2011 Cross Season 13 races

After my last triathlon this season, the world championships in Las Vegas I decided to try a new sport; cyclocross.  People told me it was tough, cold, muddy, etc, but I think more than anything this is why it looked like fun to me.  I kind of wanted to gain some strength in the legs for next season to keep up with some the pro triathletes on the bike.  Rather than lift weights and spend time on the trainer why not race?  So this is exactly what I did and man I think I like bike racing almost as much as triathlon.  I have since joined a road racing bike team in my town called Luck Pie / Sonic Boom competing in all cycling categories.    Cross is easy to race all the time as well its cheap, local, and you get there to register right before your start.  I was going to write blogs about each cyclocross race, but seeing as I have raced every weekend and sometimes double weekend races it just did not fit into the schedule.  Plus quite frankly no one cares about each race anyway so I will give a summary of the cross season and each of my 13 races.  But needless to say I think that this is going to be a yearly affair that I will pursue every fall.

            Triathletes are considered by most road racing guys as the ones that have no bike handling skills at all and that cause crashes.  I made it no secret that I was a triathlete stepping into their world.  I have had a few podiums, a few crashes, and gained a lot as far as bike handling skills go.  I think there is more to improve on but all in due time, for now it is fun just racing each weekend.

Little summary of each race this season - 

1.     Boulder Racing CX at Valmont 9/17/11 – 5^th CAT4 - My first race starting in CAT4 since ACA does not give a damn how good of a triathlete you are.  No worries I kind of needed to start in the back and work my way up.  That’s what happened here started dead last of almost 75 guys, great course 2 stair run-ups each lap.  Ended up 5^th place, not bad for my first race 6 days after my last triathlon of the season.  I have a lot to learn, 45 mins all out was damn hard when I am used to a sustained effort of 4 hrs.

2.     Boulder Racing CX at Xilinx 9/24/11– 5^th CAT 4 – This course was a lot different than the first one, lots of turns, dusty, with a big technical section over a log downhill.  Lots of guys crashed on these technical section but I rode it fairly easy, got a call up to the mid pack at the start still around 70 guys.  5^th place again, pretty much the same guys beating me too.

3.     Frisco CX at Frisco 10/1/11– 7^th CAT4 – Wow what a beautiful place to race held at a bike park in the mountains at Frisco, the aspens we aglow and the weather was perfect.  The family came to this one and we hiked a little before the race and hit dinner in Breckenridge after the race.  The course had a few obstacles setup throughout, run on 6-7 logs, one lone log, and a run up on loose dirt each lap.  I did some recon before this race and did two warm up laps each time clearing the lone log bunny hopping.  I had a nice call up at this one with the points I have accumulated so I was close to the lead group the first lap and made it over log no problem.  But the 2nd lap I hit my back wheel hard on the log and went over the bars hard, the crowd cheered, I got up quickly put my chain back on and continued on the race.  Ended 7th overall, was a great venue even though racing at almost 10k feet was very tough.

4.     USGP New Belgium Cup Day 1 – 10/08/11 – 69^th CAT4 – This was the “Big” race in CO this season and it did not disappoint except for the weather, but my race on sat. was nice and dry we started first early in the morning.  The course was great here including a flyover, barriers, stairs, hills, and flat sections.  69^th place you say, well I was in 4^th on the second lap and on the big downhill section and I hit a ditch hard, pushed my bars down and the front brake locked up.  I managed to not fall but had to stop and loosen the front brake all the way, still rubbing hard, tried to ride no luck.  Ran to the pits which were close and a kind sole tried to help but with no pit bike and us being unable to even unhook the front brake it took over 5 minutes to loosen it enough to ride.  I finished the race but went from 4^th to last back to 69^th.  What had happened is the actual brake hood had slipped down the bar enough to tighten the front brake, anyway the hoods and bar are nice and tight now.  Day 2 tomorrow.

5.     USGP New Belgium Cup Day 2 – 10/09/11 –5^th CAT4 – After the mechanical on day one which was dry weather, it rained all day prior and was just finishing up upon our start.  Needless to say this was my first major muddy race, it was a real shit show.  Lots of falls, slides and running, I managed to take 5^th on a messy day, the course seemed to dry out with each lap and the afternoon races proved to be great.  All the major US CX teams were there.

6.     Blue Sky Velo Cup CX – 10/15/11 – 1^st CAT4 – Hey finally took the W.  This race was at the Xilinx campus again but different course layout.  The course was dry and it was warm out again, there were a few barriers each lap and two of them were hoppable at high speed which was fun.  I did not get the hole shot even though it was uphill and I had a front row callup, but I lead after lap 1 till the end.  I even had a nice little crash in a technical dirt section, they caught me but I maintained the lead till the end.  It was really nice to have my two kids and wife there to hand out water and just be there for a win.  With this race I had enough upgrade points to move to CAT 3, one more race tomorrow then I will upgrade.

7.     Excel Sports Monarch High Cross – 10/16/11 – 15^th CAT4 – The big crash, there was bound to be one this season this was it.  This was a race right here is Louisville so I had to do it, it was to be my last CAT4 race.  I kind of missed my call-up so I started 2^nd row in the middle.  The start was on asphalt and it was a typical sprint from the line, once we got up to maybe 25mph, the guy if front of me went down hard I ran right into him and over the bars, this caused a chain reaction that took out most of the group in the middle.  I tried to get up and pull my bike away but it was bent up and tangled in a guys foot.  Once loose I bent everything back in place and started away.  Injury wise my right side was torn up, hip, elbow, ankle, knee, and both shoulders bloody.  I got back on and finished the race which was a nice course, but I was kind of out of it at this point.  I managed to pull back to 15^th place, but had a bent derailleur hanger so I could not hit all the easy gears without putting it into the spokes.  Time to heal now for the next race.

