3rd placers - me with fellow Scot Lesley Paterson

I only decided to race at the last minute … I was going to be watching Julie Dibens race anyway, since we were both travelling out to Kona together on the Monday. In the end I opted to start, and I am glad that I did …

It is always good to catch up with Lesley and hear a Scottish accent when away from home – I didn’t know she was going to be racing so it was a nice surprise to see her in the morning transition darkness!

It was a fun morning at the beach (although a cold and misty one – temps hovering around 14C all morning!!) and my swim/bike/run although nothing to write home about was a reasonable effort given the long haul flight only 36hours before.

I came out of the water in 2nd just behind Matty Reed and couldnt quite hold his pace out of transition; he slowly pulled away during the 40ks and I was passed midway through the run to end up on the final podium spot. I certainly didnt have any real speed, which is to be expected given the current prep for Kona and so I can’t complain ….

W caught up with fellow K Swiss/Trek team mate Chris Lieto for dinner before he raced the ‘Classic’ event on the Sunday – the 3 of us are all racing in Kona in just under a months time. In fact we got up early on Sunday to ride over and catch the end of his race before carrying on for a long ride to fill up our morning.

with Catriona earlier in the week

the view isn't that bad either!!

I’ve been told that the local radio station are doing some live feed … how detailed it will be I have no idea … but have a look at it www.isle95.com to see what is going on, and of course the usual www.ironmanlive.com should have something online.

And hey, huge conrats to my Trek/K-Swiss buddies Julie, Michael and Joe for outstanding 1st, 1st and 2nd place results over at Wiiiiilllldflower in California earlier in the day. Waytogo team!

- Obviously not snapped within the middle 6 miles! (where the shuffling occured)

My final lead in to Clearwater was productive . Once I had got over the ‘yet another niggly leg problem’ just before the Longhorn 70.3 I was able to fully dive into one last block of solid training work. I met some great news friends in Austin – Terra and her husband Zane welcomed me into their home wonderfully, and as I already mentioned, Richie and Pat were wicked training partners for that final 2 weeks stint. Cheers a bunch folks, it made such a difference. From Texas I wandered over to Florida to what is without question my second home! – Carolyn is a homestay extraodinaire, and that is about all I can say on the matter. She kept Julie and me housed and also ensured that Dann and Joel were fed and watered at every instance. It made for a great little training group for our final few session and I think we all appreciated the banter during those final days before the ’serious face’ crept in.

This year has been one long up and down as far as I my training and racing has gone, and I certainly don’t want to start moaning about lack of consistency. We all have issues in our careers, and that’s part of the deal; it’s how we cope under the circunstances that shows true character, and I am proud of how I worked things out as best I could to be on the startline. I’ll be honest, at various points over the last 3 months I was almost on the phone to British Airways to see if I could use my ticket for another trip down the line.

That being said, come race morning I knew I had got there in good condition, all things considered. All the pre race ‘faff’ was done; travel, rego, briefings, tv interviews, bike racking etc etc and all that was left was to get nervous and put the wetty on. I have very rarely exited the water outside the top 3 in a 70.3, and I have never done so at Worlds. However I have a tendancy to get pretty worried before swim start. I’ts a layover from racing ITU where the pontoon starts were generally a boxing match nightmare for me.

Nonetheless, I got my tactics right, as after a couple hundred meters I’d avoided the mass start issues, the upper cuts and jabs and found myself right at the very front of the race following the stand up paddler. I love it when a plan works out. It just makes life so much easier the closer to the front you are; sure some feet to follow and draft is probably better, and I ended up having that after half way, but it just gives you a buffer to iron out any problems come transition. – Unfortunately my buddy Richie found this out to his cost, as he grabbed the wrong gear bag, and only realised he had the wrong helmet as he approached his bike. His race was effectively over before it had really begun. I’m gutted for him as a podium was there for him. Fingers crossed he pulls it all together in Arizona this w/e.

The bike was nothing short of crazy fast. There has been plenty chat and discussion regarding the drafting out there; but it is what it is in Clearwater. The course profile is virtually flat, there is rarely any wind and there are minimal corners to slow us down. The real sticking point with it is that we only get one lane for much of the 56 miles, which means it gets congested – especially once you throw in the media vehicles and race ref bikes following us. In an ideal world the World Champs would be elsewhere, and the rumour is that after next year it will indeed move as Clearwater will be out of contract.

The real problem is the fact that the girls and guys don’t have seperate races; and in this instance it meant that we started to catch girls quickly during the first 20miles – but we didn’t pass them!  They started getting involved in our race – in effect we were getting ‘chicked’!! At one point my mate Joe Gambles rode past me to say just that to me, pulled in front of me and ANOTHER girl rode past him … I started laughing at seeing his aero helmet shake from side to side in laughter. I think the worst part of this probem is that guys got yellow card blocking penalties – Luke Bell had to take a ’stop and go’ which cost him a minute; he’s a helluva a rider and rode us back down with 10 miles remaining. In my mind the only solution is to to have separate races for men and women, just as happens in ITU events … a few minutes separation just isn’t good enough anymore.

