Event: 29th annual Sartell Apple Duathlon Course: 5K run, 33K (20.5 miles) bike, 5K run Date: Saturday, May 28 Location: Sartell, MN Previous Results: 1992 62nd overall, 18th in 30-34 AG
We'll get back to that 1992 race in a bit. Nineteen years ago.....wow. Anyway, as of now I plan to do this event. Notice I did not say race. I won't be racing. My 5K runs will be jogs. The leg is coming along but I simply cannot accelerate at the moment.
Take this past Saturday, for instance. I had a nice brick: 42 mi bike (19.4 MPH avg) then 4 mi run (7:30 pace). The leg was OK on the run. I had zero pain in the butt where the pelvic stress fracture originated from. However when I try to open the throttle a bit I get a bit of pain in the front groin. So I think if I take all my runs easy I should be OK.
Back to that event in 1992. Back then, the Apple Du was held on September 12. It was a 2.5 mile run, a 20 mile bike and 2.5 mile run. My splits were (I would have been 31 then):
Run 1 - 16:14 (6:29/mi) T1 - 1:20 Bike - 1:00.06 (19.3 avg) T2 - 1:03 Run 2 - 18:23 (7:23/mi)
The male winner was Harley Hanson of Brookings, SD. Anyone wanna guess who won the gals? Yep, Jan Guenther. More importantly was my choice of race day fashion for the event. Ah, yeah. What was I thinking?
I must have dressed in the dark that morning
So, unless I have a bad week I hope to be toeing the line this coming Saturday in Sartell. Then, when the gun goes off I'll glide to the back of the pack and try to catch everyone on the bike.
Shout Outs!
Chris Hawes, for his PR at Gear West Duathlon on May 22. It was a ultra muddy affair at that event. Just take a gander at his shoes afterwards!
Or even worse, the guy the shoes belong to. Looks like a XC race in Oregon for crying out loud. And it sort of looks like fun.
Main Triathlon Swim: 500 yard swim held in the Park Rapids H.S. Pool Bike: Double Loop 14.7 mile ride on paved roads Run: 5K run on a fast, out-and-back course finishing on the H.S.Track
Kids Triathlon Ages 9 & Under - Swim: 50 yard swim. Bike: 0.48 miles. 0.30 mile run finishing on the H.S.Track.Ages 10-12 - Swim: 100 yard swim. 1.10 mile bike, Run 0.30 mile run finishing on the H.S.Track. Last year's event had stellar weather. The top seven (7) males, including myself, went under the previous course record. Five (5) females went under the previous female course record. Back to defend his 2010 title will be Mike Fretland of Bismarck, ND. This will be Mike's first event after his 3:11 marathon at Boston.
For this event, I will be swimming and biking before tagging off to the Boy® who will then run the 5K. He is pretty excited about his first 'adult' triathlon event. And then he figures if he has at least an hour to rest, he'll then compete solo in the kids event. Me thinks I have created a monster. Train and race everyday like it's your last on Earth. Wonder who he got that from?
So, while this injury could have sent me into a deep, dark funk I have accepted it and am dealing with it in the vein of the old adage. When life gives you lemons.....
Please note that next year, this event will be have new race date as they are moving it to June. June 16, 2012 to be exact. Capture it on your calendar now. This is one of the best kept secrets out there for Minnesota triathlons. Although, it might not be so secret any more.
Shout Outs!
Only one this week, and it goes to the Boy®. He had his first long course (meters) swim event of the season at the U of M Aquatic Center and he did super. We went in hoping for 2 C-Qualifying finishes out of his six events and he ended up with four. And quite nearly six. In order of finish, on Saturday he swam:
50 Meter Back in 51.43. C Standard is 54.29
200 Meter Freestyle in 03:24.35. C Standard is 03:36.99. His 50-splits were 47:35, 54.22, 52.98, 49.79.
50 Meter Freestyle in 43.44. C Standard is 45.69. He was a little gassed, but survived.
On Sunday he swam:
100 Meter Freestyle in 01:31.14. C Standard is 01:40.09. His 50-splits were 42:86 & 48.28. Note how his opening 50 was faster than his 50 open from the night before. Amazing.
50 Meter Butterfly in 51.08. C Standard is 50.79. Missed by a mere 0.29 seconds. He was bummed but pretty happy and is confident he'll get it next time.
400 Meter Freestyle in 07:45.72. C Standard is 07:38.29. Missed by 7.43 seconds. For his very first attempt, I thought it great. His coaches loved the fact that he did bilateral breathing on every 5th stroke the whole way. He swam his last 50 in :52. He didn't complain about the distance afterwards. I did give him pause though when I asked if he felt he could immediately bike and then run after such a swim. He just smiled and said, "Sure, Dad. No problem."
The team overall swam great. So, I have changed my mind and am giving a second Shout Out! to the entire team and coaching staff of the Plymouth Piranhas. You all did awesome and you all did a fantastic jump cheering and supporting your teammates!