8.     Boulder Racing CX – Interlocken – 10/22/11 – 12^th CAT3 – My first CAT 3 race, I knew it was going to be faster, but somehow I still expected top 10, no luck.  The course was nice at Interlocken grass start which was nice after my crash, steep hill run up and sand pit.  I started off strong on this race and faded towards the end, or maybe the CAT3 guys just don’t fade as much as the CAT 4 ones.

9.     Boulder Cup – 10/30/11 – 29^th CAT3 – Birthday race at Valmont bike park was supposed to go well, but the melting snow and mud was too much for my derailleur to handle.  Valmont bike park is the best place in Boulder to have a CX race with multiple stairs and sand pits set up.  The race went well, I made it near the front for most of the race and on the last lap through the last large mud pit my rear derailleur hanger decided to sheer off under load sending it into the spokes and around the hub.  There was nothing I could do but shoulder the bike and run the last ½ mile.  Guy right behind me did the exact same thing, so we ran together, but he was obviously not a runner so I ran by myself.  It was nice to have my Dad, Betsy, and Christine there to watch this race, I just wish I could have finished without a mechanical.

10. School Yard Cross – 11/5/11 – 7^th CAT3 – This course looked great, but the surface made this one a super tough race.  Set in Brighton a little ways away it had a few big climbs, barriers, and the dirt looked easy to ride on but felt like riding heavy sand the whole time.  CAT3 did not have a huge field here but most of the guys I had been racing with were there so it was going to be fast.  Another grass/dirt start which I like now, uphill towards a few barriers.  Just high enough to make you think about hopping them, first lap I suit-cased over but the rest of the race I hopped without difficultly.  I went back and fourth with Craig Daugherty on this race and in the end he finished a few seconds ahead of me.  I enjoyed a free beer after and a good hard race.

11. CYCLO X Broomfield – 11/13/11 – 2^nd CAT3 – Windy was all this day had to offer and 2^nd place of course, but only 10 guys out that day.  Cold and windy was the weather forecast, the day prior I had done a 3.5 hour ride in the super wind which was not all that smart for a few reasons.  But the Broomfield race was a good course with a tough run up and a creek/ditch we went through twice each lap.  Only ten CAT3 guys, and I stayed in 4^th most of the race, but 2 guys had mechanicals and I was in 2^nd.  I did not know it and I tried for the guy in front of me but he was just not having it at all,  I could not catch him.  I really did not even know the other two guys had mechanicals and pulled out when we finished, but I will take it.

12. Jingle Cross Iowa – 11/26/11 – 8^th CAT3 – On our way back home form a huge road trip from CO > southern IL > Chicago > CO over thanksgiving we stopped in Iowa for some Midwest CX racing at its finest.  39 degrees and pouring rain was the forecast, not very nice.  Anyway I suited up took a look at all the mud, watched folks running up and down the huge hill called Mt Crumpet and decide a practice lap was not in order today.  A large CAT3 field of 71 guys started, it was cold, raining, and muddy.  Muddy was an understatement the Iowa mud was slick, in CO there is more sand to grip into, not here.  Off camber run in shin deep mud followed by the Mt Crumput run up then run down.  I tried to ride each time but only made it a few hundred feet before crashing and running the rest, falling while running too.  Crowds were all around the run down to watch and heckle the shit show, it did not disappoint at all.  This was a true cross race I just wish there were more ride-able sections as racing in lower altitude I felt great the entire time.  I made 8^th at the end while my family watched from a heated hanger/barn at the fairgrounds.  Great race support with showers and all after that made the rest of the drive home through the night more bearable.

13. CYCLO X Louisville – 12/03/11 – Another local race, I decided to volunteer at registration for this race since it was local which gained me a free entry.  The race was held at our Wednesday morning CX practice grounds so I had home course advantage for sure.  Problem was we had just received 8-10” of snow the night prior.  The juniors cut the course in the morning and CAT3 was in the late afternoon, it started to get pretty cold at our start and the course of run ups and mud quickly turned to ice and ice covered bikes.  I was running a SRAM rear derailleur with limited shifting in the back due to a broken Shimano one that week at practice. (from yet another broken derailleur hanger, that’s 2 broke, and 2 bent so far this season)  You would think they work together, but different pull ratios on the shifters don’t allow it.  I got the easy gears working which was all I needed anyway.  It got me though, until the new one came in the mail.  Anyway I made it through the race, took 6^th, and helped with all the cleanup in the dark.

I was planning on racing a few more races the last two weekends in cluding the State Championships, but somehow other activities started to get in the way, like skiing, and training for 2012 triathlon season.  Overall a great first cross season so much fun and I am already looking forward to next fall, where I will finally not be racing unattached but for the Sonic Boom / Lucky Pie racing team.

