Ironman Louisville 2013.....My Race (Video Version)

The race seems so long ago now but the video is now in from Ironman Louisville 2013.  My race report is here

Ironman Louisville Race Report

And here is the video courtesy of SLIC Productions.

Pre-Race - Reflecting on Ironman and 2013

So as you can probably tell from my complete lack of blog posts this year that life in general has been pretty damn busy, more responsibilities at regular work and the store expanding has meant little time for updates about training and racing.  Sitting here in Louisville a couple of days before Ironman Kentucky, gives me some time to look back over the season so far and contemplate 2014.

I have high expectations in everything I do, whether that be work, the store or triathlon. Unfortunately there is is only so much time in the day and priorities change as you get older and wiser.  I started in triathlon in 2005, got into Ironman racing almost straight away and now I sit just a couple of days away from my 8th Ironman in 8 years (not as prolific as some!).  Initially the goal was to finish and have a good enjoyable race, then it progressed onto getting faster and perhaps see if I could get to Kona and the World Championships.  Yes I have got faster, yes I have got close to the Kona slot but no I haven't got to the Big Island.....the fields are getting quicker and the slots are getting smaller at each race.  The Ironman world is a different one than 5-8 years ago.

2013 is my last chance.....for a while. It's time to take a break from the Ironman world, mentally and physically I need a rest from Ironman.  I will return someday, the training and racing is something I love but just at this moment in time a break feels right.  That's not to say that I haven't thought about other events, there are so many great races and events out there, it's just about which of them to choose and which are do-able within my parameters.

2014 will be a season of 70.3 races, local triathlons and road racing with the guys......all of which allow for slightly lower volume and time training. Mentally it will be break from constantly thinking of how you are going to get the volume while fitting everything else in - quality will go up, quantity will go down. Besides I need to show that triathletes can road race :-)

In the meantime, I have 140.6miles to race on Sunday and to be honest it feels great to not already be thinking about an Ironman race in 2014.  I don't have real high expectations based on the training of this season, it's been up and down, but I feel ready to give it everything.  Nothing will be left out on the course, I'll leave Louisville knowing that I gave it my all.  If I don't catch lightening in a bottle this year, one day I'll be back to try and get to the Big Island (if the World's are still held there in years to come!).

In the words of Young the Giant, my mantra for Sunday will be:


 My Body tells me no, but I won't quit
Cause I want more, cause I want more
My Body tells me no, but I won't quit
Cause I want more, cause I want more

2013 Race Schedule....Long Overdue!

So finally I think I have most of the 2013 triathlon races scheduled and approved!

May 5th - New Jersey Devilman Half (Lite)
May 19th - Maritime International
June 9th - Eagleman 70.3m
June 29th - HITS North Country 70.3m
August 4th - Fort Ritchie Olympic
August 26th - Ironman Louisville


This year I am trying out some new races as well as getting back to some favorites.  Obviously the big goal is as ever the Ironman in Louisville.  I did this race back in 2009 and loved the course as well as the City.  The course is very similar to the riding here in Maryland and well, it's going to be hot, but it's hot here in July/August too!

Training has been going well so far and before we know it we will be back into race season!

In the words of Bruce Buffer......"It'sssss Timeeeeee"

It's been a slovenly 4 weeks since ChesapeakeMan and it's time to start thinking about the 2013 season.  To  begin with the months of November and December are for getting back some structure, work on the base and importantly work on the swim base, something I always tend to neglect.

October was a month of rest....I ended up doing about an many hours in that month as a do during a heavy summer week.  You need this both mentally and physically after a long season that began in the Winter building towards IM St George and then the back end at ChesapeakeMan.

Looking forward to the 2013 season a few races are already on the schedule but most are still pending, this is how is looks to be shaping out.

March 17th - Caesar Rodney Half Marathon
April 1st - Virginia Duathlon
April 15th - Boston Marathon
May 5th - New Jersey Devilman Triathlon
June 9th - Eagleman 70.3m
June 29th - Hits North County Triathlon
Aug 12th - North East Triathlon
Aug 26th - Ironman Louisville
After IM to be decided.

