Q&A...A Wogging Duo

I got a question/comment on my last post. I don't get too many of those. Anyway, my decision to race IMAz came before the Longhorn Tri. I did a couple of loops of the course with GGlauser. A couple of loops in the same day. We rode 5:30, but I was a wreck after that ride. The next weekend I did another 100 miler and it went really well. Since then I've done a few more. Last season I batted around the idea of doing IM Wisconsin or Florida. But, with 70.3 Worlds on the calendar, I stuck with my plan. So, this year my fitness and training has been going well. It has been a good season. Anyway, that doesn't answer the question.

"Was the decision to race IM AZ long in the works and just now revealed for dramatic effect?..or last minute decision in general?"

I guess you could say that the decision was a year in the works, but more recently it was about 6 weeks in the works. Dramatic effect? No, I don't think so. Everyone is so enamored by the Ironman distance. Or at least, they for some reason seem to think that you aren't a 'real' triathlete if you haven't done an IM. Bullcrap I say to that. That's why I did IM Florida in 2001...so that I could be a real triathlete.

Anyway, once you announce it suddenly there are expectations and questions. What is your time going to be? Are you trying to qualify for Hawaii? And, honestly around here, I for some reason have the stigma of being a 'short course guy.' That's because I do sprint races, olympic distance, and half Ironman, but don't race Ironman races. Andy Potts was a 'short course' guy by those definitions until October 11, 2008...and so was Craig Alexander until 2007. I'm not comparing myself to Andy or Craig even though I've done a lot of the same type of races as those two guys. I will say that those two tore it up at the Ironman by being short course guys. I'm generally about 5-7 minutes back from them in the Olympic Distance and about 8-10 minutes back in a 1/2...so does that mean that I'll be 12-20 minutes behind in a full? I'll take that!

I just wanted to sign up, show up, and do my best to have a decent Ironman. It will be my 3rd, and the 3rd time is the charm right? Plus, several of my athletes have had good Ironmans...if I take my own advice, I should too right? Yeah, I've got a time goal posted on my computer and refrigerator for 70.3 World and IMAz. But, more than that, I am going to race my race and try to have a good race.

And the calf? Well, Dr. Sellers worked some magic yesterday and said I should go run. I ran/walked...wogging as Amy would call it...tonight. I am cautiously optimistic. We'll see.