UBC Triathlon

We made another pilgrimage to the wonderful Great White North known as Vancouver BC. We were there back in June at the ITU World Championships where I was not too happy about the race that unfolded at that time…but that is in another blog :)

A little snow over the Pass

Jessi and I took off on Saturday at about 1:30pm. Kind of a late start, but a drive is a drive and it really did not matter what time we got there. We also knew our race was starting at about 12:00 the next day so there really was no huge “rush” in getting there. Emma went up to Schweitzer for a weekend of skiing with her Papa Tim and Grandma Kris.

Secured Parking that we cleared by 1/2 inch going in, but could not drive out. We had to back out

Our accommodations found us staying at the luxurious Quality Inn in Vancouver. Might I caution you before staying at this location if traveling to Vancouver. We set our clocks forward and got a good night’s sleep.

This weekend would see similar weather trends with the wind and unseasonable cool temps (36 degrees on race day) as was experienced in June. But I have to say that this race is a lot of fun. The first time I raced this event was back in 1998. It was set up a tad different, but the gist was the same. It is well attended, selling out weeks before the event.

Paying to Park. I Hate this.

We made it to the race site in search of a parking spot. I am not one that likes to pay for parking, but we were in Canada and I think they charge you for parking in your own driveway. We eventually gave up and parked in a hospital parking lot that, of course, you had to pay for. But at this point we were ready to go. We got the wheels aired up and the gear in the packs, and we were “race ready.”

His and Hers

After being redirected at every building we went to, we eventually had all the items in the right places and were awaiting our start time. As I have said in many other race reports, I am normally one of the first ones to the race site, but one of the last ones ready for the start. This race was no exception. As all the athletes in my wave were listening anxiously to the pre race talk in their swim suits, I stood there in my fleece pants, down jacket, and fleece beanie. I figured we had about 10 minutes, so plenty of time to strip down.

Outdoor Pool

I eventually took off all my outer warmth and was exposed to the elements with nothing protecting me but a thin layer of orange lycra. They staged us in a “warming tent” right next to the outdoor pool. It was at that point that the race would begin. You would walk across the timing mat, get in the water, and then they would tap you and say “go.” I HATE being the first one because I usually screw something up. I was told to enter the water so I hopped in the pool. It was surprisingly warm…so I peed..just kidding. It was quite warm though. Then all of a sudden the lady said “go.” Crap! I pathetically pushed off the wall and was off. I felt slow…I mean really slow. Like something was slowing me down. I was in a skin suit, but it felt more like a drag suit (and not the cross dressing type…that would be really slow). I proceeded to the end of the pool where I would duck under the lane line and continue back. I would see all the people that were coming behind me. I tried to take a split by counting my strokes. But I know it would not be that accurate. As I came to the other end, I did a flip turn and headed back along the other side of the lane, just like “circle swimming.” Little did I know that this pool had 8 lanes and we were to duck under the lane line each time which meant..yup..I was swimming right into everyone that was behind me. Nice…real nice. Fortunately I was swimming slow so any impact would hardly be felt. I narrowly missed the guy behind me (really in front of me) and then I ducked into the other lane and continued on. I finally made it other end and got out of the pool. I glanced down at my watch to get an idea as to what I swam hoping that I would surprise myself at the sheer speed I was really going. Nope. It provided evidence that I was just above “treading water” speed. Oh well. Off to T1.

They had our T1 bag ready for us as we exited he pool. However, in the bag was my down jacket, fleece pants, and other warm clothes. So as she outstretched the bag to me, I shoved my goggles and swim cap in it and said thanks. Jessi and I both looked over the arrangement of the course and figured it would be faster to do all of T1 at the bike itself. So the T1 bag that everyone was grabbing, we did not. My wet body carried me barefoot through the 36 degree air temp and to my steed about 400 meters away. There I started the longest T1 I think I have ever done. I put on a vest, arm warmers (which I never rolled up) helmet, number belt, and gloves. I could see the people coming from the pool all dressed and ready to go. I grabbed my Trek and ran out of T1 and did the common flying mount. I am always a tad afraid of missing the seat, or having the seat fall down when I do that. It’s quite a spectacle to watch when it goes right, but would never be forgotten if it went wrong. Bottom line, I was off on the bike.

I brought my Trek up to speed and then started to fumble with my shoes to get my feet into them. I have never tried this with gloves before and struggled quite a bit. I think it took me about 2-3 minutes to finally get my feet in. And since this was such a short bike, I was wasting precious time. Once all secured in, I was able to start going. My watts went up rapidly and the adrenalin kicked in. The cool air was making a statement on my face and bare legs, but I knew things would adjust. But for the first few minutes, it felt like pins in my legs being poked all around. The first out and back is a slight downhill. I found myself in my largest gear turning it over pretty comfortable for a bit. I was passing people at a ferocious speed. Granted, some of them were in a completely different race, more than likely longer, and on mountain bikes, but I felt like a sports car on the freeway passing semi trucks up Snoqualmie Pass. I made it to the first turnaround where I could take a split on 2nd…or at least the guy who started the swim behind me. I figured I put over a minute into him in the first few miles. That was good. But I still had a 5k to run and I needed some more time. I continued to push some good watts and saw Jessi flying the other way. She was looking very comfortable and traveling at a high rate. I was finally making my way back to T2 and thought I would put in one more big effort before setting up for a dismount. As I approached T2 I got my feet out of the pedals and was ready to jump off at a pretty good clip. As usual, the official was waving his arms and yelling to stop..slow down…dismount here…all the same things they say when they don’t think that you see them. I jumped off at about 15 mph and skipped into T2. I wasn’t really “riding” my bike, but like running though a parking lot with a shopping cart, I was using it to propel me a bit.

