Inaugural Ironman 70.3 Asia-Pacific Championship To Be Staged At Laguna Phuket

World Triathlon Corporation (WTC) and Laguna Resorts & Hotels announce the inaugural Ironman 70.3 Asia-Pacific Championship to be held on Dec. 5, 2010. The race, set at Laguna Phuket Resort in Phuket, Thailand, will be the culmination of WTC’s new Asia-Pacific Ironman 70.3 Event Series. The Laguna Phuket Resort is expected to be the permanent home of this Championship.

World Triathlon Corporation (WTC) and Laguna Resorts & Hotels announce the inaugural Ironman 70.3 Asia-Pacific Championship to be held on Dec. 5, 2010. The race, set at Laguna Phuket Resort in Phuket, Thailand, will be the culmination of WTC’s new Asia-Pacific Ironman 70.3 Event Series. The Laguna Phuket Resort is expected to be the permanent home of this Championship.

“An increased focus on Ironman 70.3 events will foster continued growth in the regional triathlon market,” said WTC’s Chief Operating Officer, Steve Meckfessel. “While the region has hosted full-distance Ironman races in Australia, New Zealand, Korea and Japan for more than 20 years, the demand in many countries for longer distance race experiences has evolved. The Ironman 70.3 Asia-Pacific Series will deliver quality event and cultural experiences at premium race venues throughout the region.”

“The decision to host the Series Championship event at Laguna Phuket was an easy one,” said Murphy Reinschreiber, WTC’s managing director of Asia-Pacific. “The resort serves as a destination with broad appeal to athletes in all of our markets, including Australia, Singapore, Japan, the U.S. and Europe, and it is a proven and storied triathlon venue.”

Phuket, Thailand is one of the world’s premiere holiday destinations famed for its crystal clear waters, pristine white beaches, stunning natural scenery and variety of attractions and entertainment.

“The management of the Laguna Phuket Resort and the government of Phuket Province are both extremely excited and proud that Phuket has been selected to host the Ironman 70.3 Asia-Pacific Championship. With 16 years experience hosting the Laguna Phuket Triathlon, we have the know-how and resources to ensure a very successful Asia-Pacific 70.3 Championship event in 2010 and beyond,” commented Michael Ayling, managing director of Laguna Resorts & Hotels Plc . He continues “The Ironman 70.3 Asia-Pacific Championship at Laguna Phuket will increase the island’s visibility as a venue for world-class sporting events and create energy and pride within the Phuket community, just in time for the tourism high season.”

The Championship race will be centered at the Resort and will incorporate the Laguna Phuket Triathlon’s trademark two-bodies of water swim course including a section in the Andaman Sea, a beach run-over and a section in a Resort lagoon. The bike course will be challenging and spectacular with hilly sections and winding rural roads through rubber plantations and villages. The two-loop flat run will include Resort roads, paved paths and grass golf-course sections.

The Championship will be held on the traditional weekend of the Laguna Phuket Triathlon, one of the most popular destination races of all time. Over the years, this race attracted many of the sport’s top stars such as Mark Allen, Paula Newby-Fraser, Craig Alexander and Samantha McGlone, who have routinely listed Laguna Phuket as a favorite race due to its venue, organization and tourism experience.

Debbie Dionysius, Assistant Vice President of Destination Marketing, Laguna Resorts & Hotels Plc adds “We are truly honored to be hosting the new Ironman 70.3 Asia-Pacific Championship at Laguna Phuket. We feel that the many years of hard work and dedication that has gone into organizing the Laguna Phuket Triathlon has been recognized and rewarded by the international triathlon community, and now we look forward to the new challenge of organizing a 70.3 race in Phuket just one week after the Laguna Phuket Triathlon! We plan to create a week of various multisport events to attract visitors from around the globe to stay longer in Phuket to experience both triathlons plus other events and entertainment.”

Details relating to the 2010 Ironman 70.3 Asia Pacific Series will be forthcoming. The Series is expected to include six races and grow to eight -10 races long-term. Athletes will be able to qualify to compete at the Laguna Phuket Asia-Pacific Championship race at Ironman 70.3 races around the world and at selected races in new markets such as the first ever international triathlon to be held in India.

