Chapter 53: IMFL Race Recap, Part 4 (Post-Race and Final Thoughts)

 

I AM AN IRONMAN!

    12 hours, 33 minutes, and 20 seconds from crossing the starting line mat in the sand and swimming 2.4 miles, biking 112 and then “cooling down” with a 26.2-mile run to hitting the finish line under the arch with my name and time displayed.  I heard my name called with those magical words in an Ironman race, had Julie and Dad in the finish line area to greet me, and came to the realization that I actually did this thing!  What a ride.  Here is the final installment of my race recap, with the post-race activities, and final thoughts as I wrap up THIS journey.

Crossing the Finish Line:

  

    Once Julie caught me at the finish line, she had a bottle of water for me (with no cap so they didn’t have bottle caps everywhere!) and she walked me through the finish line area.  I had my finisher’s medal put around my neck, and a finisher’s hat and long-sleeve finisher’s hoodie shirt handed to me.  At the time, I truly thought I was fully aware of what was going on, but when I look at the pictures and think back to the first 5 minutes after the race, I’m not sure I was all the way there! I knew what was going on, but there was some serious race brain happening! After working IM Chattanooga's finish line, it was odd to be on the receiving end of the volunteer assistance.  And, I might add, I had the hottest volunteer ever seen at an Ironman event.  Hopefully I see her at many more to come.

    

    As I got through the finisher’s area, I began to come around with my senses and was able to get some pics with Julie and Dad, and hit the official race photo spot.  I had made sure to bring my Olathe West HS banner to rep OW, Public Safety, and the OW Tri Club.  Then I had a choice.  Turn right to the medical tent or left to the athlete food.  I was in no need of medical attention (I actually felt pretty good physically, just mentally drained) so he made the left to through the food tent.  In there they had some rice and meat, veggies, and mac-and-cheese.  It all smelled great, so I grabbed a plate.  And a Coke!  We found a table towards the back of the athlete, and I sat down for only the 2^nd time in 12-1/2 hours not counting sitting on my bike.  I took one noodle of the mac-and-cheese, and NOPE!  Wasn’t going to happen.  My brain was telling me I was hungry, but my body wasn’t going to have any of it quite yet! 

    I got a couple of phone calls from my sister, Catharine, and my good friend James Abbott.  It meant a lot to me to have them call and congratulate me on my finish.  Later, James told me that I wasn’t really coherent in my responses to him and sounded like I was drunk. I promise you, James, that was not the case!  But I was still in a bit of a stupor just trying to recover.    

    One really cool part of my post-race time was meeting Kristen Keane from the Everyday Ironman Podcast group who drove down from her home to cheer for me and Layne Argyle.  Kristen came back to the athlete food area and I got to meet her in person. She and Julie had been texting back and forth throughout the day and Julie had asked me the night before who this person was.  I just said “I have no idea!”  Kind of a humorous conversation as I couldn’t tell Julie a lot about her. But as Kristen came up to me, it was like we had known each other for a long time.  Funny how triathlon naturally bonds people together.  She was awesome and asked me how I was feeling.  I honestly told her that I felt great, but probably needed to throw up!  We laughed about that, but then I asked to be excused for a minute, found a nearby trashcan, and cleared out my gut of Coke, electrolytes, and chicken broth.  And then I felt great!!!  We had a great conversation for a while and then she had to start heading back home.  It turned out that Kristen was the one who recorded me ringing the first-timer bell right before the finish line and sent that to Julie. Thanks so much for coming down to see me finish, Kristen.  And good luck in ALL of your future endeavors, races, and life.  I love this sport. 

    Once I regained some mental composure, it was time to pick up my bike and gear bags. Julie went to a pizza place for the free personal pizzas that were being provided for volunteers.  Dad and I went to pick up my bike (again, the volunteer shirt got him in with no question asked) and we walked the ¼ mile back to the condo. My legs were tired and sore, but no more than anything I’ve felt before.  It was strange to still hear names being called, see runners making the turn to start their second loop of the run, and know that I had already done all of that and was finished. It still didn’t feel real. 

    I was able to get a long hot shower, and then put all my race clothes in the laundry and rinsed out my wetsuit and hung that up outside to dry.  Then it was time to sit and do nothing. By this time, I was back to my normal mental state (that might be up for debate) and I sat down on the couch to look through my text messages, comments from the Discord group of the podcast, and from Facebook.  I called Chad Koerner and talked to him for a bit as well.  Oh, and Game 7 of the World Series was on.  Julie got back from the pizza place and I ate a couple of slices of pizza. I didn’t have any stomach issues, and it felt good to have something solid in my system.  I made it through the rest of the extra-innings game to see the Dodgers win another title, then it was time to try and sleep. 

