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Ironman 70.3 Boise Spotlight
Unique Ironman 70.3 race takes place in Boise, Idaho on June 9, 2012
Published Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Since 2008, the city of Boise has played host to one of the most unique Ironman 70.3 events in the nation. Ironman 70.3 Boise takes place amidst the breathtaking Rocky Mountains, spanning across a landscape filled with rivers, lakes, forests and high-valley prairies. In addition to its majestic outdoors, Boise boasts an eclectic downtown area with an assortment of boutiques, art galleries, antique shops and restaurants. The combination of these two opposing settings creates the perfect venue for this one-of-a-kind event.
Unlike any other Ironman or Ironman 70.3 race, Ironman 70.3 Boise begins at noon, a refreshing change from the early-morning norm. “It’s a treat to be able to get a proper sleep the night before with the midday start and the warm air temperature helps to offset the cold lake water,” says professional triathlete Heather Wurtele. The journey begins with a 1.2-mile swim in Lucky Peak Reservoir, followed by an exhilarating, fast descent on the bike course. The 56-mile ride offers incredible views of the surrounding mountains with mild elevation changes before heading towards downtown. Finally, athletes will take on the 13.1-mile run course, which extends throughout the Boise River Greenbelt. “You get to see your competition several times on the run, so the heat is always on!” Wurtele notes of the course. After 70.3 miles of racing, the day ends with a burst of energy in the heart of downtown. The finish line area sits among several great attractions, including the Idaho State Historical Museum, the Boise Art Museum and Zoo Boise.
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Visitors of Boise will not only find the city filled with endless entertainment and recreational opportunities, but will be pleasantly surprised by the rich history of the area. The east end of downtown, Old Boise Historic District, still has original buildings and structures that date back to 1863. It is this mixture of old and new, metropolis and wilderness, that make this a favorite event among athletes, as well as spectators.
On Tuesday, February 28, 2012 at 3 p.m. EST, there will be a live chat on the official Ironman Facebook page featuring Mike Cooley, the race director of Ironman 70.3 Boise. He will be available to answer all of your technical and race-related questions. For more information, and to register, visit www.ironmanboise.com.
Super-Moms set to challenge in New Zealand
Gina Crawford and Jessica Jacobs to challenge Joanna Lawan at Kelloggs Nutri-Grain Ironman NZ
Published Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Two Super-Moms are set to challenge the queen of Taupo, Joanna Lawn in next week’s Kellogg’s Nutri-Grain Ironman New Zealand in Taupo. Lawn, the seven time winner of the world’s oldest international Ironman, is top seed for one of the toughest tests in sport set for Saturday March 3. While motherhood was once considered an end to any sporting career, there are two mothers who will be heading to Taupo with push-chairs as well as considerable pedigrees.
New Zealand’s Gina Crawford and American Jessica Jacobs are both Ironman winners around the globe and both have lofty goals in the sport since motherhood.
Crawford made her way out of the string section of the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra to strike up a stunning career with Ironman victories in Western Australia (2008 2009), Wisconsin (2007, 2010) and in Taupo (2009) along with four top-six finishes over only three years. Add to that four other Iron-distance wins including a comeback victory in Wanaka in January only six months after giving birth to won Benji.
It has been a juggle for the remarkable Crawford, who was a former competitive swimmer as a teen but only discovered triathlon less than 10 years ago. Her training regimes have to be fitted around the needs of her son.
“My emphasis is on quantity not quality. I have to be very flexible with my training as I am still breastfeeding,” said Crawford.
“I always felt that I was just trying to keep up with what others were doing – I knew everyone else was doing 30 to 35 hours a week training so I thought that’s what I had to do.
“Now, I’m doing all the crucial sessions but have cut out any recovery sessions and it’s working a lot better. I’m a lot fresher because I’m not so tired all the time and when I do a sprint session I feel I can go a lot faster.
“Once I set my mind to something I’m pretty determined – in Ironman it helps to be determined and the mental side is just as big as the physical side.”
Jacobs was a former member of the US armed forces and turned to triathlon after the birth of her daughter. She had nearly seven years in the army serving in Korea, Germany, Virginia, Kentucky and Texas.
She has a running background, with a best marathon time last year of 2:48, and she is looking at the qualifying mark of 2:45 for the US Olympic Trials.
Jacobs had her first success with second placing at the US duathlon championships and turned professional in 2007.
The 33-year-old was sixth in Ironman Canada in 2010 before a breakthrough victory in Florida that year. Last year she stepped it up with some solid 70.3 results before victory on her home turf at Ironman Wisconsin, followed by successful defence of her Florida crown with a remarkable 8:55, the 13th fastest Ironman time in history by a female, on the back of a 2:53 marathon, the fastest ever by an American.
It’s her first time venturing to this part of the world, as she looks to compete in both Ironman New Zealand and three weeks later back up in Ironman Australia.
The seedings for the women’s race at Kelloggs-Nutri-Grain Ironman New Zealand are: No 1 Joanna Lawn (NZL), No 2 Gina Crawford (NZL), No 3 Jessica Jacobs (USA), No 4 Meredith Kessler (USA), No 5 Kate Bevilaqua (AUS), No 6 Belinda Harper (NZL), No 7 Candice Hammond (NZL), No 8 Rachael Paxton (AUS).
