By Joseph Kennedy Salcedo
Assistant Product Manager
Sardines Marketing
Many Firsts And Definitely Not The Last
The idea of competing in a high level race with different world champions across the globe is really far from imaginable. The big question is what to expect and how the IRONMAN in Kona differs from other IRONMAN races around the world. What makes the World Championships different?
First and foremost, the level of competition was beyond my expectations because of the hype it had on all participating athletes. For one, being part of it really gave me the thrill to perform my best and maximum. To further explain these experiences, allow me to elaborate the different legs in detail:
For everyone’s appreciation, the full IRONMAN event consisted of 3 disciplines: swimming, biking, and running. The distances per sport were 3.8 kilometers, 180 kilometers, and 42 kilometers, respectively.
First, the 3.8km SWIM: My gun time was 6:40 AM, definitely a cold morning and a challenging swim course. Despite having just one (1) loop, the currents were pushing athletes to go off-course. Thankfully, I was still able to draft to faster swimmers and still nailed a good time on this leg.
Second, the 180km BIKE: The best bike ride of my life-- a long, hot, and rolling road! What I loved about the bike route is the view it gave to the athletes. A scenic and cool breeze with a little cross wind would make any bike route challenging for some but mostly thrilling for most. For this leg, drafting was not allowed so I had to go through the whole bike course alone.
Lastly, the 42km RUN: Full marathons are my favorite. This route was definitely one for the books! Having a bit of elevation but mostly flats made it very easy for most of the athletes, but never underestimate the heat that can either make or break you.
Overall, the experience made me a better person. It was a surreal feeling of having your family wait for you at the finish line. It was never easy on my end-- being a new father, a husband, and a full-time employee made it more challenging yet fulfilling at the same time. As they say, anything is possible if you just believe in yourself and trust the process.
To my CPFI family that sent greetings and good luck before the race, thank you very much!