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Help me reboot my season

Gabe PetersonGabe Peterson
in General Training Discussions

First off, thank you for the EN support and mojo that was sent my way over the last week!  It was a tough decision to pull out of Ironman Boulder after learning of my uncle's passing last week, but I feel like it was the right one as I was a wreck and didn't have the eye of the tiger for a full Ironman.  The supportive messages I got from ENers really got me through it.

Boulder was the central focus of my race calendar this year.  I achieved the highest level of endurance fitness I've ever had during the build up.  Now I have this badass fitness vehicle I need to take to a race.  Help me reboot my season.

My original plan was to switch focus to preparing for my first 50-mile ultra after IM Boulder with Xterra Utah thrown in for fun.  However, I have unfinished business with triathlons this season.  I don't feel like I've had a complete race due to hypothermia at St George 70.3 and an inferno run at Boulder 70.3  

The options for full Ironman races are limited.  IMCDA is August 21st but I am travelling to California that weekend to deal with my uncle's estate.  The only other full Ironman I'm finding is the Bear Lake Brawl here in Utah on Sept 17th.  It's billed as the only full Iron distance event in Utah, but it's not Ironman branding.  Last year only about 25 people did the full.  The upside is I'd probably win my age group, and may even win the entire race (last year the winning time was something like 11:30).

If I can't find a full Ironman, then I'll just focus on setting a PR at the HIM distance.  I've listed a few options in the table below.  I keep a list of interesting races as I discover them.  Vikingman in Idaho with its down-river swim looks like the best candidate for getting in the 5 hour HIM range and setting a PR.

I still plan to do my first 50 miler and am tentatively planning on Dead Horse Ultra in Moab, UT on Nov 19th.  Moab is the most epic place people outside of Utah have hardly heard about.  It is like running on Mars.  I'd love to do my first 50-miler there.

Okay, help me plan my season.  Other races I should consider?

Race

Event Type

Date

Skyline Marathon

Ultra Trail Run

Saturday, August 20, 2016

Vikingman

70.3 IM

Saturday, August 27, 2016

Brineman

70.3 IM

Saturday, September 10, 2016

Bear Lake Brawl

70.3 / Full IM

Saturday, September 17, 2016

Xterra Utah

Off-road tri

Saturday, September 17, 2016

North Face Challenge Park City Trail Marathon

Ultra Trail Run

Saturday, September 24, 2016

Corner Canyon Ultra

Ultra Trail Run

Saturday, October 15, 2016

Pony Express 50M

Ultra Trail Run

Friday, October 14, 2016

Antelope Island 50k

Ultra Trail Run

Saturday, November 05, 2016

Dead Horse 50M

Ultra Trail Run

Saturday, November 19, 2016

North Face Challenge Golden Gate 50M

Ultra Trail Run

Saturday, December 03, 2016

Comments

  • Gordon CherwoniakGordon Cherwoniak

    Well if you want an IM you can still get general entry in to Maryland Oct 1 or Louisville Oct 9.  These are both much closer to the 50 miler and you will most likely just be recovering from the IM and then going in to that race.  Not sure this is optimal.  If you want to go community fund slots you could hit Wisconsin Sept 11th or Chattanooga on Sept 25th. 

    Rev 3 has a full and half  at Cedar Point, Sandusky Ohio on September 12th.  You could also ride some great coasters while there.  I'd love to go back sometime as I've been there twice for the coasters, never done the race.  Rev 3 also has a half in Maine Aug 28th.  Not sure these are logistically possible or if you want to travel that far.

    Listed on trifind there's a Goliath Race Sat Aug 27, iron distance Syracuse Utah.  This is the week after CDA.  2015 results show 10 teams between 11-14.5.

    http://www.trifind.com/re_248267/TheGoliathRace.html

    http://www.thegoliathrace.org

    I have no background with this race.



    Finally on Trifind I see Redman Triathlon Oklahoma City on Sept 24th.  They also have an aqua bike if you want to save your legs for the 50 miler or a 1/2 and full distance tri.  Again I have no background with this race it's just an option more based on time than proximity.

    http://www.friendsofmultisport.com/...-triathlon

    You seem like you want to do a tri.  The later you push the date more I'd be inclined to say do a 1/2 vs full, particularly if you want to get in the 50 miler.  An aqua bike could be a good option to allow you to minimize down time after the race.

    Hope this helps.

     

     

  • Mark CardinaleMark Cardinale
    @Gabe - I'm doing the 106W in Silverthorne, CO on Sept 10th.  It's a half iron distance non-WTC branded event that takes place at 9k feet.  If you're interested you have a place to stay.  Otherwise, I look forward to joining you on the ultra circuit next year!
  • Gabe PetersonGabe Peterson
    @Gordon, thanks for doing this research! I haven't heard of Goliath, which is odd because it is a short distance from my home. It looks like a very similar course for Brineman. It looks like everyone who did it last year was part of a team. I'd probably be the only solo athlete. I'd like to do an IM that is within a days drive of SLC, so that limits my options and probably crosses off the other races

    I think you're right that the farther out I get into September or October doing a full will step on my training for the 50-miler. If I did Bear Lake Brawl as a full, I'd probably do heavy run training to ramp up to 40+ miles per week and just enough cycling to maintain my bike fitness.

    @Mark, that looks like an amazing race! I probably not going to PR anything, but it looks fun as hell. Definitely interested. Let me see how my schedule shakes out in the next week.
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