Thanks Dev. It was just a perfect day for me really, just never really was on the low for any of it. We had good cloud cover which took the sting out of it. It will still quite windy as always.

I just never expected this title at all, and can't believe I just won an Ironman, let alone a championship! I took so much away from my meltdown in Ironman South Africa 10 weeks ago, I don't think it would have been possible to perform here in Cairns without establishing a massive pain tolerance trying to ride with Hoffman and Frommhold for the duration of that race. Once I felt what that was like in a very real sense, I trained my ass off for 10 weeks to get ready for this. A noticeable difference between the two races was the absence of Super League two weeks out as in South Africa, but I was just fitter all round.

Riding with Cam Wurf was a treat. I knew he's come though, so just wanted to go all-in when he did. In IMSA he passed me with total authority at around 55km/h, but that was 10km into the race. I had a bigger buffer out of the swim, and by 70km in, I knew he wouldn't have the pop to make such a move. He was settled and said something inaudible as he passed, but then it was on. The next two hours he threw down a steady grind at the front, and didn't seem at all phased that he couldn't shake me. It was about 135km in that he soft-pedaled up a hill and I entered the draft zone by default. I went around him and was surprised to pull away and retain the lead into T2. I'll post this up then take a look at my file and share it.

I had really good legs coming off the bike. I could run tall and find my form from the start. I knew the gap to the chasers would be large, but didn't get to see it for a while. When I did see the boys, it was pretty clear there was an early race going on. I think they must have been packed on the bike with about 8 guys, with some probably not seeing the front at all, so I knew they'd be much more fresh than me. I was still running too quick though as well, and was reaching some KM splits under 3:50. But I was able to stay in control and just tick it off. Sure, the last 14km hurt a lot, and there were some doubts and blurred vision here and there, but I was still running 4:10's at that point so I just needed to avoid catastrophic failure and I knew it would be mine for the taking. It was interesting to see Joe Gambles come through in the end and finish so strong. He didn't involve himself in the early games on the run, and he won big because of it with a super fast 2:44!

But thanks again Dev, I'm happy to chin wag with the forum about any parts of the race if there's any curiosities!

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http://www.josh-amberger.com/

Congrats, really impressive performance!

Burgs,

Congrats. Big congrats. Seems like you figured out that marathon... Looking forward to seeing the data when you post it, so I'll save the technical questions until you do. Just wanted to say "On ya!" in the meantime.

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"Non est ad astra mollis e terris via." - Seneca | rappstar.com | FB - Rappstar Racing | IG - @jordanrapp

Damn cool that on a thread about an IM championship race the first reply is..the winner. Makes our sport cool to be a part of!!

I have some small questions!

What, generally, is your training like? Key sessions, volume, strength training etc. I learn a lot from guys at the top about things I can do better.

What's your power like for a bike split like that, and what do you weigh?

Thanks for any insight you can provide!

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"Don't you have to go be stupid somewhere else?"..."Not until 4!"

Quick upload, sorry if resolution is off kilter. Race weight was 63kg. Off to breakfast, absolutely fanging for a feed

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http://www.josh-amberger.com/

Awesome, thanks for the snapshot!

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"Don't you have to go be stupid somewhere else?"..."Not until 4!"

Cracking race Josh. You looked super strong when you came past palm cove for the last time @ 155ks and super stoked all your efforts on the front were rewarded.

Congrats josh we were out there watching this year- I thought berkal might catch you but he blew up in the process. You and cam had a great lead off the bike to a large group so we were wondering how u guys would fare. Gambles had a good run too and looked strong, but you held on well mate, wire to wire, great race! And thankfully no cairns wildlife in the swim ;)

First of all it is super cool that you did indeed reply back (must have been as soon as you woke up). That 259 number, I assume that is watts....so pretty well just above 4W per kilo for you? (by the way, that is Faris' magic number for Lang to ride in the front group in Kona).

Are you taking your Kona slot and will you be banging it up with Frodo, Harry Wiltshire and Potts for the Green Jersey sprint up the stairs to T1 at Kailua Pier? If so, we should ask Peter Sagan so show up and give out one of his Green Jersey's from Paris LOL!

Seriously though, did you focus that 10 week between South Africa on Cairns to lift you bike fitness. I assume FTP is around 5W per kilo now?

By the way, please start one of those "Ask Me Anything Threads" as a lot more people will ask questions if the they realize the race winner is floating around the forum! Seriously though some of us have been cheering for you for a while, so its exciting to see. Welchie might have to move over now.

