Tackling 140.6 miles demands more than just grit. It takes smart pacing, meticulous fueling, and a dedicated community in your corner. For endurance athletes across Greater Philadelphia, Ironman Maryland (IMMD) in Cambridge is a premier target: a flat, fast, and logistically accessible course ideal for both first-time 140.6 racers and veterans chasing Kona qualifications that is easily drivable from Philly.
At Philadelphia Triathlon Club (PTC), our community bridges the gap between ambitious training and race-day execution. From logging weekend tempo miles along MLK Drive and the Schuylkill River Trail (SRT), to grinding long, uninterrupted centuries through the South Jersey Pine Barrens, local routes shape how our members prepare for the wind, heat, and tidal currents of the Choptank River.
For 2026, we had three PTC athletes get to the finish line including first-time full-distance finishers Michael Higgins and Harrison Azrak, alongside 14-time full-distance veteran Jarrod Baranowski.
They generously provided a break down of their IMMD race by sharing real-world race strategies, fueling plans, candid recovery lessons, and how the tribal knowledge of a supportive local triathlon team helps turn grueling months of training into crossing that finish line.
Quick Guide: Why Philadelphia Endurance Athletes Target Ironman Maryland
Geographic Convenience: Located just under three hours from Center City Philadelphia, Cambridge, MD eliminates complex travel logistics and costly flight planning for Mid-Atlantic athletes.
Course Profile: Known for its calm to choppy brackish swim, pancake-flat bike course through Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge, and multi-loop waterfront run.
Local Group Training Hub: PTC athletes frequently self-coordinate shared open-water practices at Medford Lakes, group rides along low-traffic South Jersey/South East Pennsylvania corridors, and long runs on Philly’s SRT to simulate race-pace flats. PTC is NOT a coached triathlon club but moreso a community of like-minded athletes across all experience and skill levels.
How did you get into triathlons?
Michael Higgins (MH): I’ve run on and off recreationally since middle school and really started getting into it once I started my first full-time job out of grad school. During COVID, I got into swimming, and just slowly worked towards improving my technique with self-coaching. A couple of years ago, the company that I was working for at the time sponsored employees to run the Surf City Marathon in Huntington Beach, California. I signed up for the marathon, and one of my teammates (who sat right across from me) signed up for the half marathon. A few months after that race, my coworker told me that his friend had made him sign up for IM 70.3 Oceanside. Knowing that I ran and swam, he asked if I would ever consider doing something like that. I told him that I had absolutely no interest in getting into cycling. Over the next few weeks, the thought of signing up didn’t leave my head, and that’s when I knew I was hooked. I waited for a really good deal on an aero bike, and the rest is history.
Harrison Azrak (HA): I rowed in college, enjoyed endurance training and cycling and running for cross training, and knew I wanted to bring my competitive energy to a new sport at a high level.
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How many have you done and which distances?
MH: Before IM Maryland, I had done three triathlons. I ran an Olympic distance race in the lead up to finishing IM 70.3 Oceanside in 2025. I also ran the Olympic distance race at DQ Brookville this year as part of my IM Maryland preparation.
HA: 2 total: 1 Olympic triathlon, IM Maryland first full distance.
Jarrod Baranowski (JB): That was my 14 attempted full 140.6 distance. 13th finishes and 1 hypothermia. I’ve done well over 100 tris over 30 plus years. I’ve raced everything from cyclocross to ultra marathons.
Any specific memorable moments or lessons you have learned training for IMMD?
MH: Back in February, just as I was getting my aerobic fitness up to a reasonable level, I contracted quadriceps tendonitis in my left left, which kept me from running and cycling for most of three months. It was extremely frustrating given my recent progress, but one of the major factors may, ironically, have been overtraining. I learned the importance of prioritizing health over maximizing gains from one training session by pushing just… one… more… mile… Thankfully, I have since found a better balance between volume and intensity that I know is sustainable.
Besides finding the right volume/intensity balance for my body, I would say that my training was really unlocked by taking recovery seriously, incorporating lower body strength training into my weekly schedule, and paying closer attention to nutrition (i.e. just keep eating, both during and outside of training sessions).
HA: I wouldn’t say anything specific was memorable but more so the training block as a whole.
JB: Not any lessons. It was nice just to race conservative and relaxed.
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Why did you pick IMMD?
