Racing The 2024 Ironman 70.3 World Championships in New Zealand

It has been a few months since my family returned from our monster trip around the world for the Ironman 70.3 Worlds in New Zealand last December, and quite honestly, I have needed that time to fully absorb it. Turns out, circling the globe for a race does more than test your endurance—it rearranges your soul, your time zones, and your tolerance for airplane food. Our planet is a vast and diverse tapestry of cultures and rituals, stillness and movement, explosive flavors, smiles and laughter, architectural marvels, weird animals, and more - all mysterious and new, yet at the same time, oddly familiar. Osmose it all on one trip, and you are forever changed. 

And change was something I needed desperately. 

Roughly 30 days to cover Vienna, Dubai, Singapore, race in Taupo, Auckland, Honolulu, Santa Barbara, and then return to Vienna...(full story and photos on Substack!).

Jan Frodeno Sets New Ironman Distance World Record (7:35:39) at 2016 Challenge Roth

German Jan Frodeno, perhaps already the worlds greatest triathlete, set a world record at the Ironman distance triathlon this last weekend at the 2016 Challenge Roth, posting an insane 7:35:39 and taking almost six minutes of the previous world record set by Andreas Raelert on this same course five years ago.

(Jan Frodeno sets new Ironman distance world record)

Frodeno's swim split of 45:22 had him out of the water with a one minute lead, then he broke away with a 4:09:11 bike split (even with a crash in a ditch!) and a 2:40:35 run, his fastest ever. Frodeno already has an incredible list of professional accolades, including an Olympic gold medal (2008) and his current reign as both the 70.3 and Ironman World Champion. Now a world record to boot! Pretty amazing. Congrats, Jan!!!

Jan Frodeno And Daniela Ryf Win the 2015 Ironman World Championship

German triathlete Jan Frodeno won the 2015 Ironman World Championship today in Kona, HI, with a blazing time of 8:14:40 (swim 50:50, bike 4:27:28, run 2:52:22), making him the first ever to win an Olympic gold medal (2008), the 2015 Ironman 70.3 World Championships, and Ironman World Championships. He finished ahead of German Andreas Raelert (8:17:42) and American Tim O'Donnell (8:18:25). [all results]

(Jan Frodeno for the win, photo courtesy of IronmanTRI)

For the Women, it was Switzerland's Daniela Ryf winning in 8:57.57, using the fastest bike split of the day (4:52) and a solid run to build a 12 minute margin over her competitors and improve on her 2nd place finish in her debut last year. She was also the 2015 Ironman 70.3 World Champion, so both world champs doubled this year.

(Daniela Ryf takes the title in her 2nd attempt)

Top Men:

1 FRODENO, Jan DEU
2 RAELERT, Andreas DEU  00:03:03 back
3 O'DONNELL, Timothy USA 00:05:00 back
4 POTTS, Andy USA  00:06:37 back
5 BUTTERFIELD, Tyler BMU 00:09:20 back
6 VIENNOT, Cyril FRA 00:10:32 back
7 LLANOS, Eneko ESP 00:13:37 back  
8 KIENLE, Sebastian DEU 00:15:15 back
9 MCMAHON, Brent CAN 00:15:35
10 STEIN, Boris DEU 00:17:04 back

Top Women:

1 RYF, Daniela CHE
2 JOYCE, Rachel GBR 00:13:22 back
3 BLATCHFORD, Liz AUS 00:17:08 back    
4 VESTERBY, Michelle DNK 00:20:55 back    
5 JACKSON, Heather USA 00:24:02 back
6 CHEETHAM, Susie GBR 00:25:51 back
7 PIAMPIANO, Sarah USA 00:27:02 back    
8 PEDERSEN, Camilla DNK 00:27:51 back    
9 STEFFEN, Caroline CHE 00:30:09 back
10 GOSSAGE, Lucy GBR 00:30:56 back

Sebastian Kienle and Mirinda Carfrae Crowned 2014 Ironman World Champions

On a humid and windy day in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, German Sebastian Kienle used his bike prowess and a solid run to win the 2014 Ironman World Championship in 8:14:18, over five minutes ahead of American Ben Hoffman (8:19:23) and first-time Ironman competitor German Jan Frodeno (8:20:32), who clocked the fastest run split of the day for the marathon (2:47).

Australian Mirinda Carfrae (9:00:55) won her third Ironman World Championship by making up 14 minutes on the run and setting a new women's marathon record (2:50:27, just a few seconds faster than her previous record). Ironman 70.3 World Champion Daniela Ryf (9:02:07) was second, with Great Britian's Rachel Joyce (9:04:23) taking third, after both led the bike.

Top Men:
1 8:14:18 3 Sebastian Kienle DEU
2 8:19:23 5:05 41 Ben Hoffman USA
3 8:20:32 6:15 9 Jan Frodeno DEU
4 8:21:38 7:20 15 Andy Potts USA
5 8:22:19 8:01 38 Cyril Viennot FRA
6 8:22:29 8:11 43 Nils Frommhold DEU
7 8:23:26 9:08 20 Tim Van Berkel AUS
8 8:24:11 9:53 1 Frederik Van Lierde BEL
9 8:28:28 14:10 4 Bart Aernouts BEL
10 8:30:15 15:58 46 Romain Guillaume FRA

Top Women:
1 9:00:55 101 Mirinda Carfrae AUS
2 9:02:57 2:02 112 Daniela Ryf CHE
3 9:04:23 3:28 102 Rachel Joyce GBR
4 9:10:19 9:24 125 Jodie Swallow GBR
5 9:12:43 11:49 105 Caroline Steffen CHE
6 9:16:58 16:03 128 Julia Gajer DEU
7 9:18:11 17:16 110 Liz Lyles USA
8 9:19:21 18:26 106 Gina Crawford NZL
9 9:20:46 19:51 117 Mary Beth Ellis USA
10 9:23:34 22:39 104 Liz Blatchford AUS

For those of you still up on Saturday night, the results are still coming in! So much fun to watch the finish line.

