Athlete Reports

Joan Murray: "Appointed USAT Northeast Paratriathlon Point Person"

Tristar Athlete — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 16:09:00 GMT

Hi Coach Cliff:

It’s been a busy off season and I have lots of news to share. I was just appointed to USAT’s North East Regional Council and will be the point person on Paratriathlon. This was an unexpected honor that came from my work with the Challenged Athletes Foundation. The USAT job will heat once the race season kicks off. Which is perfect, since I’m taking a sabbatical this winter to intern at CU Boulder where researchers are studying amputee runners.

There’s been a lot of discussion about whether or not the Cheetah Running Blades give an athlete an advantage. I’ve wondered that same thing, particularly during a race where I ran with, then was passed by, a guy running on Blades. (Him: “This is some hill”. Me: “Whimper”.) The researchers in Boulder are proving that there is, in fact, no advantage. http://www.colorado.edu/news/r/14de1a1049d4df00e6fd0614606e42d5.html

One of my responsibilities with USAT will be to recruit and train handlers for the paraathlete. On race day, handlers do everything from delivering prosthetics at swim exit, to helping wheelies in T1 and T2, as well as racing in tandem with blind athletes. Elite blind athletes need an elite athlete to swim/bike/run with them acting as a guide. It's an unbelievably cool program. Much more on this as it develops.

So, that’s all my work news, but what I really want to say is, ”Woohoo! I’m going to train in Boulder!” I was out there in October and totally fell in love with the town. If MGM were to make a musical about triathlon it would be set in Boulder. Every one is so happy, I wouldn’t have been surprised if people broke into song. And everyone starts sentences with, "I'm an Ironman..."

I'll be training at Flatiron fitness and creating red blood cells like a champ. I'll have to work up the nerve to attend the masters swim. In the outdoor pool. In January. Ugh.

But I'm a little nervous to run into Gregg Bennett again. You know he's stalking me? Elite athletes often stalk middle of the pack-ers. No? Ok. But he is everywhere I go. I got lost while driving in Boulder, and pulled over to ask directions. This incredibly fit, blond couple went by on their bikes. I got a good look at them; absolutely Laura and Gregg Bennett. Then there was the time they swam across the pool at St. A’s to chat up a woman sitting next to me. Yeah, I’m being stalked…it’s a burden.

But in all seriousness, I don’t think I’d be this deeply involved in paratriathlon without all the Tristar support I’ve gotten these last few years. As always, thanks for all.

~Joan

Marisa D'adamo: "Austin 70.3 Race Report"

Tristar Athlete — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 20:13:00 GMT

As a newcomer to triathlon, Ive learned the hard way, because I thought I could do it on my own. I took on my first half IM 8 weeks after learning to swim and ride, and my first IM 10 months, later just to get sick on the second half of the run course. My legs may have been ready and my training may have been adequate, but I had no idea how much there was to learn, how much could go wrong and the 4th sport...nutrition. At Austin 70.3, despite getting lost in the swim and going off course, my swim lessons with Cliff mustve paid off...I got a 3 second PR. Then I made up for lost time on the bike, a 20 minute PR. But losing my salt on the bumpy road proved costly, with a longer run time than expected. I learned again, the hard way, that while we think we may not need a coach for some training aspects, they can help us avoid costly errors. Next season, I plan on coaching with Cliff, not just learning to swim, so I can start racing at my potential that I know is there.

marisa r d'adamo ms pt scs atc
owner/board certified sports physical therapist

Vinu Malik of FUEL BELT: "My ultimate Hawaii Ironman race report"

Tristar Athlete — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 14:52:00 GMT

This report is from our good friends at Fuel Belt. Congratulations Vinu on a gutsy race : )

my ultimate Hawaii Ironman Race Report:

It was hot, I went for it on the run, I blew myself to bits, I spent 7 miles getting to know myself really well, then I thought of Jasmine waiting at the finish line and blew doors home over the last 10K to finish in 10:40. It was not my fastest time in Kona, but it was not my slowest. After 28 of these, it was good for me to take some chances. I love this race, it's clearly difficult, but it's all about the experience. When you see what others are going through it makes your race seem incredibly insignificant. Throughout the week I met cancer survivors, athletes without legs, arms, athletes of all ages, first timers, diabetics, 20 timers, women, men, teens, people from all over the world. Amazing people who made the decision to train for an Ironman race. Here's some advice for you the next time you're in a jam like I was at mile 19: Just turn your brain off and get going... it actually works.

Seeing as I had some down time between miles 13 and 19, I gave my ironman racing history a quick review and after 29 of these suckers, here's how it looks by the numbers:

2.4 miles of swimming x 29 = 69.6 miles

112 miles of cycling x 29 = 3,248 miles

26.2 miles of running x 29 = 759.8 miles

When you look at what I've been doing with my free time over the last 25 years, things start to add up. That's when I realized that this is all about the experience, the people I meet, the people I surround myself with, and the places I get to see. I still like to kick butt, but it's good to get your butt kicked once in a while too. It gives you perspective, a reality check, a better understanding of what you're all about.

Always make it count,

-Vinu

PS... rumors of my retirement have been overly exaggerated. I have not decided to come out of it yet

Mark Melton: IM Louisville; "Finishing at Fourth Street live is unique and makes you feel like a rock star."

Tristar Athlete — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 21:51:00 GMT

Race Day

Woke up at 4 to eat and have some coffee. T1 opened at 5 and since everything was in place from yesterday all I needed to do was put air in the tires and make sure everything was in place. Stayed at the Galt which was 10 min walk from T1. Since the swim is a time trial start, people (athletes and families) we already forming a line at that by the time I got there was half a mile long. Frustrating at times sitting in the dark but with the upcoming day it was nice to get some forced relaxation. I would advise getting in line and then going to the bathroom as people were in sleeping bags, blankets and had tons of family waiting with them.

The Start

The pros went off at 6:50 and the long walk to the start began. We were moving forward slowly and trying to get dressed, stretched and hydrated at the same time. The time trial start doesn’t allow you to warm up and it tough to get rid of some nervous energy. I finally got to the start and they had two long lines with two starting piers. As I got in it was actually refreshing. The time didn’t start till your chip passed so you could adjust the goggles and make sure you were ready on your own time. In to the water, very pleasant and plenty of room. The first part is through narrow channel and at time there was some floating debris but nothing you couldn’t navigate. There didn’t seem to be too much current and based on the start not too crowded. The narrow start actually made it easier to spot than true open water.

At the turn the sun was just coming over the horizon. I keep thinking that I would see that all day. The 280 degree turn is a little tricky in that you see the swimmers coming directly at you. After the turn is when you start the long, straight downstream. It never feels like down current until you get to the last half mile or so. The river is so wide at that point that you really are by yourself. My neck began hurting from my speed suit about half way…really bothered me the remainder of the swim. Maybe next year ill learn to breathe on both sides although was in a nice 4 stroke/2 stroke breathing and actually felt pretty strong. Maybe got off course 2/3 times. Going under the bridges is really a cool feeling, like I shouldn’t be swimming in this shipping channel. Great support helping out of the water.

Swim result: 1:15:37 (74 M30-34., 600 overall) 1:58 pace

Transition 1

I ran up the shoot and someone called my number out and grabbed my bike gear bag and escorted me to the changing tent. The volunteer led me to a chair and poured my gear out as I pealed off my suit/googles he packed them away for me. Shoes on bike and ran through feeling like a rock star.

