the run progressed (Joe did IM Chatty and just registered for IMFL 2 weeks before the race – with our permission of course 😉

After Karel ran by, I made my way to the other side of the run loop so that I could give him more updated information. During this time, Karel could see his competition running ahead of him….far far ahead. It was so mentally defeating for him, especially since he was already so mentally and physically exhausted. But he tried to stay positive and reminded himself that anyone can run “well” for 5 miles. Then he told himself “anyone can run well for 10 miles”. He was speaking about his competition because he was not making up much time on them so he was just hoping that his effort was good enough to keep him moving up (even though with every foot strike, he was hurting more and more).

By 8.7 miles, Karel moved into 4^th place. Now we are talking! Still nearly 18 minutes down from first, he was only 5 minutes from 3^rd. I knew that if Karel could hear that he was nearing that Kona slot, he would feel like this was all worth it. By 10.9 miles, Karel was in 3^rd and had put 10 minutes into the competition. He was still 15 minutes first and 13 minutes behind second but the competitors behind him were all slowing down. Karel needed to know that no one was chasing him because he didn’t much energy to give to speed up. He was just trying as hard as he could to not slow down too much.

At 11.9 miles, a pass had been made by the 2^nd place guy in Karel’s age group, which then put him into the lead. When I saw him running, he looked really good and he was holding about the same pace as Karel. I noticed that the 2^nd place guy was slowing down a bit so this made the race even more exciting. Many athletes were walking as it was a very tough course on a very hot and humid day.  

Hang in there Campy! Just ten more miles to go!

By 15.5 miles, Karel was 12 minutes behind first and still running about the same pace as the first place guy in his age group. However, Karel was beginning to close the gap to second (8 minutes behind). With 10 miles still left in the race, Karel could potentially move himself into 2^nd! I made my way to the back side of the loop so that I could give Karel another update before he did an out and back section before making his way to the “big hill” before heading back toward the race venue. Nearing 17.4 miles, Karel had closed the gap to second to 6 minutes and now first place was slowing down!

Karel was really struggling but his competition was struggling more. I knew he’d be seeing the medical tent at the finish line for he was digging so deep. I think Karel could have cried at any moment because he was hurting so bad. As he made his way up the hill to the aid station, he walked through the aid station and he told me that he is struggling to take in nutrition (it felt like everything he took in was in his belly) and is barely surviving. I knew he was struggling so I just told him to “one more loop and you’ll be done.” Karel walked about 15 aid stations throughout the marathon for it was the only way he could mentally break down the race. Even in one section where there were 3 aid stations within 1 mile, he walked each one of those. 

By 22.7 miles, Karel was less than a minute from 2^nd and he was running faster than everyone in his age group (including first place). I knew that once Karel passed 2^nd, he would get a bit of a lift, especially since he only had a few more miles to go. I texted one of my athletes (Julie) who was working the last aid station of the loop (on the hill) to tell Karel that he was just a few minutes away from 1^st!

By 24.6 miles, the pass had been made and Karel moved his way from 7^th AG to first. As we always say, it’s not about being fast but being great at not slowing down. Karel was keeping up with his planned nutrition with his Naked Running belt and also stopped at special needs on the 2^nd loop (you could stop at any of the loops but only once) to ensure that he was still giving his body energy all the way to the end. He also used coke and water and lots and lots of ice/water from the aid stations. Karel felt like the cloud cover that came on the last loop really helped him feel a bit more alive again since it had been so hot and humid for the first 2 loops of the run.

I made my way to the finish line with Campy and I couldn’t wait to see Karel run down the finish line and rest his exhausted body. With less than 1 mile to go, Karel secured his first place AG by nearly 2 minutes. As Karel was getting closer to the finish, there was a guy just in front of him. Karel got closer to him and saw that he was not in his age group and just let him go. Karel had nothing more to give – not even a 200 yard effort to try to move up one place overall.

As the 6^th finisher across the line, it was a little quiet with spectators but Mike Riley gave Karel a wonderful announcement “Karel Sumbal, living the American Dream!” as he called him an Ironman.

Our athletes Stephanie and Kevin caught Karel at the finish line (volunteering) and then quickly took him to medical (I expected it). Karel didn’t take any IV’s but just needed to be cooled off and rehydrated with sport drink. All Karel wanted to do was take a nap but the medical staff kept putting ice on Karel. The medical staff allowed me and Campy to sit in the finisher area by the tent until Karel was able to wobble his way out about 20 minutes later.

