EverymanTri.com

Ben Greenfield passes along some important race lessons from the Tiger Triathlon

As a pre-race tune-up before I go defend my gold medal at ITU Long Course World Championships in Spain, I dropped into the Tiger Triathlon.

This race is advertised as a "quarter Ironman".

Which basically seems to be a 1K swim, a 40K bike, and an 8K run. I'm not quite sure how the math on that works out with the run part, but whatever - I'm in!

So I showed up on race morning with 2 kids, 2 dogs and my wife (bless her heart, once I took off on the swim she was left with all 4 of them) and with the help(?) of my 4 year old boys set up transition area in a blistering 20 minutes, with barely enough time left over to put on my brand new Blue Seventy Helix wetsuit (thanks B70 guys!) and rush down to the water.

The swim horn sounded and we were off. Here's where I remembered an important lesson:

2012 Ironman 70.3 California Results

Last Saturday, the West Coast's premier kick off to racing season, the Ironman 70.3 California in Oceanside, Calif. saw Andy Potts put on a strong start-to-finish win while Melanie McQuaid, 3-time XTERRA world champ, won the women's event.

2012 Galveston Ironman 70.3 Results and Video Links

Lance Armstong's Ironman race series debut on U.S. soil at the Lonestar 70.3 in Galveston, Texas was the big news of the weekend, but his 7th place finish--dropping a spot in the final steps of the race--showed everyone that the hot, humid and breezy conditions took a toll on all the participants.

Timothy O'Donnell won the event in 3:47:40 after coming up short the two past years. Sebastian Kienle pushed himself to the limit for his second-place finish, collapsing after crossing the line 23 seconds after O'Donnell. 

As expected, Armstrong made his move on the bike, but couldn't pull away from the elite pro ranks. He told the Houston Chronicle that he was shooting for a 3-minute gap off the bike, but had to make do with 41 seconds. He seemingly had 6th-place locked up but Jordan Jones,

Video - Lance Armstrong Weighs In on Ironman Panama 70.3 Performance

 

Find out if Lance Armstrong was surprised at his result and placing at Ironman 70.3 Panama, in this press conference video from Ironman Texas 70.3

Follow on twitter @everymantri or view latest videos on YouTube.

Video - Pro Triathlete Tim O'Donnell Explains Texas Ironman 70.3 Strategy

 

Watch as Sebastian Kienle collapses and Tim O' Donnell Explains what it's like to push your body to the limit in a triathlon, at Ironman Texas 70.3

Follow on twitter @everymantri or view latest videos on YouTube.

2012 USA Triathlon Elite Duathlon Winners

At the US Duathlon Nationals the men's and women's winners earned the right to represent the United States at the 2012 ITU Duathlon Worlds in September. See the full USA Triathlon Press release below.

PELHAM, Ala. (March 25) - Daniel Hedgecock and D'Ann Arthur recorded convincing victories Saturday to capture the USA Triathlon Elite Duathlon National Championship titles at Oak Mountain State Park. The race was run in conjunction with Powerman Alabama.

Erin Densham claims ITU Triathlon World Cup in Mooloolaba, Australia

In a race with 2012 Olympic slots up for grabs, the ITU World Cup was a competitive race. Read the full ITU Press Release below – EverymanTRI 

Mooloolaba, Australia (25 March 2012) - Australia's Erin Densham put in one of the most impressive performances of her career, leading the swim and then crushing the field with a stellar run to win her second career ITU World Cup in Mooloolaba on Sunday.

2012 Ironman Asia Pacific Championship, Melbourne Results

Melbourne, Austrailia (March 25, 2012)

The inaugural Asia-Pacific Ironman Championship in Melbourne wrapped up earlier close to midnight North America-time with convincing wins from Aussie Craig Alexander in 7:57:44 and an 8:34:51 from Swiss phenom Caroline Steffen, who now trains down under.

Ben Greenfield figures out how to keep cool at the Ironman 70.3 Worlds

I showed up in Vegas for 70.3 World Championships ready for a raging hot and extremely difficult course. Throughout this race report post, I'll fill you in on everything I implemented to keep my body cool in the heat. This is some of the same body cooling stuff I will do in Kona.