Time: 0:04:03

Bike

The first 12 miles of the bike are pan flat. I tired to keep everything very easy and eat some solid food at about 20 min in. As soon as you leave the view of the river you start up a big hill that last about 3 min. The course was well marked and the traffic after the initial flat section is non-existent. Coming form NY, I was amazed how great the roads were. Every part of the course the roads were in great rolling condition. Not a ton of spectators for the first part but as you get to the first out and back the country-side is picturesque with horse farms and rolling hills.

The first out and back is beautiful but a tiny road. At that point there were plenty of people in front of me and it made you really pay attention around the curves. Luckily the out and back is short with an aid station at the turn around so you can focus on the road rather than the others riders.

The first loop takes you through LaGrange were for a brief mile the streets are lined with spectators and you feel great. Unfortunately, it is on a slight downhill so trying to spot family and friends can be tough but it is easy for them to get in and out of. Great aid support at every station with tons of nutrition. The only real tricky part on the bike comes right after a quick downhill and huge 180 degree turn to a straight uphill. The hill isn’t huge but starting off basically at zero mph I got into the small chain ring on the downhill. If you forget where the uphill starts, look for the bikes on the side road with people struggling with slipped chains. Just at the turn back on to 42, there is a gas station that has a smoker grill out front that smells wonderful. There was a small, yet vocal, crowd hanging here. Next time I do this race I would have friends hang out here.

The Starting the second loop sucks for about 10 min as you readjust your brain to seeing the exact same road. When I came through I was lapping athletes starting their first and it can get fairly crowded. Although is does give you something to focus on.

Minus the first and last 12 miles the bike course is never flat. Never huge uphill or down but always rolling. The course makes you think for the entire 112 miles. Can be tough if you’re struggling but I was basing my nutrition on y attention span. Every time I was fading I would eat…about every 30 min so it worked perfectly to my strategy.

Nutritionally - My goal was 350 calories an hour while on the bike, mostly from CarboPro. I had a 1100 cal drink made and had two cliff bars (225 K each) and two gels (90 K each). The bars went down like mud but after my stomach agreed with everything I put in it.

Bike result: 5:35:22 294 overall 50 M30-34 20.04 MPH

Transition 2

Got out of the shoes and gave my bike to a volunteer…this rocks. Had a volunteer call out my number and another volunteer meet me in the tent with my run gear. Took some lip Vaseline, blister tape for my toes and was out. By this time the change tent had every male change from swim-run and a good deal run-bike before me and smelled like death.

Time 5:40

Run

My first big mistake was taking a full 4 bottle fuel belt for the run. I had two carbopro bottles (300K) and two waters. I have raced with this in the past and been fine but today was a different story. At mile 1 I was already annoyed with the weight. The first two miles are hot…right in the city and over the bridge. I was feeling good it just felt like the beginning of the unknown.

Was going along at a good clip and doing a good job of zoning out. The run course is super easy and spectator friendly. If you like running long flats on the asphalt this course is for you.

At mile 3, I ditched the fuel belt and ran with one carbo solutions. Felt like a million bucks losing that weight. I was a bit nervous with taking calories from the aid stations as I ever trained and hardly drink Gatorade or Coke. Every mile was a roll of the dice for the stomach but seemed to work. Had a mild cramp during the first 5 but went away.

At the special needs I had two more carbopro solutions and only took one. This process I was a bit nervous about but the volunteers had it down.

The worst, kick you in the teeth, part comes at mile 14 when you get within 100 yards of the finish line. Luckily there were too many people crossing at that point so the fan fare was at a minimum. Literally takes all the joy out of you as you run out again for the remaining 13 miles.

Aid stations every mile which, for me, meant walking every mile. Most I needed too but not all. The last third I walked because I knew I could. When I was running I felt strong and my pace was good (8:45ish). The problem as with all IM, I suspect is that my walking got longer and longer.

The greatest feeling of the day was avoiding the traffic to get to the left as most people were starting their second run loop. I had a volunteer look directly at me and say “finishing?” and was overjoyed. The finishers chute was extra long and completely amazing. Tons of people, music and cheers. Finishing at Fourth Street live is unique and makes you feel like a rock star.

Run result: 4:03:20 460 overall 72 M30-34 (9:17 pace)

Overall result: 11:04:02 (318/2435) 52 M30-34

You ARE an Ironman!

Tim Walton: Southampton Olympic; 6th in the AG - PB (by 2 minutes) for an Olympic 10K of 41:30 "hey – I’m a biker, not a runner!"

Tristar Athlete — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 21:33:00 GMT

Background

After a successful performance at Rhode Island ½ IM, I’d completely unnecessarily managed to get injured. The injury can best be described as ‘hip-flexor / core damage’ which manifested itself as an inability to ride without blowing up. In particular (and this is relevant), it was pretty much instant-death on the bike as soon as I came close to my LTHR (170) or LTP (330W). In the weeks that followed, I really struggled with training – not helped with the twin derailers of having met my season’s performance goals and being utterly bored with getting up at 5am each morning to train. I’d muscled my way through the humidity of Timberman and having vowed that was the last race of the year, promptly signed up for the Southampton Olympic.

Training

The 3 weeks between Timberman and Southampton were hardly conducive to training as I was both working hard and travelling quite a bit. I only had the opportunity to do a few workouts per week which were generally focused on shorter intervals (100s in the pool, 5 min bike intervals, hill repeats for running).While I felt that my mid season riding power was starting to come back, my HR was 5-8 clicks higher. Even riding the day before the race, I’d noted that my HR was quite a bit higher than usual. At least I was fully rested!

The Course

Swim is a rectangular anti-clockwise loop parallel to the shore. Generally the times run a little slow and in some years it can resemble swimming in a washing machine (not that I’ve ever done that…). The bike course is quite technical for the first 12 miles: twisty-turny-up-and-down with few opportunities to get into a rhythm. There are some very tight bends, not helped by the wet roads. The last 13 miles is flatter and frequently has cross winds. Given the sheer number of people on the bike course, it is quite dangerous on the first half of the bike course so you generally want to be in one of the earlier waves. The run course is easy – flat and shaded in sections.

The Plan

The plan, for the bike at least, was to aim at 300W with an HR of 164. For the first 5-10 minutes, I’d try to keep the HR to the low 150s, and let it drift up from there. From a power perspective this is the middle of the range for an Olympic distance race, based on an LTW of 330W. For the run, the aim was to go at it hard and keep going. Whilst this all seemed reasonable, given the lack of training in recent weeks, I had no idea what I’d be able to do – especially since I hadn’t run off the bike since Timberman. The weather was at least going to be cooperative – cool, overcast, and a bit breezy.

The Race

The swim was pretty straightforward. There was a bit of chop, just enough to keep it interesting. The turn-around buoy was impossible to sight – good job that I decided not to enter the elite division. My swim time (28mins) was a couple of minutes slower than I would have liked, but since the course runs a little long, I wasn’t too fussed. My HR was really high coming out of transition and for the first few miles on the bike – into the high 160s. I made a few efforts to get it down to the target range, but with little success. I didn’t feel like I was straining too much, so I just decided it was ‘one of those days with a high HR and got on with the job, focusing on the power meter. The roads were damp and a little treacherous, and with the exception of being crashed into in the lane coming back into transition, managed to stay out of trouble. For the ride, I managed 295W and 165bpm – so pretty close to plan. Bike time was 1:02, and the 4^th fastest in the entire field. Starting the run, I was in 40^th position, but since I was in wave 4 (and thus 12 minutes back), I figured that I must be in the top 20 or so. I was fortunate that I had someone to run with (who was half my age!) for the first couple of miles who seem to have exactly the same speed and run cadence as me, so I got into a great rhythm. As I said earlier, the run course is quite easy, so all of a sudden the race was over and I’d put in a PB (by 2 minutes) for an Olympic 10K of 41:30 (hey – I’m a biker, not a runner!). This was only a minute or so slower than what I thought I’d ever be able to do. Overall I was 18^th out of 880 and 6^th in my age group.