The Championship race, produced by WTC will include a $60,000 professional prize purse as well 50 qualifying slots to the 2011 Foster Grant Ironman World Championship 70.3 in Clearwater, Fla. Entry and qualification procedures will be made available soon. For information, browse Ironman.com and watch for the launch of Ironmanphuket.com. For additional information about the Laguna Phuket Resort and the Laguna Phuket Triathlon, visit Lagunaphuket.com.

Press release provided by Ironman.com

Hiroyuki Suzuki visiting Florida for the world Championship 70.3

Back in 2007, Hiroyuki Suzuki (30), a young triathlete from Japan had qualified for the Foster Grant World Championship 70.3 where he performed an impressive race and covered the entire distance in just 4h46 – his best ever time on a half ironman distance.

Last September 2009, during the Singapore half ironman, Hiro did it again and managed to get himself a ticket for Clearwater in Florida for 2009’s World Championship. He was kind enough to share with us his experience over there.

It took me 2 years to come back again here at Clearwater. It was in 2007 last time I came to Florida. At that time, I did not have much experience on how to train and was just relying on will power and the desire to achieve something. This time was a little very different – I had focused on the race and had a proper training plan to prepare for it.

This year though, I had to work on the 11th so unfortunately, I could only take the plane on the 12th to arrive on the same day at midnight. The race was taking place on the 14th. Of course, as you can imagine, I was so tired so after taking care of my race registration, I ate some of the soba I brought back from Japan and went to bed to get some rest.

On the 13th, I woke up around 4am (1 day before the race). I went outside the hotel for the sunrise, set up my bike, went for a spin for 30minutes and went for a “quick” swim practice (It was very cold that I stopped after just 10 minutes). Okay… I was the only one swimming without a wet suit. The rest of the day was pretty uninteresting  as I had nothing much to do after I was done with the bike check-in. I was bored, sleepy and suffering from a headache. I stayed at the my hotel room trying to relax, massage my legs and kill time. For diner, I had again some soba :-). I had a hard time falling asleep as I have too many naps during the day and ended up sleeping only a couple of hours before the race.

I woke up again at 4am on the race day, ate 2 bananas and guess what else…? Yes … some soba :-), and left the hotel for the body marking.

The hotel I stayed at this time was very convenient as it was right next to the race starting point. After pumping up my tires, I could bring back my bump with some other gears and kept warm in my room.

SWIM = 1.9km:

The course that was originally planned was to start from Mexico Bay but unfortunately, it was changed due to the wavy ocean. I would have preferred the old course but…  anyways.

The start was given in a time trial style (one race after the other) and we were not allowed to warm up before hand. I was hard to get straight into the race.  I was very cold for the first few hundred meters but after a few minutes got warm pretty quickly. Blinded by the sun facing us, I found it hard to swim straight and stick with the course. My time was okay anyway and I finished the 1.9km swim in 29minutes.

Swim: 1.9km => 29min

BIKE = 90km:

My goal was to keep my cadence from 90 to 100 per minute from the beginning to the end. I did not push too much to keep some energy for the run. I was feeling good but for some reason did not get the impression I was going fast enough as 400 people past me (this is the world championship after all I guess and there are a lot of strong people out there). The last 10km, my legs were getting stiff and I felt I was not far from getting a cramp. I had to take a few salt tablets which helped me a lot. Once again, I did learn a lot from this race and found new ways to improve myself for next time. It’s amazing how much you can learn from each event!

This race was a flat and very fast course so I decided to use my full disk wheel. I was hoping to gain more speed but did not manage to get the sensation I was looking for – I still felt heavy. I thought afterward I may should have brought a lighter wheel. More than just the equipment, I was too low especially comparing to the other strong competitors

Bike: 90km => 2:31min:15sec

RUN =21km:

My start was okay but I did not have much power to pass people back after they passed me. I was thinking so many time my speed was okay and that I should stick to my pace and not worry about the others. My left thigh and left carve were really stiff and cramping up.

Along the course, I saw Mr. Tomoya who I met in Singapore last September (He’s living over there). His level is very high so seeing him on the course boosted my mental and made me more hungry to not lose against him. Then, I took some Coca Cola drinks at the aid station. Yes it’s true it’s great way to recover quickly, but, my stomach got upset from it 5km before the end and had to walk a little bit. I pushed as much as I could to finally cross the finish line after 1:39min17sec.