During this time, a rainbow had popped up over the medical tent. It wasn't too long later (a few hours) when the sky opened up and it was pouring rain. 

Karel couldn’t believe what he did. He had no idea of his run time and he was shocked that he had the 2^nd fastest run of the day. After the race, Karel told me that he is done with Ironman and never wants to do another one. He said during the race he was having so many conversations with himself about how great of an idea it would be to just focus on the half IM distance next year. Well that quickly changed after a night of sleep as he took his Kona slot for 2019. I’m super excited for us to share our 2^nd Ironman World Championship together in October. 

 A big congrats to our athletes Joe, Josh and Dave who all finished as well as to all the other IMFL (Haines City edition) finishers!

Results:

2.4 mile swim: 1:01.36

T1: 4:28

112 mile bike: 5:02.58

T2: 3:58

26.2 mile run: 3:15.15

Overall:  9:28.14, 1st AG (40-44), Kona qualified.
6th Overall.
2nd fastest run.

IMFL - One more sleep.

Hello from Haines City, FL! Here we go again. It feels like it was just a few weeks ago when we were one sleep away from an Ironman!

During our travels back home from Kona, Hawaii on October 16th, we received an email from Ironman that Ironman Florida was cancelled due to extensive devastation from Hurricane Michael. In the beginning of the year, Karel wanted to do something that he has never done before - race two Ironmans within a month. While an experimentation to see how his body would handle two endurance triathlon events in such a short time period, Karel also wanted to see if he would be able to re-qualify for 2019 Kona. Seeing that Karel did not have the race that he wanted in Kona, he was really looking forward to another opportunity to race. Even though there's the uncertainty of what his body will be able to do in the later miles of the marathon due to the unknowns of what's still lingering in his heart, tissues and muscles, Karel was really looking forward to another Ironman.

Karel selected IMFL as his post-Kona Ironman because logistically, it was easy for us to get to. But IMFL holds a very special place in our heart for it was the first Ironman that Karel watched me race (it was so cold that morning, Karel had to borrow my jacket) back in 2007. We were dating at the time but I knew he was a keeper. Funny thing was after the race, he couldn't understand why anyone would want to do this sport. Why run off the bike when you can just ride your bike? Little did he know that 11 years later he would be about to race his 12th Ironman (13th start) and if all goes well, punch his 5th Kona ticket (4th time racing).

Ironman did something that we have never seen before from a race company. They moved the race to a new location on the exact same weekend! Alongside setting up a foundation for money to go to PCB to help with the Hurricane, Ironman has gone out of their way to move an event to a new city and essentially put together an Ironman in 3 weeks! Ironman offered options for athletes to defer their entry to 2019 Ironman Texas but most athletes decided to put all that hard work to good use in Haines City. While the course will be a bit more challenging than in PCB due to the hills on the run (rollers on the bike), the town of Haines City has welcomed us graciously and it will be a special day for everyone.

We have four athletes racing, including our coach Joe and Karel. We are staying with two of Karel's Czech friends which has been a lot of fun for him to speak Czech again after his mom left us a few weeks ago.

Campy is loving his time in Florida and taking full advantage of his warm vacation. We are staying just 2 miles away (Southern Dunes property) and if Campy isn't inside the house, you can find him outside by the pool - working on his suntan.

The energy at the race has been very positive. I rode one loop of the course this morning (plus a few extra miles for a total of 62 miles) and I didn't have any negative encounters with cars, no honks or unfriendly people. The city has also opened the community pool for athletes from 9am-1pm (Wed-Sat) for athletes to swim before the race (no swimming in the lake before race day). I have been enjoying my time in the outdoor pool with the other registered IMFL athletes.

Although I'm a little nervous for Karel to see what his body will do tomorrow, I always love the energy of being at an Ironman and I'm super excited to cheer for the athletes from early morning until late in the evening.

Best of luck to all those who are racing! Be thankful and grateful to your body for what it allows you to do. No matter how your day goes, the goal is to get yourself to the finish line and to enjoy your 140.6 mile accomplishment.  Stay positive, don't dwell on the what if's and don't forget to thank the volunteers.

