2025 Patagonman Race Report

Karel and I had a fun time reflecting on his Patagonman extreme triathlon experience. If you'd like to hear about his race experience (the highs, lows and everything between), you can check out his race recap video (HERE)

As I was editing the video (adding pictures and videos from the race), I couldn't help but think about the journey that Karel went through to get to the start line.

For athletes, it’s easy to believe that everything comes down to one day.....the race. The months (or years) of training can feel like a means to an end - an unfulfilling road that hinges on a race day outcome. But here's the truth: it's not about the race result. The fulfillment happens in the preparation. 

The Trap of the Finish Line Mentality
Goals are essential. They give direction, motivation, and structure to training. They help you get out of your cozy bed and power through a workout when there are distractions all around you. However, when your self-worth is centered around a result, that finish-line-only mindset can drain joy from the process of preparation. A missed workout, an injury or a small setback can feel catastrophic because it threatens the outcome you’ve attached all your happiness to. 

Preparation Is Where You’re Built
The event reveals what you’ve built, but preparation is where the building happens.

Every early morning alarm, every physical therapy session, every mile when motivation is low—these moments shape you as an athlete and as a human. Discipline, patience, optimism and mental toughness are not developed on race day. They are earned quietly, over time, when no one is watching.
When you begin to value these moments, training stops being something you have to do and becomes something you want to do. 

Redefining Success on a Daily Basis
If you ever struggle to enjoy the preparation for an event, it's important to redefine what success looks like. Instead of judging your success by an outcome (one that you can’t fully control), focus on process-based: the execution, the focus, listening to your body, nailing your nutrition, recovery. These daily successes are always available to you, regardless of available time, fitness level or circumstances. 

Setbacks Are Speed Bumps, Not Detours
Injuries, low motivation and performance plateaus are not signs that you are failing. They are important chapters in your journey. Athletes who enjoy the process understand that setbacks are often part of the process. Each challenge forces adaptation—physically, mentally, or strategically. When you view obstacles as teachers rather than threats, you stay engaged instead of discouraged. 

Identity Beyond the Event
When athletes tie their identity solely to the result of an event (qualifying for a world championship, placing in the top percent, setting a personal best, finishing in a certain time), preparation becomes psychologically risky. Your happiness on race day is decided by a result. Race day becomes pass or fail.
You’re not just “preparing for a race.” You’re becoming a better human - more resilient, more self-aware. Those qualities don’t disappear after the event—they carry into your next goal and beyond sport altogether.

The Event Is a Celebration
When you truly enjoy the journey, the event becomes something bigger. The event becomes a celebration of the work you’ve done and all you have achieved to get to the start line.
Win or struggle, the sense of accomplishment that comes from the process is available regardless of the final result. 

Final Thoughts
Preparing for an event is all about the experience. It’s where you learn who you are when motivation dips, when distractions are around you, when a setback occurs and when goals feel out of reach.
Enjoying the journey doesn’t mean lowering your standards or caring less about outcomes. It means expanding your definition of success to include the daily struggles, the lessons learned, and the person you become along the way.

We often tell our athletes that race day goes by quickly. When you stand on the start line, the race will be over before you know it. The journey, however, stays with you long after the horn blows to start the race.

2025 Patagonman Finisher!

Patagonman Finisher  An extreme triathlon at the end of the world

I find it serendipitous that our 50th newsletter of the year is occurring a few weeks before the beginning of Karel's 50th birth year of life and I am writing about an event that Karel has dreamed of finishing for the past few years.  On December 7th, Karel took on Patagonman Extreme Triathlon. We did everything possible to get him to this start line — but what lied ahead were 140 miles of uncontrollables. We woke up at 2am after a night of no sleep. At 4am, he boarded a ferry in the dark and at 5:30am, he jumped into the fjord (55 degrees - much warmer than usual), and swam 2.4 miles back to shore (1:08). From there, a 110-mile point-to-point ride with over 8,000 ft of climbing, gravel, cobbles, wind and whatever Patagonia decides to throw at him. He finished the bike in 5:50. And then, a 27-mile run with 3250 feet of gain, all off-road, through technical forest trails and long, lonely stretches of gravel (4:08).  In any extreme triathlon, simply arriving at the start line is the easy part. Karel has handled his share of challenges this year but on race day, he was facing a new set of obstacles: weather, mechanicals, my job as support crew, and the unknowns of how an extreme race tests the body and mind. Karel had one mission: ring the bell in Puerto Ibáñez and become a Patagonman finisher. And he did it. He finished an extreme triathlon at the end of the world! 🌎  Patagonia gave us the most perfect day. Comfortable weather, no rain, favorable wind and incredible views. This race has the most breathtaking (and unforgiving) landscapes on Earth. And the volunteers, police, event staff and community support was beyond impressive.  Karel stayed focused, optimistic and relentless. And in the end… he finally got to ring the bell. This wasn’t just a race. This was a showcase of grit, overcoming countless challenges, and a dream two years in the making. I loved supporting Karel all day long but my favorite part was sharing the final 9 miles together on the run.  Here’s to chasing the impossible, embracing the journey, and chasing finish lines with gratitude.  🏁 11:32 🏅 11th overall (10th male)  🔔 Patagonman finisher

This was Karel's 3rd extreme triathlon. We have now completed six extreme triathlons (between both of us). We have been to Canada, Italy, Norway and now South America to test our mental and physical limits on harsh terrain, in severe weather, and on major elevation gain. An extreme triathlon requires far more than standard endurance training. These events require physical, mental and logistical (lots of planning) strengths. If you are considering an extreme triathlon, here are some qualities that will help you succeed. 1. Exceptional Aerobic Endurance After a decade plus of participating in Ironman events, we have accumulated a significant amount of endurance over the year. In an extreme triathlon, the time to complete the event can be several hours more than a standard full distance Ironman. An efficient aerobic engine built through years of training and racing will help you feel prepared for an extreme triathlon.  2. Strength & Muscular Endurance An extreme triathlon requires durability. Strength is especially critical for climbing steep terrain on the bike and the run.  3. Robust Resiliency Extreme triathlon places massive load on muscles, joints, and the immune system. To prepare for the event, you need to be able to recover quickly during long training blocks to help with preparation.  4. Environmental Resilience Cold-water swimming, altitude, extreme terrain changes and challenging weather demand a body accustomed to environmental stressors. 5. Grit and Mental Toughness You’ll hit points where your body wants to stop, you want to end the discomfort and you think there is no way you can keep going. The ability to push through discomfort—safely and intelligently—is vital.  6. Adaptability Conditions in extreme races can change suddenly (fog, wind, altitude, cold, heat, mechanical failure). Being able to quickly improvise and be proactive is critical. 7. Patience & Discipline Extreme triathlon rewards pacing, restraint, and consistent execution—not hero moments fueled by a greedy ego.  8. Emotional Regulation An extreme triathlon can bring on frustration, fear, and sometimes loneliness. You need tools to stay calm and positive under pressure. 9. Strong Technical Skills Confident open-water swimming in cold, dark or rough water conditions Technical cycling on steep climbs, fast descents, gravel, and unfamiliar roads Trail and/or hill running  10. Nutrition Mastery Dialed-in fueling and hydration is critical. You must: Know what your gut tolerates and how much Have a support crew that knows what you need (and when) Be able to fuel and hydrate in extreme cold/heat Be able to be proactive and reactive 11. Gear Knowledge Knowing how to: Fix mechanical issues Dress for cold weather Be self sufficient (ex. nutrition) 12. Strong Logistics Planning An extreme triathlon is self-supported which means you must have at least one support crew person. Your crew must be able to assist with:  Route planning Nutrition  Athlete emotional regulation  Weather contingencies 13. Purpose & Internal Drive Extreme triathlons are not about placements or times. There are no "age division" awards. Everyone (except the first 1-3 overall finishers in each gender) are treated the same at the finish line and at the post race celebration event. Athletes succeed when motivated by: Personal meaning Curiosity Challenge for its own sake Feeling like a beginner again Do you have what it takes?  To finish an extreme triathlon, you need to think of it as an adventure, not a standard triathlon. Are you ready to conquer an extreme triathlon?