The Day After:

    

    Sleep didn’t come easy.  I was pretty antsy, and my mind wouldn’t shut down.  I tossed and turned most of the night, or at least that’s how it felt.  My Garmin was charging overnight, so I didn’t get any sleep metrics.  The good news was that Sunday morning was time-change Sunday, so we got an extra hour of sleep!  Awards and World Championship slots were at 9:00, so we headed down to the park where I had checked in several days before. This time, my walk was quite a bit slower, but we made it. I had my croc socks on as I had friends running the NYC Marathon that morning, and those socks have become a weekly tradition/superstition for race days! Ash and Broccoli Rob are now NYC Marathon Finishers. Great job, my friends!

    The awards ceremony was inspiring as I got to see the athletes who put their all into this race and come out in the top of their age groups.  Of course, everyone on the course gives it their all, but there are those that are extremely fast!  And then to see the excitement as athletes earned their place in the 2026 World Championship in Kona, Hawaii.  This is the ultimate experience that every Ironman competitor would love to have.  Congrats to all who earned that slot.  I was close.  Only 496 slots away.  I just can’t figure out why all of those in front of me didn’t decline and give me my shot!  I was able to recap some with Layne before starting the slow walk back to the condo.  Layne, congrats on a great race time--you are the official Everyday Ironman Podcast Florida champion.  I came in second, so I’m OK with that! 

    

    I want to give a shout out to Cynthia and Ruth from Team Rocket Tri for taking 3^rd and 4^th place respectively in their age groups!  Great job ladies, and I will forever hold a special place in my heart for Team Rocket Tri, especially when I wear the running shirt! 

    Julie and I took one more walk on the beach (because, why not?!).  The pier was back in business for fishing.  The water was back to perfectly calm, no waves, and crystal clear.  I’m not complaining about the race day conditions, but man! The day after was amazing.  I enjoyed just keeping my legs moving while walking in the water.  I came across two large jellyfish. Glad those guys didn’t make an appearance the day before.  A couple of young ladies were looking at the jellyfish in the water so as any good Kansas guy would do, I picked it up so they could see it closer. 

Crazy Volunteer Friends

    We took Dad to the airport and came back to the park for the volunteer banquet.  More free good food and some fun times being able to sit down with our new friends, Scott & Kim Sheehan, and Jim & Carol Orr.  Thank you so much for a great time together in the athlete check-in, on the course, and again in the finish line chute and making Julie’s and my time in Florida even more memorable. You weren’t even racing but were a HUGE part of the day.   Again, I love this sport. 

Carol & Julie at the Finish Line

    I won a Yeti mug for answering the most questions about Ironman (and the fastest). Not Ironman-branded, unfortunately, but if I put a race sticker on it, it will be!  The Florida race director showed two videos, one a race review and the other a volunteer video. Both were outstanding, but he told me later that the videos were only for internal use and wouldn’t be put out on the official Ironman site.  That’s too bad, since Dad made it into the volunteer video! 

    On Monday we had to leave Panama City Beach to head back home.  The week was amazing, and whether it’s for the Ironman race or just for vacation, we will be back to enjoy the area.  The week, the day, the race, the venue…it was everything I hoped it would be and I couldn’t have asked for anything better for my first full distance Ironman. And we got a heck of a sunset from our deck on Sunday evening!

Daily Life:

Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy.

Ephesians 4:21-24

    After this year-long journey, I am still the same person on the outside and the core of who I am is still the same, but a part of me is forever changed.  A year ago, and more, I had a goal. I had a vision of me crossing a finish line of an Ironman, yet I had no idea if it was truly a possibility.  It surely didn’t happen overnight. It took consistency.  It took discipline.  And it took dedication.  I’ve always been fairly healthy and active.  But I had to make some changes to be able to cross the finish line.  I had to be deliberate.  I had to have a plan and follow it, even when it didn’t make sense or I couldn’t see the end result yet.  I could look ahead and see the end of the road, and I could see what workouts were coming.  There were many times I wasn’t excited about the extra long bike rides, the early mornings to get the pool, or the 2+ hour runs after work on a weekday.  I made a commitment to a lifestyle change, to something that I believed in, and to a plan that made my life better. 