Gina Crawford wins the 2009 Ironman New Zealand race
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Jessica Jacobs wins the 2009 Ford Ironman Florida race
Coach Troy Training Tip: Hill Climbing Strategy/ Technique
Coach Troy Jacobson shows offers some tips on how you can improve your hill climbing
Published Tuesday, February 21, 2012
When the road tilts up, how well do you ride? Do you employ a proper hill climbing strategy that helps you, or one that’s inefficient and slows you down? While your power to weight ratio is all-important (losing weight while maintaining or improving output), different hills require varying techniques in order to maximize your performance and “climb like a mountain goat.”
In this video that I made several years ago, I go over some fundamental hill climbing techniques that you might find useful. Give them a shot and let me know if you have any questions on FACEBOOK or TWITTER. Also, don’t forget to put in the time doing hill repeats and hard intervals on the trainer! There are no shortcuts to success. Good luck and ride safely.
– Coach Troy
www.coachtroy.com
p.s. Try our newest hill climbing workout, 41.0, found in this new Spinervals 3-Pack or check out our Ride Uphill Faster 4-Pack!
WTC and Club La Santa announce 2012 Ironman 70.3 Lanzarote
New event will be a unique addition to the popular Ironman Lanzarote race
Published Tuesday, February 21, 2012
World Triathlon Corporation (WTC) and race organizer/ license holder Club La Santa, announce the inaugural Ironman 70.3 Lanzarote, scheduled for November 10, 2012, at Club La Santa in Lanzarote, Canary Islands. Club La Santa has been developing the Ironman Lanzarote race as an athlete favorite for the last 20 years and is now utilizing their experience and enthusiasm to create the inaugural Ironman 70.3 Lanzarote. The race is fully supported by the Canarian and local government.
The first-ever Ironman 70.3 Lanzarote will take place in and around internationally renowned sports resort Club La Santa, located on the north-west side of the island. The race will lead athletes on a 1.2-mile (1.9k) swim, 56-mile (90.1k) bike and 13.1-mile (21.1k) run in and around one of the most popular holiday destinations in Europe, boasting year-round sunshine and a diverse and extraordinary landscape.
Registration for the 2012 Ironman Lanzarote was full within two months of opening registration, showing a growing number of athletes want to race the picturesque landscape. Niels Feerup, General Manager of Club La Santa said, “We are very pleased with the continued success of Ironman Lanzarote and look forward to the addition of this new race. We will work hard to ensure athletes will have the best possible race experience while racing in this fantastic environment and are honored to organize a second Ironman race on the island.”
All athletes who register for the 2012 Ironman 70.3 Lanzarote will be offered the opportunity of a guaranteed slot for the 2013 Ironman Lanzarote race with a discounted registration price. Athletes must register for the 2012 Ironman 70.3 Lanzarote before June 1, 2012, to be eligible for the offer.
The Ironman 70.3 Lanzarote swim takes place in a safe, confined saltwater lagoon outside Club La Santa, where spectators will have the chance to cheer the athletes on at close range. The participants will then be challenged by a one-lap, hilly bike with the possibility of strong winds. Cyclists will pass through quaint villages with beautiful views and take on a 6.2-mile (10k) mountain climb halfway through the course on the northern coast. Athletes will finish with a two-lap run under the heat of the afternoon sun, staying close to the spectators at Club La Santa and La Santa village with live music and entertainment.
One of nearly 60 events in the global Ironman 70.3 Series, Ironman 70.3 Lanzarote will award 30 age group qualifying slots for the 2013 Ironman World Championship 70.3, taking place at Lake Las Vegas in Henderson, Nev. Professional athletes will compete for a prize purse of USD $25,000.
Registration for the 2012 Ironman 70.3 Lanzarote is now open online at www.ironmanlanzarote.com. For registration questions or additional information about the race, please contact the race organization at info@ironmanlanzarote.com.
About World Triathlon Corporation
World Triathlon Corporation (WTC) is a Tampa-based company recognized for athletic excellence, distinguished events and quality products. The WTC portfolio includes Ironman, Ironman 70.3, 5150 Triathlon Series, Iron Girl and IronKids, which have a combined total of more than 180 events worldwide each year. Supported by partners including Timex, PowerBar, K-Swiss and TYR, Ironman is the No.1 user-based sports brand in the world and has been a respected name in triathlon since its inception in 1978. For more information, visit www.ironman.com.
About Club La SantaAdvertisement
Club La Santa holds the license for Ironman Lanzarote Spain/ Ironman 70.3 Lanzarote Spain and is the organizer of both races. Club La Santa is the biggest combined sports and leisure resort in the world, organizing a variety of training camps (including the Ironman 70.3 Lanzarote Triathlon Training Camp) and races throughout the year. For further information and booking please visit the webpage www.clublasanta.com.
Kona Bound from Florida
Gaylia Osterlund catches up with some of the women’s qualifiers for Kona from Ironman Florida
Published Monday, February 20, 2012
Come race morning in Panama City Beach, athletes were quite relieved to see the ocean had settled down and conditions were quite inviting for what proved to be a wildly competitive day of racing. Other than a bit of nagging wind on the bike and run, the 13th running of the Ironman Florida (and Mother Nature) pretty much gift-wrapped an opportunity for each participant to relish in a personal best performance.