2014 Ironman World Championships in Kona Streaming Live Right Now (9am PST Sat)

If you're looking for some excitement this morning, be sure to check out the live stream of the 2014 Ironman World Championships in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, going on right now. Over 2,100 athletes are already in the water and going for it, and the Pro men are just getting out of the water to hit the Queen K bike course. 

(Defending champions Mirinda Carfrae and Frederick Van Lierde have their work cut out for them)

The Pro races are really exciting this year. Can defending champion Frederick Van Lierde hold off a hungry Sebastian Kienle looking for redemption? Will gold medalist Jan Frodeno, thought by many to be the first rookie with a shot at winning, build on his three 70.3 wins this year? Will Paul Matthews, who has never run slower than an 8:06, beat his coach, the 3-time champ Craig Alexander who is back in form? Could Javier Gomez pull off the impossible and add a Kona win to his ITU World Championship and 70.3 World Championship this year? Oh yeah, there are 15 others capable of a podium finish...wow.

Defending Women's champion and course record holder Mirinda Carfrae is faster than ever and looking for her 3rd Kona win, but already has super-cyclists Rachel Joyce, Caroline Steffen, Liz Blatchford on her tail, and 70.3 champion Daniela Ryf and Canadian Heather Wurtele ready to crush the run. It's going to be great!

Is Doping Pervasive in Ironman Triathlons? This Study Says It May Be As Much as 1 in 7 Athletes...

A recent German study of 2,997 triathletes published in November, 2013 published on PLOS ONE, anonymously asked athletes competing at Ironman Frankfurt, Ironman 70.3 Wiesbaden, and Ironman Regensburg if they used performance enhancing supplements (both doping and over-the-counter) and the results were jaw-dropping to say the least. If the study is correct, as many as 1 in 7 amateur Ironman triathletes are doping in some form, as well as 20% of those competing at the Ironman European championships.

The study made a distinction between physical doping (steroids, EPO, human growth hormone, etc.) and cognitive doping (antidepressants, beta-blockers, modafinil, methylphenidate, etc.), but the results were still eye opening given the sample size:

• 13% admitted to physical doping (steroids, EPO, human growth hormone, other physical enhancements) ;
• 15% admitted to cognitive doping (antidepressants, beta-blockers, modafinil, methylphenidate, etc.); 
• 10% admitted to both physical and cognitive doping; 
• 20% admitted to physical doping at Ironman European championships Frankfurt.

Holy cheatskates, Batman. One in five admitted to doping at the Ironman European championships?!? That is crazy! Certainly there are a few suspects out there, but I doubt anyone suspected it would be as big as 20% at a big championship. If this is well known underground fact, this sport is as crazy as the must-dope-to-compete world of cycling.

But taking a closer look at the study I can see that the key question in the survey for "physical enhancements" asks if you've taken substances that can "...only be prescribed by a doctor, are available in a pharmacy, or can be bought on the black market (e.g. anabolic steroids, erythropoietin, stimulants, growth hormones) to enhance your physical performance". Now that could be a lot of things, including diet pills, Viagra, Rogaine, organic supplements, you name it. I mean, I've heard that some athletes take these things (ha, ha). So even though one might conclude performance enhancement is pervasive among these athletes, one can't quite conclude that all Ironmen are going all Lance Armstrong on us.

One thing for sure, the path to enhancing the body through substances is a slippery slope. It may not be for a specific race goal, and could just be the pervasiveness to enhance the body. The study ends by concluding:

"The use of substances to improve physical and cognitive performance was associated on both levels of legality (enhancement vs. doping) suggesting that athletes do not use substances for a specific goal but may have a general propensity to enhance. This finding is important for understanding why people use such substances. Consequently, more effective prevention programs against substance abuse and doping could be developed."

What do you guys think...is doping pervasive in Ironman? I've known of a few individuals who went full BALCO to do their best at the Ironman World Championships, but quite frankly, they were the type to skirt the rules of life in general.

And I know about you ultra runners....unless you count Vespa, tattoos, big beards, or an extraordinary amount of aid station Oreos as physical performance enhancers, you're pretty clean. ;-)

SD

Frederik Van Lierde and Miranda Carfrae Crowned 2013 Ironman World Champions

Belgian Frederik Van Lierde and Australian Miranda Carfrae were crowned the 2014 Ironman World Champions in Kailua-Kona, HI, just a few minutes ago. Madam Pele presented fast conditions this year, and it was the fast bike/runners that took advantage to bring it home.

(Miranda Carfrae wins the 2014 Ironman World Championship in a new course record, photo by chicrunner)

Miranda Carfrae wins her 2nd Ironman world title, this time in a course record 8:52:14 (she also scored a marathon course record of 2:50:39, beating all but two of the male pros). She used a personal best bike split here and an amazing run to hold off the UK's Rachel Joyce, and Liz Blatchford who sprinted in a very close race for 3rd. Carfrae's fiancee, Tim O'Donnell, took 5th in the Men's.

(Frederik Van Lierde takes the win at the Ironman World Championship, photo by chicrunner)

Frederik Van Lierde was an early favorite, and used a strong run to catch Australia's Luke McKenzie at the Energy Lab (mile 20'ish), and German Sebastian Kienle who took third.

