IM World Championship St. George - quick recap

 

Three years ago, Karel registered for 2020 Ironman St. George (May). When the race got cancelled due to the pandemic, he transferred his entry to 2021 IM Coeur d'Alene. When he broke his hand mountain biking in May 2021, he was able to transfer his entry back to 2022 Ironman St. George (May). When it was announced that the 2022 Ironman St. George event would be the '2021' Ironman World Championship event, Karel was automatically entered into the World Championship event as a registered IM St. George athlete. 

After finishing my 5th Ironman World Championship in Kona in 2019, I wasn't mentally ready to commit to preparing for a May Ironman. Instead, I was happy to support Karel on the sidelines in St. George. In July of 2021, I won my age group at IM Lake Placid. I let my slot roll down for the 2022 Ironman World Championship in Kona as I no longer have ambitions to race there. I'm honored and satisfied with my 5 Ironman World Championship finishes on that island. 

Fast forward to January 2022, when the course was announced for the Ironman World Championship in St. George, I took a look at the course and elevation on the bike and run and immediately wanted to participate in the race. Not because it was a World Championship event but because I love challenging and tough courses - and I love racing in St. George. After feeling a bit of FOMO that I didn't register for the event when it was open to general entries, a few weeks later Ironman sent out emails to All World Athletes for the opportunity to register and participate in the Ironman World Championship in St. George. With this being the first World Championship outside of Hawaii - and during the unpredictable circumstances after the pandemic - the added entries were a way to help add more participants to this unique event situation. I quickly chatted with Karel and without hesitation, I paid for my entry and registered for the event. 

The past few years have been interesting for us. As experienced and accomplished long distance triathletes, the pandemic served as a page change for a new chapter in our life. With our normal triathlon training and racing routine disrupted, we saw this as a special opportunity to try different things. Thanks to triathlon being three sports, we took advantage of our swim, bike and run fitness (and experience) and jumped into different swim, bike and run events. This change provided us with new motivation and excitement for training but more so, it taught us that we are healthier and happier when we pursue different challenges and adventures - specifically outside in nature. 

With Karel enjoying mountain biking, gravel biking and Xterra racing, he didn't want to stop having fun with these different sports (and races) just because he had an Ironman on his schedule. For myself, having registered for the event in February, I didn't feel the pressure of this event looming over me for several months. With a tremendous amount of experience, resiliency and success in long distance triathlon, Karel and I decided that we would take a different approach to preparing for this event. We didn't want to give up the recent sports that brought us great joy so we found a way to incorporate them into our structured triathlon training.

For myself, I did a lot of trail running, group road biking and mountain biking. I love to swim, especially with others. I spent time on the bike trainer (tri bike) every week but focused on more high intensity and/or steady state workouts. I never spent more than 2 consecutive hours on the trainer over the winter/spring. Instead of spending long hours inside (or outside) on the tri bike, I spent a lot of hours outside biking on different types of bikes. And with being new to mountain biking, every ride gave me a nice mix of intensity, endurance and skill work. My bike handling skills have never been better. Because our terrain is very hilly and challenging, I focused more on strength-based sessions instead of trying to get faster with speed work. I never established training zones (no power test) and I haven't worn a heart rate monitor since last September. Every workout was by feel (perceived effort). I use sport nutrition in every workout and I ate before every workout - those are non-negotiable for me. I ate more calories in my daily diet than I've ever eaten before. I did a lot of mobility work and strength training. Most of my runs were brick runs. I gave myself new workouts like run/bike/run or bike/run/bike/run. I kept myself healthy and injury free for over 3 years and that meant 3 years of consistent training. I did several 2 hour runs (most including trail running) and my longest bike rides were around 4-5 hours (with 2 of my longest rides on the mountain bike - 5+ hours). As I got closer to the event (last three weeks), my workouts became more "race specific" and I really focused on perfecting my fueling strategies for bike and run. I've been coaching myself for the past few years and I give myself workouts that target my strengths and my weaknesses. 
 
For Karel and myself, we were excited to see how this different training approach would pay off at the Ironman World Championship in St. George. To be honest, we both felt extremely fit, strong and healthy - even if our training was very unconventional. We didn't feel any pressure to perform at this Ironman and we didn't feel like we needed to change our training to deliver a 'World Championship' worthy performance. 

