It is over!

I want to thank everybody that has worked with me this past year. I was given an opportunity to travel around the country and meet some fantastic people. I raced in Dallas, Los Angeles, Austin, Tempe, Seattle, and Santa Cruz. Going home to Kona to watch the Ironman World Championships was a great day as always. Triathlons are a fantastic way of life. As we know, they really are a way of life for so many people. There were races where it was freezing cold (30 degrees), raining, humid, hot, scorching (over 100 degrees), and everything in between. It was the rainiest in Seattle. The hottest in Arizona. The most humid in Iowa. The Hy-Vee Triathlon was amazing. I believe that it is what triathlon needs to become more popular here in the United States. Blackhawk helicopters, giant television screens, bleachers for 10,000 people, Olympic athletes, Budweiser clydesdale horses, the list goes on. It attracted people that had no idea what a triathlon was and gave them a fun environment to learn about the sport.

I have met some wonderful people. Race directors are probably pretty normal, but I only met them in the middle of all of their mayhem. We would show up a couple of days before a race, sometimes unexpectedly and drag them from whatever they were doing to ask them silly questions. I was surprised by how accommodating everybody was. We inundated some race directors with bikes being shipped to their homes. Some offered us a place to sleep if we didn't want to stay in the van. The people were very amazing this year. 

I hope to get out to a few races next year and I want nothing but success for the races that I attended. I will be busy with some job or another (stay tuned to RorySeiter.com for those updates) but my latest endeavor is a professional ITU triathlon team. I am joining forces with a group of elite men to create a team for the 2010 season. I will not be racing, but instead will be the director of the Checkmate Triathlon Team. (Think of a younger American Johan Bruyneel.) It will be very exciting as we use cycling tactics in draft legal races to win. The goal is to send our athletes to the 2012 Olympics in London. To see more about the team please stop by CheckmateTriTeam.com. We are always looking for sponsors to partner with us in this endeavor so feel free to pass this along.

So once again, THANK YOU to everyone that gave us a bed/couch/floor to sleep on, or a kitchen to use, or advice on things to do, or just let us come to your race. I hope that 2010 is a good one for you.

Aloha,

Rory Seiter - Director

Checkmate Triathlon Team

(808) 937-6627

No Rules. Just Right!

Welcome Back to Outback Steakhouse as Official Sponsor of the 2009 Race

Silverman is excited to announce Outback Steakhouse will once again be an official sponsor of the race.  Outback will provide dinner to the 1,000+ Silverman volunteers at the annual volunteer appreciation dinner.

Founded in 1988, Outback Steakhouse, Inc. is headquartered in Tampa, Florida.  Outback operates numerous other restaurant chains.  For more information on Outback please visit their Web site at:

 www.outback.com. 

Hammer at SilverMan

Hammer Nutrition Once Again Signs on as Corporate Sponsor 

We are excited to announce that Hammer Nutrition has once again signed on as a corporate sponsor for the 2009 race.  Hammer Nutrition is a full-service supplement company who services a wide array of athletes across the globe.

Hammer Nutrition will provide the Silverman Triathlon and training camps with a variety of performance enhancers, some of which will include Hammer Gel pouches and HEED packets, Hammer fuels, Guide to Success Booklets and finally bags filled with Hammer Gel, Endurolytes, and Hammer Bars for all athletes and aid station managers.

Hammer Nutrition offers great products, a sterling reputation and a devoted following amongst serious endurance athletes.  The company is a leader in the athletic marketplace due to the fact that sell extremely effective product, provide superlative customer service and support their customers with volumes of complimentary knowledge and advice. For more information on Hammer Nutrition please visit their Web site at www.hammernutrition.com.

SilverMan Sponsor.

A Warm Welcome to Alaskan Quality Services as Corporate Sponsor  

We are excited to announce that Alaskan Quality Services has signed on to be an official sponsor of the 2009 race.  Alaskan Quality Services is a Southern Nevada-based, full service heating and cooling company that has been serving the community for more than10 years.  Alaskan Quality Services takes pride in their commitment to excellence.  For more information about the company please visit their Web site at: www.alaskanquality.com.

Soma Triathlon.

Soma Triathlon in Tempe Arizona was fantastic! The weather was perfect, volunteers were everywhere, and the course was fast and safe. The swim start was highly energized. All of us men under 30 started together. As we swam under bridges the shore seemed to pass by rather quickly. Exiting the water I was happy to have a volunteer lend a hand to help me get up the steps. The wetsuit strippers were some of the best I have ever had. I love enthusiasm with volunteers.

The bike was 3 great loops where we had 2 aid stations on each loop. Some of the volunteers were wearing costumes already. I even passed Wonder Woman who was racing as part of a relay team! As the volunteers were setting up the run course they were already sheering us on even though we were still on the bikes. It was great. There was even a light cloud cover for most of the bike.
The run felt great at the beginning and the temperature got warmer as the day went on. I am sure with a bit more training, the run wouldn't have hurt so much! I can't wait to get my pictures from ASI! I would recommend this race to everyone, but beginners and people not wanting their season to be over will love this race. So next year don't hang up your bike too soon and get out to Tempe!
Make sure to check out RedRockCo.com for more fun races like the Skirt Chaser series and the PBR Urban Dirt Triathlon!

Silverman Accommodations.