Happy 20th anniversary Ironman Florida!

2015 IMFL (spectator) race report

Spectating is not easy but we absolutely love watching our athletes in action.

My alarm woke us up at 5:30am on race day morning and Karel started the water in our electric kettle (that we brought) to fill the French Press (that Karel brought). Campy stayed snuggled in bed (with one eye opened to make sure we didn’t leave him) as we had a snack before heading out the hotel door to watch our athletes start the bike. The race started at 6:15am so we watched the live feed on Ironman.com until the athletes started their second loop of the swim. 

From experience, it was always hard to spot our athletes coming out of the water with so many people so we decided to spectate on the corner of Front Beach and Thomas, less than ½ mile from where the athletes started the bike. 

We were able to spot all our athletes and many of our friends racing so it was the perfect location for cheering. Plus, it’s always nice to surprise athletes when they don’t expect us to be there on the course. 

After we saw all of the Trimarni athletes start the bike (Colleen, Rita, Stefanie and Maggie) we went back to our hotel for breakfast (we had a microwave and fridge in our room at the Executive Inn – it’s not as fancy as it sounds but pet-friendly, free Wi-Fi, no carpet for the floors, close to the race venue and cheap!). 

We tracked our athletes via the Ironman Live tracker online as well as the free Ironmobile app. With a new out and back section on the course, we planned when we would head out to see our athletes. Around 10am, Karel biked to the out and back section (a little over 22 miles away) on his road bike and I drove (with Campy). 

For the next few hours, we cheered on all of the athletes who came by for the out and back (around mile 70-85ish). With a non-wetsuit swim to start the day, we knew it would be a warm day in PCB. There was some cloud cover with a rain shower while spectating the bike from 11am – 1pm to help cool us off. 

After we saw all of our athletes on the bike (who all looked great – lots of smiles!), Karel, Campy and I drove back to the hotel for a quick lunch. We rested for just about an hour and then made our way to the run course. Since we were just a mile away from the race venue, it was very quick to get to where we needed to be on and before race day. 

Karel biked to the run course so he could see the athletes as they made their way out of T2 and on to the run course. It’s always nice to see familiar faces when you start the run but we knew it would be good for our athletes to see Karel a few miles down the road for a little coach pick-me-up. Campy and I drove (well, I drove, Campy navigated) to Mellow Mushroom and parked in the lot behind the building and I spotted two of our friends and Trimarni campers Alex and Angie and their dogs. We all walked to the run course to cheer on the athletes.

The struggle is real people - Ironman is no joke when you are a 12-lb Chihuahua/Italian Greyhound. 

One of the best parts about spectating is that Karel and I can see our friends on and off the course. We bumped into a few other friends from Jacksonville which was great to catch up.
And coach Katie Malone from Greenville too. 

Lots of cheering. Yay Colleen - you are doing an IRONMAN for the first time!!!

We stayed out on the course all afternoon and evening from 3pm until 10pm, until our last athlete had finished.

In between waiting for our athletes to finish, we ate dinner at Mellow Mushroom. It was quite exciting watching all of the athletes finishing the race and we even had to stop mid-bite while we were eating to sprint to the road to run-in with our athletes. 

Campy was exhausted from all the spectating so he spent most of the time in our arms….except for when we caught-up with our athletes in the last 1 mile of the race to run with them for a few minutes. 

Campy really enjoyed finishing the Ironman 3x’s on Saturday and we enjoyed the “Iron puppy” cheers. 

Colleen finishing.

Stefanie finishing.

Maggie finishing. 

From the statistics, it was a very challenging day for many. We are so proud of our 4 Trimarni athletes who all finished (especially first-timer Ironman Colleen) but we just loved how everyone was working hard to get to the finish. 

The Ironman is not an easy event.

An Ironman finisher medal is not given away for free or just because you paid a registration fee.

Sometimes you earn the medal on the first try but sometimes it takes years to understand how to "race" in an Ironman event.

It doesn't matter how slow or fast you go but the important thing is that you always give your best effort.

At Trimarni, we focus on racing to our best ability all while keeping the body in optimal health.

And no matter how your Ironman race goes, it is important that you do not overlook your biggest accomplishment which is simply getting to the start line.