So. The big 5-0 birthday (April 26). Whoop-dee-do.
I started the day by entering my ballot for a chance to run the 2012 Virgin London Marathon. Heck, due to the pelvic stress fracture I can't even run at the moment, but I won't let that deter me from this possible opportunity. I will find out in early October whether or not I secured a place. It would be nice to treat the 2nd 50-years like the first......running, biking, swimming. I hope to keep competing as long as I possibly can. Or until I keep getting lost on the course.....then we have other issues.
And what does one receive for his 50th?
Honey Stinger products and milk chocolate malt balls!
'Mind the Gap' cuff links!
Additionally, the time-trial bike is back from wintering in Texas where it was kept in the bike corral of Tim "Buckwheat" Carroll. The bike and I were able to race in November in Ft. Worth and January in Houston. We were due to race again at the end of April in Arkansas, but then the stress fracture happened. So Tim shipped her back safe and sound. I dropped it off with the fine staff at Gear West to be put back together and gone over with a fine-toothed comb....just in case I can salvage something of the 2011 season.
The last time I saw the bike was in Texas on Jan 23
One can gauge their life by the friends they keep. Sampling of wishes received....in no particular order:
So you are 50! I have a friend who owns a running shoe and apparel store in Missoula, the Runners Edge. He tells me that there is a group of folks who celebrate their birthdays by running their age in distance (miles) in a day. I think for you and I this is somewhat out of line. Maybe bike 50 miles or do 50 push ups or 50 sit ups. Either way, congrats on the big 50.
Juanita Hocking - Sister-in-law and future race-shirt quilt maker
"Happy 50th, Brian! We hope that it's a great day."
"Happy birthday Brian! I hope you do something fun tonight!"
Tony Lloyd - World traveling Welsh friend
"Penblwydd Hapus from Wales, though I am in South Africa."
Suzanne Patras Lancey - Plymouth Swim Team coach
"Happy Birthday!!!!"
Thomas Franke - Plymouth Swim Team coach and Cheesehead
"What a great Minnesota day. Rain, Rain, Rain, and then ... some more rain. Guess you will be biking inside :( Hope the rest of your day is better and that you have a great swim set. 50x50 on the :50 ... that's how you celebrate!")
Note - I did take Coach Tom up on his suggestion and swam 50x50's on 10 sec rest intervals completing the session in 50 mins and change. That was actually fun and poked a finger in the eye of perceived old age. I won't go down that easily!
Add the Hamel Lions 5K to my list of events this year. The event is hosted by the Hamel Lions Club and will take place on Super Bowl Sunday, February 6, at 9:45 am. You may register at the Hamel Community Center Located at 3200 Mill Street. Mill Street is a new road located between the Hamel State Bank and the Hardware Store in Hamel, MN. Look for the signs on Hamel Road directing you to the Community Center. Advanced Entry Fee: $20.00. Day of the Race: $25.00.
Pancake Breakfast takes place from 7:30 am - 1:00 pm. The Pancake Breakfast is included with registration along with a "Freeze Your Buns Run" long sleeve shirt. There will also be free Child Care during the event. Pets on leashes are also welcomed.
This is really a fun run event that is not officially timed. Each year I have used this event with one goal in mind: Get in a speed workout and come away injury free. And I love the race T-Shirts at this event. They are one of my favorites. I especially like the previous years temperatures displayed on one sleeve:
The 2010 shirt
Brrr! 2007 must have been a joy to run in.
This could end up being a Maas family fun run as well. We will keep an eye on the weather as the date approaches but the Well Kept Wife™ and the Boy® are considering this fun event as well.
The course is basic.
Elevation is not too bad.
If you are in the area, come out and join us on this run!
Event:Frost Yer Fanny Duathlon Date: Sunday, January 23, 2011 Location: Bear Creek Park, Houston, TX. Course maps. Previous Results: 28th overall (252 total); 5th in 25-29 age group on January 29, 1989
This year, I'm going to try and post my race previews 4 weeks in advance of the actual race day. Just in case something peaks your interest and you want to give 'er a whirl. You can also reference my race calendar on the right hand navigation area.
This will be my second Frost Yer Fanny Duathlon. The first one? That was back a mere twenty-two years ago when the race was held in College Station, Texas. My splits for what was a 5K-30K-5K race were:
5K Run - 17:24.30 (5:36 per mile pace) T1 - 1:55 30K Bike - 53:17.62 (21.0 MPH average) T2 - 1:42 5K Run - 19:03.53 (6:07 per mile pace)
What I recall about the event was that the temperatures had been in the 70's the day before but dropped drastically overnight and we were greeted with temperatures in the 40's, winds at 25-30 MPH, and rain. Yeah, yucky. I even bought my very first Thinsulate outer wear, which I still own and wear to this day! Here are some clippings from the event.