Have you booked your accommodations for race weekend yet? If not, Homewood Suites still has plenty of room available for you and your family!
The Homewood Suites by Hilton® Henderson South Las Vegas hotel is conveniently located in Henderson, Nevada and provides a spectacular view of the Las Vegas strip. The upscale hotel is also
close to numerous excellent dining establishments, public parks and recreational areas. You will also enjoy the hotel's complimentary Suite Start™hot breakfast served daily. Additionally, you're invited to (Monday through Thursday) evenings for our Welcome Home® manager's reception, where a light complimentary dinner and beverages are served.

To make a reservation, contact Homewood Suites by Hilton, Henderson directly at 702-450-1045 and refer to the group name Silverman Triathlon in order to receive your special discounted rate. For other hotels, car rental and airline reservations please visit
http://www.silvermannv.com/race_details/accommodations.php

Silverman Health and Wellness Expo

We are Excited to Announce the Silverman 2009 Health & Wellness Expo presented by St. Rose Dominican Hospitals and Healthy Henderson

The 2009 Silverman Expo will be bigger and better than ever this year.  We have partnered with St. Rose Dominican Hospitals and Healthy Henderson to revamp the popular Silver Strip Silverman Expo.  The expo will take place on Friday, November 6 from 12-5pm as well as Saturday, November 7 from 8am – 5pm at the Henderson Multigenerational Complex.  In addition to local and national retailers such as New Balance and lululemon, autograph signings and triathlon specific seminars that have been offered in the past, we will now offer various health screenings, fitness demonstrations, rock climbing, nutrition seminars, cooking classes and much more.  The expo will be a great way to introduce the youngest members of your family to a healthy living lifestyle.  There will be activities for people of all ages!  This event will be free and open to the general public, not just athletes.  We hope to see you there!

SilverMan is coming!

Are you ready for SilverMan?! On November 8th, 2009, the 5th annual SilverMan Triathlon will challenge you quite possibly more than any other triathlon in the world. Come out to Henderson to see the spectacle for yourself. Every year they do something fun, exciting, and different. Buffet style aid stations, hot tubs, unbelievable swag, anything is possible at SilverMan.

 

There is a half and a full distance race. Why do a race that is going to be easy? Check out the trailer:

This is something that nobody should miss. Sign up here.

Ben Collins writes our race report for Kirkland Triathlon!

Sunday I raced the Kirkland Triathlon at Carillon Point. I won, and was the first person to break an hour at this sprint triathlon. It was fun to get out and race! This was my first time wearing a race kit since May, so I was a little overly anxious to get out there. Also I couldn’t have done anything without Courtenay who schlepped all my crap everywhere before and after the race.
The swim was in Lake Washington. It took me a minute to get my rhythm after a 10 minute delay in the start waiting for the sheriff’s ok. The first 200 meters I was right with Dave Messenheimer and Chris Tremonte, then I pulled away and never looked back. I started the bike 45 seconds ahead of Tremonte, and had a nearly four minute lead by the start of the run. With that in mind I relaxed on the run, chatted with the volunteers and thanked them for all their help in putting on the race. I finished in 59:50, about 90 seconds ahead of second place, Rusty Pruden.
It was fun to lead a race like this. I have only done a few non-drafting races since getting my pro card in 2008, and this race was a reminder of how different non-drafting can be. My strategy was just to go hard and once I was far enough ahead, I went less hard. And, since I was leading the whole way, about 57 minutes of the race were spent alone watching the back of a police motorcycle (his job was hard because the volunteers didn’t expect me there yet)!
The course was challenging, hilly, and beautiful. And I’ll admit, my favorite part was probably that it was close to home. It was a great day to get out there and get back into racing mode. Now I just have to repeat this whole wire-to-wire race experience at another non-drafting event, the LA Triathlon on October 4.
Check out BenCollins.org for updates!

Spokane Triathlon

Written by Mojdeh:
I raced the Spokane Triathlon on September 13th, 2009. This was the first year of the event and it was a great success. It was an olympic distance triathlon- 1.5k swim, 40 bike, and 10k run.
The day before the race packet pick up was set up outside a local tri-shop called Fitness Fanatics. The shop was a great location for packet pick up, there was plenty of parking and the shop carried everything you would need for race day. The best part about packet pick up was that there were no long lines! Everything was very well organized and there were plenty of people working the booths. The goodie bag was great, everyone got a cool white and orange long sleeve tech tee, a Fitness Fanatic water bottle, hammer gel, hammer endurolites, and coupons/ fliers.

Race day:
Transition opened at 5:30am, it didn't get busy until around 6:30.The racks were not numbered so the sooner you got there the better the spot you had. There was also mobile coffee truck parked right next to transition. They had some great drinks and breakfast foods. I always think it is a great idea to have coffee at transition on race mornings.
Swim:
The first wave took off 7 am (men) then at 7:03 (women). The swim course was very well marked. There were 4 BRIGHT orange buoys to follow on your right for the first half then a turn around and the same thing on the way back. The swim start was a deep water start, except it wasn't really very deep. I found a rock to stand until it was time to start the race. I really liked the swim because it was cold (60 degrees) so it made me swim harder and there was a current on the way out so as soon as I turned the last buoy I felt like I was floating all the way back to transition. I think it was the best negative swim split I have ever had!
Bike:
The run from the water to transition was really close, just long enough for me to start getting my wetsuit off and all of a sudden I was in front of my bike. Transition was really well marked, one in and one out. Simple! The bike is always my favorite part. I loved the scenery, the lack of cars, the wide open roads, the 3 simple right turns out and then 3 left turns back after the turn around! I felt like it went by so quickly. About half way through my bike I heard a cow bell and a cheering kid. The owner of Fitness Fanatics was driving the course to make sure everyone was okay and he had his kids in the back seat cheering the cyclist on with a cowbell and cheerful screams. It made me smile.
Run:
By the time I finished my bike it finally started to warm up a little. I was so happy the run was on gravel and through a shaded trail. It was a really beautiful and well marked trail. There were volunteers and signs everywhere. The run was 2 laps, the aid station could not have been more perfectly placed, I ran by it 4 times.There was water, Heed, and hammer gels.
The finish:
I finished with a great big smile on my face! Everyone was cheering, there was music and all the excitement you find at the finish line of any triathlon. I want to thank everyone made this triathlon happen! I had a great time and the race was perfect. I would love to do it again next year.

