Great Floridian - TriathlonFull Ironman

The only way the USAT offical got a 77F reading is because he measured the water's temp 100 feet off the end of the dock, and did not re-measure. That was the one area of water (about 20 foot area) that was cold, other than that, the lake had to have been 80-82F. Personally, I think making it wetsuit legal was more of a safety issue, since the cold-front that was blowing in had white caps covering the lake and washing ashore. Nonetheless, I will take it and I was stoked to hear that.

There was a little area for everyone to gather, start in, etc. I am not sure where the time went, but all I remember hearing was one minute. Well Sh*t, time to get started. My goal was to start wide, and take a direct path to the far bouy vs swimming out to the bouy line and following the yellow bouys to the orange turn bouy. Yeeeeeeeah, that did not work out so well for me. The horn sounded, and we were off. I had a couple of bumps, but that was it. It was the most uneventful IM swim to date, and I assume ever. Now, as for my little swim plan it was crap from the start. The only issue was I did not realize it until about halfway to 1/3 to the first turn bouy. The way the wind was blowing it was pushing waves from left to right, and across the body in the same direction. What that did was force me to breath only on my right (away from the waves), and pushed me right. I do not need any help getting off course, I can do that on my own thank you very much. So, I was stroking away following arms until nothing. I figured, it must be the waves so keep swimming. After several attempts to sight bouys, arms, anything for that matter I realized that I was completely lost. The waves had pushed me much faster off course than I thought, and I was out in right field. Hell, I did not know where any of the bouys were. I completely stopped & treaded water for a minute to find my bearings. Then back to it. It felt like organized drowning out there, just getting beat up by the waves.

Once I made it to the first turn bouy it was game on. The back stretch changed up slightly, with a moderate rocking from the waves, and breathing only to my left. No bad overall, and a huge change from the first length. After the second turn bouy, we headed home. I did my best to stay on this guys hips, and then feet for a while before I was back to being alone. The sun was raising in front of us, so you really could not see anything. Just swim that way. I guess I was swimming pretty straight, since I kept almost running into the bouys. About half way back, I could spot all the flags they have up at the finish.

Earlier, I said normally swimming is good for your back. It is in a pool, looking down; however, in open water getting hammered by waves and picking your head up to spot is a different story. Mainly, it was the spotting that was poking the bear in my back. My lower back was just a sharp pain the entire swim. So much for making it feel better. Oh well, maybe the bike will make it feel better?

Reached the exit, and swam up as far as I could. The water is very swallow for a while, so you really can stand up pretty far out, but then you have to walk through the water for a good while. I swam up to where it was about two feet for so�.past everyone walking BTW. Popped up, circled through the finish, and back out for lap two. Clock read 35:52, so not back after getting completely lost. Lap two would be a bit longer as it started on the beach, and not 20-30 yards out. I took my time and worked my way out, and dove in. Different plan for lap two��.head straight out to the yellow bouys, and follow them to the turn bouy. That worked out great, since I was along the entire second lap but I was on target for navigation. Same issues as lap one, super rough out, semi-rough backside, smooth & fast return into the sun. No worries.


Don't get lost on my way to the first bouy. Other than that, it was a solid swim considering the conditions and my back.

Came out of the water, and took my time with a slow jog to transition. I knew right where my bags were, but the volunteers were already on top of that. Once I rounded the corner they had my bike bag in hand ready for the hand off. Rockstars! I knew I could set an IM T1 PR since there was no need for arm warmers or gloves. Just socks, bike shoes, helmet, go. I slapped all of that on, and hit the door. I did have a little issue stuffing my wetsuit in the bag.

Ran to my bike, where I had my sunglasses looped into my bento box. Threw those on, grabbed my bike, and was out the door.


Nothing, solid 5+ min T1 PR over IMFL.