And a Snowy bike pic for good measure

70.3 World Championships

The 70.3 world championship changed venue from Clearwater FL to Las Vegas NV, which was a welcome change for sure.  I can't say that I like Vegas it just seems dirty and gambling is not for me, but the course is great, set near lake Mead on the southeast edge of Las Vegas in a town called Henderson.  The course is meant to be tough hot, windy, and hilly, it did not disappoint.  I left for the race thursday night after work without the family in tow, they bailed after they realized there was an 11 hr drive involved.  Next year they will come and enjoy the nice hotels Vegas has to offer.  I got to Vegas early afternoon on Friday, met up with many of my teammates who were racing as well, Glenn, Kerry, Mark, Pam, Warren, and Landon.  Bryan was there as well to give support and watch the race.  Saturday was an easy day as check in was completed, all I had to do was drop off my bike and talk to a few potential sponsors.  I did get a kick out of the bike counters, tallying bike brands, wheels, bars, power meters, etc at T1.  At the pro meeting though I finally realized the field I was about to compete in, usually I can finish in the top half and top ten at 70.3 races.  But these were all the guys that consistantly beat me, oh well I knew this coming in and will race my own race.  That's exactly what I did.
Sunday morning Bryan drove the entire team over to the race start in the beast of a Ford that Kerry and Glen rented, there was not too much to get done in T1 so I was ready to race.  The swim was in 81 degree lake Las Vegas surrounded by condos.  At the start in the water I found myself right next to Potts, so as the gun went off I stayed with him for the first 300 meters and then realized his pace was a little too quick for me to have a good race on.  So I fell beck to the lead group and stayed to the outside of them the entire swim.  I like to swim just to the outside of the lead group, I feel this is the best place to stay out of trouble.  I got into it with a few guys towards the end which takes energy out of both of us and slows us both down so I am not sure why it happens but no worries I gave a few hard strokes towards the end and dropped them quickly.  I exited the water around 10th I think with Craig right behind me, in 24:42.  I think I could have swam a little quicker here as I was not all that tired, and should of been further ahead of Craig. I choose not to use a T1 bag and ran directly to my bike.  I think I had one of the fastest T1 times for sure but I should of used a bag as I had to hunt down my swimskin and goggles after the race.  Out onto the bike where the fun begins....
Lets just say that I went from top 10 to top 20 in the first 10 miles of the bike.  The course ran out of Lake Las Vegas and into Lake Mead park which was very pretty, but also hilly.  I felt fine on the bike, just kept my power right below 300 got my nutrition and hit each water station.  The problem was the guys I was against were so much faster on the bike, my normal effort felt very slow.  It was a little lower than what I expected, but I also wanted to be able to run so I did not push too hard.  Over all the bike was okay and I ended up passing about 5 guys in the last 10 miles, which got me ready to run.  Bike was 2:28:13 at 294 watts avg.
I went through T2 fast, bike catchers are great, passed one more guy in T2 and headed out on the run.  I felt great the first mile, that was about it.  It was starting to get hot out and the 3 loop run course was not an easy course by any means.  Each loop was 1/2 all downhill, then 1/2 all uphill and it hurt each time around up or down.  To my surprise I had many folks cheering for me throughout the run course which was great.  I could not manage a decent pace most of the run and felt very slow out there, but maybe it was Jessie Thomas passing me or Craig pushing up the hills like they were nothing.  The best part was at the end of the run though I managed to get chicked in the last 1/2 mile by the lead female, so that was great.  I ended my run not really feeling like I had left it all on the course which I usually do, and a 1:27:04 time.
I am not disappointed with my results, I made it to worlds which is more than 3/4 of the pros can say, I learned a lot this season and will take this race into next season only to improve on.  I know what it takes to compete at this level now and exactly what I need to work on.  Now its cross season....game on.

Swim - 24:42
T1 - 2:23
Bike - 2:28:13
T2 - 0:49
Run - 1:27:04
Total - 4:23:10
  

Lake Stevens 70.3

All recovered from the Boulder 70.3 I hopped on a plane for the quick trip over to Seattle then on to Bellingham WA for my first back to back 70.3 races.  I have had this Lake Stevens race planned since the beginning of the spring, the cool weather in August and beautiful location I could not miss.  Plus my main sponsor for the last three years Erin Bakers was located here.  I arranged to stay with Bryan and Erin in Bellingham who opened up their home to Kevin Sullivan and myself the entire weekend.  Their hospitality was unprecedented and Bryan was racing his local 70.3 as well.  I got a tour of the bakery which I learned a lot, took in some sights of Bellingham, and relaxed Friday.  Saturday I had a great run around a beautiful lake in town called Padden, just wow.

A little ride, check in our bikes at the race site and some more relaxing while Erin prepared the most wonderful pre-rece meal for all of us.  We woke early Sunday and headed to the race site, arrived early and got set.  Air was about 55 and water 69, a far cry from the weekend before with hot water and hot temps all day.  It was going to be a nice day for a race, cool even.
The first wave headed off at 6:30 into clear cool Lake Stevens, as the gun went off I found my way to the front of the pack.  One guy was pulling in front of me so I gladly let him lead the entire swim, later to find out it was Graham O'Grady.  The swim was great mainly because this was the first cool water swim all season, there was also a rope about 4' below the water line that the buoys were attached to that you could follow the entire course.  I think this was for crew or slalom skiing, anyway it made for a great guide.  I touched Graham's toes every once in a while to let him know I was still there, before the exit I tried to pass, but he was not having any of that after leading the whole swim.  I was only one second behind him on the swim.  I got through T1 and hit the bike in first though.  But a few more guys were right on my tail and soon I was caught not too far from T1.  The bike was a two loop course with lots of small rolling hills, and the second lap was with the age groupers which made it a little crowded.  Very similar to the Boulder course the week before.  My bike felt good and I rode at around 300 watts the first lap, and then settled in behind two guys for about 10 miles on the 2nd, catching a legal draft.  After that I passed them as I felt their pace was a little too slow.  I did take the slower time to get in some calories fig newtons and hydration Nuun Strawberry lemonade.  I never did drop them even though I pushed the pace the rest of the bike.  Again a beautiful ride, cool, rollers, and smooth great course.  I managed to hold 316 watts average on this course at 24 mph which was exactly where I wanted to be.
Into T2 I counted bikes on the rack and there were 4 so I was in 5th, I made it quick and headed out for the run which is also two loops.  I love racing in my new Zoot Ultra Race 3.0, no socks, feet never too wet, and feel comfortable the entire run.  I had one guy pass me Stephen Kilshaw, I tried to stay with him but quickly realized he was running at a pace I could not hold.  So I ran my own pace for the rest of the race.  I could tell I was not fully recovered at about mile 8 or 9 as I started to slow, but I knew James Duff was right behind me even after serving his drafting penalty at the end of the bike.  I just kept counting down the miles, but James caught me with a mile to go.  I tried to not let him pass, but it happened, then I stuck with him and ended up only 6 sec behind at the finish.  Not my greatest run, but to be expected after back to back 70.3 races.  My swim and bike were both good so I was very happy with this race.  The main reason was the location though, and getting to race with 5 other of my teammates at one race Elizabeth Thiel, Geoff L'Heureux, Bryan Geschwill, Landon Opunui, and Kevin Sullivan...what a great race guys and way to represent the team.  Of course great weather and beautiful location don't hurt either...

