Ironman Florida : Official Thread (Page 6)

Name: Chris

What is your Ironman Resume?  IMFL 2008, IM Japan 2009, IMLP 2010, IMOZ 2011, IMTX, IMNYC 2012

What are your goals for IMFL 2013?

I'd like to go faster.  Been trying to beat my first IM time and haven't quite hit it.  I'll keep trying.

Why did you choose Ironman Florida?  

Didn't plan on doing the same IM twice but my wife is currently in work ups for a long deployment.  She'll be back just as the really long IM training hits the schedule.  (I'm a stay at home dad to 4: 8, 7, 5, 1 year olds, but they're awesome)  It was either FL or AZ, since they both sell out fast I had to try to get into FL and use AZ as a backup.

What are you most looking forward to?  Everything.  Training gets long and arduous but it's worth it.  The tough swim, bikes and runs leading up to race day.  The 3 am wakeups for a 5 hour trainer ride so I don't miss a soccer game.

Veterans, any advice you can give? Well, since I'm still in search of that perfect race I'll just say what everyone else has already said, be prepared for anything.  Good weather, bad weather, cold, heat, peeing a lot, not at all, scary moments, fantastic moments.  Everything.

The last thing you NEED to remember is that this is supposed to be FUN!  You're on BT so if you have a shot at Kona or a shot at 16:59:59, you're here for FUN.  This sport is full of awesomness, make sure you're part of that awesomness.  Remember to be awesome.

Name: Robert

What is your Ironman Resume?  This is the 1st

What are your goals for IMFL 2013? First is to finish. Second sub 12

Why did you choose Ironman Florida?  I'm on the East Coast of FL so it's somewhat close. Also living on the coast the conditions are similar. Didn't want to get myself into a hilly bike/run when I can't train on hills

What are you most looking forward to?  Everything. Want to enjoy the journey.

Veterans, any advice you can give? 0

Did you find the closest Marriott? If so which one? I also get discounts

Well said.  I think a lot of folks get wrapped around the axle and forget about the fun.  So I totally agree with that advice.  And since I forgot to add my "veteran" advice from my experience, here is mine:

Don't forget to smile, keep your eyes up, or do something cool at the finish line!  The photographers are literally right there; don't be concerned with stopping your watch.  If you want that finish line picture to adorn your walls, the last thing you want to see is you looking down at your watch fiddling with buttons!

Right now I'm looking to see what my sisters time share will cost and ge tme,  if that doesnt work out than I will talk to my brother about Marriots, and will let you know what he finds.

Add to that; thank every volunteer and police officer you come across.  Smile and enjoy the day you and your family have a lot of time and money invested in it.

Just researched it and there's a couple Marriotts there but they're about 15 minutes (according to mapquest) from the host hotel. Assuming your brother works for Marriott (discounts) the downside is we can only make reservations 3 months out.

What are people searching on VRBO.com to find condos/houses close to the start/finish

Boardwalk beach is at the site.  Shores of panama, Long boat key, and sunbird are all very close.  I don't know the condos the other direction however they are numerous and would be on the run course. Sunbird is like 99% one bedroom units tho.  You can get something in any of those for a very reasonable price any where from below $100 a night to maybe the $200 range.  Now if you want to find someting SUPER cheep you can but it will be farther away and the unit probably won't be very nice.  My reality is that the meetings I go to for work I have to drop $400 a night for a hotel so getting a 2-3BR 2bath condo on the beach with a full kitchen, laundry and nice furniture is well worth $124 a night I paid this past year.  Its all perspective. I am willing to pay for convience, location and nice.  I don't train all year for this race to be miserable in my accomedations and have tostress about driving back and forth and finding parking etc.

Yep...man 15 mins, a little farther than I want to be, well guess that will be plan b for me

Agreed. Thanks were looking for probably a 3BR place close. Where'd you find for $124? I'd call that darn cheap haha

Just for clarification it looks like on VRBO I'm looking at the Long Beach area of PCB?

I had a 2 bedroom with a bunkroom with 2.5 baths in Shores of panama.  It ended up being dirt cheep because they screwed up my resrvation for a different unit and I needed another day so they gave me 5 nights for the cost of 4.  There are good deals to be had.  You have to poke around on VRBO quite a bit and just blast out a ton of emails and see what you can get

Name: Jeff

What is your Ironman Resume?  IMOO 2007 / 2008, IMCdA 2010, IMAZ 2011, IMCOZ 2012

What are your goals for IMFL 2013?

