Ironman Number Five.
Each time Matt and I track our friends at Florida or Cozumel, we marvel at the bike splits. Flat bike course means potential for some amazing times (and, of course, potential for wind and leg fatigue, but still, the times tend to be faster than on the hilly courses). For a weak cyclist like myself, the thought of actually maybe seeing a 17mph average bike split is appealing. For a super strong cyclist like Matt, who knows what he could bust out. So even though we aren't really, really excited by the prospect of a Florida or Cozumel, they keep coming up as potentials when we're thinking about What's Next.
We decided on Cozumel 2012. That was the next Ironman. It'd be hot, it'd probably be windy, but it'd be flat and different from what we've done before. So that was settled.
Then WTC announced a new race: Ironman Mont-Tremblant in Quebec. I looked at the pictures. Matt looked at the pictures. We looked at each other. We were smitten. We were sold. In seconds, our 2012 plans changed entirely.
The funny thing is? It's the polar opposite of Cozumel. It's hilly. The bike is hilly.
(Two loops of that.)
We've done hilly bikes. Two CdAs and a Lake Placid.
The RUN is hilly.
(Two loops of that, too.)
That's kinda uncharted territory. CdA's run is pretty flat. Lake Placid's had a couple hills, but nothing like this.
And yet? I'm super excited. It's not a PR course. That won't stop me from trying to PR, of course, but it's not a Florida or a Cozumel, where we're going out to challenge a flat course. We're going there to challenge ourselves, see what we can do. See how strong we are.
And enjoy a beautiful area which, from all reports, is just amazing.
As a bonus, several of our Austin compatriots are headed out there, too, so unlike New Zealand, we'll have people to cheer for and be cheered by!
As an even bigger bonus, our friends we haven't seen in far too long have family in Montreal, and are willing (and hopefully excited) to combine a trip to see the family with a trip to spectate and sight-see and tour-guide for/with us!
So that's not what's NEXT, but it's certainly what's 14 months away on the edge of the horizon! We've never done an inaugural Ironman, which is exciting, and hopefully won't turn out to be a complete fiasco. And if we love it, we're in on the ground floor and can be those people who stand up at the 50th anniversary of IMMT and have done the race every single year since the first year it was held! No pressure.
Super excited.
(Ask me again if I'm excited if we have this ridiculously hot weather next year, and I'm Ironman training through the worst of it.)
We decided on Cozumel 2012. That was the next Ironman. It'd be hot, it'd probably be windy, but it'd be flat and different from what we've done before. So that was settled.
Then WTC announced a new race: Ironman Mont-Tremblant in Quebec. I looked at the pictures. Matt looked at the pictures. We looked at each other. We were smitten. We were sold. In seconds, our 2012 plans changed entirely.
The funny thing is? It's the polar opposite of Cozumel. It's hilly. The bike is hilly.
(Two loops of that.)
We've done hilly bikes. Two CdAs and a Lake Placid.
The RUN is hilly.
(Two loops of that, too.)
That's kinda uncharted territory. CdA's run is pretty flat. Lake Placid's had a couple hills, but nothing like this.
And yet? I'm super excited. It's not a PR course. That won't stop me from trying to PR, of course, but it's not a Florida or a Cozumel, where we're going out to challenge a flat course. We're going there to challenge ourselves, see what we can do. See how strong we are.
And enjoy a beautiful area which, from all reports, is just amazing.
As a bonus, several of our Austin compatriots are headed out there, too, so unlike New Zealand, we'll have people to cheer for and be cheered by!
As an even bigger bonus, our friends we haven't seen in far too long have family in Montreal, and are willing (and hopefully excited) to combine a trip to see the family with a trip to spectate and sight-see and tour-guide for/with us!
So that's not what's NEXT, but it's certainly what's 14 months away on the edge of the horizon! We've never done an inaugural Ironman, which is exciting, and hopefully won't turn out to be a complete fiasco. And if we love it, we're in on the ground floor and can be those people who stand up at the 50th anniversary of IMMT and have done the race every single year since the first year it was held! No pressure.
Super excited.
(Ask me again if I'm excited if we have this ridiculously hot weather next year, and I'm Ironman training through the worst of it.)