This weekend is the Hy-Vee Triathlon. I’m stoked. This race, in my mind, is the biggest race in the sport. There’s an unprecedented one million dollar prize purse, including ten $5150 primes, and a $151500 first place prize. Only 30 men were invited, and I’m lucky to be one of those. The race will be near the Iowa State Capitol in Des Moines, which is a beautiful place for a showcase event like this. I’m excited to see what I can do against the strongest non-drafting short course field ever assembled.
Next in my list of non-sequitors, I did an interview for Andrew Starykowicz’ site. The short version: pursue an education and work hard.
Finally, my old swim coach Kyle Johnson has moved from the swimming world to the triathlon world. If I were in Seattle, he would be my full time coach. He’s not a swim specialist, he’s an athlete specialist. He just seems to get how the body should move and how to get people to move as efficiently as possible. My best seasons in swimming were while swimming for Kyle. If you’re in the Seattle area, you can get a taste for what I’m talking about at a swim clinic coming up the third weekend in September. Kyle is teaming up with Milt Nelms (he teaches guys like Ian Thorpe to swim better) for two days of making you a better swimmer. For more info, check out this brochure. I highly recommend it. (For myself I pay Kyle over $100 an hour for swim instruction, this clinic is definitely worth the price).
That’s it for now. I’ll leave you with a pretty picture. It’s pretty because Mat Steinmetz at Retul in Boulder made my position look (and feel) pretty much perfect.
good luck this weekend!
We might be competing for a lot of money, but we’re not competing for Olympic medals. Keep your pecker in your pants, this isn’t the biggest race in the sport!
See you there.
Josh
True, it goes without saying that the Olympics is far more prestigious, and part of a much much bigger event. That said, Hy-Vee is a stand-alone triathlon and the city of Des Moines does more to make this race look and feel like a professional event than any other race. I guess what I’m getting at is that the rest of the triathlon world could learn a thing or two from the Hy-Vee Triathlon. I’ve never been to any other triathlon like it. The only other triathlon that makes this big of a festival out of their event is Kona. And lava fields are boring.
btw, are you here yet? I’m going to go spin out the legs if you’re interested in joining.