Pre Race - 2010 Ironman 70.3 World Championships

I am on my way down to Clearwater Beach, Florida to compete in the 2010 Ironman 70.3 World Championships . This year there is no H1N1 virus scare (as there was in 2009), so my family is traveling with me. There are so many planning details that need to be dealt with before getting into the car and driving to the Airport.

List of steps taken to get ready for the trip:

• Work (a variety of tasks)
• Flu Shot
• Airplane Tickets
• Car Rentals
• Hotels
• Co-ordination with Grandma and Grandpa who will be joining us in Florida
• Co-ordination with Nana and Pappy who will be looking after our dog
• Friends who will be looking in on our house
• Letting the kids schools know
• Getting the car ready and loaded for the drive to the airport
• Event Registration
• Bike Shipping

Last year I qualified for this event at the Muskoka 70.3 event in mid September after having posted the fastest amateur time in the event. I went into the 2009 Clearwater race race not knowing what to expect but hoping for a podium finish in my age group (40-44). I finished the race in 11th place and was extremely disappointed in the amount of cheating taking place out on the bike course and lack of enforcement of the drafting and blocking rules.

Despite the disappointment with the 2009 race I decided to make the 2010 event part of my plan for the 2010 season. I felt that the overall event was worth repeating especially if combined with a family vacation. The location and weather are great this time of year.

I qualified for the 2010 Clearwater event by placing second in my age group at the Mooseman 70.3 in early June in Newfound lake, NH. In July I switched my focus from triathlon training to just training for cycling events. I had finished third in the Peterborough Time Trial race in July and felt that I needed to make Time Trial training my main focus if I hoped to win the Provincial title in September. I responded well to the change in focus and put some time between myself and my main competitors, claiming the provincial TT title.

I am now more determined than ever to improve on the bike and challenge for a national title and possibly compete at the Masters World Championships in Aug of 2011 in Austria. I have also really enjoyed being part of the Wheels of Bloor cycling team in 2010 and look forwards to riding with the team again in 2011.

Despite a change in focus to cycling, I don’t just want to participate in the 2010 Clearwater event taking place this Saturday Nov 13th, I want to finish preferably in the top ten this year. That may be a difficult feat considering that I have only been in the pool twice in the past 4-months. I did start running again 4 weeks ago after taking three months off. I committed to 4-weeks of run training because I wanted to do my best in the race and I wanted to be able to walk the days following the race as my family is planning on visiting a theme park or two.

Here are the questions that I have going into the race:

• Can I do better than last year?
• How much time will I loose during the swim?
• Will I get boxed in behind a pack of riders?
• Will my body (left hip) give out before the end of the run?

Here is my Race Plan

• Do not panic in the swim, give a solid effort but not too much
• Torch the bike course and take in a lot of fluids
• Survive the run