Having said this, we trained a lot (swim/bike/run) but it just looked very different than what we did in the past. More than anything, we were having fun, enjoying the process of training and always focusing on the little details to keep us healthy. We never let the stress or pressure of the Ironman get to us. I believe this helped us stay healthy in mind and body. We never felt burnt out and it was nice to have something different to look forward to each week with the incorporation of trail running, mountain biking and more high-intensity swim/bike/run workouts. I gave myself some challenging sessions and I really enjoyed doing new things and testing my body in different ways. It was refreshing to have a different approach for my 18th Ironman (Karel's15th) and we both trusted our training that we would be prepared to race for 140.6 miles. 

I've achieved a lot in the sport of triathlon over the past 16 years. Participating in the Ironman World Championship in St. George was not about needing to prove something but to enjoy the adventure with my body and mind. Going into the event, I knew that my training needed to reflect this mindset shift. The sport of triathlon is very important to us but our results do not define who we are as humans. I had no expectations and I was there for the experience. But to stay competitive, we can't keep doing the same things over and over. 

I've always been one to challenge the "norm." I challenge the ideal body type, I challenge the normal Ironman training preparation and I challenge the ways that triathletes fuel for long distance triathlon. Endurance and resiliency takes time to build. It's not acquired over a few months but many years. And when you do build that strong endurance foundation, adding to it won't necessarily make you a better athlete. If anything, it can bring on injury, health issues, a plateau in fitness and burnout. The more experienced you get, the more you need to find ways to change things up - recognizing that getting faster can't be the primary focus. You have to start doing things smarter - like nutrition, mobility, sleep, movement efficiency, fueling, technique and bike handling skills. 

My self-identity does not revolve around triathlon. I am a triathlete but I don't want to be remembered for my wins. I want to inspire others by my 'health first, performance second' approach to training and racing. I want to show other athletes that there is not one right way to train and race. When it comes to training, you have to work with your body, your lifestyle and your current fitness. You have to find joy in the process and not obsess over an outcome. 

Far too many athletes put too much energy and focus into the "long" workout miles, forgetting that the Ironman is a strength-based sport requiring exceptional health and good application of sport nutrition/fueling/hydration. You have to be strong, you need to know how to take care of your body under massive fatigue/intense weather conditions/challenging terrain and you have to be able to endure a lot (in mind and body). You also need to know how to listen to your body, make quick decisions and not overreact. You don't achieve this from checking off the long training sessions on the weekends but through years of consistent quality training and from a lot of racing experience. You'll never be able to go through the same motions and emotions in training as you do on race day. 

Training for an Ironman is not easy. It requires a lot of time, energy and focus. But it doesn't have to be all-consuming, destroy your health and negatively impact your life. A smart approach to training ensures that you are prepared for the race - not just physically but mentally, skill-wise, terrain management and nutritionally. Don't assume that there is only one way to train for a long distance triathlon - there are many different paths to take and what works best for someone else may not work well for you. And if you are experienced, don't burn yourself out by doing the same training year after year.

Karel and I are very proud of our performances at the St. George Ironman World Championship event. We took a different approach and it paid off. We both felt strong and healthy all day and most importantly, we had fun, we enjoyed the suffering and we gave our best effort on the day. 

Marni - 10:53.16. 5th AG (40-44)
2.4 mile swim: 59:58 (1st AG)
T1: 5:22
112 mile bike (~7200 feet elevation gain): 5:45.38 (2nd AG)
T2: 5:01
26.2 mile run (~1500 feet elevation gain): 3:57.17 (5th AG)


Karel - 9:58.48, 11th AG (45-49)
2.4 mile swim: 1:00.11 (11th AG)
T1: 5:42
112 mile bike (~7200 feet elevation gain): 5:28.50 (19th AG)
T2: 3:30
26.2 mile run (~1500 feet elevation gain): 3:20.35 (1th AG)

Race Report coming soon......

IMFL '06 - remembering my first Ironman

Tomorrow, Ironman Florida will be celebrating it's 21st Ironman event - one of the longest running Ironman events in North America.

Ironman Florida was my very first Ironman. Although it doesn't feel like it was that long ago, it's crazy to think how much our sport has changed since 2006!! I still remember receiving a Popsicle stick with a place on it when I crossed the finish line at local running events!

Because the Trimarni blog didn't exist back in 2006, I never had an opportunity to write a race recap from my first Ironman experience. Luckily, the memories and moments are still fresh in my head - even though it's been 13 years since I crossed my first ever Ironman finish line!!

