Kate Major checks in post Boise 70.3
This is the first time a 70.3 has been raced in Boise (Idaho). What was the course like?
It was a beautiful course. It was a fresh water swim in the dam and the dam was freezing (laughs). They said it was 59 degrees fahrenheit, but I think it was a little cooler than that! But the way it was set out was beautiful. The bike was great. You had nice wide roads, it was clean, plenty of room for enough riders so there was no way anyone could draft. The run was along these bike paths called the green belt. Even though there were people around it was quiet and picturesque and it had a real community feel about it.
At a 2.27, your bike ride showed some good form.
Yes, but I didn't actually feel that great. I didn't feel that great throughout the race actually and felt a little flat. But overall, I can't complain. I don't know if it was because I was so cold from the swim because I don't do so well in the cool. It took a while just to get going. But for a first time race in that area they did a really nice job. Everyone in the town made everyone feel welcome. It was that sort of laid back country town feel.
How hard is it to come down in distance and race a 70.3? Do you think the distance suits you?
I think you can be suited to whatever you want to be suited to and whatever you work towards. Obviously I like the Ironman distance better, so it's harder for me to do the Half Ironman distance and the Olympic triathlon distance. To be a good Ironman triathlete, I think there's no doubt that you still have to have speed. The 70.3 distance is tough - you're out there for four and bit hours of hard work. If you can perform well in a 70.3, it obviously helps going into an Ironman. Hopefully I'm going to get better at the Half Ironman because that will help my Ironman times and strengths.
Your gap at the finish was a pretty comfortable seven minutes.
You know I wasn't sure. The way the bike course was set out there was only one part that you could tell where you were in the field and that was so early on. You could look back and see a cyclist but I wasn't sure if it was a male or female. And I knew there was someone who wasn't too far behind me at the early point of the race. So I looked back every now and then but all I could see was a helmet moving (laughs). So I couldn't make out if it was a guy or a girl. I kept thinking just stick to your game plan and do the race how you are going to do it and don't worry about anyone else.
At one point, I looked around to make sure I was going the right way because I hadn't seen anyone for so long that I thought maybe I have made a wrong turn. It just happened that there was no one else around me at the time, so going into the run I thought "just run like there is someone only a minute down". You can never underestimate anybody, so I just stuck to my guns and did alright. Then when I was on the first loop on the run someone told me that had five minutes, but I didn't want to let up too much. You just can't do that at any point.
Is it nice to get a win over someone like Desiree Ficker, an athlete who like yourself has done well on the world stage?
Yes, Des is always a tough competitor and we've had some good battles in the past. I've beaten her before and she's beaten me, so it's always good to have people like her in the field. She just tried out for the Olympic marathon team so I thought she would've been flying on the run. You don't know what sort of training others have been doing, so it's good for me to have good competition in the races I go in. Going into Kona you know that you've raced against these tough people and that you can win. Whereas I think sometimes people try and avoid races because of who is racing rather than embracing the competition.
Is that your philosophy - the idea of embracing the competition?
Yes that's pretty much it. I pick a race depending on the timing in the year. I chose Boise because I've never been there before and looked like a course I'd like.
So where do you head now after Boise?
I'm probably going to do San Diego International this month and then I'll race Vineman Ironman 70.3 (California) and Timberman (New Hampshire).
So it looks like you'll have all the 'mans' covered. With all these races you're lining up, is it with one eye on Kona?
There's a lot of work to be done before Kona and things to be worked on but the lead up is all looking good. I'm healthy and injury free which is always a good way to start the year. I just hope to continue and build on what I have started.
Kate Major, well done on your win in Boise and thanks for your time.
