2023 XTRI ICON - Behind the scenes

  
It's been almost two months since I competed in XTRI ICON in Livigno, Italy.

Here's a video that I made, capturing the highlights of the day. 

It feels so long ago but the memories are still sharp in my mind. I really enjoyed writing my race recap and sharing my thoughts from the race. I thought it would be fun to share some of the behind the scenes details from my training, my gear and equipment, how I paced the event and Karel's role throughout my 16 hour race. Here's a video that we put together. Enjoy! 

XTRI ICON RACE RECAP - RUN

25.5 mile run (4311 feet, 13:10 min/mile average)
19^th fastest run. Fastest female run.

I was in a good place mentally and physically when starting the bike. Having Karel there with me helped a lot as I had been with my own thoughts for the past 10+ hours. I could not have asked for a better start to this run as the scenery was beautiful. We were surrounded by mountains, rocks, a flowing creek and the paved road turned into a non-technical trail. Since the first 2.5 miles were slightly downhill, I found my rhythm pretty quickly. Karel carried my USWE hydration pack (minus the hydration) to hold packets of Never Second C30 powder, sport nutrition and an extra flask filled with powder). He wore his hydration belt w/ a bottle and I had my Naked belt w/ 2 flasks (each filled with 1 scoop Never Second C30 berry). We learned a lot from Canadaman and we had a few strategies for this run: Run whenever I could. Let Karel carry stuff so I don’t have to.

In ICON, Karel was allowed to run in front of me and he could also run just ahead to refill my bottles at the aid stations. Every XTRI race is different with support crew so we asked about this in advance.

The first five miles went by really quickly. I loved the up and down of the trail and I was really enjoying the scenery. Karel would run ahead of me and tell me where to run if we were going over rocks/water. Karel had ran this section a few days prior so it also helped that he knew this part of the run course. There were two steep hills that we walked. As we approached the lake, I found myself passing a few guys. This never happens to me in a race (I’m usually being passed on the run) but I was feeling really good.

 

Although the XTRI run portion lasts a lot longer than a standard Ironman and includes a lot more elevation and terrain changes, I find it much more fun. I really like the variety of terrain and how you don’t have to be fast to have a good run. You need to be strategic with walking and running, you have to have good off-road skills, you need good fueling/hydration and you need to be good at managing fatigue.

Once we got on to the paved trail just outside of the town of Livigno, I enjoyed seeing all the people, families and dogs out on a sunny and comfortable Sunday afternoon. I had no concept of time but I was starting the run at 4pm. I didn’t know all of the course but I did study the course enough to know where the road vs. off road sections were.

The next 2.8 miles were familiar to me as I had ran on this trail a few times prior to the race. While the scenery was beautiful, it wasn’t my favorite part of the run as it felt long. Plus it was very windy and the wind was at our face. The air temp felt good, it was in the 50’s and partly cloudy but super windy. It helped to have Karel run in front of me but this section was really tough. The first aid station was at 7.5 miles and Honza was there with a few items if we needed anything. As I was running, Karel jogged slightly ahead to refill one of my flasks with water (it had powder in it). He would always keep one flask filled with just powder to make our stops quick and efficient. When I got to the aid station, I would grab water from a cup, take a few sips then continue running. Karel would run and catch up to me. This strategy worked really well so that I didn’t spend too long at the aid station. I never looked at my watch for paces or total time but every now and then I would look at it to see if I was getting closer to the next mile which helped me mentally as a way to “check” things off throughout the race.

I really enjoyed the next 3.6 miles. This brought us to the next aid station but it was all on trail. It was a bit rooty and there were some steep sections which required walking but every time I could run, I would.
The next aid station was quick and it was nice to see Honza again as he would give us smiles and cheers. I was still passing guys which was shocking.

Karel was fantastic. He would encourage me to run anytime I could and we would power walk up the steep climbs. He continued to navigate me so that all I had to do was run and focus on where I was landing. I wore New Balance Fuel Cell running shoes since I knew that the trails were not too technical. I liked that the tongue of the shoe was stitched into the shoe which prevented the top part of the shoe from moving on the even terrain. This helped keep my feet secure and stable. Although I don’t train in these shoes off road, I was confident in wearing these during the race (especially since there were several miles of road running).