Craig Vitale: Ironman Wisconsin, "I can't believe I qualified for KONA!!!"

Tristar Athlete — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 00:53:00 GMT

.....CONGRATULATIONS CRAIG VITALE!

...........................Craig Qualifies for Ironman Hawaii 2010 at Ironman Wisconsin.............
......................Race Report and pictures soon to come!..............................................

Carolina Campbell: Timberman Half -"Steady pacing and a solid nutrition plan made all the difference and got me to the finish line feeling great!"

Tristar Athlete — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 22:16:00 GMT

Timberman Race Report 2009
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Ellacoya State Park in Gilford, NH

Despite a delayed start to the race and a snapped goggle strap at the swim start, Timberman was a great race all around and an amazing experience as my first 70.3. I am very pleased with my experience overall and most grateful to Coach Cliff for guiding me through it!

The weather the 2 days prior to the race were wet and miserable in NH. Pouring rain and wet roads made it challenging to get excited for the race and of course added to the pre-existing nerves! The day before the race, Lake Winnipesaukee was choppy and made for an interesting warm up swim. Nontheless, the weather was certainly on our side on race morning when the clouds parted, the sun came out and stayed with us for most of the day. As the day wore on, the heat and humidity increased and my run split reflected this. Steady pacing and a solid nutrition plan made all the difference and got me to the finish line feeling great!

Here are a few highlights and course commentaries from each leg of the race:

SWIM:
• Delayed race start and a dash to make my wave on time made a slightly hurried start to the race! It was hard to hear the race announcers as they called in each wave but the hot pink caps in the water were hard to miss!
• Made it into the water with 90 seconds to go and felt a SNAP! Uh oh…. A kind fellow racer helped tie my goggles and I quickly put my cap over them and started the swim.
• Settled into a rhythm and was able to maintain it for most of the swim. I was most proud of this leg of the race given that swimming has been my challenge. I guess spending most of the winter in the pool and those 11,000 weekly yardage workouts from Coach Cliff really made a difference!
• Out of the water in apprx 39 minutes which I was pleased with! Loved those wetsuit strippers…..

BIKE:
• A challenging, rolling out and back course with a stretch of flat from apprx miles 20-35. Heavily manned with aid stations that made all the difference!
• It was a struggle to stay conservative on the bike early on as the adrenaline was flowing and it was tough to let other fellow racers pass me when all I wanted to do was speed up and I knew I could!
• This turned out to be the best race strategy for me as on mile 10, there was a tough climb and it did not flatten out until mile 20.
• Lost a nutrition bottle as it launched out of the cage on rough road descent (the side of the road was filled with other water bottles!) Had to get off the bike and go back and pick it up (could not risk that given the amount of time Coach Cliff and I spent on nutrition strategy!!)
• Eduralytes were very important for this race and I believe set me up well for the run off the bike. Whenever I was in doubt, I took an eduralyte!!
• The bike course is full of aid stations with great volunteers who passed out Gatorade endurance and water bottles which was great given the heat out on the course.
• A slight head wind made for a slightly challenging trip back to Ellacoya Park, where transition was set up.
• The last 15 miles proved to be tougher than I had planned for and I was very happy to make the left turn back into T2.
• Rolled into T2 a little later than I anticipated but I felt in great shape for the run which was the goal.

RUN:
• Legs felt surprisingly good off the bike which was a great way to start the final miles of this race.
• Struggled to find a sustainable pace given the heat on the course and it seemed that most other runners struggled with the same.
• 2 loops of an apprx 6 mile out and back made it easy to know exactly how far you’d gone (or how much you had left!)
• Course full of aid stations and neighborhood volunteers who passed out pretzels, gu’s, enduralytes, Gatorade and water sponges (LOVED the sponges!!)
• I felt great on the first loop and was looking to pick up the pace on loop 2. This proved difficult with the heat and humidity on the rise. I was determined to finish strong so stuck to a steady sustainable pace.
• Finished feeling tired but great and was pleasantly surprised to see Chrissie Wellington passing out finisher medals at the finish line!
• Have already started thinking about next year’s race strategy!

THANK YOU Coach Cliff for your guidance and support!! I can’t wait to do this race again!!

Craig vitals: third place M35-39 at the Mossman Tri

Tristar Athlete — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 18:10:00 GMT

Peter Brown: IM Lake Placid, "Its not about the race!"

Tristar Athlete — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 02:48:00 GMT

It's not about the race!!

After two days of head scratching I have finally decided that my short Lake Placid race report will be less conventional than those that I have read here before. No one is going to get too excited about my splits, and my top race tips are not going to alter the race strategy of any of Tri-Stars readers. I'm a little over a year in to this sport and there are many more qualified authors out there who can dispense advice ahead of me, backed up by impressive results to add weight to their opinions. That said, some of you pros may have lost sight of the many and varied challenges that face a virgin triathlete, so here goes with my top six triathlon tips, all learned the hard way;

* Your wetsuit zip goes at the back

* Pump the tyres up and the bike goes faster

* If someone overtakes you on a ladies mountain bike don't despair...you can still catch them on the downhill bit...maybe

* Two running shoes work better than one

* Exiting the bike transition via the entrance is only exciting for a millisecond...then it gets very embarrassing (and painful)

* Seeing the age on the back of peoples legs was a rule invented by really old, fit people. Carry a permanent marker and secretly double your age to really depress other athletes

As far as Lake Placid goes, it was a blast. I can actually hold my head high and say I enjoyed almost every moment. Even seeing the winner sprint to the finish line as I got off my bike didn't knock me off my stride. Great people, great town, great race...end of story. However, I do want to briefly say a little bit about my broader experience of the Ironman, because for me it really is not about the race. Again, on this topic I think I am probably reaching out to those people who are new to the sport and not to those veterans amongst you who have an entire wardrobe full of 'finishers' t-shirts and cheaply made medals hanging on the back of a door, but bear with me if you will...

I was enticed (or duped?!) in to doing an Ironman a little over a year ago, partially by my coach but more importantly by the quiet voice inside my head which just wouldn't shut up once it got hold of the ridiculous idea. My first race was in Florida back in October '08, and now with Lake Placid finished I'm two races in to what will probably be a short Ironman career. I have always tried to stay on the right side of fitness, but I would be a liar if I said that I was in great shape when this crazy journey began. I was 36, spent much of my time behind a computer or in an airport waiting lounge, and had hung on to the memory of a sport filled youth and a relatively fit body for far too long. I am never going to win a race...never have, never will (I do dream about the day that everyone apart from me takes a wrong turning, but that probably wouldn't count?). The training and the races have entered almost every part of my life, but what has struck me in the last two weeks is the real effect that Ironman has had on those around me. I had a very loyal team of ten close friends and family travel to Lake Placid with me, and without exception they all seemed profoundly moved by the whole event. I'm not saying that any of them will be lining up on the start line next year, but there is a new sense of optimism and adventure amongst all of us that has taken life in to a new gear. How that materializes itself remains to be seen, but I know there are more adventures around the corner, and the Ironman lit the touch paper.