This was my 6th half this season and the 5th WTC sanctioned one, the plan this season was to try and make it to Las Vegas for the world championship Sept. 11th as a first year pro.  Pro's this year race for points divided up at each race determined by placement, your top 5 points are added up and the top 50 go to worlds.  I received an email Monday morning from WTC that I made the cut, so I have excepted and now I actually have an A race this season to taper for. I can't wait to race the big boys in a few weeks.

Thanks again to Bryan and Erin for their wonderful hospitallity and enabling me to participate at the level that I do, I can not thank you guys enough.

Swim - 23:38
T1 - 1:09
Bike - 2:20:08 @ 24mph
T2 - 0:58
Run - 1:24:27 @    6:26/mi
Total - 4:10:20

Boulder 70.3

Racing the Boulder Peak and Boulder 70.3 I have come to expect tough competition, the Boulder 70.3 last weekend did not disappoint.  My last two triathlons have been right in my back yard which is so nice to be able to sleep in your own bed and not have the travel associated with all of my other races this season.  The day before the race I was up early getting my daughter's bike ready for her Ironkids race.  We hit the Ironkids race which she did very well at and enjoyed it so much.  It was almost more fun watching her race then doing my own the next day.  Great job Riley! 

We got to hang out at the beach swim with the kiddos and attend the pro meeting, so I was all set. 
Race day I arrived early as is my norm now after a few rushed races in the past, I had plenty of time to get everything set, chat, and walk around the transition area.  My strategy for this race was to take the swim easy, nail the bike, and see what happens on the run.  The swim was wetsuit legal though most felt the water was way too warm, no worries not much you can do about it.  I like my Blue Seventy full wetsuit anyway even if it was going to be a little hot.  Our start was 6:30 am nice and early to keep out of the heat in the afternoon.  I started the swim right behind Andy Potts and after the gun went off I found that many of the guys were jockeying for his feet.  The group swam out in the beginning what I felt to be a little to the left of the course, so I stayed right and followed the buoys.  I reminded myself that I was going to take the swim easy, which is exactly what I did the rest of the swim.  I was 25 meters or so behind the lead group and before the 2nd group.  I think this strategy is a good one especially at altitude, where fighting for position the whole swim really takes it out of you.  I came out of the water 8th in 24:28 and hardly out of breath, I may need to go a little harder than that next time, but hey I am ready for a great bike now. 
T1 went well and I was off on the two loop bike course.  I saw my coach Eric Kenny as I exited the res giving me pointers and letting me know exactly where I was in the race, thanks Eric for the amazing support!  The lead group was only 30 seconds or so ahead of me, I knew I could catch them but at what cost?  I decided to race my own race and see what happened.  I did gain on the group at the beginning, then they gapped me again, then it held steady at about 1 minute or so the rest of the bike.  Two guys passed me at the beginning of the bike, but they were holding a pace that was a little out of my league so I had to let them go.  I tried to hold 300 watts the entire bike and I managed to feel pretty good throughout the fast flat course.  I had my hydration in the form of Nuun strawberry lemonade which was great, grabbed three waters on course, a few fig newtons, two gels, and a few salt tabs.  I felt quite dialed in on the bike, at mile 45 a little fatigue set in but nothing drastic.  The course is fast, I held 292 watts average and finished the bike in 2:09.48 at just under 26 mph, my best bike ever I think.
I was a little worried beginning the run as I put out a lot on the bike, but after the first 3 miles or so into the run I was feeling pretty good, not fast but good.  The run was a not even that hot this early in the day and the first loop was all to myself, I was passed by 2 guys at mile 4 or so one which I kept in sight the rest of the race.  Lap two I was surprised as rounding a turn I just missed stepping on a 3 foot rattle snake, he was rattling and did not look too happy.  I warned the guy behind me and continued on.  The run actually went by fairly quick, with aid stations each having their own theme was pretty fun.  Thanks BTC you guys were a great help.  Mile 11 into the run I rounded the north east side of the res and just thought how lucky I am to be racing and living here the beautiful mountains in the back ground and the lake.  Oh yea and hat guy is only 100 meters in front of you go catch him.  I think he put on a little at the end because I tried to catch him for what I thought was 8th place at the time, I pulled the gap to around 50 meters but that was about all I could muster at this point in the race.  There was a great crowd at the finish, I crossed the line at 4:01.27 in 11th place.  My run was 1:25.02, not my best, but I am very happy with this race as I feel my bike is finally coming along. 

Now to recover this week and head to Washington state for another beautiful race at Lake Stevens.


Swim - 24:28
T1 - 1:24
Bike - 2:09:48 avg 25.9 mph
T2 - 0:45
Run - 1:25:02
Total - 4:01:27