Miles 11.3 – 14 were tough. I had side stiches that forced me to walk several times. I also felt a sudden drop in my energy. We were still running into head wind and the trail was much more exposed. There were steep uphills and steep downhills and we were at the furthest point of the course. Mentally and physically this was a tough section. Karel also carried a flask of coke so I had a few sips here and there but my main focus was trying to work through my side stiches so I could run more comfortably. Once I got to the mile 14 aid station (same one as mile 11.3 – it was a loop) I felt a bit better but I was starting to get more sore and tired. My quads were speaking to me and my upper back was also tired from all the power walking and running. It did help to feel the wind at our back so that was a nice boost.

Throughout the run we saw cows, horses, goats, chickens and dogs. But my favorite part was running by a restaurant at the far end of the course and seeing a black kitten. SO cute. The kitten arched its back in the typically black cat Halloween pose and then when Karel went up to it, the kitten was happy to have a rub. I wanted to pet the kitten but I also didn’t want to stop so I was happy that Karel stopped to pet it.

Miles 14-18 were challenging. A lot more hiking on very steep hills. I also started to feel a little cooler so I put on my gloves. I was happy that I had a shirt instead of a tank. The defeating part was knowing that we were on the same trail that we would take to the finish, but heading in the other direction. In other words, we were high up on the mountain, only to descend down and then climb up again. This part of the course was also more technical with bridges over water. I hadn’t thought much about my position but I was holding 2nd place and no other female was in sight. I was still passing guys thanks to being persistent with running or power walking.

There was a strict cut off of reaching T3 by 9pm in order to climb the final section to earn a white finisher shirt so that was my priority. It took me 3.5 hours to reach mile 18 (7:30pm). I had covered 1270 feet elevation gain so far but I felt like the race was only beginning.

As we were running toward the building where T3 was located, Karel and I talked about what we would do in T3. We decided that we would keep our running shoes on and not change to trail shoes. Karel would carry my backpack and I would keep my hydration belt on. I would also use my hiking sticks.

As I ran into the building, we got our backpacks from someone and sat down on a bench to grab what we needed before the last part of the race. In XTRI events, there is a T3 (transition three) which is where you are required to have someone with you for the remainder of the race. Karel was allowed to do the entire run with me but he had to be with me for the remainder of the race.

Our T3 was 6.5 minutes and during that time, I was announced as the 2nd female and I was interviewed by the female announcer. I told her that I feel like I am only half way and I have a lot left in the race.

My legs were getting really tired and I knew the rest of the course would be challenging. Although I was running slowly, I was still running. Karel carried my backpack which helped a lot. We ran 1.8 miles through the town of Livigno and it was so much fun getting cheers from people at restaurants and walking around the town. It was nearing 8pm so it was starting to get darker out. There was a DJ announcer in the town and that gave me a big boost as he announced that I was the 2nd female (in Italian). I was high fiving some kids and taking in all the positive energy. It gave me a big boost. Although the course was really well marked, we thought we missed the turn in the town which had us worried but all was ok.

When we made the turn from the paved road in town and on to the grass, Karel handed me my hiking poles and we started power walking. This section was hard. It was on a grass field and very steep (over 16%). We climbed over 500 feet in .6 miles. The next 1.75 miles were tough as it was on a packed gravel road. I loved running past some cows w/ bells on their neck. At this point, I was getting really tired so Karel would grab my bottle from my belt (or use his bottle) and put it in my mouth to drink. He was making all the decisions for me at this point as I was really struggling. Every part of my body was tired and sore and each step forward was painful. But anytime we could run, even if just for a few steps, we would move our feet quickly forward. And I was still passing athletes.

When we got to the last aid station (~22 miles), Honza was there (he ran up the hill by T3). He told Karel something in Czech and had a very concerned look on his face. I was taking a few sips of water when Karel told me “Marni, the girl behind you is only 5 minutes and we need to go.”

Ugh, not again. In Canadaman I was passed with ½ mile to go and finished 2nd female. I told Karel that I didn’t not come this far to get third.

At this point, we 2.74 miles to the finish line and 2400 feet to climb. With our headlamps as our only way to guide us up the dark ski mountain, we were on a mission. I kept looking over my shoulder to see if I could see any other headlamps but it hurt so badly to turn my head as my shoulders and neck were so sore. There were several people ahead of us on the mountain so we made it a game to see if we could catch the next set of headlamps. Karel’s headlamp stopped working for some reason but he was fine without it as he was right there next to me keeping me going. I probably could have drank/fueled more in this section but everything was getting hard. I was thankful I hadn’t had any stomach issues during this race (I peed once on the run in the bushes so 4 times throughout the race).

