Ironman 70.3 California : Official Thread

Signed up the day it opened! I went to watch the race this year for some recon and learned a lot!  I also was at the finish line and was in the background of the ladies winner's photo in Triathlete magazine, so I've got the printout taped up on my bathroom mirror for encouragement for training this year!

I'm most anxious about the swim, but the mostly protected waters (cold cold water) made me feel a little better.  I'm working on improving my swim technique, but so far I'm still quite slow.  I read up on Total Immersion swimming and I'm working on the drills in the pool, but what's happened is that my swim time remained about the same, the stroke economy improved but strokes per minute went from 50 to 25 :/  (I'm up to drill 8) I guess this means I save energy on the swim since I'm not flailing like a fail whale, but I'm still going over 3 minutes per 100 yards in open water.  I'm hoping my speed improves after my balance in the water improves.  SIGH.

Slightly less worried but still concerned about the run.  I broke my foot in 2010 in my first marathon and it never quite had enough time off to heal right.  Now it bothers me when I wear "squishy" footwear or if I impact on my foot too hard like with cross training (last time I did this was February).  I'm slowly starting to run again, doing about 10 minutes after a swim or bike session.  I guess I could walk the entire 13.1 miles, but I'd rather not.

Joyce, I hear ya on the swim.  I average 2:30/100m on my long swims.  I know there is a raging TI vs. Swim Secrets debate here on BT but I've benefitted from both.  I used the TI type drills to learn balance and form and now I'm using Swim Secrets to work on my pull.  Maybe you and I can encourage each other in the 263 days 'till race day.  I am evious, though, that you are at the coast and can practice OWS in the ocean.  I am land-locked and can't practice swimming in the swells/waves.

I hope your foot heals so that you can at least run/walk the run portion.

I must admit I am a bit aprehensive about the infamous hills on the marine base.  I ride plenty of hills during my training rides.  I've read the elevation maps and they don't seem all that difficult but with their reputation I must wonder...

This will be my first HIM so I am excited and nervous.

I've been off BT for a while, but now I'm back.  I'm a slow swimmer (2:30 for 100 meters as well), a not-strong biker and a slow, but steady runner.  And you ask, why the heck are you doing triathlons?  Well, I suppose no one who posts on this site has to ask that.

Any way, I've done this race several times, the last time being 2010.  The bike portion is tough for the less strong bikers, but 2013 is going to be different for me.  I've signed up for Ironman Lake Tahoe and by the end of March 2013, I will have done lots and lots of hills. I've heard it said that the only way to get good at climbing hills is by climbing hills.  Hmm.  Where did I read that?

So, is anyone doing both Oceanside and IMLT?

Signed up last night for Oceanside, and it will be my first 70.3 as well!  I've obviously never done the race before, but my uncle has done it 4x and he just loves it.  Says the swim is usually pretty calm, being as it is tucked away in the harbor (for the most part) but the water is usually freezing!  The bike course isn't too bad, but he said the winds can be pretty brutal, and the run course is pretty straightforward. 

I know its a ways off, but I'm already so excited for this race.  I look forward to the discussions on here and hope to meet some of you at the race.  Train hard!

- Mike

My sentiments exactly.  I got my "Be Iron Fit" book in the mail a couple days ago.  I'm looking forward to reading it and beginning the training plan!

HAI!  We'll be the slow and steady ones towards the back in the swim, but I hope we all make it out of the water timely to do the rest of the race! At least there are plenty of lifeguards on kayaks and paddle/surf boards!

The proximity to the open water is nice.  I'm about a 20 minute drive away from the water so I get to have as much open water as I can swim (and/or drink, on choppy days!)  It's practice, but I feel every time I go to different waters that's got unfamiliar conditions I get the butterflies again! Since the Oceanside swim is in a harbor, there is no chance to practice in it first.  There is a swim in September called the Tiki swim that is a 1.2 mile swim where the second half is identical to the  HIM Oceanside swim, BUT the start is a rough water beach start... I already DNF in my first water only race due to high surf, so I'm not sure I want to go there.

People have warned me about the hills, so I'm going to work on a lot of rolling hills from now on!  One group ride was so bad I started pushing the bike up.  I was glad I could still dismount without falling over because it was just so steep! :p

swim - no warmup, so when the prior wave goes, get about knee/waist deep, start splashing your face with the water, and putting it down your suit.  It will make a huge difference

On teh return leg, don't follow the buoys, go as far right as the lifeguards will allow.  You should be swimming along and right next to the docks on the last leg.

Bike - train lots and lots of hills.  Get a compact crank.  Lose weight (if necessary, those are all things I did between 2011 and 2012).  Don't go with the rabbits on the northbound leg.  Get a good bike fit, the last 10-15 miles can be good if you can stay in the aero position, as lots of folks will be sitting up after the hills. 

the northhbound leg is not all flat, there are some sections in Camp P that you will be sitting up and spinning. 

There is one little steep uphill on the new course at the very end. Block long, but don't be out of your shoes for it if that's your thing

Run - not much to say, mostly flat, a few rollers, with a couple very short but steep parts, less than a block long.  I actually like the new course as my brain works better with small bite sized chunks rather than long out and backs. it's actually IMO a bit harder than it used to be, there is another short rise at the far south end of the course since it now wraps around the blocks.

The hills....   you can see from the profile there are really 3 "hills" the first of which is the worst.  It's pretty steep, you can see it from a long way off, but it's also short, you can see the top from the bottom.  Acording to the CT course I rode, it gets to about 12%.  Having a 27 or 28 in the back will be your friend, compact crank even better.  The second hill is not quite as steep, but a little longer, bit the real problem is that the 5-8 miles leading up to it are a false flat, and can play with you mentally.  The last tops out about 42 or 45 miles, can't remember which, is a bit longer than the others, but the least steep. 

Just noticed this thread and glad that there is a dedicated discussion for this race. I posted this question in the California section, but figured I would get a good response here too. 

A question for those that have done this event before. I will be down that way next weekand will have my bike. I want to preview as much of the bike course as possible. I just wantto make sure that the entire first half of the course is not on the base, but only crosses overon Cristianitos Road, right before San Mateo Drive. Is this correct or do I need to be aware ofearlier portions that are on the base? The turn-by-turn on the website is a bit confusing inthis regard.

Since I am down there, I will be doing a nice long brick with about 5 miles on the run courseas well.

I'm not very familiar, but I am staying in Carlsbad using hotel points. It's only a few minutes drive. I would be doing the same if I had to pay for the room as the prices are quite high for hotels close to the race site. The Holiday Inn on Carmelo Drive is about $225/night.

I read all of the RR from last year.  One thing I got out of it is train on LOTS of hills!!!

Padstack - Only the first 20 miles of the bike course can be previewed.  The rest is on the backside of Camp Pendleton and unaccesible.  If you want to preride that part be sure to have ID to get on the base.  The only points rideable are from the start North to Christianitos.  good luck.