Ironman is beyond comprehension for most people, and this last race really brought that home to me. Sure, in a town like Lake Placid on race weekend you could be fooled in to thinking that most normal people knock off a 50 mile bike ride before breakfast and then run 15 miles in their lunch hour prior to wrestling a bear before dinner, but the reality is of course very different. Speak to the guy in the deli when you get home and tell him what you did at the weekend and he will look at you like you have just stepped off an alien spaceship. Completing the Ironman has given me an enormous sense of accomplishment, and with my mid-life crisis supposedly looming I feel healthier and happier than I have done in years. I have absolutely no desire to buy a sports car or an electric guitar. My waist is nearly four inches smaller than it was a year ago, and I am discovering muscles in my legs that I never knew existed. I really do feel ten years younger than I am and that is beyond fantastic. Whilst I cannot credit my new hobby with all of this, it has been a major factor and for that I am very grateful. I am wholly addicted to the structure and discipline of training, to my newly improved diet, and to the buzz of race day. I will never become a fanatic - my eyes still glaze over when discussions turn to lactate thresholds and power meters, and I still don't know what all the buttons do on my heart rate monitor. I've never really felt comfortable in spandex and I don't think I ever will, but I do know how to get round the Ironman in one piece, and that's good enough for me, at least for now.

My final tip then would be this, and I think it applies to those at the front of the field as it does to those in the middle or at the back. Grab some of your closest friends and take them along to your next race (bring the guy from the deli as well). If they don't want to join you then just let them soak it all in and enjoy a day out cheering you on. The results might just take you by surprise!

Joan Murray: NYC Tri- "My best 10K by 11 minutes and 39 seconds!

Tristar Athlete — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 12:40:00 GMT

NYC TRI

After last year's 100 degree heat on race day, I decided to do this year's race as part of a relay team. That way we could really enjoy the day no matter what Mother Nature threw at us.

Our first leg, Katy, was an NCAA ranked swimmer who had never swam in open water, or in a wet suit. So she was nervous, and freaked out a little when she couldn't see her hand below her on each stroke. She's a fierce competitor, though, and dug down for an amazing swim. She was the second relay swimmer out of the water, just behind a guy. She goes to run past him, but he throws out both his elbows to block her. This only made her run harder to get by him. Unfortunately, she got sea sick, so she had to pull off to the side and throw up a little. When she started running again, she got a big round of applause from the spectators. She again catches the first relay guy, and again he tried to block her. Well, Katy doesn't play like that, so she dusted him. She was the first relay into transition!

Karen set out on the bike and rode hard, almost a PR. All I could think was, "Oh, no! I'm certainly not the fastest runner here. I'm gonna lose us our first place." I'm not shy to admit I was glad Karen wasn't first off the bike src="http://o.aolcdn.com/cdn.webmail.aol.com/resources/core/images/wink.gif" width=19>.

I set out on the run and was so awed by the crowds lining 72nd St. I tried to really take it all in. Saw Coach Cliff..big surge of adrenaline there. Then the Challenged Athletes crew, and another surge of adrenaline. Next I ran past my parents. They were standing across from the Dakota (where John Lennon lived and died). It is hard to desribe the power of that moment for me; so many things I love all in one place...the Beatles, my folks and triathlon.

Just then I saw the One Mile marker, looked at my watch and laughed. It was the fastest mile I'd ever run in a race. I was wondering if I could keep it up for 5.2 more miles when I heard a little chuckle. I looked at my HRM and realized it was mocking me. OK, time to take it down a notch. Well, I thought, maybe I could keep this pace up. That's when I heared a deep voice...It was the Harlem Hills, sounding a lot like James Earl Jones a la Darth Vador, saying 'Bring It!" OK. OK. I'll run smart. No more adrenaline for me!

I had one goal for this run: to finnish knowing I gave it absolutely every single thing I had. I kind of had a time goal, but it was so much faster then my last 10K, I wan't sure I'd get there. But I did! I bested my last 10K by 11 minutes and 39 seconds!

We ended up 9th of 17 female relays. But I just tell people we were in the top 10 src="http://o.aolcdn.com/cdn.webmail.aol.com/resources/core/images/wink.gif" width=19>

~Joan

Brendan Duval: "Thanks to Martha Abuela, Alex and Andre who supported my training!"

Tristar Athlete — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 01:59:00 GMT

For those interested. I did my third, NYC triathlon this weekend 1.5 km swim, 40 km ride, 10 km run.

Below are my results. I was very happy with result. Much appreciation to Cliff who coached me from 3h:18mins (2008) to 2h:25mins (this year) and Martha, Abuela, Adrian, Alex and Andre who have allowed me / supported me to put in the 10-15 hours a week of training !!! (I managed to drop
25 lbs in the process over the year).

Swim 17:51 Pace (per 100 mrs) 1:04 (very strong current)

T1 5:01

Ride 1:10:04...Pace (miles per hour) 21.3

T2 1:53

Run 51:00....Pace (min per mile) 8:13

Total 2:25:47

Matt Chappell: "Faithful powermeter reigns in the horses at Eagleman"

Tristar Athlete — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 14:39:00 GMT

2009 Eagleman Ironman 70.3

It’s hard to believe a full year has passed since I officially drank the triathlon “Gatorade”. At last year’s Eagleman I caught the Ironman bug and later signed up for Lake Placid. The race this year was no less exciting as I raced with my dad in his second ever triathlon. I’ve been inspired by his quest to learn to swim and train over the past six months and was pumped to race along side, or in front of , him. The buildup for the race was great as we compared our strategies for the race and did some training together.

The day before the race was nice and relaxing. I got to catch up with my family and lounge around the monstrous Hyatt and its many pools. After a leisurely dinner complete with dirt pie for dessert (which I hadn’t seen since 3rd grade) we retired to bed anxious for the day ahead. I was relatively relaxed this year but was nervous for my dad and hopeful that his experience was every bit as fulfilling as mine.

The temperatures on race morning were refreshingly cool. I lost the swim wave lottery and started about an hour after my dad. I hoped to spend the extra time making a few last minute adjustments on my bike, strapping on gels, etc. Unfortunately the transition area closed after the first wave started and I ended up shivering on the beach waiting for my start. Finally my time came and I started the swim. The water was warmer than the air and felt really good however it was choppy this year. I was able to stay with a core group of swimmers the whole way and take advantage of some drafting. It was great to be in the mix and jockeying for position (I like to imagine we were battling for first). 43 minutes later I emerged and prepared for the bike.

