Lock and Load

Featuring Carrie Kimber

Ironman Florida was just amazing! I will try to recapture the experience as best I can. First I want to say a special thank you to my coach Jennifer Harrison. Without her help, I am not sure I would have had such an incredible experience. Just so you know, I am still wearing my “finishers” shirt with a smile that has been plastered on my face since the cannon went off in Panama City Beach.

On November 3rd, I cleaned the house, packed my bags and felt ready to roll. My whole family was trekking down to Florida. I had left the book Becoming an Ironman in the center of my bed for when I came home. The week preceeding our departure was an emotional ride for me. I felt confident for the most part but will confess to one quick call to my coach asking, “What do I do if my race goes to heck in a hand bag?” Jenn paused and with all the confidence that I needed at that point said, “Well Carrie, you stop at an aid station and treat it like a buffet. When you feel better, go!” That made sense to me. Jenn had also idiot-proofed my packing, nutrition and hydration plans for me. “I want you to race smart; you can totally do this,” she said again and again. ” Remember,” Jenn would say, “It is not who goes the fastest who wins Ironman, it is the person who slows down the least! Lock and load, Carrie. This is an aerobic, long day — be smart!” These are the things that I would think and say to myself for the next week, even in my sleep!

We arrived on Tuesday and I knew I needed to get used to the ocean.  OK, I dreaded this. If there was going to be something to hold me up it was the ocean, salt swim. I headed out for a 40 minute swim by myself and gathered up all the courage I had. I put on my wetsuit and dove in the water. The water was cold until I hit a sand bar, and then it warmed up about 10 degrees. I could finally breathe once I passed the sand bar. I watched others out on the swim course and started to feel confident. I got invited to swim with a group, which I thought was safer, and ended up having a blast. I got back to our condo, high-fived my husband Scott, and proclaimed that I knew I could do it! Jenn had planned other workouts for me this week that I completed with ease, but still questioned in the back of my head… Can I do this? Really? 140.6?

Ironman registration came and went. The pre-race meeting was great. Mike Riley, the IM announcer, told the crowd of 2300 athletes that he could not wait to welcome us home as Ironmen, and to remember that every person in that room is an inspiration to someone. What a night! By Friday, who can guess, my nerves were in overdrive. I got to talk to my coach and the only way I could describe it was that there was just so much testosterone, and I was feeling overwhelmed. People talked about being run over and pulled under water during the swim. Oh, stay back don’t start when the cannon goes off, everyone would say. Jenn reassured me, “Go out with confidence, you are a good swimmer!”

The night before the race we went out to dinner early so I could get lots of sleep. I was to wake up at 4 a.m. and start consuming calories. To my amazement, I slept great. I thought, why get nervous? It is going to be a long day . Before I knew it the alarm was going off. Jenn had helped me idiot-proof my morning so I just did what I needed to do — eat! I arrived at the transition area, filled my water bottles with a mix of Gatorade and CarboPro, pumped up my tires, got body-marked and put on my wetsuit. The 2300 fellow athletes and I walked to the beach to watch the pros go off at 6:50, then listened to the national anthem as the sun came up and waited for the cannon.

I still remember how calm but excited I felt. I used to lifeguard. Once I pulled out a drunk man who was twice my size. This memory was in my head as I looked out to the swim course. I know what to do! I can do this with fun and ease! It is time to “lock and load” and play the game. I kept thinking I am going to make this fun. If I am going to get pulled under water, so what! The cannon went off. I waited as much as I could, then took off. As I started the swim all I could think was wow, this is Ironman! It was then that this goofy smile got plastered on my face and has remained.

The swim was a blast! I laughed to myself (it is amazing how much you talk to yourself during the day) that I could pretty much stick my arms out in front of me and just kick and get sucked along into the current. I did get clobbered a couple of times. No big deal. Try to hit someone in the water — it does not hurt! I saw a jelly fish on my right and picked up my pace a bit. Yikes! The corners were congested, but by the second lap it really thinned out. The great thing was you really did not need to spot much because the course is a rectangle, and all you had to do was swim straight. Body Glide, for those who do Ironman, is a must. Jenn had given me the heads up on this: Salt can be really abrasive, especially to your neck, under your watch and all those other places — don’t forget the Body Glide. By the time I hit the end of the swim, I was actually sad it was over. I just relaxed, smiled, drank some salt water and swam.

I got out of the water and heard my name announced. Totally cool! I went under the showers and was basically on my back, having my wetsuit stripped off before I knew what was happening. Laughing to myself at this point, “Oh, this is how it works!” I ran to the bathrooms, and kind of got chuckled at. Yea, I could not pee in my wetsuit. (this is funny for later). Then because before I knew it someone was handing me my bike saying, “Mount at the line and GO!” I went.

Jenn was in my head again. “Remember the race does not start until mile 90 of the bike. This is the time to get your hydration and nutrition right. I don’t want you to get behind, even by 200 calories.” (See Jenn, I did remember.) So I started doing my CarboPro and Gatorade mix along with my gels and checked my watch so I would stay on track. The course was really flat, but I just loved being outside and on my bike. Oh, and I was still smiling. We did have a head wind. I watched tons of folks fly right by me, but just stuck to my plan. I had one lady ride up behind me and say what a steady pace I was holding.

