2nd Place Ironman St. George

This post is a little late in coming, as it's been over a week since I raced Ironman St. George, but I needed time to absorb my accomplishment and then decide what I wanted to say about it. Outside the bikes, wheels, and other equipment I use to race, it's not rocket science: I worked extremely hard in training, and had a very clear plan of how I wanted to race in order to be competitive on the one day it mattered. I did that. It wasn't a major surprise to me, or really even some kind of breakthrough race. I outlined a very clear plan of wanting to podium at an Ironman this year, and then went to work to accomplish just that. It meant that I spent a around 5 weeks training in Tucson over the winter, raced at the right times to get the top end, listened to my body, ate well, slept a lot, and then tapered properly beforehand. I read a great quote in Running Times a few weeks ago where bronze medalist Deena Kastor talked about her commitment to training. Instead of viewing everything as some kind of sacrifice, like giving up her other interests, she said that it's just what you do to accomplish your goal. This is what I do to make this happen. I will say that having done it in my first go, and so early in the year, has been interesting. Perhaps I feel a little letdown having achieved the initial goal quickly. The upside is that my next goal is much clearer now, and I better understand what I need to do.

I don't want to spend a lot of time rehashing every detail, but each Ironman race deserves a little discussion. Every time you decide to do a race like this, it's a risk. Major time commitments on the front end which can limit the ability to race at the level you'd like, and then serious recovery after. It's a bit of the "all your eggs in one basket" mentality, but no risk, no reward, right?

I had a very solid swim, coming out in 6th, a little less than 2 minutes back of Luke Bell, who was clear on his own. This was right where I should have been, and I knew I was capable of this swim after doing more work over the winter than ever before. This put me in an excellent position right away, chasing hard with McDonald, Kotsegarov, Amey, Lieto, and Coenens. We eventually caught Luke at around mile 32, and then he latched on as McDonald, Lieto, Coenens, and myself set pace up front. I tried on a few occasions to get away, but stayed calm when it wasn't happening. Still, our pace was solid, shedding an ailing Lieto and Amey. I rode conservatively in anticipation of the hilly marathon, and broke away just slightly at the end of the ride.

The marathon was mostly about survival. The hills were just brutal, both up and down, and I tried to stay on top of nutrition and maintain a solid lead over my chasers. Weiss was gone, so I concentrated on myself, used my great crowd support, and dug deep. My running has come to another level as well, so I was confident that I could up it a bit more if the time came. I crossed the line in second, with raised arms and let out a couple yells. After a quick interview with Greg Welch, I was escorted to doping control, and then was free to go enjoy my evening with family, friends, and other athletes.

I was blessed to have a wonderful homestay with my friends, the Cobbs, and to have incredible backing throughout the day. This would not have been possible without so much help, and I am deeply indebted to my supporters. One more step up next time around...

Spring campaign.

I'm finally sitting in front of my computer with a little time to update on my latest series of travels and racing. It's been a busy few weeks on the road, but I have come away with some great race experience and fitness early in the year.

After racing Oceanside, I spent a week in St. George, came home for about 3 days, and then hit the road for another stint in Montana. I make the trip every year now to defend my title at the first triathlon I ever did, the Grizzly Triathlon. It's the biggest race in Montana, and with a bunch of friends coming back each time who are professional, the field is actually quite deep. I rallied the 800+ miles in one day after logging a swim with my dad in Grand Junction, and spent the weekend at my coach's place in the Rattlesnake. Friday morning was a return to the Big Kids Swim Lounge with Linsey Corbin, Ryan Payne, and Megan Gaskill. Noticeably absent was Boom Boom Matty Shryock, but he was busy calming his nerves before the big day. I enjoyed a relatively relaxed day seeing old friends and reminiscing in my college town. Race day brought perfect weather, and after putting together my best swim to date, I biked decently, and ran well to defend for the 5th year in a row. The new course record was only 7 seconds off the all-time race record, but I was happy with my performance. I am now tied for the most all-time victories, and have the longest streak in the history of the event. The plan is to make it a decade of The Hoff...

The next day was a return to racing bikes, as I hit up the Rocky Mountain Roubaix for a good, hard effort. I was able to get into a solid break, and stay with the ever dwindling lead group right up to the finish, where I was quickly reminded that I don't have a sprint. I was just happy to make it through the rough, unpaved sections without a flat, as that's more than half the battle. I wrapped things up in Missoula after an early swim, and headed back to Colorado with another marathon driving session.

