IRONMAN 70.3 Arizona
- Date: October 17th, 2021
- Distance: IRONMAN 70.3
- Location: Tempe, AZ
Results
- Swim: 00:35:49
- T1: Swim-to-Bike: 00:05:17
- Bike: 2:34:21
- T2: Bike-to-Run: 00:03:07
- Run: 1:45:18
- Overall: 5:03:51
Division Rank: 13 | Gender Rank: 77 | Overall Rank: 81
Race Recap
I was satisfied with my performance at IRONMAN 70.3 Arizona.
Swim
Aiming not to repeat my abysmal performance at IRONMAN 70.3 Des Moines, I went very easy on the swim. My sighting was fairly good and I got into a groove about 500 yards in. Tens of thousands of yards swimming long-course over the summer prepared me for the hypoxia and panic that most feel at the start of the swim. I simply slowed my tempo, got into a rhythm, and was able to relax into a comfortable 1:45 min/100 yd pace.
Bike
The T1 transition included about a 500 meter run back to the transition area. The bike course was slow with several turns and turnarounds repeated over three laps. It was a technical course and many triathletes do not have the skill of crit cyclists, making the course rather precarious. I pushed an average of 185W, which for me is pathetic. I definitely could have gone harder
Run
The run went well, but I had GI issues. I blame it on the food, since we had to eat out for most meals. I ran at an easy sub-8:00 min/mi pace, then a run specialist was nice enough to pace me at sub-7:00 min/mi for the final mile and a half.
Retrospective
At the end of the day, I accomplished what I set out to do. I didn’t go sub-5:00 and didn’t qualify for Worlds, which are now on my short list of goals for 2022. That said, I was able to complete the race in good form without going to the well. The only time a felt discomfort was in the final 1.5 miles.
I’m not taking a true off-season. I want to be in the top ten at smaller races like this and that means going sub-4:30. My training will be focused on building a massive aerobic base, regaining my strength, and continuing to advance my swim.
It’s not set in stone, but it’s looking like Texas, Coeur d’Alene, and Maine are on the schedule for 2022. These are top-tier races with deep rosters, so my performances will need to be stellar in order to place well.