Ironman 70.3 Cancun
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Tikal Dog posted 1 year ago.
Thanks Cesar! I was waiting like crazy for a race report for this race, since I´m considering including it on next year´s schedule.
Heard from a friend the heat was awfull and that many people had problems with it.
So if you qualified for Clearwater.... what was your spot in your age group??
Nice to have more people from Latam around!!!
Hyperactive Trifueler!!!! (I refuse to let the status go :p)
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Tamara posted 1 year ago.
Thanks, Cesar! My husband and I are looking at this as our first HIM next year (it coincides with our honeymoon -- awww.) so I really appreciate your insights. Washington DC can be really hot and humid during the summer, so that could potentially help us make sure we are acclimatized to that kind of weather.
Good luck at Clearwater!
"It's very hard in the beginning to understand that the whole idea is not to beat the other runners. Eventually you learn that the competition is against the little voice inside you that wants you to quit." ~George Sheehan
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Jcody posted 1 year ago.
Cesar I know what you mean - here is my race report.
I originally wanted to do one of the new 70.3 Ironman races as a
race/vacation so this is how I selected the one in Cancun - this was the first time the race had been run. In addtion Ironman started to market the 70.3 series this year and added a World Championship race in Tampa, Fl. Of course it is not Kona but I thought it was a good idea as well. I wanted to see what International competition would be like - This race
drew 27 countries and over 800 people in its first year - not bad.
Delane and I flew into Mexico- on Thursday - we actually did not stay in Cancun but instead stayed in Playa Del Carmin just 50 minutes down the road - we ad stayed here before and liked it much better than the built up resort area of Cancun. The race was on Sunday with a practice swim on Saturday. So I decided to swim in front of condo out to one of the bouys about 500 meters out - the ocean was not real rough but definately more than I was used to. Probabl was a good idea since I really have no race
experience in salt water or anything rougher than Lake Jordan. Saturday I went up to Cancun for the expo and to do the swim practice - Water was flat calm - like a lake - the course is a two lap course (without exiting water) so I swam it once in about 17.5 minutes - ok not bad for me - swim is not my strength. Race day comes early - start is at 6:30am to try and beat the heat however this is impossible - high temp of the day will be 98 degrees with humidity. I had noticed the two days prior that it was unbeleivably hot (Muy Caliente !) it is in the 90s by 9am in the morining. On race day I show up get setup and walk to the swim - so much for flat calm - sure glad I did that swim in front of the condo.
Not that rough but defiantely far from calm. In the 70.3 series they do not start everyone at the same time but instead have waves - however the waves are only 1 minute apart instead of the 3 minutes we are used to. Add the fact it is a short two lap course and just be prepared to always be swimming in company. All went pretty well for the swim, I stood up looked at my watch and I was at 36 minutes and some change - a long run up the beach to the timming mats and transisiton. The bike - seemed smoking fast to me - I actaully ask several people if they thought the pace was being set fast - most everyone agreed but no one slowed down.
Now the heat hits - I went through 6 bottles on the bike (No joke!) and 2-3 bottles of water only poured over my head. Get done with the bike 2 hours 31 minutes - ok that is pretty decent ride. I hit the run - everyone died on the run - just brutally hot - can't describe how tough it is runing in that kind of heat - again drank, drank and drank - continually puring water over my head. Came in with a 1 hour 55 minute run - I thought VERY slow - but hell with this
heat - that is all I could do. Finishied 16 out of 125 in my age group (40-44), 112 overall my time was 5:12 flat. this was only my second attempt at this distance and only my second season of Tri so I was pretty happy wiht the results even though I wnated to go under 5 hours and think I can definately do that; just not today not wiht that heat. They had allocated 11 slots for the 70.3 World Championships in Tampa in my age group - right before the race started they anounced they had added 3 slots to our age group or at least I heard that somewhere along the line, becasue we had a larger turnout than expected in the 40-44 age group. After the race I knew I had not made the guaranteed cut but several people encouraged me to go the roll down party that night. Basically if any of the 1st 14 previously qualified or did not want to go to Tampa the slot rolled down to the next person. Delane and I figured what the hell - we can go meet some people and have a beer or two (I eanred those
beers - I really beleive I lost close to 10 lbs that day - no joke!)