Two more days of hard training in Grand Junction, and then I flew out with my dad to tackle Ironman New Orleans 70.3. The plan was to keep volume fairly high through the race, keeping the eye on the prize of St. George, so I arrived at the start line a little more tired than normal. The swim start was a little hectic, as we had a beach start, and the water didn't get deep enough for swimming until a good 75 yards offshore. I spiked the heart rate, and couldn't keep with the main pack. Battling considerable chop for the remainder of the way, I also encountered some trouble with where to head on the return. Finally getting out, I was a bit demoralized, but hit the bike hard. The legs really didn't come around until probably 30 miles in, but I kept on the gas and made my way into transition in 7th. I've been feeling pretty good about the run lately, so I hit it hard out of the gate to distance myself from any pursuers. Things came a little unglued after ten miles, but I had made the catch on O'Grady for 6th, and cruised in with a payday and a better time than the previous year. Most impressive was that my dad managed to shave 50 minutes off his time from 2009 with a fast bike and good run.

We took a day off to go fishing in the Atchafalaya basin with our friend Jim, catching several large reds and catfish. It was the perfect way to end our time in the bayou, after getting in most of the crucial experiences of eating tons of crawfish and shrimp, tromping around in the marsh behind Jim's house and spotting a cottonmouth snake, and eating almost all of our meals on the porch.

Now I am back in Durango, getting one final dose of altitude before I head to St. George next week. The body is recovering well, and with some well-calculated final touches, I should be more than ready for the big day. Loving the spring weather as the trails are drying up, the river is rising, and flowers are in bloom. Get out and enjoy your longer days in the sun...

St. George

After my short trip to California, I spent a week in St. George, Utah, doing some course recon before the Ironman race in May. I was very fortunate to have family friends to stay with in the historic area of St. George, and our house was one of the very oldest in town, built in 1862 by a Swiss family. I had great training partners with my coach making the trip down from Montana, and good friend Jesse joining for a great session.

I swung through Vegas on my drive back from California, picking up Jesse at the local YMCA where he was getting in the day's training. After learning that he had won a few hundred dollars in his night out on the strip, I didn't feel bad about having him fill the gas tank. We finished the drive up to St. George, set up at the home base, and stocked up on food. During the shoulder seasons when temps haven't soared into the 115 degree range, St. George is an outdoor paradise. Tons of beautiful trail winding through red sandstone hoodoo spires, snowcapped peaks in the distance, Bryce and Zion in striking distance, and even the remnants of an ancient lava flow near town are some of the highlights. Our mission was to get a feel for what may be the hardest North American Ironman course, so we focused on knowing every inch of the bike and run courses, since the reservoir water temperature is currently 49 degrees.

The first day was just about getting my legs back after the weekend race, but then we went full-gas for the week, riding big miles, hitting the track, trail, and course for runs, and swimming every day at the Sand Hollow aquatic center. We lucked out with great weather, only facing a couple of days with high winds. Highlights were finding some great singletrack for our long run, and riding to Zion in high winds with a solid run off.

We happened upon a local sprint triathlon on Saturday, based out of the aquatic center, so we decided to jump in and see how the body responded after a big week. I haven't been doing much super fast stuff, so it was fun to max out for 50 minutes. Unfortunately, the weather was very cool in the morning when we raced (high 30's), so exiting the pool and going fast on the bike led to frozen limbs. I literally had to sit down in the second transition trying to get my shoe on my block of wood feet, eventually giving up on the racing flat to put on a normal lace up running shoe. It wasn't pretty, but I came away with the victory, and it was a fun event with a solid turnout.

The Ironman course is going to be a real test of the strongest man on race day. It really doesn't let up on the bike or run at any point, and if it's windy and hot, it will be a long day for everyone. With a little more Ironman training, a trip to Montana for a short race, and then New Orleans 70.3, I should be ready for the big day. Looking forward to an honest race in a month...

7th Place Oceanside 70.3

For the first time in my relatively short pro triathlon career, I made the early season trip to Oceanside, California, to race the first major half ironman of the season. As one of the most storied half distance races in the U.S., Oceanside tends to attract a stellar field of athletes looking to test their early season fitness and get the first race under their belt. Coming off my biggest winter/spring of training to date, I felt that it was a good opportunity to see what my body was capable of, and to get rid of the first race jitters before the more important events.

I had a fairly relaxed drive out to the coast, splitting it into two days, and arriving Friday around noon. I did stop in Flagstaff during my first leg to spin on the bike, and found myself battling 40 mph winds up by the ski resort. Not recommended. After getting checked in at the race site, I met with sponsors Zipp and Specialized in the expo area right by the pier. If you have never been to Oceanside, it's pretty much exactly how you would imagine an idyllic Cali coast setting: Palm trees, consistent wave sets pushing surfers in, minimally clad sunbathers on the beach, and plenty of people cruising up and down the bikepath. Needless to say, I was excited to be a part of this historic event.

