Ironman Silverman 70.3 Pre Race

There’s this incredible feeling you get when you approach the end of a fantastic season. It’s a feeling that may be compared to the finishing of any major project in life and is almost unfitting for such a major event or achievement, I can describe it in one simple word.

Meh.

It bothers me that I feel this way, but I can’t escape it. I’m like a student at the end of a school year just phoning it in until the last bell rings. Don’t get me wrong, I’m doing all the training, and I think I’m prepared, but I’m not giving Ironman Silverman 70.3 the consideration it so rightly deserves. Due to the scale of this event, I should not be so careless. However, I am so ready for an off season, and have had such a tough recovery since Ironman Boulder that I can’t help but be a little apathetic toward this race.

That said, I know that as we drive out toward Vegas, my attitude will change. It better, or I will be in for a heavy dose of ass handing by this potentially brutal course. One thing is for certain. No matter how much apathy I show toward this race going in, I’m going to be absolutely humbled by the time I cross the finish. I will need to have a lot more respect for this course. Here are the reasons.

1. This is a harsh landscape. Every time I have been to Vegas, when I would poke my head out of the comfort of whatever smoke filled casino I happened to be occupying, I would immediately be punched in the face with whatever weather extreme happened to be happening that day, whether it be extreme cold, extreme hot, etc. Get away from the strip, and I am guessing that those extremes are amplified. The temperature is for this weekend is supposed to peak at 95, feeling like 99. I haven’t been mentally preparing myself enough for that.
2. This will likely be my first non-wetsuit swim. I’m okay with that, but I’ve never done it before, so I should be a little more considerate of that. Additionally, I don’t do well in the cold. While the weather is going to be hot later in the day, We’re looking at low 60’s as we begin the race. I’m a wuss, so 76 degrees in the water is still not super warm for me. I’ll be freezing my but off around the turn buoy, and trying to stay relaxed.
3. The bike course will be hilly. While not as hilly as the original Silverman, it’s going to be at least as bad as Cabo, which was a constant up and down. I’ll need to be solid on my bike in order to be fresh for the run, and there is a lot of potential to over-bike. Not to mention potential wind gusts in the desert along the course.
4. Did I mention that it will be hot? Well, it’s going to be hot. Super hot. Especially on the run. My run has been suffering a bit lately, and this won’t help.

Ok, just writing that out started to build up my anticipation a bit. Now I’m starting to have the respect for this thing! But alas, while I love racing, I can’t wait for this one to be over so that I can begin to enjoy the off season. I am in desperate need of rest and recovery!

I hesitate to set any expectations for my race because there will be so many variables, including my first non-wetsuit swim, a hilly bike course, and questionable weather and wind. I will say that I hope to finish strong, healthy and uninjured. Unlike Boise, I hope to get off the bike with zero stomach issues. My nutrition plan seemed to work in Boulder, so I’m going to use that to get me to a place where I can get off the bike and run strong. Ideally, I want to finish this race ready to focus on recovery and off season fitness maintenance. I won’t win any prizes at this one, except to say that I will have faced another fear (non-wetsuit open water swimming), and finished yet another 70.3. I’ll be happy looking back on this race season, and looking forward to the next!