Patagonman - Race week

I have a lot of pictures to upload but the internet is a bit slow in our Airbnb(s) so I will upload pictures later on. If you'd like to see more pics from our trip, you can check out my Instagram page. 

Monday 
After a delicious dinner at D-Lizia (I got a huge pizza and Karel got a burger), we went back to our cabin and had a relaxing evening. Sadly, Karel woke up in the middle of the night with excruciating pain in his right leg. He thought it was a blood clot but we later put some pieces together that it was likely coming from his disc and SI joint. He couldn't bear weight on his leg and he said it felt like his leg was broken. It was really scary as it came out of no where when he got up to pee in the middle of the night. Even when we got up in the morning, Karel was still unable to walk normally. He decided to try a spin to see if that would help loosen it out. I drove him 15 min up the road (up the last descend of the bike course) and he went out for an 1+ hour ride. He said it felt a little better but it was still worrying him. However, over the next few hours, it started to calm down. As Karel was biking, I did a 40 min ECFIT session in our cabin. The weather was lovely in the upper 60's. My legs weren't too beat up from my 16 mile gravel run on Sunday but I enjoyed the day off from cardio.

We packed up our stuff from Airbnb #1 and I drove us to Airbnb #2 (home base) in Coyhaique. The drive took ~80 minutes and it was very beautiful. We back tracked the Patagonman bike course so it was good for Karel to see more of the bike course. We checked into our next Airbnb and walked down the street to get some groceries at the "super" market. We found that the produce was better at the mini market on the corner versus in the bigger store. After our shop, we walked back to our place, had a nice dinner of soup and rice (and a veggie burger for me, deli meat for Karel). We did a load of laundry and let it air dry. We went to bed around 9pm (it is hard to fall asleep because it stays bright until 10pm!). 

Tuesday
We woke up to the sound of dogs barking as there are so many loose dogs around Coyhaique. However, they seem well taken care of by the locals. It's incredible how the dogs work with the traffic as they cross the street carefully, just like humans. The neat thing about renting Airbnbs in different parts of the world is feeling like a local. In our first Airbnb, we didn't have a microwave. In our 2nd Airbnb, we have a microwave and it feels like a luxury. The hot water wasn't great in our first Airbnb so we were careful to not take long showers in our 2nd Airbnb. I brought a voltage converter and a plug adapter (C and L are used in Chile) so that we could easily charge all of our gadgets, computers and phones. 

Our plan was to swim on Tuesday morning but after I figured out how to login in to the Parque Austral pool, I realized I needed to reserve a lane. Since we didn't have enough time to swim, I bought two passes (~$11 each) and reserved a lane for us on Wednesday from 9:45-10:45am. 

Karel decided to take the day easy and just focus on mobility and resting so we both walked into town and discovered the town square and market. Karel walked around the town for an hour (his leg was feeling better) and I went for a run. I ended up running ~11 miles (10 miles + 1 mile back to our place) on a walking/biking path by the river. The path was only ~1.5 miles but it was undulating and very scenic. The town isn't very conducive to running as the sidewalks are often uneven and there are a lot of people and cars. 

Later in the afternoon, Karel and I walked around the town again and then we had dinner at Kuruf Patagonia. This region is very heavy in meat and fish but I found a nice selection of vegetarian options (falafel and seitan) at Kuruf. Karel and I both got a bowl and picked our ingredients. The menu was in Spanish so we have been using a translator app which we can scan words to translate from Spanish to English. Although I will say that my Spanish is coming back to me from High School (well, words - not complete sentences). 

After dinner we went back to our place and got some of our stuff together to relocate to Airbnb #3. 

Wednesday 
We weren't sure how the process would work for us to swim (we had QR code passes via email) so we arrived around 9am to the pool (we drove the 1.5 miles to the pool just on the outside of town). Once the lady at the gym counter checked us in, we had ~20 min to wait until we could access our reserved lanes. We met another couple from Australia who was here for the Patagonman so we chatted outside before it was time to swim. 

Karel and I did a workout for an hour (~2800 meters). This was our first swim since Friday (when we left) so the swim was all about getting a feel back for the water. Karel brought his paddles and pull buoy and I used a buoy from the pool. 

WU: 600 easy
MS: 2 rounds
8x 25 (scull/swim)
4 x 50 (fist/swim)
4 x 75 (5-6 strokes strong off each wall)
4 x 100 steady
CD: As needed

There was a water aerobics class going on during our swim so the pool felt like open water. The water temperature was great (I'm guessing it was around 80 degrees). 

Everyone is very nice in this area. We feel very safe and we love the culture. 

After we had lunch, I walked to town and picked up some fresh fruit from two fruit stands. I got blueberries, cherries and strawberries (soooo good!). We finally got some cash from an ATM so I've been using my Spanish to count money :) I then made a stop at the supermarket to get a few more things before our next trip. As I was packing up, Karel went for a run on the walking path. He said he felt really good and his leg didn't bother him (Whew). 

We packed up our car with a few things to last us the next 48 hours in Puerto Aysén (3 miles from Puerto Chacabuco - the race start). 

I drove the 1:15 to our next Airbnb. Again, we continued on the reverse of the bike course. This ride was a bit more eventful as it was lightly raining, it was very windy (a theme here with gusts over 30 mph) and the road surface was constantly changing. We were warned about gravel but the gravel patches on Karel's bike course are super sketchy (long and super rocky!). There is also a long climb on cobblestones. You never know what you are going to get with extreme triathlons. 

We arrived to Airbnb #3 (which is where we will sleep the night before the race). The Airbnb is super cute but there was a mix up with our host in that she had listed Wifi and the reviews said Wifi but she told us that this "new location" does not have Wifi. Certainly, we need Wifi to work so this was a big deal for us to not have it. Communication was challenging as she didn't speak English but with some back and forth on the app, she came up with a solution and the next morning she brought a router for us to use. When traveling internationally, you have to pack a lot of patience and the acceptance that things will not always go as planned. 

After we made dinner, we watched a short Netflix movie that I had saved on my phone before our flight and then we went to bed around 9pm. We were woken up by some barking dogs and chickens in the backyard a few times and Karel had another episode with his leg acting up and causing pain. 

Thursday

Today was the day. Karel's first swim in the cold water of Puerto Aysén. After we got some work done (thanks to the router), we made the 30 min, 12 mile drive to Bahia Acantilada (which translates to Cliftop Bay). This is the location of the social practice swim on Friday (athletes are not allowed to swim at the actually race swim start because it's a working port in Puerto Chacabuco. 

Karel has been practicing in different gear at a local lake (upper 50s) by our house and doing some cold water plunges but now it was time to put it all to the test. The water was ~52 degrees and a little choppy due to the wind. The air temperature was in the mid 40s. After Karel put on his booties, gloves, a base layer, hoodie w/ vest, wetsuit, warming oil, goggles, and two caps - he was ready for his swim. 

He swam out and gave me two thumbs up and swam for ~30 minutes (which is a good baseline for testing gear and to fully acclimate to the cold water). The initial plunge on his face was very cold but he said the water wasn't as cold as he had been imagining - which was a good thing for him mentally. He's still a bit nervous for the actually swim as it may be a little colder (48 degrees) but Karel felt satisfied with his gear choices. And thankfully, he wasn't shivering after his swim. 

While Karel was changing, I got myself ready for a run. I brought my run stuff just in case I felt like running when we got back to our place but after a 5-mile drive on gravel to get to the water, I decided to run back to the town (while Karel drove) and to meet him at the Unimarc grocery store in Puerto Aysén. I loved my run on the winding gravel road and I saw cows, horses, dogs, a big pig and incredible scenery around me. I met Karel at the grocery store and this was the biggest store we have seen yet since we arrived. We got a few things and made our way back to our place. We went a different route over the bridge (which was closed into town) so the drive home was only 15 minutes. 