Men's Top 10 (Finish Time, Time Back, #)
-----------------
1 8:12:29 6 Frederik Van Lierde BEL
2 8:15:19 2:50 49 Luke McKenzie AUS
3 8:19:24 6:56 2 Sebastian Kienle DEU
4 8:21:46 9:18 55 James Cunnama ZAF
5 8:22:25 9:57 7 Tim O'Donnell USA
6 8:23:43 11:14 33 Ivan Rana ESP
7 8:24:09 11:40 44 Tyler Butterfield BMU
8 8:25:38 13:10 9 Bart Aernouts BEL
9 8:26:32 14:03 25 Timo Bracht DEU
10 8:31:13 18:44 15 Faris Al-Sultan DEU

Women's Top 10 (Finish Time, Time Back, #)
---------------------
1 8:52:14 111 Mirinda Carfrae AUS
2 8:57:28 5:14 131 Rachel Joyce GBR
3 9:03:35 11:21 112 Liz Blatchford GBR
4 9:04:34 12:20 118 Yvonne Van Vlerken NLD
5 9:09:09 16:55 103 Caroline Steffen CHE
6 9:10:12 17:58 124 Caitlin Snow USA
7 9:10:19 18:05 108 Meredith Kessler USA
8 9:11:13 18:59 119 Michelle Vesterby DNK

It's going on live right now if you want to come check it out!

- SD

A Fun and Frigid Ironman Lake Tahoe

Last Sunday, I had the great pleasure of joining ~2,300 adventurous triathletes for the inaugural Ironman Lake Tahoe near Squaw Valley, CA. This course was already set to be one of the toughest Ironman races on the planet with its high altitude swim and four big climbs on the bike, but when the temps dropped to the low 30's on race morning, it sealed the #1 slot for sure. Thanks to the help of great volunteers and fellow warriors, I was able to find that finish line in the Olympic Village as the sun came down, and was thrilled to be a part of a killer day of adventure. Encore! Encore!

(A chilly scene as Ironman Lake Tahoe kicks off, photo courtesy of Tahoe Daily Tribune;
unfortunately my camera was stolen so I'm going to have borrow pics for this report)

I was pretty nervous the night before the race, much in thanks to still feeling those sore cracked/bruised ribs from my fall at the Matterhorn Ultraks 46k four weeks ago (the pics were worth it, I swear!). If you've ever injured your ribs then you know what it's like - everything feels fine until you cough, laugh, or sneeze, and then you nearly black out from the pain and have to check your shorts for spontaneous leakage. I had given the ribs a few week of rest, and fit in three pool sessions and three bike rides before the race, not nearly enough for something like IMLT. I could only hope that the trail running fitness was a good enough base. I checked in with my endurance-friendly doctor, who said "you aren't going to hurt yourself more with cracked ribs, but it's gonna be painful from the first stroke...then again, you types are in it for the pain anyway, right?". Um, not quite the way I would say it, but he's got a point. More pain for my money, I guess.

My IMLT entry had been paid for by a close friend (a whopping $675!), and with no refunds/postponements allowed, I was feeling guilty enough to at least start the race. Plus I love it when there are new races in the Lake Tahoe area and want to be a part of them in any way I can. I ran into my friend and super-triathlete Kyle Welch at the check-in, and he was in a similar situation wondering if it was wise to finish given his short course race season wasn't over. He wisely pointed out that the swim, bike, and run all had loop formats so there were lots of options to bail and cheer. So let's do it!

(How do you know Ironman is in town? Lots of cars with bikes on the back worth more than the car)

(Many Ironman competitors take "fanatic" to a whole new level...I don't think a little snow is going to be enough to back them down)

My freak out level reached new heights as I was shoveling snow off my car at 4am on race morning. WTF?!? Is this race really going to happen? How do you swim at altitude when it's snowing outside?!? It was starting to sound less like a tri, and more like one of those dare stories that ends with "...and that's how I lost my toes". I checked Twitter for the cancellation message, but all I found was other nervous athletes alternating between "holy crap" and "let's do this". Yup, not the only one! I grabbed my wetsuit and headed down to Kings Beach. 

I zipped into my wetsuit and donned my Vibrams to ease the walk across the crunchy, frozen sand. The fog hung on the lake, thick enough that we couldn't even see the first buoy from water level. The ghostly silhouettes of paddle boarding lifeguards faded in and out, assuring us we were not alone, and I loved the mystery of just heading straight into the foggy unknown with thousands of random warriors. One woman next to me had a panic attack, and with a few friends, walked away from the start saying "noooo way". But for most of us, it was GAME ON. At 6:40am, we filled the air with primal screams and charged into the abyss!

(EPIC SWIM! Photo courtesy of TRS Photos) 

(Heading into the unknown, photo courtesy of TRS Photos)

(Paddlers and safety crew keep an eye on us, photo courtesy of Susan Locke)

(Getting inventive to escape the cold ground)

The water was cold (~55 degrees), but not nearly as cold as the air, which oddly made it easy to bury your face right in. The ribs ached from the first pull, as promised, but the compression of the wetsuit and icy water really took the edge off. I took a kick to the ribs in the first half mile from a swimmer who was apparently heading back, and immediately made my way to the first pontoon for a short break. But as my hands and feet froze up, I realized it was better to just keep moving, so I found a less crowded spot in the lake and got back to business. 

As we made the turn and started heading back on the first lap, the view a mile off the shore was incredible! Snow in the mountains, swimmers coming out of the fog, and the sun desperately burning through the clouds. By the time we finished the first lap (1.2 miles, ~40 minutes), the sun began to light up the sandy floor of Lake Tahoe and cast the mountains in an orange glow. Amazing! I had no idea winter swimming could be so fun.

(Romaine Guillame and Joe Gambles are first out)

(Walking on water, photo courtesy of Jason Neary)

(Swim done!)

As we got out of the water (2.4 miles, 1:26), the sand had warmed enough to assist my dizzy stagger. My hands and feet were lifeless ice blocks, and when I found my transition bag with a frozen knot on top, I just had to laugh. What the hell are we doing?!? It took eight frigid minutes of waiting in line to make my way into the T1 tent, already packed to the edges with Romanesque nakedness. Seeing naked dudes cheek-to-cheek in front of the heater while sucking the ice off of their transition bag knots is a vision I will not long forget, but believe me, that was the thing to do if you were shaking from hypothermia. A handful of angelic volunteers picked out the worst of us and got them warm, and after 26 minutes (longest T1 transition ever), I had on ALL my bike gear, scraped the frost of my bike seat, knocked the icicles of my handlebars, and hit the road.