Congrats to the 2193 finishers but most of all, the 2980 starters who had the determination, courage, strength, fitness and skills to start a 140.6 mile journey. 

Don't stop dreaming big and always be willing to work hard for your goals.

And no matter how your race goes, don't forget to thank your body for what it allows you to do. 

IMFL Travel Day

Panama City Beach holds a special place in my heart.
Not because it was where I spent my spring break in 2000 for my senior year of High School but because it was the location of my first Ironman.
I had my mom and dad with me for support as well as my boyfriend Karel (dating for 5 months).

With less than a mile from the finish, Karel yelled to me "Babe- you are going to Kona!"
I never saw Karel run before so I was smiling and laughing at him (although he had no trouble keeping up with me).
And then, without thinking, I yelled back "I Love you!"

It was the first time that I told Karel that I loved him but it just felt right. Not only was he out on the course supporting me but I just knew he was the one for me because he "got me."
It's hard to explain to someone why anyone would want to swim 2.4 miles, bike 112 miles or run 26.2 miles for what looks like all for a medal and a t-shirt.
But it's so much more than that.
I can't describe this lifestyle that so many of us choose and why it makes us feel so healthy, balanced and emotionally complete but I can say that it's extra special when you can share it with someone else. No matter of that someone is on the sidelines or on the course, I feel so luck that I can share this lifestyle, that started back in PCB in 2006, with Karel.

It only took 7 years of Karel being on the sidelines at my races but now Karel "gets" the multisport lifestyle and loves it. 

So here we are, back at PCB to watch our athletes race at IMFL.

We left Thurs morning for a long drive (thanks to ATL traffic) to PCB. Campy did not mind the trip as he loves a long road trip. 

I always travel by car with a cooler and food bag so it was nice to be able to eat when the belly says "feed me."

Karel and I took turns driving while listening to a variety of triathlon-related podcasts.
Did I mention that Campy is the best travel partner?  

Once we arrived to PCB we went straight to Doris's house so Karel could set up his mobile shop for a few bike tune-ups. It's always amazing what Karel can find on an athletes bike before the race that needs tweaking or fixing. Thank goodness for Karel and his expert bike mechanic skills.

Campy enjoyed all of the new smells and supervising the scene. 

After a few hours of tune-ups for Karel and me chatting with our athletes, Karel and I were so hungry and could not wait to eat some local food.
After checking into our pet-friendly hotel, we asked the guy at our hotel front desk where we could find some good Mexican food. He suggested Guadalajara Mexican Grill....it was amazing. 

Karel got the chicken supreme burrito and I got the vegetarian fajitas.
I just love how they loaded up our plates for a very satisfying meal and the food was not salty or overly cheesy. It was perfect for a happy tummy meal. 

As a vegetarian (not a sometime vegetarian but a 23-year, for the rest of my life, vegetarian) it is really important that when I eat out, I know what I am eating. Mexican can be a little scary for me as I don't know if the beans and rice are cooked with pork fat or chicken broth so I always make sure I ask. So for the vegetarians traveling to PCB, the rice and beans are vegetarian and they are not stingy  on the veggies.
I also like ordering fajitas as I can load up my tortillas as to how much of each add-in. 

After dinner, we rested a bit in the room before it was time for bed at 9pm central time (10pm EST). 

IMFL - Proud coach and inspired spectator

We ran 2.5 miles from our homestay to watch the IMFL swim start. 

We couldn't wait to see our friends and athletes start their Ironman day. A day that was months in the making and the culmination of many miles and hours of training. Most people would say that the Ironman distance triathlons is hard.
Absolutely. 

But getting to the starting line is one of the most rewarding experiences that any athlete can receive. 

Although choppy waters, the day was absolutely perfect for PR's and great performances. There is no "easy" Ironman course or day so the understanding is that for those who are mentally strong, they are the ones who can take their trained body to the finish line knowing that it won't be easy - BUT it will be worth it. 

With soaked shoes and socks, standing in calf high water, we waited to see our athletes finish the first loop of the two loop swim course. I couldn't believe that Karel could spot so many of our friends and athletes after running a few yards along the sandy beach to re-enter the water. There's nothing better than hearing your name as you are about to swim in the sea, all alone with your thoughts and 3000+ other athletes thinking the same crazy thoughts with you "Why am I doing this?"

