Welcome to Episode #391 of the 303 Endurance Podcast. We’re your hosts Coach Rich Soares and 303 Chief Editor, Bill Plock. Thanks for joining us for another week of endurance news, coaching tips and discussion.
This weekend is IRONMAN Boulder 70.3! Who’s racing and what to expect.
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In Today’s Show
- Endurance News – IM Hamburg Tragedy, CFO Mike Reilly Top 10
- What’s new in the 303 – Boulder 70.3 Preview, Bill’s new bike/power/mixed terrain, Unbound
- Video of the Week – Body surfing
Endurance News:
JUNE 5, 2023
TIM HEMING
Following Sunday’s tragic events at Ironman Hamburg, where a motorcycle driver carrying an official race photographer was killed and a participant has been hospitalized, Triathlete has spoken to individuals who were on site and familiar with the race, as well as an expert in motorbike logistics for mass sporting events to help provide insight.
Occurring at roughly mile 22 on the bike course, a section where participants are cycling in both directions, the 70-year-old motorcycle driver carrying a cameraman, collided with a 26-year-old racer, according to an AP news report.
“The race participant and the photographer received onsite care, before being transported to a nearby hospital where they continue to receive treatment,” said a statement from Ironman. The driver died on the scene.
German broadcaster ARD ended its live broadcast of the event upon learning of the fatality, and racers were rerouted around the accident site while racing continued.
A firsthand account
We spoke to pro triathlete Kristian Hogenhaug, who was within meters of the crash, Australian pro Renee Kiley, who raced on the same course last year, triathlon statistician and Triathlete contributor Thorsten Radde, who was on-site working for German television, and veteran cameraman/motorcycle driver Paul Phillips, who ran Ironman’s motorbike driving operations in North America up until last month.
Emotions are still raw for Denmark’s Hogenhaug, who was directly across the highway when the accident happened, with part of the debris punching a hole in his disc wheel. “I heard a huge crash and everything was in slow motion,” he explained. “I thought maybe a motorbike had punctured and then half-a-second later a tri bike flew in the air and landed almost in front of me, but I didn’t see the persons involved.”
The Team BMC rider was approaching the end of the out-and-back section on the first of two laps on the 112-mile bike route, when a motorbike collided head-on with an age-group cyclist heading in the opposite direction.
Mike Reilly Interview on TriDot Podcast
- CMO. If there’s a word or phrase in the app to get your butt out of bed or get to the finish line.
- 214 Ironman Races
Top 5 of 10
- Remember your why
- Control your attitude
- Have Run / cheer someone else on
- Don’t take it too seriously
- Never be disappointed with a finish
What’s New in the 303:
IRONMAN 70.3 Boulder 2023: Start time, watch live and preview
By Tomos Land
Racing resumes in North America this weekend, as the multi-sport mecca of Boulder hosts the 21st edition of IRONMAN 70.3 Boulder.
A star-studded entry in both the men and women’s fields will compete at breathtaking elevation of close to 1,600m, with home favorite Sam Long amongst a number of athletes on the start line that will be hoping to do well at altitude.
In our preview piece below, you can find all the information you need, including start times, streaming information and a full preview of the men and women’s professional fields.
Start time and how to watch live
The race takes place on Saturday June 10 2023, starting from the Boulder Reservoir at 0705 (MDT) on Saturday morning for the men, with the women five minutes later. That corresponds to 1405 in the UK and 1505 CET.
The race will be shown live, one of the 12 IRONMAN 70.3 events to be broadcast in 2023 on Outside TV. You will be able to watch for free via web, mobile or connected TV app.
As always, the ever reliable IRONMAN Tracker is the perfect data addition to support your viewing. If you haven’t got it on your phone already, where have you been?!
Pro Men
With 55 professional men on the start list, the men’s field in Boulder not only boasts quality, but also a whole lot of quantity, with a massive American contingent racing on home soil in Colorado this weekend.
Sam Long wins IRONMAN 70.3 St George 2023 photo credit Jacob Kupferman / Getty Images for IRONMAN
[Photo credit: Jacob Kupferman / Getty Images for IRONMAN]
Leading the list is Boulder native Sam Long, who having won this race in 2021 and winning his last two half distance events, seems to be the man to beat on Saturday.
The American has raced well against strong domestic fields since splitting with short term coach Dr Dan Plews, beating long time rival Lionel Sanders and rising American star Trevor Foley, both of whom are competing in Boulder, at IRONMAN 70.3 St George and IRONMAN 70.3 Gulf Coast in recent weeks.
Training partners Foley and Sanders will hope to turn the tide on Long in Boulder, but will face an uphill battle, as the PTO World #6 looks to be coming into some strong form, and will undoubtedly want to be on top form in what could be considered a “home” race.
Elsewhere, Canadian Olympian Matthew Sharpe, the defending champion, will certainly be in contention for the podium, with American veteran Tim O’Donnell and young Mexican star Tomas Rodriguez also strong shouts for a top-3 finish.
In truth, Long looks at the moment to be head and shoulders above the rest, with Sanders the most likely to challenge him if he can find the type of form that has eluded him for much of this season so far. The battle for the podium will be especially intense and the chances of the IRONMAN 70.3 World Champs slots rolling a long way down are high given the quality up front.
Pro Women
In the women’s race, Britain’s Holly Lawrence is the strong favourite, but will have a resurgent Jeanni Metzler to contend with, as both Boulder-based athletes look to take another step forward as they push for bigger goals later in the year.
Lawrence has raced well so far this season, with fourth in Oceanside and a top-10 in Ibiza, but is yet to have things really click for her on race day. Boulder could be the perfect opportunity to hone her race day skills and boost her confidence as she builds towards the PTO US Open in Milwaukee in August.
Metzler, on the other hand, has had a little more success this season, with a win in St George and a podium in Chattanooga, but hasn’t been able to face off against a top-10 calibre athlete aside from a dominant Paula Findlay in Tennessee, and will likely relish the chance to do so against Lawrence in Colorado.
Lauren Brandon leads the Americans on world ranking in Boulder, but all eyes are likely to be on Taylor Knibb, who after a significant period of time out with injury, will race her first half distance race since winning the IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship title last October.
Ironman 70.3 Boulder Recent Winners
2022 – Matthew Sharpe and Rachel McBride.
2021 – Sam Long and Emma Pallant-Browne.
2019 – Chris Leiferman and Skye Moench.
2018 – Callum Millward and Ellie Salthouse.
2017 – Tim Don and Jeanni Seymour.
Prize Money: What’s on the line?
The prize purse on offer this weekend is $50,000 – with each of the winners collecting a $7,500 share of that total.
In addition to money, there will be a total of four qualifying slots (two MPRO / two FPRO) for the IRONMAN 70.3 World Championship in Lahti, Finland this summer.
The total funds will be paid eight-deep, as follows:
$7,500
$5,000
$3,750
$3,000
$2,000
$1,500
$1,250
$1,000
My Volunteer Gigs:
Info Tent: Friday, Jun 9th 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Transition Crew 1st Shift: Saturday, Jun 10th 4:15 AM – 9:00 AM
Video of the Week:
Body Surfing
Closing:
Thanks again for listening in this week. Please be sure to follow us @303endurance and of course go to iTunes and give us a rating and a comment. We’d really appreciate it!
Stay tuned, train informed, and enjoy the endurance journey!
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