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With the exception of about two minutes of the day, Rachel Wigton led the charge for the gals contesting the W18-24. Her time of 9:57:22 was about 90-minutes faster than that of Elizabeth Roger (11:33:59). Even more relevant to this discussion is the fact Rachel shaved close to one hour off her time from her race here in 2010.
The time gain was pretty evenly split between the bike and the run.
With a sub-10 hour confidence booster under her race belt, she will be a podium contender in October.
I am sure 27-year-old Jessica Demello (10:10:28) is grateful for not giving in to her urge to quit after five minutes in the chaos of the mass swim start. Like most Iron virgins, Demello had mentally processed her day a thousand times, problem solving, enjoying the day, hearing her name called at the finish. What came as a complete surprise at mile 25 of the run was to hear she was leading the W25-29 and was well on her way to racing in Kona. Given how new she is to Ironman, only time will tell if her athletic prowess is stronger than the pressure of the lava fields. Kathryn Honderd (10:23:01), also known as “Special K” to her Dynamo Multisport team, is another newbie who tailored her expectations to focus on having her best day. Honderd is quick to credit her teammates for lifting her up at all those difficult moments. The DynaMafia was 15-members strong and sported their bright green and yellow kits so “Special K” could spot them at a glance.
Bethany Rutledge (W30-34) is a runner at heart so, when a hip injury thwarted her qualifying attempt earlier in the year, a bit of doubt started to creep into her thoughts. The goal in Florida was to come off of the bike in the top 15 of her age group so she could get going on the run believing Kona was within reach. Come mile 16, Rutledge was in survival mode, but still managed her best Ironman run split ever. Her time of 10:32:56 was good enough for third and one of the slots to Hawaii. Although she has incredibly fast feet, Bethany will need to focus a lot of energy on her cycling to compete with the gals this October. Austria’s Karin Melinz (10:36:14) was matter-of-fact when she described her day as very hard. She stayed with her mantra of “fight, fight, fight” when the pain of the marathon started to play tricks with her thoughts and the payoff was a trip to “the most beautiful place on earth”.
Andrea Wilhelm (10:12:38) also qualified in this division.
When Kelley Tolentino (10:29:00) made her way out of T2, her daughter shouted the news that 12 ladies from the W35-39 were already out on the marathon course. Even though running is her forte, Tolentino was not sure she was up to the task of chasing them down. Feeling unusually fatigued from her 112-mile ride, she opted to focus on a steady pace even when she felt herself slowing down. In the last 200 meters, her husband let her know she was in first place in her division. Her split of 3:16:20 was the fastest amateur run of the day and fifth fastest including the professional women. A quick glance at the stats from Kona, 2011 show, even with such an impressive run, Kelley would have finished 14th in this division. If she does some focused bike work leading into the Ford Ironman World Championships, I would expect to see her on the stage at the awards ceremony. Julie Shelley (10:34:30) is a true Ironman warrior. Three months before Florida (and six weeks before Kona, 2011) she was in a bike accident resulting in 17 stitches to her face and the loss of all of the skin from her right hand. Needless to say she did not have her best day on the big island and she hoped to redeem herself on November 5th. I would say her second place finish and a fourth trip to Hawaii is the best redemption of all. Alana Kennedy-Nasser (10:44:49) had one unusual goal for her day. Aside from hoping to finish before sunset, she wanted to be back in her hotel room for the kick off of the LSU/Alabama football game. After a solid PR by about 35-minutes, the family watched the sunset from their room, saw the kick-off (LSU won) and managed to sing happy birthday to daughter Julia, who has happily spent the last two birthdays in PCB.
43-year old Miriam Cole (10:13:56) of Highland Park, Illinois does the equivalent of an Ironman everyday juggling the lives of her four children who range in age from eight to 13. It’s no wonder she can easily manage losing her nutrition in the first few miles of the ride, work through five jaunts to the loo in the first four miles of the run all while on her way to qualifying for the most challenging endurance event on earth. Oh, and let’s not forget she rode a 5:09:43 and holds bragging rights to the fastest amateur bike split of the day. Monica Moreno (10:28:44) had to dig deep to turn her negative attitude around. To hear her version, she didn’t even want to be around herself for the first 61 miles of the ride. With 52 miles to go, she rode away from her pity party with newfound gratitude to be racing Ironman and actually had fun on the marathon. MJ Silkas (10:43:44) and Asdis Kristjansdottir (10:47:37) will be representing this division as well.
The W45-49 was filled with women who are veterans in our sports. Bodil Arlander (10:39:40) and Linda Robb (10:41:12) both posted a top 10 finish at the World Championships in October and chose to carry their fitness over to Florida. Daniela Cramer (10:51:24), Sue Rubens (11:02:03) and Diane Calloway (11:15:48) also qualified to race in October.
In the spring of 2011, 53-year old Stephanie Hevenor (11:24:31) suffered two fractures in her left leg and was unsure if she was going to be able to race at all. With a bit of cross training and increased time on the bike, Stephanie managed to qualify for Las Vegas and Kona.
When someone who runs five marathons in one year and manages Boston qualifying times at three turns their focus to Ironman, it really is just a matter of time before they are mingling on Dig Me Beach preparing to go up against some of the most fit athletes on the planet. Sheila Nicholas (W60-64) used those same running skills to overcome a huge deficit, winning this division by almost 45-minutes in a time of 13:57:20.