Barbara Riveros Diaz wins her first 2011 ITU Elite Sprint Triathlon World Championship

Lausanne, Switzerland (20 August 2011) - Barbara Riveros Diaz (CHI) claimed the 2011 ITU Elite Sprint Triathlon World Championship title at the Lausanne round of the Dextro Energy Triathlon ITU World Championship Series round.

Chile's Barbara Riveros Diaz claimed her maiden ITU World Championship and second career series win with a thrilling come-from-behind sprint finish in Lausanne.
 
Riveros Diaz had dropped to fourth coming into the final kilometre, as Australian Emma Jackson looked like she had the race wrapped up ahead of New Zealand's Andrea Hewitt and Great Britain's Helen Jenkins. But Riveros Diaz cranked up the pace with about 500 metres to go, passed Jenkins and Hewitt and then took aim at Jackson. Last year's Under23 world champion tried to stick with the pint-sized Chilean star, but couldn't keep up as she crossed the line in a time 58 minutes, 35 seconds.

Kris Gemmell and Mary Beth Ellis Win Ironman 70.3 Singapore

In a race that raised several thousand dollars to assist earthquake victims in Japan, New Zealand's Kris Gemmell and Boulder's own Mary Beth Ellis took first place at Singapore 70.3. Keep reading for the Top 10 Pro Men & Women.

Tim O' Donnell and Kelly Williamson Take Ironman San Juan 70.3

Boulder Colorado's own Tim O'Donnell (pictured above) overcame Great Britain's Paul Amey and Australian Luke Mckenzie on the run and clocked a blazing 3 hours, 49 minutes, while American Kelly Williamson also ran to first place and clocked a 4:15 in the first inaugural Half-Ironman event held in Puerto Rico: Ironman 70.3 San Juan.

Keep reading for full results.

Cali 70.3 race report by Tawnee Prazak

Editor's Note: Our associate gear review editor Tawnee Prazak just completed her first 70.3 race and filed this report from California.

Not to brag or anything, but I swam a similar pace to Andy Potts in the swim, set a course record by averaging 26 mph on the bike and even ran with Mirinda Carfrae for a number of miles, but I decided to let her win it in the end. What a day. I’m beat.

Ha. In my dreams, right?

Race Report: Chillin' in Chile by Ben Greenfield

Editor's Note: Our newest personal training and coaching partner, Ben Greenfield, just qualified for the 70.3 Ironman World Championships with a blazing fast half Ironman race in Pucon, Chile.

Ben filed this report, and we're happy to report that dad is not strange, but just really really fast. Check out Ben's blog for after race reports from Chile.

Having raced what is supposedly one of the hardest Half-Ironman triathlons in the States (Wildflower), I can confidently say that this race makes the Wildflower run course look like child's play.

I'm going to make this quick, because I'm exhausted and I need to nap (post race party will go until 4am en la manana).

Jessa snapped a pic of me as I headed out to pump up the bike in transition...got to sleep in for this race with a 9am "late" start.

The Specialized steed awaits...

CSI-IMAZ by Roman Mica

I was having a good race, not a great race, but so far I was on target for a personal best in both the swim and the bike segments of Ironman Arizona. Little did I know that an up and coming young professional triathlete would soon put a big dent in my day.

He who shall remain nameless, rode by me as I was returning to Tempe on the second loop of the three loop 112 mile Ironman Arizona bike course. 

He surprised me twice. The first time when he rode past and said "Hi Roman." The second time was much more dramatic and shocking. After he flew by me he stood up on his bike pedals and let it rip.

HTFU...the unfinished tale of the inaugural Kansas 70.3 triathlon

I suppose I should have thought HTFU at that very moment, but I didn't.

Let me explain.

I'm about 2 miles from the finish line at the inaugural Ironman Kansas 70.3 race in Lawrence this weekend when I make a left turn to finish the last part of the final run loop.

But instead of running the last two miles a volunteer blocks my way, points toward the finish line, and says, "Sorry but we've called the race because of weather; you're all done!"