Ironman Florida - TriathlonFull Ironman

I started way out to the right and it was a great decision. With 2100 folks trashing about in the water and I barely got touched. Once you hit the water we waded for about 20 yards then got going then every popped up again. But the water was soooo much warmer than the air. Got going the wave came at me on my breathing side on the way out. I looking down and saw a Manta Ray swooping by. That was a good sign. I took it as an omen. Smooth and fluid, easy and free.
I went straight at the red turn buoy and then blended into the mess, I swept outside. Now the wave were straight into us. The way back was interesting to say the least. I couldn't see the waves coming so it was a rough ride. I got out of the water at about 39 minutes made my way around and went at it again. I managed to not get lapped by the pros. Lap 2 was a bit rougher until I made my way to the outside again. On the way back i went way outside on accident and had to angle back in. Looking down I saw a school of fish and another small ray. Cool. Boy was i relaxed and swimming easy. I got out just before Pat LaFontaine.

Work on the navigation a bit but I did a great job swiming smooth and saving energy.

Transtion at an Ironman is so much different. Got a suit peelers and let her take care of that headache. The glasses table was next (before the showers, not real good) got my eyes and ring back on, and headed to transition. Found my bag and went into the tent. It was crowded as ever. Then I couldn't get the bag untied and had to rip it open. By then I had a place to sit so I took my time and put a long sleeve sirt under my Jersey, put on the gloves and clicked off. Stopped and the potta pottie and then grabbed my bike and went.

Don't knot your bag. Numb fingered don't work so well especially when you get stessed. But I relaxed and certainly regained my compossure and took my time. A few minute in an ironman is not that big a deal.

Got going and right away my computer would work. Just got it working and on race day it dies again. Oh well. Smooth and easy. Rode most of the race in 12th gear at a comfortable cadence. Basically didn't touch the gears for the first 50 miles with the exception of the intercoastal bridge. Wanted to stay smooth and easy. Kept working along at a fairly steady pace keeping my level of effort well in check. Long race. The rollers on Rt 20 were good for me. I drank and ate when ever I felt I needed it and at least every 5 miles (drink) and 10 miles (Gu), but I took stuff at each rest stop and started grabbing bannanas to break up the stream of Gus. Had a scare moment at the Special needs, You stop on the inner lane and the volunteer hands you your bag. Well a guy was stopped on the outside of this lane and the bag dropped and in slow motion I see the volunteer go for the bag right as I was comming through. I went off roading to avoid the wreck and survived. Got a Oatmeal Cook from my special need bag and that kept me going for a while. A lot of folks were having tire issues especially folks with disc wheels. Another interresting moment was at the mile 80 rest stopwhen the volunteer hands me a gatorade with no lid (and I had just ditched my last water bottle. So I lost the bottle and only had a bannana until the next stop about 8 miles up the road. But I survived that and got double bottles at the one. At mile 100 you go over the intercoastal bridge. Great climb I passed about 6 people and then cracnked up the gear on the way down and road the momentum back to town. Still I sayed in control and kept the effort in check

Get a new bike computer, maybe aerobars would be nice, maybe a tri bike. But the pacing was great, my butt didn't hurt too much and beside for a hot spot on my right foot I was feeling good

Once again Ironman transitions were a totally different beast. First a volunteer grabs your bike then someone hands you your bag. Of course you still have to stroll about 150 yard in your bike shoe to the tent, so I took my time no point in slipping. Did a full clothes change new shirt, shorts, socks. Liberally applied the body glide to my feet and visted the porta potties and then got sunscreen by a volunteer and headed out.

Nada

The run was awesome. I started out in my Jersey Genesis long bright yellow long sleeve shirt cause I new the sun would go down before I hit special needs. I started up and my legs felt OK. I started out at a nice relaxed pace and just tried to keep it going. Every mile you hit an aid station and I had gatorade/water and Gu or a bannana. The second loop I started the chicken broth and coke. The broth was awesome. You got your name on your number some all sorts of folks are calling out your name and pushing you on. I just kept going and waited for the struggle to begin. Hit the park, started back. The sun went down, got me a glowstick necklace, made the it to the end of the first loop still feeling good. Not fast but still moving along nice and easy. Second loop out and the miles start to count down, under 10, 8. As it got dark you had to worry about the road and the speed bumps in the dark. Didn't want to twist an ankle. Out in the park they had the protable lighting but that just blinded me. Hit the last turn around and still felt good. 20 mile mark, my legs weren't hollow like in everyother marathon I'd run. Kept trotting along. The dark forced you to consentrate but also let you listen to the other competitors, the crowd. There was a couple in an RV listening to easy listening in the park, very soothing. Soon it was 5 miles,then 4. Crossed over Thomas Dr, 3 miles, through the neighborhood, 2 miles, damm I still got some life left in these legs so I slowly picked it up. Crossed Thomas the last time. Miles marker 25 what a beautiful sight. Still moving still concentrating on each footfall, but now the noise was coming closer, you could hear the finish line. Final tuen onto Thomas and now You can feel it, I got a lump in my throat, but a car pulled out in front of me trying to get out of the night club by the hotel. That snapped me back. Finally I reached the baracade stretch, now its loud people are cheering, they say I'm look good looking strong. I think about it and I don't feel to bad, past the turn around point, down the back chute, giving high fives. Man you feel like a rock star. The finish is seting up well noone close behind, and the guy in front of me peeled off to gather up his kid. I pushed up the little hill to get a little space and then turned the corner and there it was. I had that straight away all to my self and then I could hear Mike Riley saying it. "Andrew Rosebrook ,36 years old from Royersford, PA. You are an Ironman."

Note to self: Head up when crossing the finsih line, both shots I hand my head down breaking the tape. Other then that it was a darn near perfect marathon, never struggled, never hit the wall, became an Ironman. Doesn't get any better that that!!!

My catcher grabbed my arm, gave me my medal, lead me over to take my chip off, then I got my T-Shirt, then asked my how I felt. "Stangely enough I felt really good." He liked that answer, dropped my off to get my finisher's picture. From there I walked out, grabbed a couple of slices of pizza, ran into Tammy and the boys outside of transition and got my bags and bike and walked back to the condo. Then I soaked in the tub had a large chocolate milkshake and then watch the last 2 hours of the webcast.


For the first time at this distance I thought I paced it great and looked to finish. Did that and at 13:17:55 I was only about 18 minutes off my best case prediction. Can't ask for much more than that.


This was an awesome race!!! Can't do much about the wind or the early morning chill, but the 3500 volunteers and 2200 racers were awesome and they put on one heck on a race. Any fist time Ironman, I would highly recommend this race!!!