I met a guy from Canada (a friend of a friend) and he kept me going as we were getting close to the finish. Although we were walking, my effort felt the same as if I was running. The only difference is that each mile was taking double the time versus running. The grade was steep, averaging over 16% and very little relief. But if the gravel road went down just a bit, I would jog. The hiking poles really helped as I could use my upper body to help me walk faster.

I could hear the music at the finish and the lights became brighter at the top of the ski lift. I had watched videos of the ICON finish line and knew there was a short steep rocky climb to the finish but when I saw the finish, I told Karel “I don’t think I can get up that.” Now my greatest worry was actually reaching the finish.

Our new Canadian friend let us go ahead for the finish since he knew I was racing for 2nd. I was still worried I was going to be caught but it felt impossible to gather the strength to get up this crazy steep and rocky climb. The finish line was deserving of this ICONic event. It took me 4 minutes to climb .1 mile but I finally made it to the finish. Every finisher could lift the finisher tape and I had barely enough strength to lift it over my head. I fell to the ground completely exhausted.

The announcer said I was the 2nd female and I felt so much relief. I was so thankful for Honza for his cheers and support. Karel was amazing. I could not have done this without him. I get to do the “fun” part but he has to be there on the sidelines all day, taking care of me. We worked so well together as a team and it was so special to share this with him, especially to share the last 5 hours with him.

 

I passed 20 guys on the run and had the 19th fastest run. I didn’t run fast but I ran when I could. And I worked so hard on the final mountain. It took me an hour to cover the last 2.74 miles (22.3 min/mile pace average) and I was able to extend my lead from 5 minutes to almost 25 minutes in the last few miles.

I was 55 minutes behind Nina (who won the race) but I felt like I had won on the day. I was so proud of what I was able to overcome, what my body was able to conquer and the strength of my mind.

I hobbled my way inside the building and after changing into some dry clothes, I had some soup and hot chocolate. It was cold on the top of the mountain at 9000 feet.

I finished the race around 9:35pm. It was a very long day. Around 10:30pm we made our way down the mountain on the chair lift and then I walked back to the hotel while Karel drove Honza back to his place.

I found my limits at ICON but I was able to push beyond them. Every XTRI event offers 2 male and female slots (top two athletes) for the XTRI World Championship in Norseman. I received the 2nd slot. Going into this race I told myself that I would not accept my slot to Norseman for 2024 as I felt I wasn’t ready for the difficulty of that event. But after talking with some people who did Norseman and Icon and discussing things over with Karel, we decided that now is the time. I accepted my slot and I’ll be going to Norway to compete in Norseman in August 2024.

I was the only US finisher and one of the 5 ladies who reached the top and earned a white finisher shirt. Ten ladies finished the race out of 100+ competitors.

Total: 16:33:28, 2nd female, 27th overall

RESULTS

How it started at 5am

How it ended at 9:36 pm

XTRI ICON Race Recap - Bike

123 mile bike - 9:24:59 (9:12.12 riding time)
15276 feet elevation gain, 5 mountain passes

Forcola Pass (10.2 miles, 1634 feet, 52 minutes)

It didn’t take long for me to warm up as once I got out of the town of Livigno, I started to climb the first mountain pass. The grade was gentle but it was a noticeable climb for 10 miles. My legs were tired and I didn’t feel like my normal self so I just focused on trying to find a good rhythm. The grade averaged around 3-5% which is one of my favorite climbing grades so that helped as nothing was steep. The support cars are not allowed to pace the athletes so Karel and I had a strategy that he would drive up next to me, I would tell him what I needed/wanted and then he would find a good place to stop to give me what I needed. Support crews also can not give aid while moving in the car, the car has to be stopped. Anytime I needed a drink or food, Karel would give it to me on an uphill (because it’s easier for him to run next to me and hand me items). If I needed to pee or change clothes, he would find a good place for me to stop next to the car. I have a lot of experience riding in cold conditions because I ride outside year round in Greenville. Even though the temp was in the mid 30’s for this first climb, I felt comfortable with my clothing options. Karel and I discussed that I can not go into this race with placement goals as I needed to stay focused on the process but it was a bit discouraging to know I was the last female on the course and nearly the last athlete starting the bike. Although my legs didn’t feel great, I found myself passing athletes on the first climb, which gave me an encouraging boost. Although getting hypothermia was not ideal, I do think that taking that extra time in the transition to warm up after the swim helped me on the bike so that I didn't overbike. I later heard that several athletes biked really hard to start in order to try to warmup after the swim. 