It was good to get rolling, although the chilly air wasn't doing much to revive my extremities. I was on my road bike today (ribs couldn't take the aero position of tri bars) and opted to go harder than I should to get the blood flowing. My family jewels had already retreated far into my body cavity (always a shocking feeling), giving me a rare chance to experience how a bike seat must feel for a woman. By Tahoe City (mile 10), it began to warm up, but we soon turned into the shadowy corridor of Hwy 89 and the temps dropped back into the 30's. The jewels will have to hibernate a few more miles.

(Bundled up and having fun!)

(Putting in some chilly miles, photo courtesy of TRS Photos)

The good folks of Truckee were out in force (mile 30), and the course took us right through downtown before climbing up to a bike path and putting our faces in the sun. Aaaahhh! I got back six of my fingers, which was enough to open food packets at the aid station where I stopped. Just as I was inhaling a banana, another rider slammed into my elbow and knocked me over, but I halted my anger when I saw him b-line to the port-o-potties and ALMOST make it. Almost. Yikes...can't say I would have been any more civil in that scenario!

(A tough bike route...now go do this 2 1/2 times)

The first big climb up Martis Creek (mile 40) was exactly what the doctor ordered, and we all got out of the saddle and got our core temps back on track. I could hear the sighs of relief from the other riders as they shook out their tingles and even shed a layer or two. The crowd support was simply outstanding - we could tell they were cold, but they were yelling and cowbelling on every corner. I rode with one crazy Czech guy who was doing his 99th Ironman (5th this month), and when I asked which was the toughest, he said "this one...and I haven't even started the second climb". Phew! I thought this course seemed awfully tough. 

(Climbing through the pines)

The descent was well marked, leading us quickly out to the 2nd climb up Brockway Summit. I settled into a rhythm just as Male Pros Chris Macdonald and Maik Twelsiek lapped us. Outstanding! Both would manage a sub-5 hour ride on this tough course. The descent down Brockway was super fun, and we easily hit 45-50 mph as we began the second lap.

(A lot of talented dogs did signs)

I stopped at Tahoe City (mile 60) to shed my jacket and winter gloves, take a bio break, and stretch out. So far all was good...ribs were hanging tough, jewels had returned to normal suspension, and my shoulders and triceps were complaining the most from that swim/bike combo. I got back into the race, narrowly missing another cyclist as she hit one of those football-sized pine cones and skidded across the road. Good thing she had so much gear on...she just got back up, kicked the pine cone to the side of the road, and kept going!

(A couple of layers later)

(The road bike gave my ribs some room)

The second round of the camel hump mountains (mile 85) took a bit more digging, and the sweet smell of wet pine had already dried into the familiar high Sierra dust. I rode with a guy who STILL had his wetsuit leggings on, trying to warm up. Interesting option! The descent down Brockway was littered with calamity this time, and I spotted three bloodied cyclists on the side of the road. Ouch! Hopefully everyone was okay.

(One more trip through Truckee, photo courtesy of Gretchen Brugman)

I was stoked to see the "Mile 100" sign, and I could see the Pros along the run course on their first long loop. They were hauling ass! Macdonald was chasing down Twelsiek, while the Women's race had three within two minutes of each other - Sweden's Asa Lundstrom, Jeanne Collonge from France, and Great Britain's Catriona Morrison. I couldn't believe they were almost done! Actually, I could. I had been in the saddle for over seven hours. ;-)

I took my time at T2, fully changing into warm running gear and getting lots of liquids in. I soon pulled over to strip down to just a singlet (mile 2) as the Valley was quickly warming up, and also stashed my headlamp. My stride had seen better days, but at least running pain is a pain I can manage (right, ultrarunners?). The 8 min/mile came easy, as long as I walked the aid stations, so I didn't push myself beyond a comfortable aerobic pace.

(Volunteers were life savers, photo courtesy of Sabrina Martinez)

As we got to the long river stretch (mile 5), I saw the familiar faces of Robert Tomkinson, Dave King, Kyle Welch (he's going to finish too!), Jady Palko and other faster triathletes, then made the turn (mile 9) and was able to give some shout outs to Barbara Ashe, Karyn Hoffman, and the many folks I had met over the last few days. These out-and-backs are a great distraction!

(Keeping pace along the Truckee River on the first out-and-back)

As the sun went down (mile 18), I found my wool shirt and headlight again and hid my camera (which was later stolen...bummer!), and watched as Jack Frost returned and added his magic to the mountain valley. Mylar blankets were the norm on the course, and I joined others in drinking as much warm chicken broth as my body could handle. We got a nice boost of energy as we came through the Olympic Village again and saw some finishers, then headed out for the last six miles. It was the perfect energy boost...I kept on running the rest of the way.

(Coming through Olympic Village, photo courtesy of Margaret Moran)

(Grabbing some high fives in the finisher chute)

Glenn Schiavo passed me in the last 0.2 miles, saying he had finally gotten his body temp back to normal...at mile 22 in the run! He crossed the finish just ahead of me, and I came in at 13 hours, 43 minutes for 707th place. Phew! Glad this one is done! I grabbed some food and warmed up in the massage tent among the tired smiles of my fellow finishers. What a story-worthy day! I soon was sipping a Black and Tan in the local Irish pub, warming up and cheering on those chasing the midnight finish.

(Made it!)