Looking at the splits I realize that I obviously get distracted and give up way too much time in the transition area! Eventually I made it onto my bike and was really excited after the first 40 miles - I felt good and despite having conservative power goals was averaging over 25mph. My mind was racing: If I can keep this up I may handily beat my time last year…Hmmm. Well, all of my visions of a speedy bike split quickly vanished once the wind picked up. The final16 miles were much slower. I resisted the temptation to hammer and trusted my faithful power meter to reign in the horses. It was tough to see my speed drop below 20mph but I reminded myself to stay calm and think about this race in the context of Lake Placid. This strategy didn’t work as my knees started shaking thinking about all of those hills. I settled on visions of a tropical beach…

After wrapping up the bike, and apparently losing my way in the transition area again, I started my run. My strategy was to drink a cup of Gatorade and water at each station (along with a few Endurolyte tablets every 40 minutes). In the week leading up to the race I had two terrible brick workouts resulting in shin splints so I wasn’t sure what to expect. Fortunately my legs cooperated today. I felt strong the whole run and was able to really enjoy the race, look around, and even smile. I ran into my dad on the course and offered him some salt. I felt like Santa. I ended up giving out more salt to struggling athletes on my way back towards the finish. I was having such a good time taking it all in, giving out salt, etc that the race was over before I knew it. Turns out I posted a 1:37 run split which brought my total time to 5:12. Not too shabby. My dad put up a great race as well and had so much fun that he’ll be back next year. Eagleman yet again exceeded all expectations and further stoked my enthusiasm for Lake Placid in a few weeks!

Joey Dussich: Rev3 Half Iron, "Really cool race!"

Tristar Athlete — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 14:27:00 GMT

All week leading up to the race, I wanted to make sure my bike was ready, especially since I would be riding a disk for the 1st time. Had a 404 on the front, which meant I had to carry 1 of each tube in my saddle bag. I have been trying out new nutritional products, so this is a big test! I am trying to avoid the stitch I have gotten in past races this season.

Swim: Water is flat. My wave goes off right after the pros. Started out fast…got a little panicked in the 1st 5 or 6 minutes...I tend to get anxious when I lose my breath and over think…that settles. Found my stroke and took off. I was alone the majority of the swim. I’m not fast enough to be in the lead pack, but too fast for the middle pack. I come out of the water in 31:20, 6th in my Division…good swim time for me.
Transition is a little bit away; I notice my HR is at 171!!! I try to hold off.

Strip down, run out on the bike, shoes are already clipped in…I start pedaling…1 shoe on, good, 2nd shoe is unstrapped, which requires me to pull over and adjust…no biggie. And I’m off on the bike. My HR was in the 160’s to high 150’s for the first 10 minutes…I try to lower it, but the beginning of the course is hilly…about 5 miles in, I feel like maybe my disk is rubbing or something...I stop, check everything out, seems good. I start to boogie, HR is still high, but in the 140’s…I start another climb around mile 16 and I notice my front end is bouncy! Damnit! A FLAT!!! I have never had a flat before in a race. I must have jinxed myself! Ugh! I pull over, 10 minutes later, I’m back out….nervous whether or not I put enough air in the tire…not a good course to be 2nd guessing your tire on…lots of accents and descents. I learned that getting a Flat tire, actually kind of messes with you mentally. You know you are kind of out of the hunt, and now you’re riding and passing a completely different group. Legs feel pretty strong. Mile 23-32 is a long climb, not too bad, but taxing...
Tough bike course overall, but fun! I come in at 3:07, really 2:57, but such is life!
Kept my nutrition up, hopefully I won’t get the dreaded stitch I always get.

I start off the run…1 big mistake…I have only done 2 ½’s before…I don’t remember if I wore socks, but Man I wished I did today! Lesson learned...Olmpic and sprint, no socks ok…1/2 and full IM, need socks! I’ll explain later. I start with a high cadence...HR in the high 140’s, touching 150. I am not going to be able to keep it down...I decide just to run smart, but understand that my HR is going to run high today. I was actually holding a 7:30-8 minute mile pace. I run smart, hold back…hit the hills…Brutal! Mile 5, my feet start talking to me...oh no, am I starting to blister…then they really start to get iritated, but I can push through…stitch is back in full force! I walk a bit through the aid stations and try to flex it out. The hills on this course are insane! Really hard to keep HR down, but even harder to keep a rhythm…after about mile 7, it becomes more manageable, although my feet are miserable! I had a serious cramp in my stomach and walked a bit...then at mile 9, I say screw it and drop it...I start to pick it up, HR around 165, cadence high, stomach flexed, I start cruising! I would love to see my splits at this point..I start picking people off, feet are screaming, I am in pain! I end up racing a 22 yr old girl for the last 3 miles, each of us pushing each other. I finish with a 1:54…eh, could be worse, but I should have done better….Blood is now visible on the outsides of both shoes…I bleed straight through them.

End time 5:38...not entirely happy with result, but I learned a lot.

Really cool race! Great if you want to see a huge pro field up close...Very unforgiving though. It was great to read a quote from Matt Reed that said:
“Oh god, that was the hardest course I’ve ever done!” said Reed regarding the relentless hills of the Connecticut countryside that tested a tough field on the bike and run.
So cool!

Dan Del Campo: "Loses 52 lbs, enters the twilight zone and takes on Wildflower; yes we are impressed!"

Tristar Athlete — Mon, 11 May 2009 13:06:00 GMT

Did you ever agree to something, then utter to yourself, “now what am I going to do”? What if what you agreed to do was so far out of your comfort zone you knew you were entering the twilight zone !

Dateline Kona October 19th 2008: I am at the Ironman Awards banquet to celebrate the superb race that Brandon completed the previous day. There was a kinetic static in the chatter about having spectated all those racers particularly those who were finishing in the 16th hour of the race. So Brandon, my son, says that he thought that in the past with all the running and biking I could have done Ironman if I could swim. It is important to know that if I ended up in hell, it would be an endless deep pool. I avoided any immersion into water unless I had on life vests. Brandon persists in importuning me that I still could do this, this being a triathlon event. He announces he can coach me! This is where my brain entered the twilight zone. I think, I live in the backyard of Wildflower, it’s eight months away, I have a tri bike, I can start running again, and, I can try, not tri, swimming. Oh, and there is one more impeding issue. I have to loose a lot of weight. So I just created my own reality show, Extreme Makeover! Now those two words spilled from my lips in front of everyone, “I’m in”!

The next day I am anticipating that no one will remember my uttererances and I can slip this one. I’m off to play golf early and get a ride to the course and play 18 solo. Plenty of time to think this through and come up with a graceful exit. I call Mary Jo to come pick me up. She will be there in a half hour. Then it hits me. I’m not backing down. I start running back and think she will catch me in 10 minutes. Thirty-five minutes later I get picked up. Now back to the condo to get ready to go to black beach with Brandon and the group. Hey what the heck. I’ll run some more on the way to the beach. Two runs today!

The group is going out to the water and swim out a ways. I put on a jog belt and snorkel mask and venture to the edge. I have to get past the surf to reach the group. This is huge, not the surf. I’m out there and turtle watching sometimes with my head in the water. Brandon decides this would be a good time to evaluate my swimming technique or lack thereof. I flail for twenty yards and gasp. What am I going to do about the other 1,480 yards? I demo a little backstroke and Brandon declares, “You can swim”. I made it back to the beach and managed not to panic.

Later back at the condo I go to the pool knowing there is safety. I swim some and now know there is a long way to go.

The Coach. Moving forward Brandon will now supply the training wisdom, workouts, evaluations, and motivational encouragement. I have to supply the effort. Back at Oak Shores we have a small pool and it’s still open for another two weeks. I can start the swim training here. I can’t swim one full-length non-stop, but I am determined that I can improve and get better.

Brandon visits for a few days a month later. I’m on the weight loss plan and getting through the small workouts. We try a small ride in the neighborhood and I have trouble riding the bike a mile on the small inclines. There’s work to be done.
I join a health club that has a 50-meter pool. At my first pool swim I cannot swim a length and have to deal with the “deep end”.