Check back for announcements for next years race.
http://www.spokanetriathlon.com/

Lake Sammamish

The last weekend in August was the Lake Sammamish Triathlon. It was a lot of beginners. In typical Seattle fashion, it was raining. Everyone seemed to have a lot of fun despite the weather. I guess they are all used to that up here. I have never seen a race where they switch the "run in" and "run out" signs halfway through the race. Well in fairness, they were "transition in" and "transition out" signs, but they were switched while participants were out on the course.

SOMA Triathlon.

Everyone has heard of this race. This year is your chance to get out there and do it. There is still time to register for one of the year's greatest half iron distance triathlons! SOMA is still open. Registration is here.

Red Rock proudly announces the SEVENTH year of the Soma Triathlon.  This is our marquee event and per your feedback for 2009 Soma is a half iron distance only!  Come out and race in the same location as Ironman AZ...swim in the same lake, ride bits and pieces of the same bike course, and finish in the same location.  This event is a great tune up for Ironman or just a great way to get out and compete in a half in a phenomenal setting.  Race this one and you will get a Head Sweats visor, a tech tee and one heck of a good time!

Portland Tri.

Courtenay Brown will be writing this week's race report for the Fresh Water Trust Portland Triathlon.

Ben, Rory, Mojdeh and I headed down to Portland this weekend for the Freshwater Trust Portland Triathlon. We had an awesome time! Rory and Mojdeh were already going as part of the USAT Mobile Tour, plus Portland is great, and I wanted to race. I knew I wouldn’t feel at the top of my game, but I figured it would be a really fun way to get in some good intensity work.
We drove down on Friday, stopping in Federal Way for an adjustment at Spencer Chiropractic, and arriving in Portland in time for a quick dinner at the saddest Whole Foods I’ve ever visited (salad bar was on a par with Applebee’s in breadth as well as quality)! I think it was a fake Whole Foods. Then the evening was salvaged with a taste-test-every-flavor trip to Mio Gelato… Mmm Rum Raisin!
Saturday was a typical pre-race day for me in that it took me until 3 pm to finish an hour of course-scouting workouts. After I finished my workouts, stretching, and a nap, the others were finished with the race expo, and we set out to find dinner. Yelp! told us the Bombay Chaat House earned 5 stars and 1 dollar sign: perfect! So we showered and changed and headed to the restaurant. It was a food truck in a parking lot! Parked by the Original Indian Chaat House, and a Mexican cart. There is a whole story about why there are two nearly identical Indian food trucks parked right next to each other. Our food was delicious, and cheap - $16 fed four of us with one entire plate of food left over! (Although, I’m not sure I’d use this as a pre-race meal ever again, I ordered “mild” but it was still fairly spicy and I was feeling it at 5 a.m.!)
Race morning arrived, I forced down half a bagel and a banana, gradually perked up thanks to my pre-race Neuro1, and headed across the street to the transition area. I got in a 10 minute warm-up jog and then put on my wetsuit so I could get in the water early. No such luck, the swim started down on a dock and they just let each wave down one at a time about 2 minutes before their start time. So Ben showed me how to do a dryland swim warmup, and surprisingly, the 5-10 minutes of systematic arm-flailing seemed to do the trick because I felt solid my whole swim! I was really pleased. It was the most focused and consistent I have ever felt during the swim portion of a triathlon. Between that feeling and the times I have been swimming in the pool, I just knew I was going to swim a PR. I swam a 26:13, which is 1.5k swim PR for me by over 2 minutes! Sweet! I know I still have a long way to go, but I can’t tell you how encouraging it is to finally see some improvement.
Then for the bike… which was going to be interesting. In addition to our Olympic Distance race, there was a Sprint race that started 10 minutes after. The last part of my swim was super congested because each race did an out-and-back, sharing the first and last 400 meters of the course, and then on the bike we shared the same 8.3 mile loop. Olympic racers did 3 loops, Sprint racers did 2 loops. It was crowded out there. The bike course was really cool, all in the city and 500 feet of climbing/descending each lap. It had some technical parts, some typical “city” pavement (i.e. hang on for dear life, it’s rough!), and absolutely no boring parts. I think this was my favourite bike course ever, in retrospect. My first lap felt a little lackluster but I was able to pick it up for the second two laps. I passed a lot of people but it was impossible to tell which race they were doing, there were no distinguishing body marks or race-numbers, so I just focused on passing as many people as possible. I rode very carefully on the descents though, the last thing I wanted to do was scare some new racer out of her mind by screaming past her around a blind turn, additionally I have crashed my bike before and it kind of sucked so I wanted to avoid that if possible.
I came into T2 in third place (which I did not know at the time), having gained time on race leader Sunny Gilbert, and having passed almost all the other Olympic Distance women racing, but also having been passed by one woman at the end of the bike leg who swam slower than I did. Now that I am not swimming 30 minute 1.5k’s, I guess this is possible!
I headed out on the run after a longer-than-necessary transition, exchanging a few words with Ben and meticulously arranging the tongue of my shoes made for some precious motionless seconds, although I don’t think those seconds really helped me any! It was just nice to stand still. But then I took off, with the eventual aim of catching the woman who had just passed me on the bike. I dee-dawdled around the first lap of the 2-loop course, running a little slower than I wanted. I kept postponing my “move” for another mile. I had gained maybe 5 seconds on the woman in front of me by the end of the lap, with at least 10 seconds left to close. I finished the first lap in just over 20 minutes and realized I’d better get serious! I stepped up my cadence and quickly caught her by around the 3.5 mile point. She ran on my shoulder for a little bit, but by the aid station at mile 4 I was all alone! I kept my thoughts positive and my cadence high and my arms relaxed and my breathing LOUD and suddenly I was at the finish. Even when it hurts, it’s always over before I know it! I negative split the second lap by nearly a minute and a half! Cool, on the one hand. But on the other hand I really should have gone out faster .
I was really pleased with my race, and I finished 2nd woman overall. Both my swim and my run (38:46) were Olympic-distance PR’s for me, and for the first time ever I had the fastest female run split! I was initially disappointed in my bike split, because boo hoo hoo someone passed me, but considering that I took most of July off from riding and still am not exactly riding very much, I’m actually very happy with my bike leg. My transitions should have been faster, but on days when I am feeling a little off, my transitions definitely suffer. It takes me a little longer to build momentum when I don’t feel spectacular, but the good news is that I can still reach a good momentum despite not feeling especially special. (I don’t want to be like a certain 2008 Olympian whose initials are MR and belabor the whole “oh I felt like crap here but I am so great that I still podiumed!”, that’s not my point at all. There are always going to be races where you aren’t on your A game and maybe the person who beat you wasn’t on their A game either, the point is to do your best and eek out the fastest and smartest performance possible, no matter the conditions.)