                                   

We waited in the transition area for 20 minutes to secure the perfect spot to cheer on our friends and athletes as they grabbed their swim-to-bike (Transition 1 bag) after exiting the water and then cheered for them again after changing in the men/women changing tent before running to grab their bike from the racks. I couldn't believe how many people we knew doing this race (over 30 from Jacksonville!) alongside our own coaching and nutrition athletes so it was so great to cheer for those who inspire us.

We drove 30 minutes to see athletes on the out-and-back section of the course, around mile 90-97. Knowing that you have only 20 miles or so to go is a great feeling but from experience, the last 2 hours of the Ironman 112 mile bike ride can be lonely with a lot of lows. 

Out and back sections are one of the best places for athletes...

IMFL 2007 - my first Ironman.

In 2007, Karel (my boyfriend at the time) wanted my parents to head to the course to see me on the bike. My mom was worried they would miss me on the run but Karel insisted that I would enjoy seeing them on the bike as 112 miles is a long way to go when there are not as many spectators as there on the run course.

He was right.

I was so surprised when I saw them and it totally made my day. I was in a low spot and when I saw my family and Karel as I was heading out on the first out and back section, I think I sprinted on my bike because I was just so excited to head back to see them again!

Campy and I and Karel stayed in two separate spots so that our athletes would see Karel first and then Campy could give them a cheer. It worked perfectly and I think I saw a lot of smiles on faces to hear a cheer from Iron Doggy Campy. 

Wheatberry salad from Panera (without Chicken)

After a quick take-out as we headed back to the race venue, we were excited to cheer on our athletes and friends and everyone else to the finish line.

There is something really incredible about the first mile (and last) of the Ironman and the crowd support at PCB did not disappoint.  The music from the Atlanta Tri Club was contagious as it was hard to not want to dance and cheer for every single athlete who was running - from the pros who finished in record time (the sub 8 hours!) to the very last finisher at midnight...and even the handful of athletes still on the course after midnight. What's so amazing about the Ironman is that although you have to finish before midnight, the staff at Ironman will wait til everyone finishes...even if at 12:10pm. And the spectators LOVE the last hour so there are no shortage of cheers past 11pm (after 16 hours of racing).

From 3pm until midnight, we were on the run course. We hung out a bit at our friend's RV but aside from that - Campy, Karel and I cheered on everyone we knew....and even those who were friends by association (in the triathlon world - we are all family).

There were many PR's on this perfect day but there are no guarantees with the Ironman. Just because a day is perfect, fast or the body is trained, you never know what will happen on that day. You may surprise yourself and you may get frustrated. But in the end - you must respect the body. There is nothing easy about not finishing a race so either you keep moving forward, and eventually find yourself at the finish line or find something within you that will light a fire to keep you coming back for more, even if you don't receive a finisher medal.

We had athletes who finished before 5 pm and athletes who finished after 9pm. It made for a long day but just like in an Ironman..it goes by really fast and you have to enjoy every mile (or in our case, every hour).

And I've learned from my expert spectator hubby that ice cream always makes spectating so much better. 

From 6:40am until 12:10am. We ran, we drove, we watched, Karel biked on the run course to cheer, Campy and I walked and we cheered.

 7 years ago, I crossed my very first finish line at IMFL. 

This year I was a spectator - cheering on my athletes and friends.
The energy was the same, the inspiration was there and my love for what the human body is capable of doing continues to grow.

I'm so proud of every athlete who gave the best effort possible at 2013 Ironman Florida - our friends from Jacksonville, the many athletes who let Karel service their bikes before the race, our friends from afar and those who we never met but looked amazing out on the course.

I'd like to take a moment to spotlight the amazing Trimarni athletes who were on the course....

Kerry Mowlam - 2nd age group (40-44), Kona ticket, 9:03 finishing time and 42nd overall (counting pros). We worked on your nutrition with a one-on-one session and tweaked a few things for better absorption of nutrition on the bike, using a gel flask on the run for easier consistent intake and an easier-to-digest pre training/racing snack. I couldn't be more excited for you and your attitude on race day was amazing - you never stopped having fun and it showed! Congrats!