MH: Three reasons. First, it’s the closest full distance race to the Philadelphia area, which made it logistically simpler and cheaper than other options. Second, the race is conveniently slotted right at the end of the summer, meaning that I would have the entire spring and summer seasons to take advantage of nice weather and build my aerobic fitness. Third, my father has been crabbing down in the area around the Choptank River (where the swim takes place) for like the past 15 years, so I’m intimately familiar with the area from having joined him on several trips. That made me very comfortable with tackling the course.
HA: It worked best with my schedule, and it’s a flat course, which suited my training environment (SRT and MLK drive for the win)
JB: I needed one more Ironman finish for Kona legacy validation and figured Maryland was the simplest logistically and probability of finishing.
Where were your favorite places to train for IMMD?
MH: I live right at the edge of the Pine Barrens. The roads in the area are generally smooth, have wide shoulders, and contain few blind corners. There is also relatively little traffic. It’s the perfect place for long bike rides, and it helps that Hot Diggity Dog in Chatsworth is right along the routes I usually take. I see lots of cyclists and triathletes out there on a nice day.
Medford Lakes is also a great area for getting some open water training sessions in, given the lack of established spots around Long Beach Island and other nearby beach towns.
HA: Running the west side highway during the weekends in New York City.
JB: It was tough to find flatter roads to train in race like conditions. I put in a lot of miles along the river near Lancaster.
During a day full of mental challenges, any favorite matras or self-talk you used to keep on pushing through?
MH: My longest swim/bike/run sessions leading up to the race were all just as long or longer than the individual segments during the race itself, and my peak weekly volume was extremely high, so I kept reminding myself that I had basically done everything before, just not in order. When things were especially tough, I tried to hyperfixate on the next achievable checkpoint, like the next swim buoy, the next aid station, or even the next turn. I could convince myself that I had done those small, achievable things a million times before in training, so it was no big deal to just push a little more to get there. I’m also a big music guy, and usually listen to music during my training sessions, so I just started singing to myself to keep my mind from getting bored or too focused on how crappy I felt.
HA: I knew I was going to finish, it was just about controlling the things that were controllable when it all started to come off the rails.
JB: My advice is always “task at hand”. Keep your mind on the moment. Don’t let yourself think too far ahead.
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Describe the last parts of the race, how you felt when you knew you would finish and what was it like?
MH: I had a lot of confidence going into the race and some pretty aggressive time goals for myself. Unfortunately, I started getting violently sick on the second half of the bike leg. I knew things would go south at some point on race day, but that was not on my bingo card, so to say. I didn’t see my immediate condition as an excuse to stop unless things got worse, so I just kept moving, and shifted my strategy to focus on finishing the race first and foremost. I was able to complete the bike without further “incident”, and though I still felt much less than 100%, I knew at that point that I would finish the race, one way or another. It took a few more “incidents”, but by then, I knew that the pain was only temporary, and not serious. Ultimately crossing the finish line was extremely relieving given how the day had gone and how much work had gone into getting to the start line.
HA: Crossing the finish line and running down the carpet was such a rush of emotions. All the training and sacrifices I made felt like they had paid off in that moment.
JB: It was nice to take it super easy in the last 10k knowing almost nothing could go wrong. My time was a low priority for this one. Especially after back surgery a year ago.
What tips/advice do you have for someone doing their first Ironman and what tips specific to IMMD?
MH: First, you should do everything you can to practice the race before the race. Swim in the open water, with a wetsuit. Knock out a few centuries on the bike. Run a few bricks. Practice your race-day nutrition. Visit the course if you can; I did that myself a few weeks before the race. Do what you need to do to convince yourself that YOU CAN DO IT. Second, things are (probably) going to go wrong on race day, and that’s okay. You can (and should) prepare for the known unknowns, but there will always be unknown unknowns that you have no control over. If you keep yourself open to the possibility of things not going perfectly, especially as a first-timer, you will be much more equipped mentally to take the race as it comes. Third, there should be nothing new on race day. I’ve learned my lesson with this before through injury. It’s common to doubt your training leading up to a race, and it's tempting to do whatever you can to achieve your goals, but you are much better off leaning on what you know and are comfortable with on race day. Trust your plan.
For IM Maryland specifically, it’s about as straightforward of a course as there is. It’s pancake flat, and very beginner friendly. IM 70.3 Eagleman would be great prep, if you can swing it. Otherwise, make sure you get a practice swim in the Choptank River before the race, preferably when there are jellyfish in the water.