Women's Podium

It was cool to be on the podium with Sunny, a fellow Splish and Brooks athlete who I finally got the chance to meet and talk to about racing, our favourite products, etc. (we both want to try the new Ravenna running shoe, and I think she’s talked me into racing in the ultra-thin strap Splish suit!). The prizes were cool at this race too, although mine didn’t fare super well . Instead of finisher medals, we got reusable stainless steel water bottles! I have been wanting to get one for ages! I accidentally dropped mine a couple hours after the race, and the impact broke the sports top, but I think I can replace it with a more sturdy non-plastic top. And I got a bottle of sparkling grape juice with a really cool label that said Portland Triathlon 2009, 2nd Place, etc., of course I dropped that too and it shattered all over the sidewalk when I was unloading my stuff from the car on Sunday night . I have never been known for my dexterity, I must say. Even after 30 years of it, my clumsiness can still make me sad! I also got a gift certificate to the Bike Gallery, a Portland shop. Since I am not sure when I’ll be back down there we stopped by on our way out of town. I splurged on a new chain for my bike. Woooooow, I know. I wanted something exciting but I need a chain. And last but not least on my list of prizes: a trophy made from a ship hull! So I guess it’s steel? It’s definitely unique, which I like. The trophy and water bottle are both in keeping with the event’s sustainability goals.
As for the event itself, I think it has the potential to be a really great race. It’s only in its third year so I am sure there are still a lot of kinks to work out. The course is fantastic, and very convenient if you are willing to spend a little money on accommodations and parking. That is a big plus in a sport that often involves 30+ minute drives to the race start in the wee hours! I am not sure how they would handle a really large field (i.e. 1,500-2,000 racers, Sunday’s event had about 600) mainly because of parking, but there has to be a traffic engineer out there somewhere who masterminds these things. The main problem I see with the race is the fact that they ran the Olympic and Sprint races concurrently. It was an unnecessary mob scene. It would have been a lot more pleasant and a lot safer, not to mention less confusing, had the Sprint race started 1 hour after the Olympic race. Separate number sequences or number colors would also have been nice, but that’s incidental.
All in all, it was a great weekend and a great race. Thanks for reading!
CourtenayBrown.com

Danskin Seattle

The Danskin race in Seattle was amazing! It was won by Courtenay Brown. That is quite a feat to win the largest all women's race in North America. Her blog has a good race recap. The weather was perfect and thousands of women had a great time.

Becky Lavelle's Santa Cruz Race Report.

SANTA CRUZ SPRINT TRI ~ August 9. 2009
This race was a must do on my schedule this year as the race director, Penni Bengston, graciously offered to donate her proceeds to Jenny's Light (www.jennyslight.org), a foundation my family and I set up to help spread awareness of perinatal mood disorders, including postpartum depression.

