Friday, February 3, 2023

Background on IMNY70.3 Jones Beach

I’ve been thinking about why I want to do another 70.3, after all I’ve already done three and that doesn’t even count completing Ironman Florida in 2011. All of them were a long time ago.

Last year I realized the 70.3 mountain was too steep for me so I bailed. I did complete 5 sprint triathlons though. Three were pool swims and two were open water. My biking was slow and my running (if you could call it that) was poor. I’ve done no runs longer than 5 miles or so and my longest race was 5k of more walking than running. Even so, I viewed 2022 as a success.

My plan for 2023 was to do a 70.3 AquaBike in May (the Crystal Coast triathlon in Beaufort, NC) and to run a standalone half marathon in the fall. Look for an Olympic distance to stretch out a bit. If all went well, spring 2024 would queue up a retry at the half distance. I may consider the Disney Half Marathon as a January fun excursion but signups aren’t until April.

This all assumed that my body composition improved enough. I wanted my weight to be below 250 pounds before I would sign up. I have a lot of weight to lose.

Then IMNY was announced. It looks like a perfect race for me. It is as flat as a pancake. I’ve trained in the area a lot. While I haven’t ridden my bike on the parkway, I have on the adjacent bike path. I’ve run on the boardwalk. I’ve raced in the park. Did I say it was flat?

So I signed up. I’ll succeed if I’m dedicated and focused. I will have athletic atrophy to deal with (I’m not as fast as I used to be and I wasn’t even fast then). The summer heat will need to be dealt with. I have a plan, a coach, a swim group, and the legacy of being a rock star.




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