Ironman Florida - TriathlonFull Ironman

Bitching draft on loop one, very congested and tough to find clear water till after the first turn. It was not my worst IM swim from the standpoint of being hit/clobbered, but it was the roughest water I've had to race in at the distance. I was on pace for a nice pr after the first loop, but my second loop ( which includes the walk to get back in the water along the beach...walk because it was so congested and everyone was walking!) was MUCH slower. I was pushed off course a few times by the current...I felt like I was swimming well, so perhaps the smaller draft hurt me. Post race I found a nice hole in the armpit of the wetsuit that I'm sure didn't help my swim!

I think I should have stuck closer to the buoys from the get go, and sighted more on loop two. I'll be racing in a new wetsuit next year, so I won't be taking on more water in my suit.

Ran up the shoot, got stripped, ran to my bag which was straight on from the exit off the beach and hustled into the changing room. I got a volunteer right away and she was awesome. I followed my list (no thinking in transition...it always slows me down!) and decided to run with my shoes in my hands to my bike as it is a bit of a jog. My feet were dirty when I got there, but I was ok with it. Volunteers had my bike and I took off for the new bike exit and mount area after putting on my shoes.

Not much. Streamline my list a tad. I really like having my own sunblock and the volunteers are always great about getting my shoulders and back so I don't fry on the bike. Improved a ton from 2010 and a good bit from IMLP last year.

Started out easy as planned, didn't drink till 24' in as planned, peed at mile 30, good. But by then my gut was already squaking and making me concerned. Wasn't sure I could pick it up as planned at mile 40 with the gut issues. I pushed myself and only backed off when the cramping was bad. Which was quite a bit I'm sad to report. I kept hoping it would stop after a few hours like in Spain, but no. Stoppd at SN to get my 2 hour bottle of infinit. My garmin was on run some how at mile 68 or so, so I had to reset it and start multisport over again. Thank goodness it was reset at mile 70 so I could keep track of where I was, but I lost overall time and one file. Grrrr. I averaged 19.1 even with the 2 stops at this point and my avg watts were only 117. Then at about mile 80 I pulled over to dump my nutrition. My gut was not having it anymore, and I took the opportunity to go potty as well. Bummer. 3 stops just like in 2010. I switched to perform and water at that point.

I've got to get my nutritional demons tamed and learn to pee on that darn bike. My speed was pretty much where I wanted it with big gut pain, so all that means to me is I missed out a big PR again. My being off the bike for almost 14' also killed my overall bike split. I really really love my bike, and should have had a great day out there. My legs felt soooo good, but my gut was soooo bad! If I can master these two things by IMAZ, I will be in good shape!

A nice improvement over 2010 here,but much slower than IMLP last year. Still needs to be faster. I basically walked all the way inside to the changing area for ladies. Gut was pissed. Got another great volunteer to sunblock me, pulled on the shoes, drank some water, then trotted slowly out through "the GATES OF HELL" (there are two pergola's you run under in transition that lead to the run course) aptly named by my buddy Pammy in 2010. :)

Run to the changing tent and just speed up a bit. I'd like to get this under 5' in AZ next year.

Well, not the run I was gunning for by a long shot. Between the gut, the heat on loop one, and the dead garmin I ended up going about 8 minutes slower than in 2010 with legs that had more in them for sure. I had to walk quite a bit in the first few miles...it was like 82 and humid and my hr was over my cap in miles 1 and 2. Not a good sign. I got advice from Paul to drink only water to help with my gut on the final stretch of the bike, so thats exactly what I did. He saved my race. I used sponges, ice in my bra, pants and hands to keep cool which was working ok, but didn't realize how wet my socks were getting till about mile 8 or 9. When I saw the 11 mile mark, I was so excited knowing I'd be able to change socks in 2 miles (more great advice from Paul!) I had immodium in my SN bag, so I took that as well as changed my socks. I handed my dead garmin to Nell after the turn around. For the rest of the run I had to go by RPE...no evil beep to keep me pressing forward. I ran as much as I could and walked when I needed to. My stomach finally started to chill and the temps dropped which helped me run more. I saw Steve, Ranger, Batman, Pat, Terese, Trish, Paul, Dave, Noe' and Kevin on the run. Since I knew my perfect race was not to be I made sure to encourage my team mates, shared my tums and tylenol with new run friends, and walked and strategized with Annelise at about 19 miles for me and 6 for her. The last 10K I started to ask people what the time was here and there. I figured out if I kept running when I could, I may be able to pr after all. I ran as long as I could, then would take breaks to lower my rpe. Then do it again. Water, chicken broth, orange, grapes. Do it again. Finally I was hearing the finish line. I was moving as fast as I could, and then I heard the words any Ironman competitor longs to hear: Trish Marshall, you are an IRONMAN.

Oh so much. Again, nutrition has been my undoing. But the error in having my 910 light set for too long in bike and run mode killed my forced motivation that worked so well at the REV3 half. I didn't want to have to think, or do math. I wanted to just be a slave to my watch. Meh. Now I know.
The heat slowed me down for sure, but I think I managed that pretty well considering. My run training needs to be bumped up and will be for next season starting with a run block this winter. I am really tired of saying the same thing in most of my race reports...I need to improve my running.

I think I will either take immodium before racing or at least have it in my transition bags as well as SN. Had I been able to take that earlier I may have been able to run better longer.

None really. Got a massage, walked back to the Team Fraser finish line tents to get my phone, which was locked .3 mile away in the team trailer (not getting that now!) talked with my coach a bit, then went back to my condo to clean up, put on my zoot tights and rest up a bit before heading back down to the best part of the day, the finish line party. I couldn't even have the beer Ron had at the finish line for me till almost 11:30. It was so great to see Jen, Annelise and Yvette (who finished in 17:06:xx...I CRIED) finish their journey to become IRON. Loved Dancing with Scribby, Nell, Dave, Terese and Joanna and calling so many athletes with the crowd "YOU ARE AN IRONMAN"!


Nutrition, dead garmin, mental toughness in the physically dark places.


I can't lie and say I'm happy with this race. I CAN say I am happy to have shared the day with so many team mates and friends, many of whom were first time IM racers.

This race was weird in so many ways for me. My two main training partners were not excited to race, and I didn't even get to start with them this long day (we've started almost every tri together for 2 years!), I stayed with Endurance Sports Travel a mile from most of my team, and it was good and bad...good because I got to meet Kona legend Ken Glah (he made my pancakes!) and some really cool ladies, bad because I was so removed from my friends physically and emotionally. It was great to be able to offer support to first timers Joe beforehand, and Annelise and Kevin on the course, bad because I was NOT performing to my fitness potential and goals. I was BLESSED to be able to see my 55 year old teammate who has been dealing with her husbands cancer throughout this journey cross in 17:06:xx. Such an inspiration! Bummed to feel sick in the tummy for 2 days post race, but not in my legs. Overall, a PR is a win, a Vertical finish is a win. I made the best of the day out there. Lessons were learned, and I will carry them with me to the next start line.