We had a nice lunch and after getting work done in the afternoon, we drove to local "host" hotel (Loberias del Sur) to check out the port and the hotel. The hotel was very nice but we are enjoying our "local" experience at our Airbnbs. 

Yesterday and today were rainy days with a lot of on and off rain (and a lot of wind). 

Friday

Today was the social swim. Although it was an unorganized, non-official swim, it started at 9am. Because of the local traffic in Puerto Aysén, we left our place around 7:30am and arrived around 8:30am. Parking was free today (yesterday we paid 2000 pesos, around $2). There were a lot of people at the swim and the overall consensus was that everyone was really happy that they felt the water (and no one seemed too cold). Karel said it felt cooler than yesterday but much less choppy. He swam for ~22 minutes and wore the same gear as yesterday and felt comfortable in the water (minus the initial cold shock on the face). 

Since arriving to Aysen (3 miles from Puerto Chacabuco) on Wednesday afternoon, we have had on and off rain and very strong winds. Because of the location in Chilean Patagonia, Puerto Aysén is influenced by strong westerly winds bringing moist air from the Pacific so there is always a chance of rain. It's also been cold (in the 40s) which is a big change from when it was 70 degrees when we arrived. I guess it's true what they say about Patagonman - you can get all four seasons in one day. 

After the swim, we made another quick stop at the grocery store and then went back to our Airbnb. We have been enjoying our friendly visitor (the boy kitten next door) who is giving us lots of love (and making us miss our furry crew of 5). 

We packed up some of our things and around 2pm, we drove back to Coyhaique. Karel was dressed in his cycling gear and a few miles down the road, he got out and got on his bike for a 20-ish mile ride on the course. It was lightly raining and in the 50's so he dressed warm. While he was riding, I got gas at the local Shell (someone pumps your gas for you and it's encouraged to tip 300-1000 pesos if they clean your windows) and then leap frogged Karel as he was riding. Around 25 miles into the race course, Karel finished his ride and got in the car. Although the drivers are alert while driving, there are a lot of semi trucks, busses and vehicles going to and from the ports so this isn't a place that I would recommend for cycling training or casual riding (although there are a lot of bike-packers but mostly near the gravel roads down south near Villa Cerro Castillo). 

We hit some traffic from road construction so our 1:15 hr drive took around 2 hours (including the stops while Karel was riding). When we arrived back to our 2nd Airbnb (home base), we unpacked and then we walked to Hotel Dreams for Karel to pick up his stuff at registration. He also purchased a beanie and a coffee cup. 

After registration, we walked to a local pizzeria (SO good) called La Tranquera. Karel got the 4 seasons pizza with ham, salami and mushrooms and I got the caprese pizza (no olives). We also bought a brownie. We got our pizza to go and then walked .7 miles back to our Airbnb. 

The pizza hit the spot. Plus, we like to keep with the pre-race tradition of pizza two nights before a race. 

After pizza, Karel went through all of his gear so that I could get everything organized as I will be supporting him throughout the race and it's my responsibility to make sure he has everything he needs throughout the race. 

Two more sleeps before race day! 

Patagonman - Day 1

 

We landed in Balmaceda (very small airport) around 3pm local time (2 hour ahead from EST). It was a quick 2-hour flight from Santiago (a total of 11 hours of flying and 26 hours of traveling). While Karel was waiting for our suitcases and his bike, I went to the Varona rental car counter (outside of the baggage area) to get our SUV. It was a very quick process and by 3:30pm we were in the car to make our way 1-hour to Villa Cerro Castillo (the location of Patagonman T2 - bike to run). It was a very beautiful drive and we couldn't believe how warm it was (in the 70's)! We arrived to our Airbnb (1.5K from the town center) and it was a little confusing to get in (the lady who met us did not speak English) but it all worked out. The cabin was super cute and so peaceful and quiet. The best part is that the cabin is on a farm and there are two dogs, lots of chickens and baby chicks! 

After we unloaded the car, we drove to the town to get a few items from the grocery store. There are a few stores in town but they are very small and limited with items. However, we were able to get the necessities - eggs, butter, cheese, deli meat (for Karel), a veggie burger for me (I was surprised with the frozen vegetarian options!) and a few other things for breakfast like oats, frozen berries and granola. We also got milk and yogurt. We then went across the street to the only gas station in town to get some bottled water (although it's safe to drink the tap water here). Every place we went to takes credit cards so we haven't had to exchange our money yet. When we arrived back to our Airbnb, we made a light dinner - eggs w/ frozen peppers/onions and bread w/ butter. Shortly after, Karel put together his bike and then we went for a short run. I ran for 26 min (3 miles) and Karel ran for 32 min (4 miles). We both felt awful running but it was good to shake out the travel funk. And the views were incredible along our road. 

View from our Airbnb

The sun didn't set until after 9:30pm but we seeing that we started our run around 8pm, we were ok with that. We were both exhausted from not having a full night of sleep in a day so we both slept amazingly well for 10 hours. 

In the morning, we had oatmeal for breakfast and after catching up on emails and getting some work done, around 9:30am, Karel loaded up the car with his bike and gear and I drove him ~15 min up the road for him to do a ride. He ended up riding for almost 3 hours (54 miles, ~4300 feet elevation gain) and reversed the course to start and then road the last stretch of the Patagonman course into town (T2 area). While Karel was biking, I drove to the start of the gravel road outside of town (first left after the hairpin climb/descend leaving town) and went out of an adventure. My plan was at least 7 miles on the Patagonman course but I ended up with 8.2 miles as I really wanted to make it to the lake. The course started off with gravel for a mile, then 3 miles of rocky, grassy, sandy single track trail and then 4 miles on a windy, hilly, gorgeous gravel road. I stopped a lot for pictures. We don't have any service outside of Wifi areas so I downloaded a podcast on my phone to listen to (although I really didn't need it as I was so focused on the nature around me). I also had the Patagonman run route on my phone (loaded on the Ride with GPS app, offline w/ a 7-day free membership) which helped a lot as the trail section of the course was very difficult to navigate. 

During my run I covered 2400 feet elevation gain, 16.4 miles and completed the run in around 3 hours and 10 minutes. Sadly, I somehow accidentally deleted my run around 13 miles into the run. I was taking pictures of cows and I don't know how I pushed the wrong buttons but it happened. Ugh. So I am guestimating my time. 

The run was absolutely beautiful. I saw so many animals and the nature around me was incredible. I wish I could have kept running but since I was reversing my route (out and back) I couldn't run too far. There were some steep sections that I walked. The gravel was loose in some places and there were also rumble strips. 

I carried 2 x 16 ounce flasks in my Compress Sport vest (it's actually Karel's vest as he is going to wear my USWE vest for the race) with Never Second 30 in each of them. I also had a 16 ounce bottle w/ Skratch and a 12 ounce bottle with water. I also carried a Never Second gel as well as a few pieces of candy (Starburst). I had my passport and money/credit cards in the vest, as well as my phone. It was very warm during the run and the air is somewhat dry. 

I returned to the car around 3:30pm and made a stop at the gas station and grocery store for a few more items and then made it back to our Airbnb around 4pm. 

Here are some pics from my 3ish hour adventure on two feet. 

After I had some food, Karel wanted to check out some of the run course that I ran on (he's deciding which shoes to wear for the race) so I drove him to the gravel road (~1.4 miles into the race course) and dropped him off. I drove to the town to check out the transition area and start of his run and then drove on some of the main road for 10 minutes to check out more of the sights. I picked up Karel around 30 minutes later. Karel ran 33 min (34 min) with some added stops for pictures. 

