That’s the “official” name and that is EXACTLY what it is.
THE World Championship and the best of the best are there.
3 years ago when this event 1st started a lot of people including me wondered what this race would become. Would it be just another 70.3 or would it be something special?
The opening ceremony on the 1st year set the stage, Mike Reilly and the crew said it…
Many of you were wondering what this would be like, we’re here to tell you…this is the real deal and it’s going to get harder get here next year – so go tell your friends.
It has become a real World Championship and the talent pool just keeps getting better.
Paul Cantin, VMS Client #1, has been there twice and both times he has had a PR. In 2006, Paul went 5:03 which was a breakthrough race. This year is same story. Paul went 4:47 for a 16 minute PR. He had a PR swim, a PR run and an overall PR.
Paul does all of the work, he doesn’t blow off anything and it has been fantastic to watch him progress in this his 3rd year in the sport. He gets up early, he logs the miles and he doesn’t short anything. Hard work has gotten Paul to where he is now and he will continue to improve. Next year is Ironman Canada and I predict he is going to have another breakthrough day…Congrats on the great season and enjoy the downtime – you earned it!!!
JC and I have been running together (ok, she only runs with us on her slow days) on Sundays over the last 2 years and I always asked her who was coaching her. She said she had a run coach and the rest she kind of made up as she went. I kept asking her if I could help and in March we started working together – kind of :) JC and her coach would write her run plan and I would fit in swimming and biking around that as we all know that running is MUCH more important than the rest of that silly tri stuff :)
In July, JC did the 70.3 in Lake Stevens and she did fantastic – 3rd in her AG and 102nd Overall on a course that should NOT be a good race for us flatlanders. She scored her spot for Clearwater and started to really focus on all 3 sports and not just running.
Her biking and her swimming started to REALLY improve. She stayed focused and did ALL of the work. REALLY – ALL OF IT!!! I think she is probably one of the most detail oriented people I know and she dialed in all of the things she could so that race day would give her the best chance of doing something special. From her bike, her wheels, her nutrition – the whole picture – she approached it analytically and found solutions. She practiced it all to make sure it all worked.
We talked about goals and her strategy and I could tell she was REALLY focused on achieving what she wanted – top 5. That is TOP 5 in the WORLD. That is a big deal!!!
When the gun went off…she did it.
She smoked the swim, smoked the bike and hammered the run for a BLAZING FAST 4:32:56!!!
She didn’t hold back at all.
She went for it from the gun to the finish and she knew she could blow up but hoped for the best and she got it.
It is AWESOME to watch someone set a goal and make it – especially when that goal is really a stretch.
Congrats JC, all of us are INCREDIBLY proud of you – TOP 5 in the WORLD – cheeka – that sounds cool. Enjoy the time off – enjoy the Jaeger and Red Bull – you earned it :)
I had a chance to be on the course for a few hours right at the start. Shane was swimming in the Regional swim meet in Orlando and his heat was not scheduled until 11:30. Up at 4am – in the car at 4:15 and on the course at 5:45.
For me, watching from the sidelines is always a little uncomfortable. I like to be involved. I almost always wish I was racing with them but last Saturday was really one of those days when I just was really happy to watch. The excitement of seeing good friends achieve what the want was really more fun than racing. It was the perfect start to the “off season” and I am really glad I had a chance to be at the start.
After the swim I jumped back in the car and logged on to Ironman Live and listened to the race as I flew back to Orlando. I made it in plenty of time to see Shane before his race and wish him luck. He swam a VERY impressive 5:30 500 free for 17th spot. This is 1st year swimming this distance…last year he was a 50 free stylist and I think Saturday was his 6th time EVERY racing that distance. Congrats Shane, great season and you too get to enjoy the off season :)
Speaking of “off season” it is!!!
This week I started back exercising as Marni says. I like this expression as I am not training – I am exercising. It’s what I want to do so I do it.
The off season also allows me to get back to all of those things I wish I had time for when the season is in full swing.
Strength Training…Yoga…Active Release Therapy…Chiropractic treatment…all of these in one week and I am feeling better already.
2 days back in the gym and soccer mom is not laughing as hard this year. I actually squatted 135 and hopefully I will be able to catch up to Hercules and Saswata at some point :)
Sleeping in has never been one of my things so my house is clean, my tri stuff organized, my laundry done and my blog written. Yes – it’s 6am on Saturday and I am wide awake – I love coffee :)
With all of this extra time – I have really decided to embrace this off season to try and correct all of the things that were bothering me during the year…hopefully by the time “training season” rolls back around – I will be rested, relaxed, refreshed and realigned…
Good luck to Kevin Neal, Alan and Matt who are racing in AZ next weekend – the weather looks great.
Kia Kaha
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