JM Marchand - some people like to say "it wasn't your day". It's not easy when you don't finish a race and devote so much time, money and energy to get to the starting line. But JM - it was your day. Karel had worked with you for many months to lead up to this day and even though the cards (and a 2222 bib number) were not in your favor, this doesn't mean that we didn't gain a lot from this experience. There WILL be another race and I love that you are ready to tweak your nutrition as Karel and I know that your body was trained for this race. We loved seeing you out on the course, racing strong and refusing to give up until the body said enough. Even though you made it to mile 15 or so of the run, consider those extra unfinished miles motivation for next season...plus, I heard you have a 5K to run with your 8 year old daughter for Girls on the Run, next weekend so rest up!

Diane Murphy - Thank you for letting me share this IM journey with you by using the Trimarni race week and race day nutrition service. You NAILED your first IM and executed perfectly with a 10:51 finishing time and 11th age group (30-34). I'm so proud of your well-fueled body and for doing what you love for 140.6 miles. Enjoy your finisher medal!

Josh Griffin - When an athlete wants to be coached and has sights on a PR, we always tell our athletes not to chase a PR. But when your only IM was 12:50 with little structured training, we know there's plenty of room for improvement. Talk about sticking to a plan - in training and racing. After a few months of solid training with Karel and letting me formulate a custom INFINIT sport drink, you did exactly what you came to IMFL to do - execute. And your body did not let you down. 9:54:26 finishing time!!! We are so proud of you!

Maggie Crotty - You purchased the Trimarni 12-week Ironman pre built training plan with hopes to maintain balance and finish your first Ironman with quality over quantity training. We worked together with nutrition first, then tweaked training and I reviewed your files with your monthly pre-built plan phone calls and you dug deep on race day (with your boyfriend sharing the journey with you - way to go MATT!). 14:24 for your very first Ironman - WAY TO GO!!! We are so very proud of you and thank you for letting me share this exciting moment with you. 

Stefanie Swanger - This has been years in the making. I always believed in you but you did the work. Working full time, with a 14 month year old and a husband to give you unconditional love and support. You had an amazing team behind you but it was up to you on race day to make it all happen. I could not have been more proud of you for getting to that starting line but after 14 hours and 39 minutes of racing, you beat your goal time by 30 minutes and your body allowed you to do the incredible. 

Stefanie - you are the reason why I love what I get to do. Athletes like you who make no excuses and just do the work with goals in mind. You dream big and I love that. Thank you for letting Karel, Campy and I be part of your life and we are so incredibly proud of you. Keep dreaming big and I can't wait to see what you have in mind next.....

Kona ready: reflecting on the journey

It was October 2005 when I heard about the Ironman World Championships taking place online. I was in the Nova medical library studying for my exit exams for graduate school and I was a few months away from running my very first marathon in Miami. I couldn't help but get on the computer to watch whatever was online at that time and although only having completed about 4-5 triathlons, I just felt like I needed to sign up for the Ironman. Not knowing what the training would be like or what's needed to complete an Ironman, November came and I registered myself for Ironman Florida (with my friend Carlos also joining me in this crazy adventure).

I remember calling my parents and they thought I was crazy. Covering 140.6 miles in one day seems impossible for the human body and I knew that...and that's why I wanted the challenge.

After running my first marathon, I qualified for the Boston Marathon. After learning about my accomplishment, I was addicted. I loved the journey of seeing where my body could take me both physically but also mentally and I couldn't wait to train for my very first Ironman.

After completing the 2006 Boston Marathon in April, I went on to finish my first half ironman in Disney in May. After I recovered, I was 100% focused on training for my first Ironman. I found a pre built plan for free on the internet and I followed every part of it. 

I went into IMFL with a goal. 

To qualify for the Ironman World Championship.

 I told my friends and Karel (who I was dating starting May 2006) and my parents and many people thought I was crazy...not only for running a marathon after swimming 1.2 miles and biking 112 miles but also for setting such an ambitious goal for myself. 

I never once thought the goal was crazy. I was motivated by my goal every day and the challenge made me excited. I never felt confident that it would be a breeze to win my age group and receive the 1 slot in the 20-24 age group for Kona but I also didn't let my worries keep me from dreaming big.

I never got the chance to write a race report from my first Ironman because I started my blog in 2007. But I remember IMFL like it was yesterday. I remember the fears, the mixed emotions and uncertainties of what the day would be like during this well-known endurance event. 