(Finish line love)

(Ain't nothing like an Ironman finish, photo courtesy of Susan Lacke)

(Women's champion Ana Sundstrom sneaks under 10 hours, photo courtesy of Susan Lacke)

That night, I dreamt of swimming under the snow-capped mountains and appreciated that full-body-cast soreness I hadn't experienced since my first Ironman. These events are tough, and this one was quite likely the toughest of all time! So glad to have been here, and somehow gotten through it on so little specific training. A friend texted me from the morning sign ups, where usually the competitors return in droves to get early access and fill the race entries for next year, and there was only eight people in line. Yup! But as I sat on the deck on what was going to be a hot recovery day, I realized Lady Tahoe could have just as easily cooked us. That's part of the adventure!

(Found on the IMLT Facebook page)

My congrats to Chris MacDonald (8:55) and Asa Lundstrom (9:58) for setting some seriously high bars for speed on this course, and to the Race Directors, volunteers, local cheering crews, and fellow competitors for putting on a world class event. I highly recommend it!

Pete Jacobs, Leanda Cave Win 2012 Ironman World Championship

Australia's Pete Jacobs improved his 2nd place finish in 2011 by one critical place at the Ironman World Championships in Kailua-Kona, HI, and won the 2012 Ironman World Championships in 8:18:37. The 31-year-old braved unusually tough winds on the bike to head into T2 in 2nd place, 8 1/2 minutes behind Belgium's Marino Vanhoenacker, and ran Marino down around mile 10 to claim the $120,000 prize and keep Australia's 6-win streak alive. Germany's Andreas Realert took second five minutes back.

In the women's race, Great Britain's Leanda Cave pulled away in the last 3 miles of the run to win her second world title of the year. The 34-year-old Cave won the Ironman 70.3 world championship last month and carried that momentum into Kona, finishing in 9:15:54. A strong pack of females, including four 2012 IRONMAN Champions, charged along the 112-mile bike course of the Queen Ka'ahumanu Highway as Cave, Caroline Steffen and Mary Beth Ellis pulled away and headed into T2 with the lead. After Steffen set the lead pace for much of the run, the race would turn into a close battle when, in the final 5k, Cave made her pass for the win. With the victory, Cave became the second person in IRONMAN history, and first female, to win the IRONMAN World Championship 70.3 and IRONMAN World Championship in the same year. Great Britain has held on to the women's IRONMAN World Championship title the last five out of six races. 

Age groupers also tore it up on Sunday, with Christian Muller in the 40-44 category broke the take in a sizzling 08:54:17 to post the fastest age-group result of the day. There were 20 finishers in the male 70-74 age-group (outstanding!), and Milos Kostic won the category when he blazed across the finish line in a stunning time of 12:15:41 that many triathletes half his age would die for. The oldest female finisher was Harriet Anderson in the 75-79 category who just beat the 17-hour cut-off with a time of 16:59:19 in a truly inspirational performance. There were three male triathletes in the 80+ category who completed the 2.4 mile swim, 112-mile bike, and 26.2 marathon well within the 17-hour deadline with 20+ finisher Lew Hollander taking the title of oldest finisher at 82-years-old. (all results)

Top five professional men:
1. Pete Jacobs		AUS	8:18:37
2. Andreas Raelert		DEU	8:23:40
3. Frederik Van Lierde		BEL	8:24:09
4. Sebastian Kienle		DEU	8:27:08
5. Faris Al-Sultan		DEU	8:28:33

Top five professional women:
1. Leanda Cave	GBR	9:15:54
2. Caroline Steffen	SUI	9:16:58
3. Mirinda Carfrae	AUS	9:21:41
4. Sonja Tajsich	DEU	9:22:45
5. Mary Beth Ellis	USA	9:22:57

Lance Armstong Announces 2012 Ironman Ambitions

This week, Seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong announced his ambitions to race the Ironman World Championships in October, 2012, and his plan to get there. His will race the Ironman Panama 70.3 event on Sunday, followed by the Memorial Hermann Ironman 70.3 Texas, Ironman 70.3 Florida, Ironman 70.3 Hawaii and Ironman France in an attempt to pick up enough qualifying points to race the Ironman World Championships in Hawaii.

The 40-year-old Texan is no stranger to triathlon, having won the US Sprint Triathlon series over 20 years ago, and placing 5th at the XTERRA Triathlon National Championships last year (and 23rd at Worlds, after crashing and suffering a head injury).  Craig Alexander, the defending 3-time Ironman world champion and two-time Ironman 70.3 champion, welcomed Armstrong to the sport:

"It is exciting to see Lance Armstrong, one of the greatest-ever endurance athletes, coming back to race triathlons in 2012."

 He's going to rip it up!

[Update - Lance made a helluva debut at Ironman Panama, getting 2nd overall in 3:53, just 40+ seconds behind winner Bevan Dougherty. His swim split was right in there, and his 2:10 bike split was second only to Chris Lieto, whom he passed in the run to lead the race for a short period before Bevan caught him with a screaming 1:12 half marathon (vs. Lance's 1:17). Lance later said, "There was a time I was a great runner and I need to get back in touch with that. [Bevan] can run low 30's in the 10k...there's no way my old ass is keeping up with that."]

- SD

Chrissie Wellington Says "No Ironman" for 2012

Four-time (and current) Ironman World Champion Chrissie Wellington is taking 2012 off from Ironman to "pursue other interests", citing an interest in charity work and promoting her new book. Wow! That's a serious champion who can walk away with the current world title, world record, and a perfect record in the sport (13/13). I know a lot of Ironman fanatics, and asking them to part from their beloved sport is like asking them to change religions.

I thought for sure she was announcing a plan to get to the Olympics, a la Chris McCormack in 2010, but it sounds like she has even greater ambitions. Wishing her all the best...

- SD

Craig Alexander Sets New CR at 2011 Ironman Hawaii (8:03:52), Wellington Takes 4th Title

Australia's Craig Alexander had a "perfect day" on the big island of Hawaii this Sat, claiming his 3rd Ironman World Championship with a course record 8:03:56, and becoming the first athlete to ever win both the 70.3 and Ironman World Championships in the same year. Oh yeah - he's the oldest winner too at age 38!

