It happened!!!!!!! IRONMAN is back and I was there for it!!!!!!!!
IMFL2020 was an amazing experience!!!! Arrived in PCB Wednesday night. After a quick OWS Thursday morning, headed to IM Village to check in. Yes, everything was different in 2020, but IM had spent a lot of time and energy to come up with safety protocols and they got everything right. Had a designated check in time. Village was open to athletes only. After checking in, waited in line for the IM store. All IMFL stuff was available online only, so not much here. There were only a handful of vendors in the village so in and out pretty quickly.
Friday morning, I did a swim-bike-run. All systems were go. Checked in bike and had a pasta dinner at Carrabbas. To bed early.
Woke and was ready and out the door by 3:15 am. Got to transition and everything was pretty different here. Once in (had to have on a mask and got my temp taken), we stayed at our bike until we were called for the swim. No transition tents and our bags were at our bikes. Made a few new IM friends and then headed off for the swim. We were walked down to the beach and put into corrals for our turn to start – I think they did 3 athletes per minute. I went into the water around 6:30. Breakers weren’t awful – got into a rhythm. Then quickly realized there was a pretty serious chop and swell. Sometimes I would try to site and all I could see was the wall of water in front of me. Just keep swimming I told myself. At the turn, much easier, but when turned again, the chop was back. Swam into the shore and then got out for the beach run and to get back in for loop 2. This time, I could see the breakers were bigger. Started swimming and got hit by a huge wave – it knocked my backwards and knocked my googles off. Fortunately I had learned from my trip down here 2 weeks ago to put them under my cap. Stood up and put them back on but salt water in my eyes and realized pretty quickly I still had some water in my left google. Just had to deal with it so got back at trying to get thru this loop. When I finished, I knew this was not going to be a swim PR but when I stood up, a guy (Sam) next to me gave me a fist pump and told me he had swam with me that loop. That made me feel better. Long run back to transition. Saw teammate Neils group at swim out and loved their support! Looking at my swim results after the race, I swam super straight even with the swell and only swam 50 yards long – other IM races I have swam 200-300 long – so that was positive!
Really happy I had water at transition to wash off the sand (IM showers were kind of lame). Got ready and got out on the bike.
Coach had told me to go out under 100 watts and just take it easy. Got over the big bridge (the day’s only serious hill) and then turned east into the wind. I knew to expect this and had planned for it. Coach told me can’t outpower the wind. So I patiently just paid attention to my power as told. So if you know me, I just said I was patient. Stop laughing…….. I knew my speed was slow but if I didn’t hold my power where I was suppose to, this day would be just like IMTX2019 and I didn’t want that again. Since just one loop, this ride was pretty quiet. At the end of this east segment, there was an out and back where we had two way traffic so good to see more people. North segment was tough too (winds were E-NE 15). FINALLY got to mile 40 and the turn onto 20. All of a sudden, I was going 27 mph. Yipeeeeee!!!! Started flying by people and life was GOOD. Made it to special needs and yes, this was my only stop for the day. This is my first 112 with only one stop. WHOOOP!!!!!! Refilled nutrition, went the BR, grabbed my PB&J and was outta there quickly. The next turn north onto 77 meant back into the wind. And a false flat much like IMAZ. Finally the turnaround and miles 76-100 FLEW by because I was flying. Made up time and speed and the hope of a bike PR came back to life. Back at PCB with 12 miles to go. Lots of car traffic (this was an open course) and jigging and jogging out of neighborhoods. Bike nutrition was PERFECT and zero stomach issues!!!! When back, had to rack our own bikes. Got in and out pretty quick and was on the run.
This was two loops of 13 miles – just straight down the PCB strip and back and do it again. We were on the shoulder of the road for most of it. Not dark when I started yet – I think about 3:30 pm. Ran the first 13 miles – took a gel block per mile and was drinking from a handheld. Aid stations were only every 2 miles on this course, but I wasn’t taking anything from the course. Was walking the aid stations. Pace was a little slower here then planned. First loop was 2:45. My lower back was hurting (not really sure why – I guess because I was in aero?) and quads were not so happy with me. Saw David when I got to 13. So this is where I failed a little. By this time, I had eaten 6 packages of gel blocks. I wasn’t sick but the mere thought of another gel block made me want to punch something. So I threw my handheld away. Was thinking how the heck am I going to finish up the last 13 miles? I stopped and went to the BR to refocus and then started out again. The walks out of the aid stations got a little longer. Somehow made it to the turnaround at 18.5. Really great support on the course from spectators but it was getting dark by this point – outside and in my head. All day I had smiled and been so happy to be doing this. Now I was just getting exhausted and I was running out of fuel. Remembered that one of my USAT Ambassador friends Becky had told me pre-race to “dig deep” and my friend Gaby’s mantra “but did you die” – LOL. So many things going thru my mind on that dark road. Then all of a sudden Neil’s sherpa Brandon shows up on his bike during one of my longer walking sessions. He rode with me for about .25 mile – was I sick? what hurt? could I run? Because Neil was just ahead…… Not sure he will understand how much that helped me. So, scrapped up everything left inside of me and started running and this time didn’t stop. Found Neil about mile 25 and he was surrounded by his wife and my teammate Sherra and his friends – their cheers were amazing!!!! Found the strength to get back to sub 11 minute miles that final stretch. Then turned into Pier Park and road to the quiet finish line. Mike Reilly had a bathroom break when I crossed, but honestly at that point, so happy to be done. Very different finish line experience, but it was 100% fine.
Had to get my own bike out of transition (new with COVID) and found David.
Was happy to finish the run in under 6 hours. Was SUPER happy with my bike PR even with the wind. So overall, this is an IM PR for me. Even with having to rack my own bike and no help in transitions – that was probably about 7-10 minutes of extra time.
Minus the wind – the weather was PERFECT! Overcast and not hot.
SO GRATEFUL to IRONMAN and all of the amazing volunteers who made this race happen. I learned a lot and got to do what I love. Very very happy with the entire experience and looking forward to many more races in 2021.
ironcheryl2018 