Ironman Florida 2020 - As a volunteer / spectator

 

I've been trying to get all my thoughts together before writing this post.  However, I feel that will never happen and I'll surely leave out some detail and remember it later.  😛  2020 has been a very challenging year when it comes to races.  I can't remember exactly when I heard about this kid, well I probably shouldn't call him a kid, he is 21, that would be doing the Florida Ironman with down syndrome.  I started following his post on Instagram and the more I read the more I wanted to go see him.  But I kept holding off officially booking a room because I figured the race would never happen like so many other races that had either been canceled or postponed till 2021 due to COVID.  However, a couple of weeks prior to race date, the town Mayor had approved the race and everything looked like it was going to happen so I started looking for a room.  Well, everything close ON the beach was anywhere from $300 + a night.  I didn't want to pay that especially since I was not racing and I would not have family there that I would want to be close to race site, so I ended up booking a hotel off the beach for only $125 a night.  Huge difference!  BUT I did not have a beach view and I had to drive to race site.  It really wasn't that bad and the drive was quick and easy, but I sure did miss waking up and opening my window and seeing the beach. 😀  

The closer it got to race day the more I read about them asking for volunteers.  Apparently due to COVID, people were scared to help out.  I hadn't really thought much about volunteering at an Ironman b4, but seeing as how they kept saying it was not going to be a spectator friendly event due to COVID, I decided what the heck.   So I signed up to volunteer and hoped that would also give me a chance to see Chris, the down syndrome guy race and also give me another perspective on the race.  AND it did. 😁  I must say that I was happy to see how Ironman handled all the new "COVID" regulations.  They had time slots for athletes to check in so there was never a crowd.  It really was nice, except I did miss the big crowds in the Ironman village shopping and all talking about the race.  It was very quiet!  And there were signs everywhere that said "no spectators".  They also told us volunteers a million times how they did not want spectators all around.  Several volunteers were assigned the duty of "crowd control".  I was glad I was not one of them because I could have not told a family to get back when I know 1st hand how they are there to cheer their athlete.  Well, I guess I could have if it was my duty, but I sure would not have liked it. 😃

I worked athlete check-in on Friday.  It went very smoothly.  They had plenty of space, gloves, hand sanitizer, and plex glass keeping everyone apart. 😜  And it was ALL outside.  I worked with a group of ladies that had volunteered all week.  They were all retired and part of a women's group there in Florida that helps every year!  Saturday, race day, I worked the half ironman swim extraction group.  Luckily only one lady had to be removed from the race and a life guard and one of the guys brought her out so I basically just watched the whole time.  Pretty easy job.. but very tiring sitting and waiting. 😅  I did however, really enjoy being up close and personal watching the athletes.   AND you know the beach is pretty big so there was no way that they could really keep all spectators off the beach.  But it was NOTHING like normal.  Usually you can be right up real close to the swimmers as they start.   Not this year.  DANG COVID.   and there was a big pier (you'll see in my pics) that the swimmers swam around, but they would not let any spectators on the pier expect the ones that had purchased VIP arm bands for $$$$$! 😡  AND even though there were "no spectators" signs all over, the families found ways around the town to see their athletes and it wasn't near as bad as I thought it would be based on what they had told us volunteers.  I was thinking it would be a ghost town.  They had even sent emails to athletes telling them it would not be a spectator friendly race so many told their families to stay home.  😢  I did see some cute shirts on some spectators that I wish I had taken a picture of.  They said #NOT SPECTATING ..😆

Now to the race.  Even though I was not working the full ironman swim start at 6am, I went to watch so I was up at 4am like everyone else.  I'm not sure I mentioned it, but because the half ironman in May was postponed due to COVID, they combined the full and half together!  The full started at 6am and the half started at 11am.  However, due to COVID there were only 1,600 full participants and 350  half participants!  When I saw that I could have kicked myself for not at least doing the half!  At check-in I only saw a handful of women check in!  Oh well, I had taking off from racing Ironman TRIs in 2020 to do several big marathons .. which all got canceled when COVID hit so basically I only raced for 3 months of the year and then boom everything was shut down. 😞  I am so happy that Florida happened in November. 🙏  and it was a historical event with Chris finishing the ironman as the first Down Syndrome person.  I was wore out from being there all day and realized how tired my family must of been when I did the full and they followed me around all day. 😍  I even called my mom and told her she deserved a gold medal. 💓

It was a beautiful day on race day.  A tad warmer than normal.  No one was wearing a jacket and scarf like the year before. 😆  The ocean was pretty calm.  I did hear a few racers say it was a tad choppy, but nothing major.  The sun was out full force for the bike and run portion.  

What an inspiration Chris was and is for so many!! AND his guides are also amazing people!  I am so thrilled I was there in person to witness his journey on race day.  He is an IRONMAN now!  Welcome to the club Chris!  As they say, you have now earned bragging rights forever. 😍  Many have no idea what it took for Chris to complete his journey... but many do.   See with Down Syndrome Chris also has hypotonia, which is low muscle tone and makes muscles “floppy.” Which usually leads to months and months of kids learning to do something simple as run or ride a bike. It takes them much longer to learn and do stuff that a kid without Down Syndrome can do. This is just part of the reason it is so monumental for Chris.