I studied the bike course map in detail the day before the race. I looked at strava files from previous competitors and I also wrote down on paper how long each climb and descend was to get even more familiar with the course. Along with having the Epic Ride Weather app, I felt very prepared with my clothing choices, nutrition and pacing. This course really suited me as it was either climbing or descending. You either go up or down with very little flat.

After a quick 2.5 mile descend into Switzerland, it was time to climb the Bernina Pass.

Bernina Pass (2 miles, 826 feet, 18 minutes 32 seconds)

Although this climb was a little steeper than the previous pass (and much shorter), I felt so much better. My legs were awake, and I felt like I had more energy in my body. My goal was to drink 1 x 26 ounce bottle of 320 calories INFINIT fructose every 75 minutes (with the cold weather, my fluid needs were different than in warm weather) and to try to get in some type of solid food, gel or chew every 30-45 minutes for extra calories. I had practiced a lot in long rides/events with a variety of sport nutrition options and the Never Second gels, Clif bar Crunchy Peanut Butter, Maurten bar and Never Second bar and Power Bar chews were my favorite in terms of texture, consistency, taste and effectiveness (good digestion). Karel wanted me to try the KetoneAid KE4 Pro Ketone Ester Drink throughout the race (he felt like it really worked for him in Breck Epic) so that was the only new thing I tried/used in ICON. I also took 3-4 Gu Aminos every now and then (Karel would hand them to me and I would wash down with my drink).

After this second climb, it was time to make the long descend by St. Moritz and into Zernez. Participating in the 2022 Haute Route Alps gave me a lot of experience regarding riding through small towns, managing the cars (and other cyclists) on the road and understanding the nature of the climbs and descends in Alps/dolomites. Although there are cars on these narrow roads and technical descends, the riding in Europe is very different than in the US in that cars expect cyclists and the cars work together to keep the cyclists safe. It was a beautiful and fun 29 mile, 1hr and 9 minute gradual descend (averaging 25.4 mph). I was really happy to have the aerobars on my road bike to change the position and to be able to be more aero while descending almost 2900 feet. I passed several more athletes, including a few females. The other support cars were really supportive and after a few hours, I began to notice similar support crew vehicles (and athletes). At 2:09 into the ride, I stopped to pee and to change my gloves. It was 45 degrees when I stopped and I wasn’t overheating so I kept my layers on. I love riding with my buff in cold weather as it really helps me stay warm during descends. I had a sip of the disgusting ketons during my stop (and nearly gagged, blah!) and had a bite of banana. Karel was very organized with the stops and always had a selection of clothing and nutrition for me to choose from and he always had extra bottles of nutrition and water ready for me.

Fuorn Pass (13 miles, 1696 feet, 1hr 11 minutes)

I felt like my energy level was stable. I was feeling stronger as the ride went on. The sun was shining and I felt warm. I continued to pass athletes on the climbs. There were many times when I was riding by myself without any cars/athletes in sight but the course was really well marked with signs. Although I had the course on my Garmin, it doesn’t really work internationally with turns but it does show the climbs that you are on and I really like seeing how much longer I have with each climb. I never focused on my speed or power or total time but just focused on each climb and trying to manage my effort for steady riding. I continued to focus on my fueling and drinking on the climbs but even more so on the descends when it was easier to take in solid food. We had to obey all rules of the road which meant stopping at any lights. We were notified about a construction area (which there were several along the route) that had a light for one way traffic. There was also a short section of gravel. This stop felt like forever but it was only a few minutes. I used that time to take a few bites of a bar.

The weather was getting nicer and it was in the 50s. I had been riding for almost 4 hours and I was feeling great. I felt like the miles were going by really quickly thanks to all the descending. Now it was time for another 61 minute, 22.6 mile gradual 4159 feet descend to the lowest elevation on the course at around 3000 feet. There was a lot of traffic in the small town before the Stelvio pass. Large buses were going through the tiny streets and villages so I had to do a lot of slowing down. I ended up riding on the sidewalk for a block becauses of all the stopped cars. There were volunteers at the major intersections to tell us which way to go but other than that, we had to follow all rules of the road.