This time around, the event will be in Houston. The 3 mile run-15 mile bike-2 mile run course is suppose to be flat and fast. This duathlon is co-produced by Outloud! Productions and Bicycle World & Fitness, and sponsored by the SouthMidwest Region of USAT.
As with the duathlon I did in November at the Texas Motor Speedway, I expect a very deep and fast field. And even though I will be racing in a new age group in 2011 (50-54), my competition will remain at a very high national caliber.
Take for instance Dana Lyons. In 2009, Lyons ranked 7th nationally (All American) in the 50-54 AG in du's. Currently has a Du par score of 96.66953 and ranked 6th in the nation in the unofficial 2010 USAT male 50-54 rankings. Lyons, if racing, will win the masters category.
I'd like to go down and get a solid par score in the area of 85. It will all depend on what kind of shape I can be in, given the pitfalls of living and training in the Tundra. So what do I think I could do? Here's pure speculation:
3mi Run - 18:18 (6:06 per mile pace) T1 - 1:40 15mi Bike - 40:10 (22.4 MPH average) T2 - 1:30 2mi Run - 12:40 (6:20 per mile pace) Total Time - 1:14.18
I fly into Houston on Friday where I will meet up with my former Texas training partner, Tim "Buckwheat" Carroll. Tim and I were able to race together last season in Arkansas in April. And again at Bronda's Du at the Texas Motor Speedway in November. I'd shipped my bike direct to Tim ahead of time prior to the November race in Texas and there it has stayed.
This is follow-up to my earlier post on this subject on the new offering from the WTC called 5150, the highly sought after new Olympic distance race series in 2011. I was holding back on registering for any races until I knew if my wetsuit was race legal or not.
Specifically, I use the De Soto T1 Water Rover wetsuit and I was making darn certain it would be race legal for the 5150 events. Per USAT, these suits are race legal until 2013, but I wanted to make sure of that with the WTC so I sent them a note. My initial reply back from the WTC was:
Hello Brian,
Thank you for your email. We are currently working with USAT to determine which wetsuit rules we will be abiding by. More information will be posted online at www.5150.com before the end of the year. Thank you in advance for your patience. Feel free to contact me if you have any other questions. Thank you,
Maria Athlete Services Coordinator Ironman World Headquarters 2701 North Rocky Point Drive Suite 1250 Tampa, FL 33607
So, I waited and I can now share with you other lovers of 10mm neoprene that the wetsuit will be legal. I received this reply on December 21:
Hi Brian-
We are following USAT rules for all 5150 events. We are working on the 5150 site and expect it's launch will take place early January.
Very good news! Now I just have to dive into my 2011 calendar and see what I want to do and then pull the trigger. I have my eye on the Hy-Vee Triathlon/5150 U.S. Championship (Des Moines, Iowa) and 5150 Galveston (Galveston, Texas). I'm sure I will finalize within the next one to two weeks.
While the official course maps are not yet available for the National Duathlon Championship to be held April 30, 2011 in Tucson....the race venue is. The event will be located at Ventana Medical Systems Center.
Address:
1910 East Innovation Park Drive
Oro Valley, AZ 85755
I see mountains.
The purple icon is the event venue site
So, I did a little 3D view on some of the roads. Seems innocuous to begin with....
That is the road a little ways out from the race venue headwaters. Nice and flat......but looks what awaits....
....aha...yeah, mountains. Will the bike course lead us into that, or not? Hopefully the bike course is posted before registration opens on December 1st. Then I can decide if the National Du is something I will attempt in 2011...or leave it for the climbers!
Official Time: 39:55 (6:30 per mile pace) Garmin Time: 39:54 (6:22 per mile pace). Note - course was 6.25 miles per Garmin Overall: 6th (121 total); top 0.05%; 1st in 45-49 male age group (9 total)
Mile Splits from Speedway 10K
Event: Bronda's Du Date: Sunday, November 14, 2010 Location: Texas Motor Speedway, Fort Worth, TX Weather: 44 F, wind at 2-3 MPH and beautiful Official Results:Overall results; Age Group results
Personal results:
Official Time: 1:09:28.2 Garmin Time: 1:09:30 Overall: 12th (212 total); top 0.05%; 1st in 45-49 male age group (20 total)
The Recap
I departed the Tundra early Friday afternoon. The forecast was for cold rain later in the day. I left thinking the family wuld be just fine without me around.
I touched down at DFW airport a few hours later. It was sunny, and pleasant. A quick scan of the weather back home now conveyed all kinds of red box "winter storm" watches. By the time I got to my hotel, the forecast for the home base was a winter storm warning with 8-12 inches of wet, heavy snow. The Well Kept Wife™ would be dealing with snow removal while I was enjoying Texas fall weather. This was something she would certainly track and hold over my head. Goody. Here I was heading to my last event of the year, Bronda's Du, and I would have guilt pangs.
