Hy-Vee Race Report

If you ever want to feel like a professional triathlete, then sign up for the Hy-Vee triathlon. Who knew such a top notch event was being held right over in Des Moines, IA? From start to finish, this race was one of the best experiences an athlete can have.

Driving to Des Moines took about twice as long as expected. I just figured, "Hey, it's Iowa, how far could it be?" Big mistake. All athletes were forced to attend a mandatory race meeting being held at the top of each hour. Unfortunately, we arrived exactly at 5:07pm and had to wait around for the next meeting. We hung around the race expo (which was surprisingly small) to wait for 6pm to roll around.

The meeting was held in the gymnasium of a school, so we all sat in the bleachers. They showed us a short collection of photos from last year's race then went over some race information. None of it was particularly earthshattering and I didn't really think there needed to be a "mandatory" meeting for this. There were no special rules or anything out of the ordinary.

Picking up the packet went smoothly and quickly. By far, the best, most comprehensive, valuable swag I've ever gotten from a race! We not only got a cycling jersey, but a backpack to fit all the other cool little goodies we received. Not even sure you can see everything from this picture, but it was like Christmas!

Dropping off the bike the night before in the 6-10pm timeframe was chaos. It moved very, very slowly and I was getting hungry and impatient. The line of cars with athletes trying to drop off their bikes was at a standstill and this normally easy process ended up taking close to 90 minutes! We headed to a nice little Italian place for dinner where we saw many other athletes wearing the bright yellow wristbands. Service was poor but the food was excellent.

The morning of the race transition opened at 4am! Trying not to be psycho about the whole thing, my plan was to get there around 4:45am - transition was to close at 5:45am. Thankfully, the parking situation was much better than the night before and we were able to get a spot and get to transition in just about 15 minutes. A few quick run throughs to make sure I knew where my bike was racked among all the other, most expensive looking bikes I've ever seen, and then it was time to hit the porta potties a few times.

The water was a balmy 81 degrees. I lined up at the front of the wave and within minutes of the start, I was warm. I was happy there were no wetsuits today. Pretty aggressive group and I fought for position. I then decided it was much more comfortable to just fall behind a good draft I was getting. Each time I tried to pull around her, I got caught up in another swimmer from a previous wave. I just tucked in and enjoyed the draft. This ended up being a slow, but comfortable swim for me.

Going out from transition on to the bike course, you get to feel like a professional triathlete riding down the bike course with the banners waving on both sides with blue fencing lining the course on both sides. The one thing that was blatantly missing was the spectators - not very many for such a high profile event. The bike course was hilly. No major climbs, but lots of long rollers. I felt like I was crawling but I was trying to focus on watts vs. mph. The bike course was very well marked and they even coned off the driveways of the people who lived on the course! Each turn was properly staffed with volunteers and, for the most part, a very clean race. I saw little drafting, though there were several competitors who were not riding on the right as they should. The hills seemed to separate any would-be packs from forming.

The wind didn't seem an issue for the ride, but the hills made this a difficult course. The trickiest part is toward the end when they direct you on to a running path. Many sharp turns - left, then right, then left - on a very narrow path. I had another athlete pass me - around a turn - on the RIGHT HAND SIDE! People, please do not do this! I almost took both of us out. Besides the fact that this was a designated NO PASSING area. To top it off, the guy was only in a relay. How frustrating!

A quick transition and I headed out on the run. My legs were feeling a bit fatigued, but not wiped, so I pushed a bit. Here we go again with the hills. Someone forgot to tell me that Iowa is hilly!! I had a hard time keeping my heart rate in check going up the hills. It was quiet out on the course - no spectators and the athletes were working hard to get up the hills. I kept thinking, "Who is that person BREATHING SO HARD??" And then I realized, "Aw, shoot, that's me!" My legs were feeling heavy, but I pushed on.

Nearing the finish, the blue fence lining and flags greet you with open arms. And though you can't see it as a competitor, as you are nearing the finish, they have each athlete on a jumbotron for the would-be fans to get a better view! It is very similar to what they have at Ironman races. I ended up finishing the run with a little left in the tank.

I then met up with some fellow Mideast Team Elite peeps for a quick photo. Both of them had great races and I feel very lucky to know them.

Introduction to Cycling - 7.15.09 and 7.22.09

INTRODUCTION TO CYCLING

Whether you are new to cycling or triathlon, or if you’re an experienced athlete just looking to improve your skills and technique on the bike, please join us for a two-part workshop designed to help you be more knowledgeable and comfortable in your cycling endeavors!