Mt Evans Hill Climb

A bike race from 7,000' to 14,130' in 28 miles up the highest paved road in north America?  Searching for a bike race in my short triathlon break I was in for this one for sure.  The Mt Evans hill climb has been an annual race for the last 46 years making it one of the oldest and highest in North America.  I had been looking forward to this race for quite a while, also trying to get others in the area to do it with me, but on race day I found myself alone.  No worries there were 150 others in my Men's CAT 4 division.  I arrived at Idaho Springs early 7/23, got my bike and gear setup and rode around the small historic mining town at about 7k'.  I was early so I watched a few of the other divisions start and got ready for the CAT 4 men's start.
It was a slow roll out of town and then the group held steady as the climb was mild towards the start for a few miles.  The entire profile of the race is all climbing ending at the top of Mt Evans, hence the Mt Evans Hill climb.  The first 10 miles or so I stayed with the group as did about 40 riders, but once the climb really started I found it more and more difficult to stay with the group and the group quickly splintered into single riders the rest of the way up.  I thought I was out in front of many riders in the initial pack, but found many lighter riders passing me on the way up.  The route is absolutely beautiful all the way up and was quite enjoyable till about Echo lake at mile 13, my Kestrel RT 800 climbed great and was comfortable all the way up.  I have been doing some good climbs on the road bike prior to this race in preparation, but I think I should have at least rode the course here at least once.  Because I had no idea what I was really in for here, it was getting tough.  My legs were burning already as the course leveled out around summit lake at mile 22, by leveling out I mean it dropped to a 4-5% grade.  I was riding with a few guys from my group here and passing riders from the previous group starts.  After summit lake as I looked up the course on this perfect weather day all I could see was switch back after switch back the rest of the way straight up.  This is where the race really took a turn for the worst, I was having trouble holding my power at even 250.  I think I need much more climbing work to be good at these hill climbs longer than a few miles, but I did notice that most of the guys that had passed me were a lot smaller and lighter which sure helps climbing.  I did see a huge marmot sitting on a rock right next to the road I said what up and continued on my way.  The race continued up the switch backs as the air got cooler and thinner towards the top.  I was pretty much out of steam by the end and managed one last push to the finish line.  The top was cool and the view spectacular above all of the surrounding mountains.  I found my gear bag with food and warm clothes, this was brought to the top by the race crew for the decent back down.  It was in the high 80s at the start and 50s at the top, pretty much perfect weather.  I stayed up top and spoke to a few of the guys I had been riding up with, took in the sights and then headed back down the 28 mile decent.  It took me 2:24.48 to climb up and about exactly 1 hour to get back down, the decent was pretty fun too.  I ended up taking 20th place in CAT4, of course the race paid through 10th, not too bad but I expected better.  I enjoy the road races so I know this will not be my last, and as much as this race was painful, I am sure I will be back again next year.

 

Boulder Peak

I have been a little behind writing my blogs trying to fit in family, training, and work in the past few weeks. We did get in a great trip to Yellowstone and Grand Teton right after the Boulder Peak race. So moving to Boulder last October I knew I had to race both the Olympic and 70.3 races that were right in our backyard, problem is they are right in the backyard of many of the top professionals in the sport and at over 5k feet to boot. Regardless I was in for both, the Boulder Peak was 7/10 and I expected to do well even though the completion would be tough. The 5150 series has been really tough with all the top Olympic guys vying for spots at Hy-Vee. Hy-Vee was in my plan until they decided to cancel the Provo UT race, after that I did not have 3 races in which to score points in any longer. The Boulder peak was nice because the pros did not start until after all the armatures were done and mostly off the course, luckly it was an overcast day and teh heat was not an issue.
The swim was non-wetsuit and quite nice, I had a little trouble staying with the lead pack and did loose them towards the middle but not by that much. I was out of the water 8th I think in 19:29, the res is so nice to swim in. On the way out of transition right after mounting the bike I heard someone fall right behind me, it was Brooks Cowan who I train with. Only later did I find out he crashed right out of T1 and had to stop for a few minutes to get his bike back in riding condition. The bike has the one huge hill up Old Stage, my plan was to try and keep it under 400 watts or so on the hill and steady the bike at just over 300 watts for the remainder. I followed this pretty much, but could not quite get myself to hold the 300 average I was looking for, ending the bike in 1:03.29. I did ride side by side one other male pro who I can not remember his name for the last ½ of the bike, but the stagger rule allows for this and we were watched very closely by multiple officials on the motorcycles. T2 went really well and quick, since most armatures had just finished they were all for the most part sticking around to watch. The pro run course was three loops back to the finish line area each time, while I do not like all the loops it is nice to have people all over cheering lining the course, including my family, coach, and various friends. I think this was the first race this season that my family has been to due to traveling to so many races. My run actually felt the best in this race all season, I think the long runs and speed work with my coach Eric Kenny is starting to pay off. Also to my surprise my feet were the most comfy they had been in a long while, Zoot just sent me the new Ultra Race 3.0. I had only done a warm up run in them, but man they were nice, fast to get on, light, and very supportive. I had my best run time in a few races at 36:36. Overall I was passed by a few guys on the bike, passed a few on the run, and ended up 14th overall in the pro division. I would of liked to placed a little higher, but am still very pleased considering almost all 13 guys in front of me were big name triathletes and this is my first year racing pro. I am getting there it is just going to take some time and some more dedication / power on the bike.

Swim - 19:29
T1 - 1:23
Bike - 1:03:29
T2 - 0:37
Run - 36:36 27 pace 5:54
Total 2:01:34

Buffalo Springs 70.3

Crashed into a cactus and still managed to place 7th in the heat of TX, not too bad of a race.  I had two races planned this last weekend one in Provo Utah and one in Lubbock Texas, since the Provo Utah race was canceled I was headed to the great state of Texas for the second time this year to race a 70.3.  Buffalo Springs 1/2 Ironman is known for its tough conditions and long 22 year history, even with 112 degree temperatures in the forecast it brought many to this small town in the north west desert of Texas.  Again my sister and I made the drive to this race from Boulder, but this time we got to take the team Timex brand new Ford Edge.  It was a very nice ride except for the poo smell through TX and NM, because we of course had to ride with the windows down to heat acclimatize.  The way back would be all cool AC.  We made it to Lubbock early on Saturday, got a ride in and swim in the lake, packet pickup, and dinner with friends all before 7PM.  Everything went well, and we were set to be there a little early in the morning as to make sure we were not rushed like Kansas.
Buffalo Springs is a very pretty lake in a small canyon in the middle of the desert, it is spring fed so nice and cool even with the blast furnace air temperatures.

Again this race we knew a lot of folks racing wich is always nice, plus there are Kona slots at this race so many fast amateurs.  I got everything set in transition and had plenty of time to learn the transition very well before the race.  I got in a little warm up and was ready to start.  The pro mens field was not huge here maybe 20 or so.

