2.4 mile swim: 38:29 (current assisted)
T1: 5:09
116 mile bike: 4:56
T2: 3:34
26.2 mile run: 3:16.03
Total: 8:59.57, 1st AG 45-49, 5th overall
Karel turned 47 on Friday. For the past 17 years, I make sure to show Karel how much he is loved and appreciated on his birthday. Karel is struggling with the idea of getting older as it's also a reminder of the passing of time. But the wonderful thing about a birthday is to see how far we've come, to celebrate achievements and to look ahead to future milestones.
Over the past year, Karel has completed a 5-day gravel stage race, a 6-day mountain bike stage race, two Xterra triathlons and several 6+ hour bike events. Despite getting older, he can still celebrate doing something for the first time.
On Sunday, Karel completed his 17th Ironman in Chattanooga, TN. His last road triathlon was 14 months ago.
He went into the race with zero expectations, a great amount of endurance, experience and strength and the excitement of the unknown. Throughout the race, I gave Karel updates on his age group and overall status. With a fast swim current, he completed the 2.4 mile swim in 38 minutes. He was a bit rusty in transition one (5 minutes). He had so much fun on his new bike (Cervelo P5) which he bought a few weeks ago. For the first time in many years, he didn't have any back pain while riding. He was able to push the bike to his current fitness potential and feel like he was actually racing. Karel found himself near the front of the 116 mile, ~5000 feet elevation gain bike course as he remained in the top ten overall and leading his age group (45-49) by a few minutes for 4 hours and 56 minutes. After a speedy ~3 min transition 2, Karel set off on the run. Because of his off-road focus over the past two years, Karel has felt like his road running fitness has declined over the years. But with no expectations, he used his experience to manage the warm conditions (80's F), focused on fueling/hydrating to keep his body functioning well and kept a clear and present mind. Three hours and 16 minutes later, Karel moved his way up in the overall leaderboard and extended his age group lead. I didn't want to overwhelm Karel with numbers but instead, my support during the race was all about helping him stay focused on what he could control. The outcome would take care of itself by managing the important details.
As Karel ran down the finishing line chute, he couldn't believe what he heard and saw. Not only did he place 5th overall male and 1st in his age group but he went under 9 hours in an Ironman....by three seconds!! His total time was 8:59.57. A dream goal that eludes several male long distance triathletes and one that Karel has wanted to achieve for many years. He thought this goal was no longer a reality due to his age, his struggles with his back and finding a passion for off-road racing but the no expectations mindset worked.
A dream come true.
We often remind our athletes that no expectations = no disappointments.
The intense pressure, anxiety and stress that athletes feel going into a race often comes from having expectations.
Disappointment happens when hopes, goals, beliefs, assumptions aren’t achieved. As we have learned through failure and defeat, you can go into a race fit, healthy and prepared but that doesn't mean that you will perform well. Expectations are projections into the future and sport doesn’t have guarantees.
Expectations are using/thinking the word “should” when it comes to metrics, places or feelings.
Expectations are believing that to have a great race, everything needs to go smoothly.
Expectations are getting frustrated or upset when things don’t go as planned.
No expectations doesn’t mean low expectations.
Karel removed the pressure, the shoulds and the need to prove something on race day. He raced with the focus on the process and let the outcome take care of itself.
No Expectations = No Dissapointments
"It’s been 14 months since I did a road triathlon. My last race was Ironman Lake Placid 2022 and since then, I have been enjoying different types of endurance adventures.
I did a few Xterra off road triathlons, gravel and mountain bike endurance and stage races and I supported Marni in her two Xtreme triathlons.
A few months ago, I decided to register for Ironman Chattanooga to see if my aging body could still do the distance. To be honest, I thought my best racing days were behind me as I've been struggling with back and hip pain for several years, and not enjoying the other not-so-fun parts of getting older like not being able to train and recover like I used to. But I still enjoy triathlon and I wanted to see how I could stack up to my younger self, and the other competitors. I had no expectations, no nerves and no specific Ironman training. I relied on my experience and went into the race curious about my current level of fitness.
Although I didn’t specifically train for this Ironman, I never stopped “triathlon training." My training and racing over the past two years has been different, and in many ways, even more challenging than my traditional long course triathlon training. I knew I was fit and healthy and I was excited to race.
I picked Ironman Chattanooga because of the great vibe of the town, the course, the volunteers and the city that supports this race. I also enjoy racing with our Trimarni athletes.
I surprised myself with a great race, going sub 9 hrs for the first time (by three seconds) and besting my time from 2017 (when I was 2nd overall amateur). I won my age group and placed 5th overall.
It was also my birthday weekend, I turned 47 on Friday and this race shows me that I can still mix it up in the overall rankings (with the young kids) and that I can still compete at the top of my age group.
This course features a very fast downstream swim (which is good for weaker swimmers) but the 4 extra miles on the 5000+ feet rolling bike course, and very exposed and hilly run course in the heat and humidity can easily erase what is gained from the super fast swim. It was very toasty out there on Sunday, with no clouds in the sky.
I was mentally prepared for how uncomfortable racing an Ironman can be and I was prepared to deal with the difficult moments. I always expect the low moments but never know when and how many times they will occur.
I’m thankful that my body allowed me to have a strong race. I used my past experiences racing this distance and my willingness to dig deep when things get hard. Thanks Marni for the amazing support and all the athletes on our amazing Trimarni team!
Thank you all!"