Pro Eric Limkemann checks in

Ironman 70.3 World Championships Preview

This weekend I will be racing in Clearwater, Florida in my first World Championship race as a professional. After 8 months of racing, this will be my last race of 2009 and hopefully I have saved the best for last! I will be one of 85 pro men who have qualified for the race through various events throughout the world. Given that this will be only my third race at the 70.3 distance, I’m still not sure what to expect, but my goal is to break the 4 hour mark and put together a complete race. Based on the past results of this race, it will be the most competitive race that I have ever attended and I am looking forward to the challenge!
In preparation for the race, I’ve had a lot of help from some great people and companies. Without your support throughout the season, I would not have been able to get to this point. From Trizilla and CSE Corporation helping me get started racing professionally to my current support from Great Clips Salons and friends in the Dayton community, I have been tremendously lucky in building strong relationships. Thank You! As for the race itself…
In the water, I’ve had the privilege to train with and work for the Dayton Raiders over the past two months. As a result of their willingness to accommodate my schedule and provide me with structured training, I am finally getting back to the swim form I had when I was winning big swim primes back 2007. My goal for this race is to mix it up at the front of the pack and come out near or at the front. As always, I’ll be wearing BlueSeventy to maximize my advantage. On a good day, I’d like to be south of 23 minutes coming into T1. If I am in a good position heading into shore, I may push a bit to get out first…
Once on the bike, I will be riding a new HED Jet Disk and Hawk Racing bottom bracket on the Veritas. These upgrades, along with my trusty ISM Saddle and awesome training help from Bob at Bob Duncan Racing should help me in breaking this seasons’ biking slump and maintaining my strong position on the swim. I have put in a tremendous amount of work over the past two months on improving my bike and I believe a 2:10 split is well within my reach if the conditions are right. Regardless of the split, you can look forward to even stronger cycling next season!
Ever since I started racing Triathlon, I’ve been working on not “running like a swimmer”. While I’m still trying to find my 10k speed, I have seen the hard work pay off at the 70.3 distance. I have connected with Newton Running and improved my technique while putting in endless miles under Corey Baxter’s careful guidance. I have been pacing very consistently over the past month and would like to finish the race with a 1:15 split. My goal is to be able to finish the race strong and be prepared to sprint to the line if needed!
Throughout the race, I’ll be wearing a Kiwami Amphibian singlet which s my suit of choice for every race this year. The lightness and comfort of the suit should help in the hot Florida weather. I’ve also recently begun using First Endurance nutrition products and will be using Pre-Race and the EFS Shot during the race to stay fueled and ready to go. I’ve been using Ultragen to recover from my key workouts and it has helped me to feel sharp and fresh day in and day out. I’m now tapered and ready to go!

If you are interested in following the race, check out the official website:
http://ironman.com/events/ironman70.3/worldchampionship70.3

I believe an Athlete Tracker will be available and there may be other places on the web where you can follow along. I’ll send out an update after the race. Wish me luck!

Eric Limkemann

http://www.ericlimkemanntriathlon.com/
www.twitter.com/ericlimkemann