I got to my transition spot and was able to get into my shoes quickly. I grabbed my Rudys and TIMEX visor and was off on the run. I started off the run with a quick turnover and figured I would give it what I had. It was only 5k, but it was still 5k. I got to the first marker that said “1.” Since we were in Canada, I knew that that was not a mile marker. But it came quickly. I eventually saw “2” and I knew I was close to the turnaround. It always feels better to be running back to the pasture so to speak. As I hit the turnaround, I took another split to see how far back second was. I was running well, I thought. I did finally see 2nd and he seemed to be running well, but was too far back to make a push for it. So now it was just me running against people I could not see. I started to look for Jessi and was hoping to see her soon. With all the people on the bike course, people being cold, and three 180 degree turnarounds, it all increases the chance of an accident. So when I saw her running up the hill, and looking strong, I knew she was doing well. She was trucking and looking good. I continued on towards the finish navigating all the turns and cones in the last kilometer. I saw the finish and just ran strong to the end. I crossed the line, they took off my timing strap, and then I started running back on the course to cheer Jessi in.

It wasn’t long before I saw her so I turned around knowing she would catch up to me quickly. As I turned around in the middle of the run course, I figured there were a few people that probably thought I was running in the race still and just turned around in the middle of the run. Oh well, not a big deal. I ran the last 1.5ks in with her and I could tell she was cruising. She even picked it up for the last ½ mile. I peeled off with about 300 meters to go and met her at the finish.

After crossing the line, we quickly went to get or bikes out of transition and got our warm clothes. We tried to look for some results, but none were posted. We saw that the awards ceremony was not for another 1.5 hours. So we headed back to the car, loaded it up, and were off to Spokane. It was good thing we left when we did, because we did not anticipate the 90 minute wait at the boarder. Yikes! That was frustrating. We were in a bit of a hurry because we wanted to get home and see Emma. The drive home was pretty uneventful other than consuming 5 Krispy Kreme donuts. That was pretty fun.

The 90 minute wait at the Boarder

Hmmm...what shall I have?

ALL MINE, Ah, Ha, Ha, Ha...

It was a great trip that found us home in 36 hours from start to finish. Both Jessi and I won overall for men and women. That was pretty cool. But it was definitely not a distance that we really wanted to race. But you race the race in front of you and do your best in that. Even with a race that short, that went pretty well, there were definitely things I would change if I were to do it again. But for what I knew, and what I had, I am happy with the race.

I love racing. I love the anxiousness and the feeling of “Why am I doing this?” that you experience. But at the end of the day, you always seem to know why. Never be afraid to test yourself… it’s what makes you better.

A Wolf in Sheep's Clothing

So I am not a huge calorie counter, or even someone who really watches too much what I eat. I am very thankful that Jessi takes care of 95% of that for me by shopping and getting foods that would benefit me more than others. If I were the one who did the shopping I would probably not get too far past the Hostess isle where I would be able to justify the raspberry filling in the powdered donut as a “fruit serving.” And the shredded coconut on the other ones has got to account for something…right? I do have a sweet tooth, and I LOVE Costco cake. I am not too sure what food group that falls into but I know there is a milk product in there and some fruit as well. And all those chemicals…come on, those are scientifically created. That is NASA stuff. Hi Tech means "good stuff" in the triathlon world.
So Kathy W. gave me a book called, “Calorie, Fat and Carbohydrate Counter.” It’s a great reference book to all kinds of foods. But more specifically, they have a big section in the back that has all the common restaurants, ice cream shops, and of course coffee houses. Once in particular, Starbucks. I have been known to go to Starbucks from time to time, but I am not what some would call a ‘regular,” or “addict.” But I thought I would take a peek at what one of my favorite treats had to offer. That being the infamous Pumpkin Scone. That innocent scone with a gourd for its name hiding under a silky layer of frosting. Yes, you know the one. It’s normally not available after 8:00am because of its popularity.

So what is the verdict? The Pumpkin Scone weighs in at a hefty (good word huh) 510 calories, 22 grams of fat, and 71 grams of carbohydrates. Now, I have to honest and say that these numbers really don’t mean too much to a guy that does not count calories. So I thought I would compare it to some items that would “outweigh” the delicate and delicious Pumpkin Scone.

Take for instance the Quarter Pounder with Cheese from McDonalds. That has got to be a killer. That grease bomb has 510 calories, 26 grams of fat, and 40 grams of carbohydrates. Pick up your jaw please. Yes, it’s true. I might as well go to McDonalds and get a Quarter Pounder with cheese if I get the Starbucks Pumpkin Scone in terms of base nutritional value. If you sat those two side by side, I would suspect that over 90% of people would think that the Quarter Pounder with cheese would be substantially worse for you. I am not too sure if I want people to se my car I the McDonald’s drive thru getting a coffee and Quarter Pounder each morning…but I might as well.

And those deep fried Chicken McNuggets that we all used to eat, but would not touch now because of how bad they ‘must be’ for us? A 6 piece meal has 250 calories, 15 grams of fat, and 15 grams of carbohydrates. That is practically a Weight Watchers Meal! Granted, if you want the sauce, that’s another 50 cals per container. Pretty disheartening really. I will stop now and simply provide a comparison chart to my once loved, wolf in sheep’s clothing, Pumpkin Scone.

Item_______________________Calories___Fat____Carbs
Starbucks Pumpkin Scone______510____ 22 ____71
McD Quarter Pounder w/Cheese_____510_____26_____40
6pc Chicken McNuggets___________250_____15______15
10pc Chicken McNuggets__________420_____25______26
Big Mac______________________540_____29______45
McD Hot Fudge Sundae___________330_____10______54
12oz Oreo McFlurry_____________560______16______88
Quizno’s Steakhouse Sub (6”)_______510______21______52

Just HAD to post these pics of Lance

I am obviously a huge cycling fan, and with that, a huge Lance fan as well. These pics were sent to me by Katie Hemenway from this year's Tour of California. I watched every stage of this year's race and loved it all. The fans that were there rivaled those of the Tour de France. I remember seeing this guy on one of the stages and was not too sure what he was trying to say with his dual tipped syringe. I was curious as to what message he was trying to deliver. Regardless, I think Lance's message was delivered better.