The question if my back would hold up on the bike was about to be answered. A quick mount, and got up to speed. My back seemed fine on the bike, in aero, sitting up, or out of the saddle, so I took a deep breath. It was time to refocus and start taking care of business. What my idea of what the course was and what the course actually was, differed a bit. I knew the course was 112 miles, and about 2100ft of climbing. The course was 112 miles long, but the 2100ft of climbing was on the first lap. I would say each lap about about that amount of climbing. Laps two and three were the same, but lap one differed by only one hill (Sugarload Mountian). To be honest, Sugarloaf was not that bad and IMO there were a couple other hills that were worse, and you had to do those 3X.

For once I was smart enough to pick up on the difference in my expectations and reality very quickly. I was on the third hill, .68 of a mile into the course, when I realized I was feeling good but already out of the saddle climbing this hill. Holy smokes, I needed to completely retool my bike pacing from hammerfest to being smart, or I would have set myself up for a world of hurt. Thus, my new strategy was to spin the hills, do not be afraid of granny-gear and drop the front chain-ring (which I never do), and find a gear that was easy and upshift one gear. I repeated this startegy to myself all day long whenever I started to feel frisky. Do not be stupid.

The entire time was very uneventful, but the highlight of my day was another rider. It was not long before he and I were in our own little world, and we were riding the same speed….basically. I would catch him on hills, and he would catch me on flats (the story of my life). Nonetheless, at some point while passing, we got to chatting. He was from Liverpool, and had flown 3000+ miles “across the pond” to do this race. We would chat a bit, then one of us would fall off so we were following the rules. When the other one went to pass we would chat some more, or cut a joke about the course, etc. It was great to have company throughout the day, since I could easly see how that course could be very lonely. Laps 1, 2, 3 went down, and we would pick people off here and there that looked shelled aready. His quote verbatem “I didn’t fly 3000 miles to blow up on the first lap”. After we started lap three, he caught back up (scaring the sh*t out of me, since I was in my own world and he rolled up and started talking). He figured I saw his swaddow, which I did not, and it completely caught me off guard and spooked me out of my mind. Nonetheless, he said his wife told him that we were in position 4 & 5 overall at that point. He said he had no idea if that was correct or not, but it sounded good to me. That is actually how the bike ended, position 4 & 5.

Nothing further really went down after that with the two exceptions of my back really started killing me on the last lap, so around mile 80. Plus, my body stopped wanting to process calories at mile 100 to the point I switched over to water. Perhaps I should have made the switch before then to water, but that felt right at the time.

Quick recap of the bike:
Hills, lots of them. Some little rollers, some actual climbs. Nothing killer IF you pace correctly. One long false flat along side a highway type road which you had a bike lane (shockingly very clear of crap BTW), which had a pretty heavy headwind. Rinse & repeat.


Nothing. That was probably the smartest bike pacing that I have ever done.

Came in, and did a flying dismount. I left my shoes clipped in, since there were only 4 other bikes in transition. I figured if they knocked a shoe off, it probably would not be that hard to figure out what bike it goes with. If they lost a shoe, that is a perfect reason to buy new bike shoes.

Again, the rockstar volunteers had my bag in hand ready to go when I got there. Quick change of the socks, shoes, and stuff everything else back in the back and I was ready. Just before I exited, Liverpool extended a hand to shake and said “whatever happens on the run cousre, good luck mate”. What class, he really made the day that much more enjoyable.


Nothing, I changed, hit the port-a-john, and did it 2:45 faster than IMFL.

Lap One: Obviously the biggest question of the day was about to be answered, which was if my back would be able to hold up from that tweaked nerve. I took a deep breath and tipped-toed my way through the rows of bikes to the exit. I exhailed with a little smile as I was going to be able to run. For how long, no idea, but at least is was a start. So, I came out of transition and found a very comfortable pace. In hind-sight it was probably a bit too fast, but it felt good so I went with it. I thought I was in 5th position starting the run, but there was no telling if that was correct. Liverpool was cooking, so the first person I picked off was The Iron Cowboy. If you do not know the Iron Cowboy’s story, he has done something crazy like 150 IM’s total, and 23 of those this year. You know, crazy sh*t. Funny part is that he runs in a big yellow foam cowboy hat. Super easy to spot, and always good for a smile. I passed him about a mile or so in, and then caught Liverpool around two miles in. As I pass liverpool he confirmed that I held the 3rd overall position. After that, I got into the hills of the run course. They are solid hills, but become no joke when part of an IM marathon. Still, I kept it comfortable and moved forward. Then, I saw 1st OA coming the other way. He had a big lead, no chance in catching him. Then 2nd OA came by. No worries, just keep it comfortable.

