Saturday, June 21, 2008

Relaxed and Ready

I have had a fantastic week here in Coeur d’Alene and have met many fantastic people. There are more bloggers here than I have ever seen at any race and I won’t even attempt a roll-call because I will miss someone and I just don’t want to do that to any of these great souls.

Ironman Coeur d’Alene will be my fifth iron distance race and I am still surprised to find that these are my people, the ultra-endurance community. While this community of people has distinct flavors, the ultrarunners, ultracyclists and iron-distance triathletes that I have met are all a bit different in temperament and style but they all share the common thread of commitment. You simply do not cross the finish line in any of these events without serious commitment that begins well before the event and whether you are first or last it does not diminish that simple fact of commitment. I salute you all and thank you again for welcoming me warmly into your fold.

So, as far as my own race goes my plan is to go as hard as I can for as long as I can until I can’t go any more. This doesn’t mean I don’t have a plan, I do, it just means that I am going to be racing closer to the upper ends of my iron-distance abilities than normal.

I know that it is pretty much impossible to predict such things but I really want to land in the top 10 of Clydesdales over 40 and for IMCdA that seems to mean a time of about 12:45. Here is the lay of the land. There are 8 Clydes over 40 racing tomorrow who have already placed top 10 and an Ironman and seven of them placed top 10 here at IMCdA. Assuming they all have good races that appears to leave me to contend for slots 7, 8, 9 or 10 because if I am really on I think that two of these guys are possibly within striking distance.

Here is my fiercest competition and their past times.

2008 Clydes who have placed top 10
1. CdA 2004 10:02:23 NUGENT, TERRY LONETREE, CO

2. CdA 2003 11:29:25 MERRITT, JAY L. BOISE, ID

3. CdA 2007 11:51:54 BRYAN, JEFF STATELINE, NV
CdA 2006 11:51:17
CdA 2005 11:47:23
CdA 2004 11:39:19
CdA 2003 12:17:42

4. CdA 2007 12:18:15 BURKHARDT, SCOTT POST FALLS, ID
CdA 2006 12:51:08

5. CdA 2007 12:25:33 PHILLIPS, RICHARD SPOKANE, WA

6. CdA 2007 12:44:08 BELKER, ERIC FRENCHTOWN, MT
CdA 2006 12:41:26
CdA 2005 12:10:07

7. CdA 2006 12:48:53 WYBORNEY, MARK VERADALE, WA

8. IMAZ 2008 11:18:55 BEHLER, MIKE SANTA ROSA CA
IMAZ 2007 11:19:04

I’m guessing Mike B. will land higher than 8th if he has a good race but he doesn’t have a time for CdA so the proven guys get the top slots.

Here are the times of past 9th and 10th place finishers at IMCdA.

2003 Clydes over 40
9. 12:51:34
10. 13:02:40

2004 Clydes over 40
9. 12:05:51
10. 12:08:27

2005 Clydes over 40
9. 12:32:36
10. 12:32:47

2006 Clydes over 40
9. 13:08:42
10. 13:10:37

2007 Clydes over 40
9. 12:44:08
10. 12:44:46

I don’t want to take anything away from all the other Clydes over 40 that will be on the course Sunday, there are 64 of us, and there are a lot of hopes and dreams out there, a lot of fight and courage and like me, a lot of dark horses hoping for a place in the sun.

Fortitudine vincimus my friends, I’m off to the races!

Bib #1064

22 comments:

  1. My IMAZ cowbell is ready to go, SB!

    Best of luck!

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  2. Good luck to you! I hope the course is good to you tomorrow!

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  3. good luck! I'll be watching anxiously!

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  4. You are so in the Top 10!!

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  5. Good luck tomorrow! I'll be checking on you and Misty online at some point. :)

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  6. Swim. Check!

    t-1. Check!

    Bike split 1. Check!

    Bike split 2. Faster than 1. Really big check!

    The virtual cowbell has been ringing all day!

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  7. OMG Brian you are cooking the course! Excellent swim and you are blitzing the bike! Go SB go!

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  8. Off the bike and on the run! Go Brian go!!!!

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  9. Go, Myles! (Old habits die hard!)
    Run, Brian, Run!

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  10. Yeah! You go, man!

    <cowbell>
    DINGA-DINGA-DINGA-DINGA-DINGA-DINGA
    DINGA-DINGA-DINGA-DINGA-DINGA-DINGA
    </cowbell>

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  11. Whoa! You're flying along!! Can't wait to hear your report.

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  12. Great job Brian!

    You looked very happy to finish and I thought you were going to throw your bottle into the camera!

    Well done!!!!!

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  13. WOOT! WOOT!! 12.31!! Congratulations!!

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  14. I've never commented on your blog before but I'm a big fan of GeekGrl - following both of you all day and CONGRATULATIONS for beating your goal by a mile - I hope you placed high!

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  15. Way to go! Holy smokes! You were awesome out there.

    How could you not be smiling? That is a NICE time!

    Big hills? huh, not to big for you!

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  16. You did exactly what you wanted to do time wise Bri. No one can take that from you. All that is needed now is to figure out if it was good enough for top 10 in C.

    looking forward to finding out.

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  17. Congratulations! That's a terrific time, no matter where you end up in the rankings.

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  18. Congratulations Brian, big time! What a huge victory for you no matter what your placement. Can't wait to read about it.

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  19. CONGRATULATIONS!!

    GREAT RACE!!

    I honestly don't think you belong in the Clyde division, but that is a debate for another day.... BASK and ENJOY! Give Misty a hug from all her fans in Cinci!

    Mary

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  21. Outstanding effort, impressive achievement SB!! Both you and the GG deserve to revel in your accomplishments at CdA!

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  22. Nailed the time - looks like a very smart race!

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