Ironman Arizona : Official Thread (Page 21)

Finishing a recovery week this week, then taper.  Still have some longer w/o's left in the next few weeks, just not as long as I had been doing.

Suppose to be doing an open water swim this morning, but cold and windy where I am at (NW corner of AZ) and no city pool this time of year in my town Will see if I can get out there and get it done.

This is my first time at the IM distance, hoping for the 12-14 hour time zone for finishing, but truthfully just want to accomplish it and be a FINISHER.  Fastest 1/2 IM time is 5:46, not sure if you can really rely on the double and add an hour formula.

This will be IM #3 for me...2nd this year (CdA in June). My goals are simple...PR the Swim bike and run that doesnt sound like too much to ask for.

Im hoping to go around 1:11 (1:13 at cda) on the swim, 5:30ish (5:34 at cda) in the bike, then 4:10-4:15 (4:23 at cda) on the run. Just hoping it wont be tooo windy out there. 

Next week is my last big week...will throw a 20 or so mile run, a 90-120 miler on the bike..and some long swims. Then it's that awkward weird feeling taper for me. anyone else starting to check the weather in AZ yet??

great info.. thx.

Where is the best place to line up if you're planning a 1:05'ish swim?

This is my first IM and I am doing it with my brother.  Goal wise, feeling like I should be around 12-14 hours. 

I got at least another long ride this weekend, though only 80 miles followed by 5 mile run.  Then long run on Monday.   After that I am contemplating doing another 80 miler on Nov. 5th or if I should taper that back and only do maybe 50-60.  Don't want to over do it.

I am arriving into Tempe on Wednesday night or Thursday morning.  Could potentially be interested in meeting up but my whole family is coming into town, so may or may not have that free time.

I have an overhead shot somewhere, can't find it now, but basically shows that the crowd will be on the wall.  Theoretically, that is the straightest line, because the lake bends away to the right, and it is possible to swim a straight line from the start to the far bridge.  Practically, however, it is more crowded, and you have less (actually no) intermediate buoys to site off of.  So you have to swim a very straight line through crowds to take full advantage of it.  The buoys are less crowded, but also longer. 

I swam a :59 and lined up about 2 rows back right side (near-ish to the wall).  Problem is, you float around so much during the anthem, and people dont know how to tread water without kicking wildly, that it's hard to keep your position, so I ended up about 4-5 rows back.  If you can get out fast enough, you can clear most of the crowd within the first few hundred yards.  That's a heart rate penalty you may not want to take.

If I were to do it again, I'd line up smack dab in the middle, and aim for one of the far buoys and hook up with an inside line there, trying to avoid that initial curve. 

First IM here. Did the HIM in August in 5:01 (with the worst transition times of the entire field) adjusted my bike a bit and hope for better nutritional support during the IMAZ - shooting for a sub 12 time (outbound flight is at 11PM on SUN so I HAVE to make it happen ).

My last long run will be the NYC Marathon on NOV 6th. This weekend I'll put a long ride in on Sunday and 15 miles run on SAT. Then I feel ready for the challenge...

What are you planning to wear - as I have only cyclingOR running gear I'm looking for something I can wear the entire da (tri suit or tri short and top). Any recommendations?

DeSoto Riviera shorts and top for the whole race, just like I did in Idaho.   Depending on the weather, I may have armwarmers for the first part of the bike.  Never had to even think about my comfort the whole day.

Xterra Vortex wetsuit

Shimano TR-52's on the bike

Zoot Kalani's on the run.

smoke goggles for sure - you swim right into the sun going out.  and it started getting cool - if I recall correctly - a little after the sun went down not right away but soon after. 

Sounds like I may want smoke goggles. I'll be swimming 1:15-1:30 depending on how crowded it is and how much the cold water affects me.

I'll be wearing desoto tri shorts with a craft tri top the entire day. I'll throw on arm warmers when I get on the bike. I'll pocket the arm warmers when I thaw out, but will bring them on the run. I'll pick up my fuel belt (bringing only 2 bottles) in t2 and attach the arm warmers to it in case I need them later and throw on a hat. I might put on a pair of running shorts over my bottoms cause that's how I've been doing my long bricks. They don't add any benefit though so assuming my long brick today w/out them goes well then I will not wear those. I'll likely change into fresh socks in t2 as well. 

So here is what I have been directed by my swim coach here in AZ (who himself has done IM AZ a couple times):

Quadrant 1 (front left) - fastest swimmers (1:05:00 qualifies here or in QII) - this is alongside the buoys (all left turns)

Quadrant 2 (Back left) - 2nd fastest swimmers - also alongside the buoys, can follow the leaders and keep a tangent to the finish

Quadrant 3 (upper right - alongside the dock) - 3rd fastest swimmers (1:20:00 - 1:40:00) - swim on the outside

Quadrant 4 (back right) - slowest swimmers - swim on the outside, and also back so the fastest swimmers do not swim over you

I doubt everyone know or follows this system, but he coached me to follow it to make best use of my placement.

Water temp at TTL yesterday was 71 degrees, down from 75 last weekend, so temps are dropping rapidly with the lower air temps here.

Last really long run for me. Looking for a good long ride tomorrow.  This week of training was hijacked by an unusually busy grad school load. Blah. Thankfully, I don't think it'll be detrimental, and the long run this morning was solid (as opposed to the debacle I had last week).  Long ride tomorrow. Will put in a decent week this next week, then go into full taper after next weekend. 

As for the swim, in '09 I swam a 1:12 something and started about 3/4 of from the wall, worked well for me and I expect I'll do the same again. 

3 weeks from tomorrow! Yeehaw, ready to get this party started.

thanks... interesting.  I took a look at google earth and I see what you all mean by the curve.  

Taper...... what a great concept and a word I am sure we all enjoy thinking about.

But is anyone else like me in that trying to taper is more difficult than the long training cycles?  It is hard to "turn off" training mode and rest/recover leading up to a race.

Inside I know hard training is no longer necessary, but trying to turn off the routine is a challenge.

i hear ya, my training is kind of all or nothing and during taper I tend to take more days off then i should