Check back in a few weeks as we continue to feature the amazing women who are heading to Kona in October.
You may reach Gaylia Osterlund at gaylialynn@ironman.com.
Al Sultan and Zelenkova Triumphant in Sri Lanka
Inaugural race takes place in Colombo, Sri Lanka under challenging conditions
Published Sunday, February 19, 2012
Groundbreaking, historical and pioneering, all are words that were used to describe the inaugural Ironman 70.3 Sri Lanka here today.
It is a race that very nearly didn’t happen, but with the perseverance of the organisers headed by race director, Shannon Kurek, the assembly of the Brisbane team of USM Events Australia, which was recently acquired into the WTC family, and huge support from the local officials and volunteers here locally, the race made it to the waters edge of the Indian Ocean and Ironman 70.3 Sri Lanka champions were made.
“This was an adventure triathlon,” says winner Faris Al-Sultan (GER), who blitzed the course in hot and windy conditions. “If you want perfection in a race, then inaugural races in developing countries are not going to be for you”.
Al-Sultan admitted that while perfection was not delivered, the race went ahead in difficult circumstances and nobody tried to hide and make excuses. It was also clear on how everybody had pulled together and made the race happen.
Women’s winner Lucie Zelenkova (CZE), pictured below, came here to win. The athlete who lives and trains in South Africa is used to challenging training and racing conditions and said that her race today lived up to those expectations.
“This was a crazy adventure you would not experience anywhere else. I saw something different and that’s why I came here. I am thankful to the WTC, because without their races I would not have raced in so many different places, met so many new friends and experienced so many cultures.”
Crazy refers to the bike course that was three intense loops. Athletes praised the swim and run, especially the run that was reduced to four close-knit loops where athletes could keep an eye on their competition. With cooling breezes off the Indian Ocean, plenty of spectators and willing volunteers it proved to be the highlight for many.
Second place female Katya Rabe of Germany likened today’s race to an adventure race. “The volunteers were amazing, especially on the run course, and I am happy that the race was not cancelled and that we got to come here and experience this.”
Second-place finisher Bryan Rhodes (NZ) has raced all over Asia. He posted the fastest bike split of the day with a scorching 2:05:24, which included a tumble.
Christie Sym (AUS) finished third today and was here racing for the first time since her gallbladder surgery last year. She was full of smiles on many levels after revealing that she had no nutritional problems, which means the surgery was a success.
Age group performance of the day goes to an Australian who now lives in Phuket, Thailand, AJ Anderson. He blitzed his 30-34 AG and came fifth overall in a time of 4:10:31.
Continuing on with the age groupers, they are the athletes who come here just for passion alone and the consensus among the majority is one of “sure it was a little crazy, but it was also great fun.”
To sum up, a miracle has been achieved here today. A transition area that has wowed many of the athletes appeared overnight. Teamwork in every area of race organisation has taken place with three different cultures over three different continents working together over the past five days. The result has been a success. As female winner Lucie Zelankova stated. “If everyone crosses the finish line safely you can say that today has been a success.”
Not to long ago the local people in south East Asian countries such as Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and the Philippines were as mystified by the sport of triathlon as Sri Lanka is today. How fast the times change and now Singapore, Malaysia, Thail
and and the Philippines among others have embraced triathlon. And we hope that the same progression will now happen here in Sri Lanka as the people have been introduced to a sport that they would never before in their life have experienced or witnessed up close.
1. Faris AL-SULTAN: 00:25:25 02:06:26 01:18:33 03:51:39
2. Bryan RHODES: 00:25:19 02:05:24 01:27:27 03:59:14
3. Alessandro DEGASPERI: 00:25:27 02:14:31 01:19:44 04:00:54
4. Fredrik CRONEBORG: 00:28:04 02:11:55 01:23:13 04:04:27
5. Kent HORNER: 00:25:22 02:10:46 01:33:37 04:10:49
6. Josh RIX: 00:25:29 02:11:54 01:41:01 04:19:39
1. Lucie ZELENKOVA: 00:28:01 02:25:01 01:35:51 04:30:17
2. Katja RABE: 00:31:52 02:26:36 01:34:28 04:34:13
3. Christie SYM: 00:31:00 02:22:07 01:42:13 04:36:38
4. Claire HORNER: 00:32:24 02:26:04 01:37:48 04:37:34
5. Dana WAGNER: 00:32:35 02:25:38 01:42:08 04:42:02
Ironmanlife: Catching up with Tom Schuler
Kevin Mackinnon interviews one of the founders of the Timex Multisport Team
Published Friday, February 17, 2012
Before Lance Armstrong managed to make North America aware of the world of European cycling, there were a precious few athletes from this side of the Atlantic who were able to make a dent in that part of the cycling world. The group of men who set the stage for Armstrong’s heroics more than a decade before he would take his first Tour title mostly came from one team: 7-Eleven. Tom Schuler was a member of that team and, once he stopped racing his bike, he became one of the sport’s premier cycling team managers. He also made a dent in our world here at Ironman – he was one of the men who created the Timex Multisport Team.