I can't remember the last time I did a sprint race, but I was excited for a short fast race. It was a beautiful morning, sunny and quite warm for Santa Cruz! There were some descent size waves greeting us as we ran into the water, but luckily I got through them quickly and exited the swim in under 7 minutes. It was about a 1/4 mile run to the transition so I left some crocs near the swim exit and ran comfortably to T1. The 2 loop bike course was flat, fast and very scenic as half of it was right along West Cliff Dr overlooking the Pacific Ocean. I tried to build into each lap and felt pretty strong coming into T2. I knew that my father-in-law, Tim Lavelle, had started 10 minutes before me so my goal was to try to catch him on the run. He was running really well though and he definitely made me push a little harder the second half of the 5K run. I caught up to him with about 400m to go so it was fun to be able to cross the line together in just over an hour. The race had a great vibe and everyone seemed to really enjoy themselves! A big thank you to all who participated and to Penni and www.finishlineproduction.com for honoring Jenny's Light. I'll be back next year... and I'll convince Brian to race too. ;)
Becky Lavelle
www.beckylavelle.com 

Full Vineman.

The full Vineman is almost twice the fun as the Vineman 70.3! The athletes had a great time all the way until 11 at night. The crowds stayed to cheer everyone on even as the temperature dropped. The course went through vineyards, but La Crema really came through and made the race great!

Blue in 2010.

New for 2010 Chance shows us what Blue Competition Cycles has been working on. Check out the road and mountain bikes! I got to see a Ryno at Newport Beach and I couldn't stop riding it. I need to take one out in the dirt for a few hours!

Pacific Coast Triathlon

Leaving the heat of Windsor, CA we headed down to Newport Beach for the sprint national championships. There were a lot of excited people that wanted to race well and make it to the sprint world national championships in Australia. Darren from Blue Competition Cycles came out to help despite taking a fall recently. He even brought a  Ryno.

This is Erica Davis. Check out her story here. I can't say anything because she is so inspirational.

Vineman 70.3

The famous Vineman70.3 race did not disappoint. The big names were there. Craig Alexander, Joe Gambles, Chris Lieto (at the expo), and Conrad Stotlz was helping out at the Avia booth. Joe Gambles set a new course record before the heat got too strong. It was a hot day, but everyone had a great time.

Boulder Peak

Before 5430 Sports switches over to Ironman, it was great to experience the Boulder Peak Triathlon in its original form. With amazing athletes and fantastic spectators, this is a race that lives up to its reputation.

New Rudy Project TT helmet.

We will have the New Rudy Project road helmet, "Sterling" at Boulder Peak Triathlon this weekend. Here is a video of the new TT helmet "Wingspan".

Hy-Vee finish picture.

I have to share this from Sports Illustrated.

 

Thanks to:  http://bradkahlefeldt.com/

Hy-Vee Triathlon.

This is what triathlon needs. A fun filled and excitement packed weekend. First was the kids race on Saturday morning. Hundreds of happy kids went splashing into the water and eventually sprinting across the finish line. Blackhawk helicopters, Clydesdale horses, and lots of vendors were very appealing to everyone that was at the event. Shawn Johnson was also very popular. Later that day, Emma Moffatt ran away with a win and $200,000! American Sara McCarty had huge lead coming out of the water and led on the bike for 5 of the 8 laps. The crowds were very enthusiastic as McCarty would come flying through the grandstands every lap. Eventually, the other women caught her and Emma Moffatt and Andrea Hewitt took off running together. Moffatt pulled away and never looked back. It was a great race.

For the men, the finish is something that wil be talked baout for a long time. Check out all the race action at triathlon.org. More pictures to come soon.

Hy-Vee is nearly upon us!

We just got to hang out at the race site for this weekends Hy-Vee Triathlon here in Des Moines, Iowa. This is going to be fun. I don't want to spoil all of the surprises, but there will be some big things happening. The ITU course is very spectator friendly and looks sure to thrill. Look for us near the beer tent and giant TV screen that will be showing the race. This race is very well put together. Everyone that we met was friendly and organized. The water is an absolutely no wetsuit 83 degrees. We are off to explore the grocery store some more. I know where we will be stocking up on our supplies for the weekend! Hy-Vee!
Look our for these athletes at the race:
Women
Laura Bennett (USA)
Jenna Shoemaker (USA)
Sarah Haskins (USA)
Emma Moffatt (AUS)
Lisa Mensink (NED)
Emma Snowsill (AUS)
Men
Matt Reed (USA)
Kevin Collington (USA)
Jarrod Shoemaker (USA)
Matt Chrabot (USA)
Bevan Docherty (NZL)
Tim Don (GBR)
See you at the race!

Topeka Tinman

I raced the Topeka Tinman in Kansas today! I finished 7th in my age group with a time of 1:12:22. My best time so far!
I had a great time. I was in the last wave of people. I started around 9am an hour and a half after the race had officially started. I was a little worried about the heat but race conditions were perfect. The temperature started to drop right as I was about to get in the water. It was still around 80 degrees but the cloud cover kept everything cooler.
The swim was a quick 300 yds. I only got bumped a few times nothing serious. This was my second open water swim and I still freaked out like I always do but this time it was with a little less panic. Something like "ahh so many people I can't even stroke properly" then "SUCK IT UP ITS 300 YRDS MOJDEH!" I talk to myself a lot during my races.

Putting on my technically cool eyewear.

