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Ironman Florida - TriathlonFull Ironman


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Panama City Beach, Florida
United States
Ironman North America
72F / 22C
Sunny
Total Time = 11h 11m 39s
Overall Rank = 593/2200
Age Group = 30-34
Age Group Rank = 96/236
Pre-race routine:

Woke up at 4 am ate, showered, shaved. Applied my BT and butterfly (Lucy) tattoo's to my left calf. Relaxed. Quarter to 5 my wife Rowena and I walked down to the site, dropping off the bike special needs bag on the way. The flags were blowing but not with the ferocity of the days before. Went to get body marked and almost forgot my age. I guess I was caught up in the moment. Had them put BPH on my right arm for my boy Bri who was laid to rest a week ago. Rowena and I then went inside the Boardwalk Hotel to use a real bathroom one last time.

We then walked down to the beach to watch the sun rise, watch people, and relax.
Event warmup:

For a warmup I peed in my wetsuit. Then I dove in the water and got back out. I swam on Wed and Thur. On both of those days I felt strong and fast so I didn't want a bad warmup to mess with my mind. Got to say hi to Jashac and jccbulldog before the start. Hung out with my wife's co-worker Emily before the start. Then I warmed up my wetsuit one more time before the gun went off.
Swim
  • 1h 14m 50s
  • 4156 yards
  • 01m 48s / 100 yards
Comments:

I made up my mind the night before to get up front and blast out of the gate. I didn't want to lose time waiting for the masses to get going so I thought I would just jail break it at the start and go from there. It worked great. Before I knew it I was in my zone and trucking along. Did some drafting on the way out and was having a good swim. I actually saw my friend Emily pass me around the first turn and Jashac two or three times during the swim. I found that to be pretty weird. I felt like my swim could not have gone any better. It was the fastest I have ever swam when going that distance. I swam a little wide the entire time and found myself swimming in open water for the majority of the swim. I was never kicked or punched and I couldn't have been happier with the results.
What would you do differently?:

If I had to picture a perfect swim for me....this would have been it. I'll take this swim ever time.
Transition 1
  • 05m 50s
Comments:

I was very surprised that so many people were taking a Sunday stroll out of the water, through the strippers and through the showers. I had to push my way through a group of people standing in the shower like they were looking for their conditioner. Got through there, grabbed my bag and went into the tent. Wow, tons of people and too many of them naked. I spent very little time in the tent went and grabbed my bike and got moving. I had been training with my shoes on my bike but the rules did not let you do that so I laughed a little while trotting to the mount line with all the others trying their best not to slip.
What would you do differently?:

Not be as polite getting through the masses. I probably lost at least a minute trying to get through.
Bike
  • 5h 33m 17s
  • 112 miles
  • 20.16 mile/hr
Comments:

Got on the bike and got settled in early. Did a Gu and water 10 mins in and began the task of passing all those people who swam faster than me but ride slower ( 400+) Had to laugh at the people who were already drafting in two-three man teams within the first 5 miles. Whatever. Hit the first aid station and grabbed a water and gatorade. Feeling good the whole time so good that i'll skip ahead to the 40+ mile mark when a Tour de France peleton. No kidding a group of 100+ packed in and moving fast. The kicker was that the ref was right there yelling at them and they wouldn't break it up. I ended up sitting up and slowing down to about 13 mph to let them pass. Then I began eating those cheaters up one by one for the rest of the day. Pass the penalty tent and only two people were in there. Whatever. Shortly after the peleton I passed CubeFarmGopher who passed me back a bit later. I then caught up with Q for a bit then saw him stretching on the side of the road. I wouldn't see him again untill he blows by me on the run. Saw some BT'ers at the short out and back cheering, sweet.

The ride was perfect. I hoped to avg over 20mph and I did. I hoped to not feel any pain on the bike and I did not have any pain. I hoped that my nutrition worked as well as it did when I trained and it did.