By the time the Christmas holiday’s are here, I have made significant progress with all three events. I am now swimming as much as a 3K, biking up to 48 miles, and have run up to 10 miles. Brandon continues to evaluate my progress based on my reporting back after workouts and establishing benchmarks. It wasn’t just, “how was that workout, and for tomorrow do this”. He asked questions a coach needs to have answers for so that training is meaningful and on target. I knew the workouts he assembled were to reach the incremental improvements and not just to be able to say I did X. By January 2009 weight loss was good and still dropping.

Four months to go until Wildflower and toeing the line at water’s edge. I knew that if I listened to the coach I could complete the Olympic distance. There was still a matter of an open water swim which I had not experienced to this point. I knew the pool and my ability in the pool. But how was that going to transfer to the open water? By the end of the month I was ready to test the event distance and see what level of fitness I’ve reached. This is where I strayed from the prescribed workouts. I went to the club and swam a 1500. Transitioned as quickly as I could and jumped on the stationary bike for 24 miles. I walked off the bike and stepped on the treadmill for a 10K. After finishing I thought, this is not too bad. However this was a controlled environment and not the real thing. Nonetheless, I was pleased to know that I could cover the distance. Now I had to keep loosing weight, and get stronger for each event. Weekends allowed for some rides with runs right off the bike. I was now doing over distance with rides on the Wildflower long course that included hell hill. I saw the light.

At the beginning of March I knew there had to be some actual on course testing. So I entered the Cal Poly Sprint Tri for April 4th at Lake Lopez. Heck this is only a 750-yard swim, 12-mile bike, and a 5K. I expect this distance will give me the confidence that I can complete a Tri. I have to keep training, loosing, and listening to my coach. A note to keep in mind is that I’m working 50-hour weeks so a lot of training is happening after 6 PM. Work, train, sleep and do it everyday.

A week before the Lopez event I purchase my first wetsuit. I decide sleeveless is good for me. After all, I’m usually warm and I can handle some chill. My first wetsuit swim in the pool is taxing due to different body position, different breathing, not to mention this compression on my chest. So I completed a couple of 1500 pool swims for acclamation. Plus it helped on how to get the wetsuit off.

Dateline April 4th. Here I am at Lake Lopez at 6:15 am for my first Tri tryout. Mary Jo is there to watch me get settled in transition but she has to attend a course and won’t be able to stay. Now I am solo. No coach other than in my head. Check list done. Set up done. It’s a chilly day and the announcer informs us that the water temp is 57 degrees. I know there is not going to be any in water warm up, so I run for 30 minutes to generate some thermal energy. Transition closes and now I have nowhere to go but to waters edge and wait for my wave. I observe the first swimmers and reconnoiter the course buoys for my 750. They don’t seem that far out. Time to go. I walk in and feel the chilly water and don’t even dip my arms. I decide that if I did, I might not take the plunge. Better to just hit it and take it rather than anticipate. At water level that first buoy now seems further than I thought. I have to keep it in sight but at the same time keep forward motion. Looking up is an issue with breathing. I know that my arm turnover is quick thinking I’ll get out faster. I stray a little right of the buoy but make it for the first left turn. The next buoy is not as far since it will be the left turn and head for exit. I stray too far to the right and have to come back on line, but still at high arm turnover. I know this is more effort than I need, but I need to stay on top of the water. I’m out in open water, my hell. More course correction but still adding too much additional distance, but finally I’m at the timing matt. Numbness is in my hands and feet. I find my sandals and slog up the path to bike transition.

I’m biking now and know that fear factor is over. I just need to re-energize and do after 5 miles. The start hill was tough and the re-entry hill gets your attention. I’m back inside the park and ready for run transition. I’m running now and just have to get through a 5K. It’s tougher than expected because there is no fast leg turnover. It’s a maintenance run. Same pace at start, same pace at finish. Now there’s a word I can deal with, finish!

I am pleased that I made it and that my coach would be pleased with my first time out. Hey, I’m thrilled I didn’t drown and become a Tri statistic. I’m further pleased when I learn that I took 3rd in my age. This might be the time to consider, that having completed a triathlon event, maybe one was enough. It was in the “bucket list”. No, I need to know, can I do Wildflower Olympic? More training, coaching, and weight loss. That next day I rode the Wildflower bike course and knew, “I’m in”.

The approaching race day. After more longer pool swims, longer rides, and longer runs, I envision that the race will go well. Brandon is now assigning workouts that will increase with intensity and have the next week at lower intensity. As race day gets closer I know this is going to be a much different experience. I’ve got people there. Brandon’s there and his coaching will tell the tape. Brandon arrives eight days before the race. He needs to see first hand, is Dad ready for this? This is where it get’s interesting. We are going down to the lake for some practice. Naci is nowhere near as cold as Lopez. A course point is set. I dive in and start the fast arm turnover again. This causes anxiety and the need to rest after 100 yards. What about the other 1400? This is where Brandon’s coaching plays a major role. He knows that I have to slow down, relax, find a comfort zone in the water, and get some technique for sighting those buoys. First day was tense. Head thoughts about, “how did I do Lopez”? Breathing was compressed. Maybe Lopez was a one time only event. But, if anyone knows me, and Brandon does, I’m not throwing in the towel. He has me go back to the pool and swim a 1500 with the wetsuit and swim as slow as possible and find that relaxed stroke zone. I complete this swim in 37:16 and thought I was slow. The reality is I was relaxed, but I was in the pool. Now back to the lake for another practice swim the next day. Same course points as before. Re-arranged my mental perspective. Stay relaxed. Improvement is apparent. Swam longer with less stress and far better breathing. Thursday, one more lake swim before race day. Again marked improvement most notably with relaxation and breathing. I can and will do this! After all, I’ve got an Ironman Coach.

Race day Wildflower: Here’s the report on the weight loss and part of the extreme makeover. I’m down 52 lbs.! Goal was 50. I know that this weight loss will play a role on this course. I’m in the 10 am wave. A later start that I am pleased about. No rushing, keep calm, have time to warm up, and soak in the atmosphere of the second largest triathlon event in the USA. I’m here and “I’m in”. Brandon is there and designates himself as the go to guy. Keep me in race mentality.

Swim: Start left and wide to avoid the churn. I stay wide enough that at 60 yards I hit beach but no problem. Brandon’s there and asks, “OK”, I let him know o’yeah.
I stayed relaxed in the open water even after getting my goggles knocked off twice. My buoy sighting was far more efficient and my breathing was level. No fast arm turnover. At the last right turn buoy I knew that I was heading for exit. I could see the houseboat dock as a marker. A small bend to the left, and I’m done. I swam out in 38! Brandon had my crocks there and I slipped them on and ran to transition.

Bike: It was a fairly uneventful transition. No numb feet. Less change out. Of course I was racing in Tri Star uniform and felt a sense of strength. I left transition feeling strong for the uphill bike out. The ride was familiar. I’d done almost all my training rides on that road. It made it easier to know where I was and what was coming. I finished the bike knowing that I was going to have an Olympic Tri under my belt. I hit transition and got out of there as quick as I could. Especially, after stepping on my drink carton, and squishing chocolate, all over the place including my run hat.

