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Derrick B's Ironman Journey

Created: Sunday, 05 November 2017

Welcome to my Ironman Journey!  You will find my race reports here as I work towards my next Ironman event.  Big thanks to my sponsors, Zoot Sports and Hammer Nutrition.   Click the link to save 15% on your first online purchase from Hammer.

Ironman Japan 2024 Race Report

Created: Monday, 14 October 2024

IM Japan Race Report Ironman Japan was my 11th full distance race and my 7th country. Ironically, the most interesting parts of this trip were the mishaps and challenging logistics. This will be different race report from most, so I’ll provide a quick summary first. I made it easy to jump to the section you want to read about.

Summary

The journey started with the Delta plane I was on (A350) crashing into a much smaller plane (CRJ) and knocking its entire tail wings off! Instead of the planned 2 days of travel, it took 3 days to get to Hokkaido, Japan. I got checked in, and made sure my bike was ready to fly. 2.4 mile swim in the sea. 112 mile bike on the highway. 26.2 mile run through the town of Hokadate.

Read more: Ironman Japan 2024 Race Report

IM Barcelona 2023 Race Report

Created: Friday, 12 January 2024

After racing in Italy and Portugal, it was time for another epic destination for my 10th Ironman race! After making a list of exciting possibilities, the only reasonable airfare option led me to IM Barcelona! This course looked ideal, with a single loop for the swim, and a flat bike and run. My wife and I flew out on the Wednesday before the Sunday race, landing on Thursday.

The check-in was smooth. I was now used to the European ways of racing. QR codes on my wrist, timing chip pickup during the bike check-in, and needing to remember to wear my bib during the bike leg. But other rules still caught me by surprise, like needing to have my helmet buckled and bib on my waist before I’m permitted to check in my bike. Everything was in English, so there were no language issues.

Read more: IM Barcelona 2023 Race Report

IM Hawaii IM 70.3 2023 Race Report

Created: Friday, 12 January 2024
There’s no more beautiful place to race than Kona, Hawaii! The big island. This was my first 70.3 distance race since Panama City Beach Florida, 2021. I entered the race under trained due to a couple of last minute trips to see my parents and work travel. A race in paradise can’t be bad! Thankful that my father was out of the hospital, I was glad to be able to focus, and proud to dedicate this race to them.
My wife, Stephanie, and I arrived on Wednesday, checked in on Thursday, checked in bike and gear on Friday, and raced Saturday. When I reassembled my bike, my front wheel was bent. I fixed it myself, and it was all good for race day.

Read more: IM Hawaii IM 70.3 2023 Race Report

Ironman Portugal 2022 Race Report

Created: Friday, 12 January 2024
This was my ninth full IM race, and fifth country to race in. This destination was selected because the visit to Lisbon was amazing a couple years ago, and was eager to return. Plus, the Race description was appealing. 2.4 miles in a barrier protected area of the Atlantic Ocean. 112 miles of biking up a mountain, 1 lap around the Estoril Formula 1 race course, rolling hills along the coastline, then do it again for a second loop. 26.2 mile, 3 loop Run asking the coastline. The short race synopsis was posted earlier, so this is the long version for those interested in the gritty details.

Read more: Ironman Portugal 2022 Race Report

IM Cozumel 2021 Race Report

Created: Saturday, 27 November 2021

Ironman Cozumel was an excellent race! A very fast course, beautiful location, and well supported. I had a goal of earning my fastest race and I did, finishing at 12:27:58.  The ocean swim is downstream, strong current, and a .5 mile short of the standard 2.4 mile swim.  The 112 mile bike didn't have the typical high winds, but they were replaced with tropical storms and major road flooding.  The run was warm and humid with amazing crowd support. Everything was in place for everyone to have their fastest race ever. Read on for the gritty details.  If you have read my other reports, this is will be another very long read.

Read more: IM Cozumel 2021 Race Report

2021 IM Tulsa Race Report

Created: Saturday, 05 June 2021
Balancing speed and safety on wet, rough roads!
Ironman Tulsa was a huge race! It was the inaugural race in Tulsa, the first full Ironman race in North America this year, and a sign that we are slowly returning to normal. This was my 6th full IM, and whoa was it challenging. 2.4 miles in Keystone Lake, 112 miles of biking on dangerous roads that were filled with potholes, gravel, and mud. Then finish with a 26.2 mile run that also had its share of hills. All in the rain. I had my best swim time, and my fastest overall time. Read on if you want to know the gritty details.
After flying out to Tulsa from Atlanta, I had to assemble my own bike together. My Garmin Vector 3 power meter stopped working properly, and their great customer service sent me a replacement set right before I left. I installed the new pedals, and the power was reading perfectly!