Race Week - Halfway Point

It’s race week! Olympic race week that this… This Saturday I will be competing in the Tall Pines Olympic Triathlon in Augusta, Georgia.

This race, although much shorter than a full Ironman, will give me the opportunity to practice my transitions, hydration, and fueling strategies for Louisville. In addition, I’ll hopefully get out some of my “race day jitters” before the big race in August.

 

 

Now you might be wondering, “What’s the difference between an Olympic triathlon and an Ironman triathlon?” Triathlons are similar to running events in that there are different distances athletes can participate in, such as a 5K versus a half-marathon. An Olympic distance triathlon is the second shortest of four triathlon distances and it’s the distance used in international competition. The swim leg of the race consists of 1,500 meters, the bike course is 40 kilometers (roughly 25 miles), and the run distance is 10 kilometers (6.2 miles).  An Ironman on the other hand, is comprised of a 3,800 meter swim (2.4 miles), 180 kilometer bike (112 miles), and a full marathon (26.2 miles). 

The forecast for the weekend is looking good and the temperature should hover around 70-75° throughout the entire duration of the race. Although, the water in Clarks Hill /Strom Thurmond Lake may be a little chilly come race morning! The race directors are estimating that water may be around 65°! Fortunately for me, and thanks to my father-in-law’s advice, I invested in a wetsuit months ago.

I’m really looking forward to enjoying myself and hopefully having a good race. Wish me luck!

To those of you who haven’t submitted an entry in the Guess My Finish Time Contest, Friday at noon is the deadline! Donate at least $10 towards the IRONMAN Foundation and submit your entry for my guesstimated finish time. The entry with the closest time to my actual finish time will win a $50 Giftcard to REI Sports and Outdoors. 

Latest training times:

·         Swim 100 Meters – 2:00

·         Cycling Average Pace – 18.2 Mph

·         Run Average Pace – 8:17/Mile

·         **Add 5-10 minutes for Transitions** 

(*Note - I will post an update of my training times Friday morning for any last minute guesses but, I don’t expect any significant changes in the next 3 days.*)