Category: Ironman
Ironman Kona 2008
photo by Rich Cruse
Chrissie Wellington had a flat, spent 10 mins fixing it and still won by 15 min. Amazing – she caught many of the pro men on the run including my Pilot Butte Burger eating buddy Matt Lieto.
Pro field preview for Ironman 2008
For what its worth… I’m not an Ironman expert, but I personally know many of the top male contenders from the years of racing short course.
Andy Potts
I trained with Andy at the Olympic Training Center. He arrived fat and unfit – just starting his tri career 2 years after barely missing the US Olympic swimming team. Andy is a great guy, but he had no respect for reputations and limitations. He says he is just here to “see”. Its his 1st Ironman, he will race from the front, and together with a number of very strong cyclists (Larsen, Sinballe, Stadler) they could blow those drafting runners out the water. Andy has a strong head, but he is a big guy, this place is hot and it has reduced great short course champions to rubble. (Simon Lessing, Macca)
Ironman Kona swim experience
I couldn’t figure out what the squeaking sounds were, till the dolphins were right next to me. They hung around for a while and swam amongst the 100s of other swimmers – delighted squeals piping up everywhere…
The week leading up to Ironman Hawaii, Kona
The Ironman village had a demo booth where athletes can test run shoes, ride bikes etc. I worked at the Avia booth and was amazed at the size and energy of this whole Kona/Ironman thing. The Avi Lite II seems to be the most popular for IM racing- its light with plenty of cushioning. I was also surprised at the might of the Triathlon Dollar, despite the world wide economic slump. Just proves again- Triathletes are overachievers, and Ironpeople more than most. Tomorrow is the big day- let the suffering begin!
Signing autographs at the Avia demo booth with triathlon legend Scott Tinley. Or, more like “watching Tinley sign his books.” I have been a Scott Tinley fan since (especially) my beginnings in triathlon in the late 80s, and I was stoked with my autographed ST books. The one says: “To the Conradenator”
Ironman South Africa 2008
Its late tuesday night, and Amber and I just got back from Ironman South Africa. What a race. What a weekend. What great friends we made.
Amber PRed her swim, bike and run. 13th woman out the swim, she rode the 2nd fastest split, and was off the bike 3rd woman overall, finished 8th and won the ladies age group overall. Thats a long sentence and a great performance. Considering she only took up sports 4 years ago.
Go read the whole story on web.mac.com/AmberMonforte.
More about the rest of the trip once I catch up on sleep, training, massage, healthy groceries, humongous laundry, sea salt-off-bike-wash.
Oh yes, I race XTERRA South Africa this saturday. XterraSA.com.
Visit my again in a day or two…