Going into the event, I was very confident in my fitness as I used a free training plan from the internet and followed it precisely as written. With my recent formal education in Exercise Physiology (Master degree), I felt like my training could not have gone any smoother. I also did a lot of research about fueling for an Ironman and created a binder of articles and information to help me nail the nutrition needed to survive the Ironman distance. But it was a bit scary to think about this daunting task of covering 140.6 miles with my 24-year old body. 

I was a bit naive going into the event because I didn't have any reason (or excuses) for not finishing. I felt like it was a given that I would cross the finish line. Perhaps this stubbornness helped me ease the nerves as much of the race was an unknown. I had never ran 26.2 miles after biking 112 miles. I had never biked after swimming 2.4 miles in the ocean. I had completed the distances separately on different occasions but never consecutively.

I was so excited to have my parents at the event. My dad was a bit concerned about this adventure but he supported me 110%. I also invited my "boyfriend" at the time (Karel) who had little understanding what the Ironman entailed and was fairly certain that I would be one and done. He thought there was no way that I could do more than one of these crazy events.

16 Ironman's later and now Karel has completed 14 Ironmans :) 

The day started off very cold and I was most afraid of the wind (ha - I still have concerns with the wind!). As if the Ironman wasn't hard enough - the wind was howling. I had no idea how the process worked to set up for and to complete an Ironman so I soaked it all in. Still today, I love the experience of showing up to a race and going through all the motions and emotions before the race start. 

Coming from a swimming background, I didn't fear the waves in the swim but also, having no expectations, I had no experience to tell me what would be fast or slow in the ocean at the start of an Ironman. The mass start was very intimidating, even coming from a competitive swimming background.Today, I much prefer a wave start.  I swam 1:07.00 which was good enough for 2nd in the 18-24 age group (out of 13 starters). 

My transition was loooong. I was so cold and I could not stop shivering. It took me 8 minutes to transition from swim to bike because I just couldn't get myself to leave the transition tent. 

Once I got on my bike, the nerves hit me hard. While I had no worries about the swim, biking was not my favorite sport out of the three. I was still a bit scared to clip in and to stay in my aero bars. And the wind! Plus I was cold to start so that made it hard to stay focused. As the miles ticked by, I started to feel more relaxed. I still don't know how I got through the 112 miles in 5 hours and 52 minutes as I was such a beginner with absolutely no cycling skills! Karel (my boyfriend at the time) tried to help me with my biking skills but much of my riding was on a spin bike and a few group and long rides (which were oh-so-scary for me). Thankfully, Karel never gave up on me and not only did he marry me but he helped me become a much stronger and skillful rider. 

It was so much fun to see Karel and my parents on the bike course. Karel studied the course map and took some side streets to surprise me at various times throughout the 112 miles. 

After exiting the transition area in 5th in my age group, I was 1st after the bike. Of course, there was no way to know this during the event as there was no online tracking. It wasn't until Karel counted the girls either ahead or behind me that he could tell me where I was in my age group. With a mass start, that made it easier to know where I was in my age group as everyone started together. 

I had a fairly quick transition in T2 as I was transitioning to my favorite discipline - the run! Yes, I can't believe I can say that I loved running back in 2006. Today, I have such a love/hate relationship with running and it's my least favorite sport of swim/bike/run but I am not giving up on myself as one day, I will learn to love running like I did in 2006. 

The run was everything I thought it would be and more. It had highs and lows and everything between. I passed 87 females on the run and over 250 male athletes! It's crazy to say those stats today as I now run scared knowing that the swim and the bike are my strengths and the run is always a wonder as to what will happen. 

I had all the expected issues - like a port-a-john stop, bonking, tightness, soreness and fatigue but I also had determination, focus and a smile on my face. I also learned some lessons - like if you bring your own can of vegetable soup (because you are a vegetarian) make sure to bring a can that you can physically open...or else you need to pack a can opener!)

Nearing the end of the race, Karel told me I was going to Kona - surprised he even knew what that meant! In response, I told him that I love him (for the first time). I guess the Ironman really does change you! 

I ran 3:48.41 and finished in a time of 11 hours and 50 seconds. Oh so close to breaking 11 hours!

When I crossed the finish line, I couldn't believe what I had done. And the day went by so fast! All that training just for a one day event! My parents were so proud, Karel was in shock and I did something with my body that I had never ever done before.