I was met at the airport by Tim "Buckwheat" Carroll, my Texas training partner from my old Texas triathlon days. Tim and I navigated our way to the Dallas/Fort Worth Marriott Hotel & Golf Club at Champions Circle which is a Fort Worth resort that is adjacent to the Texas Motor Speedway.
Texas Motor Speedway as viewed from the Marriott
We checked in and starting looking for some fine eating. We decided to fill our guts at Sonny Bryan's Smokehouse. It had been twenty-one years since I have eaten here. And it hasn't skipped a beat. Good ol' Texas BBQ.
We went back to the resort and we were sipping on brews and looking through Inside Texas Running magazine and noticed that there was going to be a 5k & 10K event at the Texas Motor Speedway the very next morning....the day before the duathlon. Same venue! And looky here: the 10K course was the same course as the 3x5mi loop duathlon bike course!
We chuckled a bit and mulled over if we should jump into the 10K for kicks and giggles. By 7:30 AM on Saturday morning, there we stood. Registering for the 10K while whispering something like, "You know we're nuts for doing this."
From inside the Speedway
So here I was adding yet another event to my 2010 calendar....and the day before my final season multi-sport event. But this now meant I would finish 2010 with an even twenty events. No wonder I am completely knackered. But what a cool venue. This is what I came down for.
My thought for the 10K was to go about 85-90% for the first 5K and then just dial it back and save the legs for Sunday's duathlon. Maybe do back-to-back 21-minute 5K's. And that is pretty much what I did. The day was windy so even though the first 5K went fast, understand that was with a tailwind of 15-20 MPH. The 5K and 10K races started at the same time. As we exited the speedway, the 5K runners veered to the right and we 10K runners went straight. Now I knew exactly were I stood. I was in 6th overall.
At the two mile mark I was keeping pace with the boys in fourth and fifth. I looked over my shoulder to gauge where we stood in relation to the rest of the field. The next shirt I could see was about 200 to 250-yards back. I could just put it in cruise control and enjoy the run.
So, I dialed it back and just coasted in. I think if I had gone 100% I could have finished as high as 4th overall. But when it was all said and done, to get 6th overall and win my age group....I was happy.
This was because I really thought I would have zero chance of reaching the 45-49 podium at the duathlon. Texas multi-sport fields are typically very, very deep with talented athletes. So now I had assured myself of going home with some hardware. And they issued very, very nice coaster stones.
1st place award for Male 45-49 AG
Tim did well also, winning his age group. So we had two first places in hand leading into Sunday. Then we just sort of watched some cars zip around the track. Way cool to wrap-up an event, don't you think?
We then had our bikes and helmets inspected at a local bike shop. This was a race requirement. There was to be no race-day packet pickup and all bikes and helmets needed to pass inspection prior to being allowed to race. The duathlon was being put on by Ironhead Race Productions(IRP) and race director Jack Weiss. Jack is very strict about what can and cannot happen at one of his events. Jack elevated himself to one of my top three race directors. He is a hoot. And he runs a very well-oiled machine. And Jack doesn't put up with namby pampy, um, wussies. Let me give you two examples.
Example One: Earlier in the week, the weather forecast was looking wet and dreary and a little cold for Texas. This caused some, um, wussies to inquire with Jack about what would happen with the event. And Jack issued this (edited to the core key bits):
We have received serveral calls regarding this weekend's Sprint Duathlon and the weather. Forecast as of now indicates only a 50 percent chance of any rain late Sunday. Temps ranging from 45 to 60. Multi-sport events are rain or shine. The race will go on as scheduled. There are absolutely no refunds, so if you fail to show, that's your decision. Any changes will NOT be announced or made prior to race morning and will be based on the conditions at race start time and after consulting with local authorities and TMS Officials. Please do not call, we will notify all of you if there are severe changes prior to the race. Remember it could be raining at your place but dry as a bone at the race site. Again, we will not make any decisions or changes until race morning if conditions necessitiate such. We remind you there is NO packet pick up on race morning and each competitor is required to pick up his/her own packet. Please do not call on weather related issues as these calls will not be returned. Please plan on racing.
Example Two: During pre-event announcements, Jack reminded the field there would be a time limit on finishing the event. If you had not completed the course in time, you would be pulled. To which Jack added (and I paraphrase), "If you can't finish this event in the generous allotted time you might consider doing some more training before trying again."
Jack reminded me of that former drill sargent in the Geico commercial. You know the one:
We can use more race directors like JAck. I would NOT hesitate to sign up for one of his events in the future. I'm serious about that.
Buckwheat and I dined at Freebirds for lunch. Ever hear of this place? Think Chipolte with more flair, more panache. More, um, burrito! And we ate outside while someone near and dear to me was shoveling snow. More guilt, please.
