I have selected Ironman Florida as my 2012 IM event. Registration for IMFL sold out this week in 16 minutes (record time). Ironman Florida is one of the most well known races on the Ironman circuit having been around for over 10 years.
Swim:
The two-loop swim takes place in the Gulf of Mexico with a short beach run in between laps. The chop can be strong and tinted goggles are recommended to block out the rising sun. Water temperatures should hover near 70 degrees Fahrenheit.
Bike:
The single-lap bike course is flat and fast. The highest point on the course is only 161 feet above sea level, and the wind tends to be light. Expect a fast bike split, and be prepared to stay in your aerobars.
Run:
This is one of the flattest runs on the Ironman circuit. Spectators fill the roads on the two-loop course, which parallels the shoreline through local neighborhoods to the turnaround in St. Andrews State Park. The sun sets early this time of year, so you may want to toss a long-sleeve shirt into your special needs bag.
Unfortunately, I wasn't able to convince any of my friends to join me this year so I will be going down to Florida solo. I do look forward to this race and plan to prepare much stronger this year in hopes of achieving a faster PR (Goal: sub 13 hr).
Stay tuned . . .