Stelvio Pass (14.4 miles, 48 switchbacks, 5715 feet, 2 hours and 17 minutes)

By the time I reached the start of the iconic Stelvio Pass, I had covered 80 miles in 4:46 (17.2 mph) and accumulated 5744 feet. In my mind, this was “half way” and I was ready for the 2^nd half of the bike course. I was so excited to climb Stelvio and to experience the epic 48 switchbacks.

Karel had the car parked on the side of the road so that I could take off some layers. It was in the mid 60’s and it felt amazing. I kept my toe covers on the entire ride (just didn’t feel like taking them off) but took off my jacket, ear covers, gloves and buff. I went pee behind the car, had a swig of Ketones and a few sips of coke and water and then started the climb on Stelvio. Throughout the ride, I also nibbled on a few pieces of banana (typically when I stopped). I only had 1 bottle of sport drink on my bike so that I didn’t carry too much weight. Even when Karel handed me a bottle of water or coke, it only had ~8-16 ounces in it so that I wasn't carrying too much.

I didn’t let the magnitude of this mountain affect me as I just focused on one mile at a time. I was actually really excited for this climb and I feel that positive mindset helped me for the next 2 hours. Once the signs started to count down the switchbacks starting from 48, I focused on one switchback at a time. I made sure to drink every ½ mile as it gave me something to focus on. I didn’t find the grade too challenging but it was averaging around 8-11%. The scenery was remarkable. The road was narrow and packed with cars, motorcycles and other cyclists. Karel and Honza were limited with areas to pull off and stop but he was able to hand me water a few times throughout the climb and switch out sport drink bottles.  It didn’t feel like I was climbing for 2 hours but I was ready to reach the top as I was nearing 10 switchbacks to go. I enjoyed the extra momentum out of every switchbacks. Some sections were long between switchbacks and that became hard. 

I took a selfie while riding. I couldn't resist :) 

As I was nearing the top, I passed the 2^nd place lady and told her good job. I couldn’t believe that I was now the 2^nd place female. Although I wasn’t “racing” I felt like I had overcome so much so early on in the race and I could finally showcase my strengths. I had passed a lot of guys on the climb and and I couldn’t stop thinking about what I was doing with my body. When I reached the top of the Stelvio I had been riding for almost 7 hours, climbed over 11,000 feet and had ridden 93.7 miles. The top of the Stelvio was packed with vistors as there were several shops, restaurants and pubs. Karel and Honza managed to find a place to park and I quickly grabbed a bottle, had a few bites of a banana, grabbed a bar and put on a jacket and gloves before the descend. Karel told me that I was in 2nd place but not to let that change how I was racing. There was still a lot left in the race.  Even though it was in the 60’s, descending while a little sweaty can be chilly.

I really wanted a picture with the Stelvio sign but there were lots of people around so Karel got a quick picture and then I continued on. As I was putting on my jacket, the 2^nd place girl kept riding so now I was third.

The 11 mile descend to Bormio was steep, fast and a little technical with long straights and tight switchbacks. Although I had gone through several tunnels throughout the event, there was a one way tunnel that Karel warned me about and the light to wait for your turn took several minutes. Thankfully I got lucky and made the green light through the tunnel. My hands/arms got really tired descending for 30 minutes so I was relieved when I got to a flatter section (~3 miles) and could rest in the aero bars.

At 110 miles, I stopped by the car and gave Karel my jacket, grabbed two bottles of sport drink, took a shot of ketones (blah!) and made my way to the last climb. This was the last time I would see Karel until T2 as he wanted to make sure he was there ready for me and also he needed to get ready to run the marathon with me.

Foscagno pass (9 miles, 2925 feet, 1 hour and 21 minutes)

Karel warned me about the last pass that it was challenging. The gradient was around 8% and it was also very windy. Throughout every climb, I focused on a steady sustainable effort. But for this climb, it was hard to find the right effort as I could feel that I was getting tired and I also needed to conserve energy for the run. I feel like I was able to ride well (I continued to pass a few more guys) and I also repassed the 2^nd place girl (Anastasiia). Her support crew/partner was very nice and he would always cheer for me. I knew that Nina (who won the female race) was a strong cyclist so I wasn’t focused on catching her throughout the race. She won the event in 2022 but I also know that anything can happen in XTRI events. Even though it was a competition/race, I felt like everyone was supportive of one another. Athletes weren’t really talking throughout the race as everyone was focused on their own effort. Once I reached the top of the climb, I started to get my mind prepared for the run. I had reconned the last few miles of the bike so that really helped to know what was left before the transition. It was a quick 3 mile descend before I rolled into T2 and met Honza and Karel in the parking lot.

