Ironman Florida - Triathlon


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Panama City Beach, Florida
United States
World Triathlon Corporation
40F / 4C
Sunny
Total Time = 10h 55m 26s
Overall Rank = 885/
Age Group = F35-39
Age Group Rank = 24/96
Pre-race routine:

Got up about 4:30. Tried to eat breakfast but I could hear the wind and rough water outside the condo so I was pretty nervous. Ate a string cheese and drank an entire premier protein shake. Tried to eat my bowl of oatmeal, but only got 3-4 bites down. Dressed, body glide, washed face, hair in pony tail, and then put sweats, long sleeve thermal, socks, and shoes on. It was COLD outside! Nerves were going crazy, but I knew I was ready to go. Walked the 1/2 mile down to transition to put my last-minute fuel on my bike and turn in my special needs bag for the run course.
Event warmup:

I stretched out my legs and arms and then put on my wetsuit. Had planned to do some additional stretching out at the beach pre-swim.
Swim
  • 00m
  • 3800 meters
  • / 100 meters
Comments:

I was heart-broken about this. Cried for about 15 minutes. I know that sounds terrible, but I had trained so hard in the pool and really wanted my full Ironman event. I understood WHY it was being canceled, but that didn't make it any easier.
What would you do differently?:

Prepare myself that ANYTHING can happen in triathlon (which I already knew). I had just envisioned this perfect Ironman day. Not very realistic.
Transition 1
  • 00m
Comments:

No T1 due to swim cancellation.
Bike
  • 6h 33m 51s
  • 112 miles
  • 17.06 mile/hr
Comments:

I took it EASY just like I had planned. I was comfortable and even when the wind was in my face I felt confident that I would finish the ride without any problems. Made me realize that the weather in Iowa prepared me for just about anything.
What would you do differently?:

Not much. I did the best I could under the circumstances.
Transition 2
  • 08m 10s
Comments:

I was very relaxed in transition. Spent some time chatting with other athletes and took my own sweet time changing my shoes, socks, etc. I wore my trisuit, but applied Body Glide, sunscreen, etc.
What would you do differently?:

Hurry and be a little less relaxed. I think I was so happy the bike portion was complete.
Run
  • 4h 13m 25s
  • 26.2 miles
  • 09m 40s  min/mile
Comments:

I felt so good that I almost wondered if it could be possible. I got off the bike expecting my legs to be FRIED and they felt GOOD. No back pain, no leg pain, and I was ready to run. Kicked off my first 8-10 miles HARD and then started slowing down after the half way point. Saw my family just before special needs at mile 12 and stopped to give everyone hugs and kisses. That made my day. Then, decided I'd walk through the water stops after mile 14. I did that for the rest of the race. Some of my walk breaks got a little long (2-3 minutes) but for the most part I kept the pace going. I was very happy with my overall marathon time.
What would you do differently?:

I feel like I executed exactly how I wanted to.
Post race
Warm down:

Crossed the finish line and immediately found my family. I stretched my hips out, grabbed my bike and headed back to my condo. I was still pretty upset about the lack of swim. I truly wanted to feel like an Ironman, but deep down I knew I had to do another race---and soon.

What limited your ability to perform faster:

I think I finished exactly how I would have hoped for my first race of this distance.

Event comments:

I only rated it average because the swim was cancelled. The weather in PCB can be unpredictable. The water was like glass for two days pre-race. I think, in general, the weather is unpredictable everywhere! This city really embraced Ironman and did a great job with aid stations and support. I would go back in the future! Loved the run course and all the people!




Last updated: 2014-01-01 12:00 AM
Swimming
00:00:00 | 3800 meters | / 100meters
Age Group: 0/96
Overall: 0/
Performance:
Suit:
Course: Swim was canceled due to the rip tides being unsafe for swimmers and support crew. We waited from 5:30 AM until 9:08 AM to get out on the bike! CRAZY. And, I was starving!
Start type: Plus:
Water temp: 76F / 24C Current: High
200M Perf. Remainder:
Breathing: Drafting:
Waves: Navigation:
Rounding:
T1
Time: 00:00
Performance:
Cap removal: Helmet on/
Suit off:
Wetsuit stuck? Run with bike:
Jump on bike:
Getting up to speed:
Biking
06:33:51 | 112 miles | 17.06 mile/hr
Age Group: 39/96
Overall: 226/
Performance: Good
Wind: Strong with gusts
Course: Course was completely flat and was one BIG loop of sorts. The scenery was so-so. Nothing spectacular, but still pretty. We started off straight into the wind (20-30 mph), so the first 22 miles or so were BRUTAL. However, throughout the course of the ride there were breaks from the wind and plenty of tailwind moments as well.
Road: Smooth Dry Cadence:
Turns: Average Cornering: Average
Gear changes: Good Hills: Good
Race pace: Comfortable Drinks: Just right
T2
Time: 08:10
Overall: Average
Riding w/ feet on shoes
Jumping off bike Average
Running with bike
Racking bike
Shoe and helmet removal Good
Running
04:13:25 | 26.2 miles | 09m 40s  min/mile
Age Group: 24/96
Overall: 126/
Performance: Good
My first 8 miles were all under 9 minute/mile pace.
Course: Flat for the most part. 2 big loops of the same course. Lots of crowd support and water stations were absolutely amazing. PCB did a great job so it kept things entertaining and fun. Loved it!
Keeping cool Good Drinking Just right
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall: Good
Mental exertion [1-5] 4
Physical exertion [1-5] 4
Good race? Yes
Evaluation
Course challenge Just right
Organized? Yes
Events on-time? Yes
Lots of volunteers? Yes
Plenty of drinks? Yes
Post race activities:
Race evaluation [1-5] 3