Notice Lance with the yellow/black helmet

Lance grabbing the guy's shoulder. Since the guy is running his spandex ass off on the edge of the road, covered in snow, his balance has got to be sub par. Notice that he has his cell phone clenched in his other hand.

Lance tosses him into the ditch like the prissy boy he is (I would suspect he goes by the name "anonymous"). The fall must have been hilarious to watch since he had his prop in one hand and his phone in the other. Lance is not in this picture because he is behind the Astana ride with the blue arm warmers. You can see Chris Horner (Astana) laughing a few riders back and a guy from Saxo (in white jersey at end of pic) laughing as well.

This picture is pretty tame since this could have resulted in a crash since he sluffed so much snow on to the road from the bank. But I would imagine that if he were to have caused a riders to go down, the subsequent pummeling that he would have received would have added to another great series of photos.

Emma’s First Ride of the Year

Once again, Emma ceases to amaze me. After 2 days of alpine skiing at Schweitzer, and skiing the steeps, the ice, the powder, and trees, she comes home and wants to ride her bike on the trainer. Oh, it gets better…she wants to do it while watching the Tour of California. Are you kidding? Are there cameras around watching me? Is this a joke someone is playing on ME? It just brings a tear to my eye.
So I got one of the trainers from the basement and her 50lb bike from the garage. While doing this Emma was getting on her cycling gear and her nutrition for the ride (e.g. a waterbottle). I got her bike set up on the trainer, with many books stacked under the front wheel to bring it level with the rear wheel. I don’t think they really make indoor trainers for bikes this size. Just don’t think there is a huge market for them. Once set up, off she went.

She rode for about 15-20 minutes at a variety of intensities…set by her of course. She did want me to tell her when 2 minutes were up because she wanted to do some ‘fast pedals’ and then wanted to do some lower cadence tempo intervals. I am not making this up…these are HER words. You can verify this with Jessi. She was holding back the laughter. Again, laughter in amazement.

This, again, shows me that kids model what they see their parents do, and the people their parents associate with. I know that many of your eyebrows just went up as the rolladex in your mind is scrolling through all your friends that may not necessarily be ‘good influences’ on your children. Don’t worry, Emma has those too. But it’s always a relief when she reflects on ‘good choices’ and choices that kids her age, and adults, make that are not necessarily good ones. That’s pretty rewarding.
Emma is the benefactor of many people’s love…friends and family alike. We know that we are fortunate to have such a great support system for her. And obviously so is she.

Ironman To Charge Professionals...BIG change.

I was forwarded this link HERE to the recent changes in the professional/elite policy regarding entries into North America IM events. Currently, as an amateur, my response was, ‘Big deal, we all have to pay.” But as I ponder this more deeply, I scratch my head. I know they were probably not made in haste, but just curious as to why they were made.

Here are my primary concerns:
1. Pro/Elite fields will diminish in size. Many pro athletes register in hopes of having a ‘good day.’ Some do, some don’t. So when you look at a race like IM Cda, a pro field will be much smaller. As a result, I think it will be less exciting for the spectators and amateurs alike and will ultimately decrease the interest in the ‘race’ itself. I support the decision in giving a complementary entry to those that were in the top 3 from the prior year. I think all races should do that.

2. With the economy the way it is, I really doubt that the professional/elite athlete will pay the entry fee to do a race that they think they might ‘have a shot at.’ So rather than doing 2 or 3, they will maybe do 1. Most of these athletes are on a shoestring budget, and entry fees for IM races are huge ($500+). By doing this, they are truly turning this into an elitist sport and not affording blooming and struggling athletes the opportunity to race in such events. We have provided homestays for multiple pro/elite athletes (Tom Soderdahl, Tiina Bowman) in the past years and know that this is a tough sport and expensive.

Since they have not stated, or I have not read, why they have increased the fee, the following are just shots in the dark for solutions. But I would suspect that it comes down to a couple things. One being that people are just signing up at the last minute and are really not ‘prepared’ to race and creates headache and ultimately costs you money. Two is that it might be that they are losing too much money per athlete. Even though their entry is waived, it still costs IM money for them to race. Someone has to cover it.

Solutions:
1. Charge a reduced fee. I feel by doing this it would discourage those that would just sign up because they can. This would show some kind of investment on their part. Say like $100-$200.

2. If a pro/elite athlete does not finish a certain number of IM events that they registered for as an elite/pro, then they will be required to pay the full entry in the next event they register for. This way it would deter athletes from registering and then dropping out of the run because they are out of the prize money. I know this was a topic on a recent podcast.

There is no doubt they put on great races and truly have marketed the brand, and triathlon, well. I have paid for many IM entry fees and have never regretted it. Even last year when I registered for IM Cda and ended up racing Oly races instead. It was a donation to triathlon :). But I am not a professional triathlete, I am a teacher. The decision they are making I simply don’t truly understand and I think it penalizes athletes that are struggling as it is. I don’t know how that helps to promote triathlon or IM.

Feel free to contact Heather Fuhr regarding this (heather@ironman.com). I emailed her my concerns and she was very gracious in receiving them and passed them on to management. Take a look at the link above. And if you feel like it, email Heather. I really think that this hurts some great blooming athletes out there.

A Little Valentine Du

Last weekend we were able to drive a few miles across the state of Washington and get in our first duathlon, and race, of the season. There is a guy over in Olympia that puts on a bunch of races throughout the year. They are normally very casual and pretty much everyone gets something. Never money though. This race would not disappoint.

6 of us piled into the Excursion at 5:30pm on Saturday and made the 4.5 hour pilgrimage. The drive was easy and pretty uneventful. When Emma is awake it means we watch a lot of “princess" movies if we are interested in actually watching them. But normally she just puts on the infrared headsets and we have some ‘adult’ conversations. We arrived a about 11:00 pm after a couple stops and “redirections.”

