Push-ups

I entered a push-up contest today at the National championships’ award ceremony. The announcer called out numbers and everyone on stage had to do a push-up together. Now, seeing as how most of the Tri-types are tiny in the upper body, and I’m still packing the swimmer guns, I figured I had a good shot. What I didn’t expect is that this 19 year old girl (~100lbs and no visible muscle with an army-triathlon T-Shirt) pushing up next to me, would end up being a master of intimidation, not to mention a worthy contender. She was a tiny little thing, I would have pegged her to be the first one out, but as we rounded off 100 push-ups with nobody else left on stage, she turned to me, and gave me a death stare with her blue eyes that said, “You’re going down sucker”. Now normally I would have quit and asked for a phone number, but there was a Halo Swim Bench on the line, and I wanted it. 20 rapid push-ups later and she just couldn’t keep up. Take that Ashley Morgan, 19 year old National Champion!

Hy-Vee Triathlon

I’m safely back in Seattle now. Far away from the polite people, logical transportation network, and attractive architecture that Des Moines uses to lower your guard and keep you from remember to pay attention to silly things like pre-race changes to swim courses and which side of a concrete barrier you’re supposed to ride on.

I swam strong, biked strong, and ran horribly this weekend. It was my slowest 10k in over a year, and it was done on a course that (aside from the humidity) should have been the easiest run course I’ve done. I lead the swim, and was about cruising 25 yards in the lead when I made a 4th left as was described in the manditory pre-race meeting. 30 seconds later a kyak stopped me and pointed to the shore where two of my competitors were nearing the beach. They had apparently listened to the race director before the start when he told us Continue reading “Hy-Vee Triathlon”

Iowa

I’m writing from the living room of JJ Bailey in Des Moines Iowa. JJ was 3rd last year at USAT Nationals, won the Florida 70.3 this year with a new course record, and (I just found out) he holds the course record for Lifetime Fitness (over past amateurs like Andy Potts). There is a deer head hanging over the fireplace, which is next to a 50 inch plasma TV with more channels than hairs on my right leg (as an aside, first i wrote left leg, but after careful analysis, right seemed more accurate.) When I arrived Thursday I was subjected to a full length lecture on how to turn on the TV, before JJ darted off to work. Finding myself in somebody else’s house in a town I’ve never been to I quickly ran out of better ideas, and decided to take a nap. Continue reading “Iowa”

London 2012 Olympic Logo

The 2012 Olympic Logo was just released. I think the best description I’ve heard is that it looks like an “80’s hangover”.

It looks like a Pink Panther video game on an 8-bit console. But these things always grow on us, right? Just look at Paul Allen’s Experience Music Project. I remember when I thought it looked like something you would find in a junk yard…ok I still do think that.

Regardless, it’s just a brand logo. It has very little to do with the Games.

a triathlete is born

I drug my friend Brian to the Issaquah Triathlon last weekend. (Brian Davis, Northwestern grad, 3x NCAA qualifier in swimming, 15:06 1650 yard freestyle…but can he run?)

Here is his race report (this is the funniest first time triathlon story I’ve heard.):

(I should mention quickly that since the race filled up before Brian registered, I had to convince him to do it “unofficially”.)

T minus 11:00

I arrive at Ben’s house to fit me to his bike and put cleats on my
shiny new tri shoes. Ben sets me to work cleaning the loaner bike
whilst he finds the cleats.

T minus 10:45

Ben admits he can’t find the cleats. They must still be in Hawaii.
It’s OK, though. We’ll just remove a pair from his commuting shoes. No
big deal.

T minus 9:00

It’s a big deal. Continue reading “a triathlete is born”

Issaquah Triathlon

My first triathlon was 2 years ago. I bought a bike from Speedy Reedy, and 3 days later I raced in the Issaquah Sprint Triathlon. That race was a bit ugly. Without a wetsuit, I had a panick in the 62 degree waters of Lake Sammamish, and did backstroke for a good portion of the race. I was passed repeatedly on the bike, and my run was the product of an untested theory that running sucks. I finished the race in 1:12, and couldn’t believe that anyone could call something so arduous a “sprint”.

Two years later, I returned to Issaquah to repeat the course. With over a dozen races in the interim I’ve learned a couple things, and yesterday’s race was a lot more fun. I finished in 58:40

Here’s me vs me: Continue reading “Issaquah Triathlon”

Weekend With a Legend

Last week I was in San Jose for a job interview, so I decided to take up former Seattleite, Loren Pokorny, on his open invitation to visit his new place in Tiburon. I was lucky to choose the same weekend that Loren’s family was hosting Kaite Mactier, who is a legend (Olympic silver, amazing cyclist…check the link and be impressed).

Loren and I started off the mini-hell weekend with a 2 mile swim in “the lagoon” Continue reading “Weekend With a Legend”

Get Set, TRI!

This morning was the “Get Set, Tri” in Forest Grove,
Oregon, at the same course that will host the USAT short course
nationals June 30th.

Turned out to be more of a Get Set, ok, now wait another hour while we get organized…TRI! — But no matter…

I set a world record in my 1500 meter swim (9:04). I know it was a
record and not a falsely measured course because the race director
insisted that it was measured correctly even after Myself, and the 3
people a minute behind me easily blew away any previous, non-current enhanced,
open water mile records. (it was obvious to myself and everyone else
there that the director was surely not referring to the same meter
that the rest of us are familiar with).

My T1 was ugly (my first cold weather race after getting into
triathlons while living in Honolulu). I struggled getting off my
wetsuit, and slipped in the mud out of the water because I couldn’t
feel my feet.

Safely on the bike with a good margin between myself and second place
I settled into a pace (not as fast as I would have liked, but it did
the job). Then I realized that what had started as a light sprinkle
was now cold liquid pellets that stung my face on the descents (there
are lots of descents on this course, and consequently lots of ascents
too). Luckily, the only hairy corners on the course were my knees,
so I didn’t have to worry about falling on the wet roads. Overall a
great bike.

T2 – lost a shoe and had to go back for it, put on my running shoes
and bolted. Once my feet gained feeling again (did I mention it was
COLD?), I was able to focus on my own race and I finished the run in
35 minutes on a pretty hilly course. It’s hard to qualify a run PR
with the courses always changing, but that must have been close.

First overall win of the year, and a great race. There’s always
things to improve, but anytime I finish with a smile (as oppose to an
IV) I’m happy. Anyone going to nationals should be stoked for a
rockin’ (and very rollin’) course. Absolutely beautiful (especially
if they fix the swim).

Next up, Issaquah Triathlon outside Seattle June 2nd, and then the HY-Vee Triathlon in
Iowa June 17th!

p.s. In other news, my new Head Stinger 60’s are on their way (a big thank you to Anne Hed for the quick shipping)