Changing Plans

There is a lot of excitement as we approach IM MOO 2006 and IMFL. Many members of this corner of the TBC are participating in one of those races, and the energy of the coming races can be felt everywhere. And now, Roman at has overcharged everything with the announcement of plans to have a Race Athlete team train and race IM MOO 2007, together. In addition, a few lucky people will be able to participate in the Train Like A Professional program. But whether in the program or on the team, those signing up for the 2007 Ironman Wisconsin are sure to have an exciting ride with this group.

Having joined the TBC late this year, and completing my first sprint distance race in June, my plans and goals have been all over the board. A huge goal was met upon completion of my first Olympic distance race. The 3/4 mile swim (a bit short, I know) was the first major open water swim I've accomplished. Upon surviving that race, I started thinking about an Ironman in 2007.

Then, I saw the cost. For a marathoner, $450 is a huge entry fee. And with two small mouths to feed, thoughts turned to a half Ironman. The IM race could wait. Enter Roman, with a fairly sizable wrench to toss into the works. Though competing in the two blog favorites THIS year was out of the question, joining the Race Athlete team for IM Wisconsin in 2007 is restricted only by the question of entry fees. The foundation is there. The desire to train for IM distance is there. The time to complete a training program is there. And living in the Fox Valley of Wisconsin, I'm almost in Madison, already.

So, the ever shifting plans of Iron Pol are in flux, once again. Is this just the push needed to EARN the title? Is it time to dig deep into the pockets and find a way to get in line on September 11th and sign up for a race 12 months away? Is it time to toe the line and participate in the ENTIRE journey?

Here is the entire story generating these questions. A question that really only has one answer. As I've always said, the biggest motivation for any race is a paid registration fee.

Here's some more details about Team raceAthlete and Ironman Wisconsin:

September 1, 2006BOULDER, COLO. -- Imagine being able to train and compete like a professional. Starting now, eight ordinary people will get extraordinary training, equipment and coaching to compete like the professional triathlete.

RaceAthlete.com is proud to announce the formation of Team RaceAthlete in conjunction with CycleOps Power, Zipp Speed Weaponry, BMC Bicycles, D3 Multisport and Descente Athletic Apparel. Eight lucky age-group athletes will showcase the improvements that can be achieved through world-class equipment and training resources. This will give select age groupers the opportunity to compete like seasoned professional triathletes.

The chosen athletes will get state-of-the-art PowerTap SL's by CycleOps Power to help them train and monitor their progress with ultimate power and efficiency.

Swiss-based BMC bicycles will provide them with proven bicycle technology - the same TTO2 Time Machine ridden at the Tour de France.

Zipp Speed Weaponry will provide world-class speed and aerodynamic wheels and components. These are the same wheels ridden by champion triathletes like Peter Reid.

D3 Multisport will provide comprehensive coaching and training plans for the athletes to help them with expert advice and today's most cutting edge training tools for peak performance.

Descente Athletic apparel will provide state of the art training and racing apparel to help propel the athletes to the winner's circle.

Members of Team raceAthlete will compete in triathlon events all around the globe. Athletes will chronicle their journey from "ordinary to extraordinary" as they progress towards the ultimate Ironman distance race! You can follow their progress on raceAthlete.com, as well as the athlete's own popular endurance blogs and podcasts.

RaceAthlete.com is a one-stop source that spotlights top endurance sports writers, bloggers, and podcasters -- all in a networked community for aspiring race athletes!

CycleOps Powertaps are provided by the Wisconsin-based Saris Cycling Group. The Saris Cycling Group is Saris Cycle Racks and CycleOps Power.(www.cycleops.com)

Swiss-based BMC (www.bmc-cycling.com) builds bikes with style, passion and precision. Innovative design features, rigorous testing, and a long history of working with the World's best athletes have resulted in truly unique bicycles. BMC sets new standards and continues to push the design and performance envelope year after year.

Zipp (www.zipp.com) produces world class wheels that are tops in speed and aerodynamics. Zipp also provides unsurpassed component technology always on the cutting edge. Zipp builds the fastest wheels in the world as tested in Tour magazine, they were the first company to manufacture carbon cranks and the new vuka Aero bar already has a patent pending.

D3 Multisport (www.d3multisport.com) utilizes the most current research and training techniques and combines them with race proven strategies to create the best possible training programs for any athletes.

Axcent Sports (www.descenteathletic.com) was formed to license and distribute Descente Athletic apparel in the United States for the sports categories of Cycle, Run and Fitness, among others.

For further information on "Be a Race Athlete in 2007," including sponsorship opportunities, please visit raceAthlete.com or contact Roman Mica (303) 415-2586.