We woke up to share in the luxurious continental breakfast that is always served by such deluxe hotels as the ones we choose to pile 6 people in to. Since the race was not until 2:30pm, it created a little bit of a challenge in terms of what to eat and when. But ya know, who cares. It’s a short duathlon and it’s all for fun. Aren’t they all?

We arrived at the race and it seemed like it was bumper to bumper trying to get a parking spot. There was a marathon and ½ marathon going on which had already started. I later found out that there were about 400 athletes there that day. We found a spot and got out of the car in the 44 degree air. Initially it felt great. But after about 20 minutes we found ourselves bundled back up in the car.

With about 40 minutes to go, I thought it would be prudent to start getting things together. No matter how casual you make it, you still need to make it to the start line on time. I switched my wheels and changed into some clothes that I could ride in, and went to the transition area. I have to say that I really do not enjoy duathlons…actually really don’t like them. But there are aspects about them I do like. For example, transitions. Helmet and shoes. That’s all you really need. So I got a spot and set everything up. I went for a short ride to make sure I still knew how to ride a bike since I had not ridden one outside since November. But it seems to come back to you. I can’t say that I ever feel ‘good’ on race day. Whenever I go and warm up I feel tired, legs feel slow, or as Norman would say, “I have no powah!” I actually smiled this time knowing that I was fine, this was just something that I experience.

After riding I rolled back into my spot and cleared everything out. I took some final sips of an illegal concoction…the same one Lance uses I think, and then was headed for the start line. I normally am nervous and need to pee, just like everyone else. But normally it’s not bad and I just race anyway. But this time I felt like I really needed to take care of this. So I ran off in the bushes and found a large tree to take cover behind. As I stood there I thought about them actually starting while I was back there. I was trying to listen, but there were too many people. Then I started to think about being able to make up the difference if they did? Could I make up that 100 yards of the entire race course? Made me think. But I was done. Ahhh…much better. As I was running back to the finish I heard Mark yell for me as if they were going to start…and they were. I have missed the start of a race before because I was changing shoes in the car. Ironically it was a duathlon and Mark was at that one too.

The race took off and I was not really “in the front.” I was about 12 back. I had not even started to breathe hard at all but I knew all this would catch up soon. I eventually made my way to more of the front and then we made the turn to come back. The course was not measured totally right, but I felt like I was running okay. Hopefully faster than a than an 12 minute mile. I came into T1 in 2nd and left in first. Once on the bike I feel a lot more comfortable. Not that I was going fast, but just more comfortable. The course was an honest course. Rolling terrain that was never steep enough to be spun out, or turn into a climber’s race. Since I warmed up on the course, I knew there was a slight headwind going out and that would mean a little faster coming back. Throughout the ride I was reminded about how different it is to ride outside versus inside. Though I was trying to ride steady, I kept finding myself switching cadences which was new for me. When I am on the trainer, I find a wattage to ride at and then maintain the exact same cadence for the ride. With all the rollers my cadence would change and I would wonder if I needed to shift or what. The legs would burn, so I would ease up a bit, and then increase effort, then ease up.

I ended up passing a few signs for the run races that were going on which always made me think that it might be the turnaround…nope. Then after a bit I came to a spot on the road where there were many chalk marks indicating a turn. So I turned. These guys looked at me a little perplexed and I asked if this was the turnaround. Fortunately they knew where it was and said no, it’s down that road. So I had to turn around and get back on the main road and get going again. Probably lost about 20 seconds? Once back on the road it was not far to the turnaround. As I approached it, the lady came out to the middle of the road and said, “Turn somewhere around here.” ‘Somewhere?’ Really? You are being that specific? So I turned around, said thank you, and started heading back. I took a split to see how far up I was. I knew I lost a little time, but I should still have a little gap. I looked at my watch as the two guys behind me went flying by. It felt like there was a slight tailwind so it would be fast going back. And as a result, not as much of time gains. I was able to see Jessi, Matt and Mark on the way back and it was fun to see them out there too. Now it was all about getting to T2 first.

I got into T2 and was off running again. I could hear Emma cheering. Her little voice is so cute. In the first couple minutes I felt horrible, but after that things seemed to settle in. I saw the guys behind me coming in on the bike but knew I had a big enough gap at that point. I rounded the turnaround and was heading back. I saw 2nd and 3rd very close to one another behind me. I came into the finish and was happy it was over and excited to see the data from the bike and run splits to use for future training. I was able to see Jessi, Matt and Mark too and cheer them on. I actually was able to run with Jessi which was fun. I knew she was running hard because it took me quite bit to catch up with her. She ran strong on both runs and had a great bike…as usual. She ended up crossing first for women. But like me, it really wasn’t about the pacing, it was about the data afterwards. We hung out for a bit and headed out. I think all of us were pretty hungry and we had quite a drive ahead of us.

BUT since it was Sunday, that means it is Sunday Sweet Day... for me anyway. The one day a week that I indulge in sweets. The rest of the week I don’t eat any (sweets as in cup cakes, cookies, candy bars, pop, etc.). So in a matter of a few hours I was able to consume an Oreo cookie milkshake, 2 Pepsis, a 12oz Red Bull, 3 raspberry filled powdered doughnuts, one large pink cookie, a Tollhouse ice ream cookie, a large bottle of Gatorade, and a bag of Smartfood. Mmm…I am looking forward to Sunday right now :) I got to bed at 2:00am and was up again at 7:00am to start another wonderful Monday.

I am pretty excited to think that it is the 2nd week in February and I have one race in. Pretty cool.

Best Of The US

This was an eventful trip in many ways but as far as a race goes, it was a bit of a disappointment. The race will come further down on this post.

