Upon the alarm ⏰ ringing “in the middle of the night”, I am filled with
excited energy, and the first important thing to check was the IM updates on the water temperature.
Up until the early morning hour we still didn’t know if the water would be wetsuit legal or optional. I was hoping for optional since I didn’t really want to wear a wetsuit. All week the forecast had said rain and a drop in temperature, but I was being blessed with warmer water and a sunny warm weather! This was the start of a
very beautiful day! Thanks to my amazing husband who got up with me and walked my bouncy excited soul to transition at this early hour!
New day - new beginning!After pumping air into my bike tires, and setting up my nutrition, it was time to catch the athlete bus to the swim start! Let the EPIC SH*T begin for real! It’s always great to connect with like-minded people sharing the pre-race excitement! Sharing the bus ride with a fellow Ironman and simply just waiting together for the race to begin is boosting individuals' ego for motivation and having fun! And finally the sun is coming out!
THE SWIM - 2.4 miles down the Tennessee river: this was the most
amazing swim I have EVER had. It was so relaxing and scenic. I even stopped and swam breaststroke for a while, just so I could take it all in. It was so beautiful, so calm and just so rejuvenating! I got into my zone, really enjoying the swim, and when I sighted for the buoys, there was nobody in front of me! For a split second I thought I had swum too far, but then I spotted the last buoy to my left indicating the swim finish. 49 min and the swim was over. So quickly! Too quickly! Way too quickly! I was the first girl in the changing tent - well, apart from the pros - even though my time was even faster than some of them. Quick dry off, putting on bike shoes and helmet whilst trying to eat a sandwich and banana, and off I go to get Quinky. I am feeling great - pumped with energy and looking forward to what the rest of the race will bring. What a great start.
THE BIKE - 112 miles with 4,300 feet of elevation gain and 3 loops on US-27: off to a good start! The sun is starting to come out and I am feeling rejuvenated and refreshed from my soul-filling swim! The course is hilly, which I didn’t mind at all. It was windy. And the wind was getting stronger on loop and three. So windy that I had difficulties holding my handlebars straight. Staying in aero, especially on those downhill sections when reaching over 40mph was scary and reckless. I saw many accidents involving ambulances and what look like serious injuries. That’s when I started
praying, praying for safety and guidance. I prayed for the safety of not just myself but everyone else on the course and those people who already had a wreckage. The amount of times I asked to be guided when to slow down to prevent me from having an accident was unaccountable. I laid my trust in the higher power and focused on enjoying myself. The last loop was particularly scary, as I was coming down the hill ready to turn back and go up the hill, as another rider overtook me in the no-passing zone and cut me off so ''''sharp I nearly lost balance and fell. I felt for the inexperienced cyclists who for sure were more affected by faster riders passing them so close. I literally was praying for more safety! A quick pit stop during the last loop, and I am jumping back onto
Quinky. My feet hurt a little, and I know that I probably should have invested in better shoes or at least some insoles - *mental note for the next long race! Arriving back in transition, I can hear the crowds. I hear my supporters shouting out and cheering me on! WOW! What an amazing feeling! It gives me strength hearing all these voices, especially those familiar ones shouting out my names. Thank YOU!
