ironman 70.3 morro bay "race at the rock" race review
Coach Julie raced the inaugural Ironman 70.3 Morro Bay on May 20th. She says that “Morro Bay is a charming town located along the central coast of California. The race offers a unique experience with its cold water and air temperatures, along with the warmth and charm of the town. Despite the challenges posed by the weather, the event was well-received by participants.” Read her full race review here.
what to read / watch / listen to:
Coach Julie:
Watch: If you are not watching the PTO Racing, you are missing out. The most recent race was the European PTO on 5/6/23 with the GOAT (Jan Frodeno) returning to racing head to head with Blummenfelt and the top women. Neumann and Haugg for the win and neither was predicted, it’s just great racing and so good for your sport. You can watch the recap here.
Follow the channel for the next big race on August 4-5th, the PTO US Open.
Listen to: How They Train: Jack Kelly is getting better and better. Recent guests Bluffenfelt and Lucy CB! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-they-train/id1595443343
athlete win of the month:
Coach Alison: Ashley Bradarich
Ashley’s story is one of winning before she even gets to the start line of her first 70.3 event.
Ashley decided to tackle her first 70.3 here in Boulder after getting a taste of the excitement as part of a relay at 70.3 Indian Wells. She’s been all in from the moment she made that decision. All in on coaching, all in on learning about how to be a smart triathlete, all in about trusting her training and the process, and all in on getting her training done – including driving out to Boulder LOTS of weekends including cycling in chilly temps and losing feeling in her feet, and even renting a bike and knocking out a massive race sim while on vacation.
As a result, Ashley has seen her fitness grow in leaps and bounds. Her run paces have gotten faster and more comfortable at lower heart rates. She’s built up some good speed during intervals. Her heart rate relative to power on the bike has dropped impressively and she’s gained some great bike skills like descending and handling crosswind.
She is SO ready for Boulder 70.3 in just a few short weeks, and I cannot wait to be there to see her cross the finish line! But I also know she’s already won, because the training is often a harder climb than the race – especially for your first.
what makes us better:
Coach Shana: Stay Curious!
No matter where you are in your triathlon journey, there is always something new to explore. Here are a couple things I tried out this last week.
Run Gum: Ok it was the fact it had caffeine that piqued my interest. I chewed both tablets at once which was a bit too much volume of gum, but generally I enjoyed the distraction and energy boost it provided on the longer run.
Swim Snorkel: When I signed up for swim lessons, this was part of the required equipment. It looks and feels a bit strange for sure! After the initial adjustment to breathing this way in the water, I thought it was interesting to have a better view of what my hands and arms were doing during the swim. It has potential as a helpful tool for learning specific techniques.
meet a teammate:
Teammate: Tanya Allen is coached by Coach Alison and resides in Glenwood Springs, Colorado
- Favorite race: I’ve loved all but a handful of the races I’ve done (I’m looking at you, Boulder 70.3 …) but if I had to recommend one it’d be a tossup between 70.3 North Carolina and 70.3 St. George. The swim/run and overall vibe of NC makes it a perfect vacation race, but the bike is underwhelming. St. George is beautiful top to bottom but no post race shrimp and grits or walks on the beach.
- Walk-out song: Cha Cha Cha by Käärijä. If you haven’t heard it, Google it. You won’t be disappointed.
- 3 Words that family/friends would use to describe you: Dependable. Driven. Exhausting. (The last one is for all those I’ve dragged on a “vacation.”)
- Worst style choice you’ve ever made: Every hairdo I’ve had other than a basic bob. You name it I tried it somewhere between the ages of 13 and 30 and it was not a success.
- If you could have an unlimited supply of 1 thing for the rest of your life, what would it be? Airline miles.