The only thing I noticed that was different was a salty sweat line on my shorts. Only one time in the past year had I sweated out a salty sweat line. At the time I didn't think anything of it. I was taking in the right amount of calories, water, and gatorade. I felt great and was more than pleased with my performance so far.
What would you do differently?:

Nothing.
Transition 2
  • 03m 40s
Comments:

Off the bike and handed it to a volunteer. That was cool. Grabbed my T2 bag, ran to the tent while pulling my helmet off. Got inside, fumbled with the injinji toe socks, hat on, sunglasses on, race belt loaded with Gu on, shoes on, rubbed down with sunscreen, stopped to pee, and I was running.
What would you do differently?:

Nothing. I wanted my T1-T2 total time to be under 10min and it was.
Run
  • 4h 14m 5s
  • 26.2 miles
  • 09m 42s  min/mile
Comments:

I could not have felt better when I started the run. My goal was to run sub-4 so I knew what I needed to do and I tried to contain myself. Saw Rowena, my kids, and my parents .5 miles in. You can't beat the smiles Gracie Maddie and Chris gave me. Or seeing your wife and parents jumping up and down going absolutely nuts cheering you on. I'm telling you that you just can't beat it. I was right on track. Hit the turn around feeling great I was a bit too fast but I felt freakin awesome. Slowed it down the second 6.55 miles hit message board and got my message from Rowena "You Got This". Man I felt great I was running under 9 min miles and I was on pace to hit my super perfect day goal of sub 11. Finished my first loop in 1:51:xx giving me 2:08 to finish the last 13.1 miles. I was already smiling. By now my tri top and bottom were super salt stained. That is new for me, but I felt great and kept on moving. Ran past Rowena and the family again. Row ran with me for about 15 seconds telling me everyone of our friends were tracking me online then she said what we always say to each other..."You Got This". Said love you then turned the corner. Not 200 yards later -BAM- my right hamstring is blasted with a cramp. I stopped and stretched and it got worse then the right calf cramped. This poor little girl was right there looking at me so I just smiled and said I was fine. Got it to go away...you know, as muc as you can get a wicked cramp to go away knowing you still have a half mary to go. So within a few minutes I went from flying down the road to doing the Ironman shuffle. All of a sudden I was that guy going from aid station to aid station. Taking everything they would give, dumping ice down into my shorts so it would rest on my tight hammy. This is what it is all about right! How dare I think I could just breeze through my very first Ironman. Here was MY test. So I shuffled and stopped and stretched and shuffled, and gelled, and iced, and brothed, and cola'd, and smiled the whole freaking time.

I saw Q lighting up the freakin course. I saw Torbjorn and Bella. I saw and hugged Emily who was smoking her race. I saw Jashac, CubeFarmGopher, Coconutbug, Aimeep, Fast Cat? (bridgett?), it is great finally getting to meet people from BT.
What would you do differently?:

Well i'm going to have to figure out what was going on with all the salt, but since I had never had that problem I could not have planned for it. So I don't think I could have done anything more.
Post race
Warm down:

Crossed the finish line and was caught by a BT'er. And for the life of me I forgot your name. I can see your smiling face as you pushed the other finish line catcher out of the way and said "I know him" and the even bigger smile you gave me when I said this was my first race. Thanks.

Rowena had our kids, my parents, and our big stroller so it took a bit of time for her to get to me, but she got to see me cross the finish line and gave me her big hug as did the rest of my family. I learned that most of my friends and family across the nation were watching on their computers and texting the entire day. How cool is that!

I felt great so I went and got my T1-2 bags and my bike which was racked wrong but luckily my wife found it 3 racks away. Saw Trihardathena and her friend Rick, so sorry she got sick but she looked great and happy.

We walked back to the condo and dropped my kids and parents off. I put on some warm clothes and we walked back to the street to cheer on our friends. We saw Emily again, Sonja (forgot her BT name), Cube (again), jccbulldog-looking strong, bridgett ?, zaichikmiller, and some others but i'm forgetting their names.

What limited your ability to perform faster:

I'm thinking it was loss of salt that caused the leg cramp but I don't care. I had a great time.

Event comments:

I can't tell you how much fun this was. I'm so happy with the way everything went and I'm already planning the next one...


