Depending on how well you do hills, and assuming that IMAZ will be significantly flatter than IMLP for both the bike and run(I may be wrong, but I doubt it) I would choose based on whether you think your performance would be more competitive on a flatter course or a hilly course.

You did really well at IMLP last year, right(just missed qualifying?) so you must be a decent climber. Pick the race that is best for your strengths.

(Just my opinion, not an expert by any means). In my case, I would have gone quite a bit faster on a bike course other than IMLP, simply because my climbing is dreadful and that is one of the hillier/hilliest courses. I do pretty well on the bike on flat to moderate bike courses, but very hilly ones wear me down.

So if you are more familiar with the AZ course, and think your chances are better to qualify there, then go for it. On the other hand, if you don't think you can be in competitive shape by then, that's something to think about too.

I'm wicked helpful, aren't I?

---

------------------------------------------------------------

now that you're not so afraid of going down the hills (and you're already smoking fast going up them) I would think LP is going to be the better option...stick with it and good luck in October. As an aside..isn't LP further away from HI than AZ? Get in a longer recovery.

Another thing to keep in mind is that IMAZ is an unknown right now. You don't know how many competitors there will likely be, how tough the competition will be, how well the race will be run, etc. If something happens beyond your control that prevents you from qualifying than I think that would be more disappointing than just having a bad race. It seems like IMLP has been going for so long and has been run so smoothly in the past, that you have less chance of newbie race problems popping up.

D.

No it's the opposite.. IMAZ is april 9th, IMLP is july24th.. I think if things go wrong at AZ, i could still do placid.. I agree with the unknow, I need to reasearch my age group.. tough call on the hills... yes I am a good climber but shitty descender.. so not sure how that affects it... There are couples reasons why I would do IMAZ, I own a place there, would be done early and can focus on work (trying to move my business in june). If I move the business to a new building in june, that will suck for IMLP... But placid is confidence for me.. I feel comfortable there.. I HATE decisions!!! I am not sure I can get ready for AZ.. But my coach thinks I can do it, and be fast.. he says I am in better shape than I think I am...

Isn't IMLP the US womens championship this year? With no men's pro? I thought I remember seeing that here at some point. This might make the competion more intense. Just a thought...

---

JW (on the comback trail)

Yes, it is... But I am NOT a PRO, so that won't affect me...

IMAZ--2100 feet of climbing per loop.

BTW--how is the downhill run to Tempe--scary-fast? I hope so.

I haven't checked the run yet... the bike is easy but the wind can be tricky..

"IMAZ--2100 feet of climbing per loop."

Wow, that's hillier than one would expect. It goes up some mountain, doesn't it?(that's my stupid question for the day.)

---

------------------------------------------------------------

no no.. it's a gradual climb but NOTHING like placid.. I rode the course last week-end and thought it was decent. One hill around mile 30.. but still.. seated climb.. nice course

I'm sorry--by "downhill run" I meant the bike "run downhill", which I think is about 20 miles from the end of the last climb. Do you charge that as a payback for the up-hill? If so, do you start to back off, saving your legs for the up-hill on the next loop, of have you not done both loops yet? Soooo many questions.

No I have done one loop... same loop twice right? Coming back in a gradual downhill but again, when I did it, the winds picked up and I was working!!! That's what I heard.. the wind tricks you.. I would hammer more than not, within reason...

Some weeks ago, someone posted statistics about qualifiying time and so, for some IM races. Can't remember exact numbers or races but I got the idea that IM NA events are easier to qualify since the field is a little less competitive then other IM races around the world.

---

---

http://twitter.com/krepster || http://www.pedro-gomes.com || follow all the action on facebook

Having never raced IMLP and having not signed up for IMAZ, I can say, without reservation, that you should race IMLP. Other than to say "that's what I'd do", no further justification of my position is necessary.

In the interests of full disclosure, my longest triathlon is an Olympic length although I have run seven marathons.

If you want to do your best performance, especially relative to other athletes, I think that it is an enormous advantage if you know the course. My high school pool was fairly cold and have slippery walls if you weren't used to them. It really helped us in home meets. More recently, I just ran the Philly marathon for the third time a few weeks ago. Knowing the course, especially the fact that what parts of the last ten miles of the course are a lot more difficult than they appear on the website elevation chart, really helped me out a great deal. Ended up passing a lot of people that were probably better runners and better trained than I was over the last 10 KM.

