Ironman Los Cabo 2013
Overall an epic day! Decided to do this as a combination of Spring Break for my kids and doing an IM. Here is a combination of IMLC info for future participants and my race.
Overall: First year so some challenges, but, really didn't affect the race. Registration alittle confused but went fine. Course maps and details weren't finalized til last week. Again, didn't affect anything.
Stay: I stayed at Cabo Azul on Hotel Row. Holiday Inn, Cabo Azul, Hola Gran Faro (Host Hotel), Cabo Real are all on run course and you run by each about 6 times out and back. Can walk to Finish, Downtown, and T2 from these hotels. About 1 mile away.
SWIM: Take transportation (provided by race) from ALL host hotels to Palmilla Beach (10 min away) It's a beach start with a large one loop rectangle. Few waves crashed on us as we entered water, but, once past these it was completely fine. It's somewhat in a bay. I could have been windier, so maybe some times waves could have been worse. Since 1400 in race, no real congestion at all. It measured alittle longer per Garmin (2.7m). Water temp 70F. Time 1:05
T1: About a 200m run so alittle long. No biggie. No strippers.
CLOTHES: Wear something that protects shoulders and consider arm coolers. Most Northern Hemisphere athletes were paler than usual so this was very important!
BIKE: T1 to Mile 3 is ALL uphill. I had an 11-27 with compact and was fine. Here's the Challenge of IMLC. It bike is 2 loops shaped like a Y. Their is NO flat sections. The road quality is fine/good. Few times they have some strips of metal bumps (speed bumps) that are alittle dicy but saw only 2 flats all day. The longest section is the 18 miles between San Lucas and San Jose with a 7 mile out and back called the Airport Road. You do this loop twice. The main section (corridor) is hilly. Sometimes in 40-28 and sometimes going 40 mph! Again NO flat sections.Plenty of aid stations about every 10km. Sunny, windy, hot. The Airport Road is very difficlult long sustained climbs and high speed descents with wind to side. Very slow speeds here! Tough thing was you do the 2nd loop on this road at 5 hrs into ride. Demoralizing, but this is were I passed alot of people who passed me earlier. (EN really rocks on this course). The bike course is very slow. (For me IMAZ 170w 5:31, IMLC 174w 6:16=322 TSS) Really felt strong but just wanted off the bike.
I was worried that my 71% for 6:16 would ruin my marathon,,,,,but...
RUN: 3 loop course that is excellent. Goes through downtown (next to finish line) 3 times and TONS of people. Essentially 5 miles out the 8 mile loop is lined with people. Families, general tourists just watching, and local. Heard "animal, vamos, and viva la mexico" many times. Few gentle rollers but fine. Plenty of aid stations (about every Km) Very hot to start but there was water spayers also. For me I ran 1:1 run/walk because of the heat and was averaging <11 m/m so just kept at this. I felt awesome. In my previous 10 IMs have have never experience feeling this good. Time: 4:50 for an 11 min PB marathon. (thrilled considering coming off a 322 TSS) Finish line is cool. Downtown San Jose.</p>
OVERALL: 12:23 for 17th in AG. I actually consider it probably my 2nd best overall performance of the 11 IMs.
Overall, the challenge of this race is winter indoor biking and training for such an early IM for Northern Hemisphere athletes. For those of you who want an awesome location to travel and vacation afterward, in for a challenging day definitely consider it. Just THROW AWAY time expectations. You might be able to PB a swim or run, but will NOT have a fast bike. I'm glad I did it.
Comments
Thanks for the report. Congratulations on your 11th IM and a PB on the run. The long trainer rides that you posted , inspired me to do the same in prep for IMTX so for that I thank you again.
Tim,
I was there for vacation this past Fall and traveled all those roads by car and some running. My first thought was the bike would all up and down. No flats.
Great effort and great report. *almost* makes me want to attempt an ironman! Did you do anything special in training to acclimatize to the heat (i.e. crank up the room temperature/humdity)?
@Robin.....IMFL......for a PB!!
For Heat acclizimation......I rode my trainer in the garage so always alittle cold. I did use space heaters and usually during long workouts my shirt was dripping wet. About all I could do. The hills and wind were actually much more a factor than the heat, so did OK.