The beach start went well and we were off in the water, I soon found myself in front right behind a few decent swimmers.  I decided for this race I was going to swim behind someone and not in the lead, so that is exactly what I did the entire swim, I felt very good exiting the water and not too tired.  But I think we swam a little slower that I would have liked in hindsight.  Either way I was out of the water with the same time as the guy I swam with.  I had a great T1 and was in the lead of the whole race within 200 meters of starting the bike.

I lead the bike until only mile 8 or 9, I was keeping to my plan of taking the first few hills and 10 miles of so at a decent wattage and not blowing it in the beginning of the race.  After only a few more passes through the 1/2 way point I was in about 4th place and felt good holding about 300 watts.  I was trying to get in all my nutrition as well as my coach Eric Kenney and I have been have been discussing along with salt and lots of water due to the heat of this race.  I soon realized why this bike course was tough it was the wind not the heat on the bike.  The desert plains here whipped up a great wind to deal with throughout the bike course.  I did get water at each aid station on my head body and some to drink as well to help deal with the heat.  The highlight of my bike was at about 1:32 minutes into the bike when I had a crash into a cactus going down a hill.  It sounds bad but really it was a little humorous more than anything and I only lost maybe 45 seconds.  I had one hand on the bars trying to decent and eat a little at the same time, realized I was going way too fast to make a large right hand turn at the bottom I had to go off the road rather than crash on the road.  I went through the side road gravel, down into a small ditch over the handle bars and landed on some cactus looking thing, I was fortunate though as it did not have needles sticking out all over it.  Quickly I got out of the ditch dragging my bike up with me.  Pedaled my chain back on and by this time the guy that was behind me was right there ask what the hell I was doing, we both had a laugh and uninjured I re-passed him and continued on the bike.  The next aid station I had to wash off all the dust that had stuck to the right side of my body from the crash.  Most of the rest of the bike was uneventful, though my watts dropped off a little towards the end.  I managed to get almost 900 calories in though, PB and jelly sandwich, fig newtons, salt, and lots of water on the bike so I was set for a good run.  But the heat of Texas had other ideas for everyone that day.

I choose to wear a hat and sunglasses on the run for the first time, which I think will become the norm for me now as I feel it helped a little to keep me cool.  The beginning of the run was shaded, but once out of the park it was hilly and right in the desert sun against the wind.  I tried to take it easy in the first 3-5 miles since it was so hot out, there were a few folks I knew cheering for me on the run which is always nice.  Dave Scott told me to keep it steady which is exactly what I was trying to do.  The worst part was heading to the turnaround against the wind I felt like I was slowing with every step and guys gaining on me from behind.  Once I hit the turn around I was much better, with the wind at my back and the roaming aid station handing cold water and I was good for now.  A little ice in the hat did not last long but offered a little reprieve.  Towards the end of the run down and up a few more hills and I was within the last few miles, it was pretty painful with the heat, but managed to push though it and finish strong in 7th place.  I was happy with this race for sure.

There were many folks from the Erin Baker's team and the Timex Team at this race all finished great, many winning Kona slots as well, including Christine, congratulations to all of them!  Now it was time for Texas Bar-B-Q and some ice cream.

Swim - 24:05
T1 - 1:15
Bike - 2:18:54
T2 - 0:49
Run - 1:29:59
Total - 4:14:55

Kansas 70.3

Headed to Lawrence Kansas for the third time in the race's 4 years was yet again a great experience, this was my the first time racing pro here.  My sister Christine and I decided to make the drive from Boulder to Kansas Friday night and Saturday morning and make a camping trip out of the race yet again.  The weather was on most folks minds all weekend as the forecast was not for the heat, but rather 80% chance of thunderstorms Sunday.  The family choose not to come to this race due to the weather forecast, but in hindsight it would of been a good one to attend maybe next year.
Kansas 70.3 is a great race to camp at simply because you can roll out of the tent right before the race start and not deal with traffic.  Also the run course goes directly through the campground, so no need to leave the site to watch the race unfold.  We had a good group from Boulder, Chicago, and Madison meeting halfway in between for this race and all camping together, so it was bound to be an eventful weekend.  Most staying until Monday as well so we could have a nice Bar-B-Q and a few beers after the race.
Race morning was rushed as always with everyone getting prepared, I think I took my time a little too much, because by the time I found myself walking out of T2 it was only 1/2 hr to my race start and I had to walk all the way to T1, prepare and get to the start line.  I was rushed and just barely made it to the start line zipped up my wetsuit and we were ushered into the water.  There was a decent sized male pro field for this race with a few big names so it was going to be a fast race.  The gun went off and there was the typical jockeying for position and violence of the start.  I found myself right on the feet of a decently fast swimmer and stayed there for the first 1/3 of the swim, he slowed and I passed.  But someone was touching my toes the whole time, Paul Matthews I believe.  As we rounded the first turn buoy and headed into the wind and waves I thought I was going to loose a few of them, but this is where I do not think you want to be leading.  I lead anyway though the finish and chop of the swim coming out of the water first, with a few more of the men not very far behind. 

So the swim went well, but coming into T1 was where the fun started....I was out of the water 1st but out of T1 like 8th, not good.  I can chalk up a list of excuses but the bottom line is allow yourself more time before the race to become familiar with transition so you know it when you are tired.  I was rushed in the morning and it cost me almost 40 sec in transition. 
Once on the bike I had a plan though provided by my coach Eric Kenney, I was to ride the first 10 miles which went up a few hills very nice and steady, building up to my prescribed wattage then holding that throughout the bike.  The key for me was not to kill it up each hill as I usually do, this in the long run is wasted energy.  So I think I nailed this plan to a T at Kansas, because once off the bike I felt great and ready to run, thanks Eric.
My run started off great, but I felt a little off towards the end of the run, kind of a slow bonk from not eating enough calories on the bike.  All I had was two gels, two fig newtons, and Nuun in my water.  I will have to dial that in a little better for the next race.  So the last few miles of the run hurt pretty good, but I pushed through it and managed to finish in 14th place overall.  Out of the prize money, but still a decent result for not feeling it on the run.

