There might be a slight home course advantage Sunday when Angela Bancroft takes to the course at the Revolution3 Old Orchard Beach Half Iron Distance Triathlon.
After competing all over the country, Bancroft gets the slight luxury of competing in Maine.
“It’s in my home state and down on the coast, which is a treat,” Bancroft said. “There aren’t a lot of races for this distance in Maine. That’s fun to be able to do, having it down by the ocean. I’ve competed in many of these races all over. It’s something that’s local, and I’ll have a lot of friends there. That makes it special.”
The event consists of a 1.2-mile swim, 56-mile bike and 13.1 mile run. The Rev3 is one of several endurance events Bancroft will race this season, including a second Half Iron Triathalon two weeks later.
“I do several weeks of building my volume and intensity,” Bancroft said. “Then I rest as needed for a week or so. Then I begin again. This race has been on my agenda. I’ve just gone along with my training. I’ll take a few weeks off and then do the Pumpkinman in September.”
She’s also competing in the Ironman Triathlon in Cozumel, Mexico.
Bancroft, a Cape Elizabeth native who lives in Paris, finished third earlier in the year in the Ironman Texas. She recently raced the Beach2Beach 10K and finished fourth in her age group. She was also in the top five and first female in the Norway Triathlon.
Bancoft sets a number of goals for herself in each competition but many of those expectations change with the course, the weather and other variables.
“At the end of the day, if I’ve given it all I have and done the best I can, that day in whatever conditions I have faced, I try to walk away with my head held high,” Bancroft said. “Whether I win or don’t place where I want or achieve the time I have in my head, I don’t get too hung up on that. If I’ve done as much as I can do, that’s all you can ask of yourself.”
Bancroft began swimming competitively at eight years old. She’s progressed into bigger events over the years. In 2008, she placed fifth in her age group in the Ironman 70.3 World Championships in Clearwater, Fla. A year later, she was second in her age group in her first Ironman in Lake Placid, N.Y. That qualified her for the Ironman World Championships in Kona, Hawaii. In 2011, she was second among amateur women and first in her age group at the Ironman in Lake Place. She finished seventh at the Ironman World Championships that year.
She aims to compete in two Ironmans in a year and then take a break in between them.
“I feel more confident and sure of myself,” Bancroft said. “There’s always new challenges that I try to face with every year. I’m getting older and my family is growing. The biggest way I’ve evolved is in experience, and I try to set high goals for myself. I’m very lucky to be able to continue to do what I’ve been doing. I haven’t had to give any of it up.”
She’s been able to stay relatively healthy while striking a balance between competing and training and allowing for family time. She’s married with three boys. She’s also the co-founder of TriMoxie Multisport Coaching, where she helps athletes of all abilities reach personal goals.
“I do allow myself to cut back a bit and try to do some other things and try not to be so intense about it,” Bancroft said.
She’ll train during the winter but also tries to keep it fresh. Her family enjoys her competing and encourages her to stay on top of it.
“Mentally, I’m just not as intense as other times of the year,” she said. “I do allow myself that mental break. I do try to be balanced. I think that I am. I work at it, and it takes really conscious work. I try to mix things up and do whatever feels right.”
kmills@sunjournal.com
Send questions/comments to the editors.