I stayed the night with family friends in San Diego, and awoke earlier than I have in a long time to get up and have my transition area ready. Everything was going smoothly until I realized I didn't have my race belt, so I had to bolt back to my car and retrieve it. The first race of the year is always good for reminding me of all the little things that can slip away during the offseason.

With the gun for pro men sounding before 7, we were underway in the Oceanside harbor. I felt pretty smooth at the beginning, but a tear in the shoulder of my wetsuit was letting in water, and gave the feeling of lifting weights with each stroke. I stayed relaxed, but came out a little back of where I think I belong. Another wake up call to racing came in transition. Partly due to the torn suit, and partly from being out of practice, it took me significantly longer to transition than the swimmers around me. I charged hard on the early part of the bike to pull back time, and found myself riding with Tim DeBoom at about 20 miles in. We rode most of the way until Michael Lovato came back up to us near the end, and I jumped to close down the gap to him, leaving Tim with about 10 miles to go.

Early on the run, Lovato went ripping by and was enthusiastic about us running people down. If I could have matched his early pace of 5:35 or so, I would have, but I kept it closer to 5:45-5:50 miles and tried to conserve. We picked off Yoder and a few others early on, and I eventually passed a cramping Lovato around mile 6. Running alone in 8th, I had no clear idea of where 7th was mixed in amongst the age-groupers, but I kept pressing my pace. By mile 11 I could see somebody who I thought was a pro, and I dug a little deeper, catching up to Kyle Leto by mile 12. I tried to gap him on a small hill, but he held strong, and then we ran side by side for a half mile towards the finish. He held a small lead coming into the final S-turn, and took the shortest line to block me. I came around the outside, and poured everything I had left into a sprint, taking seventh by 1 second.

It was an exciting finish to the first race of the year, and a good result against an all-star field of world champions and top-notch pros. It bodes well for my early Ironman race in May, and gives me confidence that I will be ready for the challenges of St. George in a month. After the race, I was lucky enough to catch a Metric show at Indiefest in San Diego. A perfect cap to a great day in Cali.

Happiness as Survival.

Every once in a while, an experience jolts you from your quotidian existence, prompting a period of reflection and analysis. In the midst of planning my season of racing, I was drawn to the most recent posts on Slowtwitch regarding the plight of pro triathletes. Seth Wealing sparked an interesting debate on what pros can do to better their standing, and to better the sport of triathlon. Unfortunately, the discussion devolved some to focus mostly on how pros can get more money, and how the sport can be more like American football or baseball. By far the most comprehensive and insightful reply came from Slowtwitch founder, Dan Empfield, as he made some suggestions for helping all pros improve their lot, mostly by developing their brand off the course.

The issue that arose for me in this discussion was the constant reference to the "problems" in the sport of triathlon. It seemed that the discussion moved further from the ideas which might fuel true improvement in the sport, and instead focused on bagging the sport. I have always been a believer in putting emphasis on solutions rather than problems, and although problems must exist and be addressed to prompt resolution, meditating on them doesn't accomplish much. True survivors develop solutions.

The root issue for a lot of us as "pro triathletes" is to find a way to live and support ourselves financially while continuing to train and race in the sport we love. For some of the top elites, it's a reality, but for a good number it's an ongoing struggle. Seth's post initiated a huge number of replies, ranging from the extremely critical to the indifferent, but not many really acknowledged what a blessed existence we lead. While reading the new book, "Born to Run," what really struck me was the discussion of how just being an athlete can help shape happier, better people. It's not just about developing the physical, but also the mental, and when I think about what I get to do day in and day out, it's not hard to be grateful and content.

It's important to remember that nobody is making us race triathlon. Although the sport is still very young and developing, some of the realities surrounding sponsorship are well-established. I only bring this up because it seemed that the majority of the posts were emphasizing how triathlon can be more marketable, bigger, with more money and spectators. As I said before, it's a struggle for a good number of us to make a living, to travel to races, pay rent, and eat absurd volumes of food, but there are much bigger struggles in the world, initiated by forces outside of people's control. My outlook has always been the same when it comes to triathlon: I love competing, being part of a community of dedicated athletes who do interesting things, enjoy themselves, push the boundaries of what is physically and emotionally possible. I have told myself time and time again that I will know it is my time to stop when the sport no longer fuels my spirit, or inspires me to be a better person. In a word, when I no longer enjoy what I am doing.

Let's take a step back, remember our roots, and forget about the money for a minute. Don't you love riding your bike? Running some trails? Getting an early swim in while the rest of the world sleeps? We don't NEED more money, fame, spectators, or airtime. We need a deeper passion for our sport.