THE RUN - 26.2 miles through the Scenic City, two laps through downtown, along the Riverwalk, across the Veterans Bridge, North Shore and back to the Riverfront - let’s get it done! Right as I come out of transition, I see them … my husband & family, my friends, my supporters, not just one but four amazing big signs just for me! How
EPIC! I was feeling overwhelmed and overjoyed. I felt good! I felt strong! It was much easier than expected. And I was worrying all about not having trained enough for this race. With the change of jobs I couldn’t fit in all the training I had planned and ended up doing less than for all the 70.3s the years before. Anyway, I
re-focused and keep running as I was cheered on by more supporters with more signs for motivation! Lap one complete, and I am in place three! Wow - even though I had already decided that I wasn’t going to go to Kona! And here I am just enjoying my race to the fullest, I am in my happy place, in my zone, and I find myself tripping. I am
so thankful I caught my fall, but I twisted my knee. Knowing that I had to teach group fitness classes in the gym two days after the race I decided to take it a little easier and slowed down a bit and even walked for a short while whilst making new friends with fellow racers. And I was thinking to myself, where is this Barton Hill that everybody warned me about?! It just didn't appear to be part of my course. I must have anticipated Barton Hill to be so much harder and steeper that I just ran through it. Running through lap two, past the river I looked back thinking with a smile on my face "that's where I swam this morning!". I can't help but feeling happy and a little proud of myself, thankful that I didn't crash on the bike, and thankful that I am using my energy to support JM'n'V. And I remind myself that it is a special day, since it is M's birthday. So, I am singing happy birthday out loud - where nobody can hear me ;)
THE FINISH LINE - There it was the start of the red carpet. I am looking for the bell but cannot find it. It is too dark, or the bell just isn't there. Everyone who runs their first IM is supposed ring it. The crowd is cheering me on. And I keep speeding up for a little boost towards the finish line. I hear the IM announcer loud and clear
"Kerstin Smalls you are an Ironman!". I am overwhelmed with this positive energy and energetic vibe that is overtaking my body and my soul.
Thank you Jesus! I am feeling all the feelings one can feel from ecstatic happiness to blurry randomness and
sad memories, it is all coming together. I am so caught up with all these emotions that I did not even notice that I ran through the finish line, I didn't notice
the red carpet ending, I am still running! Until I got stopped by the volunteers handing out medals and finisher shirts. I did it! I am an Ironman. I feel good, much better than expected. And of course, it is always the best being greeted by my biggest supper and fan, my husband, who puts up with all this epic sh*t I want to do. I completed the full Ironman in 12hrs 53min 30sec, just how I had wanted to finish it in under 13 hours! It's
time to celebrate. Though, first let's replenish with some real food at the athlete tent. I am greeted by a friendly supporter saying that the food is only for the real runners. Thinking to myself and wondering whether there was another race and I am in the wrong place, I must have had a confused look on my face, because the person started to laugh and said to me "you don't look like you sweated at all!" Hahaha. He was right, even though it was a beautiful warm day, it was not hot enough for me to get sweaty! Having burnt a whooping 6,459 calories throughout my race I thought I need some food, but I am just not hungry! So off we go to collect my bike. The feeling is EPIC! I am
EPIC. Time for a hot shower and a good night's sleep!
THE NEXT DAY - I thought I would ache, hurt, be uncomfortable, stiff ... none of that. I felt better than after the
70.3s. I am still feeling EPIC! In the back of my mind I have this voice that I didn't push hard enough, why I didn't push harder, swim stronger, bike faster, run with more intention, but it's done. I am trying not to let the EPIC feeling to be taken over by the inner voice. I had so
much fun & that is what counts! Getting home, I am surprised by the epic signs that kept me going throughout my race! EPIC keeps continuing!
DAYS & WEEKS AFTER - I am still being reminded of this epic achievement from supporters and even random people who I inspired & gave the motivation to start their own fitness journey. It still comes as a surprise to me when I am being told another person followed me on the IM tracker. I am overwhelmed with positive messages and most of all this huge blanket showing my achievement. I am EPICLY overwhelmed with all this positivity and knowing I made a difference in someone else's life! And I can honestly say that being able to help others in their health & fitness journey, getting them stronger, faster, more enduring, better moving to achieve a far distant goal is the most rewarding EPIC feeling. And I am 100% positive to say that I will take on any athlete or any want to be athlete who is willing to be pushed into a new dimension of health - the EPIC dimension!
WHAT'S NEXT - well, that is still to be determined. Will I do another full Ironman? No doubt, but it is very expensive. In 2026 I want to focus more on bringing others the joy of overcoming their boundaries and fears and pushing beyond their limits. And maybe I will do some smaller races, a marathon, another 70.3, or something completely different. Remembering how beautiful the swim was during my race, may I will "Swim The Suck" - a 10 mile open water swim in the Tennessee River. Keep following me to be the first to know!
THANK YOU - thank you * thank you * thank you * to all of you from near and far. Thank you for following me. Thank you for tracking me. Thank you for subscribing. Thank you for cheering for me. Thank you for being there for me. Thank you for thinking of me. Thank you for all your amazing messages and presents. Thank you for your support. Thank you for YOU!
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