Triathlon: Ironman Maryland
Location: Cambridge, Maryland
Reviewer: Justin Ferreira
Overall Rating: 5/5
Swim: What a calm and peaceful setting to start off the swim portion of an Ironman event! The water was warm, but not enough that the wet suit I was wearing would make me overheat and there was no wind making the swim area look as call as a pool before the first Triathlete ran in. It was a two lap course in a protected back bay of the Chesapeake.
Bike: The course was like a pancake, super flat! I think there was one hill the entire way and that was a small bridge with a GRAND TOTAL of 5 feet elevation! Haha! The wind kicked up in the end a bit which made it tougher to bike, so make sure you have enough gas in the tank to get your home!  The tidal pools have this marsh grass that is about 4 feet high.  It's a cool sight to see the other triathletes heads moving by in the distance!
Run: The run was phenomenal in Cambridge, Maryland. The spectators and locals were so friendly and supportive. There are so many aid stations out there and the three lap run courses was great because I got to see my friends, family, and some fans a few times.  However, I will say, after the third lap, I was ready to be done! :)
Motivation for Race? I had been doing smaller distance races for a long time and felt I was ready to finally tackle the big full distance Ironman.  It had been a goal of mine for a long time and was motivated to train and accomplish my goal at this race.
Fun Fact about the Race? The bike course is mostly out in a tidal area and the water starts to creep up as the tide came up.  Made for a couple interesting little bottle necks and the occasional splash.  Nothing bad though!
Bragging Rights? This was my first Ironman!! I Swam 2.4 miles, Biked 112 miles, and ran 26.2 miles, now i get to brag for the rest of my life!