I showed Karel the transition area and start of the run and then we went for dinner at one of the few restaurants in town - and it was delicious. I had a huge vegetarian pizza (Karel shared it with me) and Karel had a burger. We ate at Pizzería y hamburguesería D-LIZIA.

Tomorrow afternoon we will pack up and head to Coyhaique, which will be our "home base" for the rest of our trip. 

Patagonman travel

This trip was originally planned in 2024. 

We were supposed to travel to Chile in December for 2024 Patagonman but in September, Karel learned he had a tear in his left meniscus (the flap was stuck and needed trimming), which required surgery in January. We cancelled everything with no idea how 2025 would work out. Thankfully, we purchased race insurance to get a full refund and almost everything else was refundable (flight/Airbnb/hotel). Karel ended up needing another surgery on his left knee and since he met his insurance deductible, he also had the hardware removed from his wrist (which has been causing him issues for the past few years after he had surgery to fix his broken wrist from a MTB crash). When the lottery for the 2025 Patagonman opened in February, Karel entered and got accepted. Whereas I became interested in extreme triathlons by watching Norseman, Karel was intrigued by Patagonman. Karel was unable to participate in IM 70.3 CDA and IM Lake Placid as his knees were giving him a lot of complications post surgery. I waited until October to book our flights as we were still unsure if Karel would be able to participate in an extreme triathlon (considering he was struggling with biking due to his spine issues and running due to his knee issues). I booked our lodging (Airbnb) in the spring and reserved our rental car soon after Karel registered. 

Because of the point to point layout of the event and remote locations, for anyone who is interested in participating in Patagonman, here is what I planned: 

Flying into Santiago

-Flights: Fly international into Santiago, Chile. Take a domestic flight into Balmaceda, Chile. 

We flew Greenville to Atlanta to Santiago on Delta. Originally we were going to leave on Mon December 1st but during the government shutdown, I worried about all the cancelled flights so I changed our flight to leave on Friday Nov 28th. We will return home on Wednesday December 10th. After our 9 hour flight from ATL to Santiago, we arrived early (first flight = no wait) and went through customs, collected our luggage and because we were not continuing on with Delta, we left the airport with our luggage and then walked to the domestic terminal across the street behind the Holiday Inn (10 min walk) to check in for our flight with LATAM. We had 5 hours between landing and departure but LATAM allowed us to check in (many times with domestic flights, when traveling internationally, you can't check until 2 hours before the flight). We used our Amex Platinum Business credit card for Centurion Lounge access in GSP and ATL and used our Priority Pass for lounge access in Santiago (we went to two different lounges - the domestic terminal was extremely quiet and hardly anyone in the lounges). 

Our first Airbnb by Villa Cerro Castillo

-Lodging: I suggest to book two locations. One in Coyhaique and one near Puerto Chacabuco or Puerto Aysén. There is one hotel in Puerto Chacabuco (where the race starts) but it will fill up quickly so if you want to stay at the race start, book in advance. There is a practice swim outside of Puerto Aysén on the Friday morning before the event that is highly recommended. There are more lodging options (hotels and Airbnb) in Puerto Aysén, which is ~15-20 min drive from the race start. Packet pick up (Friday or Saturday), the mandatory pre-race meeting (Saturday) and awards celebration (Monday afternoon) is in Coyhaique. T2 (Villa Cerro Castillo) and the finish line (Puerto Ingeniero Ibañez) are located ~1.5 hours and 1:45 hrs, respectively from Coyhaique. 

I booked three Airbnbs (total for all three was less than $1000 for our ten day stay). The first Airbnb in Villa Cerro Castillo (Nov 29th until December 2nd) so we could check out the T2 area. Plus, there is a beautiful (strenuous 8-mile) hike to Laguna Cerro Castillo that I want to do. The 2nd Airbnb is our "home base" in Coyhaique from December 1st until December 10th (this way we can check in anytime on the 1st or 2nd). The third Airbnb (December 3rd-7th) is a few miles from the race start. This way we have two options to go back and forth to (~1 hour drive) without having to pack and unpack. We plan to spend the night near the race venue (Airbnb #3) on Wed and Thursday evening and then again on Saturday until race morning on Sunday). 

Rental Car: Patagonman connected me with Ricardo from Varona Rental Car (email: supervisor@rentacarvarona.cl). He helped me rent a SUV for our trip (pick up and drop off at Balmaceda). 

So far, everything has gone smoothly. We are two hours ahead of EST. We arrived to Balmaceda airport around 3pm and arrived to our Airbnb at 4:50pm. We unloaded our SUV and made a trip to the town (one grocery store and one gas station) to get a few things for our short stay in Villa Cerro Castillo. 

At the end of the trip, I'll share my thoughts if I would have done anything differently with my travel planning. 

Outside our Airbnb. 

Inside our Airbnb.

View from our Airbnb

In the town. 

It's finally time - Patagonman Extreme Triathlon

After Two Years of Setbacks, It’s Finally Time.

This year has been one of the toughest chapters in Karel’s athletic journey—one marked not by finish-line celebrations, but by waiting, healing, and standing on the sidelines far more often than he ever imagined. Two knee surgeries, hardware removal from his wrist, and worsening spine issues have created a string of challenges that have tested Karel is so many ways. For someone who thrives on movement, adventure, and suffering, being forced to pause again and again has been heartbreaking. 

And yet, he never stopped.
He adapted.
He learned.
He stayed hopeful.

With creative training, countless adjustments, and a willingness to rebuild, Karel kept moving forward—even when “forward” looked nothing like it used to. Every step, no matter how small, was a step forward. 

And now, after two long years of setbacks, waiting, and wondering if this moment would ever come… it’s finally time.

We are on our way to the end of the world—literally—to the beauty of Chile’s Puerto Aysén region, where Karel will race Patagonman. 

Just getting to this start line is victory. It was not easy to get here. In truth, sometimes it felt impossible.

But he made it. 

We made it. 

Whether the race unfolds as he hopes or takes its own unexpected turns, one thing is certain: Karel is looking forward to this start line. 

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A post shared by Marni Sumbal, MS, RD, CSSD (@trimarni)

Norseman Race Week

The past few days have felt rocky but everything is going smoothly. I say rocky because I have been feeling a rollercoaster of emotions this week. There's something about this race (and it's history) that makes me feel nerves like I've never felt before. And it's been two weeks since we said good bye to Campy.

Despite having completed 2 XTRI events and 19 Ironman events, this race requires a lot of respect and I don't want to assume that just because I have long-distance experience, that everything will go smoothly on race day. I know Karel (and Honza) are there to help me get to the finish line and they will give me great energy throughout the day.

Swim finish

The past few days have been all about getting the body ready for the race - priming the system. Aside from some rain and wind on Tuesday evening and Wednesday morning, the weather has been spectatular here - sunny and warm (in the 60's during the day!). 

Tuesday was my "big" day of training with a 75 min morning spin (with intervals) followed by a 28 min run. In the evening I tried out some different neoprene gear options so I wouldn't really call it a "swim" as I was just swimming in circles near the shore. 

On Wednesday, Karel went out for a long ride on the race course and he said it was very windy and cold when he got to the top of the first climb. I checked my Epic Ride Weather app to compare Wed to Sat (race day) and the wind should be much less on race day. 

While he was riding, I did a 1:07 ride by the quiet road near the water and my legs felt great. I did 40 min run off the bike and this was the first time since we arrived to Norway last Thursday that my legs felt fluid and rhythmic. 

In the evening from 7-8:45pm, we went to the local sports hall and watched a documentary series called "Human Endurance" that Norseman was showing from the 2023 race. 