Dates: July 15th and July 22nd, 2009

Location: Urban Tri Gear

210 Burr Ridge Parkway

Burr Ridge, IL 60527

Time: 6:30pm - 8:00pm

Registration: Tri Smart Coaching

Cost: $40.00

This workshop will cover the following:

• Group Riding Etiquette
• Paceline riding
• Cornering
• Shifting
• Skills and Drills
  

Bring your bike, shoes, helmet and dress appropriately for the ride. Each workshop will include a short informational session followed by a ride for hands on practice of the material discussed.

A FIST and BikeFit Systems Certified Fitter will be on hand to do free spot-checks on all Introduction to Cycling participants! A good bike fit is essential for strong riding performance.

Rockman Half Iron Race Report

It was a chilly 58 degrees race morning and the weather forecast showed 90% chance of rain at 9am. The high for the day was only to be about 67 degrees so I was already not looking forward to this race. On the positive side, the water was said to be about 70 degrees and the lake was smooth as glass.


After struggling with the cold in Memphis last month, I decided that it would be worth the extra time in transition to throw on armwarmers, a buff to keep my head and ears covered and long-fingered gloves. I even considered a cycling jacket. Transition times aren't quite as important as in a Half Ironman and I wanted to be comfortable for that 56 mile ride. I also made sure to put my run shoes and nutrition in a plastic bag for they were surely to be soaked before I made it to the run.


Once in the water, I was pretty cold but I knew I'd warm up once we got going. This guy in the clown suit on the right in this photo is the race director. That way you knew who the "Clown in Charge" was for the day. I'd heard about this before, but it's one of those things you have to see it to believe it!


I scooted my way to the front. This race was a bit unique in that all half iron competitors started at once. It was a small enough field that this shouldn't be too crazy and the space was nice and wide. A few second countdown and we were off! Within 10 seconds, I something was hitting my face. "Weeds!" I thought. I had been warned from friends who did this race last year that it was very weedy. I shook my head and dipped it lower than usual a few times to get this weed off my face. It wouldn't go away. So on my next stroke, I took my left hand and grabbed the weed and yanked it away from my face. AAAAAGGGHHH!!! It was my goggle strap! Now I start hyperventilating and my goggles are around my neck. Those of you who wear Swedish goggles know you have one strap that loops twice behind your head. Apparently, one of my straps snapped. I know using just one strap won't keep the goggles on securely enough and I can't swim without them because of my contacts. I panic for a second because I'm gasping for air, trying to tread water and tie the goggles on and there are swimmers flying by me left and right.


I regain some composure, turn around to face the oncoming swimmers (pretty interesting sight) and do an egg beater kick while tying my goggles back together. I'm struggling for breath and think about quitting. Here I was screwing up the best part of my race! I thought about swimming over toward shore where at least I could stand up and do this and decide this would take too much time. After what felt like an eternity, I got the goggles secured and turned on to chase everyone. But by this time, my heart rate was through the roof and I could not get my breathing under control. I swam very slowly and methodically to get back under control. It took maybe 200 yards and then I had to swim just a bit harder than normal to get out of the pack of swimmers and try to make up for lost ground.


Out of the water, I was feeling a bit exhausted. That little goggle fiasco played with my mind and I thought my race would be a disaster. I got to my bike and it was already raining. I tried to quickly pull on my armwarmers (impossible), put on the buff and struggled to get the long-fingered gloves over my half-numb hand. Put the rest of my things on and ran out to the mount line - which was way past where you exit transition. It was a decent uphill, so I guess they didn't want people trying to get on their bikes on the uphill.


As soon as I was on the bike and moving at a decent clip, I wished I had opted for the cycling jersey. The rain coming down and the frigid temperature made me question why I was even doing this race. But I kept going, being overly cautious on the wet pavement. A few significant hills in the beginning helped keep me warm, but then I would shiver on the fast downhill. A couple of uncontrolled intersections with no volunteer to stop traffic caused me to get off my bike once to let a car go by. This was an out and back - at the aid station furthest from transition, I was handed a bottle of water. I filled my aerobottle and took a swig before tossing the bottle aside - well water! YUCK! Nothing I could do, I needed water. I tried pushing hard on the straight sections, but the pavement was slick so I slowed down considerably at each turn. I knew this was costing me time, but I just wanted to stay upright!