With no online results, I discovered my results posted on a printed piece of paper stuck to a wall near the finish line. After watching the final hour of finishers and then having a very restless night of sleep (with lots of nighttime munchies), it wasn't until the next morning that I found out that I had qualified for the Ironman World Championship. I can't remember the price exactly but I think it was between $500-600. I do know that I didn't have that type of money at 24 so I think my parents helped me pay for it (by check). Thanks mom and dad for helping me achieve my dreams! 

It was a very special experience to receive my Kona slot from Heather Furr,. I was given two certificates for finishing the race (and qualifying for Kona). And to then attend the awards ceremony knowing that I was going to the Ironman World Championship in 2007! As the age group winner, I received a plaque, Timex watch and I something else (I can't remember - maybe socks?)

My first Ironman was a day to remember. While everything went well for my first Ironman, I can't say the same for the next 15. Over the years, I've had to overcome a lot. While there have been incredible results (like finishing Ironman Chattanooga in 2007 as the overall amateur female and qualifying for Kona another 6 times and taking 5 of those slots), it's the tough moments that have made me a smarter, more grateful and more experienced athlete. 

To those racing IMFL, enjoy your special day. And no matter what happens on race day, celebrate the gift of being able to do something incredible and amazing with your body. Never take the present moment for granted! And don't forget to thank your body!

IM Kona '19: Quick recap

The Ironman distance is a beast of a race. Swimming 2.4 miles, biking 112 miles and running 26.2 miles is no easy feat for the body. There is no right, best or perfect way to prepare as every journey to the start line is different. Every athlete has his/her own path, which is either straight forward and smooth or filled with bumps, detours and maybe even a few road closed signs.

Some athletes make extreme sacrifices and investments to get to the starting line. Some athletes have a team of supporters and professionals to assist in the journey. Regardless of who helps you get to the start line, it is ultimately up to you - the athlete - to get yourself to the finish line.

For the majority of athletes participating in the Ironman World Championship, they represent the best of the best from around the world. Qualifying is not easy as it requires great fitness, preparation and a whole lot of luck. Interestingly, when the best of the best all arrive to the Ironman World Championship, it's easy to compare yourself to others and feel a tremendous amount of pressure to give a best ever performance. With great expectations to perform better than ever before, it's easy to feel overwhelmed by the magnitude of a World Championship event and to confuse best effort with best ever. You see, to feel satisfied, accomplished and joyful at the Ironman World Championship, you have to race smart. With this comes gratitude, respect and having a sensible or practical idea of what can be achieved. Although competing on the world stage can bring out world class performances, many athletes experience great disappointment and sadness that something special didn't happen on race day or that the race didn't showcase a current level of fitness. When this happens, a once passionate, excited and fit athlete can question ambitions, self-worth and future capabilities.

On Saturday October 12th, 2019, I completed my 17th Ironman. Going into this event, I didn't see myself getting to the start line due to 10 weeks of no running and another 2 weeks of only indoor treadmill running. It wasn't until I set foot on the island that I did my first outdoor run - appropriately in the energy lab. While I was confident in my swim and bike fitness, I was unsure of how the day would go as I covered 26.2 miles. With a hodgepodge of emotions - ranging from excited, confident and worried - I focused on facts, not assumptions. The reality was that I removed outside pressure, focused what was within my control, relied on past experience (and muscle memory) and I never lost sight of the gratitude I had to compete at my 5th Ironman World Championship.

As for the race itself, I had a 7-minute swim course PR and my first time breaking an hour in a non-wetsuit Ironman swim (not counting Ironman Chattanooga). I also had a 3-minute bike PR. I found myself strong and resilient as I raced the swim and the bike. This allowed me to finish the bike in 5th place in my age group. Never in my wildest dreams would have imagined I would have been in a podium position off the bike! As for the run, I am in no way disappointed. If anything, I am extremely satisfied. You see, I didn't need a PR/strong/fast run to feel accomplished with my IM Kona performance. Knowing that my run fitness was not where it needed to be to compete with the many fast ladies in my age group, I set mini goals to achieve throughout the run. I only walked the aid stations, I kept my mind positive, I worked through mental demons that tried to get me to stop and walk more than I did, I nailed my nutrition (on the bike and run), I didn't experience any GI issues throughout the entire race and I felt like I put together my best effort on the day from start to finish. I had a smile on my face for all 140.6 miles and I crossed the finish line feeling extremely proud of my body.