I also remember that with all the thoughts going on in my head as to the unknowns, I was so happy that I could finally experience what an Ironman was all about. And, if all went well, I was going to be an Ironman finisher!

Nearing the 1 week countdown until I participate in my 3rd Ironman World Championship, I still have the same emotions as I did with my first Ironman. I smile because I love what I get to do with my body and I enjoy the day that I prepared myself for. Although a bit more confidence and experience in my Ironman brain and body, I still respect the distance just like I did for my very first Ironman. #1 goal is always to finish, #2 goal - execute. 

No matter what type of athlete or fitness enthusiast you are, you must pursue a goal that makes you excited to wake up every day to see what the day will bring. Do not fear how long it will take you to reach that goal for the day will come anyways, you may as well make the most of your days on earth. Do not let others tell you what is not possible and don't be afraid to show yourself what is possible. Do not give up when things get hard and don't let yourself think that every day will be easy. 

Doing something for the first time is scary and the first step is always the hardest. You will make mistakes along the way and you will have setbacks. Many people get excited for a goal but never start the journey because of the uncertainty ahead. 

If you are driven by goals, you will find yourself always making progress. But you have to start in order to see what you are capable of achieving and you can never give up if you want to feel success. 

As I reflect on my very first Ironman, I am reminded of some things that still make me smile and I'd like to use this blog to remember some highlights of my very first Ironman. 

-It was around 40 degrees at the race start and super windy. I told Karel (my boyfriend of 6 months) that "the IM is hard enough, why does it have to be windy!" Still today, I have yet to beat the wind so I don't try. 

-I saw chicken broth was on the run course from the athlete guide. I was worried that what if I craved soup on the run....but I'm a vegetarian!?! I put a can of vegetable soup in my special needs run bag. However, I didn't use it and good thing - I didn't put a can opener in my bag!

-I was at a low moment on the bike course around mile 70 - 80. I finally warmed up but the bike was feeling long. Wouldn't you know...there was Karel and my parents waiting for me in the middle of nowhere. Thumbs up for being at the right place at the right time!!

-My tummy wasn't feeling so good at the start of the marathon. I made 2-3 stops at the potty in the first 3 miles of the race. I finished the marathon on pretzels and water. I'm ever-so-grateful for port-a-potty's on race courses. 

-After riding 112 miles, I couldn't believe that I just rode 112 miles. I never rode that far before and less than a year before that, I was scared to clip-in my pedals and not comfortable on my aerobars. I felt like I had already accomplished so much before I even started the run. 

Around mile 20 or so, I was getting closer to the end of the race. I had secured my Kona spot and 1st place age group win by 50 minutes. I felt absolutely amazing on this run course and I got by with the help of spectators, my family and the other athletes. I saw Karel with a few miles less to go and he yelled to me as he was running on the sidewalk "Babe - you are going to Kona!" and I yelled back "I can't believe it...I LOVE YOU!!"

That was the very first time I told Karel that I loved him. 

-After a massage and a few slices of pizza, we walked back to our condo and I was sore as can be. I could barely walk and I had never felt such soreness in my life. But I insisted on going back to watch the final finishers. Karel joined me. I hobbled my way back as I felt the need to watch those final finishers finish the race. The race that we all started together and with everyone having their own reason for finishing and refusing to give up when the mind and body say enough is enough. It is now my goal to watch every finish line in an Ironman that I finish. I've only missed one (Kona 2007) but I don't plan on ever missing another IM finish line. 

The feeling was surreal. A dream in the making. A goal that others told me was not possible for a swimmer, turned runner turned triathlete. I had this vision in my head as to what it would feel like to earn a Kona slot but never could I comprehend what it would feel like to cross the finish line as a first time Ironman finisher. 

Seven years later and six ironman finishes behind my name, I still get excited, happy and curious as to what body can do on race day. 

With Ironman #7 happening in 8 days, I hope that you are also counting down the days to watching the most inspiring event that you will ever witness and getting yourself excited to set a new goal for yourself. As you watch athletes from the world discover their limits and overcome obstacles on race day, remind yourself that the drive to succeed is from within and finishing a race is the culmination of weeks and months, if not years, of hard work. 

With your goals, you do not have to prove anything others so instead, set your goals for yourself. As you watch the IM world championship online (all day), dare to dream big for yourself and never waste a day working hard for what you want in life.