Schuler was one of the early members of the 7-Eleven sponsored team that Jim Ochowicz put together in 1981. In 1985 the team ventured over to Europe to race as a team for the first time. While other Americans had competed in European cycling before, they were a precious few. John Howard spent some time on the continent, but struggled to gain the respect of his European rivals. Jacques Boyer had a bit more success, but much of that was the result both of his ability and his last name. (He was considered “half-French.”) They had to pay attention to Greg Lemond because he was just too talented to be ignored. After that, North American athletes struggled to make a dent in the European race scene.
Schuler credits 7-Eleven’s success with a bit of luck, but also the attitude that he’s since instilled in the Timex Multisport Team. Ochowicz believed that if you could create an environment that truly helped the athletes, results and sponsorship would take care of itself.
When Ron Kiefel managed to win a sprint at one of the early season events in Italy in 1985, he impressed even the great Francesco Moser, one of cycling’s all-time greats. At dinner the night of the race Moser went over to the team table and shook everybody’s hand, knowing full well that you don’t win a sprint like that without the work of a team behind you.
A few weeks later the team received an invitation to the Giro d’Italia. A year later they were in the Tour de France – and won three stages. A year after that Alex Stieda claimed the yellow jersey for a few days.
7-Eleven would eventually morph into Team Motorola, the team that Lance Armstrong would ride for in his pre-cancer bike-racing career. All from that one trip in 1985.
“We were the only ones who thought we had a chance,” Schuler remembers. “But that atmosphere that Ochowicz created made it all possible.”
When he was asked to create a triathlon team that would mirror his cycling teams (during the 1990s Schuler managed teams like Saeco/Timex and Timex/Cannondale), Schuler figured out exactly what had to stay the same, and what needed to be different in order to cater to triathletes.
“The idea was to bond the team by a few sponsors and bond the team with a few principals,” he says. “One of those was important to me – if you take care of what the athletes need,
the sponsorship will take care of itself. If you protect what the athletes need to do their job, the results will come and the sponsors will want to be involved.”
Schuler didn’t just sit on the sidelines once he was asked to start up the team, either. He’s competed in four Ironman races and has found that experience to be dramatically different to his days as a cyclist.
“That feeling of accomplishment – what you go through along the route, dealing with the highs and lows – it’s not something someone can tell you about, you have to feel it. Cycling typically ends with a burst of a sprint at the end, and there’s rarely that feeling of a sense of accomplishment as you cross the line. In an Ironman, no matter what you’ve gone through, because you finish the thing, there’s always that sense of accomplishment. In cycling, even when you finish a big tour, that feeling usually comes later. At the time, you’re just happy that you’re finished. In cycling there’s just one winner, whereas I feel like in Ironman there are hundreds of winners.”
Over the last 12 years the Timex Multisport Team has had more than its share of winners, and much of that can be attributed to Tom Schuler. Lance Armstrong’s return to triathlon seems to be causing quite a stir these days. Tom Schuler’s another cyclist who has made a big difference in our sport, too.
You can hear my entire interview with Tom Schuler here
Timex Multisport Team Training Camp
Kevin Mackinnon catches up with some of the action at the Timex Performance Center
Published Friday, February 17, 2012
The Timex Multisport Team is made up of 48 athletes from around the world who compete in a variety of triathlon and multisport events. They’re having their annual training camp this year at the Timex Performance Center, the home of the Super Bowl champion New York Giants, so we thought we’d get down to East Rutherford, New Jersey to check out the action.
Last year the Timex Multisport Team competed in 560 events around the world, including 258 Ironman and 70.3 events. In all of that, they managed to rack up 149 first place finishes – an impressive 27% of the times they raced. In 2011 the team also held 209 clinics around the world.
This weekend the team is having some elaborate testing done by the folks from the Korey Stringer Institute (KSI), who are doing sweat analysis on the athletes as they run and bike in a room that’s been heated up to 95 degrees Fahrenheit (35 degrees Celsius). The KSI crew were in Hawaii last year doing a number of tests on athletes competing in Kona and will be presenting the results from that work here tomorrow.
- An overall win by Viktor Zyemtsev at Ironman 70.3 Augusta.
- Jackie Arendt, in her first year as a pro finished second overall at Ironman St. George and Ironman Louisville.
- Gwen Jorgensen qualified for the 2012 Olympic Games in London, England.
- Luis Alvarez completed his 82nd Ironman race.
- Will Kelsay competed in six XTERRA events in six countries around the world … in six weeks!
- 12 athletes competed in Kona
We’ll have more from the camp through the weekend here on Ironman.com. We’re also down here to do some interviews with the athletes – we’ll have more of their stories and a weekly training feature by members of the team throughout the year, too.
Stu Fitch made the trip to New Jersey from Darwin, Australia
We did mention this is the New York Giants training center, right? I’m guessing none of the triathletes will be doing biceps curls with this!
Jackie Arednt enjoys her new locker … well, for today, anyway.
The sweat testing crew from the Korey Stringer Institute – they’re based at the University of Connecticut.
Cassie Maximenko
Inaugural Ironman 70.3 Sri Lanka and 5150
Emma Bishop previews this weekend’s Inaugural Ironman 70.3 Sri Lanka in Colombo
Published Thursday, February 16, 2012
Last week the heat was turned up in South America with the inaugural 70.3 Panama. This weekend we cross several timelines to South Asia for the inaugural Ironman 70.3 Sri Lanka. Taking place on Sunday, Sri Lanka is a new destination on the global 70.3 calendar. Colombo is also playing host to the first ever 5150 to be held in Asia.