Burrito selection at Freebirds
Then it was back the resort where Buckwheat and I did some fine tuning on the bikes and road the almost empty resort grounds. Then it was old man nap time.
We wanted to eat Cajun that night but couldn't locate the fine dining establishment so ended up back at Freebirds. I've been touting the fuel capability of black beans for pre-race meals the past two years. Now I was getting a double dose.
Sunday morning came. A wee bit colder than Saturday had been but zero wind. Buckwheat and I loaded up and headed over to the speedway. The transition area was in Garage Three. Great view.
Transition area at Bronda's Du
Buckwheat is all set up in transition
After setup, it was nervous old man pee time. Then announcement that there would be two waves: 40 and over in first wave, 39 and under in second wave. I'd be first up. I was happy for that. I wanted to rock and roll. Let's go to the race segments.
One note of caution: The run paces per the official results are way faster than they should be and the bike MPH avg are slower. The runs pace seems to be based on 2.1 miles and the bike on 15 miles. The runs were a wee bit short of 2 miles and the bike over 16 miles (16.3) per my Garmin. It is, what it is is. Just wanted to share that in case you were wondering about the paces listed in official record. Also, my AG rankings are based on the Masters winner (David Jones) being eliminated from 45-49 AG consideration based on his Masters win (congrats David!)
Run One - 2 miles
Goal - 11:56 (5:58 per mile) Official Time - 11:42 (5:34 per mile - looks based on 2.1 miles from what I can figure) Garmin Time - 11:42 (5.56 per mile based on 1.97 miles per Garmin) Overall Rank - 14th (212 total) AG (45-49) Rank - 2nd (20 total)
Wave one lined up. I got my first look at the front runners. I had been told to look for David Jones by the top dogs up here in the Tundra. Why? In 2009, Jones ranked 9th nationally (All American) in the 45-49 AG in tri's and 21st nationally (Honorable Mention) in du's. Currently has a Tri par score of 90.10876 and a Du par score of 91.87823. Fast. Super fast.
I thought I'd see if I could hang with him for the first run before watching him ride into the distance on the bike. Like I said, my bike was weak due to lack of recent training and lets face it, my bike is weak even if I'm on my game. So, how did the first run go? Pictures are worth a thousand words?
Jones leads the first wave with someone familiar tucked in behind
Hey, I hung tough for about 1 mile and a half and then faded a bit. I came into T1 14-seconds behind an elite level athlete. I'm not sure Jones was even trying but it was nice for my confidence. I talked with him after the race and Jones is....like all us triathletes....a super nice person. He is actually doing Ironman Cozumel in two weeks time and was using this event as a speed workout.
The run course is a two loop 1-mile course on the infield of the speedway. You can see the entire course. Like being on a super big track. One can look across the track and see where people are. I loved it.
Turning for transition one after loop two of the run
Transition One
Goal - 00:45 Official - 01:13 Garmin - 00:59
I would have liked my T1 time to be faster. However, I was without my old man little stool. And even at a nice mid-40 temperature, I was a little cold. I needed to remove my gloves so they wouldn't get caught up in the bike shoe velcro. But it otherwise went without a hitch.
Bike - 15 miles
Goal - 42:27 (21.2 MPH average) Official Time - 43:02 (22.3 MPH avg - looks based on 15 miles) Garmin Time - 43:13 (22.7 MPH avg based on 16.31 miles per Garmin) Overall Rank - 15th (212 total) Age (45-49) Rank - 3rd (20 total)
Three loops of five miles awaited once we exited the speedway. About as windless as it could get. On the first lap, I was just getting my bike legs and trying not to lay it all out. By lap two I was faster than lap one.
Heading out of T1
Lap three was interesting as I was catching slower riders and a group of three riders (two of which were relay) had caught me. The four of us battled for the next half a lap each of us trying our best in the conduct of good sportsmanship and USAT rules to not be actually drafting. Sometimes due to congestion I had to tuck in behind or they behind me for safety sake. But those times were brief. I finally put the big ol' 55 chain ring to use and dropped them for a good portion before being caught again on a small incline....then passed them again. That's how we would stay as lap three was completed and I raced back to T2.
For the curious, there was a timing mat on the bike course recording each of the three laps.
Heading to T2
Transition Two
Goal - 00:45 Official - 01:04 Garmin - 01:07
Yes, didn't hit my target but happy nonetheless. I took a few extra seconds to take a few sips of my Hammer Heed mix and then headed off on the run.