Run: A 10K to go. My legs are not rubberized and I feel solid about this run. I know that there are some nasty hills so there won’t be any fast leg turnover. Get into a zone and stay there. The long hill was taxing but I passed others that were walking. As I have in so many past races, I ran one mile at a time. I knew of course that at 5 miles downhill would take over. Half way down the hill I could hear the crowd cheering. I was a Gladiator about to enter the arena. Brandon had done his job as my coach. Who knew that seven months before I would be at this time and place about to finish what is considered to be the toughest Olympic distance triathlon? Now I’m in the fencing, the arch is 125 yards away; I can at least pick up the pace for my finishing photo. It was at that moment of 3 hours and 43 minutes that I knew, “I’m in”. Plus I’m not done. I am going to race Chicago! This is where I started my marathon career. Of course I still have Brandon as my coach.

Dan Del Campo
Triathlete

Kate Bruck: 1st Female, 7th overall at the Great Causeway Challenge!

Tristar Athlete — Sat, 02 May 2009 02:01:00 GMT

The day was set for a hot race, just like last year. With 30 seconds before the gun went off, I realized that the set screws in my brand new bike were not set and therefore, my back wheel was pushed so far forward that it was rubbing against the bike frame to the point that it was getting stuck when spun freely. Gun went off and so did I. I spent the first two miles weaving in and out trying to get around the large crowd and catch the lead group. I tried to keep my husband in sight, as I figured he could be a "rabbit" for me. As we rode out over the Causeway bridge, a girl that appeared to be about my age came up on my left on a bright purple Chrono, race wheels and an aero helmet-- I figured this would be the first of many if it took her such little time to catch us. We hit the turn-around at mile 15 and hit a wall of wind that stayed with us back through transition. We were able to drop a couple guys from the wind, but there were still two hanging on. With about a mile to go, pulled away and pulled back into transition, legs SCREAMING from working so hard trying to overcome the constant friction caused by the wheel rubbing against the frame.

30 mile bike: 1:25:45
Transition: :33 seconds

Running out of transition, I asked how many women were in front of me and was told I was the first! First mile I was running well over my target heart rate-- I was in the 160-170's. I was passing men left and right and hit mile two (or what they had marked as mile two) at 20 minutes! A 10:00/mile pace??? I don't think so! Not on my worst day!! I gave up watching my heart rate and just figured I was going to run as fast as I could feeling like I was not quite sure if I could sustain that pace. I hit the 3.1 mile marker and 1.5 minutes later saw the 2nd place female and then the 3rd place female 15 seconds after that. Not knowing whether the 2nd place female was gaining on me, I ran like hell for the last 2 miles. I came into the finish and heard a friend yell "first place female".

I was not ecstatic about my run time, but I guess it could have been worse...and considering how shredded my legs were from the bike wheel problems...

10K run: 44:20

Overall: 1st place female, 7th place overall

Funny-- as soon as the race was over, I pulled my bike off the rack to pack up and go home and as soon as that back tire hit the ground, "POW", the tire blew out!!! Perfect timing! I had worn that tire bald!

Wadley Wad: FIRST OUT OF THE WATER at Ironman New Zealand! 49min 01sec

Tristar Athlete — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 01:19:00 GMT

3.06.09

TriStar Athletes Wadley Wad has emerged as the first athlete out of the water at Ironman New Zealand! We knew he could swim but the man has gills. Go Wadley! His swim time was 49min and 01 sec : )

Tim Walton: "6000ft of climbing and avalanches, the result? Sumitting Clearwater florida"

Tristar Athlete — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 17:24:00 GMT

Tim Walton a TriStar Athlete who has a taste for extremes shared this recent climbing and skiing trip with his coaches to explain just how his base training was coming along. We were flabbergasted looking at the drops and climbing heights. Last year Tim took his skiing fitness into his race season and was able to qualify for the Clearwater Half Ironman Championships. This year it looks like his fitness is WAY up and FEAR way down!



"All that backwards and forwards to Salt Lake City over the last few years and an ever growing obsession with back country skiing needed a few objectives. One of them was fulfilled last Sunday.

Lone Peak guards the southern end of the central Wasatch range. Looking at the Salt Lake skyline, Lone Peak is the volcanic-looking peak at the south entrance to Little Cottonwood Canyon. The 1,500' East face (Pic 1) is generally considered to be the gnarliest face in the Wasatch range with an average pitch of 45-50 degrees. It doesn't get skied too often because (a) it is a pain to get to (and get out of), (b) its easterly aspect requires an early start (or good early season snow), and (c) the two main routes off the summit have cliff bands at the bottom (=very bad place to fall / get caught in a slide).

As a result of all this, I've been wanting to ski it for ages! Last weekend provided the right snow conditions / weather to get the green light. The ascent is a tedious slog from the town of Alpine, a Mormon enclave between Salt Lake and Provo. It is 6,000' straight up off the valley floor usually in baking heat (the ascent route faces S). We wanted to be skiing the face by 11am as any later could put us at risk to slides. Instead of the bluebird conditions we had clouds, which helped the climbing at the expense
of the photos!


Snow conditions were good so we were able to use climbing skins from the trailhead, making the summit in reasonable time, though I was suffering a bit from the big day I'd had previously. The peak has two summits, joined by a short, but incredibly nasty looking ridge (Pic 2). The west side of the ridge is a 600' vertical rock wall, and the east side is a heavily corniced. Fortunately we were only skiing off the slightly lower South summit so we didn't have to navigate that.

Whilst we'd been happy with the cloud cover on the way up, the incoming storm was bringing some very gusty winds. So, we were keen to get off the summit and get on with the task, despite the generally flat light.

The snow on the way down were pretty much as we would have wanted - firm snow welded in place by the recent weather. The previous day's up-canyon winds had unfortunately created a slight crust on the snow which required careful attention. Nice powder might make for good pictures, but given the pitch and exposure on the line, even a small sluff (loose snow avalanche) could be extremely dangerous. It was steep all the way down (Pic 1) with few opportunities to stop in safe places (Pic 3). At time the pitch went to maybe 60 degrees, especially when navigating the cliff band at the bottom.



Once the main face was completed, we were able to find a creative route to another Wasatch classic (the Coalpit) and exit via that. All in all a great experience - and since there are two main routes off the summit, I'll now have to go back and ski it again!"

TW

TriStar Athlete chosen as the official coaching sponsor of Team Type 1 Triathlon

Tristar Athlete — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 17:12:00 GMT

2009 Triathlete TEAM TYPE 1

Team Type 1 formed out of a friendship between a pair of collegiate cyclists, Phil Southerland and Joe Eldridge, who each had Type 1 diabetes. The two recruited other athletes with Type 1 diabetes and formed a squad to compete in the eight-person team division of the Race Across America (RAAM).

Over the next two years, Team Type 1 was the one to beat, winning the division in 2006 and 2007 while establishing a record time for a transcontinental crossing in 2007. The success of those squads led to the formation of a 15-rider professional continental men’s team and a runner-up finish in RAAM in 2008.

Team Type 1 Triathlon is a competitive group of men and women, all living with type 1 diabetes. Triathlon is the combined sport of swimming, cycling, and running. Building on the success of the professional and RAAM cycling team, TT1 Triathlon is here to inspire others and show the world that people with diabetes can do anything… including swimming, cycling, and running.

The triathlon team's accomplished group of multi-sport athletes compete in olympic, 70.3, and ironman distance races. TT1 Triathlon hopes to send the team to the Ironman World Championship in Kona, Hawaii. This year the team will be coached by TriStar Athletes coach Cliff who will also be racing with the team.

