Race day is here. The last few days have been restful work and play. Today we go for it.
#899, racing for Team World Vision
This journey began the first of the year to attempt to raise funds for World Vision water projects as a noble goal much bigger than self-improvement. I enjoy physical training and yet the challenge has been much bigger than just waking up at 4 AM every day with intention. My initial goal was $5K, providing life-giving water for 100 kids in East Africa. Last month we surpassed that, and take we’ve gone further together to bring water to 128 kids ($6,402). I’ve since raised the goal to $7,030, which would mean two kids receive water for each mile I endure on Sunday. The more given, the faster I will swim, bike, and run.
There’s is the real endurance, and the true heroes must make the trek for water, unclean water at that,
In fact, every minute a child under five dies of diarrhea caused by contaminated water, poor sanitation, and improper hygiene.
With the collective efforts of donors and workers with World Vision, the water effect has been huge: every thirty seconds water is provided for another person! So, the gap is close, and we can go there with more urgency.
$50 = clean water for 1 person
Many have asked about the race on Sunday. It’s called Ironman Arizona 70.3 (IMAZ 70.3 for short), and the “70.3” notes the total miles. It’s a Half-Ironman (which are 140.6 miles), and I hope to cover the 1.2-mile swim in 30-35 minutes, the 56-mile bike ride in 2:40—2:55, and the 13.1-mile half-marathon run in about 1:40-ish. It will be a hot day out there, and an optimal race will have me finishing about the same time as my brother John, in about five hours (we hope).
Scouting out the bike course together
A couple days ago we scouted out the bike course where John excels and he gave me special advice on various turns and hills and ways to navigate that part “without blowing up.” (1. When you over-exert on one of the three disciplines, in haste, you cannot recover well enough to excel in the other disciplines. So to pedal to hard, foolishly and hastily, on the bike in spots means there’s little ‘left in the tank’ for the run portion, spoiling my favorite kind of pain. And since I cramped up quite a bit in the last triathlon of this distance, I am listening and planning more wisely this time. Little brother for the win.)
This week has been filled with running and cycling and swimming with my brother. Making endurance memories.
Here’s some details on how to track us from your place of comfort:
- Jeff Patterson #899
- John Patterson #174
- Friend & training partner Stephen Hall #713
Tracking:
- iPhone apps:
- FREE Race Tracker for Ironman
- Tri Race Tracker for Ironman (full version $, for multiple athletes & races)
- Android:
- Also can track on Ironman.com & click Live Coverage at top, only available on race day, click “Athlete Tracker.”
Can I still give? Yes!
Here » $50 = clean water for 1 person
Race info for Ironman Arizona 70.3
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See you at the finish line brother!
Swim start is in waves starting at 6:20 AM on Sunday, October 16th. (Stephen starts at 6:20, brother John at 6:28, and I start at 7:00.)
- Our plan is to aim for five hours (approx best times: 0:30-0:35′ swim » 2:40–2:50 bike » 1:35–1:45 run); the heat may likely slow us.
- So, I may emerge from the water (swim) just after 7:30…
- then finish cycling about 10:15…
- and finish running between 11:50–12:20
Course info & maps:
“I will love with urgency but not with haste.”
—Mumford & Sons, Not With Haste
“There is but one good; that is God. Everything else is good when it looks to Him and bad when it turns from Him.”
—C.S. Lewis
May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ.
—2 Thessalonians 3:5