(New CR and he can levitate! Photo courtesy of Ironman.com)

Alexander was so focused on his race, he didn't even realize he was going to beat the course record until he heard announcer Mike Rielly say "I think he's going to make it!" and sprinted for that crucial 13 seconds. Wow! Experts attribute his course-setting race to his phenomenal peak shape, a bike split that was 13 minutes faster than any of his previous races, and a 2:44 marathon that put him in the lead by mile 6. Ironman rookie Pete Jacobs, also from Australia, was second in 8:09:11. Germany's Andreas Raelert was third in 8:11:07 after being in the Top 3 for most of the race.

(Chrissie does 4, photo courtesy of Ironman.com)

Britian's Chrissie Wellington (8:55:08) added a fourth crown to her collection after chasing down early leader Julie Dibens at mile 16, and then barely holding off 2nd place finisher Miranda Carfrae (8:57:57) who had bested her marathon record while in hot pursuit. Wellington was still healing from a bike crash just two weeks previous, and was very pleased to have enough left to win. Leanda Cave (9:03:29) held on for third after being in the Top 5 nearly all of the day.

Another great race from the Ironman World Championship. Looking forward to that NBC special!

- SD

2012 Ironman US National Championships To Be Hosted in NYC (NY Times)

The 2012 Ironman US National Championships will be held on a new course in New York City/New Jersey, all without closing a single NYC city street, according to a story in today's New York Times.

If you're interested, sign up is first come/first serve starting next Wednesday!

Don't Forget - Ironman NBC Special Airs Sat, Dec 18th!

Don't forget to watch/set your DVR's for the broadcast of the 2010 Ford Ironman World Championship on Sat, Dec 18th @ 1pm PST on NBC (check local listings). This year's program will be two hours long, using special 3D and slow-motion effects, and plenty of the usual heart-tugging stories.

I saw the duel between Chris McCormack and Andreas Raelert when I was finishing up the bike segment at the event this year, and it's going to make for a great special!

- SD

PS - In case you need some TV goodness today, check out the gaffe at the local coverage of the California International Marathon (CIM) where the news crew mistakes the last place finisher of the 10k with the first place finisher of the marathon. Good stuff starts at 3:03...oops!

Ironman Access Program Pulled 24 Hours After Launch Due to Athlete Outrage

The World Triathlon Corporation (WTC), owner of the Ironman brand, chose to pull a new program called Ironman Access just 24 hours after launching due to outrage from Ironman zealots. Now they are getting flack for the launch of their new 5150 program, a series of Olympic distance races, for diluting the brand and trouncing other local races. Gosh, it sure is hard to build an empire with all these die-hard fans! But it does show an interesting view into the frustrations on both sides of endurance events whose popularity has expanded widely past the supply, and the deep suspicions of any profit motive.

The Ironman Access program was going to allow participants to pay $1000 to get early access to register for Ironman events (that often sell out the day of availability at $500/pop and require on-site registration). Part of the stated purpose of this was to address the "2500-3000 Ironman slots that are not raced each year from people who register for multiple events but only race one". Personally it looked to me like seizing an opportunity to make more $$$ from an audience rumored to spend $22,000 annually on their hobby. Soon after, the Ironman Facebook page lit up with discontent and prompted Ben Fertic, President of WTC, to post a video apology that announced the Ironman Access program would be rescinded. The Ironman Facebook page continues to pile up heat faster than a Sierra Nevada forest fire with comments like:

"Although they have now back tracked, this for me was the final nail in the coffin of the sport I once loved. In my opion 'Unbranded' long distance events are the future of this sport. The M dot has become nothing more than a... Nike Swoosh or a McDonalds golden arch." - Dave Mccavoy


"WTC just committed suicide with this crap....after I'm done completing IM Texas I'm done with you suckers!!" - Ernesto Villarroel

"I know it's cliche, but it's the thought that counts, they still made Ironman Access, they still tried to rip people off. They found out it didn't work and they got rid of it. It's insulting that some of you are going back and going to do more mdot ...branded races." - Nick Jantz

There are also a lot of comments commending Mr. Fertic for having the guts to say they were wrong and acting quickly. His video says quite bluntly, "if you say we were wrong, then we were wrong".



I find the whole thing a fascinating study in how easy it is for a profit motive to create a wedge between a brand once built by athletes and now controlled by a corporation (and owned by a private equity firm) and the painful seperation that ensues. Be sure to check out that Facebook page to get a front row seat!

- SD

Competing at the 2010 Ironman World Championships

For nearly all of my life, good news has come in threes. The last few months have put an exclamation on that trend in a big way. First, the company I founded (NearbyNow) was acquired by a very exciting business in San Francisco. Second, my wife told me she is pregnant with our second child, a daughter comin' round in mid-March. Number three had been on my calendar for months now - a chance to fulfill a childhood dream and compete in the Ford Ironman World Championships in Kona, Hawaii. Too much life change in one month? For some, maybe. But for adventurers like me/us, I've never felt more invincible.

It's a good thing I was feeling on top of the world, for I would need every ounce of energy to keep up with the 1800+ world class triathletes here for the big show down. This event has more hardbodies than the Top 40 Rap Video countdown, and make no mistake they were here to COMPETE. I was certainly fit, but you could easily pick me out of a line up as one of the 200 lucky lottery slot winners. I don't even have an Ironman logo tattooed anywhere on my unshaven body, for the love of Pete.