Then I was off on my bike. My transition took a little bit longer then I wanted it to. It was a 1:34. Which I guess is pretty good? I am now racing in cycling shoes so they take me a few more seconds to get on and clip in. I was very nervous about this part because I have only been training with the new shoes for a week or so. Everything went well. As always I kicked ass on the bike! ("Kicked ass" according to my standards) I averaged 17 miles per hour through the rolling hills and beautiful farm land of the "boonies."
I impressed myself when I decided to take my feet out of my shoes before getting to the dismount line. I have never done this before, but it is something that experienced triathletes do all of the time. The best part was that I maintained my 17mph!!! Oh yeah!
So I made it to transition. Slipped into my running shoes and was off on the run. My least favorite part because my legs still have not gotten use to cycling then running. I hate my legs for that! I was happy that the sun still had not come out. The run course was a little hilly. There were a few aid stations.
I had a very interesting encounter with the last aid station. I was so happy to be on my last mile and I was heating up a bit so I decided to get some water and pour it on my head. I ran through the aid station and said "water" the guy handed me a cup and processed to say something. I was running by so I couldn't hear him. I think he was trying to explain that they had run out of water and gatorade was the only thing they had left. I didn't realize what he was saying until after I poured the cup of gatorade on my head. I finished the race sweet and better smelling than everyone else.

Thanks to Bill the race director who let me do this race! I had a great time. Thanks to all the volunteers, I hope I made a few of them laugh.

 Be sure to check out the rest of their events this year!

June 20th, 2009
29th Annual Topeka Tinman Triathlon & Duathlon
Lake Shawnee, Topeka, Kansas

July 19th, 2009
5th Annual Midwest Mayhem Triathlon
Lone Star Lake, Lawrence, Kansas

August 23rd, 2009
27th Annual Jackson County Triathlon & Duathlon
Longview Lake, Lee's Summit, Missouri

August 30th, 2009 NEW DATE
6th Annual Midwest Meltdown Olympic Distance Triathlon & Duathlon
Lake Miola, Paola, Kansas

Kansas 70.3

Kansas! What a great day for a race. The threat of thunderstorms has been lingering all week. The morning of race day was a bit wet and cold, but that quickly went away and the race was on! Luke Bell threw in a surge on the run at about mile 12 and came away with a win. Chrissie Wellington was a class act. After dominating the women's race, she stayed and handed out medals to many age group finishers. She posed for pictures, signed autographs and chatted happily with everyone.

There is a yellow brick road at the end of the Kansas 70.3! Here is Luke Bell enjoying it.

Colorado races.

Longmont Triathlon was a success. I mean that in a way that nothing bad happened. People swam, biked, then ran. I couldn't see any of the race except when people were in the pool. For some reason, pool races are almost more exciting because they are so spectator friendly. There was a kids triathlon the day before and I had a lot fo fun there. Our booth was placed next to the bouncy castle so the younger kids would do their triathlon and then bounce for hours. I like to eat and lay down after racing.

The following week, we had Tri For Your Cause in Boulder. There, I met Jennifer. She raised over $3,000 for her charity. She had a great swim which she credited to her goggles and wetsuit. She came into transition and had a flat tire. The team at Full Cycle got her on her way very quickly. Unfortunately, she got another flat at mile 10 of her 17 mile bike. Refusing to quit, she rode it all the way back to T2. Then she ran knowing that she was going to finish her race. She showed amazing determination and he is hero to many people.

Amy J at Capital of Texas Triathlon.

I asked my friend Amy to write her experience at the CapTexTri last weekend. I think that it is a great story! Here is an embarrassing photo of Amy and I years ago!

