After enjoying my race at the sprint in Chattanooga this summer, I began to think a lot about returning to long distance racing and training. The biggest problem I have run into was just picking when and where to race. In the end, I signed up for Ironman 70.3 Oregon, and I have a couple other races on my radar for next season. Below are my tips and considerations for when you’re picking your next race.
Consider the weather. I also looked at Ironman 70.3 Ohio, and a few of the Canadian races, because I would like to race below 80 degrees Fahrenheit. 80 is the average in Salem, Oregon for the time of the race, so it is warm, but the date for Ohio hadn’t been announced, and I needed time to plan everything else.
Know what transportation you will need. I am flying and renting a car, because the airport is 50 miles away. I also need the car, because I will ship my bike. It is important to be able to plan all of this ahead of time to avoid stress. I also planned my slights with longer layovers, so I have a bigger window in case flights are delayed.
Know the course you’re picking. I looked to see what people who raced this past year thought about the new Oregon course, and I found while Ironman called it flat, most racers think it was rolling. Living in Nashville, rolling is ideal for me, because I can easily find a lot of climbing in even a short ride, but we don’t have long hills like some places. Instead we have a lot of rollers. The run also has a mix of trails and road, so I know this isn’t a PR course, but it should be fun.
Know you’ll have the time to dedicate to training. I’ve done races when undertrained, and they’re just more enjoyable when you have trained properly and can see what you’ve accomplished. I know my training is limited from early February through April 15, so I didn’t want to race anything long until at least mid June, so I have time for long workouts. I have about a 2 month window in the summer, so Oregon fit perfectly for me.
There are a lot more things to consider, but these were the big priorities for me right now. Now, I am focusing on getting my training on track and making sure I am at my best next July.