Peggy McDC – Kiwi Prep

I received an email from my friend Peggy, the Grand Masters triathlete from Santa Barbara who kicked butt at her seventh Kona Ironman last year. She didn’t send pictures because her kids have yet to teach her how to use a digital camera, but I thought this story was pretty funny.

“hi, from new zealand again.  i’m down here getting ready to do the ironman on saturday.  as i write this thursday morning, it’s early afternoon wednesday for you on pacific time. 
” i got down here sunday and did the usual: got a car, meandered down, came to the same low-key lodging about four blocks up from the race site.  all is well.

Peggy McDowell-Cramer: You are an Ironman!

[This is the third and final of a series of posts by Peggy McDowell-Cramer (Be sure to check out #1 and #2). She’s a masters triathlete from Santa Monica, and a pretty cool person to hang out with. While I was off trying to kill a blind kid, Peggy was taking on her seventh Ironman […]

Peggy’s Post (#2)

I heard more from Peggy McDowell-Cramer. I asked for clarrification on how strong the “S” was when she said she had done IronmanS. “How many times? 6 times for kona, this is #7. It’ll be #11 total: 3 IMNZ, and 1 Florida.” Wow. I don’t even know how to respond to that, so here’s Peggy’s […]

Peggy McDowell-Cramer: 140.6mi in Kona (Part 1)

In 2006 I was in Kansas City for my first USAT Age Group Nationals. I had just found out the hard way that about 90% of the 1500 athletes who come to that event all think they should register within the first hour of an 8 hour registration period. The line was long, and I […]

2015 Ironman 70.3 World Championships – Zell am See

I place 23rd at the 2015 Ironman 70.3 World Championships in Zell am See, Austria. It was an incredible course, but an unexpectedly hot day. This year there have been quite a few races with start-lists that resemble a championship, but the World Championship is unique in that it boasts the top names, and every […]

Greg’s Here

The past week I’ve done way more time on my bike and in the water than pounding pavement. I want to make sure my bruised heel is good and healed (notice my proper homonym usage) before I abuse it too much. Greg’s aqua jogging (he calls it water-running) recommendations have been helpful to up my […]

Vancouver ITU World Championships -The Insider’s View

Peggy McDowell-Cramer sent me an email a couple days ago. Whenever I see her name in my inbox I get excited. Like before Alcatraz I was whining about my fear of sharks in the bay. Peggy sent me a note that said:

ben, drop the shark thoughts.   just race, keeping in mind how you want to do each leg thereof.
   i had a sailing mishap (rudder broke, dumped me) in the bay 40 years ago this july 31/august 1.  went over in the middle, directly out from the sf airport.  boat then sank.  i swam for about 15 hours.  never felt a fish.  thought about sharks only once, doubted sincerely that they came into the non-interesting bay, and forced myself not to think of it again.
peggy

Seriously, how can you argue with somebody who comes loaded with stories like that? This week it was Peggy’s race report from the 2008 ITU World Championships in Vancouver