Run Two - 2 miles
Goal - 12:22 (6:11 per mile) Official Time - 12:24 (5:54 per mile - looks based on 2.1 miles from what I can figure) Garmin Time - 12:26 (6:16 per mile based on 1.98 miles per Garmin) Overall Rank - 12th (212 total) AG (45-49) Rank - 2nd (20 total)
The quads were cold and I thought I would have a tough time loosening up and hitting stride. But I was chugging along at a good 6:06 clip to start with. I concentrated on picking off some slower runners and staying loose and in good form. Something about being able to see the whole run course in front of you (the big track effect) made the run seem both shorter and easier. As I was completing lap one, I felt I could start to open it up on lap two and I did. That surprised me and I actually finished strong. Truly, a nice way to leave 2010 and look forward to 2011....and my new age group for next season (men's 50-54)
True to Jack form the awards ceremony started dead on time at 11 AM in which Jack started with males and went backwards from oldest age group to youngest. So the young people had to wait for the old farts for a change!
Outside Garage Three at Texas Motor Speedway
My hardware for 1st in Men's 45-49
Bronda's Du is named for Bronda Starling, a local Texas athlete who succumbed to cancer. Jack created this event in her honor and announced that a check for no less than $1000 was going into the Livestrong Foundation.
Thank-you Jack. Thank you Texas Speedway. And thank-you Texas for being a tremendous host for this Tundra snowbird. It was good to be back racing in the Lone Star state. I hope to be back soon.
Next Event: 2011 is very much in pending stage but here are my early season possibilities to-date. Very fluid at the moment.
February 20 -Texas Motor Speedway Duathlon (USAT and Texas State Championship). Fort Worth, TX. 2mi run - 15mi bike - 2mi run.
April 23/24 -Iron Mountain Double Weekend (USAT). Arkadelphia, Arkansas. Sprint triathlon on Sat, sprint du on Sun. Times combined for overall stage winners.
Event:Bronda's Du Date: Sunday, November 14, 2010 Location: Texas Motor Speedway, Ft. Worth, TX Previous Results: First time at this event for me. 2009 results for the curious. Bike map. Run map.
But you don't know unless you try. So off I go to give it my best effort. Sometimes what the body lacks, the spirit makes up for.
This 2 mile run-15 mile bike-2 mile run course is suppose to be flat and fast. It is a closed course. The runs take place inside the speedway (yeah, that's right.....a NASCAR speedway!) and we bike outside & around the speedway. I think this is a very cool concept for a duathlon venue and the reason why I chose this Texas event.
I'll tell you one thing, there is little worry about whether I make the podium or not in the Men's 45-49 age group. Let's take a look at who will probably show and why if I do good, it will really put the cap on what has been a pleasant season for me.
David Jones - In 2009, Jones ranked 9th nationally (All American) in the 45-49 AG in tri's and 21st nationally (Honorable Mention) in du's. Currently has a Tri par score of 90.10876 and a Du par score of 91.87823.
Robert Reveal - In 2009, Reveal ranked 23rd nationally (Honorable Mention) in du's. Currently has a Du par score of 88.51813.
That's some speed there, folks. And that's just scraping the barrel for Texas. There is a whole mess more that are regional class athletes. It should be a highly competitive age group. I know from my short time there in the late 1980's that you 'Don't Mess with Texas'.
I would like to be able to at least stay in the same zip code of these elites in hopes of dragging my pitiful par score up above maybe a 84? That may be too much to ask for the bike shape I'm in. So what do I think I could do? Here's pure speculation:
Targets for Bronda's Du
I fly into Dallas on Friday where I will meet up with my former Texas training partner, Tim "Buckwheat" Carroll. Tim and I were able to race together earlier this season in Arkansas and it was a hoot. I've shipped my bike direct to Tim ahead of time, courtesy my buddies at Gear West. So I don't have to deal with that. Tim let me know that the bike did arrive in one piece earlier this week by e-mailing me to ask, "Dude, do you EVER clean your bike?" Hah!
Tim and I plan to enjoy some good ol' Texas BBQ, some honky tonk, and visiting some of the bike shops in town. And check out the course, naturally. We're staying right across the street from the Texas Speedway so we should be just fine with that. Hopefully the weather cooperates with us.
We'll see if I can muster up the blood and guts for one more good showing in 2010. After this, I'm resting. My lower back hurts. My Achilles have been acting up a bit. I've been telling people I feel like a NFL running back in the last few weeks of the season. It all hurts, but there is just one more game to play. And I intend to play it well, not sitting on the bench. But I have a feeling that my ass will be handed to me on a Texas sized silver platter. Minnesota goes solo against the state of Texas. Should be quite a shoot out.
Official Time: 20:09 (6:30 per mile pace) Garmin Time: 20:09 (6:12 per mile pace). Note - course was 3.25 miles Overall: 10th (367 total); top 2.7%; 1st in 45-49 male age group (12 total)
The Recap
Getting our awards from Wyatt Earp
I know, I know. First thing you are wondering "Brian, how can you run a 18:48 last month and then have a 20:09?" Two reasons.
One, the course was long. My Garmin read 3.25 miles which is significantly above the 3.1 miles of a 5K. Take the 6:12 pace and equate to a 5K and you have a 19:15 5K. Upon reflection I'm happier with this result than the 18:48 last month.