The mental and physical discipline it took for Chris to get to this point cannot be understated. The 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, 26.2 mile run over 16+ consecutive hours. It’s incredible for him! I've been there myself and even though you may of trained for months, there is a HUGE part on race day that is mental and my hat goes off to Chris and all the athletes that raced on Saturday! You all have joined the ranks of less than 1% of the population.

Seeing Chris and being at the race has inspired me again also. Well, secretively I've been wanting to do Chatty again for redemption. I'm just not sure when I'll do it. It's already sold out for 2021 because it was canceled this year and everyone rolled their registration to 2021. However, I want to go back at some point. I can't tell you how many times I think about missing that bike cutoff and then not going on and running the marathon without a timing chip.. just to finish what I was there to do!!! It haunts me! Because I swam in 1:28 and beat the 2:20 time limit, I ASSUMED I had plenty of time to stop at aid stations on the bike and not push hard on the bike! WRONG assumption! My heart rate was crazy on the bike so I did not bike hard, but I just assumed I was fine with time. I never looked at time of day for that cut off time that you had to be in on the bike by. I won't make that assumption again! and here's just another thing that haunts me... because I started in the back with the wetsuits (it was wetsuit optional), I didn't have as much time as the ones that started first! Here are my times below compared to Chris' times and they pulled my timing chip... which many don't realize that Chatty has a different time limit. The time limit at Chatty is 16 hours 30 minutes, where other ironman races have a time limit of 17 hours... PLUS Chatty bike is 4 miles longer so you actually have to do 144.6 miles total in a shorter time limit!

I only look at my time compared to others to remind MYSELF that if I had started in the middle or closer to the front of the swimmers instead of back of the pack with the wetsuits, I would have made the bike time cutoff and I could have went on to run the marathon at Chatty and hopefully finished the race. We tend to learn something from every race we do. 😍

The bike cutoff for Chatty is 10 hours after the LAST swimmer has started the swim. And it also states that you have to be in from bike by 6:10pm to continue on to the run segment. So depending on how fast they get swimmers in the water... you may or may not have that 10 hours... you have to beat that 6:10pm time limit. I think I arrived in at 6:14pm! For Florida the athlete guide reads a tad different. It says the bike course will end 10 hours 30 mins after the LAST swimmer has entered the water.. there is no bike end time listed like the 6:10 pm for Chatty, So I would have made it in Florida with my times from Chatty. You just really have to read ALL the rules for each race and know them and pay attention to them while racing.

I am very thankful that I went on to Florida just 2 months later after my attempt at Chatty and did complete my first full Ironman in 2019.. and that my bike time was much faster in Florida 😍.. but Chatty will always be on my mind... Maybe in 2022 when races aren't full from all the transfers from 2020, I can go back... guess we'll see 😏 You are never too old! I saw an 83 year old at the race this past weekend! He was amazing!

Here are a few pictures I took:  

At the Expo where I worked athlete check-in ... I had to get a pic with the poster and also buy one of Chris' shirts!  You really need to check out his website.  Now that he has accomplished Ironman, he is setting new goals for 2021 and hopes to continue inspiring others just like him.  

The night before the race!

  

My check in post for race day... Swim safety crew

We had plenty of swim safety.  The volunteers are amazing! and after watching all the safety videos and attending a virtual training to be able to volunteer for the swim, I have more respect for those volunteers that are out there.  They really are out there to help you if you need it!  

Below is Chris coming out of the 1st loop on the swim and his guide checking their time.  They are headed back in for the 2nd loop. 

Chris coming in from the 112 mile bike ride. 

Chris and his guides heading out on the run.... 26.2 miles!

Chris coming in to the finish under the 17 hour time limit! 16:46!  If you have doubts that you can do something like an Ironman.. just go check out Chris' page.   You can do anything you set your mind on! 

I can't believe it's mid November already and 2020 is almost over..... time to start thinking about goals for me for 2021.  However, I had so many goals in 2020 that did not happen!  I really .. really wanted to do Yellowstone, Big Sur and Chicago marathons!  I guess sometimes in life we have to just take it one day at a time.  We had no idea back when we were toasting in the new year that COVID would hit and all our races would be canceled.  I am blessed to have done 3 marathons this year (January - Louisiana, February - Mercedes, & March - MS50).  All between Jan - March. LOL   Some people only manage 1 a year so I should not complain about COVID too much.  I do plan to get in one more in December... My virtual for St. Jude and I plan to do it at the Miss Gulf Coast Marathon... so that will be a total of 4 for 2020.   Yeah Me. 🙏 Philippians 4:13!

I was reminded this past weekend of how much I have missed racing and also how AMAZING our communities really are!  I LOVED hearing people cheering for people they didn't even know.  In the racing world we are ONG BIG family.  Doesn't matter if you are red, yellow, black or white .... we ALL cheer for each other!  Please bring on the races for 2021! 🙏