T2 was in a different place than T1. T2 was in Trepalle, a little village around 6600 feet just outside of Livigno (which sits at 6000 feet).

I got off my bike and handed it to Honza, who collected my bike and gear bag (with all my bike stuff) as the support crew is responsible of taking everything outside of transition as soon as the athlete leaves. In Canadaman, Karel was my support crew for everything so it was super helpful to have Honza. This also allowed Karel to run with me for as much as I wanted throughout the run (it’s mandatory to have a support member run with you at T3, which is mile 18 until the finish). I wanted Karel to run the entire marathon with me as I wanted his company and I also felt like he could help me be more strategic with my fueling and aid stations. In this race, there were aid stations every 3 miles (after 6 miles) but only with coke, water, pie (yep!)and gels.

I really had to pee in the last few miles but there was only one restroom (in the building outside of T2) so I had to hold it until I exited T2.

I did a complete change out of my bibs, base layer, jersey and sports bra and put on tri shorts, a fresh sports bra and tech shirt. I had a tank as an option but since it was really windy and getting cooler, I opted for the tech shirt. One of my running flasks leaked in my bag so some of my items were wet but Karel did his best to dry things off. I put on my Naked run belt with two flasks and put my GSP transponder in my belt. Apparently, my transponder hadn’t been working all day which left several people worried. After leaving transition, I went to the bathroom and was able to have a small BM and pee but, no stomach issues which was great. I had never eaten so much on the bike before. In a regular IM, I only consume liquid calories ~360-400 calories per hour. But in this race, I took in so much! Karel went pee as well and I stretched out my feet as they were really tired.

My transition was 7 minutes and I had the 34th fastest bike (out of 113 bike finishers) and I was the 39th athlete out of T2. I had passed 53 athletes on the bike course.

I was actually looking forward to the marathon and running/hiking/joging the next 5 hours and 5000 feet with Karel. 

ICON XTRI Livigno Italy - Travel + day 1

 

With a 6:30pm flight out of Atlanta, we were able to get in a workout on Saturday morning (8/26). Karel went for an hour run (7.97 miles) and I did a 90-minute workout on the trainer (MS 6 x 90 sec high cadence w/ 2 min EZ spin. Then 4 x 4 min steady effort w/ 2 min EZ spin). I watched the live broadcast of the 70.3 World Championship while on the trainer. I did a quick 2.4 mile/19 min run off the bike. I felt really good for this brick workout. 

We ate, finished up last minute packing, said good-bye to Karel's mom and all our furries and left for the Atlanta International airport around 11:15am. 

It's always hard to leave Campy, especially since his dementia is getting worse. He threw up bile twice on Monday and wasn't eating (and was really lethargic) which wasn't like him. He really enjoys his walks throughout the day but something was off. He's also been coughing for over 2 weeks. We had him on a med for it but it wasn't getting any better. I made a vet appointment for Thursday (when our vet was back in the office) and she worked me in for blood work, Xray of the lungs and an overall check up. I didn't want anything to suddenly happen to him while we were away so the vet visit felt like a priority. Thankfully, his blood work and organs looked great. Although his brain is struggling, his body is still showing up for life. She gave him a steroid shot to help the coughing (it was our 2nd resort, first we tried an antibiotic pill) and that seemed to help. We go through a lot of diapers each day but it's worth it for this not-so-golden anymore, golden nugget. 

Karel's back has been bothering him since Breck Epic so I drove the 3 hours to the airport.
Whenever we fly international, I like to get to the airport around 4 hours before our flight take off. This gives us plenty of time for delays and there is less waiting/lines. We also like to check in first before parking the car as this is easier for us than lugging our bags and bikes around the airport (and on the shuttle). We drove directly to hourly parking and brought in our bikes and bags to the terminal for check in at Virgin Atlantic. 