Which then takes us to reason number two. I will just provide a illustration.
244 feet elevation gain!
I had been warned by fellow buddy & Arizona resident Tom Ohe of a hilly course. I had been training on hills for the last month. I made sure I got in every hill I could around Plymouth. But not for this looming single monster. Not that it was brutal, but it was a grinder.
At the starting line I spied about a dozen people that could take the race. I knew this would be challenging. After the shot gun blast by legendary Wyatt Earp to start the 5K, the field quickly thinned to about ten runners and that broke into two packs of five about a quarter mile in. My plan had been to try for a 18:30 5K and achieve that by starting hard and then trying to hold on.
I kept glancing at the Garmin throughout the first one-half mile. 5:20 pace, 5:30, 5:45. It was looking good. Then we started to climb. Again, furtive glances at the wrist. 5:55 pace, then 6:20, then...gulp...6:55. I was sucking air and we were still climbing. Look at my splits. I go from 6:01 to 6:41 to a 5:56 (downhill, of course).
My splits
That hill just kept going and going. But the turn-around eventually came. And the old knees and hips held together enough for me to stretch it out. About a half-mile from the finish Tom was there to challenge me to pass a couple of people in front of me, as I was in 10th overall at that time. And that's where I would stay.
From the official results page
Well, at least I can say I negative split the race! No one needs to know why.....ha! Here is the Garmin information and map for those interested.
The Family
The Well Kept Wife™ told me ahead of this event that she did not feel ready. And Tom's description of the hill had her pondering a K2 type of summit. And she woke up race day morning with a crick in her neck.
The Boy® trained in his own style again. He got in two training runs over two weeks leading to the event. What can I say? He's schedule between piano, swim team, and scouts....and toss in 5th grade homework...is just like pulling a full-time job. During warm-ups he developed the dreaded side stitch and it was clearly bothering him. I took some time to help attempt to work it out with him. He said it didn't bother him during the race but I could see it did when I was with him at the end, cheering him into the finish chute.
Regardless, they made me very proud.
As I was climbing The Hill, I kept worrying how they would be faring. On my descent, I was surprised to see them running together. The Boy® had stayed ahead of the Well Kept Wife™ during the 5K in Fargo. So either my son was hurting, or my wife had gone out too fast. But they seemed fine as we exchanged family pleasantries.
After I finished I immediately trotted back towards the race to catch-up with my friend Tom and to cheer on my family. First came the Boy®. He was laboring and holding his side. I ran with him and he finished strong, passing two people in a furious sprint to the line.
My son's time and placement
Again, I trotted out and was pleased to see the Well Kept Wife™ turn the final corner. I was greeted with the Italian middle finger salute. I knew she hated that hill. We ran in together and she did very well to finish again on the podium for the second straight event. This was her second race ever. Eight seconds out of first in her age group.
It was later that evening that I got the, "You know, I should have won," statement from her. She was in first at the halfway point. Now she has some time to recover and think about next year.
My wife's time and placement
For both of them to run a very challenging course as well as they did was a testament to their fortitude. They both did great. I was very, very proud.
Packet Pickup - Pickup was at the famous Runners Den in Phoenix. Voted one of America's top ten running stores and the "Best of Phoenix," Runner's Den has been a pillar of the Arizona running community since its doors opened in 1978. Runner's Den is a pioneer in customer services, such as individualized gait analysis, injury avoidance/prevention clinics and group training seminars. While there, I got myself a new race hat and the Boy® was thrilled to receive a new pair of running shoes (Brooks). He even got a first class lesson in the importance of untying shoes before removing and how to tie a proper double knot from salesperson Craig. Craig, from the Midwest, has run over 180 marathons (2:28:14 P.R.), and has a 50 mile best of 5:37:23. The Boy® has been properly removing and tying his shoes ever since. Grade - A+ Suggestion - None. This was sweet. The staff was fantastic. All three of us walked out with merchandise and couldn't have been happier.
Volunteers/Amenities - The volunteers at the park were great. Not quite the cornucopia of volunteers you see at a triathlon, but for a run the numbers were strong and helpful. But, no port-a-potties! There were only two park rest rooms open and while there did not seem to be a dearth of long lines I think some people were rushed, etc or thought they might miss the race. Could it hurt to have a dozen or so of our green cubed friends? Grade - B Suggestion - Just repeat in 2011
Run Course - Held at South Mountain Park just south of Phoenix, the course is on a paved road in a desert setting. Views are stunning. As above, the 5K course was challenging with the elevation change but not harsh. Just had some unexpected bite to it. I am only knocking down to a B due to the distance being off. For a race of this size and standards, it should have been spot on. Grade - B Suggestion - Measure that course for accuracy! 3.25 miles is way off from the true 3.1.
King of the Mountain inside South Park
Awards/Goodies - The medals were nice. Being awarded them by the legendary Wyatt Earp a photo moment. Nice t-shirts. The race bag also included sun block and chap stick. Hey, it is Arizona after all! Grade - A Suggestions - None.
