A Taste of Ironman
Ever watched an Ironman on television and wondered if you could do one? Curious about Ironman Arizona? Want to see what it’s like to do 140.6 miles? Thinking about signing up for 2014? Do you just want to have a fun, different, and inspiring experience even if you NEVER intend to do one? Here’s your chance to get up close and personal with Skip, an Ironman finisher and Certified Level I USAT Triathlon Coach, as he prepares for and races his 6th one on November 17th.
See what it’s like to do an Ironman – from pre-race logistics, to racing 140.6 miles, to the finish line and post-race recovery and celebration. Skip will provide information, insights, and answer questions about pre-race preparation and racing.
Linda will be your “cruise director” on race day, guiding you to all the prime spectator spots and providing strategies on how to spend the many hours on (and off) the course, including an optional stint as an Ironman Volunteer, which gets you priority registration on Monday morning following the race.
COST: Free. You pay for your transportation, food, lodging, and optional Athlete’s Pre-race Dinner and Post-Race Breakfast. Both the Athlete’s Dinner and Post-Race Breakfast are great insights into the Ironman experience. If you would like to join us for those please let us know so we can obtain tickets for you. Also available for purchase are Get Sladed Nation Ironman t-shirts – a fun race day uniform but certainly not mandatory!!! (They cost around $20 to have made so that’s what they’ll cost you. Autograph is extra! ;-))
WHEN: Ironman Arizona is Sunday, November 17th. Please plan to arrive 1 to 3 days prior. Return on Monday, November 18th.
Where: Tempe/Mesa/Phoenix, Arizona. We will be staying at the Hyatt Place Phoenix/Mesa. This is a great location, just minutes from the race venue, but out of the craziness of downtown Tempe.
1422 West Bass Pro Drive
Mesa, Arizona, 85201, USA
Tel: 1 480 969 8200
Includes free Wi-Fi and breakfast
WHY: You know why! It’s going to be a lot of fun, you’ll have a great experience, and you’ll likely come away inspired. Come see why Linda insists that being an Ironman spectator is harder work than racing.
RSVP: Please RSVP by October 31. We recommend sooner if you are planning to volunteer or are trying to stay at the same hotel. Any questions please don’t hesitate to ask!
DETAILS: Here are Linda and Skip’s plans as of now, day-by-day, so you can see how much of this you may want to be a part of. (It’s all optional – join us for as much or as little as you want.) We strongly recommend that you arrive no later than early afternoon Saturday and stay until the very end of the race at 11:59:59 on Sunday.
Thursday, 11/14:
Drive to Arizona.
Check into Hyatt Place Phoenix/Mesa.
Friday, 11/15:
Race Check In.
Visit Expo.
Drive (and ride if you bring your bike and helmet) part of the bike course.
Watch an Ironman obsessively pack and unpack and pack his gear bags. Help if you want.
Observe Linda trying to keep her Ironman calm and in the moment (not for the squeamish).
Welcome Dinner and Athlete Meeting.
Saturday, 11/16:
9 - 10:30 Volunteer Meeting – if you sign up to volunteer.
9 – 11 Watch Practice Swim at Tempe Lake.
Expo on your own.
Ride (with Skip) or walk or run a portion of the run course.
Help Skip with bike and bag check-in.
Race experience talk – seeding in the swim, pacing, nutrition, mental preparation, etc. – a casual sit down conversation with Skip and Linda about Race plans and anything triathlon.
5:30 Pre-race dinner at Ismorada Fish Company Restaurant (at Bass Pro Shop – not just seafood is available, they have alligator, chicken, burgers, etc.) and its Skip’s all-time favorite pre-race dinner place.
Meet with Linda for race day orientation and plans.
Go to bed early, tomorrow is a REALLY LONG DAY.
Sunday, 11/17:
5:00 am Transition - Get up early to watch the athletes get ready.
Watch Mass Swim Start:
· 6:45 am Pro Start
· 7:00 am Age Group Start
Go back to the hotel for breakfast.
Out to the bike course to see Skip and the other athletes whiz by.
Volunteer – if you plan to register for 2014 you definitely want to do this. We are still working some things out but here is the link for volunteering. Before you sign up for a job you should check with us about the logistics of it all.
Chargers are playing the Dolphins at 11, so we may have lunch at the local Charger’s Bar and then walk to Tempe Lake and the run venue.
Climb the rocking bleachers for a rollicking finish line experience.
Watch Skip (hopefully) finish and hear Mike O’Reilly call him an Ironman.
Help collect Skip’s gear and bike and then hoist him into the van and fetch ice for his ice bath.
Celebrate with dinner – probably at Famous Dave’s BBQ.
Return to the finish line for the last hour to cheer on the final racers struggling to be Ironmen before midnight.
Go to bed exhausted.
Monday, 11/18:
8 – 10: On-Site registration for Ironman AZ 2014.
10: On-site “Roll Down” for Ironman World Championship – this is where they award slots to Kona 2014
10: Pro and Age Group Awards celebration, breakfast, official video, and speeches from the winning Pros (who generally give some pretty awesome speeches).
12:00ish: Pack up and head for home.
