Walter was proud to introduce his son Michael Willms as the keynote speaker for this meeting. As an Ironman who participated in Ironman Florida on Sunday, November 4th, 2018, Michael had the attention of everyone in attendance as he recounted what it takes to compete in this gruelling physical triathlon.
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His 12-month training prior to the competition involved weekly sessions of 6 hours of swimming, 9-10 hours of biking and running 3 times per week. He explained how he had selected Panama City, Florida for its relatively even terrain and salt water, but the location was changed to the more mountainous, fresh-water location of Haines City because of the devastation Hurricane Michael caused in Panama City. In spite of the challenges this change posed (including the risk of getting eaten by an alligator in the lake!) Michael persevered.
Swimming 3.8km, biking 180km and running 42.2km in the span of just over 14.5 hours is an incredible accomplishment. As Michael crossed the finish line and was named an official Ironman, he became part of a very small club; completing this competition is a feat that only approximately .01% of the population has accomplished. Well done, Michael!