You say that you are a good climber so it also makes sense for you to do a hillier bike course.

So, will you know the IMLP course or the IMAZ course better? Which one will be hillier? If the answer to both questions is the same, then pick that race.

You could race IMAZ and have IMLP as a back-up to race only if you don't qualify at AZ. They're 15 weeks apart, I think, so you could do it if you rest properly after AZ. (If you qualify at LP, that means you'll be racing 3 IMs in 2005--ouch, but what a fun year!)

My guess--and its only a guess--is that AZ will be relatively fast. Everyone wants to qualify early, and there probably won't be much or any roll down for women in your age group. (Not that there was any at LP last year, though.) It was pretty tough to qualify at IM CDA last year, probably for the same reasons. Also keep in mind that lots of west coast triathletes are able to train through the winter, so they'll be fit going into it.

If you're intent on qualifying, it makes sense to give yourself as many chances to do so as possible.

If you have a coach why don't you decide togheter with him? Personally I'd easily do IMAZ first and have IMLP as a back-up. So much can go wrong in IM and a 2nd chance is always good to have. Especially if you try to qualify.

---

---

BA coaching http://www.bjornandersson.se

Thank you so much. I am nervous but that is what I will do. Focus 100% on IMAZ and if for any reason I fail, do IMLP. Man! This is going to be fun:-)

Assume that the field will be very strong, one of the reasons IM CDA was slow to fill is due to the Southern CA and AZ athletes opting in to AZ.

Here is a slide show of the IMAZ run:

http://homepage.mac.com/...iMovieTheater23.html

Aren't you fairly new to the sport, but you're coming on strong, right? :)

You obviously prefer doing AZ because of the June move. I agree. You will be too distracted in June when you would need to be doing some very hard workouts for LP. But, as you have already figured out, you can keep LP as a backup race. If AZ tubes, you will have 80% of the training in the bag for LP. No brainer.

Since you are young you will be fine.

-Robert

---

"How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world." ~Anne Frank

As Bjorn says, do IMAZ and LP if required. Realistically, and I hope your coach is telling you this (if you still have one): focus on having a good Ironman only. Don't fixate on qualifying.

Its like an NHL team worrying about the Stanley Cup during the regular season (or in this case, lack thereof). Its kinda bad karma to think too much about the outcome (qualifying for Hawaii), when there are so many tasks in between. Read some of the stuff that Lisa Bentley writes. Focus and enjoy the journey and you'll get to your destination.

As Bjorne said, many things can happen. If you have a good race and are faster than the ladies in your age group, you'll go to Kona. It is possible that you might take big times off your PB and still not qualify. All you can do is focus on yourself.

Good luck.

I'm racing both IMAZ and IMCDA. IMCDA is my "A" race. I bought a home in Mesa recently and I'll be there full time beginning 12/31/04. I'm on a 'tri-sabbatical' for the next 8 months......not much work at all, just lots of training and my IM's. I'm going to get together and train with desertdude pretty soon. I've done some exploring and found some really nice roads for long rides and lakes for open water swims. If any ST'rs happen to drop by the Phoenix area and you want to go for a ride, send me a PM. For those ST'rs already here, I'm looking for more roads,trails, pools and lakes.

Can't wait to get the hell out of Los Angeles!!

---

**All of these words finding themselves together were greatly astonished and delighted for assuredly, they had never met before**

If you or Marisol (or anyone else for that matter) want to do the IM course but add some distance, a couple of nice options include:

1. Keep going north past Mcdowell Mtn. park, up dynamite (9 mile hill, ugh!) and up Pima to Carefree. There are lots of good ways to go along there. This one is fairly obvious I guess.

2. Instead of heading North up the beeline, head straight east down rio salado to power road, the left and follow power road all the way back to the beeline. You will get a few really nice hills around Saguaro Lake and come out about 8 miles or so north of fountain hills on the beeline, and you can ride the shoulder back and catch the IM course. It takes a while to get to power road, but from that point it is nice riding.

I'll probably be alternating these two choices for my long ride weekends. See you out there :-)