Each athlete encourages people with diabetes to gain control of diabetes through diet, exercise, and the use of the best treatment and technology available today. Team Type 1 manages their control with Apidra Insulin, Lantus Insulin, Abbott Diabetes Care FreeStyle Lite , and Freestyle Navigator a continuous glucose monitoring system, Omnipod Wireless Pumps , use Dex 4 fast acting glucose, and race on the best of bikes, Orbea.

Team Type 1 Triathletes

Nathan Bartels (USA) Des Moines, Iowa
Laura Ely (USA) Charlotte, N.C.
Bradford Gildon (USA) Tulsa, Okla.
Bobby Heyer (USA) Thiensville, Wis.
Ryan Jones (Morrisville, Pa.
Tom Kingery (USA) Delaware, Ohio
Angela Past (CAN) Victoria, British Columbia
Kevin Powell (USA) Nutley, N.J.
Matt Vogel (USA) Arvada, Colo.

Cliff Scherb (USA) COACH

RACE SCHEDULE
May 1-3: Wildflower Triathlon Festival (Monterey County, CA)
July 26: Nautica New York City Triathlon
Aug 30: Chicago Triathlon
Oct 25: Longhorn 70.3 (Austin, TX)

Liz Libre: Ironman Arizona, " I was on a high and nothing could bring me down."

Tristar Athlete — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 00:42:00 GMT

Pre-Race:

Overall, I felt good. I was really happy the day was here and we were doing this. We put on our wetsuits while we waited in line for the port-o-potties. Last bathroom break before getting in the water. We said goodbye to our cheering squad and made our way down to the corral. We crossed the mats, registering our timing chips and walked up to the water’s edge. We heard the announcer say that we had five minutes to get 200m to the start. John took the plunge first. It was a little hard for me to make the leap. But I did it and was surprised that the water was warmer than I thought it would be. Together, we swam up to the start and had a couple minutes to tread before we heard the cannon. Boom! And off we went.

SWIM

I did not like and did not expect it to be so crowded. I thought it would thin out, and it never really did. I knew I was swimming pretty well because I was going at the same pace, if not faster, than everyone around me. I tried to not take too much time sighting the bouys. I would look up for a split second and then bury my head back in the water, trudging forward. I really felt very uncomfortable with people’s arms grabbing at me. I had a couple flashes of people sinking me. But I just kept moving. About 50 yards from the final bouy, someone hit me in the head, knocking my cap half off and my goggles came loose, allowing water to get in. I was not happy! But that only motivated me to stroke harder, determined not to let that hold me back. I was so close! I pictured Michael Phelps with those goggles full of water – knowing he had way more at stake than I did – and just kept going. Got to the stairs at the bank and felt so happy to be done one leg. And then even happier to see 1:15 on the clock! Woa. To think I only learned how to freestyle in May. The wetsuit stripdown totally took me by surprise. I told the woman I only needed the top off, but she told me to get on my bottom and the next thing I knew – I was holding my full wetsuit in my arms, trying to cover my underwear.

Feet were freezing!! I looked down and saw that not only couldn’t I feel my toes, but they were very blue. Yikes. I sat down in the tent and slowly put on my bike gear – shirt, shorts, baby powder on the feet, then socks & shoes. Put my Cliff bars (cut in half) in my jersey pockets and was off. They brought me my bike. Loved that! I was so excited to start the bike and really test my knees.

BIKE

Got on the bike in the corral and started pedaling slowly. I knew this would be a big test. I was passed by every single rider behind me. Nearly. I was going so slow that I almost felt as though I wasn’t even in the same race. But I knew that this approach was going to get me over the line, IF I made it over that line. I felt a little nagging pain in my right knee within the first 15 minutes. Shit! I just kept telling myself to take it easy and everything would be okay. That and focus on my nutrition plan: drink every 10 minutes, eat every 20. So when the bike clock said 20, 40, and 0, I was eating half a Cliff bar or a Gu and drinking water with it. Then, every 10 minutes, I was drinking Gatorade. This plan worked like a charm and not once did I feel low on energy or sick or bloated. I did have to pee a LOT. Which I welcomed since it gave my knees a little break. But if I were trying to go hard, I think I’d have to reassess or back off the water or something. The first loop was easy & great. The second was tougher. I was nervous about the pain getting worse. And early in the second loop when I started to feel it more, I fiddled with my foot/ankle position and was able to find a position where my knee was less bothered. I pointed my toes more than flexed them – and that really helped. Going into the third loop, I was pretty much alone – and knew it was going to be tight getting back to the bike finish in time to keep in the race. It was a serious struggle getting up those inclines just befor the turnaround point. I kept chanting, “I think I can, I think I can, I think I can…” the whole way until I finally turned the corner and was on my way home. I felt like a million bucks with the wind at my back – like I had wings – like I was going to do this! Felt pretty good until the last 12 or 15 miles. Those dragged and made me curse signing up for Lake Placid IM. This was SO much harder than I thought. Came through the final stretch, saw everyone cheering for me – feeling so good that this part was nearly over and I was in one piece. Dismounted the bike, made a joke to the guy about how I never wanted to see the bike again, and hobbled into T2.

My right knee was a whole lot more sore than I thought and I was really nervous about my running abilities. I took it easy in T2 and even had a therapist work on my legs a bit before leaving. I just needed a little time out and a little R&R for my poor poor legs after an epic 8:15 bike. (Nearly double my longest ride – scary! – and not recommended.)

RUN

Started a light jog and knew I had to be patient to get my running legs under me. Sure enough a few minutes in, my legs were feeling better. It still hurt quite a bit behind my right knee, but it was tolerable. And since I had done two marathons before and have always been more of a runner, I knew what running with pain felt like – so it wasn’t out of the ordinary and I knew I wasn’t doing anything damaging. Or at least I hoped. It was easier for me to push through pain on the run than the bike. My confidence & experience was in the run – and I was just thrilled to have the bike behind me. Saw John a few times on the run. He had to walk after the first four miles b/c of ankle pain. I felt so badly for him and just wanted to scoop him up & carry him with me. I knew he’d get through though. I finally caught up with him on the last lap with three miles to go, walked with him for a few minutes and then continued on. I knew I was not far and needed to keep running. I was so happy to be on the bank of the lake, making my final stretch towards the finish line. With a few hundred yards to go, I turned on the jets and sprinted in. I was on a high and nothing could bring me down. I sped through the finish line, slapping hands with everyone in the stands. If done again, I would have take this a bit slower, to soak up the moment. I was the happiest girl in the world crossing that line – and so proud of myself for making it there. It wasn’t all pretty, but we made it. John finished about 20 minutes after me. I was so incredibly proud of him – I don’t know many people who could have done what he did.

Immediately after, I didn’t want to even think of doing LP. But now, three days later, I’m warming up to it. No guarantees. But I wouldn’t rule it out like I did on lap three of the bike.

Coach Cliff: Ironman Arizona 9hr17min. Qualifies for World Championships in Hawaii 2009

Tristar Athlete — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 02:32:00 GMT

Hello from Tempe Arizona!

To finish off the 2008 season I chose to race in the desert; Ironman Arizona. After some average to good performances during the early part of the year I wanted to finish the season sticking a hopefully "excellent" long course performance.

From the end of August through the fall I trained smart, I trained hard and I focused on my recovery. The end result a slot to the Ironman World Championships for 2009. : )

Here is how the day went...... read more