I believe experience, failure, overcoming setbacks and keeping a level-head allowed me to put together an incredible race performance - in my own standards - at the Ironman World Championship. Far too many race with extreme pressure. They race for glory or an end result (time/place). While there are those who want you to succeed, there are those who want you to fail. When racing for 140.6 miles, you can't be worried about what other people will think of you. Training for and racing an Ironman is a journey that only you and your mind share. Despite dealing with many obstacles this summer, I am happy that I could end on a high note - feeling thankful, satisfied and accomplished with my race day performance.

As for Karel, he had a PR swim but struggled with hip/leg/back/glute pain for most of the ride. This is nothing new for him as it's always a limiter when he trains and races. Because it's easy to let ego get in the way all in an effort to protect self-worth and self-image, Karel powered through the pain and accepted that it would take him much longer than he ever had anticipated to cover 112 miles. With wobbly legs through T2, Karel ignored the "shitty committee" in his head (thanks coach Cait for that saying!) and powered through the marathon. Although slower than what he trained for, he found the strength to get to the finish line. It's certainly hard to finish a race knowing that your body was a limiter but that's Ironman for you. And in Kona, every little weakness on the day is magnified due to the competition, coure and outside elements of mother nature.

Thank you for your support, cheers and encouragement. More to come with the rest of my Ironman Kona race recap.

Marni Sumbal 
2.4 mile swim: 59.36
T1: 4:13
112 mile bike: 5:27.49
T2: 3:48
26.2 mile run: 4:12.38
Total: 10:48.02

Karel Sumbal
2.4 mile swim: 1:03.14
T1: 2:41
112 mile bike: 5:23.11
T2: 5:03
26.2 mile run: 3:15.05
Total: 9:49.12

A big thank you to our coach Cait Snow for guiding us through this season. Despite many obstacles over the summer, she never gave up on us. Also a big thank you to the Trimarni team affiliates and supporters. We are grateful for your continued support! 

Congrats to everyone who raced at the Ironman World Championship. Be proud of yourself and don't forget to thank your body. 

Ironman Canada - Quick Recap

Ironman Canada has been on our racing bucket-list for the past few years. We were immediately drawn to the challenging bike course. We find that the more difficult the race course, the more satisfaction we feel when crossing the finish line. It's also a lot easier to reflect on the race as a whole when there's more to think about than just a finishing time. Although Karel and I "race" the Ironman distance, the real race is always with ourselves - overcoming physical and mental obstacles, pushing through fatigue and self-doubts, exploring our limits and finding reasons and meaning to get to the finish line. With this being my 15th Ironman, I have a lot of experience knowing what it takes to get to the finish line and a big part of that battle is arriving with a strong and healthy body and a positive attitude.

Whistler exceeded our expectations. The community was exceptional nice, the Ironman volunteers were wonderful, the Ironman staff put on a great race and the course was incredibly beautiful. It was so great to share this course with 13 of our athletes and to see so many familiar faces on and off the course.

I'm so happy that we could check this race off our bucket list, especially since it's the last year of holding the Ironman in Whistler. There was a big question mark if I would be able to finish the race due to a recent hip/back issue that occurred three weeks before the race (which prevented me from running forward without pain/tugging in my adductor/groin - luckily, I could swim and bike just fine and I was able to walk, hop sideways and run backwards without pain :). I kept me run fitness through water jogging and was able to reflect back on my previous training with confidence that I had exceptional swim, bike and run fitness thanks to consistent training. While I was disappointed that I wouldn't be able to "race" the run and had to incorporate a lot of walking and stopping to help me get to the finish line so that I did not do more damage to my body, my primary focus was to race the swim and bike and to take the run mile by mile - assessing the situation and stopping the race if I experienced pain or change in my running form. I was not willing to run through pain just to finish my 15th Ironman (especially with Ironman Kona in 10 weeks). 

Karel arrived to this race with exceptional fitness. His training was extremely consistent - although there were a few modifications for extra recovery between a few hard sessions. But thankfully, he didn't have any setbacks or injuries throughout this season and has been able to train really hard. He still suffers from back aches while riding but through some PT/breathing work, it's (mostly) manageable for him. Going into the race, Karel was looking forward to racing on this course and giving his best on the day. He uses visualization (with music) to get into the zone and reflects on previous races to help him get into a good head space. We each have our own way of getting excited to race an Ironman but we both felt excited to experience this race course.

I am thrilled with my swim/bike combo and how I was able to pace the bike. I started the run as overall female amateur but at that point, it was less about racing and more about listening to my body and focusing only on myself. Karel had a great swim but suffered a few low moments on the bike due to pacing - but as usual, once his feet touched the ground, he was in his happy place and he ran himself a PR Ironman run. 