I really enjoy watching travel vloggers on YouTube (I really like Kara and Nate) and I've learned a lot about travel hacking with credit card points. In other words, saving a lot of money on travel with the help of being savvy with credit card sign-up bonus's and understanding the perks of each credit card. I told Karel to give me three years to see if I can pull off some travel hacking and it only took me less than a year to book our first first class international flight with money and points. I do a lot of research and plan well in advance. I booked our tickets in the early sprint/late winter for our September flight.
I transferred points from AMEX to Virgin Atlantic and booked 2 upper class seats for ~$800 each and ~65,000 credit card points. Compared to an economy ticket on Delta (which is what we usually fly), I saved us over $800 (total). With our upper class ticket we got lounge access to Delta Sky Club (which we have already thanks to our biz Amex Platinum Credit Card), 2 free checked bags up to 70 lbs each, priority boarding, priority luggage and the best part, lie-flat seats. This 8.5 hour flight took us from Atlanta to London Heathrow. Originally I booked our next flight on British Airways from London to Milan w/ 15,000 points but after hearing a lot of stories about lost luggage (and bikes) with BA from London, I decided to go with a more reliable airline (Swiss). I spent a little more than I would have liked but it gave me peace of mind knowing that there was a better chance of our luggage (and bikes arriving). I booked two business class seats (so that we could get the priority luggage and extra weight w/ 2 free bags) on Swiss from London to Zurich for ~$250 each. I booked a flight 6 hours after arriving in London so we would have time to go to the Virgin Atlantic arrivals lounge after getting our luggage and going through immigration and also in case of any delays. In total, I spent ~$2200 on flights to get us to Zurich from Atlanta. The flight would have been ~$500 less had I not changed to Swiss but I was really worried about our bikes not arriving. I can't wait to share about our flight home from Milan to JFK (it was less than $200 thanks to points...and on Emirates business class!). 

After checking in around 2:30pm, we drove 6 miles to off-site parking. 

I booking off-site parking online a few days prior to our trip (Park 'N Fly Plus, free airport shuttle to domestic). I was able to save $63 by booking in advance. We got on a shuttle right after parking and got dropped off at the domestic terminal (no shuttle directly to international). We went quickly through TSA (thanks to pre-check, well worth the $85 for 5 years and our Amex card covers the cost) and then took the plane train to terminal F. We had to wait over 20 minutes to get into the Delta Sky Club (it's somewhat small for a lounge compared to domestic and very busy) and we were really hungry. Once we got in, we got some delicious food and worked on the computer for the next 2 hours until our plane boarded at 5:45pm. 

I was so excited to board the plane. We went to our seats and Karel was surprised by all our amenties and our seats. He never really knows what I plan for our trips - he is just wants to show up and not have to worry about travel planning. I love travel planning so it works out. 

The flight was a bit bumpy but overall it was incredible. Many people said once you fly first class you'll never want to fly economy again. Although the staff, lie flat bed w/ a comfy blanket and pillow, wide screen TV, delicious vegetarian options, complimentary PJs and extra perks were great, I don't feel like we always have to fly first class. I consider this a luxury (and something to check off our bucket list) and I will only "buy" first class seats if I can use points. Otherwise, it's not worth the $5000+. I actually saved money with points and paid less than had I purchased economy seats so I consider this a big win. 

Karel wasn't able to sleep as his restless legs were bothering him throughout the night. I slept on and off for a few hours. The PJs were SO comfortable. 

When we arrived in London, we went through immigration, collected our luggage and "left" the airport. We had access to the Virgin Atlantic arrivals lounge (we could store our luggage/bikes there) so we had breakfast in the lounge. Our flight arrived almost an hour early and since I slept through breakfast, I was pretty hungry. 

The Heathrow airport was huge! We used a cart to carry our bikes and suitcases from one terminal to the next. It took us almost an hour to get to the desk to check in for our Swiss flight. After checking in and dropping off our bikes at oversized bags (which we do at every airport when checking in), we went through security and had a choice of a few lounges to go to. It took us about 20 minutes to walk from the A to B terminal and we went to the Singapore Airlines lounge. Neither of us were hungry but Karel got a coffee and some juice. We both took a long nap as we had over 2 hours until our flight was boarding (it was delayed by 40 minutes). I set an alarm on my phone so we wouldn't oversleep on the couches. I had a light lunch and then we walked the 20+ minutes back to terminal A for our Swiss flight. 