    My current men’s Bible Study is showing me the same thing.  I’ve grown up knowing about God and many years ago put my faith in Jesus. There were times I didn’t understand why things happened the way they did or couldn’t make sense of the plan as I looked ahead.  But…..I know that following the Truth will get me to the finish line. It won’t always be easy; it won’t always be smooth.  I am memorizing Scripture (which I mentioned in my bike ride part of the recap), not to just have things memorized, but to be able to apply what I know to every situation in life and to be able to draw on something bigger than myself when times get tough.  In that I’ve become a better follower of Christ.  When I was “studying” Ironman and triathlon over the last couple of years, it wasn’t to just know more about it, although it did help me win the Yeti mug!  It was so I could use that knowledge when the doubts crept in, the run got tough, or I was working through issues that popped up somewhere along the way. 

    I gave up my old self of just doing triathlons to a competitive triathlete who was getting stronger, faster, and more confident.  There was NO way I could have crossed that finish line in Florida a year ago. I wasn’t ready physically or mentally.  And now, in life, there is no way I’m ready yet for what God has in store for me.  But He is working on me, training me, and teaching me what it will take to follow His plan and be the man He has created me to be.  So I am a changed person due to IRONMAN, and am in a constant change as a man of God.  I have goals in triathlon for the upcoming year, and I have goals in my life with Christ as a follower of Him, as a husband, and as a father.  And I wouldn’t trade either journey for something else.  

    I’m not done….with triathlon, with full distance Ironman races, or with following Christ.  I’m still learning, still changing, and loving every minute.  This Ironman journey was just a small blip in the grand scheme of my life, yet something that cannot be taken away. But more important than crossing that finish line in Florida is still running the race God has placed before me.  I have to take it bit by bit, and focus on what’s right in front of me.  And in the end, God will reward that.  My thoughts and attitudes will be changed and renewed.  My prayer is that for all you who read this.  Christ can change you too.  If you ever have questions, reach out.  I would be happy to talk to you.  I may not know all the answers, but I know what Christ has done in my life and I can share that!

Final Thoughts:

    I want to give a thank you shout out to numerous folks that have encouraged me all along this last year.  This is not an exhaustive list, but the ones that come to mind immediately when I think of this journey. 

    First, I want to thank Jesus Christ, who gave me the dream, the will, and kept showing Himself to me each and every day and week on the correlations between triathlon and life.  Second, I have to thank my wife, Julie, for your unending support, saying yes whenever I told you I needed to spend more money. Although you still think I’m crazy, I could see the pride in your eyes as I crossed under that arch.  I couldn’t have done this without you, and you also know that I’m not finished.  Please continue being the strong woman of God that you are and always trust in the Peace of God that will give you strength.  To my sons Matthew, Rylan, and Ethan.  No matter how hard life is, trust the Lord.  You can’t go wrong with doing that.   To my other family members: Dad, Cat, Rick, Donnie, and Larry and other extended family.  Thanks for all the support throughout.  Chad Koerner, you beat me to the title of Ironman, and I am so glad I was there at the end for you.  I appreciate the constant encouragement and enthusiasm as training partners.  To the Everyday Ironman Podcast group:  Mike Bosch, Ashley Raines, Tony Carveth, John Stevens, Jon Nichols, Broccoli Rob Klein, Kristen Keane, Layne Argyle, and so many others.  This group has been an unbelievable addition to my life and I’m glad I ran across it while looking for something new to listen to while working towards this goal over a year ago. Looking forward to many group rides, racing together, and meeting you all in person at some point! Thanks for being a big part of my day, from near and far. And finally, you all can thank Amy Wetmore for giving me the idea to blog this journey. Amy, without you, all these folks wouldn’t have had to suffer through my endless ramblings! You are one of my biggest cheerleaders and I appreciate you and your family!

    And that is the end of THIS journey. I do appreciate and thank each one of you who followed my training, watched my short videos and pics on social media, and read my weekly blogs faithfully. This blog is more about my documenting this journey; I guess you can say I journaled my way to the title of Ironman and you were kind enough to read a bit into my world.  I can’t wait to look back at this quest years from now and remember all the details.  I am not anyone special. But I can do hard things.  And so can you. 

    So, for a final time:

Show Up, Keep Fit, Stay THE Course, Focus, 

& Keep Moving Forward.

CPC
Olathe, KS
11/22/25

 

Ironman journey to be continued……what's next? 
Mexico Maybe??