Upon arrival to Phoenix, I got a text from Bruce Gennari (TIMEX athlete) letting me know that he was there and about to get something to eat. I knew I would not be able to connect with him, but it was nice to know he was there and ready to make a weekend of it.

I collected my bike and headed out to get on the Best Western shuttle, which I did. But ended getting on the wrong one…the one that went to the airport Best Western. Fortunately I did not leave the terminal and waited a bit longer. I stood there next to the curb in about 85 degree heat in the shade. Just like the weather I left in Spokane.

I got checked in to my hotel and waited for Chris Thomas (TIMEX rider) to get there. I got my bike all put together and put on the new front wheel that I got from Fitness Fanatics. Thanks Robin. It all went together fine and looked tough. I watched some educational shows, like I always do when I travel, and waited for Chris to get there. I was getting hungry and fortunately Chris was on his way and he wanted food too.

I met him in the lobby where we both introduced ourselves to another triathlete, Chris Fetter form Nevada. Chris and I both raced at the Rage in the Sage in Nevada in April. That is where he qualified. He was interested in getting some food too and he had a car. So he hauled Chris and I to eat at some fancy pub. It was cool to get to know Chris and hear about him and what he does and the connection he has to the PNW. He was supposed to be staying with Bruce…kind of funny…but ended up staying at our hotel instead. We all planned on getting up and going for a ride in the morning after our continental breakfast.

The morning came and off we went to get some grub. And guess who showed up for breakfast? Bruce. He spent a lot of time at our hotel. Much more than at his own. I think the people actually thought he was a guest since he was there each morning for breakfast and using the shuttle service. We also ran into Cindi Bannick (TIMEX rider) and her roommate Crystal who is originally form Belgium and racing for Georgia. As you can tell we were turning into quite a pack. We decided that morning to go for a ride and check out the run course. We left at about 9:00am and the sun was already out and making a statement. The high on Saturday was to be 92 degrees. We definitely did not want to hang out in that too long. So we rode around town, attempted to ride what we thought was the run course, and then headed back to the hotel to shower and get ready to drive the bike course and get something to eat.

We took 2 cars to drive this bike course that had 5 ‘out and backs’ (e.g. 180 degree turnarounds) as well as twenty 90 degree turns. We would do 2 laps of this supposedly totaling 27 miles. We would later find out that the race distance would be about 31-32 miles. This course was pretty complicated, but would probably make more sense once it was marked with cones and volunteers. But for the time being, it was very difficult to navigate. We finally finished the drive and decided to check in and then get some food.

After we walked all over a 1 block area looking for the ‘right’ place with 6 different ideas, we ended up back at the place we went last night. It was good, but I have to say I was getting tired of the place already.

We all decided it was about nap time and we needed to get the gear set up for the mandatory bike check in at 4:00pm. Having forgot my shoes at my last race, I decided that it would be pretty important to take a good inventory of what I was bringing this time. Some of the items that we got at this race were pretty cool. For numbers, they were actually temporary tattoos that we placed on ourselves. Knowing how complicated these ‘can’ be, I knew this was a good idea that was going to go bad. But what do I know, this was my first year. The race numbers and the numbers on the bike were pretty cool. They had the state flag on them with the state name. And the number that we each got corresponded with the order in which our state became a ‘state,’ or part of the union. Good thinking.
Chris and I got our bikes ready pretty quickly and were ready to go to the pre race meeting with everyone. This was a meeting for only the Best of the US athletes at a local Mexican restaurant. The race staff really tries to make this event very personal and makes each athlete feel ‘special.’ Jerry, the race promoter, knows every athlete by name and their results. His excitement for this race, and enthusiasm is honest and sincere which instills a lot of confidence that he has things well thought out. As we walked into the restaurant, Jerry welcomed us and put a pin on our shirt that was a BOUS pin. Then we sat and waited for the meeting to begin. We were told all about the course, when we would race, some complication, and some other neat aspects to this race. We then left there and headed out for an all athlete photo where we were given our state flag. This is where I found out that Tracy Orcutt, the woman representative form Washington, did not show up. That was kind of a bummer. This would mean that we (Washington) would not be eligible for a state award. Oh well. Not that I was there racing for Washington…but I was from Washington. We got the photo taken and now we were off to an Italian restaurant. I must state that the ASU was playing Oregon this weekend, so getting into any place was tough. So a group of 15 of us waited about 50 minutes to get in. A little long for me really, but we were there and it was a great group of people. As a matter of fact, the people that were in our group occupied 4 of the top 10 places in the men’s race. It was nice to get to know some people I have raced against quite a few times this year but have not had the time to actually have a conversation with.

After dinner, people were pretty excited to leave and get to bed. Chris and I were able to turn off the lights at about 8:45pm. That was a good feeling since we had a 6:30am race start, which would mean we would need to get up at about 4:00am. Morning would come fast.

I ended up waking up a bunch of times, but I felt like I got some good sleep as well. We hit the continental breakfast with some of the other athletes and were off to the race course. We were pretty close to the race venue so we arrived promptly at 5:15...plenty of time to get the wheels pumped up and transition area set up. And maybe even a warm up. New concept for me. At this time in the morning, it’s still very dark which made getting things in the right place and seeing exactly what pressure your tires were really at. Though it was dark, I loved the idea that we would be on the course before the sun came up. The only downside of all this is that I only brought tinted goggles which made it difficult to see the buoys. But who really sights off those anyway? I would not lead since Bruce was there as well as some other legit swimmers. I just needed to follow the splashing.