Run:21km => 1:39min17sec

Total time: 4h48m2s

I just regret I could not have more power in the end. If I did, I may have beat my last time 2 years ago. My mental was not stable enough along the race – I will make sure to train harder next time so that I will not have this problem again.

Next year, when I race, I should set my mind to push hard as if it was my last race. Craig Alexander himself, who I had the chance to meet, gave me a few tips that I will try to implement for my upcoming events.

For 2010, I m planning to go to California and Hawaii 70.3. Both races have a high level but they both offer some slots to qualify for the Ironman World Championship in Kona (Big Island) so I will try to get my chances there.

I will try to also participate in an event in Europe. I have never been there so would really like to experience racing there. Plus, because I am light, I am usually better for hilly course instead of flat. For this reason, I think a European race with a mountain course might be more adequate for me. I look forward to participate in one as I know they have so many strong athletes over there.

Don’t you think it’s a lot for someone who is married and working full time in Japan?!

I don’t know if I can do it all or if I can take holidays. The number of holidays should be okay but we never know with Japanese companies right…? Let’s not even mention about the money factor as well … We will see

I registered already 3 races anyway for next year – I like to think that if I am registered, I will have to find a way to make it happen.

See you next time

Hiroyuki Suzuki

To access Hiroyuki’s report in Japanese, click on the link below:
http://ironman-lifesaver.seesaa.net/article/133454744.html

Trail Running Plan 01 – (Yamanashi – Nishizawa Keikoku Hiking Course)

This trail run course is not easy to access but certainly worth the trip as it is by far one of the most beautiful hiking trail there is in Japan. If you love waterfalls and hiking trails with lots of ups and downs, and great scenery, you will be well served. Surrounded by countless waterfalls and sakura flowers during the spring cherry blossom season, you will be breath taken all along until your reach Nanatsugama-Godan-no-Taki (the last and biggest water fall of the trail). This last one ranks among the top 100 waterfalls of Japan.

TRAIL RUN COURSE DETAILS – 10KM COURSE

PART I:
From: The car park near Point 1 (see map below)
To: The Nanatsugama-Godan-no-Taki waterfall near Point 18
Distance: 4km (Uphill)

PART II:
From: The Nanatsugama-Godan-no-Taki waterfall near Point 18
To: The car park near point 1 (see map below)
Distance: 6Km (downhill)

The entire course will take you about 4 hours hiking / walking

The Nanatsugama-Godan-no-Taki waterfall

On the way up to point 18

Course details (In Japanese)

Access:
The valley of Nishizawa  (Nishizawakeikoku / 西沢渓谷) is located by the Fuefuki River (笛吹川) in the north side of Yamanashi. It is a part of Chichibu-Tama-Kai National park (秩父多摩甲斐国立公園) where you can find a lot of other very beautiful similar trails and hiking courses.

Get there by Car:
From Shinjuku station (Tokyo), follow the Chuo Expressway until Enzan station.  You will then need to head north on the road 38 until you reach the road 140 which will lead you directly to the trail starting point upper north.

Get there by Train:
From Shinjuku station (Tokyo), take the JR Chuo line until Enzan station. If you take an express train, you can get there in about 90 minutes (3190 Yen) . A local train will take you up to 150 minutes and you will need to do at least one transfer along the way (1460 Yen).

From Enzan station, you can ride the bus directly to Nishizawa Keikoku trail. The ride last about 1 hour and will cost you 1020 Yen each way. !!Attention!! There are only 6 bus rides available per day from December until April.
If you choose to take a cab, it will cost around 5,000 to 6,000 yen one way. It is worth considering if you are travelling in a group.

For more information on the trail and the location, please check the following link (in Japanese only):
http://www.city.yamanashi.yamanashi.jp/kanko/seeing/29.html

Cycle Mode International – Yearly Bike Expo (Osaka – November) and (Tokyo – December)

The “Cycle Mode International” is the largest bicycle show in Japan. It takes place every year consecutively in Osaka (November) and Tokyo (December).

Most bike makers and equipment manufacturers attend each year to exhibit their latest models and technologies to the public. All guests will even have the chance to attend special shows and try some of the latest products (Mountain Bikes, Road Bikes, Triathlon Bikes etc.) released in the market.

In 2008, over 57,000 people attended both events (among which 33,000 visited the Tokyo event in Makuhari Messe).