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Introducing a new sport to a destination associated with tea, cricket and tropical beaches, Ironman is literally breaking new ground. This weekend will be an intimate race where visiting athletes will have the privilege to experience a new culture and country. For the local people of Sri Lanka, it will be an education of triathlon and the lifestyle that it encompasses.
Working in Asia for the first time, Race Director Shannon Kurek explains that the race this weekend will be Sri Lanka’s largest (individual) sporting event. “We hope that it will continue to grow rapidly in the coming years bringing with it a positive economic impact for the country”
The course is fast. So fast that athletes may have to go back post race and explore all that Colombo has to offer. With no traffic (all roads will be closed on race day) and a flat course, Sri Lanka is designed for the uber-fast biker kitted with disk wheel and lovers of a pancake flat run course. I am predicting some explosive times (for the tropics), but remember, despite the lack of elevation athletes have to contend with a consistent 81°F air temperature, 82°F sea temperature (no wet suits) and for a little fun, the humidity level hovers around 80%.
When travelling to a race, logistical convenience is a huge factor for all athletes. Being able to ride or walk to registration, to the pasta party and the race start is a dream. With a myriad of hotel properties surrounding the host Taj Samudra Hotel, everything the athletes require is on their doorstep. The Taj Samudra itself is a majestic celebration of old Colombo architecture and is literally footsteps from transition on the Galle Face Green. Another short walk and you are at the swim start. And that’s where the action starts at 06:00 (70.3 Start) on Sunday morning in the Indian Ocean.
Out of transition, athletes competing in the 70.3 distance will complete three loops of 30 km over new road surfaces. It will take athletes out of the heart of old Colombo past local life and cricket grounds towards a new emerging modern Sri Lanka. The U-turn is stationed out towards the Royal Colombo Golf Club, a 130-year-old establishment that was given the Royal seal by King George VI in 1928.
A short ride later the athletes will fast-forward to modern times, where they will pass by the recently opened Nelum Pokuna – Mahinda Rajapaksa Theatre. Inspired by a Lotus pond, it is the home of Colombo’s new performing arts theatre and is just one of many new landmarks emerging.
After completing the three loops on the bike (two loops of 20 km for the 5150 race), athletes head back to transition at Galle Face Green for the start of their run, which will be hot because there is little cover. Staying in the heart of the city, the flat out-and-back run course parallels the Indian Ocean. The course winds back through the city before finishing at the place to be this Sunday – the Galle Face Green.
The race location has attracted professionals and age groupers from far and wide and a total of 35 countries.
Headlining the men’s pro field is 2005 Ironman World Champion and 2011 Ironman European Champion, Faris Al-Sultan. We expect Al-Sultan to be testing his early season legs over the course ahead of the Abu Dhabi triathlon early in March.
Looking to challenge Al-Sultan are a group of athletes that offer a mix of experience, youth and Ironman championships. Italy’s Alessandro Degasperi is a 70.3 specialist and a top-10 finisher at the Ironman World Championship 70.3 last year. With youth on his side Tim Berkel, who won Ironman 70.3 Busselton last year. Bryan Rhodes is a four-time Ironman champion and Fredrik Croneborg of Sweden is a regular on the Asian triathlon circuit who knows exactly how to handle the tropical heat.
In the ladies pro field I am interested to see what Australian Christie Sym is going to do this weekend. Top 10 at last years Ironman 70.3 World Championship, Sym won 70.3 Racine and 70.3 Cancun last year. Sri Lanka will be her first race back post surgery (Sym had to have her gallbladder removed). Concerned that she would not be able to perform at the level required to win races, doctors have assured her that YES she can compete and potentially better than before. Dana Wagner, a new professional on the circuit, has some great credentials on the age group circuit after winning the ITU long distance world championship in Henderson last year. It will be interesting how she fares this Sunday.
1. Faris Al-Sultan (GER)
2. Swen Sundberg (GER)
3. Tim Berkel (AUS)
4. Bryan Rhodes (AUS)
5. Alessandro Degasperi (ITA)
6. Fredrik Croneborg (SWE)
7. Kent Horner (RSA)
8. Joshua Rix (AUS)
Professional Women’s Field – tentative
Pro ranking points, prize purse and age group qualifier
The professional men and women’s fields in Sri Lanka will be competing for $15,000 and 1,500 Pro Ranking points to go towards qualifying for the Ironman and Ironman 70.3 World Championships. There are 25 age group spots available for the Ironman World Championship 70.3, held at Lake Las Vegas in Henderson, Nevada, on September 9, 2012.
We will have athlete tracking and live updates of the race on Sunday. Follow all the action at ironmanlive.com.
Race Profile: Ironman 70.3 Hawai’i
This week we profile the spectacular Ironman 70.3 Hawai’i, known as Honu
Published Thursday, February 16, 2012
Hawai’i, the Big Island, is the youngest and largest island in the Hawaiian chain. Home of one of the most active volcanoes, one is astounded to discover a green oasis with world-class accommodations. Located only 20-minutes north of the Kona International Airport rests the tranquil Kohala Coast. Nestled amongst the rugged lava fields lies a wondrous landscape waiting to announce E Komo Mai or “welcome” to the ninth annual Ironman 70.3 Hawai’i, known as Honu.