(Ironmen do have fun, such as the Thursday Underpants Run)

I got sized up at every street corner and asked "where did you qualify?", only to watch the smile drift from their faces when I said this was my first-ever Ironman distance. Their expressions looked exactly like Ted Knight in Caddyshack when he says, "well, the world needs ditch diggers too". ;-)



No worries. I was AT KONA for IRONMAN. After applying to the lottery for 12 years and sticking to a solid training plan for five months, I was as ready as ever. I yearned to be a part of this now-world standard for crazy endurance challenges that sucked me in with their ABC and NBC one-hour specials decades ago (see video above...drama, baby!). This was long before I was pulled into the world of marathons, ultramarathons, and 100-milers, which even the Ironmen here will tell you is a bit off the deep end.  As a teenager when I heard that the origin of the sport was a dare from Commander John Collins in 1978 to combine the toughest swim, bike, and run tests on the island and settle a bet about which athletes were the most fit, I was seriously hooked. How could you not want to be part of a story like that?

(The Ironman Tribe, photo courtesy of Phoenix)

As an ultrarunner, hanging around the Ironman crowd felt like a big family reunion filled with distant cousins. We were all cut from the same cloth (lycra?) but I felt like the mountain hillbilly that came out of the woods to see what this whole swim-bike-run-thingy is. I'm sure others thought the same with all my body hair.

I was in good company, however. Western States 100-mile Run Champion Graham Cooper was here after qualifying at Ironman St. George, as was WS100 Champion and 25-time sub-24 hour finisher Tim Twietmeyer after claiming his spot at Ironman Wisconsin. Graham was hoping for a sub-10 hour, and this definitely wasn't his first trip here. His family helped him triple check all his drop bags like a fine-tuned machine. Tim was new to Ironman Hawaii like me, but he was a known quantity among his age group. When I asked Tim which is harder, Ironman or Western States, he just said "Are you kidding? You get to SWIM in the Ironman." True, true. But as a runner, it was the swim I feared the most.

Body numbering and drop bag set up were both fun rituals, much in thanks to 5,000+ volunteers that all show as much passion for this event as the racers. I was through in no time, and had enough time to return to the hotel room and watch the sunrise with my girls. When I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror, number-tattooed and as fit as I've ever been in my whole life, I found that peaceful serenity of knowing the training was done and I was ready. 

The Speedo, however, looked ridiculous. But that's how I remember the Ironman, so I thought it best to honor those crazy athletes of the 80's.

(Only at Kona can I fit in with a Speedo and compression gear...sooo sexy)

(An Army of volunteers get us marked and ready)

(1,800+ athletes check their gear one last time)

We watched the pros go off at 6:30am, and there was a lot of discussion about the womens race, now wide open after 3-time defending champion Chrissie Wellington dropped with flu-like symptoms. Mirinda Carfrae, who set the marathon record here last year (2:56) in her very first marathon, and XTerra and Ironman 70.3 champion Julie Dibens, here for her first Ironman World Championships, were both up there. For the mens race, the talk was about temperatures predicted to only hit the high 80's by the time of the marathon, and how that might affect a race that usually rewards the heat-friendly like 2-time defending champion Craig Alexander and 2nd place Andreas Raelert.

(Defending champion Craig Alexander chats with Ben Hoffman)

(That's the race number to have!)

I edged into the water about 6:45am, just noticing that I had torn my Speedo when sitting on lava rocks. Let's just hope it holds on! I don't want a penalty for failing the nudity rule. ;-)

The goal for my swim was to stay on the back 1/3 of the pack and have a comfortable experience. It was going to be a long day, so best to hit the bike feeling good and staying aerobic. The 2.4 mile swim distance wasn't a worry so much as the mass start with 1,700 people. When the cannon sent us off, the ocean exploded into a white mass of bubbles and we went heads down.

(On your marks, get set....)

(GO! And the sea becomes a washing machine)

(Look out fish, we're comin' through!)

The meyhem was AMAZING. Nobody could see in the bubble-filled water, so swimmers were darting everywhere. If the pack slowed down in front, the swimmers behind you would start climbing up your calves. It was like rushing the stage at a rock concert! Once a fast swimmer cut through us, we would all jump on his/her tail for drafting, and before too long the pack moved forward like a school of fish. Just tickle the feet in front of you, and don't be surprised if you are tickled yourself. And hang on!

At the halfway buoy, I caught a glimpse of my watch - 41 minutes. This is fast for me! I found a great line on the way back, using the waves from the open ocean swells wherever I could. I hit the beach in 1:20:44 and felt good. That was supposed to be the hardest leg, but honestly, it was fun! I changed into full bike gear, had the volunteers soak me in sunscreen, and hit the road.

(Swim done, now onto the bike)

After a quick loop in town, we made our way to the famed Queen K highway, known for it's unpredictable winds and road temperatures that can exceed 130 degrees. It was warm, but I had the feeling Madame Pele was cutting us some slack so far.

(Canada's Brian Preston shifts into high gear)

The Queen K is all about isolation. Lava flows on either side of the road, heat, and long stretches of highway as far as the eye can see provide a barren landscape worthy of self-contemplation. I hummed along at 23 mph and feeling good, careful to take water and S!Caps at every aid station.

(Chris Lieto takes it out fast, per usual)

(Does it get hot on the Queen K? HELL, yes!)

At mile 30 is where I had signs of my first issue. The ball of my left foot felt like I had stepped on a firecracker, and loosening the shoe straps showed obvious swelling. Hmmm, not good. The pain subsided when I spun in a lower gear, but was ferocious when out of the saddle. I had heard about "hot foot" before, but wasn't sure why it was hitting me now for the first time after thousands of miles of training. It didn't go away by the time we turned to Havi at mile 50, so I had to factor it into my pace and slow down. Graham Cooper was right - there are many more things that can go wrong in an Ironman.

Havi was a reminder about who is in charge on this island...and it ain't us. The heat kicked up to the 90-100's, and the cross winds coming off the mountain were keeping us leaning 20 degrees to stay upright. I had to get out of the aero bars and white-knuckle it for a few miles just to stay on the road. Fallen athletes were being picked up on both sides of the street, proving we are all just one gust away from unforgiving lava ditches.