Bottom line I got the slot and will be racing in Tampa in November -
World Championship race for the 70.3 series. I was stoked!
So I guess I will be racing a little longer this season!
I would recomment to anyone to look into this race in Cancun or the series itself for next year.
.jpg "Cesar valera's picture")
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Cesar valera posted 1 year ago.
I did fifth and there were 6 slots in the 25-29 age group.
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Cesar valera posted 1 year ago.
Tamara;53071 wrote:
Thanks, Cesar! My husband and I are looking at this as our first HIM next year (it coincides with our honeymoon -- awww.) so I really appreciate your insights. Washington DC can be really hot and humid during the summer, so that could potentially help us make sure we are acclimatized to that kind of weather.Good luck at Clearwater!
I had my honeymoon at Cancun too a couple of years ago. Congratulations, racing and honeymooning on the same vacation... I guess it doesn't get any better than that.
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1237 days
Tamara posted 1 year ago.
thanks. guess technically i meant anniversary (so it would be a second honeymoon). but you still get the point. :-)
"It's very hard in the beginning to understand that the whole idea is not to beat the other runners. Eventually you learn that the competition is against the little voice inside you that wants you to quit." ~George Sheehan
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whitneyabell posted 1 year ago.
I am doing Cancun this year and want to know if any of you used a bike shipping service or if you just flew your bike in?
thanks
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triNick posted 1 year ago.
We just flew with our bikes down there.
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solidad posted 1 year ago.
Jcody -- I am doing White Lake this year as my first HIM. have you done this race before? I hear the bike is really fast and flat there as well?
I live in Venezuela, so I'm use to over 90 deegre with high humidity races. I've done several have Iron distance races, even going under 4:30 a few times, under what may be called brutal conditions. But 12 days ago a realize that it always could be harder.
The race started at 6:30 with 1 minute apart within every age group, starting with pro male, then pro female, then male 18-24 and 25-29, then a minute behind male 30-34 and so on... up to the age group female participants.
The water was kind of warm and very calm.
I raced in 25-29 so I was in front of the age group race. I usually have a good swim, around 29', a pretty strong ride under 2h20' and a descent run around 1:35.
The 56 miles of the bike were around very fast 3 loops 13 mile road, about 5 miles from Cancun.
This time I didn't have enough miles on the bike, because I was trying to focuse on the other two. I guess I forgot that...
At mile 10 of the bike, I was leading the age group race and suddenly, one of those TTT packs that always show up in ironman races went by me. I guess I forgot long distance race principles because I stayed with them for a while.
At mile 40 I was again on my own pace, averaging an awesome 25 m/hr. and having so much fun, but it was later at mile 50 when this other group caught me, all of them drafting and I couldn't stand it, so I got on their wheel.
Anyway I rode a 2:17 and got of the bike in a great position, but the damage was already done.
I sayd to my self, you have gotten of the bike at full ironman races feeling like it's imposible to run more than 10k and managed to run under 3:40, so this time I'll run around 1:40 and I'll finsh the race at a very nice 4:30.
IT DIDN'T HAPPEN...
The run is a two loops at Kukulkan Blvd, very flat with a couple of small bridges.
When we were riding 10 miles from cancun, it was raining at the town and when we got of the bike the sun came out and it was veeeery humid. The temperature must have been above 100.
I started the run at the desired pace until mile 4. It took me 23 minutes to run one forth of the half marathon, and then 1:30 to walk-run the rest. There were no shadows, and the sun was burning everything alive.
I got to the finsh line not being able to talk and close to a heat strike, but the organization was spotless and I was helped perfectly as almost everybody.
I managed to finish at 4:45 and got one of the 6 slots of my age group for the worlds, so at the end it was a good race.
I really recomend this race to everyone who wants to go to Kona one day. Simon Lessing and Michelle Jones raced in it and I'm sure they will do great in 3 weeks on the island.
it was awesome to see them blaze the race. They are really two amazing athletes.
I'll have another report from the worlds.
Have great trainning sesssions.