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2024 Season Recap - An emotional year



The end of the year is a natural stopping point for reflection. 

If I had to give an award to each of our races/events/travels: 
🇮🇹 Favorite country visited: Italy
🥘 Best food: South Africa
✈️ Best travel experience: Virgin Atlantic Upper Class Lounge (Heathrow)
🇿🇦 Most unique race experience: Xterra South Africa
🇿🇦 Most memorable race experience: 4-stage MTB PE PLETT
🚲 Most humbling race: Whitewater Off-Road Triathlon
🌴 Favorite team race: IM 70.3 Gulf Coast
🚲 Favorite bike course: Xterra Oak Mountain
🔥 Most fun racing experience: Lakeside double sprint
❄️ Most memorable finish line: The Stone extreme triathlon (Karel)
🥇 Most surprising race result: IM 70.3 Louisville
🇳🇴 Favorite open water swim: XTRI Norseman
🚂 Favorite run course: Ironman Chattanooga
🚴🏻‍♀️ Best day on the bike: Gavia to Stelvio to Gavia - 8:43 ride time. 105.22 miles, 17,261 feet gained.
🇲🇽 Most fun trip: Cozumel
🇧🇪 Bucket list race: Paris Roubaix (Karel)


TRAVEL
We traveled more than ever before. 
  • London
  • South Africa
  • Belgium (Karel)
  • Czech (Karel)
  • Norway
  • Italy (twice) 
  • Switzerland 
  • Kona (Karel)
  • Cozumel 
I love international travel. I really enjoy the experience of immersing myself into a different culture and engaging with the local customs, traditions, food and people. We combined our love for travel with racing. There's a lot of logistics (and stressors) that come with traveling for a race but after several years, I feel we have developed a good system (Karel takes care of the bikes, I take care of the travel logistics).

RACING
I raced nine times and Karel raced ten times. We competed in mountain biking, off-road triathlon, stage racing, sprint triathlon, gravel racing, extreme triathlon and road triathlon. 
Karel completed his first extreme triathlon in Ponte di Legno, Italy in June (The Stone) and completed his second extreme triathlon in Livigno, Italy in September. I finally checked off the Norseman XTRI and crossed the finish line in August. We really enjoy the extreme triathlon events because they challenge us in different ways compared to the standard long distance triathlon. We also enjoy the self-support aspect in that we both get to support one another throughout the event (and finish together). 
I surprised myself with the overall female win at Louisville 70.3 (in my home state) and shocked myself with the overall amateur female win at IM Chattanooga.

HEALTH
I am really proud of my body for staying healthy and injury free over the past 6 years. Karel has struggled with his health a lot this year. He is experiencing a lot more aches and pains in his body (specifically his back) and he tore his medial meniscus in October and will be getting surgery on January 9th. He struggled with long Covid in August and September. 
With physical health comes mental health and I have really struggled with the passing of Campy in July. My life will never be the same. I miss Campy so much and I still can't look at his pictures without crying. We also really miss Madison, who passed away 12 weeks after Campy. 

I exceeded my expectations at almost every race and I find myself getting stronger and faster with age but this year was more than just the wins and accomplishments. This year has been a true test of resilience. Karel and I were challenged in many different ways and we were tested over and over again. 

As we look ahead to 2025, there is excitement and uncertainty. This past year has shown us what we are capable of achieving and overcoming. We look forward to new challenges, new countries, new events to conquer and new comfort zones to stretch. 

JANUARY/FEBRUARY
8-hours in London en route to South Africa

Xterra South Africa 


Karel - 2:49, 1st AG
Marni - 3:08, 5th female 

4-stage MTB PE PLETT

Karel - 3rd solo male, 11:03.43
Marni - 1st solo female, 11:36.56
157 miles of mountain biking and 13,000+ feet of climbing over four days.

MARCH
Paris Roubaix Challenge (Karel)



APRIL
Whitewater Off-Road Triathlon 



Karel - 2:15.59, 2nd overall
Marni - 2:45.32, 2nd overall female

MAY
Ironman 70.3 Gulf Coast 

Marni: 4:40.18, 2nd AG (40-44), 4th overall female.
Karel:: 4:18.04, 1st AG (45-49), 15th overall.


Xterra Oak Mountain 

Marni: 3:07, Overall female amateur 2x, North American Champion
Karel: 2:53.02, 1st AG, North American Champion

JUNE
Lakeside Double Sprint Triathlon (Marni)

Total Time: 1:25.40, 1st Overall Female. 9th Overall

The Stone Xtreme Triathlon (Karel)

14:40, 7th overall
2.4 mile swim in the dark (4am race start)
109 miles of biking and 13,576 feet elevation gain covering Aprica, Mortirolo and Gavia pass
21.8 miles of running and 7830 feet elevation gain, starting in Ponte di Legno and finishing at Passo Paridiso



AUGUST
Norseman XTRI World Championship (Marni)

2.4 mile swim: 1:06.03 (3rd female out of the water)
111 mile bike (10,819 feet): 6:43 (6:38 riding time, 9th female)
26 mile run (5,709 feet): 5:26.33
Total: 13:23.43, 9th female, first female American

Ironman 70.3 Louisville 

Marni: 4:45 - Overall female 
Karel - 4:33 - 2nd AG 


SEPTEMBER 
ICON Xtri (Karel)


15:14 - 16th overall
2.4 mile swim, 123 mile bike, 24 mile run: ~18,000 feet elevation gain, 5 mountain passes, including the iconic 48 switchbacks on the Stelvio pass. 

Quick visit to Zurich, Switzerland 


Ironman Chattanooga

Cancelled swim
8:17.13, Overall female amateur 
(4:40 bike, 3:33 run)

Race support in Kona (Karel)

Race support in Cozumel 



Other events....
Adding Mia to our family 
Saying good bye to Campy
Saying good bye to Madison 
Adopting Sunny
Gravel Skills Camp
MTB Skills Camp 
Early Season Camp 
Hurricane Helene



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