Disappointed with my bike split, I ran in transition, struggled again with those stupid gloves, ripped off the arm warmers and buff, grabbed my things and headed out to the run. There was no one in front of me and no one really pointing anyone in any direction. I just had to hope I was going the right way.


Almost immediately, the hills came flying at me. I was breathing hard and wondering where the aid station was. I felt like I was running forever, so I glanced behind me....was I even going in the right direction? Surely I should have passed mile 1 by now, right? I did have a runner behind me, but how do I know I wasn't leading this guy off course? Well, I just kept going and FINALLY I saw a mile marker - 2. Sweet! But where is the aid station? I needed to take in a gel. Get to an aid station, take in my gel and continue on. The hills were some of the toughest I've run, but my legs felt pretty good due to having taken it easy on the bike. Unfortunately, there was not one other mile marker on the entire run course. I don't run with my Garmin, so I have no idea what kind of pace I'm running. I just tried to keep the heart rate under control and slow down on the hills. Several out and back sections gave me an opportunity to see some of my friends out there on the run. I thoroughly enjoyed running on the paths through this state park, just wished I had mile markers.


On the way out of the last out and back section, several runners asked, "when is there water"? The aid stations were few and far between on the course. When I got off that path and back on to the road, I asked a volunteer, "How many miles left?" I wanted this over! I had 1.5 miles to go and it got really hilly again. There was one part, up hill, turn left, that felt so steep, I thought I could have walked it faster than run it. I focused on staying upright and finishing strong. Soon I recognized turning on to the street toward transition. A few spectators were there and I saw a few friends. They chose to take pictures on yet another long, slow uphill section so I look like I'm moving so slowly...and I was! That hill seemed to never end! When I got to the parking lot near the finish, no arrows, no volunteers pointing you where to go. I just hoped the guy I could see up in front of me was doing it right! We had to run all the way around the parking lot to get to the finish. I was able to finish the run strong, with still a little left in the tank. Not a strong performance for me, but feels good to have my first half iron distance done for the season.

Transitions: The 4th Discipline - June 4, 2009

TRANSITIONS: The 4th Discipline

Whether you are new to triathlon or you’re an experienced athlete looking to gain some time on your competition, please join us for a hands-on demonstration designed to help you be efficient, smooth and fast during your transitions.

Date:	June 4, 2009
Location:	McCollum Park 6801S. Main Street Downers Grove, IL 60515
Time:	6:30pm - 8:00pm
Registration:	http://www.trismartcoaching.com/sign_me_up
Cost:	Early Registration $20.00 before May 29th, 2009. Registration after May 29th is $25.00.

Goody Bags: Registrations before June 3rd include goody bags

Items you should bring to this event include:

• Bike
• Helmet
• Bike shoes (if you use them)
• Sunglasses
• Race belt (if you own one)
• Running shoes
• Visor and/or hat for run
• Socks (if you plan to use them)
• Wetsuit (optional)

All participants must complete a participant waiver. Registrations will be accepted on day of the workshop (cash or check only).

Memphis in May Triathlon Recap

This was my 3rd year participating in the Memphis in May triathlon. As usual, I was in a hurry packing up for the race and making sure we were prepared for the 8 hour drive. Because I had been sick since the beginning of the week, I was considering not even making the trip. Even Friday morning as I was loading up the car, I thought about bailing. It never occurred to me to get a weather report. Memphis in May = 90 degrees and humid.

Heading down with 2 members of my Luna Chix team, they were kind enough to let me sleep in the back seat and try to get some rest during the trip down. I was coughing, sniffling and sounding like I smoked a carton of cigarettes. Should I even bother trying to race? Well, too late, I'm in the car and on the way.

Saturday morning, we head to packet pick up, hook up with some other Chicago friends and Mideast Team Elite superstar, Jason S., and spend a little time at the expo. The expo at Memphis is always outdoor under a tent. While under said tent, it was hot and humid. It's not a very big expo, but they do a good job of making sure you can get just about everything you might need or have forgotten to pack.

On to check out the lake for a quick swim. It was not very sunny this afternoon which made sighting for the practice swim very easy. I was pleasantly surprised at the water temperature. The website said 71 - sure felt warmer than that to me. Then again,my last open water swim was done in 62 degree water, so maybe my expectations were a bit off.