The run boiled down to a foot race, just as everyone imagined it would. The bike preme is the only factor in the race at Clearwater that can really shake the bike up – last year it was atop the bridge at 34 miles, but due to an extra dog leg early in the race we didn’t hit the bridge till 42 miles. I had made a move to the front from 35 miles and along with Andrew Starykowicz, Terenzo Bozzone and Phil Graves we had a decent gap through to the 45mile marker. Terenzo reckoned it was the cross on his back as defending champion that sucked us back in, but I think we just weren’t ever gonna get the break. There is only so fast we can ride …. breaking away from a 47kph group of guys is a long shot!!

So no matter how ridiculous the bike splits seem, the bottom line is that 15 guys rolled in together with another 10 less than a minute later. If you didn’t have your run legs packed in transition it wasn’t a good day to be racing! I had an average first 3 miles and a less than average next 7 … I only picked it up during the final 3, and salvaged a few spots to maintain the top 20 place. You have to race to line no matter what and I am happy I did that.

Once again congratulations to Julie; she worked so hard for this one, and after consecutive 4th place finishes she was as deserving a winner as there could’ve been. So often girls have held her wheel and ran her down, but not this time. -Just imagine the damage if she had a hilly course to race on!

Julie, Dann, myself and Joel at 6.45 this morning – trying to get ready to swim in the swell (wimps!)

Yesterday was quite busy – we packed up the cars to drive over (only a short 40 min hop though) early in the morning, so as not to be rushing around like blue arsed flies all day. It seemed to work; we registered, drove a good portion of the bike course (it’s changed a little) as it’s always good to get a handle on the corners – there being a whole 10 or so of them!!

A quick ride on the bike to check it still works (I always do it, just habit) before having to report to interview duties in the afternoon. – I was asked to do a piece for NBC and ironmanlive.com, so that was interesting. Only so many questions they can ask however … and only so many ways we can individually describe this course I should imagine?!? I found it a bit of fun anyway. Some portrait snaps in front of the white screen (not sure why) and I was all done. (The Hilton is a lovely hotel though it seems!).

Today, well, it’s not long past 9am and I have had a swim and another ride – checked out the run course plus the start of the bike ride. The word on the street is that there has been provisions made for the swim to be relocated out of the sea and into the protected harbour, should the swell continue. We are still unsure as to whether wetsuits will be allowed. I’d love it to be non wetty, not because I swim particularly well without mine but simply because I know it will hurt some of the other guys a lot more, and more than likely change the way the race pans out early on the bike. That said I will be surprised to hear anything other than wetsuits being suggested in the race brief later this afternoon.

All thats left to do now is get on with it! I’m looking forward to it for sure … it’s been a while in coming around, so now that it’s almost here I just want to get one with it. If I race smart and execute as good a race as i’m capable of, I’ll get the result I want.

Follow online and live at www.ironmanlive.com – race starts ar 6.45 for the women and 6.53 for us – which is 11.45 at home.

Some pictures from yesterday and this morning …..

I’m gearing up for my major goal race

of the first half of the racing season this w/e.

It’s been an up and down first few months of 2009 racing for me, but I am finally feeling confident about my prospects of being able to race to my potential on Sunday morning. I’m very motivated and generally excited about heading back to Wimbleball Lake in Exmoor to try and defend my title and win for the third successive year. – It’s a big task but one I am keen to try and make happen!

It couldn't have been much closer last year - Stephen pushed me hard to the line

It is a small field, as has been the case each of the previous years I have raced the event. However, it is a small but strong field, and I am expecting a tough race without question. The race has been described as one of the toughest, if not the toughest race on the 70.3 circuit. I can certainly confirm it is up there as one of the toughest I have raced and I think that is what I like the most about it. – A normal swim (don’t be fooled!) A very tough bike. Maybe even a tougher run. – Hills, off road trails and yet more grassy hills all add up to make it a great test.

It is just a tremendously good effort in simply getting round, and I think that is one of the main reasons such a considerable numbers of folk don’t even end up racking their bikes on the Saturday – the reality suddenly dawns that the entry they submitted (and paid for!) way back in the winter time hasn’t been backed up with sufficient training volume. – Hopefully the majority of people who entered will be bursting with confidence come Sunday this year!

I am looking forward to catching up with Julie (Dibs) for the first time this year … we usually spend a week hanging out in April for the St Anthony’s Triathlon in Florida, however she went a cracked a rib around then… and also to see how my occasional San Diegan/Scottish training partner from my Californian trip is going to do. – It is Lesley Paterson’s first attempt at the 70.s distance after making a great start to the US Xterra series so far this year.