I'm sure there will be changes but this is the bones of it......."It'sssssssssss Timeeeeeeeeeeeeeee"

So What's The Plan..........

I always head into Ironman races with four main goals...

1) Finish - In such a long race you never know what can happen!

2) Race to a PR Time - For IMKY this will be under 10hrs 5mins.

3) Race to a goal time - I really think that I can get around 9hr 45mins if things go to plan. This would be a 1hr 5min swim, 5hrs 10mins on the bike and a 3hr 20mins marathon.

4) Put myself in with a chance of a Kona slot - If I manage the first three goals then the 4th will be taken care of. We have 6 slots atm in the 30-34AG and my goal time would put me in with a good chance of a slot. If it happens it happens, if not, well there is always next year. The key is a good race.

I feel prepared, the training and taper has gone well and I am looking forward to race day. To be honest I can't wait for race day...........If anyone is interested you can follow the race on www.ironman.com under the athlete tracker (#827).

Lets Crack Open The Arm Warmers......

Wow, after the last few months worrying about the heat and humidity on race day at Ironman Louisville it looks like I might have to take the arm-warmers with me. Current forecast show a sunny day but highs at only 72 degrees and lows in the 50's....perhaps I should have stayed in the UK for longer to acclimatise!

If severe heat and humidity (although it states 72%) isn't a factor then at least it will be a very competitive race with almost ideal conditions for an Ironman. Only a few days to go and I am sure the forecast will change a few times yet :-(

Three Weeks and Counting.......

Just 22 days until my biggest scheduled race of the year and everything is coming together nicely. The past months training has been great and pretty much all the key workouts have gone to plan. The last week has been stellar and I'm just hoping that I'm not reaching a peak too soon.

The week started on Saturday with a 120mile ride down to Solomon's Island and back with a crew of 6 from ABRT. After feeling the long run from Friday night on the first half of the ride, the second half was a complete blast and the final 25miles were covered in under an hour. The weather sucked on Sunday and after running around the neighborhood for 45mins I called it a day with thunder rumbling around. Monday was just an easy flush-out ride followed by a threshold run. One of the key workouts of the week is always the D-Ville hammerfest on Tuesday (after swimming at lunch) and that was sweet, everything felt great and smooth. Ended up having the fastest ride of the year at dead on 25MPH and followed that up with a 10km at 6:40min/mile pace, which felt quite leisurely.

Just lately my long runs have been struggles, I think it has been mainly due to adjusting to the heat and humidity now that it has finally turned up. Yesterday was good though. I swam before work and the plan for the run was just to keep it easy and get the miles in, just go the steady pace that I felt would get me through the 16 miles. It worked out to be just about 7min/miles and I was fine with that. That pace is just below what I am hoping for Ironman in 3 weeks and importantly I wasn't completely wiped by the end of the run....I had something left.

With most of the hay in the barn (did I just write that!) and feeling pretty good, this weekend in the UK may be a good way to keep at my peak. Just some short, intense sessions before the taper actually begins for real on August 15th.

Importantly the IMKY athlete guide came out today and it has the preliminary Kona slot allocations.........6 in my age group! It's time to get big-time focused :-)

The Lure Was Too Much..........

Only a week removed from ChesapeakeMan and with the Ironman World Championships taking place in Kona this coming weekend, the lure of Ironman was too much.....yes I have the Eagleman 70.3M race to try for the ellusive Kona slots but I also wanted to race Ironman again next year and if that could be combined with another chance at getting to the Big Island then all the better.

As such over the weekend I signed up for Ironman Louisville 2009 taking place on August 30th!. Yes it will be hot, yes it will be humid and it is the last chance to get Kona slots for the 2009 season. Only 6 weeks separate Louisville from the World Championships and so for many it is the last chance saloon...me included :-)



The Ironman quest begins again..........