Today we went to the social swim by the Old Yellow House. There is one buoy on the point to point swim course (~800 meters from the finish and our only turn buoy) which is where we swam today. There were lots of people at the social swim (and many others waiting to purchase Norseman gear at the shop inside the Yellow House). I wanted to be in the water for around 30 minutes to give myself a chance to feel what it may be like during the race and while the water was cool (upper 50's) I found myself very comfortable in the water. I wore my booties and neoprene cap, clear goggles and ROKA thermal wetsuit. I wanted to see what it felt like to wear my race kit under my wetsuit during the swim and then get out and stand on shore to see if I would be comfortable racing with a wet kit in air temp of low 50's and I was not comfortable. I quickly decided that I will put on a dry kit in T1.

Since arriving to Norway, every workout has been an opportunity to test gear and think about scenarios for race day. Although I have my routines and rituals leading up to my races, I am gaining a lot of confidence from these "practice" workouts. 

Around 1pm we drove to the host hotel to check in for the race. Since we walked to and from the social swim (~1 mile each way) we decided to drive to the check in. Parking was difficult as there were a lot of athletes in the town. We finally found a spot and stood in line for check in. Unlike the other extreme triathlon events we have done, it was nice to have check in on Thursday (and not just the day before the race) and a wide range of times to check in. 

 

Each athlete is required one support team member but they encourage another member as well. Thankfully, our friend Honza (who helped us out in Icon) came from Czech to help out Karel throughout my race. The primary support crew member (Karel) is able to access T1 with me after the swim and is allowed to run with me at any point after 25K (start of Zombie Hill). The primary support member is required to accompany the athlete up Guastatoppen mountain (if making the cut off). Honza is able to hand me nutrition throughout the race and he will also bring our required gear in our backpacks to 37K (enterance to the mountain) for me and Karel. Honza and Karel had to sign a waiver, along with myself for the race. We handed that in during check in. 

Prior to that, Karel and I had to show our mandatory gear in our backpacks: 
-Waterproof pants
-Waterproof jacket w/ hood 
-Base layer
-Hat, gloves
-Headlamp

After our gear was approved, I received a bag with all of my gear for the race. We then picked up my chip and GPS tracker. If you would like to follow the race, you can track the race live HERE. There will also be live coverage on the Norseman website. 

I spent Wednesday organizing and laying out my gear so that I didn't have too much to do going into the race. The epic weather app helps so much for these all day events, especially when the weather can impact what you wear/eat/drink, etc. After the check in, I added a few more things to my gear piles and tomorrow I'll go over my nutrition with Karel and Honza (although it's pretty simple). 

This evening we got take out pizza from Fjord & Mountain cafe and Kremmeri - it was good but not great. Certainly nothing compares to pizza from Italy. But I have to keep with my tradition of pizza two days before a long distance race. 

Tomorrow I have to take a headshot with my bib number and there is the mandatory athlete and support crew briefing at 4pm. After that, there's only one more (restless) night of sleep before a very early alarm and the 5am start of covering 140 miles and 17,000 feet elevation gain at the 2024 Norseman XTRI World Championship. 

Hello from Eidfjord - the Norseman race venue

 

Over the past three days in Rjukan, we saw every part of the run course, as well as T2 (transition from bike to run). With Norseman XTRI being a point to point race, it was really good to spend a few days at the race finish, getting to know the area. I booked two different dates for the same Airbnb in Rjuken (race finish) so that we could return to the same familiar Airbnb as when we arrived to Norway. The owner also allowed us to leave some of our stuff at the place, which was very kind. It seems like everyone knows the Norseman event so the owner was very understanding about our situation. Knowing that we will be super exhausted after the race on the 3rd, it's nice knowing where we will be sleeping that evening. 

I haven't been feeling the best since arriving to Norway. I assume all the mental exhaustion with Campy was wearing me down. Today I felt super tired, despite sleeping almost 9 hours. The sun sets very late here in Norway (after 10pm) which also makes it hard to wind down (or maybe it's because we are watching the Olympics on Peacock with our NordVPN and excited from all the events/sports). 

We packed up the car with our bikes and suitcases and started our 135 mile, 3.5 hour drive. I was really looking forward to this ride because it was the first time that we would be seeing the bike course. Even though we were driving the entire bike course in reverse, it was still really good to experience the climbs, descends, turns and scenery. And wow - the scenery is incredible!! The nature is so beautiful. Although this bike course is very hard with over 10,000 feet of elevation gain in 112 miles, it is spectacular. 

Bike course from Eidfjord to T2. 

Elevation of bike course to T2 to the run and then to the "black shirt" race finish on top of Gaustatoppen. 

We made two stops during our drive. The first stop was at SPAR in Geilo. With Eidfjord being a small town, we loaded up on groceries at a large SPAR grocery store. We then stopped at the Voringfossen waterfall. It was a short hike up to the scenic bridge to enjoy the waterfall below us. Karel got ice cream when we were there. 

We finished our drive through several tunnels - all of which we will bike through on race day (we aren't allowed to bike through tunnels until race day). 

Throughout our entire drive, I was able to recognize certain areas of the course from all the YouTube videos I've watched from the race over the years. 

If you'd like to learn more about the Norseman extreme triathlon history, you can read/hear more here. 

"I did spend some time trying to find this place in Norway, where we could have a fast, typical triathlon event, just like the others. So when it was totally impossible to find that place in Norway, it was quite easy to decide that we should do something completely the opposite of the normal fast, flat, comfortable, warm, nice triathlons! With that idea, it was actually quite easy to find a few alternatives. The best idea was to swim in the Hardangerfjord, because it is not too far north. I thought the water going further north than Hardangerfjord would be too cold. Since I live in the county of Telemark, a couple of hours south of Oslo, I really wanted the race to end at the top of a mountain and the most beautiful mountain in Norway is Mount Gaustatoppen, my home mountain."

When we entered the town of Eijford, we were greeted by a huge cruise ship. I quickly recognized the white host hotel. We couldn't believe how cute of a town it was. Our Airbnb is 0.8 miles from the host hotel and we arrived around 3:45pm (we left our first Airbnb a little after 10am). 

We unloaded our car, ate some food and worked a little before heading down to the public beach/water around 6pm. This was my first time experiencing the glacier fed water and I have been very nervous about the temperature. Although we swam close to shore, I was relieved that it wasn't too cold. But I was shocked to see so many kids and families bathing in the water in only their swimsuits! We clearly don't have Norwegian blood. The water felt like it was in the upper 50's and Karel and I both wore our thermal booties. I received a new thermal wetsuit from Roka and I felt great in the water. There were some warm pockets of water and some really cold pockets. I will continue to try out different neoprene gear options before the race so I am prepared for whatever the water temp will be at 5am on race day. We swam around 1300 meters (with some stops) and then walked back to our Airbnb for dinner and then we watched the Olympics. 
Today was the first day since we arrived that I haven't felt cold - and I could finally wear shorts! The weather was amazing in Eidfjord - in the 60's and sunny! 

There are several Norseman activites this week and we are looking forward to seeing more of this area before the race start on August 3rd. 

Here are some pics from our drive. 

The Stone Triathlon - Gear

 

Extreme triathlons are unique in that they require some slightly different gear and equipment to a standard long distance triathlon. And every extreme triathlon is different. 

Here are a few examples from our past three XTRI events.....
-At Canadaman, I was required to bring my own inflatable buoy (and light) for the swim. At Icon we were given a buoy (and light) that was returned to the organizers. At The Stone, Karel was able to keep his buoy (and glowstick). 
-At Canadaman, the terrain was primarily off-road. But I choose to change into trail shoes (and use my hiking poles) for the final few miles. At Icon, I wore road shoes for all of the run as most of the trails were lightly packed gravel and not too technical. I used hiking poles for the final few miles up the mountain. At The Stone, Karel needed hiking poles for most of the run. He wore road shoes for most of the run until he changed into his trail shoes for the final 2 miles up the mountain. 
-At Canadaman, I was choose to wear a one piece trisuit for the swim and bike and I changed into running gear for the run. At The Stone, Karel wore a one piece trisuit for the swim and the bike and changed into running gear for the run. At Icon, I did a complete change out of my swim gear and into dry clothing for the bike (it was 32 degrees out) and had several layers on that I removed as the bike went on. I also did a complete change into run gear before the run. 
-At Canadaman, I used a tri bike (I will also use my tri bike for Norseman). At Icon, I used my road bike w/ attached aerobars and at The Stone, Karel used his road bike with attached aerobars. 