From beginners to advanced cyclists, you will find everything you need there. Japan Triathlon highly recommends you to check it out. It is a good day out enjoyable for everyone, families and even the non cyclists.

For more information, please check the official website at:

http://www.cyclemode.net

Running Plan 07 (Tokyo – Tamagawa Daikoen)

This running program is nearby the Tamagawa river further south of Futako Tamagawa station (Running Plan 03). You can easily reach this running course from Tamagawa station (Tamagawa line), Denenchofu (Toyoko line) and Yukigaya Ootsuka (Ikegami line).

The running course consist of either a 5km or 10km course where you will go through the small park called Tamagawa Daikoen (where you will enjoy a lot of ups and down, stairs and a nice view of the tamagawa river) and the famous and endless Tamagawa river. If you wish to train more your uphill running skills, we recommend you to run a few laps within the park and cut short your run section along the flat river.

PLAN I – 5KM RUN:
From: Tamagawa station
Going through the Tamagawa Daikoen park and along the running river course.
To: Back to Tamagawa station
Distance: 5km (2 x 2.5km)

PLAN I – 10KM RUN:
From: Tamagawa station

Going through the Tamagawa Daikoen park and along the running river course.
To: Back to Tamagawa station
Distance: 10km (2 x 5km)

The Gear You Need and the Gear You Don’t Need

This is the second of a series of articles by Ben Distel, our expert
obsessive exercise nut, discussing the sport of triathlon and how to set
yourself up for taking part. He is Japan’s only certified triathlon
bike fitter.

(By Ben Distel)

I hope you enjoyed reading last month’s article and that I’ve inspired
you to start working out. I thank all who have contacted me and hope
that you’ll enjoy the triathlon journey. Are you starting to recognize
triathletes when they work out: the shrinking waist lines, tight fitting
apparel, shaved legs, always wearing a cap or visor showing off the
latest race they competed in?

Now you need determination and a goal. There are a few really great
races coming up in the spring so this is the time to get going. In mid
April the legendary Ishigaki Triathlon will be held on Okinawa:  a
classic ‘must do’ race for all triathletes and a great destination for that
very first race. Once you have your goal set you need a training schedule and training partners to push you to the next level.

So now that you’re ready to give up that last beer at Legends, let’s talk about the stuff you need to participate in triathlon:

General Rule #1: just because your friend or favorite pro uses it does not mean it will work for you. Do the research and make sure you can try the equipment you want before purchase.
General Rule #2: stick with what works for you.

SWIM:
All you need for the swim is some good swim apparel and a pair of goggles. You can also opt for a trisuit
which is a one or two piece race suit with some light padding that you can use for the entire race. Goggles can be bought anywhere with brands like Speedo,
Aquasphere and TYR all making top quality gear. Art Sports in Shibuya is a good source for triathlon gear, goggles and much more.

BIKE: The single biggest expense for your triathlon adventures will be the bike. If you don’t have a bicycle yet you have a tough choice to make.

You can either spend the money and buy something now that will last you for years and for which you will never look back thinking ‘I should have got the better bike’; or if you are not sure triathlon will be a long term commitment buy an entry level bike which you may potentially look at a year from now and think ‘I should have got that better bike’.

There are too many factors involved in the selection of a bike to explain in detail here but I’ll try to give a few pointers:

1. If you don’t have a bike yet, I strongly recommend that you rent or borrow a bike somehow to do your first race. Once you’ve caught the triathlon bug, go out and get yourself a really nice, fast bike that will give you years of joy.

2. Bike Fitting: The single most important factor in buying a bike is the bike fit. No matter how expensive, aerodynamic or light it may be, a bike that does not fit you well will not make you go fast and is likely to get you injured.
T1bicycles is Japan’s only certified Triathlon bike fitter, so please contact us if you are about to buy a bicycle so we can help you select the right bike for you.

3. Other essentials: helmet, bike shoes, bike shorts and a jersey.

4. Where to buy? You can go by price alone and buy from an online retailer, or if you are willing to pay a bit more for the convenience of a friendly bike shop and mechanic I strongly recommend that you take this option. Be aware that product availability in clothing for tall people will make that a challenge in Japan.