Out of the water and on to the bike ride. We were running a little short on time and as soon as I got on my bike, I knew something wasn't right. With the help of Smart Fit Bike Fit expert, BC, we quickly realized I was missing a spacer. I had a spare wheel, so the fix was easy. Or so I thought. Back on the road, my cassette was jingling around like I had a pocket full of loose change. It was embarrassing to ride by people with so much clatter going on. First a quick transition run. It was hard to breathe, I was still pretty congested. BC and CL really just ran away from me but I had no energy to chase them. Now to the bike mechanic at the expo, blah blah blah, it's fine - go test ride. Seems fine.

STARVING at this point, we hook up with the Shoemakers and head for a quick, light lunch. I think our group outnumbered all the rest of the patrons in the place. Food was just OK, but we needed to eat something. Back to the room for a quick shower and a nap. The time flew and I think I slept for the whole 2 hours. I was bummed I had to get up. Dinner was uneventful then a quick stop at the Wal-Mart to pick up a few miscellaneous items. Being new at the self-checkout line, I screwed it up and had to have an employee come over and "supervise" me. I'm really not stupid. Really.

Morning came much too quickly and the weather report was scary. Forty degrees. Windy. Very windy. Shoot - I didn't pack anything to wear in the race in case it was cold. I didn't think about cold, I'm in MEMPHIS. I got dressed, we ate, headed out to put the bikes on the rack and I went back in to add a second jacket - yes, I had TWO jackets on. I was wishing I had gloves.

We get to the race site and follow all the tail lights through a field where we started parking. The procession of cars on race morning is just a cool sight. It's early, quiet and you can just feel the anxiety of the athletes as they prepare for the event. Everyone is just focused on doing what they need to get done and mentally preparing for the day.

It was one of my quickest transition set ups ever. I was cold. Very cold. The wind was whipping around and the chop on the lake was much more than I expected. Sure, I've swam in worse, but that was in RACINE, not MEMPHIS! I questioned the use of my disc wheel but didn't change it. How bad could it be? The announcer did his best to entertain us, but all I could think about was how cold I was going to be on the bike. Everyone always asks, "wasn't the swim cold?" No - when it's that cold out, the water is now warmer than the air. In fact, it's quite toasty to jump in the water at that point. It's when you get out, strip the wetsuit off, don't dry off and hop on your bike. That's when it's cold.

We went for a quick warm up run (though I didn't warm up) and then quickly took my warm up clothes on to put on my wetsuit. Memphis is a time trial start, one racer every 3 seconds, so we all sat huddled, waiting for our numbers to come up, shivering though our wetsuits were completely on and zipped. One by one, it was time to race until finally it was just BS and I. We had plenty of time to chat and plan our race strategy. Once I was lined up, things went fast. The woman right behind me shot around on my left so I just jumped on her heels. I think I drafted off her for at least half the race. We swam wide to avoid all the other swimmers scattered throughout the water. A few times, I got a mouthful of water due to the choppiness, but I didn't feel like it slowed me down too much.

I caught up to her in transition and left her there as I ran out with my bike. I was already cold and I wasn't even on the bike yet. This wasn't going to be good. The wind, so I was told, was about 35 mph that day. I headed out and my arms and fingers were pretty cold. I struggled to keep the bike straight when the wind gusted. For a few sections, there was a nice tailwind that felt great, but then we'd turn and a wind gust would come and I'd have to fight with the bike to stay upright. I expected worse. My fingers were so cold, they weren't functioning properly, so I had to take my whole hand off the aerobars when I needed to shift. I knew this wasn't going to be a strong ride for me - my legs felt heavy from the first couple of miles. But I'm giving it everything I've got as this is an "MJ friendly" course.

Back in to transition, I ran one rack over my spot and had to go back. The rest was smooth and I was reminded how hilly the run is on this course. I forced myself to slow down the first couple of hills to keep the heart rate in control. My breathing was labored and I was still congested which felt tougher than it really was. Came up on the Luna Chix about mile 3 of the turn around and tried to encourage them. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to talk much, I was on a mission. Hammer sped up to stay with me for a bit, which I totally enjoyed, but it didn't last as long as I hoped. I tried to negative split the second half of the run, now knowing where the hills were and that the worst of it was over for me.

That last stretch on this long grassy berm or whatever you call it seems to take forever. It's along the lake and you can hear the music, specators and announcer for the longest time before you actually get there. I was able to pass a few athletes on that stretch which was motivating. A quick down hill, don't trip on the root that's sticking out, and I crossed the finish. A good race, not a great race for me. I never really warmed up on the run - not even sure if I sweated (is that a word?) But Memphis continues to be a fantastic event and I had great fun with my friends throughout the entire weekend.