Hindsight Insert: At this point I should have been keeping it “easy” e.g. do no harm pace, not so much “comfortable”.

Up to the turn around point, which that hill sucks the life out of your legs. It reminded me of that final hill at the turn around at John Tanner (for you GA racers), but about 3x to 4x as long, and it gets steaper at the top. Make the turn, and then back towards transition. You pass trasition for the 1 mile (esh) out & back

Lap two was pretty uneventful, more of the same. I have no idea when, but at some point I had moved into 2nd overall place. I honestly, have no idea when I passed him. Did he stop at a port-a-john, did he stop at SN, was he walking and I just missed him with the new racers on the course? I didn’t know, but I would take it. I switched over to coke around mile 13, as I have done in the past. Just kept running, but this time when I reached transition I was starting to enter a dark world of suffering. It was as if a light switch had been flipped, and out of the blue the nerve in my back was on fire. It felt like I was getting hit with a sledge hammer with every step right in the back of my hips. Electric nerve fire was shooting down into my left foot from time to time, and I could feel huge blisters running the lengthen of my feet. My energy level fell through the floor with my feet feeling like cynder blocks, my right IT Band was starting to scream, and I was suffering in a bad way. All of this started as soon as I reach the next turn around, just blam, here you go sir. Lets see how you handle this.

Lap Three: I made it back to Stephanie and told her that I was suffering in a bad way. I am not sure what I was looking…….pitty, a pep-talk, to be told HTFU, but I received none of that but a “just go, you are doing great”. I am not sure why, but it made me angry, very angry, and I threw the gel flask as hard as I could in the trash can next to were she was standing. (later insight insert: the crowd around her looked at her, and she responded with “he is in 2nd place overall, he gets no sympothy”) I could tell my pace was slowing, but I told myself just keep pushing forward. I was just slogging my way forward to the next turn around. Downhills, no problem, uphills were choppy baby steps. The kind where you wonder if you are really moving forward, or just picking your feet up to return them to the same spot? Just keep going, I told myself. My pace slows further. I was on the second to last hill when my legs just gave out, and I started to walk. Suddenly, I am snapped out of this trance that I was in by a woman wanting to chat. She had torn part of her ITB before the race, so she was forced to walk the entire 26.2. Granted, she was power walking and moving, but her next statement rang in my ears like the bell tolling for me. “I came here to finish, and that is what I am going to do”. I kept telling myself 20 min/mile walking pace, or 10 min/mile running pace, you are doubling your speed, just keep pushing. I blinked and I was at the top of the turn around, rounded the sign and back to slogging away. I was decending the same hill that my legs had just given out on, when my left hamstring Locked up. I say locked over cramped, since it cramped/locked up from the back of my knee up to my butt. It caught me so off guard that I sreamed out, and the two guys in front of me turned around. I remember hearing one of them say they had chicken broth at the next aid station. Only issue was my hamstring was not loosening up, so I had to completely stop. Stretch/rub it out until it released, and then started again. Once again, my entire hamstring locked up. This went on three more times, until I walked peg-legged to the bottom of the hill. Going up hill was not an issue, and once I reached the aid station the chicken broth was like a little slice of salty, warm, heaven. Addmetially, I could feel the salt going to work, and my legs started to return from the void.

