Ironman Coeur d'Alene : Official Thread (Page 21)

The Gatorade bottle is the meeting place. Usually 7am for a one lap swim.

I'm planning to take Friday off from work to go swim and get checked in.  I would very much like to meet up with some BTers.  I still need to talk to my boss wife about another Saturday night spaghetii dinner.  We have had a very good time in the past hosting it.

Hey guys, I am considering volunteering this year at IM CDA to get a slot for 2011 and to ride the bike course .  All said this great idea is going to cost me @ $1200 total.  The 2011 race will be my first IM distance (several sprints, 4 olympics, 3 halfs under my belt).

My questions are how valuable would it be to see the race venue and ride the course a year prior to actually racing in you guys opinion?  Mooreover, how fast has IM CDA sold out in the past.  I have heard it sells out on site and I have known people who say they signed up 2 weeks after the race online? 

Thanks in advance for your responses

It will be extremely valuable to know exactly what youre signing up for. Definitely volunteer and ride the course ahead of time!

I would guess that most people do not see the bike course until race week.  IMO, A trip out to CDA is not needed.  But, it really depends what $1200 is worth to you.  IM is not cheap and you will find a lot of things to spend money on after you sign up.

I have signed up for IMCDA every year from 2004 thru 2010 (DNS in 2008).  It has never sold out onsite the day after.  I think that the quickest sell out was 3 weeks but the 2010 race did not sell out until 8/12/2009 (about 6 weeks).  Getting in online should not be a problem. 

My problem is that I'm very comfortable about the swim, doing a 2 mile continuous swim last week in 63 minutes (1:20 pace for 2.4 miles).  But my longest run in at the 9 mile range and my longest bike ride is currently at 42 miles.

I'm just counting on a tailwind for the bike and I've already ordered my motor scooter from "Scooter Direct" for the run course... 

In all seriousness, I'm taking the approach that this race is going to happen.  I will be at the start line.  I will at the finish line.  I will swim.  I will bike.  I will run.  I will feel great.  I will hurt.  I will be energized.  I will bonk.  I will recover.  I will put in the work give myself the best possible option for the least painful day, but in between it is about the journey.  And no sense in ruining the journey by worrying about race-day details.

Yup!  Follow your training plan.  Trust your plan.   We are about 100 days away.  That is plenty of time to do the things you need to do to be ready on race morning.

A 2.4 mile swim, followed by a 112 mile ride, and topped off with a 26.2 mile run.  If you're not a little freaked out then you really have not business being signed up for an Ironman.  I will most likely wet myself during the swim and not just to stay warm.

I would not worry too much about long workouts right now.  There is still a ton of time left to get in the long stuff.  Right now I am just working on building a consistant base.  Most of my swims have been slow and in the 45 minute range.  I have done a lot of short rides in the hour range but only one over 3 hours.  There have been lots of short runs and a few longish runs.  Starting in April I will switch gears from doing lots of short stuff to fewer but longer workouts.  If I have not done a few 100 miles rides and 2.5 hour runs by the end of May then I will really start to worry.

Thanks for the support.  Oh I know I will be ready come race day and have the training in place to finish the race, barring injury.  It is just that we are at that point in the training that the race feels too close for the duration of the training rides/runs.  It really does help having done one before.  For the first timers.... the plan really will work, it is like magic.  Now as for doing it faster... that is the trick.  and Wow sub 7s off the bike... I wish 8).  And 63 minute 2.4.... very impressive.  I am still practicing balance drills and shark fin for 2 hours a week.