I like to refer to myself as a 'casual triathlete', but a triathlete nonetheless. I crossed the finish line in Austin, TX, last Monday in 97 degree heat + humidity, right under the 4 hour mark!
I also got to know my amazing teammates even better last weekend, spending nearly every moment together. The most noteworthy being the Inspiration Dinner the night before the race. We were lucky enough to hear stories from cancer survivors that were incredible and heartbreaking at the same time. They reminded us why we worked hard to raise money and that we were lucky enough to have a choice to be out their racing (something I repeated to myself during the race, 'I'm lucky to be able to participate, and I chose to be here today.')
Race day was unreal, full of energy, incredible athletes, great friends and a whole lot of nerves. My mom was there too, and I was so glad to have her on the course cheering me on (even though I didn't see her once during my bike, and I'm convinced she went back to the hotel for a quick nap during that leg) ;)
It all started with the mile swim - which quite possibly could be one of the worst things I've ever done in my life. I was obviously not prepared for open water swim with hundreds of athletes. I'm not going to lie, before I jumped off the dock, I definitely shed a few nervous tears (not all that out of character for me). Once in the water, I made my way to back of the yellow swimcapped pack of girls. I didn't want to be by anyone - so I thought I'd hang back and swim my own race (good idea in theory). The gun went off and we started swimming to the 1st buoy that marked the rectangle course. I thought I was either going to throw up or have a heart attack right there in Town Lake. The water smelt like gasoline, it was so murky that you couldn't see anything in front of you until there was a foot right in your face. I tried to get into a groove, but all of a sudden the next heat (red swim caps) was passing me, and not too long after that a heat of guys (blue caps) was swimming on top of me. (One guy literally swam over me). I felt like I was in the water for at least 2 hours, and told myself I had to just make it out of the water so my mom doesn't think I drowned. I finally started to settle down and swim like a normal person (not too sure what my form looked like the first 1/2, but I'm sure it wasn't pretty). When I made it to the swim exit - there were guys that pulled you out of the water and up the ramp. When I got on the ramp I was so disoriented, and the only way I can describe how I felt is sloppy drunk. My head was spinning, and I couldn't really see anything..it got worse when the guys who pulled me out started yanking on the zipper of my wetsuit (I almost fell backwards) and I was too 'drunk' to tell them I can handle it myself, thank you very much. I took a quick look at my watch (a shocking 42 minutes, not the anticipated 2 hrs), and ran to the transition area.
When I got to my bike, I took off my wet suit, threw on my bedazzled TNT jersey, helmet, bike shoes and was off. The bike course was great - it was a loop course, so I did the same 6.25 mile loop 4 times. We went over a bridge, up around the capital building, and out on the highway. I felt really good and was booking it. I saw my Coach Paul at the same spot 4x, and on the 3rd time he was calmly clapping his hands, telling me I looked real good, really smooth and then all of a sudden he caught a glimpse of my nearly-full water bottles, and his octave changed, he started yelling, 'DRINK WATER - AMY, DRINK YOUR WATER!' I picked up a water bottle, gave him a cheers, and drank some..but not too much. Secretly, I was more worried about having to go to the bathroom while I was on my bike, rather than being dehydrated. When we asked our coaches, what if you have to go to the bathroom? Their answer was, 'just go on your bike', as if everyone does this and it's totally acceptable. My response was no sport is worth incontinence. I reminded them I was just a 'casual triathlete', and if I needed to go to the bathroom, I would find a Starbucks. I made it through the bike, without a pit stop, at a time of 1:30 for the 25 miles.
I then changed into my running shoes and was again on my way. The run course was also a loop course, but this time I wasn't excited about the loop, because on mile 3, when I started my 2nd and final loop, other participants were turning into the finish line, and I, sadly, still had another one to go. It was disgustingly hot and humid, and at every aid station I would take about 4 glasses of water and just dump them all on of my head. Even though I felt miserable, I was so happy to see the Team Johnson fan club - my friends from Houston - Jess, Kate, Zeke and Joe showed up to cheer me on, and I needed it at that point. My mom reappeared to cheer some more too (apparently she was on the same corner she was on the bike route, the corner where I was concentrating on not wiping out, so never saw her in the crowd). Around mile 4 when I saw my mom, I kindly directed / slightly yelled at her to go to the finish line. I knew I could get through the last couple of miles, but I needed to see her at the finish.
When I crossed the finish line it was kind of a bittersweet feeling, I had a sigh of relief, so glad it was over, but I also had a feeling of, this is it? I could do more. (which told me that maybe I should have ran a little harder) But I’m so happy to have a full Olympic Tri under my belt, and I know the areas I need to improve on before my next tri in June (basically all 3 - ha). I'm so grateful that I joined TNT, and so thankful I could run this race in memory of the strongest woman I know, my Aunt Jeri, who lost her long battle against cancer last year.
Thanks for all your support, for those still interested in donating to help find a cure - you can swing by my site: http://pages.teamintraining.org/nyc/txtri09/ajohnsownt
Many thanks,
Amy J

You are definitely a triathlete Amy. You are also a hero to many.

CapTexTri.

Racing in the Capital of Texas Triathlon (CapTex) was quite an experience. I love races that can shut down cities and allow us to compete. The swim in Town Lake involved a fun water start. The water was brisk as we jumped in, but the nerves took over and when the water would trickle down my back it felt refreshing, not uncomfortable. The swim was great. As the sun came up, it lit the city of Austin. So breathing on one side we had the gorgeous sunrise and breathing on the other side, the pale colors illuminated the buildings, trees, and roads.

Onto the bike and I should have rode the course ahead of time to really understand that not all of Texas is flat. Immediately, my legs realized that the first part of the bike is uphill. It was gradual, but definitely uphill. The thought that kept me going was that it would all be downhill at the turnaround. We rode our bikes uphill toward the capitol building. It is a magnificent monument that seems to always loom in the distance. The was my chance to get close to it. We rode our bikes as close possible and then urned and rode beside it for a few blocks. There were a few more up and down hills before turning around and beginning the descent back down towards Town Lake. The bike course followed the lake for a bit then repeated it all over again. 4 laps done and I was ready for the run.

It was 2 laps of 5km each. The first lap I tried to hang on with a 51 yr old guy from Dallas. We talked (mostly me) and I learned that this was his goal race. We pushed each other and when times got tough we really helped each other along. I was hurting about 8km into the run, but he pulled up beside me and made me forget how tired my legs were. There were more than enough aid stations with lots of great volunteers. As always, I want to say THANK YOU to everyone volunteering on race day. Everyone involved put on a great race. I would recommend this race to anyone who wants to have fun on Memorial Day in Texas!

Inspiration.

While we were at the Texas Man Triathlon north of Dallas, we were lucky enough to meet the Smith family. They were extremely generous and of course the conversation turned to triathlons and how we got started. Here is Wayne's story:
At 37 years old I weighed 328 pounds and my cholesterol was very elevated.  I was taking Lipitor for my cholesterol and would get winded just walking up a flight of stairs.  The weight gain came gradually and I had made many attempts over the years to lose weight with just about every crazy diet there is.   I have two young daughters and I knew if I didn't change the way I was living I wouldn't be around to be a part of their lives.   One weekend my brother in law was racing in an event about 10 minutes from where we live and my wife had to literally drag me there to watch.   I couldn't understand why crazy people would wake up at 4:30am on the weekend to go punish themselves.   Little did I know that day would change my life.  After watching the event and seeing the joy and sense of accomplishment on many of the athletes faces as they crossed the finish I knew I had found something special.  I saw people of many different shapes and sizes and thought if they can do it why can't I?  After the event I talked with many of the athletes and I have never meet a greater group of people.  In a little over two years since I started my triathlon journey my cholestrol levels are better than average and I no longer need to take medication.  I've lost 100 pounds and am in better shape and have a nicer looking body than I did in high school.  When my wife saw how triathlon was changing my mental attitude and body compostion she started training as well and has lost over 50 pounds and made great improvements in her times.  Even my children have got involved in the sport and have each raced three races.  They can't wait until their next event.   Triathlon is much more than a sport.  It's a way of life!

www.trianationonline.com

He has since started www.TriNationOnline.com to show his appreciation for the sport. Check it out.

