Its the first RACE WEEK of the year! I’m excited to be racing down in Chattanooga, TN at the IRONMAN Chattanooga 70.3 event.

The first race of the year is always a good test to see where your fitness is at. I’m feeling rested and ready to take on the challenge. A big thing my coach and I worked on this off-season was my run. I wanted to be more confident in the discipline of the race, instead of relying on my bike to do most of the heavy lifting. My run focus ended with a great race at the Phoenix Marathon in February when I ran a 2:46:55. I’m feeling a lot more confident in my running ability and I’m looking forward to getting out of T2 and seeing how it feels.

Before I dive into my goals and race plan for Chattanooga, I want to give an update on my race schedule for 2016. After a very disappointing race at IRONMAN Wisconsin, I’m excited to be racing again this year. Last year’s race taught me a lot and I’m looking forward to getting some redemption on my hometown course. Here’s how my schedule is lining up this year:

• February 25th- Phoenix Marathon (Mesa, AZ)
• May 22nd – IRONMAN Chattanooga 70.3 (Chattanooga, TN)
• June 5th – Lake Mills Sprint (Lake Mills, WI)
• June 19th – Milkman Half IRONMAN (Madison, WI)
• July 10th – Pewaukee Sprint Triathlon (Pewaukee, WI)
• July 17th – IRONMAN Racine 70.3 (Racine, WI)
• August 21st – Pigman Long Course (Des Moines, IA)
• September 11th – IRONMAN Wisconsin (Madison, WI)
• TBD

IRONMAN Chattanooga 70.3 Race Report

Taper/Race week: I came into the last two weeks a bit fatigued after my training trip to Colorado. We backed down the training over the past 2 weeks to give my body some rest. I got my mandatory pre-race massage from the team at Peak Performance Massage! I usually like to a get a massage the Tuesday or Wednesday before a Sunday race. I’ve had a few muscle aches and pains over the last week or so of taper that I needed to get flushed out.

Travel: We the road road at 130am Friday morning and made the 11-12hr drive to Chattanooga. It rained nearly the whole time. Once in town, we met up with family and toured the Tenneesee Aquarium.

Today consisted of a little bit of course recon as well as a few shake out workouts. I rode the run course on my bike, did a short run and swam in he river for about 15 minutes. Just got back from checking in my bike at transition.

Swim: The swim is a rolling start, which I’m not thrilled about. The rolling start means they let 3 athletes into the water every 5 seconds, which in turn creates 1 long line of athletes waiting to get in the water. I’m hoping to get to the start early to avoid the long lines (and slower swim traffic during the swim). The pro men go off at 6:50, followed by the female pros at 6:55. AGR’s start at 7:00am with the rolling start.

The swim course is a point to point swim. We start upstream across the bank of the river. The first 300m are against the current and then we make a turn and head downstream for the rest of the race, crossing over the other side. With the current, the swim should be a bit faster than normal. I’m planning on taking the upstream part at a 9/10 effort and then settling in at a 8/10 effort once I make the turn. I’m hoping to find some fast feet in front of me that I can draft and sight off of. My goal for the race is to be well under 30 minutes, 26-27 minutes would great! Swim Goal: 26 minutes

Bike: The bike course is a lollipop style course that rides south mainly through Georgia. It’s full of rolling hills and a few good climbs that will get the HR going. The course is a tad long, about 57.1 miles instead of the usual 56. Im hoping to keep my wattage around 270-275 for the race. We’re expecting a Northerly wind which means there will be a head wind the last 15-20 miles. Bike goal: 2:18

Run: The run is a challenging one. It’s a 2 loop course that starts off with an uphill climb. The course has its hills and flat areas, crossing over 2 bridges along the way. I’m hoping to have a strong run and make up some time on some guys. I’ll have a handheld of INFINIT along with me. Run goal: 1:23.

Outlook: looking forward to racing with over 30 teammates and my coach! Hoping for a smart race with a strong finish on the run!

Thanks for following along, bib #255 tommorow at IRONMAN.com live coverage