Although we have only completed a few extreme triathlons, we have learned that there are several similarities in that every race offers a variety of weather conditions, cold water (and/or swimming in the dark), big climbs on the bike (a lot of elevation gain), and a mix of road and trail running. And every race requires a support crew as the events are primarily self-supported. 

To learn more about the gear that Karel used in The Stone Extreme Triathlon, check out these videos that I took before the event. 

THE SWIM

THE BIKE

THE RUN

THE RUN (Mandatory gear)

The Stone Triathlon - Race Recap

On June 29th, Karel completed his first Extreme Triathlon - The Stone.
His time of 14 hours and 40 minutes earned him 7th across the finish line. 
RESULTS

Quick stats:

• 2am - wake up, eat oatmeal, drink coffee, get dressed.
• 2:45am - walk to transition area.
• 3:20am - board ferry to the other side of Lake Iseo.
• 4am - 5:07am: 4270 yards swimming in 1:07 (from Gallinagra to Sulzano, across Lake Iseo).
• 5:10am - 12:47pm: 109 miles of biking and 13,576 feet elevation gain covering Aprica, Mortirolo and Gavia pass in 7:25. Average speed 14.7mph.
• 12:56 - 6:34: 21.8 miles of running and 7830 feet elevation gain, starting in Ponte di Legno and finishing at Passo Paridiso. Average pace, 15:48 min/mile. 
• Karel started the race in the dark. The water was in the upper 60's and the air temperature was in the 60s to low 70's for most of the day. Karel was comfortable in his tri kit for the entire bike. Only when he descended from Gavia did he put on a jacket to keep himself warm before arriving to T2. It was warm and humid for most of the run. 
  
  
  

  
  

Race Morning
Our athlete Yannick joined us for this experience as he has been spending time in Europe training and racing. Having him with us with a big help for me as we could both support Karel. We all walked down with Karel to help him get ready in his wetsuit and after he boarded the ferry, we walked back up to our Airbnb (~1/2 mile away up a hill) and packed up our stuff in the car since we were checking out of our Airbnb to make our way to Ponte di Legno.

I brought Karel's bike stuff to the transition area around 4:30am and set it up so that Karel could have a quick and smooth transition. I anxiously waited for Karel to exit the water. There was only one buoy on the swim course (1000 meters from shore, near the island in the midlde of the lake). Otherwise, Karel only had a shining light (picture below) for sighting. Karel was able to see the light for all of the swim but somehow he got off course and ended up far away from the island. He was able to overcorrect and make his way to the shore. Karel said that swimming in the dark was very calming for him. He felt calm on the ferry. 

 I ran with Karel to the transition area, helped him transition from swim to bike and then he was off for the bike. I laid out Karel's gear, turned on his HR monitor, computer (with navigation) and rear light (I forgot to turn on his front light but he turned it on). 

For the next 7+ hours, Yannick and I drove behind or in front of Karel (rarely spending more than a few minutes with him in sight), asking him if he needed anything as we passed him. We would stop at various random places along the course to take pictures, cheer and to see if he needed anything. I was worried that I would be really tired in the car but surprisingly I was filled with adrenaline and excitement for Karel. I was most worried and nervous about getting lost (we did miss a few turns) or not being there when Karel needed us but Karel was very easy to take care of throughout the race. He didn't want to stop more than he needed to so the only times he would stop would be to pee (on the side of the road - there were not bathrooms, not even in the transition area). 

The scenery was beautiful and it was fun to be around some of the other athletes. We were around a French athlete (and his team) so we would all stop at similar places along the course. I had lots of snacks/food/drinks/water in the car but to be honest, it was hard for me to want to eat. My diet consisted of Fanta, bars and pretzels. I did make myself a PB sandwich and had some yogurt while Karel was on the run. We stopped for a coffee around 8am in one of the towns. 

We were not allowed to drive up Gavia (per the race organizers advice due to the small roads and to limit congestion) so after Karel passed through Ponte di Legno, we parked the car and waited for Karel for the next 90+ minutes. I wanted to give Karel another bottle before Gavia but he kept on riding. Karel told me he was fine. Throughout the race, Karel had issues drinking as his stomach was not emptying well. This caused him not to fuel and hydrate as well as he would have liked. He felt like he paced himself really well and the best part was not experiencing his typical race day cramps or extreme back pain throughout the race. 

The transition area was in the middle of the town of Ponte di Legno. It was a really cool set up with shops and restraurants around the square. I set up Karel's run gear in the transition area and after Karel arrived, he changed out of his tri kit and into his run gear (in the men's changing tent).

Karel had planned to do all of the run by himself and then I would join Karel for the final 2+ miles after T3. Howver, I had a last minute idea for Yannick to join Karel on the run because I knew Karel would benefit from having someone with him. I know how tired I was getting off the bike in my last two XTRI events and I really enjoyed and benefited from having Karel with me for the entire XTRI ICON run. Yannick is a great runner (professional triathlete) so I knew he would be a better fit than me for the early hours of the run. Yannick took my backpack with the mandatory gear and joined Karel for the first 13 miles of the run.

 I drove to the next town to meet up with them to see if they needed any nutrition and to give Karel his hiking poles as the terrain was very steep in places. Karel was struggling when I saw him as he had been dealing with extreme nausea after running a bit too hard up the hills when he started the run. When he stopped at the top of a hill, it hit him really hard - like a really bad hangover.

The run course was a mix of paved trail, roots, grass and road. It was extremely steep and hilly. During the run, Yannick called me to tell me that Karel wanted his hiking poles due to the steepness of the climbs. All athletes (and support crew) were required to wear their backpacks w/ mandatory gear for the entire run.

 I drove to a dirt parking area outside of town to wait for Karel around mile 13. I changed into my run gear and got myself ready in case Karel wanted me to join him for the next 8+ miles. When I saw Karel and Yannick, I asked Karel if he wanted me to run with him and he nodded his head "yes." This was very special to me to join Karel for the remainder of the race.

Karel was running on empty. He was tired and it was very hard for him to actually run. I understood the feeling so I stayed ahead of him and helped him stay on course so he didn't have spend extra energy on navigating himself. I tried to encourage him to run anytime the course was flat or went downhill. 

There was a lot of walking/hiking as the terrain was very steep and Karel was very tired, exhausted, sore and still feeling nauseous but I encouraged him to jog whenever there was a flatish area. When we reached T3, Yannick had our trail shoes ready for us (he drove the car there from Ponte di Legno). It was then time to tackle the final portion of the race. A climb up a Paradiso Pass - one of the steepest ski slopes in Italy.



After a mile of climbing up grass, gravel and then loose rocks, the terrain turned to snow.

 And then the weather suddenly turned and we were faced with thunder, rain and hail. We could barely make out the orange flags to help guide the way to the top. It took us 48 minutes to go 0.7 miles in the snow!

When it started raining/hailing, I encouraged Karel to stop and put on our rain jackets. At this point he was passed by an athlete (a guy from Czech) but Karel was trying his absolute best to get to the finish line and there was nothing more he could give. It was just one step forward at a time. At this point, Karel had been racing for over 13 hours - the longest continuous activity of his life!




 When we made the last turn up the mountain, I quickly hiked ahead of Karel and when I saw the finish line red carpet, I yelled to Karel "it's here! You are so close!!" I ran up the carpet to video Karel finishing.




 He was so exhausted and relieved when he crossed the finish line.



 We then went inside the ski lodge to change out of our wet clothes and into our dry clothes and then we enjoyed a warm meal.