By about mile 15, I realized I had to go to the bathroom. Jenn really wanted me to go on my bike so I wouldn’t waste time getting off.  There was no way that plan was going to work for me and my bladder. I stopped each time and waited in line for a bathroom (still smiling). I was laughing at myself — how could someone who can’t pee in the ocean do it on the bike? Chalk it up to something I should learn for the future.

Everyone was really friendly and the volunteers were amazing. I did get a little bored on the bike, but quickly re-focused to “Wow this is Ironman!” At some point on the bike, I am not sure when, I realized that I was going to finish. From that point on I smelled the beautiful Florida air, took in the fall colors, people-watched, stuck to my plan and had a blast. I did stick a couple of PB & J Uncrustables in my “special needs” bag for mile 50. They were HEAVENLY! The peanut butter tasted so good and solid food felt great in my stomach. I was energized!

At mile 90 I happened to look at my bike computer. The race was starting… um, no one was around me! I laughed to myself. We had a tail wind heading back to the transition area, which was great, and as we came to the end I kept thinking oh bummer, it is almost over, but then the thought crept into my head — can I run a marathon? I had done everything I was supposed to at that point and just thought we will see. I finished the bike race in just over 6 hours. I was happy with that, but sad it was done — it’s the only time to sit during an Ironman!

Transition was interesting. I wanted out of my bike shorts! The women were in one tent and the men another. I asked the volunteer where I needed to go to change. She laughed at me said, “Oh honey, there is no modesty here. Just put your running shorts on — now!” Someone lathered me with sunscreen, then I was out on the course. And this is the crazy thing — I was running (and still smiling)! My plan was to run to each aid station, then walk through the station while taking in the necessary calories. So I thought, how hard is it to run one mile. Go, go, go! You have trained for this — the race has started! But, I also remembered Jenn saying to pick a pace I can hold. “Lock and load!”

Amazing, fun, like walking on a cloud. Oh man, I was doing something right. I felt great! I must have told a ton of people, “Hey, we are going to finish!” Still smiling.

I ended up running with Travis and Mike. I could tell you their life stories in detail if anyone is interested. We drank Coke and chicken broth at all the aid stations. It tasted so good. We never walked, although our time at the aid stations did start to get a little longer as we all stretched out our calve muscles. Yikes! The sun went down. Some nice person left a message for me on a kiosk that I got to see each time we looped (C. Kimber 2311 — you are a winner!). Smiling bigger now! All I can say is I did not want it to end. People cheered for us. I saw my family cheering me on, wearing shirts my mom had made that said “Team Kimber, Woman of Iron” on the front and “Go, Carrie, Go!” on the back. My 4 year-old slept peacefully on the posters during a great deal of the race. What a trooper!

The last miles of the race I was still smiling and running — holy cow! When Travis and I realized we only had five miles left, we actually picked it up to the point where the rest of the group said, “Hey you two, we can hardly hold on. We still have some time!” Yea, yea, we slowed down. One of the guys had us all look at the moon and the lights, and take it all in as much as we could. Wow! Tears were in my eyes at this point; I had almost finished an Ironman!

At the suggestion of someone who was on his 8th Ironman, our group stopped about half a mile out  to clean up before pictures and family. We splashed water on our faces and got ready. At this point, the crowd was really great — loud music, people yelling your name, a sign that said, “Holy F—, YOU are doing an Ironman!” Signs of strength and encouragement all over. Our group thanked each other, and one by one we took off for the finish.

I paused before I took off. The eight-time Ironman dude said, “Hey, what are you doing? Get going, the finish is right under the lights with the Gatorade bottle and the arch!” You could hear Mike Riley announcing the finishes. I looked at all the lights, wiped the tears away, and said, “I just do not want it to end!” I actually wanted to stall at that point. I knew I was going to finish in under 13 hours. We had done a five hour marathon and I felt amazing. “Go!” he said. “Just try to remember!”

I went, I smiled, I cried, I felt like I was running on clouds. I can’t even describe how I felt, although if I could give it as a gift, I would — to anyone who would take it! I heard Mike say, “Carrie Kimber from Quincy, Illinois, YOU ARE AN IRONMAN!” People high-fived, treated us like we had just done something amazing, and handed us finisher’s hats and shirts, then put that medal around my neck. Wow — still smiling!

I collected my stuff and went to find my family. My kids were screaming. My husband hugged me tight, and told me I was amazing and he was proud of me. Then I looked at my dad. He was crying so hard he could not wipe away the tears fast enough. I knew I had made them proud. I got down on my knees and hugged my kids, then I said to them, “Now you know you can do anything you put your mind to! I am nothing special, it is just time in the trenches, that is all. Anyone can do this!”

We went back to the condo, my family stuck around for a bit, I ate junk (lots of it) and yea, I was still smiling! Everyone went to bed that night and I sat in a big chair looking at my results on Scott’s laptop. Me? Really? Did I do that? Yes, I did. I am an Ironman!

Still smiling and oh so happy,

Carrie Kimber
Florida Ironman Finisher, 12:43