I went for a quick run with Chris and Chris and made one last stop at the port potty. I got on my B70 Helix and headed to the swim start in a very murky reservoir. I actually did a little warm up swim too… all these new things :). The national anthem was sung, and all of a sudden we had 2 minutes to go. The nerves started flying and people were getting really excited and pushing close to the front. I felt like I was getting squished, so I made my way to the front and possibly a little across the line. The countdown began and more eeking forward occurred. Then it was go time. I was worried about the start of this race because it was the most competitive field I have ever raced in. All the people there had won a race in their own state that was a qualifier for this race. So just about everyone thought they had a legitimate chance of winning this thing…and it all starts with the swim. I took off fast with fast turnover and moving at a good clip. I got clear of most the chaos and found myself with about 5 in front and a couple around. With 86 people in this race, I knew I was near the front and now I would just need to make sure I did not get sucked up and blown out. The first turn came pretty quickly. But I could see someone moving off the front. I knew that was Bruce and he would lead the swim. The second buoy came pretty quickly too which also meant we were on our way back. There was a bit of bumping and kicking, but all unintentional I would think. I could not see any of the turn buoys because of all the splashing and my tinted goggles. But I knew I was on track. Most the guys I was with seemed to swim straight. Then we made the final turn and I was on my way to the exit steps which were pretty easy to see. I started to think about the bike and what I needed to do. That seems to relax me a bit for some reason. I don’t think I slow down too much, but it helps me to set up for that. I got to the stairs and got up them quickly. This is the same swim reservoir and steps that they use for IM Arizona. I got out and eventually found out I swam a 11:04 for 1000 meters…ya right. In other words, the course was short…real short. Now many people would think that this is not necessarily a bad thing. This is a bad thing. Not because good swimmers don’t get an advantage, but it ends up making the bike really congested and creates ‘packs, ‘ a little foreshadowing? I think I was 10th out of the swim, but was 5th onto the bike.
My transition was quick and I wanted to get on my bike fast. I passed 3 guys in the first 500 meters and there was one guy out front. After about 2 miles I could tell it was my fellow TIMEX teammate, Bruce Gennari. I looked behind me to see what was going on and it seemed like some guys were trying to close on me or ride the same pace. This was a VERY technical course, as I said before. I wanted to put some time on these guys by riding this course aggressively, but smart. You can take some risks in these corners, but you could not be stupid. I attacked out of every corner trying to put a little time on these guys through each one. After about 3 miles I was 10 seconds behind Bruce. At about mile 5 I took the lead. I was watching my power to make sure I was not pushing too hard. After the first turn around I could tell I was putting time into the field, but also saw that there was a pretty big group behind an initial 4 that were chasing me ‘legally.’ After about 15 miles, the group was one big pack. Not a strung out group, but a pack. Like 3 abreast, 1 foot off one another’s wheels…a pack. This resembled something from the Tour de France. No kidding. The first few times I saw this, it really took the wind out of my sails. I thought about giving up and sitting in like the rest of them. But what good would that do me? I know I would regret it, and many of these guys are flat out better runners than me. So though I could be in the group with them, they would still run away from me. So I kept at it and was trying to take some splits on them. At times it seemed like they were closing, but not fast. Then all of a sudden I had a 50 second lead. I knew it would take a solid effort by the group to close that and I did not think anyone would really want to risk it. So I plodded away and figured I was getting some good exposure for TIMEX and Trek. Not to mention I enjoy leading the bike. I was hoping that Bruce and Chris were benefiting form the others chasing me and that they would have some rested legs for the run too.

I came into T2 fast dodging a few pedestrians along the way. I dismounted and quickly got on my Zoot shoes. I was off and running and knew I had a bit of a gap but did not know how much. Later I found out I was about 1 minute ahead. I was running okay but that 1st mile is always tough. I knew I put a little more out there on the bike than I normally would…but I was good with that. I ran through the first aid station and got poor service, as expected. When you are the first person, you never know what you might get…or not get. As I blew through the first one and missed a couple cups, I actually heard one of the volunteers say, “I guess they are not going to stop.” I don’t blame them. I know they are doing their best, but it’s just another hurdle you get to deal with. I made it to mile 1 still leading. I think I made it about 1.5 miles before I was passed by 4 guys that are amazing runners. Fortunately, one of them was Chris, my fellow TIMEX teammate. So that felt good. He is a phenomenal runner, so I knew he would do well. After they passed me, they seemed to slow down a bit. But not to my speed. Chris later told me that they were running so friggin’ fast, that he knew someone, maybe even him, was going to blow up. I would suspect they were at about a 5:15 mile for the first mile. But once the carrot was caught (me) it seemed like they settled in. I was not feeling great and got passed by a few more. I just kept plodding along and getting to the aid stations. There was one turnaround and I was able to see how far up the front was and how close the people behind were. At about that time Bruce passed me and gave me a little push…literally. He looked like he had a good pace going, but he was in sight the rest of the way after about the 4.5 mile point. I had no clue what place I was in. Definitely not the top 10, but somewhere in the teens. But there were people close behind and people close in front. I wasn’t sure if I was running from people, or trying to catch people. Regardless, we were crossing the final bridge and I was running with a guy from Delaware who said we had about a mile to go. I wasn’t too sure how accurate he was, but it sounded good to me. We eventually were back running along the water and headed to the finish. We crossed the 6 mile mark so I figured we had a half mile to go. A solid 3 minute effort was all I needed to do. So I picked it up and caught up to Delaware and encouraged him on to one final effort. But I did not seem to get a response. I could see I was closing on Bruce, but did not think I would be able to close that gap with 300 meters to go. But it looked like he was in a tough spot and I closed it to be running next to him. This race has a big slip ‘n slide at the end that I told him we could slide down together and he thought that would be cool. We rounded the corner together and crossed the line together but missed the slip ‘n slide. But the best part of it all…we were done. It was a frustrating day for both of us. He is an amazing swimmer that was unable to get the gap he needed, or normally is capable of, because the swim was so short. I worked hard on the bike and had a good gap, but was run down fairly quickly by guys that were drafting. But the highlight, Bruce was first out of the swim and I was first off the bike. Everything would have been perfect if Chris would have been first across the line. So it’s all his fault :). Na, just kidding. He ran so well, but the guy who won ran just a little better. He had a great day, on the run.
I ended up finding out from the official that they were aware of the pack and had actually written up a bunch of violations, but then did not submit them because there were so many people involved and she felt the course made it difficult for the packs to separate. What? Are you kidding me? It’s a non-draft legal race, but all of a sudden it turns out to be okay? Just wish I would have known. They could have told me that since I was off the front bustin’ my ass for 27 miles. Whoops, that wasn’t right, it was actually 31-32 miles. Slightly off. So I was hanging out there for 31 miles. Oh well. I had a great ride and my power average was higher in this race than it’s been in any race I have done. And there were a lot of coasting into corners. So I know I rode well. I can go home and know that.

