2005-05-21 08:56:51.14 Order 3887654-059554376580 2006 Ironman Arizona
Entry Fee Gary Tingley $425.00
I just signed up for IMAZ 2006, I am nuts …
I cant really swim more than 500m, have not run since 2002, and never ran more than a 1/2 marathon
This is so crazy that I had to do it
11 mos to train, better get started…
I am stale on bike racing, and need a new passion
Wish me luck!
Good luck! 11 months is a long time. You have plenty of time. 
You can do it.
There is nothing like the Ironman Date looming … to get you to stick to your program.
With a good training program, anything is possible.
Best of luck to you
Good for you, Gary. That will give your training (and life) a focus. Maybe, it will take your mind off that damn beemer!!
nah, still thinking about the bimmer
why not, it goes with all the rest of the craziness, plus it drives like a bat out of hell (the new 330)
I can get an Audi A3 for about 10k less than the 330, but it would not be as fun to drive
… heading out for a run …
Get the S6 Avant. Enormous road presence, room for the bikes without removing wheels. If that’s not fast enough for you get an RS6!! Now that’s serious speed, serious style and fun!
Outstanding!
I did Arizona last month and will be out there again next year too.
You will need to keep us all up to date with your swimming and running progress. You are in a better position than most Ironman rookies in that you are networked to a tremendous amount of knowledgabe people that can assist you. Good luck with your training.
Gary, I won’t use the word “coached”, but I have guided two guys, once in 95, one in 2003 to completing an Ironman. Both were incapable of swimming 50 m without going totally anaerobic and completed an Ironman in a year, (and in the case of the former, he swam 1:06, and finished at 11.00.01 at IMC) . If you can swim 500m, you can easily swim 3800m, especially with the built in floatation device, alternatively known as a wetsuit. Don’t sweat the run. You are bike stud and will be fresh off the bike to tackle that marathon. Best of luck and keep us posted.
Now you should aim for an end of season half ironman date ! If you are in Southern California, there in one in Mexico in November !
Sweet Gary…you’ll tear up the Bike course on the Rotors!..
Maybe I will win a Kona lottery slot, if not, then Wisconsin would be my next choice, hopefully it will not sell out too quickly
I will also be racing time trial and road as a CAT 3, to stay fast on the bike and help my teammates (hint - read Larsen’s article in Tri Mag on this topic)
I love running, and was logging 25 miles a week within 5 months from when I started with ZERO running, but then I got a running injury and gave it up in '02
Swimming on the other had has been my nemesis, and I will be seeking professional help to get me on the fast track
I once swam out of a fully submerged (and upside down) helicopter, pitch black, buckled in, and wearing boots, helmet and a flight suit, that was about the best swimming accomplishment I can claim
.
It’s about time you signed up for a IM, you’ve been hanging out here since 2002. I’m suprised it took this long.
See you in the desert!
"you’ll tear up the Bike course on the Rotors!.. "
Sure, but can I run 26.2 miles? …
Gary, an accomplished athlete like yourself will have no issues with the swim. I was actually going to refer you to Steve Larsen’s 2:55 marathon at Ironman LP off a long run of only 18 miles. If you are prone to running injuries, just work your strength on the bike and follow a minimalist running program.
Here are a few principles that I would tack up on the wall to safely get through the run in your first Ironman:
Always try to run on fresh legs
Don’t run more than 3 times per week
On weekends, do your longer run on Sat, and ride on Sunday long. I know a lot of coaches get dudes to run long on fried legs on Sunday, but all this does is promote poor form and increase chances of injury (not good for a guy like you). Once in a while, do a short transition run (20 min) off the bike. I would save this for mid week after a high intensity bike session, not for after your 100 miler on Sunday.
Whenever possible run on trail-dirt-grass-pavement-concrete in that order of priority. In fact, if you can, avoid pavement and concrete at all costs. Save that for race day. Yes, you might be underprepared to run on hard tarmac, but you’ll make it to the race start uninjured
Run relatively slowly all the time. Intervals are overrated for Ironman. Only 2% of the field runs faster than 3:30, which is a relatively pedestrian 5 min per K or 8 min per mile. Just plod out easy 8 min miles in training (or slower). Do all your intensity work on the bike. Save your fast runs for a few Olympic or Sprint tris
Whatever you do, DO NOT run a marathon as training. An Ironman marathon and a fresh marathon are too totally different sports. Running a conventional marathon will force you to lose 1 month of training (with taper and recovery) and will increase your chances of injury.
If you want to dicsuss more, email me at devashish.paul@sympatico.ca. This is the “high level” entry level set of run principles for Ironman. If you want to tear up the run and go sub 3:15, these points don’t apply (and of course, if you are planning to run sub 3:15 in an Ironman, you are a lightweight genetic freak with large run base, and biomechanically sound…SteveLarsen excluded).
For swimming, I won’t offer any advice. All I can say is that you should get some serious one on one coaching time with video before joining a masters program. Otherwise, you will have a crappy swim stroke that you will then reinforce in masters for the next 20 years…like myself)
Dev
Gary, Good luck to you. Train smart and you'll have a great race. I felt the same as you when I signed up for IMLP99 after doing only two sprints. I had been a runner for twenty years with lots of marathons and I felt that knew how to train, I just had to learn how to train for an IM. In the next year you'll find out how much running strength and swimming strength you can build. Train your weaknesses and race your strength. Have a plan for your race. Stick to it and see how great it feels to cross that finish and the announcer says "Gary Tingley, your an Ironman!" Good luck, have and great year and keep us posted on your training.
I don’t think your nuts cause i am thinking about the same thing. i am contemplating the ralph’s or AZ next year. I was going to do Japan (wife is japanese) but she wants me to do something semilocal before undertaking the travel with all the gear to a place we have never been.
I am doing my first marathon on the 5th. Started with 2 running partners; one ended up in surgery for his knees. the other, both knees have broken down but he is still able to run with knee braces. he has been to the dr at least 5 times.
I am thinking about some sprints as a C race leading up to the A, So roughly 11 months would be enough time to train for a IM or should i get my feet wet with a HIM first?
Luck has little to do with and IM… but, a lot of systmatic and steady training does…
11 months is plenty of time if you train wisely… and, learn from every training session.
Good Luck… See ya’ there (it will be #2 IMAZ for me). BTW, we are all nuts… but, that goes without saying… it automatically assumed.
Joe Moya
thanks everyone, went out and ran a few miles today and felt great
then visited Nytro and treated myself to some toys I did’nt need
I am so stoked!
Looking forward to getting in the pool.
“Get the S6 Avant”
what about a Mercedes C230 coupe/hatch? There are some 03’s at the dealership that would look tight with a roof rack, zipping off for a training ride
has space as well, I am sure Record10 has comments on this as the resident Benz expert
hey gary, awesome choice! i really liked that race, it was a lot of fun. Good luck with your training