2nd Place Desert Classic Duathlon

I just wrapped up the first hard race effort of the year at the Desert Classic Duathlon just north of Scottsdale, Arizona. The event has been gaining attention for many years as the premier early season short course duathlon, so it tends to attract a solid field of athletes. As with many of the other elites competing this year, I was doing some training in the desert, so it was an easy drive up to Fountain Hills outside Scottsdale. Coincidentally, my dad was down for a long weekend of golf and bike riding, so he was able to provide race support and try to keep my clothing dry amidst the downpour while I raced.

It's not often that I roll into a race without a taper, but with Ironman as the first goal of the year, I needed to keep the volume up beforehand. That meant showing up with tired, heavy legs, but it also provided perspective on the race and allowed me to relax more than I normally would. I did a course preview on Saturday to remind myself of the bike layout, and realized that I actually felt okay. With a good dinner and an early night's rest, I was ready to go on race day.

Overnight rains that continued into the morning had shaved the field from 500+ to just 350 competitors, but we pulled in amongst the other diehards, set up transition in the rain, and tried to get in a "warm-up" before the start. I was lucky to have fellow Montana triathletes Linsey Corbin, Jen Luebke, and Brendan Halpin around to keep things light, but I know we were all hoping for at least a little sun.

The first section of run is about a half mile on pavement, allowing people to get sorted before the singletrack dirt trail. From the gun, I went out hard with the leaders, but it was clear that some of the short course specialists had a little more leg speed than I did. Still, I went through the first mile in 5:02, and then settled in to a more conservative 5:20ish pace. Brendan and I came in from the first 3.5 mile loop about 1:30 down to the leader and last year's winner, Chris Foster, in 5th and 6th place respectively. My plan was to attack the bike no matter how terrible I felt, so I went to work right away, pushing hard up the hill out of transition. Within 2 miles, I passed someone who had flatted, and could see two more ahead. Ignoring the legs as they pleaded to back off, I redlined it until I passed 3rd and 4th place, moving clear into 2nd. I couldn't see Chris, as he was biking strong, but I continued to pull time out on everyone else, dodging the partially flooded arroyo crossings. Into the second run I had built a comfortable cushion on my chasers, but still couldn't see Chris. I felt surprisingly good starting the second loop, so I pushed as hard as I could on the muddy trail, weaving past cholla, prickly pear, and saguaro cacti. By the time I hit the one hard climb near the end, I was starting to come unraveled, but I held onto the second place position by about 10 seconds.

Given the training I had going in, and that I shaved almost 3 minutes off my time from last year in terrible conditions, I am happy with the result. With the fastest bike split, and some surprising leg speed on the runs, I think everything is in order for the upcoming year. Like all good things though, my time in the desert is over. I'm actually back in Durango now, adjusting to the winter once again, but happy that the roads seem clear enough to ride (at the moment). Only a few short weeks before team camp in California, then Oceanside 70.3, and a good block of training right afterwards in St. George.

When in doubt, go full gas!

Triathlon Bootcamp/San Diego

The past two weeks have absolutely flown by. I'm currently back down in Tucson, training in the desert sun again while Colorado gets buried even deeper in snow. I went back to Durango for a couple weeks of winter training, which served as inspiration for another quick getaway.

I really felt that the first time down here was more of a "blow out the cobwebs" trip. Between the rainy weather, and some of the first true Ironman training days, my fitness and mental energy were not as high as I would have liked. This time has been the complete reverse. My bike strength is back, the weather has been almost perfect. My psyche has been building with each new day of training, so the pieces are coming together for Ironman St. George. Of course I have some other early season goals, but that will be the first big hit out.

The highlight of the past weeks of training was having my roommate join me for a long weekend of training. We dubbed the session "Triathlon Bootcamp," and we flogged each other for four straight days. Big rides, big runs, and some swimming were the order of each day. It was quite telling when Jesse's Garmin 405 would have to be charged each night during the block. Battery life was 7-8 hours.

This past weekend I snuck away to San Diego for a short trip. I was out for a photo shoot with Jelly Belly for Sport Beans, enjoying some beautiful scenery and good company. Between athletes, make-up, photographer and assistants, the advertising agency, and Jelly Belly representative, we had 1o of us on the trails and roads north of San Diego. It's a surprisingly tiring day trying to get just the right look for an advertisement, but it was a lot of fun too. After they finished up with the triathlon shots, they moved on to mountain bike shots with Jeremy Powers, and I went out for a good trail run. I was lucky to stay at the Pearl hotel near Point Loma, complete with beach balls in the pool, a big screen for movies outside, and a fishbowl (with real live fish) in each room. If you can deal with some loud music, it is a funky place with great staff and food.

Now the order of the days here is to build my bike even more, and start honing some speed into the run. I will be heading up north to Phoenix in one week for the Desert Classic Duathlon, so it should be a good test. I raced it last year on tired legs, but still had a good time weaving through the sandy trails lined with cacti. Enjoy your training. Spring is just around the corner...