Obviously a lot of frustration from this race, much like ITU Worlds in Vancouver. But it all boils down to this. If the USAT cannot get courses that can facilitate a ‘fair’ race, people are simply going to stop coming to them. Clearwater is a perfect example. I thought the USAT National course in Portland was great. It was challenging enough to break things up and I did not see any drafting there and I did not hear any complaints either. I think most athletes would agree, but for some reason race directors don’t think about this. A lot of people have stopped going to ITU or USAT championship events because they simply are not fair, and the race officials do not enforce their own rules. It’s sad and I hope more attention is paid to this in the future. These races cost too much, and people train too hard, not to be treated to an honest race. Enough said.

After we all licked our wounds, and people shared their view of the pack on the bike course, we decided to head back and get some lunch. We went to another sports bar and ate outside and shared more stories and talked about what’s up for the rest of the year. Chris Fetter (from Nevada) decided to head out. He had to drive 5 hours home. I hope we all cross paths with him in the future. After eating some strawberry shortcake (that is what I ordered) we headed back to the hotel to pack the bikes and get ready for our departure. But before we did, Bruce and I still needed to hit the In and Out burger joint. I had never been there and he said it’s a must do. So we went and got our orders to go. I ordered the ‘Double Double’ with sautéed onions with fries, soda and a chocolate milkshake. Bruce ordered a couple burgers fries and a soda. We took them back to the hotel and ate it all there while watching “Goodwill Hunting” and “Patch Adams.” Nice way to end the trip really. We both jumped on the Best Western shuttle to the airport. Again, Bruce was not even a guest here but took advantage of all of its offerings.

And now I am on the plane.

On a HUGE side note, that I thought I would put at the end, while I was down at this race Jessi ended up getting in a bad bike accident on a ride with the club out north on Sunday. I have not even seen her yet, but apparently a deer (a buck with antlers) ran out in front of her and she ended up going over the bars and hitting her head pretty hard. She was taken by ambulance on a backboard and in a c-collar to the hospital. She suffered a pretty solid concussion ruining her helmet. She also got some road rash on her lower back. She is doing okay now, but I have to say a huge thank you to all the friends and family that were there for her while I could not be. When I heard about this I was pretty freaked out, but I started to hear all the people who were there and all the people that were helping out with everything. So a big thank you to Greg, Ken, Steve, Tiffany, Natalie, Tim Swanson, Nate, Tricia, Steve W., Eric, Linda, Mom, Dad, Tim Seppa, and probably a host of others. Though I wish I could have been there, I knew she was in amazing hands with all of you. What great friends and family we have. I really appreciate all of your support.

Nationals

“Ten minutes and the transition area needs to be cleared out,” the announcer says. As I get the final touches on my transition area, that I showed up a tad late to, I reach into my bag to find out that I do not have my cycling shoes. Folks, this IS a nightmare. Nationals, and I don’t have my cycling shoes. The thought of asking others if they had an extra pair crossed my mind, but was pointless. I was hoping they were in the car in another bag…hoping. If they were not, that meant that they were about 45 minutes away and I would be screwed. Here’s the corker in it all…the car is a 4 mile shuttle ride form the race venue. Yes, 4 miles. And yes a friggin’ shuttle ride. I really tried to stay calm here. But I am at a race where my wave starts in 45 minutes and I do not have my shoes and they are a total of 8 miles (there and back) away via a school bus shuttle. Things re not looking good, but I thought if this was going to happen, it would not happen with me thinking about it. So I ran up to the road where the shuttle ‘was’ regularly dropping people off. I sat there and waited what seemed like 20 minutes, but I would suspect it was more like 10. Oh, it gets better. Since the race waves had started, the busses could no longer go the 4 mile way, they now had to go all the way around the lake which was 8 miles. Crap! I told the driver my dilemma and he said, ‘get in and I will do my best.’ I have to say that I have never been on a school bust that has been driven like this one. This driver was phenomenal. My guess is this was a life long dream for him. To have some guy jump in this giant but he has driven hundreds of thousands of miles and say ‘follow that car.’ Well, kind of like that I guess. He closed the bi-fold doors and we were off. That bus was doing things that I never thought possible. We were carving corners like bobsled. I was holding on to the seats as to not fall off. I did not want to comment on how fast he was driving because I did not want him to think that I did not approve. So I sat there and watched this guy do his thing. I was doing the math in my mind thinking that if he just averaged 30mph, it would be 16 minutes. Then 1 minute to get to my shoes, and another 10 minutes back (4 miles back). Then, of course, I still needed to get ready for the race. So I had 45 minutes, and about 37 was accounted for. That meant I would need to get my wetsuit on while on the bus. So I did. I got some odd looks, but it was necessary. The B70 Helix is so easy to put on, you can really do it anywhere. I just hope that TIMEX does not get any complaints. I could really go on and on about the details of this ‘bus trip’ but I need to get to the race part.

Needless to say, I made it. Jessi coordinated with a volunteer in T1 to get my cycling shoes to my transition area and all was ready. I was able to actually say hello to some TIMEX friends. They laughed, and I guess I could as well…now. A big thank you to Ken who was about to give me his shoes and did everything he could to help me. Also, thanks to Jessi for sending text while I was on the bus telling me to ‘stay calm,’ ‘take it easy, and ‘focus on the race.’ All which helped.