Profile Album


Last updated: 2007-11-04 12:00 AM
Swimming
01:14:50 | 4156 yards | 01m 48s / 100yards
Age Group: 148/236
Overall: 1136/2200
Performance: Good
Suit: Xterra Vortex 2
Course: 2 lap rectangle
Start type: Run Plus: Shot
Water temp: 70F / 21C Current: Low
200M Perf. Good Remainder: Good
Breathing: Good Drafting: Average
Waves: Navigation: Average
Rounding: Average
T1
Time: 05:50
Performance: Good
Cap removal: Good Helmet on/
Suit off:
Yes
Wetsuit stuck? No Run with bike: No
Jump on bike:
Getting up to speed: Good
Biking
05:33:17 | 112 miles | 20.16 mile/hr
Age Group: 92/236
Overall: 716/2200
Performance: Good
Avg HR 135 Max 164 8691 calories burned
Wind: Little
Course: 1 loop
Road: Smooth Dry Cadence: 92
Turns: Good Cornering: Good
Gear changes: Good Hills: Good
Race pace: Comfortable Drinks: Just right
T2
Time: 03:40
Overall:
Riding w/ feet on shoes Good
Jumping off bike Good
Running with bike Good
Racking bike
Shoe and helmet removal Good
Running
04:14:05 | 26.2 miles | 09m 42s  min/mile
Age Group: 90/236
Overall: 640/2200
Performance: Good
Avg HR 137 Max 152 Calories burned 3789
Course: 2 loop out and back
Keeping cool Good Drinking Just right
Post race
Weight change: %
Overall: Good
Mental exertion [1-5] 5
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: Good
Race evaluation [1-5] 5

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2008-11-03 10:39 AM

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Master
2468
20001001001001002525
Muskego, Wisconsin
Subject: Ironman Florida


2008-11-03 10:55 AM
in reply to: #1783291

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Subject: RE: Ironman Florida

Congratualtins, and way to go for your first.  Glad you had such an awesome day! 

2008-11-03 10:59 AM
in reply to: #1783291

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Champion
19812
50005000500020002000500100100100
MA
Subject: RE: Ironman Florida

Congratulation Ironman!!!

It was my husband, Britney (TxMPGal), and I on the out and back cheering you and everyone on. I was your catcher..you were beaming and did amazing!

Amazing first IM.

2008-11-03 12:54 PM
in reply to: #1783291

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Extreme Veteran
398
100100100252525
Southeastern Michigan
Subject: RE: Ironman Florida
Congrats on a great first IM!
2008-11-03 1:00 PM
in reply to: #1783291

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Elite
2998
2000500100100100100252525
Fishers, Indiana
Subject: RE: Ironman Florida
Yep, Kathy's right....you were beaming when you came across that line, I had the tape for you there and with the Farmer's top it was hard to miss you! Your smile was priceless, way to go and push through it all!! Awesome job Ironman!
2008-11-03 2:00 PM
in reply to: #1783291

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Elite
3683
20001000500100252525
Whispering Pines, North Carolina
Subject: RE: Ironman Florida

Congrats, Ironman! Good to go and glad you didn't join that peloton. How do you enforce that, you know?

Penalty box for you (x100)...



2008-11-03 3:39 PM
in reply to: #1783291

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Veteran
123
100
Jacksonville, FL
Subject: RE: Ironman Florida
Great race! Congratulations!
2008-11-03 3:44 PM
in reply to: #1783291

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Elite
3002
20001000
HURRICANE, Utah
Subject: RE: Ironman Florida
So good to meet you! You had a wonderful race...way to go!
2008-11-03 6:32 PM
in reply to: #1783291

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Champion
7704
50002000500100100
Williamston, Michigan
Subject: RE: Ironman Florida
AWESOME AWESOME JOB!!! congratulations
2008-11-04 11:59 AM
in reply to: #1783291

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Expert
986
500100100100100252525
Michiana
Subject: RE: Ironman Florida

Congrats on a really solid race.

 

You are an IRONMAN!!!

2008-11-04 6:40 PM
in reply to: #1783291

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Extreme Veteran
562
5002525
Subject: RE: Ironman Florida
Congratulations Chris!  One of these days we'll have to meet up here locally for a race or a training day.


2008-11-04 6:58 PM
in reply to: #1783291

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Extreme Veteran
333
10010010025
Subject: RE: Ironman Florida
Chris--you ROCK! That was a hilarious race report and it is so apparent you had such a great day! I can't wait to see what you do next! Awesome job out there, cramp and all!
2008-11-06 4:25 PM
in reply to: #1787892

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Master
2468
20001001001001002525
Muskego, Wisconsin
Subject: RE: Ironman Florida

KendallF - 2008-11-04 7:40 PM Congratulations Chris!  One of these days we'll have to meet up here locally for a race or a training day.

 

I think I missed our window.  They're packing up my stuff for our move to Japan.  Maybe if we get back here in 3 years. 

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