OMC News and Updates

Several OMC members are heading to Austin this week for Ironman Longhorn 70.3. The race takes place on Sunday, October 25th. Among them are David Settle, Dan Fannin, Kurt Larson, and Aaron Elliott. Part of the Ironman 70.3 series, the race is put on by one of the nation's premier race directors, Keith Jordan, with Endorfun sports. Among Keith's trophies of fantastic events are the Lone Star Triathlon Festival in Galveston, TX, and theTimberman Triathlon Festival in Lake Winnipesaukee, NH. Both of these events include an ironman brand 70.3 race, as well. The Longhorn 70.3 features the Mouth of the South, Adam Reiser, as announcer on race day, the Don T. Bonk Zone through which racers must pass to finish the race, custom awards, aquabike, relay teams, the Livestrong Challenge 5K, live entertainment the way only Austin can do, a pre-race pancake feast, and Cudz N' Sudz post-race meal. Racers who wear their wrist band to downtown Austin are eligible to receive discounts for themselves and family members at over 300 restaurants. And, if that's not enough, massage therapists will be available after the race to soothe those sore muscles, and the Longhorn Lounge will be open to commiserate with fellow tri-geeks.

Richie Cunningham will return to Austin, Texas this weekend to try and defend his title at the Longhorn Ironman 70.3 Austin. With defending women's champion, Lisa Bentley, taking some time off, we'll see a new women's champ after Sunday's race.

Bentley's absence has done little to dent the incredibly competitive women's field that is set to compete on Sunday. Led by defending Foster Grant Ironman 70.3 world champion Joanna Zeiger (U.S.), the women's field includes a number of top Ironman and Ironman 70.3 athletes, including Kate Bevilaqua (Australia), Erika Csomor (Hungary), Ali Fitch (Australia), Nina Kraft (Germany), Tereza Macel (a Canadian/ Czech Republic athlete who might choose to rest after her recent fourth place finish in Kona) and Angela Naeth (Canada). Cunningham will take on an equally stacked field. Like the women's race there's a virtual United Nations of top 70.3 competitors registered including: Canadian Sean Bechtel, Australian Luke Bell, Great Britain's Fraser Cartnell, Italians Massimo Cigana and Alessandro Degasperi and the Ukraine's Viktor Zyemtsev, who is coming off an impressive come-from-behind win at Ford Ironman Louisville in August.

The Longhorn Ironnman 70.3 Austin will offer 50 qualifying spots for the 2010 Foster Grant Ironman World Championship 70.3 in Clearwater, Florida, including 46 age group and four professional slots. The day begins with a swim in Decker Lake, which is typically 72 to 78 degrees Fahrenheit (22.2 to 25.5 Celsius) at this time of year. (The race was wetsuit-legal in 2008.) The spectacular bike course takes the athletes through classic Texas farmland and, yes, the athletes will see lots of Longhorn cattle. The race finishes up with a scenic, but challenging, run along the shores of Decker Lake and through the Travis County Expo Center. The run even includes a tribute to the Ford Ironman World Championship with its own “Hill Country Running Company's Longhorn Energy Lab” section. The race finishes inside Luedecke Arena, home to the Austin Turfcats of the Arena Football League.

For those spectating the race live timing data from Sunday's race will be available on Ironman.com, along with a recap of the days racing.