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On Saturday, June 2, athletes from around the world will converge for one of the most remarkable endurance triathlon events. More than 1,600 athletes will begin their day with a 1.2-mile swim at Hapuna Beach State Park. They will then embark on a challenging 56-mile bike ride to Hawi. The day draws to a close with a 13.1-mile run along a course through beautiful resorts, including The Fairmont Orchid, Hawai’i, which embraces every athlete crossing the finish line.
Celebrating an incredible partnership in its fourth consecutive year, Honu is excited to call The Fairmont Orchid, Hawai’i home as the host hotel during the event. Athletes and visitors will experience the true spirit of Aloha and the staff of The Orchid will nurture it.
Last week we announced an exciting new partnership with The Lance Armstrong Foundation (LAF), which will raise $1 million for people affected by cancer. Lance Armstrong is going back to his triathlon roots and is scheduled to race several of our events this season, including Ironman 70.3 Hawai’i, as a part of Team LIVESTRONG.
“The synergy between LIVESTRONG and Ironman makes the partnership a natural fit,” said Diana Bertsch, Honu Event Director. “It is an exciting and excellent opportunity to not only share the Ironman experience, but to promote fitness and health awareness while helping others. The partnership exemplifies our mantra that, ‘ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE®.’”
Honu is a dual qualifier allowing athletes to compete for 30 coveted age-group qualifying slots to the 2012 Ironman World Championship 70.3 at Lake Las Vegas in Henderson, Nevada, and 28 age-group qualifying slots to the renowned 2012 Ironman World Championship in Kailua-Kona, Hawai’i. Top professional male and female finishers at Honu will compete for a $15,000 prize purse.
For the first time, join Honu Event Director, Diana Bertsch on Tuesday, February 21, 2012, at 3 PM EST. via live chat on the official Ironman 70.3 Facebook page. She will be available to answer your race-related questions. Diana and her team will make every effort for newcomers and veterans alike to have their best race day.
Ironman 70.3 Panama Champ Bevan Docherty
Kevin Mackinnon profiles Sunday’s winner in Panama
Published Thursday, February 16, 2012
He might not have been trying to sneak into Ironman 70.3 Panama under everyone’s radar, but he sure was doing a good job. It wasn’t until the afternoon before the race we finally managed to track Bevan Docherty down. While the crowds were all looking at Lance Armstrong or desperately trying to get their picture taken with Chris Lieto or Leanda Cave, the two-time Olympic medalist (silver in Athens in 2004 and bronze in Beijing in 2008) was cruising through the race site relatively unnoticed. Which, as we pointed out early on our Ironmanlive coverage from the race, was a big mistake – Docherty was very much a contender.
There’s a reason many in the Ironman world aren’t too aware of Docherty, despite the fact that he’s done so well at the Olympics, won the ITU World Championship in 2004 and has excelled at ITU events all over the world for years. Heading into last Sunday’s race in Panama, Docherty had competed over the Ironman 70.3 distance a grand total of … one time. It was 12 years ago and, in that event, he caught Dirk Bockel with a mile to go in the half marathon to take the win. That race strategy came into play again last Sunday, where Docherty came from behind and passed Armstrong with less than two miles to go to take the Ironman 70.3 Panama title.
In the end it was Docherty alone who was able to “save the triathletes” by being the only seasoned multisport athlete to get across the line ahead of Armstrong. “I guess you can say that I saved the face of triathlon today,” he joked after the race. “A lot of guys have said to me ‘thank God one triathlete did it.’ I’m happy to uphold the triathletes … Lance is only going to get faster and smarter in this sport as well, so it’s only going to get tougher.”
“It’s good to hold on to my unbeaten record over this distance,” Docherty added with a smile after the race. “I probably don’t want to hold on for another 12 years before my third one, but I’m going to have a bit of a break from the long course stuff now – I’ll get into that next year. Now I should probably start focusing on the Olympics, that’s my ultimate goal.”
Docherty would dearly love to complete his Olympic medal collection with a gold in London this year, but he’s quite aware that will be a tough challenge.
“It is going to be tough this time around,” he said. “The course isn’t suited to me. I’ve been fortunate in the past that Athens was a super-difficult bike course and Beijing was tough on the bike and tough on the run, so I’ve been able to capitalize on that. London is going to be flat and fast, and I’m getting older, so things are against me. Saying that, I’m a seasoned athlete so I know how to put myself on the starting line in the best possible shape. It’s the Olympics, anything can happen. I’m 100 percent committed and focused. It would be ideal to leave short course triathlon with a gold silver and bronze, so I’m going to hammer the next six months and see what happens.”
Docherty’s experience was evident last Sunday as he put himself in a perfect position to take the race. The win would have been impressive even if Armstrong wasn’t in the field – the “inexperienced” Kiwi managed to beat some of Ironman’s top stars including the likes of Chris Lieto, Rasmus Henning, Oscar Galindez, Bert Jammaer, and 70.3 specialist Richie Cunningham.