On the day before the race, Karel expressed his excitement and nerves to do something for the first time. Although he was very nervous about the unknown, he was able to wake up on race day with a sense of calm.

This is our third extreme triathlon between both of us. Last year I completed XTRI Canadaman and XTRI Icon. We learned a lot from those events and it helped us in Karel's preparation for this event as well as our strategy throughout the event.

Extreme triathlons are unique in that they are primarily self-supported. Even though there can be a few aid-stations along the race course and there is a designated transition area for swim to bike and bike to run, there are several aspects to an extreme that make them very different to a standard full distance triathlon.

• You need a support team/person that will keep you going and will keep you positive and will encourage you to never give up. As an athlete, your success depends on your team. Your crew plays a vital role in your performance and you can't complete the event without them.
• Extreme triathlons are small. You may have 60-250 participants. Not everyone will finish. This provides a "family" feel. The organizers get to know all of the athletes (often by name) and the athletes and crew get to know other athletes and crew members. The overall vibe is extremely supportive.
• Extreme triathlons require mandatary gear for the run, and there is usually a designated "T3" (transition three) area where the athlete needs a support team member to "run" with the athlete. Typically, the last few miles of the run are up a mountain, requiring hiking poles and a lot of walking.
• There is always an element of extreme weather. It could be rain, snow, heat, wind or cold water. You have to be prepared for anything and everything. This includes gear, equipment and nutrition. 
• Be prepared to get up early. Most extreme triathlons start between 4-5am which means a 2am wake up. 
• There are going to be highs and lows throughout the day. You need experience to know how to manage through the very tough and uncomfortable moments. Unlike a standard full distance triathlon that requires careful pacing, in an extreme triathlon, sometimes you have to give your absolute best to get through a steep climb or hill - or to keep moving forward. 
• In extreme triathlons, the overall male and female are celebrated (and sometimes top 3) but everyone who finishes is treated the same - everyone is given the same applause, recognition, and celebration. There are no age group results. This means that times don't matter. It's you vs. you vs. the elements. Karel said that he has never suffered, struggled and hurt so much before. This was the most difficult event that he has ever participated in. It gave him exactly what he wanted and more. He is very proud of himself and he still can't believe what his body allowed him to do.

We will soon be doing a video race recap of his day, which we will share on YouTube.

                                                 

Next up...I will be participating in XTRI Norseman (XTRI "World Championship") in Norway on August 3rd. Karel has two more extreme triathlons planned for 2024 - ICON and Patagonman. 

Off to Italy for The Stone Extreme Triathlon

 

On June 29th at 4am, Karel will be jumping into the water of Lake Iseo to start his first extreme triathlon. In 2023, Karel was all about off-road racing. He participated in Xterra, gravel and mountain bike events and completed two big stage races - The 5-day Oregon Gravel Grinder and the 6-day Breck Epic. Between his events, he supported me in my first two XTRI events (Canadaman and ICON).
After 17 Ironman distance triathlons, Karel was searching for a race that would get him excited for triathlon training. He wanted something different, unique and challenging. 

Shortly after I completed the XTRI ICON event in Livigno, Italy in September 2023, Karel registered for the event in 2024. Similar to myself, Karel didn't want ICON to be his first extreme tri event as the event is very extreme with the cold water, altitude and massive elevation gain on the bike. 

In doing some research, Karel came across an event called Stonebrixiaman (now called The Stone). Whereas ICON is part of the XTRI World Tour XTRI World Tour (as well as Norseman - the "World Championship" of XTRI which I will participate in in August), The Stone is part of the Extreme Tri Series.Extreme Tri Series.

When Karel was researching events, he was excited by the opportunity to bike up (and down) the famous Mortirolo and Gavia Pass.  He was also excited (not sure if that is the correct word) for the run which is primarily off-road. 

Although the distances are similar to an Ironman, Karel needed a race that made him feel all the emotions, similar to when he prepared for his first Ironman. 

With the extreme triathlon events, the athlete is supported by his/her/their crew. I will be supporting Karel throughout his race. This means I will help him in T1 (transition from swim to bike) and I will be drivig our rental car throughout Italy, leap-frogging Karel to keep him fueled and hydrated and to help him with anything that he needs. I will then help him transition from bike to run and support him as needed throughout the run. There are a few aid stations along the bike and run course but Karel will be primarily relying on me to help refill his bottles and keep his tummy (and brain) happy. Then, to finish the race, I will join Karel for the last 7.5K (4.6 miles) of hiking to finish at Passo Paradiso which is one of the most famous ski slopes in the alps. 

Karel will be arriving to the race (primarily) healthy but this hasn't been a smooth or easy journey for him. He continues to have issues with his back as well as his leg (which is due to the disc issue in his back). Karel has also had some unfortunate setbacks. In early April he had a severe cramp in both of his legs during a trail run. In late May he had a bike accident where he washed out from gravel on the road in a tight turn. A few days later, he slipped on the stairs and bruised (or fractured) his ribs. And then there has been the emotional journey with Campy nearing his final chapter with us. 

Through all of this, Karel has not complained. He continues to show up to life and he focuses on what he can do each day. He loves to train and be outside but with his crash (and a lot of road rash) and then the ribs, he had to do a lot of indoor walking and running. But that didn't stop him. He walked on the treadmill on an incline. When he was able to transition to run/walk, he stayed on the treadmill because that is here he could manage the pain. It wasn't until a few weeks ago when Karel could run outside again. As for swimming, he was out of the water for almost two weeks to let his wounds heal but his ribs have been very slow to heal - making it challenging to swim. He is finally able to swim without pain (now his ribs are more of a nuisance). He got back on his bike the next day (after the crash) and he has been able to keep up with most of his bike training. 

The past few weeks have been consistent and fairly smooth for Karel so now we just need to get to Italy and have him stay healthy until race day (one more week!). 

As for the event, here are some fun facts....

• You can track Karel LIVE with this link (4am CET start)
  
  
  
  
  
• Karel will be given bags for his gear. For the run, there is a mandatory gear list and the athlete (and supporter - me) will have our run bags checked before the race and before the final 7.5K of the run. 
  Run mandatory equipment:
  1.Technical waterproof windproof jacket for high mountain use (made of GORE-TEX or similar material)
  2.Long-sleeved thermal shirt
  3.Long trousers
  4.Thermal hat or thermal buff
  5.Headlamp
  6.Emergency blanket (e.g., aluminum foil blanket)
  7.Whistle
  8.Reusable cup for drinking at refreshment points (there will not be cups available)
  9.Water and food reserves
  10. Mobile phone
  11. GPS turned on for live tracking (provided by the organization) 
  
  
  
  
  
  
• The swim is 3.8K (2.4 miles) from one side of the lake to the other. Karel will board a boat at 3:20am to be taken to the other side of Lake Iseo. All athletes will be giving a luminous buoy to wear around their waist for the swim.  There are two landmarks on the coast that indicate the exit point from the water: A beam of light projected towards the sky and a bell tower of the church in Sulzano. There will only be two buoys with flashing lights: a buoy 1000 meters from the finish, near Montisola and a buoy in front of the water exit point. 
  
  
  
  
  
  
• The bike course is 175K (108 miles) and has an elevation gain of 4100 meters (13,450). The event starts at Lake Iseo and includes the Aprica Pass, Mortirolo Pass and Gavia Pass. The bike finishes in Ponte di Legno.
  
  
  
  
• The 24.2 mile run course starts at Ponte di Legno (in the center of town) and finishes at Passo Paradiso (2600 meters or 8,530 feet). The run has a total elevation gain of 7200 feet (2200 meters) and is a mixture of road and trail but primarily trail. 
                                   
  
  
• A nice assortment of food at the run course refreshment points. 
• For reference of how long this race will take Karel to complete, the male 2023 winner went 14:03. 
• Karel will be riding his Colnago with added aerobars. This was a process to find the best fit for Karel (and saddle). 
  