Texas Man Triathlon.

This week we made it all the way to Valley View, Texas. It was a last minute decision and we were glad it happened. We drove for 3 days from Tempe, AZ to Valley View, TX (an hour north of Dallas). We stayed at the Ray Roberts Lake State Park. It was humid and warm until the thunderstorms rolled through. Everyone was a little nervous at packet pickup when it was pouring rain. However, the night before the race, the clouds passed, the storm disappeared and there was a bit of sunshine. We woke up race day morning to clear skies and a calm breeze.

Everyone involved in the race was very friendly. We were surprised to see that friendliness is a common Texas theme. The folks at Dallas Athletes Racing were more than helpful and wanted to make sure everyone enjoyed themselves. They put on lots of fun races. Their next race is the Disco Triathlon. It is one of the biggest hits in the Texas tri scene.
I was able to do the sprint race at the Texas Man Triathlon and I was glad that I did. It was a fast 500 meter swim with lots of water patrol. I saw 3 boats, kayaks, canoes, and park rangers all ensuring our safety in the water. The water was about the same temperature as the air on race morning, so while a wetsuit definitely wasn't necessary, I was glad to have one. Wetsuit strippers were also provided and they were fun to use!
Onto the bike, the roads were pretty empty. There is gorgeous terrain and small rolling hills. There weren't too many houses and we only crossed 2 intersections. The local sheriff's office was controlling traffic (although I hardly saw any cars) as well as being our bike turnaround marker. Headed back to T2 the women started catching me. They rode by like I was standing still (after starting in a wave 4 minutes after me!)

The run was through the woods surrounding the lake. Nice and shaded, it was great for someone from out of town like myself that worries about the heat everyday. There were lots of aid station and plenty of volunteers.
After the race, there was a live country band that made our first race in Texas feel very authentic. The post race food, pre race goodie bag, and friendliness of everybody involved makes this race worth doing! If you want to see how you rank against other triathletes, meet other triathletes, or see all the tri clubs available, check out a new online resource available at www.TriNationOnline.com.

Danskin Tempe.

The Danskin Women’s Triathlon on May 9th, was a great success. Tempe Town Lake was a perfect location for this small fun race. I had a wonderful time and a really good race. The packet pick up the day before the race was very efficient and organized. There were many volunteers there to help and answer questions. The race course was also displayed on the wall so participant knew where they were going. After getting your packet you could walk around the expo area and try samples of XOOD, Luna Bar and Silk Milk.

Race day: The transition area was very organized, my race number was stickered onto the transition rack so I knew exactly where to put my bike and transition mat. There were also many people there to help with body marking. Landis Cyclery was available to help anyone with last minute bike problems.
Swim: The swim was very well marked with bright yellow and orange buoys. I thought I was going to have to wear my wetsuit but I was pleased to find that the water temperature on race day was a comfortable 77 degrees. It was my first open water swim and surprisingly it was not bad at all. I did not get my goggles kicked off my face and no one elbowed me. For the most part everyone stayed in their own space after the first 100 yards. This helped me concentrate on my swim better.
Bike: The bike course was my favorite part! The course was easy with a few small hills, I enjoyed the well marked path and the volunteers directing you through the turns. The views of the city and ASU were beautiful. Other racers were friendly on the bike and words of encouragement were passed between participants.
The run was a flat and picturesque loop around Tempe Town Lake with aid stations that had water and Gatorade. My favorite part on the run was at mile 2.5 where there was a volunteer with a hose soaking anyone who was hot. I feel like I could have run well if the opportunity to train in warmer conditions had existed. I had a lot of fun despite the unseasonably warm temperatures. I would like to thank all of the volunteers that helped make this race a great experience for me.

After the race I rehydrated and had some food then got a great massage from Massage Heights. Overall, I had a great time at the Dankskin triathlon and I look forward to participating in the Seattle race on August 16th 2009. Red Rock put on a fantastic race! Be sure to check out their upcoming races this year:
Nathans Hydration Triathlon September 27th featuring a sprint and olympic distance triathlon. Ant the infamous Soma Half-Iron Distance October 25th. The only half-iron distance race at Tempe Town Lake and a great warm up to Ironman in November.
Time to train,
Mojdeh!

Paragon Cycling in Mesa Arizona.

While in the Phoenix area, we searched out a bike store that could do a triathlon specific bike fit. We found one at Paragon Cycling. They exceeded all of our expectations. Taking their time, they made sure that every part of my new Blue Triad fit me perfectly.

The staff was friendly, helpful, and very knowledgeable. They can help anyone from the absolute beginner to the experienced cyclist. Stop by and see them at 1249 North Greenfield Rd #105 Mesa, AZ. Or give them a call 480-830-1620.