Sheri Golden - Ironman

Sheri Golden, a Big Pine Key woman, didn't come out on top in the Nov. 4 Ford Ironman Florida competition in Panama City, but she did accomplish what she set out to do: Complete the grueling competition. Golden completed a 2.4-mile swim in the Gulf of Mexico, a 112-mile stretch on a bicycle and a 26-mile run that comprise the Ironman.

She finished in 12 hours, 18 minutes, 31 second and placed 46th among 91 in her age group of women 40 to 44. She said:, “The conditions were cold and kinda windy.... The wind chill was 38 when I made my way ... to body marking (they write your race number on your arm and quad, and put your age on the back of your calf in big numbers with a permanent marker."

“The swim went well; the bike again was tough. I spent a little time off the bike trying to fix my water-bottle cages that were about to come off. A lot can happen on a 112-mile ride. I was not in a good mood when I came off the bike, but there is nothing like running a marathon to make ya' feel better....“I did not make my goal time, or beat my time from last year (I was 11 minutes slower). I didn't even buy any merchandise from this race. But what I took from this race I could never buy, anyway. This was tough, but I persevered. I am an Ironman.”