 

Another great race at Kansas, the rain stayed away the entire time and the weather was reasonably cool, for Kansas anyway.  The others that stayed with us had great races too Jackie Arendt taking 5th for the womens pro field, Owen Hammond 6th in his age group, and Christine taking home the win for her age group as well.  It was a nice to know so many top athletes in the race and felt like around each bend there was someone I knew to give a wave or good job too.

Swim - 00:24:36
T1 - 1:25
Bike - 02:19:38
T2 - 0:39
Run - 01:22:51
Total - 04:09:09

Bolder Boulder

The largest 10k in the world?  That is what I signed up for and had been anticipating since I recently moved to the Boulder area last October, it did not disappoint.  With a pro field consisting of Ryan Hall among others, I toed the start line last Memorial Day with 55,000 other runners.  My family was there to watch the start and finish, next year I think we will both run it.

I started in first wave under overcast skies with my sister Christine and teammate Brendon.  The gun went off and the mass sprint started led by who else by Jesus and the Devil.

 Followed closely by Brendon and my self.

The race is really a must do race in the Boulder area, there were bands more than every mile with full stages, slip and slides, beer stops, belly dancers, and various other sights throughout the race.  My coach Eric Kenney had a few tough workouts prior to this race including a 4.5 hr ride Sat., but I still felt decent.  Brendon and I ran most of the race together, I only lost him at an aid station where he stopped and I did not, though he kept 50 yards behind me the rest of the run.  I passed Jesus at mile 3 or so, but did not have any remorse.
The course finishes with a 2/3 lap around CU stadium, filled later on in the day but sort of empty upon our arrival.

We stuck around for a little while after the race but it was a bit chilly and rainy so we decided to leave before the pros finished in the early afternoon.

The whole crew after the race....including my girls.

overall place:
    187
division:
    M32
division place:
    7 out of 501
gender place:
    178 out of 22356

mile 1: 05:42.11
mile 2: 06:02.56
mile 3: 06:20.40
mile 4: 06:10.54
mile 5: 05:57.00
mile 6: 06:08.38
net time: 37:33.93
pace: 06:02 (based on net time)

Memphis in May

Thunder, lightning, rain, snakes, and it turned out to be a great super fact race.  Heading to the Memphis in May race for the 2nd year I was excited, it would also be my first Olympic distance race in the pro division.  I flew in from Boulder via Nashville and drove over to Memphis as the airfare direct to Memphis was much more expensive.  The race director had arranged a home stay for Peter Clode and myself with a family in Memphis.  They were more than accommodating, opening up their home, cooking meals, and providing anything we needed, thank you Abbay very much! 
I just met Peter that Saturday before the race, but we hung out together the entire weekend and seemed to have much in common, aside from making a new friend I learned a ton about New Zealand.  Just preparing myself for when I travel to this great country.  Saturday before the race we rode some of the bike course, got checked in, and attended the pro meeting.  What a surprise to see such a huge pro field when I entered the room, everyone was there for HyVee points for sure not the 25k prize purse.  So after the race meeting my top ten aspirations were kind of out the window, but I would race my own race and with a time trial format how could you not?
Abbay made Peter and I a great pasta dinner that night and we were ready for the race on Sunday.  The pro start was to be at 10:30, but as we drove past the race site and it was pouring rain and lighting we figured it was postponed.  We soon realized that the race was still on in the very heavy rains.  I got all my gear setup in transition in the rain, tried to keep my running shoes dry and got ready to race.  The start was postponed about 45 minutes, but we were still able to swim in the brief moment that storms subsided.  Which was a great call by the race directors as it worked out perfect and we got a whole triathlon in.  There was talk of canceling the race and making it into a duathlon.
The time trial start for which this race is famous for was to be 10 seconds apart alternating male/female, alphabetical order by sir name.  So this meant that I was #1 starting first, I thought that this was going to be a good thing, but I ended up pretty far off on my swim time.

I hit the water first starting the pro race and tried to keep a decent pace and a dead straight line through the swim.  It was a non-wetsuit swim and I found it hard to keep a hard pace swimming out in front by myself.  I exited the water still in the lead, but could tell it was not a great effort as I was not very tired at all.  The transition was muddy, but I got through without falling and was out on the bike course.  The bike was very flat and straight, which was to be fast if it was not wet and full of puddles.   But I made the best of it and managed to hold off getting passed until mile 10 of so by Dye and another.  The rest of the bike went well; 2 stray dogs, one snake, and rain towards the end.  I ended it in 54.27, 324 watts, at 27.3 mph, this was a pretty good time for me, but still well off the leaders of the day.  I will get there soon I hope.  I found my Zoot Ultra Tempos bone dry under the plastic bag, got them on quickly and headed out of transition only to step in a huge 4-5" deep puddle about 2 steps out of transition.  These shoes drain so well it was not an issue and continued on through the run.  The rain subsided a little for the run around the Tunica MS casinos, but there was a little lighting in the area.  I was passed by Kris Gemmell like I was running backwards, and I passed one other during the run.  I dug deep to run the last mile quite hard and came through the line 4th, which ended up 12th overall.  Only 8 seconds behind my home stay partner Peter Clode finishing 11th.
So I finished just outside the top 10 yet again, but I was happy with where I landed in this race considering the tough competition.  I have to commend the race staff at the Memphis in May this year, they had a new venue, totally different course, and mother nature gave them a huge storm to deal with.  They more than made then the best of it, got the pros out on course without incident, and in hindsight made the best decision they could have, thanks again guys for a great race!
After the race Abbay made Peter and I a fantastic dinner and on Monday we went over to Beale street in downtown Memphis and enjoyed some great BBQ ribs at Blues City Cafe before heading back to Nashville to fly out.

In Nashville apparently this is the year for the cicadas to come out of their 13 year hiding, because these little guys were everywhere, my rental car wind sheild was covered in nasty bug goo.