RUN:
It is critical that you have an expert look at your gait (or running style) and then recommend the proper shoes for you. Most serious run stores in the USA offer this service, but in Tokyo I’ve only found the Asics store doing a job I’m happy with: http://www.asics.co.jp/running/store/index.html

Equipment you need: Running shorts, running top, socks and in the winter good warm breathable base layers. There are a couple of good spots to run in Tokyo but all involve endless loops. Try to find one that doesn’t bore you too much, or mix it up a little.

Other Thoughts:
Lots of companies are making good money from triathlon competitors. In order to keep selling they will continue to invent new goodies and invent reasons why you should buy them. Some are good inventions and some are totally bogus. For your first races I strongly suggest to stick with the basics as listed above and while training with your fellow athletes you’ll find
out what makes things easier for you. So don’t spend your good money yet on triathlon bags, GPS monitors, disc wheels, Vo2 MAX tests and aero helmets. We’ll get to them later.

In the next article I’ll talk about where the crazy work outs, where good coaching advice can be found and share valuable tips on male leg shaving, a must for serious triathletes.

Enjoy the training!

Ben
Info@t1bicycles.com
www.t1bicycles.com

Running Plan 06 (Tokyo – Akasaka Palace)

This running program is very central and therefore very convenient for people living/working in downtown Tokyo mainly. It is easily accessible from Aoyama Iichome (Ginza line), Akasaka Mitsuke (Ginza line) Yotsuya (JR Sobu, JR Chuo and Marounouchi line) and Shinanomachi (JR Chuo line) stations.

The running course consist of 1 lap around the Akasaka Palace and includes a couple of challenging hills. Each lap covers around 3.3km.

http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=3299943

COURSE DETAILS:
1st Lap: 3.30km
2nd Lap:6.60km
3rd Lap:9.90km
4th Lap:12.00km
5th Lap:13.20km
6th Lap:16.50km
7th Lap: 19.90km

You can also extend your running course distance to 4.8km per lap by passing by the Shinanomachi running track (1.3km) which is just a few hundred meters from the Akasaka running course (see course description below).

http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=3299970

COURSE DETAILS:
1st Lap: 7.8km
2nd Lap:15.60km
3rd Lap:23.40km
4th Lap:31.20km

Ultra-Trail du Mont Blanc (France)

Japan Triathlon is usually focused on providing you information on races located in Japan, however, this time, we would like to introduce you a race of its kind: The “Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc“. This event was covered by NHK last October 31st 2009 to follow Tsuyoshi Kaburaki, a  world-class mountain race runner.

Covering a total of 3 countries (that in itself can give you an idea of how long this race), this race is also referred as UTMB. It is a mountain ultra-marathon race which takes place once a year in the Alps and crosses France, Italy and Switzerland. Its course goes around the Mont Blanc and is also called the “Tour du Mont Blanc”. The distance varies each year between 150 and 160 km, with a total elevation gain of around 8500m. Some believe that it is the most difficult foot race in Europe.

While the best trail runners manage to complete the loop in slightly more than 20 hours, most runners take between 30 to 45 hours to reach the finish line.

The route follows basically the Tour du Mont Blanc hiking Path, that is usually completed in 7 to 9 days by hikers.

COURSE SUMMARY:
Starting from Chamonix (1035m), the trail goes up to the Col de Voza (1653m) to reach Les Contamines (1150m). It then climbs to the Croix du Bonhomme (2479m) before going back down to Les Chapieux (1549m). The path then runs up to the Col de la Seigne (2516m) to enter Italy, follows the ridge of the Mont-Favre (2435m) before going down to Courmayeur (1190m). From that point, the course will climb again to the Refuge Bertone (1989m) and Arnuva (1769m) before reaching its highest point, the Grand Col Ferret (2537m), which also marks the border with Switzerland. The path goes down again to Praz de Fort (1151m) via La Fouly (1593m) before reaching the third life base, Champex d’en Bas (1391m). The final stretch includes two rather low cols: Bovine (1987m) and Les Tseppes (1932m) separated by Trient (1300m). On the way down to Vallorcine (1260m), the trail enters back into France and goes through Argentière (1260m) before finishing at Chamonix where the race started.

The “best” Video Clip we could find on the race

Informative video on the race

For this year’s event, Tsuyoshi Kaburaki from Japan managed an impressive performance and ranked 3rd out of over 4000 participants.