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| 2006 70.3 World Champs Clearwater, Florida, USA The Blur, Maverick and RobbyRicc |
First off, thanks for taking the time to read my blog posts. I don't think I ever said thank you properly, so thanks. Someone asked me a while back why I bother with a blog. This made me have a good think as it was not immediately apparent why I did bother. Aside from creative escapism and acting as a race report repository, I thought the notes might provide helpful pointers to novice athletes. Race reports were always helpful for me. Also, writing a public post - even for just one reader - would make sure that I raised my game. If you are that one reader, thanks again.
It may not surprise my friends and family, but my mind is sometimes like a crazed tiger wanting to escape its cage and run wild in the jungle. In addition to writing for just one reader (that'd be you), I thought some disciplined writing would help tame the beast. Writing and discipline seemed to be the recipe for writers like Hunter S Thompson (gonzo journalist, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, The Rum Diaries, and so on). Thompson, in trying to get the feel of the style of great writers, wrote out Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby and Hemingway's A Farewell to Arms on a typewriter. That's either a sign of being nuts or a sign of true genius. I'm not sure which. Nothing succeeds like excess and all that. I too wanted to add a bit of discipline and concerted effort into my writing so I could get to feel what it's like. Doesn't everyone?
The Race
So now, here's a quick update for those of you not aware of such things. This Sunday is the 70.3 World Champs at Port Elizabeth (South Africa, of course). That's a Half Ironman distance: 1.9k swim, 90k bike, 21.1k run. I race in the 45-49 age group. Although you'd expect age groupers in that age bracket to be quite worn and rickety, it turns out that they are still pretty intact. These athletes spoon iron filings into their morning coffee.
As for me, I feel as strong as I did in my 30's. Some might say that's parent selection or spouse selection or no social life or self deception or whatever, but I think it's just because I was an idiot in my 30's and now I'm less of an idiot. And I never gave up.
Here are some stats which I found notable:
- this is the first ever Half Ironman (or 70.3) World Champs held in Africa.
- women race on Saturday 1st September
- men race on Sunday 2nd September
- 2017 World Champs were held in Chattanooga, Tennessee (USA).
- 2019 World Champs will be held in Nice (France).
- of the 185,000 racers who tried at 100 races around the globe, 4,500 (top 2%) secured a slot to worlds in PE.
- racers represent 90 countries, territories and regions across the world
- 419 men in the 45-49 age group
- Ironman Age Group Country Rankings note me as the 2nd ranked South African athlete in my age group. Interesting but, let's be realistic, I personally know about 20 South African athletes (including women) in the age group who could beat me on any given day. With one arm tied behind their back. And a rusty ball chained to their ankles.
Beach Ball Ballet
This past weekend, my brother, Alb, and I put together a bit of a show for our athletics club, Bedfordview. Here was our last rehearsal. Nothing like a bit of beach ball ballet to get your mind off the upcoming weekend.
Good luck to everyone racing on the weekend. See you in PE.
~RobbyRicc
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