Boulder may get an Ironman 70.3 race in 2010! I learned this exciting news today via a tweet from @usatriathlon, the national governing body for the triathlon sport. They retweeted an update from @EverymanTri, which confirmed the sale of the Boulder-based 5430 Sports company to the World Triathlon Corporation. The World Triathlon Corporation is the owner of the world-renowned Ironman franchise.

In the EverymanTri report, Barry Siff (the owner of 5430 Sports) indicated there would be an Ironman Boulder 70.3 in 2010. Ironman 70.3 races are half the distance of a full 140.6 mile Ironman race and are comprised of a 1.2 mile swim, a 56 mile bike ride and a 13.1 mile run. Ironman is smart to capitalize on the growing popularity of this triathlon distance by organizing their own 70.3 series. They were also wise to brand them “70.3″ instead of “half.” Assuming the Boulder race comes to fruition, you can expect an amazing field of triathletes to compete.

Boulder is seen by many as the top triathlon city in the United States. Having spent a considerable amount of time training in Boulder (while visiting my brother and his family), I can attest to Boulderites’ healthy lifestyle and competitive nature. On any day of the year, you’ll see scores of people riding their bikes and running the trails of Boulder. There are an incredible number of bike stores in town (per capita) and many of the world’s top triathletes call Boulder home, including U.S. Olympian Matty Reed (who’d be a certain Ironman Boulder 70.3 favorite and can be found @boomboomreed on Twitter) and 6-time Ironman World Champion Dave Scott. With its abundance of sunny days, miles of trails, wide-shouldered roads and high altitude (5,430 feet – hence the name 5430 Sports), Boulder is a perfect place for elite athletes to train and reach peak condition.

I look forward to seeing Ironman Boulder 70.3 on the calendar, as I think I’ll have to make a trip to the inaugural competition.

UPDATE: It’s on! Applications for Ironman Boulder 70.3 opened on October 1, 2009.