IRONMAN Florida 2026

IRONMAN Florida was my first full Ironman in the professional field, and the race where everything came together. The flat course in Panama City Beach is built for speed, and I went into it intending to attack the Czech record.

I came out of the water in 51:13, rode the 180 km in 4:05:13 and ran the marathon in 2:43:36. The clock stopped at 7:45:34 – the fastest any Czech has ever covered this distance, taking more than seven minutes off Tomáš Řenč's previous national record.

Among the professionals it was good enough for sixth place in a strong field, 34 seconds away from fifth. The race was won by Magnus Ditlev, whose 7:19:17 set a new world record. Being part of a day like that is something you do not forget.