Florida 500 2023

The race in Joe’s words

1^st Overall

New Course record

862 KM’s, 2993 ft climbing, 27 hrs 4 mins

The first distance race, the Florida 500 (which is actually 536 miles) started on Feb 24^th in Jacksonville. I relish doing new races and with just under 3000 ft of total climbing this was a terrific season opener.

In the first 50-miles I knew I had legs. All the winter training, slogging in bad weather, cold and wet now had purpose, and that purpose was speed!

This course will be remembered for the sights and sounds of Florida – Daytona, palm trees still decked with Christmas lights, Miami at 2AM, Banyan trees, and the Florida Keys, the magnificent Keys.

I caught a fair tail wind in the last 100-miles and pushed to my very performance edge.

That resulted in a NEW course record! The fact that I did it on such a flat course, more suited to pure time trailer than a climber like me, boosted my confidence to an all-time high.

QUOTE: “The fastest 530 miles in my life. Rarely, I surprise myself but on this occasion, I did.”