Sunday marks the 2nd part of the spring track to my performance goal. I'm racing in the Challenge Kraichau 1/2 ironman. It's part of the ever expanding Challenge series of races that started with the world famous (in triathlon) Challenge Roth. I'm excited to experience something new. Recently the only races I've done are part of the Ironman family and although I like them they have a pattern to them that is too normal to me now.
Some details about the race as I know it. 9:00 am start. You just have to love Europe. No chance in hell you see a 9:00am start in the US. This will cause all of us to be running in the heat of the day but who cares. It's not 7:00am. The bike course looks good and challenging. I count 5 big hills that run 300 - 400 feet in elevation. It also looks like another bike course with no rest. You are either going up or going down. It seems like going down would be rest but generally here down is quite technical and you have to be on your guard. The run (13.1 miles) is a three lap affair and it looks to be flat.
My race plan is much like the last race only faster. I think I can swim 2 minutes faster. On the bike due to it's big climbing, I'll be happy with an even split to the last time. Remember I put those climbing gears on so I should be faster going up but there is a great deal more up on this course. Finally on the run I'm going to try to go faster. Last race there were two laps. The first to set up the second. This time there are three laps. Coach has me do my long runs as a Poker Pace. This mean's run the first 1/3 conservative, up the pace on the 2nd 1/3 and then hold pace through the end. That's my plan. Run the first lap to get used to running and blast the next two. My plan is to collapse at the finish.
The picture above is from Sunday at Rock im Park. I'm posting all the pictures on my Facebook page soon. I just love the Rainbow shot and maybe it will help me out come Sunday.
It's a good life....
Dave
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