The short 75 minute flight to Zurich was smooth. We were served a meal (Karel had tuna and I had a vegetarian meal that I requested online in advance) and then tried to nap a bit. We were both super exhausted. The nice thing about our business class seats on Swiss was no person in the middle seat. I think it's a bit wasteful (they may as well just make bigger seats) but Karel was happy about it (he isn't peopl-y :)

Once we arrived in Zurich, we went through immigration, collected our bags and bikes (we have an Airtag on all of our pieces of luggage and although not 100% reliable, it does give peace of mind to kinda have an idea where everything is). We walked to the rental car area, checked in at Alamo to get our automatic SUV (we usually get a manual for Karel to drive but got an automatic in case I need to drive). We left the airport around 6:30pm, made a few wrong turns leaving the airport and finally hit the road for our 3 hour drive to Livigno. The drive took a long time due to the mountain passes, construction lights and a 3.5K one-way tunnel. We also had to pay a toll of $17 to enter Italy from Switzerland. We arrived exhausted around 9:30pm. 

We checked into our hotel (Hotel Sporting) and the staff was so nice. They took care of parking our car, took our luggage (and bikes) to our room and left us with a spread of food as we arrived after dinner (Italians express their love and kidness through food). We weren't too hungry as we ate a lot of great food over the past 24 hours but we found some room for a little of everything. Around 10:30pm we went to bed and slept until 9am (11 hours). 

8/28 - Monday 

We woke up to rain on our first offical day in Livigno. We went to breakfast downstairs and were quickly reminded how much we love the hotel food options in Europe (we had our first experience during the Haute Route Alps and then in Molveno for Xterra worldss). I opted to stay in a hotel for 7-days during our trip as we could get all three meals included (Full board) for a small extra charge. At ~$200/night, I consider this is a great deal as we can eat, sleep and rest well.

The hotel also has a spa that we can use anytime between 2-8pm. We were slow moving in the morning and really tired but we managed to find some energy to get outside for an easy ~34 minute, 4 mile run. We warmed up pretty quickly despite it being in the 40's and a little rainy. The views were spectacular. I didn't feel impacted by the altitude at 6000 feet which was a great feeling compared to how I struggled at 9600 feet in Breckenridge a few weeks ago. 

After the run it was time for lunch (12-2pm) but we weren't hungry. We waited until 1:40pm and then decided to get a light lunch in the restaurant. I couldn't finish my first course (they offer 4 courses but we only had 2 + dessert for lunch) and the waitress was concerned I didn't like the food. :) I politely told her that I was full and getting on the new time zone. The presentation of the meals was amazing and everything was so tasty in the perfect portion. 

Karel getting his afternoon espresso. 

We both took a short nap and I had to force myself to wake up so that I could sleep in the evening. Karel built the bikes and around 5pm we drove a few miles down the road to the Aquagranda facility by the lake. This aquatic center/gym was massive! We paid $15 each to swim (a lot of money for one swim but well worth it. The only package we could buy was 10 passes each but we knew we wouldn't use them all so it wasn't worth it) and made our way to the 50-meter pool. I'm always taken back by the locker room situation in Italian pools as there is often one big changing area (private rooms with doors) for men and women. But it isn't unusual to have men and women taking showers, changing and drying hair in the same space. It's just normal in many places of Europe. 

We swam ~3000 meters with a mixture of sets. Again, I felt really good (similar to the run)  and the altitude didn't bother me. I was really amazed with how good my body felt while exercising - it must be from all the great food. I didn't want to swim because I was so tired and it was cold and rainy out but I was so thankful we went. We had to pay 1 euro for parking (per hour, first hour is free). I didn't have my phone in the pool area so I didn't get a picture. The water was 78 degrees F but it felt a bit warmer. It was the perfect temperature. The pool wasn't crowded (we had our own lane) but there were people in each lane. Everyone in the entire pool area (hot tubs, water park, pools) are required to wear swimming caps. I saw a lot of Ironman and triathlon swim caps. 

We drove back to the hotel and we had a good appetite for dinner. The chef prepared me vegetarian meals that were not on the main menu and they were delicious!! The veggie burger was the best I've ever had. After dinner we were ready for bed. Dinner is served 7-9pm and although it moves quickly from course to course, it's still kinda late for us. But our bodies are still adjusting to the 6 hour time difference. We went to bed around 10pm. 

I've been taking pictures of all the delicious food that we've been eating. I'll save those pics for their own special blog after we finish our trip.