HA: Be ready to make sacrifices. Enjoy the training. Don’t go too hard on the bike (ouch).
JB: Train as much as you can and talk to others with experience. Get a coach if you can.
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What do you have planned next for this year and next?
MH: IM Maryland was my last scheduled race of the season, so I’m diving right back into training, with a focus on improving my bike performance significantly. I’m strongly considering running back my plan from this season with DQ Brookville and IM Maryland. I really think that I have more to give on the latter course. I also think it represents my best chance of qualifying for Kona down the line. I’ll probably go for a marathon PR in the early part of the season, maybe at the Delaware Marathon in April. I’d also like to run an ultramarathon sometime next fall. The Batona Trail in the Pine Barrens keeps calling my name, and there are a few South Jersey folks that have been particularly inspiring to me lately.
HA: Philly marathon next! Triathlons will be in the near future however I’m unsure what distances I’ll do. I’m definitely doing another 140.6 since I know there’s many places to improve.
JB: Kona. Which is in my mind about 99 percent of the time and possibly the PTC Focus 70.3 Race in Ohio (Ohio 70.3, July 18th)
Making the jump to 140.6 and having a few short course races completed, what areas did you know you had to focus more on and what tips/strategies did you pick up to improve?
MH: To be honest, I didn’t know where to start. Since the amount of information online was extremely overwhelming and often contradictory, I picked up two books: The Triathlete’s Training Bible by Joe Friel and Triathlon Science by Joe Friel and Jim Vance. These provided me with several potential directions for growth in each sport, and gave me a much more structured approach to training. I found that an 80/20 intensity split and standard periodization were extremely helpful for building my aerobic fitness, which is definitely the most important factor in full distance triathlon success. At the beginning of the season, I also generally knew that I needed to improve on the bike, and tried to prioritize long bike rides and intense Zone 4+ bike sessions over other training.
HA: I knew I needed to dial in nutrition which was not crucial for the Olympic distance.
JB: Just getting in the time which isn’t easy since I also coach club volleyball in the winter and boys high school in the spring for a very competitive team.
Can you describe your nutrition strategy and what you put in the special needs bags for the race?
MH: Given how things went on race day, I’m not sure that I’m the person you want to be taking nutrition advice from. The original plan was to down three 24 oz. water bottles on the bike, each with 240 grams of maltodextrin and about ¼ tsp of salt. I also planned to increase my water intake on the back half of the bike course using the aid stations. On the run, I was planning to take two salt tablets every half hour and drink a bit of water at every aid station. I carried a few Skratch energy bars on the bike and the run, and threw one in each of my personal needs bags in case I felt hungry. I ended up having two salt tablets, one and a half of my sports drinks, and as much water as I could stomach throughout the race. I also didn’t eat too much before the race. I’ll need to reevaluate my nutrition strategy in the offseason, for sure. In the future, I would also throw a fresh pair of socks in my personal needs bags.
HA: 130g/hr on bike via malto/fructose 3:2, lemon juice for taste, most of which fit in 30oz concentrated bottle and supplemented with gels and candy. Goal was 60g per hour on the run thru on course Maurten gels. I didn’t use special needs bags but had some extra carbs in there just in case. Next time I will push hydration and sodium more since I felt like I came out of the water dehydrated and felt like I was behind on sodium and fluids the whole race.
JB: I don’t use the special needs to keep it simple but I make my own drink with malto, frutose and sodium citrate. And some kool aid mix for flavor. I make enough concentrate to last me the race. With Mauten gels I look for about 80-90 carbs per hour.
Who would you like to send Thank Yous and Shout outs too?
MH: My entire family has been extremely supportive of me through the training process, and my parents were kind enough to come down to Cambridge and cheer me on right through the finish line. Fellow PTC member Jarrod Baranowski had some great last minute advice leading up to the race, and gave me some very helpful encouragement on the run course as he himself was tackling the race. I also want to shout out PTC member Aravind Immaneni for introducing me to the club. It’s been such a welcoming community, and I took advantage of lots of the tribal knowledge in the Discord to get myself ready for race day.
HA: Shoutout to Jarrod Barranowski and Michael Higgins for helping me out with an aero helmet and power meter charger before the race. Congrats to both of them.So thankful to the PTC community. Also my family for coming to support.
JB: My wife is kind of awesome. Going to Kona will also be celebrating our 25 anniversary. Going to races for 30 years isn’t easy and the longtime support of the Philly Tri Club community.