Walking down to the start

I ended up lining up right in the middle, which I thought was odd since no one else was there. I thought that maybe I was missing something. Was thins a ‘bad’ spot? Oh well, I would not be there long. As I sat there at the dock, I could hear Emma yelling ‘Go Daddy!’ about 7 times in a row. No one but me know who she was yelling at, and some guys smiled thinking it was cute…probably Dads too wishing their kiddos were there yelling for them. I waved and we had 1 minute to go.

The countdown came and the horn sounded. I think it was horn, might have been a gun too. But I was off. I put my head down and started an aggressive start to try and get away from all the bodies and get a little open water. It seemed like everyone was right there but I was far enough away as to not get all tangled up. After about 300 meters, it seemed like I was by myself. There were people around, but not all that close. I really like to have my own water and focus on my own speed. So that was nice. I was swimming well and pretty straight form what I could tell. I made the two turns of the far end and was heading back. The swim was just too easy…no people…no problems. I eventually found myself swimming with another guy at the same speed. So I tucked in behind and could ease up a bit. I then started to go around him and found myself just swimming next to him so I backed off and stayed behind to rest a bit before T1. I cam out right behind him and swam a 19:37 which I was happy with.

Waving at Emma and Jessi form swim start

Running to T1

The run to T1 was pretty tough up a steep boat ramp. But you just do it and get up there. I had a ‘fairly’ smooth T1 since I really never saw where my shoes were placed because it was a volunteer that Jessi asked to put there since it was closed when I arrived. But sure enough, they were there. So instead of having the shoes on my bike, with rubber bands, I had to put on my shoes and then helmet and off I went. I mounted quickly, clicked in, and was now off on the bike. I passed a few people in the first 75 yards and then we were immediately into a ‘no pass zone.’ These can be good or bad. If you are alone, or leading, they are good. If you are behind a 60 year old woman trying to put on her arm warmers while she rides up the hill, it’s bad. I was patient and as soon as I got out of the no pass zone, I passed everyone that was there. I was anxious and was ready to get this bike leg going. It was 2 laps of a 20k course that was rolling. Nothing too steep, so it kept your effort honest the entire way. I was feeling good and was staying on top of my hydration and watching my power as I was flying by other age groups. My Trek TTX felt right at home on this course…smooth, powerful, and efficient. I saw a few people out on the course that I cheered on. Some being TIMEX people like Cindi :) I was watching my time as I came around on both laps. I remembered that sub hours were not all that common last year and I thought I would be right around a mid 58 minute which was good. I rolled in to T2 and was off the bike in on to the run pretty easily. Zoot shoes make transitions way to easy. Unfortunately, I see a lot more people wearing them. My advantage is disappearing.

Riding out of T1

Coming in off the bike to T2

I headed out on the run and was feeling pretty good. It’s a very challenging run and you seem to be going up or down all the time. It’s important to take advantage of the downs as much as the ups, so I did my best to do that. I knew Chris Thomas was behind me (another phenomenal TIMEX athlete) and could easily run me down if he was close. I saw him coming in on the bike when I had only been running 1:15. So I figured I had about 2:30 on him… not enough. But I would still need to run hard regardless. I felt like my cardio was there and my legs were doing well. I always know I am in trouble when my breathing is in control and my legs are tired. This was not the case. I eventually got to the 3 mile point and saw Jason Schott coming back. Crap… he was ¼ mile ahead and I was sure I was not making ground on him. I eventually made it to the turnaround and looked t my watch. I ran for about 45 seconds and then saw Chris and Craig Greenslit. Craig runs even faster than Chris. So I knew I was in double trouble now. I thought I might be in 2nd, and if they both pass me, it would be 4th. Nothing really magical about that for me, but I still needed to run hard. I finally hit mile 5 and I seemed to be still running hard. At about the 5.5 mile point, Craig passed me. He went by fast, but then faded quite a bit. But was then able to pick it up again on the downhill sections. I knew that Christ had to be close. I thought I would need to run hard for 4 minutes, that’s it. I hit the final uphill section that was not as ‘uphill’ as I thought it was. It was pretty flat really. So I kept up the tempo and made the final turns down to the finish area. I was still worried and glanced back another time just to see. People on the side said that there was no one behind. That’s funny, because I can see Chris right back there and that guy can close a gap like adolescent braces can. I came around the final turn and was on the red carpet of the finishing stretch. I was so excited. I had no clue hat place I was in, but I really felt like I race this race an honest effort. Swam well, rode well, and ran my best. I definitely did not out run Chris, he’s was faster than me, but I was simply able to hold him off. I hope because I my effort, he was able to elevate his effort as well and give something of himself he was proud of too.

Starting the run

Crossing the finish line

"Legendary" Chris Thomas and me


Bruce Gennari and me (National Champion when it was held in Cda)

Ken, me, and Greg

Afterwards we all talked and were happy it was done. Ken Collins and Greg Gallagher both came in too with solid efforts. We were the only 3 men from Spokane and I think we did well.

Awards ceremony

Thanks to Jessi, Emma, and Natalie who were the sherpas and cheer squad for the day. Couldn’t have done it without you guys. Also a huge shout out to Ironheads Triathlon Club who set us up with a stellar home stay. Grant Folske gave up his bachelor pad condo for all of us to stay at and he stayed at his girlfriends. What an amazing guy. And get this, he raced too!

Greg, Natalie, and Ken

Emma

Grant and Ginny

Congrats to all the TIMEX athletes who showed up and raced. I am honored to don the orange of TIMEX. Watching all of you race makes me race harder. Nice work Ian, Bruce, Chris, Julie and Cindi. You guys are awesome.

The TIMEX crew (L-R)
Roger, Chris, Ian, Cindi, and Bruce
not pictured: Julie