Right before I reached transition, 3rd place came by to claim 2nd OA from me. He was moving strong, and I had zero response to the pass. Honestly, I did not care at that point. I was in a world of pain that I had never been in, my vision was starting to tunnel, and my only goal was to finish. Made it to the final turn around, and had about a mile to the finish line. People were heading the other way, and I remember cheering one guy on that he was killing it, and asked him what lap he was on? He looked at me and smiled. With one mile left I was so dehydrated, I was going mad. I could not remember if I had seen him before, if so what lap was he on, how close to me was he, was he 4th OA hunting me, or was he on his first lap? I didn’t know, I couldn’t remember, I started to panic. I only had one response, run. I opened it up, as hard as I could. My entire world was pain, and the only thing I could hear was my breathing, every other sense turned to fuzz. It was my final stand, and everything I had left. I ripped down through the finishing shoot to the finish line. They were holding a finish tape. I slowed to a walk, and raised it above my head in victory.


I needed more calories, and to drink more since I was dehydrated. I drank my normal amount, but I need more due to the conditions that day.

It is funny, the more I think about it the more I believe that the guy that inspired me to run the final mile was not 4th OA and trying to sneak up, but rather I was slurring my words to the point he could not understand me. Hence, why he only smiled and did not respond.

No warm down, I was completely cooked. I grabbed a water, and stumbled over to the podium that was sitting there. I sat on those blocks for what seemed like forever, just shelled out of my mind. I peared over my shoulder and could see a full layout of food, beverages, snacks, etc., but I wanted none of it. I looked at Stephanie and said we have to go. I think she senced my urgency, and agreed to grab my gear. I so wanted to hang around and cheer everyone on, but I felt horrable. I have never felt that bad after a full before, and all I wanted to do was shower and lay down. As we were walking to the car it suddenly hit me that I had to throw up. I took one more step before I started throwing up in a storm drain. My entire system emptied out, and then I began to dry heave. I felt so bad because I was right beside the largest spectator area, but there was nothing that I could do. Pitty moved several spectators to action, as several people appeared next to me asking what they could do to help? Funny part was I kept apploizing to them about throwing up. Finally, I regained enough composure to re-start my way to the car. Lucky, Kevin from NC that I had met at the pasta dinner who had apparently DNF from flats appeared, and offered assistence. We gladly accepted, and he helped carry gear and loaded the car. His buddy Eric was still on the run course, so he was more than happy to help to kill some time before Eric came back around. Kevin, if you are reading this, thank you for the help. You have no idea how much I needed it.

We arrived back at the hotel, and jumpped in the shower, I made it about half way through the shower before I had to jump out to throw up again. My system was revolting and emptying everything out of it as the evening progressed. I felt so bad that we did not even go out for a beer/dinner (my norm). Steph ran out and grabbed something to eat, but to be honest, I could not even tell you what she got. She kept offering me a beer, but all I wanted to do was lay there between trips to the bathroom. For once, I knew I had left everything I had out on the course.

Now, after the fog has cleared what I should have done was go to medical and get an IV. I think I was dangerously dehydrated. The only reason I did not head to medical was that I did not see it. Apparently, medical was around the other side of the building. I think I really should have been checked out by someone with a clear head. Of course, I have never felt like that before so what did I know? Definitely something I will add to the experience column.



Nerve in my back
Body stopped processing calories at mile 100 on the bike

Nothing to be done about the nerve, sh*t happens. I made a slight error on my nutrition, which I will tweak going forward. However, all-in-all I feel like I handled everything that was thrown at me pretty well. Now that the dust has settled, this was my slowest IM by 36 minutes, but probably my smartest paced/raced IM. I definitely faced and over came the most adversity during this IM than any previous race, and had to dig deep, very deep at the end of that run. That is good, it has thrown gasoline on the fire for the next one.



I love independent full distance races, and the Great Floridian definitely falls in there. Entry was ¼ of the price of IMFL. Smaller number of racers. A very welcoming staffing, and the volunteers were freaking great. This course is definitely hard core, so do not go into it thinking it is Florida so it must be flat. There are hills, there are climbs, and this course will force you to dig deep. Do not take it for granted. However, that being said if you really want to challenge yourself at the full distance, then this course is for you. Just know it is not a PR course, and you are good.