Goal is to 'run the run'.  Can only do so by executing the swim / bike / nutrition successfully.

Why did you choose Ironman Florida?  

Checking another North American race off my list.  

What are you most looking forward to?  Finishing, then watching the 16+ hr folks finish. 

Veterans, any advice you can give? 

ECP (Beaches International Airport) is the main PCB airport.

PNS (Pensacola) may be another option depending on flight costs.  Only caveat with that is that it is about a two hour drive.  I was stationed in Pensacola for three years and always enjoyed the drive along Hwy 98 if I had work to do at Tyndall.  But that's just me.

What is your Ironman Resume?  IM Virgin

Why did you choose Ironman Florida?  It's flat; it's close to home; it's flat; good time of year for me; oh, and it's flat.

What are your goals for IMFL 2013?  1) To get to the starting line healthy; and 2) to hear "You are an IronMan!!!"

What are you most looking forward to?  The journey.

Veterans, any advice you can give?  This is not applicable to me.

What is your Ironman Resume?  Cozumel 2011, Louisville 2012

Why did you choose Ironman Florida?  Generally, it is a bit cooler race than the other two I've done. I know that wasn't the case this year, but' I'm used to the hot races if it happens again.

What are your goals for IMFL 2013?  Of course I'd like a PR. With a better nurtrition plan and a smart bike/run I think I can crack 10 hours.

What are you most looking forward to?  I will be celebrating my 30th birthday on Sunday, Nov. 3, so I thought this would be the perfect way to enjoy it.

Veterans, any advice you can give?  Enjoy the journey of getting there and then enjoy the day. Smile.

What is your Ironman Resume?  IMFL '11, '12

Why did you choose Ironman Florida?  Great race overall and great location to bring the kids.  No one complains about the missed Fall weekend events (due to training) when they know we are going to the beach and missing a few days of school!

What are your goals for IMFL 2013?  Sub-12.  Did 12:50 in 2011 and regressed in 2012 due to a nutrition meltdown. 

What are you most looking forward to?  Redemption!

Veterans, any advice you can give?  Train consistently and follow your plan.  But, have a backup plan if Plan A goes out the window - I learned this firsthand.  The nutrition went out the window early when my stomach was upset after the brutal 2012 swim - lots of waves compared to 2011.  I somehow associated my upset stomach with my Infinit and stopped drinking it!

Also, IMFL is flat, but that means very little chance to coast on your bike.  If you don't live in a place that you can do long, flat rides, learn to love your indoor trainer.  Constant spinning will build up the legs you need to spin constantly for 112 miles.

I'm in for IMFL 2013, it'll be my first and I was lucky enough to register online too! Same as some others, as soon as I hit submit I got really nervous and started questioning my sanity. I'm excited, but incredibly nervous because I've never done anything remotely close to this. Will do some Olys and HIM prior, but I'm still working out the year's race schedule.

Name: Jayne

What is your Ironman Resume?  First Timer! 

Why did you choose Ironman Florida?  Gives me enough time to train mostly. Also read it was a good course for first-timers, I like that it's flat, and I figured that with being from Texas and training during the summer the temps and humidity wouldn't be too foreign to me.

What are your goals for IMFL 2013?  To finish! Ideally under 13 hours, but just making across the line will be good enough for me.

What are you most looking forward to?  Hearing "You are an Ironman!"

"A sedentary lifestyle is a type of lifestyle with no or irregular physical activity. This is a person who goes out of their way to be lazy, rather than just lying down or watching TV when there's simply nothing else to do."

I feel like Webster's Dictionary should insert my picture after these past few months since IM Louisville.  My "off-season training cycle" has turned into a "sit on my and eat every food I have deprived myself of this last year" cycle!

I need help getting motivated, not for the 12-15 hour/week workout cycle but for the maintenance period before another training cycle starts so that I'm not starting back at square one with training.

My big question is, what gets you motivated (besides the obvious "_____, you are an Ironman")?

Not wanting to suck gets me motivated!  Time to lose the suckage.