Haha, I'm not going to start an 'ask' thread. I'd be a tardy curator and I don't share the same megalomania as others. This is good enough for me!

Regarding differences in training between South Africa & Cairns... there was not much, but rather a few broader factors. And I don't know my FTP, I believe it's a perfunctory number when training for Ironman. The main differences were; A) Not racing and preparing/recovering from Super League 2 weeks before Cairns, as I did with South Africa, B) An uninterrupted 10 week block with no racing, and just consistent training, C) I didn't have to travel across continents, D) More time with my new coach. I think the biggest difference between the two races however was the experienced I carried across from South Africa after racing 2x sub8 finishers in Hoff & Nils.

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http://www.josh-amberger.com/

Thanks! It definitely was a great dynamic race. I'm glad you enjoyed it. And yeah, a wildlife free swim is a good swim! I chose to wear a sleeveless suit too, so I was much more exposed as it were.

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http://www.josh-amberger.com/

If his TP-profile is up-to-date/correct that snapshot has him at FTP on 340w, which is 5.4 w/kg on 63 kg (NP of 259 --> IF 0,76 --> FTP of 259/76*100 = 340).

Really impressive ride!

That definitely was a tough section coming back from Palm Cove. In many ways I'd told myself the ride was almost over, but we still have 45 minutes into the headwind left!

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http://www.josh-amberger.com/

nice race and its great to see that every year you are getting a little bit better.

Congrats man, love pulling for you! Still trying to copy your position...now that i know your only 138lbs i understand why its been hard to copy.

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2024: Bevoman, Galveston, Alcatraz, Marble Falls, Santa Cruz

I agree that FTP is less relevant if you know your 4 hour power and that its in excess of 4W per kilo. I was watching IM South Africa and wondering how your run would pan out ridinig with those big engines. I agree that not switching time zones and travel for 10 weeks is huge. Each time you do long travel, you basically lose a night of sleep each way and interrupted sleep in the adjustment period. It is why I "understand" why Frodo chose to not fly "EAST" for 70.3 WC's last year and stayed home to prep for Kona. The trip from Germany to Aus and back in the middle of his Kona build is tough. Keinle managed to crank it off, and get to Kona and got 2nd at both. That guy is a machine

I think you may have posted the fastest IM ever from a sub 63 kilo person. Before that there was Welchie and Bustos. Not sure if Welch went sub 8:10. Bustos did an 8:08 in Roth and 8:16 or so in Kona. You're in a fairly exclusive club. So you did not answer is you're going to Kona and going for the green jersey sprint to the pier at T1??????

At an estimate of 5.4W per kilo, do any of you guys care to estimate how this might compare to Brownlee, Frodo, Kienle and Gomez. I think Kienle showed up to both 70.3 Worlds and Kona last year at one of his leanest weights of his life. Josh was able to hold off Sebi for a while on the bike too riding totally solo up front.

I would be curious to see if Faris' 4W per kilo target to ride Kona "front pack" could get someone like Josh (arguably punching one of the tiniest holes in the wind in the men pro) to Kona T2 with the very first bikers (not just first pack, but with Kienle for example).

Congrats! Now you can get that Maserati and give me your Defender like we agreed to previously in this signed contract ;) Well done, seriously!

Is it my imagination or do Aussies seem to have a lock on this race?

Trying to figure out what happened to Canadian Jeff Symonds. Some twitter chatter but that's it.

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Training Tweets: https://twitter.com/Jagersport_com
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Great race Josh, well done.
I was out there on the course too - several hours behind you....
We seemed to get lucky with the weather, the next day would have been so much tougher with the extra sunshine. Really appreciate you taking time to check-in here and share your thoughts.

I noticed you wore a sleeveless wetsuit, was there any particular reason for that?

I chose to go sleeveless because I only learnt of the special 26c cutout ruling in Cairns in race week, and because pretty anxious that I would overheat. The water ended up much cooler than I expected at 21c, but I still wanted to minimise the risk. I'd probably do it again for IM distance at temps +20c, but not under. I am always more anxious about overheating than about any loss in buoyancy/speed from no sleeves. I always jam the pace on the swim, so overheating is maybe more of an issue for me than others.

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http://www.josh-amberger.com/

Haha thanks. So you're on an IA and running a dagger stem? Fill me in on your problems/limitations and maybe I can help!

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http://www.josh-amberger.com/