Monday, August 17, 2009

Turtleman Photos

So here are a few pics from the "race who's name shall not be spoken" (Turtleman) Leaving T1.


Believe it or not this is BEFORE the bad weather really got started. (No the race was not held at night)

They did capture Jim passing me at the line. Thanks for the condolence pat on the way by, Jim. (I will point out because I am small minded, that he still took third (last) due to starting about 1 minute before me.)





It's kind of hard to see, but it is absolutely POURING. I think based upon my expression I gave it my all (or maybe it's just disappointment in losing the Turtle). I really like the backwards AND upside down visor. I may wear it like that at all my races.A couple of photos of the Doc heading out for the bike leg of her relay. Spinning up the hill out of T1 - staying in the saddle - nice!


C'mon Doc, that guy may have race wheels but he's not even in aero position. I think you can smoke him. Make sure you drop back out of the draft zone before overtaking him!

Friday, August 14, 2009

Friday Smile

What's that you say? This is a blatant ripoff of Steve in a Speedo's Friday Funnies. Maaaaybe.

I thought this video was clever and perhaps even funny.



It's all about PERFORMANCE! I think the best part is the "carbon frame."

(Thanks Capt Winter for pointing this vid out on FB)

Sunday, August 9, 2009

Speed to Read Race Report

Sunday morning following the Turtleman found us not sleeping in (as we would have liked) but pumping up tires, putting a bike on the rack, gathering gear for transition and heading back to Shoreview.

Zman was entering the Speed to Read kids triathlon. I was looking forward to it because it had a pool swim as opposed to the usual kiddie swim (like my last triathlon!). Z was second into the water. He broke 2:00/min for 100m. Take that NS Rob!

Look at that high elbow! He's smooth and relaxed in the water.
He could work on his head angle when breathing and he turns his head further than necessary - but he's 11. He's got years to work on that.

Unfortunately I missed the pic on the first loop - Zman following the lead escort. How cool would that have been! At the end of the second loop he and Sven (the boy in red) came in together. The escort had dropped back for 2 reasons: 1) she was having trouble staying in front of the boys and 2) they had opened up such a gap that the escort had to drop back to guide the others.

Both Zman and Sven suffered on the run. Zman opened up a lead but then was walking with a side stitch. Eventually he started running again.
As they finished their 2nd loop they turned the corner to the finish straight. Sven slowly edged past Zman. The look that came across Zman's face was priceless. He maintained this expression for the final 100 yards, giving it everything he had. It was really fun to watch his internal competitiveness come out. It was all from him, we hadn't talked about any of it. I didn't ride the course with him or point out kids to try and pass (as some parents did).

Here is a closeup of the determination on his face.
Here is Zman almost taking out a little girl as he crossed the line. Easy big fella!
He's looking forward to entering a real triathlon some day soon. This is my 100th post in this blog. Crazy huh - most of you are probably saying "What a waste of time!"

Saturday, August 8, 2009

All Good Things - Turtleman Report

All Good Things . . . come to an end. So ends my reign as holder of the Turtle Trophy. Circumstances and a fierce competitor conspired to my end.

Threatening weather changed the already shortened 1/2 mile swim (from 1 mile) to a "kiddie swim" - that's right everyone marched over the timing mat, dashed out to shin deep water, turned right to the swim exit (hoping not to fall in a hole or slip in the muck) and over the exit mat. After beating Stomper by 3 minutes in a long 1/4 mile swim I had figured to gain at least 4 minutes in a 1/2 mile swim.

Still gave it the college try. Stomper started roughly 3 minutes in front of me, with Jim starting about 1 minute before me. I hit the bike hard. As we started out the rain started falling - hard. Rather than trying to look at my computer I just went on feel. Passed Jim around mile 7 and Rob around mile 10. Realized I was going a little too hard and backed off a bit on the second half. Ended up averaging 22.4 mph in wet conditions. I've never ridden that hard before. It was tough to choke down 2 cliff blocks - I'd planned on 6.

Now for the run. Screwed up my watch - AGAIN. Didn't reset my last training run. Have no idea how the 1st mile went. I was riding the edge with my legs just keeping moving. Rob passed me before mile 2. Knowing he was going to put at least 1:30/mi into me I knew that the battle for the Turtle was over. Still focused on my other goals for the race - biking hard and hanging on for the run. I was hoping to hit sub 9:00min/mi.

Right after Rob passed me the sky got really scary. Looked like a huge wall cloud (at least to me). The wind kicked up and blew my visor right off my head. Then the rain started again.
Huge torrents of rain. Someone said we were getting 2 inches an hour. I just kept moving as best I could. Mile 4 is mostly uphill. My quads were killing. I kept thinking I'd see Jim anytime now.

I hit Mile 5. Only a little further to go. Inside the chute I felt this rush of air as Jim sprinted past me. Nicely Done! I hope they got a picture at the line, but it was raining so hard I'm not sure that they were still taking pictures. He still finished 3rd and got the new "Take me to Funkytown" dancing/singing plush turtle but it was something.

In the end, Rob ended up beating me by just under 4 minutes. Hmm, where have I heard that number before. We race the course we're provided in the conditions of the day though and today he won the Turtle - no asterisk. I ended up with a 9:23 min/mi average on the run.

In other news, the Doc hit 19 mph for her average in the bike leg of her relay. She cut 12 minutes off her time when we road the course in training. Great Job!
Speed to Read tomorrow for the Zman. More pics to follow.

Tuesday, August 4, 2009

Group Ride or Pre Fight Weigh In?

Sunday I rode down from the cabin (18 miles) and met Jim and Stomper for a Turtleman bike course preview (22 miles). It's a course we all know well, but it was fun to ride together and the families gathered for bagels afterward.

To the casual observer it may have looked like 3 guys out for a ride on a beautiful day, perhaps getting in a tuneup ride on the course the week before the big event. That casual observer couldn't have been more wrong. This ride was about one thing, plain and simple, psychological warfare. It was like a pre fight weigh-in. No one wants to show any weakness and hopes to exploit some chinks in the armor of their competitors.

Ok, I have a sneaking suspicion that the ride was only cloaked in psyops in my mind. I repeatedly rode off the front, trying to mask any effort as if I was easily spinning 24mph and could do it all day. I'm not sure they even noticed.

So what's with all the drama? First of all, it's three guys competing in the same race year after year. Second of all it's the local race for Stomper and Jim. Thirdly, the event distances balance the competition fairly well (Stomper and Jim can trounce me running, Stomper resembles a rock in the water and has improved on the bike, Jim swam in high school and holds his own pretty well in the water). Finally, throw in a silly travelling trophy and you've got an annual grudge match. Here is the trophy pictured in front of anniversary poster from last year.

Yes, I'm aware that it's a tortoise not a turtle and rotund as all get out, but it's currently mine and I'm not letting go of it without a fight.

The shortened swim this year (cut to 1/2 mile) really plays into Stomper's strengths. Monday I took my garmin and used the boat to drop a buoy .25 miles from my dock. Took me 14:30 out and back in ideal conditions. Decent enough, but I'm not sure I'm going to get all the time I need.

The weather also isn't looking too favorable for a big guy like me. 90s and muggy.

I've got my plan in place. If I execute well, I've got a shot. There's a chance I could meltdown (literally) and it won't be pretty.

Got my last hard workout prior to the race today. A 4 mile tempo run. I will not reveal the pace for two reasons - 1) it was embarassingly slow and 2) don't need to help the competition.

Now to rest up and stay out of the kitchen.