  
  

It's time to discover my limits at XTRI ICON

I love warm weather. I love working out in humid conditions. I love the feeling of warm air on my skin and I thrive in warm conditions. Some of my best race performances have been in hot and humid conditions.

Above is a photo of the predicted weather forecast for the XTRI ICON event that I'll be participating in tomorrow, September 1st in Livigno, Italy.

You'll notice a few things. Those temperatures are in Fahrenheit (not Celcius). The race starts at 6,000 altitude. I'll be starting the 3K (swim was shortened due to combined air and water temp) dark, cold water swim at 5am. I'll be starting the 123 mile, 9+ hour bike with 14,000+ feet of climbing in the upper 30's. The warmest it will be is 55 degrees. Then I will run a mostly off-road marathon with almost 4000 feet elevation gain, finishing at 9,000 feet.

This event will be my greatest athletic accomplishment IF I reach the finish line. But it will require a tremendous amount of physical strength, mental toughness, troubleshooting, proactive thinking, and luck.

~150 miles (2.4 mile swim, 123 mile bike, 26 mile run) ~18,000 feet elevation gain, 5 mountain passes to climb and descend, including the iconic 48 switchbacks on the Stelvio pass. Karel will be there for all 15+ hours as he is my support crew during this self-supported event. Karel will also be running the entire marathon with me (carrying as much as he can to support me nutritionally throughout the run).

These conditions scare me. I don't enjoy cold weather. Ever since I signed up for the event in December, I've had this event on my mind, especially the swim. It's kept me motivated, focused and dedicated to my training. For the past 9 months, a day hasn't gone by that I haven't thought about the difficulty of this epic event.

Growth comes from pushing the limits of what you think is possible. If you are not challenging yourself to do big, scary things, you will never know how far you can go and what you can achieve in life.

It wasn't too long ago that I was deathly afraid of descending on my bike on anything that resembled a hill. I have learned to embrace the wind while riding my tri bike, but it still makes me nervous. I've conquered a few cold water swims, despite being very uncomfortable.

A lifetime of personal growth (and discomfort) has got me to this point. Riding in the windy conditions on the big island of Kona at the Ironman World Championship (5x), swimming in the cold lake water outside of St. George, Utah, descending mountains in France in the Haute Route Alps and attempting my first Xterra off-road triathlon in Czech Republic are fresh in mind as each of these events put me in a "first ever" experience (which was scary)

With every challenge that I've faced in my personal and athletic life, I've learned that I am more capable than I give myself credit for. The limits that exist in my mind are often what hold me back. I'll be the first to admit that I am not a risk taker. I like to plan, research, strategize and practice before I attempt something new. Whether it's from a fear of failure or a fear of the uknown, I've become more comfortable taking risks.

While I feel physically prepared for XTRI ICON (well, as prepared as I could get), I've spent the last week getting my mind ready for the mental and physical suffering and struggles that I will experience during this 15+ hour adventure.

You can follow ICON XTRI on Facebook and Instagram and track me live HERE.

I hope that I can inspire you to pursue your big scary goals. Whether athletic, career or personal, don't limit yourself to what you think you can't do. I hope to inspire you to step out of your comfort zone in order to discover your physical and mental limits. And when you find your limits, dream a little bigger to see what else you are capable of achieving.

Here are a few powerful ways that can help you push yourself past your limits. 

• Address your limiting beliefs. It's easy to avoid doing things you don't believe are possible. It's easy to think you can't accomplish something. Your thoughts impact your actions. If you don't know your self-imposed limitations, you can't push past them.
• Chase your passions. When you are passionate about something, you'll find the motivation needed to put in the work. If you don't love what you are doing, you will struggle to find the energy to step outside of your comfort zone.
• Set realistic goals. If you don't know your destination, it'll be difficult to get there. While it's good to feel challenged by a goal, your goal should be somewhat realistic and attainable. It should stretch your abilities as you follow a measurable plan to get there but it should still remain possible.
• Be ok to fail. Stretching your comfort zone is all about facing your fears and not being afraid of failing. Struggle is part of growth. Failure is part of success. Failure means you are trying and you are learning.
• Get comfortable being uncomfortable. Anytime you do something for the first time, you will feel discomfort. If you want to challenge yourself, you need to embrace discomfort. 

“The fears we don’t face don’t become our limits.”

-Robin Sharma

2023 XTRI Canadaman - what's an XTRI event?

Over the past few years, I've tried a lot of new things. Gravel racing, mountain bike racing, Xterra racing, stage racing. Being a beginner means embracing failure and struggle but I've also learned a lot about myself. I also learned that the more variety I have with my training and racing, the stronger I become in mind and body.

Over the past several years of Ironman distance racing, I have learned that the harder the course, the more excited I get to train and race. As I searched for "hard" triathlon race courses to add to my bucket list, the Norseman triathlon in Norway always seemed to come up first in my google search. Everything about that race was everything that I don't enjoy (cold water, cold temperature, wind) but I kept coming back to that race and thinking "I need to do that."

The Norseman triathlon is part of the XTRI series. The XTRI series originated with Norseman Xtreme Triathlon in 2003. Jumping off a ferry into 50-degree water, cycling over 10,000 feet elevation in cold, wet and windy conditions and then running over 4600 feet to climb a mountain to reach the finish line. Although the distance of XTRI events may be similar to a standard Ironman distance triathlon, these events are much more extreme.

The XTRI events have small fields, often with a max of 150-250 athletes. Every participant is required to have a support crew as the race is entirely self-supported. Besides designated transition areas, there are no catered aid stations. You are on your own from start to finish with specific areas where you can receive nutrition from your crew. The races are held in beautiful locations with extreme terrain. Most races include trail running for the marathon portion and will finish with some type of epic climb/hike to the finish line. Conditions can be extremely hot to extremely cold and everything in between. Often, the swim starts very early (4-5 am) and the water temperature can be very cold (50-60 degrees F).

With races around the globe, the trademarks of an extreme triathlon include cold water, strict time cut-offs, a lot of elevation gain on the bike and the run, utilizing a support car and crew, a mix of running terrain, a crew member to accompany you on certain sections of the run and beautiful scenery. Every race ensures that you will feel and see the local community as you race for 10+ hours.

Because the Norseman still feels a bit too extreme for me right now, I will be dipping my toes in the waters of Lac Megantic, Canada on July 2nd for my first XTRI event. Karel will be my support crew throughout the race and he will also hike the last 8.5K of the run with me to reach the finish line at the summit of the Mont Megantic Observatory. The bike has 8200 feet of elevation gain over 112 miles an the run has ~5000 feet elevation gain over 26 miles. The race starts at 4:30am.

This event will be a great learning experience for me because on September 1st I'll be participating in Icon Xtri. Although Canadaman will feel a little more extreme than a standard Ironman, Icon will be the biggest athletic challenge that I've ever taken on in my life. Located in Livigno, Italy (at almost 6000 feet), I'll be swimming 2.4 miles in the fresh water of Lago del Gallo. I'll be cycling 121 miles up the Forcola pass, into Switzerland to climb the Bernina Pass, then down to St. Moritz to climb the Fuorn pass, descending to Val Mustair and then back into Italy. To finish the bike, I'll be climbing over 48 switchbacks up the famous Stelvio Pass (second highest pass in Europe at almost 9000 feet). The bike course will cover over 16,000 feet elevation gain. And then its time for the marathon, which is a mixture of road and trail running, finishing with a 10K, 3600 feet climb to the finish line which sits at almost 10,000 feet high.

Canadaman XTRI will be my 20th Ironman distance triathlon. I've really enjoyed my preparation for this event. I'm excited for an athletic challenge that will feel a little familiar and a lot different to what I am used to. I'm also looking forward to sharing this experience with Karel. Although we've raced on the same race course many times, we've never raced "together" so I look forward to having his support throughout the race and sharing the final 8.5K climb/hike with him as he helps me get to the finish line.