While our fitness was great going into this race, it never makes racing any easier. There are always nerves, worries, unpredictable moments, low moments to overcome and the mental games you experience as your body experiences more and more fatigue. But nothing feels as great as crossing that finish line, knowing that you worked through all the tough moments and finished what you started.

More on the inside details from the race but here are the quick stats from the race:

Marni 

2.4 mile swim: 57:48 (2nd AG, 7th female)
T1: 3:30
112 mile bike: 5:39.33 (2nd AG, 16th female)
T2: 3:39
26.2 mile run: 4:22.41 (12th AG, 61st female)

Finish time: 11:07.09, 5th AG (35-39)

Karel
2.4 mile swim: 58:30 (4th AG, 22nd male)
T1: 3:15
112 mile bike: 5:17.06 (5th AG, 27th male)
T2: 2:20

26.2 mile run: 3:04.04 (1st AG, 2nd male, 2nd overall)
Finish time: 9:25.13, 1st AG (40-44), 4th overall male, 5th overall

Ironman Chattanooga - quick recap

After our last race of every season, Karel and I like to reflect on the previous season and set new realistic and bold goals for the next season. Rather than overanalyzing single race results and critiquing every detail of every race, we like to focus on the season as a whole so that we can do a better job of training and racing smarter for the next season.

Over the past 11 years of endurance triathlon racing (five for Karel), we have learned to let go of expectations, assuming that the only way to reach a goal is to perfectly follow a plan or to avoid setbacks all together. This doesn't mean that we don't set big goals for ourselves but rather, we recognize that accomplishing a goal requires going with the flow of life and staying in the moment on race day.

Life transitions, whether it's an injury, fainting and smashing your face on the floor on race day morning or balancing training during a stressful period at work, can cause a significant amount of stress, making it difficult to stay focused and committed to your training and racing goals. But we are not ones for excuses.

As age group triathletes, our swimbikerun lifestyle is a hobby. Although we are passionate about the sport of triathlon and triathlon enriches our life and connects us with like-minded, inspiring individuals, we have learned that there are plenty of setbacks, obstacles and changes in our way as we try to successfully integrate training into our life. Therefore, rather than training and racing with one clear path, we have learned to adjust to everything that comes our way.

Over this past season, we have experienced unexpected great results and unwanted setbacks. But with every change, we became stronger, more confident and better prepared for what comes next in our training journey. Because most setbacks are neither desired or expected, Karel and I have learned to never give up on goals just because the plan doesn't go as planned. And while a hard work ethic, a healthy lifestyle and dedication to training paves the way to race day accomplishments, never do we expect our triathlon journey to be smooth and easy.

Whereas Karel set a high goal of winning his age group and qualifying for Kona at Ironman Chattanooga, my season ended on a very low note as I blacked out on race day morning of the Ironman 70.3 World Championship, which resulted in my first DNS and a very empty feeling in my heart after the race.

When Karel suggested for me to register for Ironman Chattanooga (Foundation entry as the general entry was closed) and participate in the race with 14 of our athletes, it just felt right. It was almost like it was meant to be for me to register for Ironman Chattanooga just 10 days out from race day, without spending my season focusing on training and racing the Ironman distance. I arrived excited and grateful for the opportunity and all day, I raced with a smile. Karel raced confident all day and never doubted his ability to accomplish his big goal.

It's hard to summarize all of the thoughts and feelings that Karel and I have right now after completing Ironman Chattanooga. Honestly, I am still in shock over what happened during and after 144.6 miles of racing.

While I try to gather the right descriptions to describe this exciting race experience, I will leave you with our race results. Thank you for all of the cheers, support and positive vibes over the past two weeks and especially on race day.

Karel: 9:20.55, 1st AG (40-44), 2nd amateur, 3rd overall, Kona qualified (accepted slot)
Swim (2.4 miles): 47:05
T1: 3:08
Bike (116 miles): 5:08.14
T2: 2:40
Run (26.2 miles): 3:19.52

Marni: 10:28.50, 1st AG (35-39). 1st amateur female. 10th overall female, Kona qualified (declined slot)
Swim: 47.00
T1: 4:12
Bike: 5:33.23 T2: 3:00
Run: 4:01.18

And congrats to all 14 of our athletes who started and finished Ironman Chattanooga!! It was extremely special to share the course with our Trimarni athletes!