For those of us who are familiar with Docherty’s resume, his impressive race was hardly a surprise. Despite the fact that the 37-year-old has focused on draft-legal ITU Olympic distance racing, his training is not unlike that of some of the world’s top 70.3 and Ironman athletes. When he lived in Boulder, Docherty spent a lot of time training with Craig Alexander. A typical training week includes a two-hour run and long bike rides. His move to regular distance racing appears inevitable, so Sunday’s race managed to provide some much-needed experience. “It’s not like I’m new to this stuff. The whole new element of the heat today is what got to me.”
“ITU is a very intense sport,” he said of the differences between the two different styles of racing. “You’re not worried about bonking – all you’re worried about is filling your muscles up with lactic acid. This sport is all about control and maintaining the nutrition and just trying to stay focused for the entire time. The limiting factor in ITU is lactic threshold … I guess in long course – and I’m still pretty new to this – it seems to be a war of attrition.”
Docherty won that war of attrition and came away from it with as much respect for his competitors as he’d had going in. When asked if his win gave the ITU crowd some bragging rights, he refused to be drawn in.
“You certainly have to have a lot of respect for both sides,” he said. “I used to train with Crowie (three-time Ironman world champion Craig Alexander) day in and day out when I lived in Boulder. I know what he’s capable of. I trained with Macca (two-time Ironman world champion Chris McCormack) as well. They’re two completely different sports (ITU racing versus long distance 70.3 and Ironman). Just because you’re a good short course athlete doesn’t mean you can come into this sport and do well. I think guys like Crowie know how I train and know I can make the transition, but it wasn’t a walk in the park today, it was really tough. I still have a lot of respect for the long course guys.”
As much as Docherty’s win appeared to be overshadowed by Armstrong’s appearance (something Armstrong was very cognizant of and did his best to avoid, according to the Tour de France champion’s friend and mentor Jimmy Riccitello), even as the winner he was excited to compete against, and beat, one of the world’s most famous athletes.
“It was a pretty awesome feeling.
Like I say, he’s obviously a very talented athlete. I watched every one of those tours. It’s almost a dream to have someone of his stature enter our sport and raise the profile again. To be the first person to beat him is pretty cool. He’s only going to come back faster and stronger, so there’s a lot of work for the other boys.”
For now, though, it will be up to the “other boys” to figure out how to beat Lance Armstrong. Docherty has an even more daunting challenge ahead – trying to claim the one medal that has eluded him at the Olympics. After that, though, the Ironman world better pay attention – we shouldn’t let Bevan Docherty sneak under the radar again.
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LAVA Photographer Recognized by World Press Photo
Donald Miralle swim start photo takes first in Best Single Sports Image category
Published Wednesday, February 15, 2012
LAVA senior photographer Donald Miralle was recently recognized by World Press Photo for his Kona mass swim start photograph, pictured. The photo took first in the Best Single Sports Image category for 2011. This is a prestigious distinction by the largest and most respected photojournalism organization in the world, on par with the Pulitzer Prize. (Thanks to lavamagazine.com for this story.)
The contest by the numbers: 5, 247 photographers, 124 nationalities and 101, 254 total pictures entered. 350 images by 57 photographers of 24 nationalities were awarded prizes in 9 categories. Learn more about the organization and view the winning photos at www.worldpressphoto.org. This win brings triathlon attention in the sports and media communities worldwide, and we are very proud to have featured it on our December/January cover. The contest was covered by the New York Times, The Washington Post, and the Guardian, to name a few.
You can read the full story behind how the photo was shot over on Miralle’s blog, but here’s an excerpt:
So as I was sitting there at about 6:59 a.m., 30 feet on the bottom of the bay, trying to line up schools of fish below schools of man without getting too many bubbles from my mouth and regulator in the frame, and getting the correct exposure/focus as well, when I noticed in the corner of my eye the battery was blinking. All I could think was “shit my camera is going to die before this start, and I’m gonna miss it all,” and less than a minute later I could hear the muffled cannon fire, the surfboards holding the line of swimmers open, and the mass of humanity swim overhead. Click, click, cli… and I got about 2.5 frames in the first second of the race before my camera crapped out. All I could do was swim back to land and pray that I got one usable frame out of all the time and preparation that went into that morning.
A week later as I entered the LAVA offices to show my images from Kona to the publisher and editors, and I had one image in mind from the 60-plus I was showing that stood out in
my as the strongest contender for the cover. It wasn’t a classic image of Chrissie Wellington crossing the finish line, nor one of Craig Alexander crushing the course record becoming the first man to win the 70.3 and Ironman World Champs in the same year, but rather an artistic frame of anonymous swimmers among a school of fish in the bay. I’ve shot all but one of the cover photos run by LAVA, and they are usually lit, stocky, tight action or portrait shots; this scene setter from Kona was a long-shot by those standards.
The fish frame was one of those images and moments you get once in your lifetime, where all the elements line up, and preparation meets opportunity. Editor-in-chief Brad Culp went to bat for me on this one, and after a couple heated debates over what the best cover image should be, they went for it. It’s my favorite cover shot yet and it’s for the best as all the other triathlon magazines will have that stocky image of the finish line. LAVA will have that different shot that no one else runs.
Congrats, Don, from all of us at Ironman!
Read more: Triathlon Photographer Takes Top Photo Honors : LAVA Magazine http://lavamagazine.com/features/triathlon-photographer-takes-top-photo-honors/#ixzz1mTnr9VYS Advertisement
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