Swim - 00:19:39
T1 - 00:00:45
Bike - 00:54:27 @27.33
T2 - 00:00:50
Run - 00:37:04 @5:59
Finish - 01:52:45 12th place

Wildflower

I finally pulled the trigger a month or so ago and decided to register for Wildflower, I had heard so much about how much fun this race was I had to do it for myself, and I was not disappointed.  So my sister Christine and I decided to drive out to the race from Boulder, since it meant bringing all our triathlon gear and camping gear to get the full Wildflower experience.  She was going to do the Olympic race Sunday and I was to do the 1/2 Iron distance Saturday.  So Thursday the road trip began, loaded with all our gear we headed out of Boulder set for California.  We made it to Vegas that night and found a sweet hotel "Near the Las Vegas Strip" for $32, not bad.

A little run around Vegas in the morning and we were off again, we needed to get to the race site before 4 PM for me to make the pro meeting and packet pickup.  Arriving at the race site the venue was beautiful, we picked up all the necessary passes at the gate and headed over to pick up my packet and attend the pro meeting.  The pros were treated as VIPs throughout this race so we were able to drive directly to the site, attend breakfast, lunch, and dinner each day, and get a campsite or cabin.  What great treatment, this race was turning out to be one of the best I had ever attended.  We headed over for dinner after the pro meeting which was great, but I was getting a little worried that I still had nothing unpacked.
After dinner we went over to check out our campsite, the place was completely packed with cars and tents on every inch of the campground.  Our site was still empty though and it look like a fairly nice one, running water and electric at the site, hardly roughing it.  We unpacked, setup camp, and went for a short ride.  I think I was ready now and could relax around the camp fire...finally.

Race morning came, but not really that early as we had a 8AM start and I was still on CST.  I made breakfast, got a few final things set, and biked down to the start with my gear.  At transition I got my place set and readied for the start.  The men's pro wave had around 35 guys in it with top competitors from around the world, it was to be another great race.  The water temp was 63 degrees so the race was wetsuit legal for everyone, we had time for a little warmup.  I tried to start in front as usual but only managed second row, no worry I could swim there. 

There was a countdown and the gun went off.  The cool water felt good as I fought my way to the front in the first 200 meters or so.  Before we even arrived at the first turn there were two guys off the front and I was swimming with another couple guys.  The rest of the swim was uneventful, I held third place.  The two off the front were Dustin Mclarty and Clayton Fettell they were over 1:30 ahead by the end of the swim.  I could see them but not keep pace. 

I held third place the entire swim and lead the chase group out of the water.

T1 went well I put on my new LG helmet which was the first time, it is a great fit and very comfortable, I think I could wear it as a normal helmet not just for races.  The bike course headed south around the entire lake, starting uphill.  Near the gate exiting the park at mile 2 or so I went to put on my sunglasses that I had just bought a week ago and dropped them right on the ground.  500 meters of so down the road I yelled to the CAL Poly volunteers at that aid station that I lost my glasses back there number 69!  I was not turning around, but hopped for the best.   After a few miles a couple of the guys passed me and I had to make sure I was following the stagger rule for this race every time I was passed.  The bike course at Wildflower I knew was hard with the hills, but throw in the head and cross winds as the day was bringing and it was really tough.  I was there to race my own race and I knew where my power was to be held at not to over exert myself for the hilly trail run yet to come.  The bike course was littered with camera crews, motorcycles, and officials.  The big nasty was just that very big and very nasty at mile 41.  Once you thought you were at the top the energizer bunny was drumming  and you were ready to come down, only to find around the next bend was more big nasty hills.  The end of the bike was down hill to transition, I had fallen to 12th place or so, I needed to make up some time on the run now.  I felt pretty good for the run as I held my power at 313 watts average for the 56 mile bike.

T2 went well I was quick and got my Zoots on and hit the trail.  The run course at Wildflower is really nice with 60% trails, but there are a lot of hills.  As I found out they were quite steep as well and slowed my run to a snails pace heading up.  I ran with Joe Umphenour for the first 7 miles, he passed me heading down hill and I passed him going up.  We were passed by only one other racer.  At mile 7 there was a long uphill and I pulled ahead of Joe for good.  Each aid station was filled with CAL Poly volunteers cheering me on, plus the various groups of people throughout the entire run course it was great to have all the support.  I could not really tell where I was in the race until mile 10 where there was an out and back, I could see the leaders and the two guys in front of me I needed to catch before the end of the race.  They were only 30 seconds and a minute in front, the rest of the group was not within distance for me to catch.  I managed to pull each in during the next 2 miles up some long hills.  The last mile of the run was down a huge hill and I could not let off as there was one guy still behind me by 20-30 seconds.  That last hill hurt pounding downhill the whole way.  Heading into the finish line chute I felt good again, tired yes, but good.

I ended up 11th overall just out of the prize money, but 10th place was over 1:30 in front of me.  They had these great strawberries at the end....mmmmm.

Overall a great race, great course, and one of the best managed/run races I have ever been too, I will definitely be back again next year.  Thanks TriCalifornia for putting on such a fantastic race.  Oh and I even went back that afternoon to the aid station that I lost my sunglasses at and the great CAL Poly volunteers had them waiting for me, incredible.

Thanks Christine for all the support and company to and from the race.

Swim - 00:22:51 00:01:10 pace 3rd   
T1 - 00:01:17   
Bike 02:26:48 22.80 avg 17th   
T2 - 00:01:34   
Run - 01:24:41    00:06:27 pace 18th
Total - 04:17:11    11th

Sunday Christine and I swapped places and it was her day to race and I got to pull race support.  Her wave was not until 10:10AM, so it was a late start as well.  I slept in the tent much better that night, had some nice camp coffee and headed down for her start and breakfast.  She blew the competition out of the water and took 1st overall women in the Olympic race by 2 minutes.  Nice job Christine, way to come back after injury and show them all what is possible.

And the drive back to Boulder began soon after, next year I think I will fly...