(The isolation of the climb to Havi)

The return trip from Havi was just as brutal, but at least had some downhill to keep up the momentum. The heat at the bottom was well beyond 100 degrees and we all pushed hard to reach the breeze of the Queen K again. My foot swelling wasn't getting better, and now my obliques were twitching from all that white-knuckling (and let's not forget that swim). Holy cow, this is tough! As we hit 100 miles, my ass started to complain too. But luckily each body position only hurt one area, so I just "rotated the pain".

(Chris McCormack off the bike and putting on the chase)

(Ocean on the right...that means we're headed back!)

(The press follow the head-to-head duel of Chris McCormack and Andreas Raelert)

As I closed in on the final miles, I could see the press cars and helicopters following Chris McCormack and Andreas Raelert going shoulder to shoulder at mile 22 of the marathon. They were on a sub-8:10 pace so this was going to be a fast one! Marino Vanhoenacker and Craig Alexander were behind them and gaining ground too. If I timed it right, I could catch the finish before heading out on the run.

I entered T2, and walked my swollen foot to the change area. The volunteers took one look at it and called over a medical person, who said something about "metatarsal swelling...foot cooked from hot asphalt...ice...five minutes". Clearly I was not the first person with this problem, and I was far from their biggest problems in the full medical tent. Within seconds my foot was packed in ice and they were changing my clothes.

The conversation with the volunteers reminded me of any great crew trying to get their ultrarunner out of late-race aid station. Does it hurt to walk? Well, you've got nine hours to walk a marathon. Did you come this far to drop now? I didn't think so. How about we cram that foot into a running shoe and get you out the door and see what happens? We did just that, and I took an extra minute to watch Chris McCormack win his second world championship before taking off.

(Speedy runners already 10 miles up on us)

(Feeling good enough to run right out of T2)

(Catching a breeze on Ali'i Drive)

(Volunteers were top notch all day...and even recycled 98% of the trash)

I was pleased to quickly figure out that if I ran on my heels (the opposite of barefoot running), my swollen foot felt okay, so I could shuffle along at a 9 min/mile. My legs wanted to do more, but this wasn't going to be their day. It was my first Ironman, so let's just try and finish without a permanent injury. I hollared at Christi to let her know this would be a 4-5 hour marathon, and cruised down Ali'i Drive.

(Alaska's Katy Rosane doesn't let a minor thing like a broken foot stop her from completing an Ironman)

It wasn't hard to occupy myself. Fans were lined up everywhere, runners going in both directions of Ali'i Drive, and the ocean was always on our side. I shuffled the miles, stopping for ice at each aid station.

(Plenty of aloha spirit along the course)

(Oklahoma's Angela Stewart smiles as we climb up to the Queen K)

Before too long, we were on the desolate Queen K again (mile 9) which played mind games with its never-ending expanse. I made a few friends along the way, happy to finally have a chance to chat with other athletes.

I got a huge surprise at mile 10, when Tim Twietmeyer walked along with me. He was working through some back spasms (and massively swollen hands) but laughing his way through the whole thing. It was awesome to see him out there and get a surge from his ever-positive vibe.

(Tim Twietmeyer keeps me in good spirits at mile 10)

(Madam Pele was nice enough to throw in some cloud cover on occasion)

We turned into the Energy Lab, the last out and back before heading home. Everybody could smell the barn door now so there was a lot of smiling. The sun began to set, and each minute brought cooler temperatures. Aaaahhh, it's nice back here!

(Super stoked to see this sign...getting close!)

(Yup, we're running on a live volcano)

(The inspirational mile says "Go, Scratch, Go!")

The Ford inspiration mile gave me one last boost as we returned back on the Queen K. It said "Go, Scratch, Go!", referring to the nickname of Uncle Scratch given to me by my nieces and nephews. Apparently, the goatee is a little scratchy when giving a kiss. ;-) It put my mood in just the right place, and I cruised down the darkening highway wishing the best to those still headed out. The Queen K was eerily quiet, leaving nothing but the sounds of footsteps and the occasional crazy party of volunteers.

In an instant, the calm and quiet of the Queen K was replaced with cheering fans four-deep on either side as I headed down Ali'i Drive one last time. The finish was a party that would rival Times Square, and I crossed in 12:04, good enough for 1,333rd place. I gave a little dance to Kool and the Gang, and the crowd shouted out "YOU ARE AN IRONMAN". I couldn't believe it!

(At last, there it is...the final ramp)

(What a great time!)

(Crossing the finish, with enough energy for a few dance moves to Kool and the Gang)

(Look, I'm getting lei'd on the big screen!)

I got a massage and some food, and packed up my gear to head back to the hotel with my girls. But I didn't stay for long, and ended up coming out at midnight to cheer on the last few finishers in grand style. I tried to get it on video, but it's hard to capture the positive energy that exudes as thousands of spectators cheer each finisher. 2010 champions Chris McCormack and Mirinda Carfrae (winning after clocking a course record 2:53 marathon this time, and only the third sub-9 hour finish of all time) were there to great finishers. It was magical.

(Sophie swipes my lei and makes eyes for the medal)

My body was completely drained, but my soul was spilling over with joy. Is an Ironman tougher than a 100-miler? Well, it's a different kind of tough. I certainly won't be recovering as fast as an ultra. The Ironman training and discipline required is definitely harder, but to approach the mental challenge of a 100-miler, you would probably at least have to do one more lap of the swim and the marathon. But I get the whole Ironman thing now. I can see why the tattoos are so common. This is a bold statement to engage fully in life and find your best, then toe the line with fellow warriors from your tribe. There's nothing wrong with that at all, my cousins!

A huge "mahalo" to all of the directors and great volunteers for putting on a spectacular event. And thanks so much for keeping that lottery system around - I will keep putting my name in and hope to come back again! But for now, it's time to go sit on a beach and rest with a few mai-tai's. It's what Madame Pele would want, no?

SD