Musings of an Ironman Athlete Cont'd by Ironman Athlete Ari Melmed        It's only on the long rides and the long runs that you realize how far you've come. You ride 3 or 4 hours and can still manage a run and you think 'huh! I didn't think I could do that'. Or you go mountain biking with "the guys" and after a long day they're sprawled out on the floor with barely enough energy to lift their beer, and you want to 'turn the legs over' with a quick 30 min run.         The point is that one needs a certain amount of imagination or optimism to allow yourself to stretch for the long workouts (and the race itself, I suppose). If you wait around to feel like you're ready before trying something big... you won't.         I've found that one needs to open the gate mentally, as it were, before you can make real progress otherwise you keep working out at the same level. One has to lead with the mind. The body will follow. Probably pretty obvious stuff to you experienced IM guys, but it just made sense to me. Women's Riding 101 by D3 Coach Amy Kuitse Have you ever wondered if you would ever get comfortable riding your bike? Would the discomfort of sitting on the saddle ever go away? Just know that you are not alone in making the adjustment to sitting on your saddle for long periods of time and wishing the ride were over. With the bike portion of triathlon being the place where we spend the longest amount of time we want to be as comfortable as possible. Being more comfortable in the saddle does not have to be complicated or excessively expensive.        There are a number of different saddles on the market that provide great pressure relief and are easy to find in cycling stores, catalogs, and any triathlon shop around. Determining what saddle is right for you is all personal preference. Ask other women that you train with, talk to someone in the cycling or triathlon shop and they will more than likely be able to recommend a saddle that will be comfortable for you.        Once you find that saddle there will be an adjustment period of breaking it in to fit you. It really is like a pair of Berkinstocks... the more you use them, the more they contour to your feet... the saddle seems to be the same way. You can also help soften the saddle and help avoid chaffing by using Aquaphor (medicated Vaseline) around the edges to soften the materials a bit. Keep in mind that this may break the material of the saddle down more quickly, but I personally favor the comfort/changes I can make with the saddle over the potential shortening of the life span of the saddle.        Even with a new saddle and breaking it in, we may still have a need for pressure relief while riding. The longer we ride and more intensely that we train and race can change our position on the saddle. With this said, a key for us in strength in our core. As we fatigue while riding our pelvic position changes and this can create "pressure" on the saddle leaving us feeling "numb" or "sore." Core strength can help make a difference in your position in the saddle (see D3 core work to assist you with this).        Another means of relieving pressure is to pop up out of the saddle every so often. If you are riding on a flat course there is a tendency for us to stay in the saddle to entire ride. Every 20-30 minutes can help with pressure "relief" and it is a nice change for the legs too!        So, enjoy the ride gals! That "pressure" relief can be easily addressed and have you comfortable on that saddle in no time at all. Happy Training! Amy Kuitse is a USAT Certified coach with D3 Multisport and can be reached for questions or comments at: Amy@d3multisport.com

IMAZ Race Report by D3 Coach AJ Johnson        After Ironman Hawaii 2005 I had thought about turning professional. It had crossed my mind before, but I had a great day in Hawaii and it really boosted my confidence. After some serious consideration I decided to take the plunge and get my pro license. This would mean I would now be racing against the best the sports has. I knew my chances of qualify for Hawaii were slim since it is even harder to qualify as a professional. This was a sacrifice I was willing to make to make a dream come true. After getting the word from the Global Triathlon Group that I could race professionally I decided to race Ironman Arizona on April 9th. I had raced it last year and liked doing an early season race.        My training was good and steady if not spectacular. I wasn’t in the type of shape I was before Hawaii, but that is to be expected. I just wanted to have a solid day and not be the last finishing pro. While I secretly harbored dreams of winning the race or being in the top 5 I also feared embarrassing myself on the course. I had to focus on myself, do what I could on race day and let the chips fall where they may.        Race morning came and I woke before any of my four alarms could go off. I had my usual breakfast, filled my water bottles and headed to the start. My dad and wife made the early morning trip while my mom, sister and nephew slept in. I was anxious, but having done this race last year I knew where everything was. I pumped up my tires, made sure the bike was ready and took care of my transition and special needs bags. We found an out of the way spot to relax and concentrate on what was ahead.        At 6:25 I put on my wetsuit and made my way to the swim start. Being in the Pro Wave, we get a 15 minute head start on the rest of the field. I dove into Tempe Town Lake and started my warm up. The water was nice, not too cold for me as I heat up quickly in the swim. After some cruising around and short accelerations I lined up at the start. It was interesting to see some of the favorites right next to me. No one seemed too concerned and it was as if everyone was at the local coffee stop. We got the word that we were 1 minute from the start and instantly things changed. No one was talking and it was time to get ready.        The cannon blasted and it was time to start the journey. There are two great things about starting up front. One, there are only about 100 athletes starting so it’s not the usual crowded, contact filled beginning. Also, the first 200-300 yards are fast, but not the all out frenzy that happens in the Age Group mass start. I think it’s because everyone knows that it’s a long day and there is no point in red lining it so early.        My plan was to build into the first 400 yards and I was able to do that. I was surprised to find that I wasn’t being left behind and I settled on a set of feet quickly. A group of about 7 of us got in a line and it stayed that way until we hit the turn around buoy. At that point I could see that there were 2-3 athletes in front trying to break away. I decided that I could bridge up to them and draft the faster group. It took some effort, but eventually I was up to the break away. As it turns out the others in the group tucked in behind me and we were all back together. At this point I was a little worried. The pace felt very easy, but when I pulled out of line to accelerate, I couldn’t pass anyone. So I stayed on the feet in front of me. I was mentally prepared to see over an hour. My goal time was 55 to 56 minutes for the swim. Rounding the final buoy I started to think about my transition and visualize myself having a smooth and uneventful T1. I was shocked to see my time. Standing up I could see my watch and it read 55 something. What a great way to start the race. Continued...