I have to make a note about the men’s race too. The big name that stands out on the men’s list is Björn Andersson. I have said it before – and after regular racing against him over the past 2 years can difinatively confirm – he is a monster on the bike. I raced him twice earlier this year in the States, and his riding didn’t seen to have quite the same impact as it has in the past, but I am not going to let that fool me. I believe he will be on the start line ready to create bike havoc, and being a very competent swimmer, he will be creating it very early on. My aim is to go with whatever he throws down! He has won a major Half Ironman distance event each of the past two season through crushing bike splits and hanging on during the run, so I can see where his intentions lie! – The lighter wheels have been added and the cassette has been changed.

There are a number of other guys on the start list ready to give it a good shot as well, and I am more than aware of all of them… I always do my research!

It’s going to be a busy w/e of racing all over the place to – what with there being not just one but three other Ironman 70.3 events being held all over the US, plus the world famous Alcatraz triathlon in addition to the racing that other online team members are up to in France and the US.

Glat to get to the finish inside the top 10.

Riding into T2 at the back of the group.

Hustling Andy Potts out of transition… for all of a mile.

Feeling it during the 7th mile heading back out for lap 2.

Catching up with Jules afterwards.

We arrived in Clearwater this afternoon. Finally, its nearly race time! We got registered, and I did some tv stuff for a programme channel 4 will run in December time at home, which is nice. This 70.3 thing is catchin on…..!

Always surprises me the that people are interested in a camera crew, no matter where you are!

Camera work by the pier…. with finger on the lense!

Tobes and Julie

Carolyn, myself, Toby and Julie in April

I’m all packed and I’m yet again on the move; to St Petersburg, Florida. There is just one week left till the Foster Grant Ironman World Championship 70.3 in Clearwater, and I am heading over to the same great homestay I enjoyed last time with Carolyn, and also Julie Dibens. We were there in Arpil this year too – on that occasion for the St Anthonys race held in St Pete itself, and my new T.R.I team mate Toby Jameson was there then also. Phew, it’s a big reunion! This time round Toby and his brother Joel have travelled, and the 3 of them have been training away over there for the last few days. I’m looking forward to joining in.

Although I am really looking forward to getting over there, I am also quite sad to be leaving Escondido and California. I have really come to enjoy my training (albiet all on my own) out here and I have found more than enough good rides and trails for running. The weather is also just ridiculously ideal for triathlon training. You just don’t get anything other than sunshine and clear, windless days. I have become really quite spoilt, given what the weather is doing at home just now. – Blair sent me a text message during the week which said ‘I can see me breath all the time now – bet you can’t see yours?!’ I think that sums it up perfectly for me at this time of year!

Anyway, I need to get to bed; another lengthly day of travel awaits tomorrow as I cross this huge country from West to East. Dad is coing over to watch the race and he happens to arrive in Tampa airport just before me, so that’ll be a good end to the journey for me.

Oh – and given it is such a huge deal over here – Happy Halloween! Here are some pictures I took whilst out on my bike last week; a sight I have never seen before, and one which led me to realise I had never considered where pumpkins actually come from. Well now I now – they ALL come from this big field in North County, San Diego. All of them.

I watched online via the xterra.tv link, and that was pretty cool – the swim and finsh at least….the in-between-bits were a bit too much fuzzy-helicoptor-heights and catch-a-glimpse-if-you-can but hey, better than nothing.

My good friend Dan Hugo did a great job first time round with his fine 8th place finish – but you can read his report in his words here. His fellow South African, Conrad Stoltz had ‘one of those days’ whilst defending his title, and describes it well here. Conrad and Dan are both longer-time Nekada.com triathletes than me and I hope to meet up with Conrad at some point in the near future, as he clearly is a character worth meeting!

Finally, but by no means lastly, my other tri-buddy, and homestay buddy as of next week, Julie Dibens brought home the win yet again. Defending must be sweet! Waytago Jules. Read her account from this link here.

I am not an Xterra athlete, and I don’t know Jamie or her husband, but I am a fellow pro triathlete and I, like many people in this world have experienced the effects of cancer on our friends and loved ones. I am an avid triathlon enthusiast and student of the sport, so I was fully aware of Jamie and her results as an Xterra athlete (including a World Championship title and 37 Xterra Series wins) but it was through my friend and current World Champion, Julie Dibens that I first heard of her battle with pelvic cancer earlier this year.

Whilst in America during the summer I read a magazine article written by here detailing her progress and rehabilitation. I left the article thinking it was great to read she was improving, and that racing again at the top level of her sport appeared to be a possibility. Unforntunately that is no longer the case for she has had to have a second sugery in July, and is currently having to fight illness and a bone infection before being able to begin her course of chemotherapy, which of course is vital in helping her beat the cancer.

I have been reading her website this morning, and so I have had the banner about the silent auction at the forthcoming Xterra US Nationals in Tahoe added up there in the top right corner. Go to SupportJamieWhitmore.org to read about what the Pro field and fellow athletes are doing to try and help her and her family cope with her ongoing fight with the cancer.

As I said, I don’t know Jamie, and this isn’t much, but hopefully every little can help. Positive thinking can go a long way, so I will be thinking happy thoughts on her behalf at this tough time. Good luck Jamie.