Happy #MedalMonday everyone! This week my #MedalMondayMoment is a throw back to my first full IRONMAN triathlon – IRONMAN Arizona. Check out my Super-Quick Race Review video here (text version below):
The Super-Quick Race Review
Ok, if you are considering this race then at some point you will likely dive into some long form race reviews and details on the course maps. So to keep this review super-quick we will stay at the 30,000 ft level.
The swim is calm since it takes place in Tempe Town Lake. So no need to worry about wind, waves, or any type of current to battle. It was quite cold when I did this race, so make sure you bring your wetsuit!
The bike is 3 loops on an out and back route that take you into the Sonoran Dessert. The turnaround point on the bike is at the end of a long steady uphill, so you grind it out just a bit on the way up and then enjoy a nice long descent back into town.
The run takes place around Tempe Town lake and gives spectators tons of opportunities to find you. Overall this venue is one of the most spectator friendly ones I’ve seen. My mom and my wife (who was my girlfriend at the time) were both there to spectate and I got to see them several times throughout the race.
The weather is also interesting out in the desert. It can heat up during the day and then cool off quickly once the sun goes down. Since this race takes place in November, it goes down early. So take that into account when you’re packing your clothes for the bike and run. I definitely got chilly on the run after sweating quite a bit on the bike.
The Moment
The moment that I remember when I think of this event is actually the very start of the race. Back in 2012 this was still a mass swim start – but even on top of that we had to swim out 100 meters to a swim start line and then tread water until the canon when off. The combination of the cold temperature that morning and the fact that I was a first timer made this a pretty nerve wracking way to kick things off.
The swim has since been switched to a rolling start, which I’m a bit torn about. The mass start was fun because it was chaotic, it felt authentic to the early IRONMAN events. On the other hand, I sort of hated that swim because I was constantly getting punched, kicked, and swam over. I was basically screaming profanities into the water the entire 2.4 miles.
Ok that’s it for this Medal Monday Moment – best of luck to everyone taking on Ironman Arizona this Sunday. Thank you for watching and I will see you next week!
Cheers,
Chris