Our awards from Arizona
Post Race Food - The Well Kept Wife™ had me add this category after her first event in Fargo. She was surprised by the junk food offered after the event. What do you think she said when she saw Dunkin' Donuts being offered up after this event? Grade - D for Dunkin' Donuts! Suggestions - To be fair, bagels and bananas were also offered. But really, donuts?
Overall - A very nice race within a great closed course venue. How can any race in Arizona go wrong? Thanks to my buddy Tom for biking out to the event to see us run. It was nice to see you Tom!
Next Event - November 14 at Bronda's Du (USAT), Fort Worth, TX. This will be a 2 mi run, 15 mi bike, 2 mi run. It takes place at the Texas Motor Speedway!
It is family mini-vacation time. For five brief days we'll be in one of the rare places in the world where I can actually relax. It's amazing how I simply decompress the very moment we step outside of Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. I love it in Arizona.
It is the oldest footrace in Arizona. Wyatt Earp starts the half-marathon race with a double barrel shot gun in the tradition of the old west. The proceeds benefit the Lincoln Family Downtown YMCA Strong Kids Campaign. This fundraising effort provides resources for inner city youth and Teen Center programs, as well as financial assistance for children to learn how to swim, experience day and overnight camp, and learn important values and life skills.
This will be my last running event of the year. I'll have only one event left in 2010 after this, a duathlon in Ft. Worth, Texas on November 14. For this Arizona race I'll be doing the 5K event as will the Well Kept Wife™ and the Boy®. So the whole family will once again be racing just as we did recently in Fargo.
Also joining in on the fun will be fellow Jamestown High School class of '79 alum, Tom Ohe. Tom and I ran together on the two Class A state championship ('77, '78) cross country teams. Two Blue Jays once again dominating the field? We'll see!
I won't be setting any goals for this one. Of course, I'll be striving to do my best and have a great effort. But it is a vacation after all and I don't want the added pressure of setting a time goal. It should be fun just to cheer on my family and friends as this is an out-and-back course. Apparently the 5K is uphill for the first half, then of course, downhill on the return. Should be interesting. Tom e-mailed me to say he thought the course reminded him of a certain cross country meet in Medora, North Dakota circa 1978.
If you have never been to western North Dakota, that is Badlands country. Sort of a miniature Grand Canyon. Flat..flat...flat...BOOM!...big mesa's, hills, and culverts. This meet had us essentially running a mile to a monster hill, climb it, turn around and come back down. It was a tough, tough course. Too bad the team didn't fare very well.
The Jamestown Blue Jay 7th/8th grade boys won. The 9th grade boys won. The girls won. The junior varsity won. And the varsity won. Tom and I ran on the JV team that day (the team was loaded). We did OK, I guess. If taking the first six spots and seven of the first ten spots is considered "OK".
Tom is 3rd from the left. I'm 4th from left.
Getting our trophies.
In any event, I'll be relaxed. I'll be happy. I'll be in my element. Like I said, I love Arizona and hope to live there for a portion of the year some day. We have even taken to doing some Southwest themed decorating in our house. Maybe I'll even come back with a permanent tattoo similar to the temporary Henna tattoo I picked up at the Minnesota State Fair this past summer. This little guy is pretty much seen everywhere in the Southwest.
In any event, we'll have a blast. We'll tackle one of the Seven Summits of Phoenix as well. We tackled Camelback Mountain in 2006, Lookout Mountain in 2008, and Piestewa Peak in March of 2010. Maybe we'll tackle South Mountain on this trip a few days before the race at the same venue. But we definitely be going on family desert hikes along with some Geocaching as well.
Wish us luck! Appendix:
This will be the second event in a row that will be using the ChronoTrack system. You must be wearing your "D-Tag" correctly in order to be timed. For future reference for anyone who needs to know how to attach this unusual tag, please follow the instructions below.
Event:Fargo Mini Marathon: Half-Marathon, 10K, & 5K events Date: Saturday, October 9, 2010 Location: Fargo, North Dakota Weather: 59 (race time) and beautiful Official Results:Overall text results (all three races)
Personal results:
Goal: 39:59 (6:26 per mile pace) Official Time: 39:40 (6:23 per mile pace) Garmin Time: 39:39 (6:22 per mile pace) Overall: 4th (637 total); top 0.47%; 1st in 45-49 male age group (15 total)
The Recap
Had the ol' grey beard going for this event.
The weather was almost perfect for the 8 AM start Saturday morning at the Fargo Civic Center. There was a slight breeze out of the ESE. The only thing bad about that was the day was going to heat up (it hit 87 F this past Saturday) so when we hit the turn-around we had the wind at our backs and I heated up. Nothing major, though.
This was sort of a weird race. Plenty of people for the 10K event as 637 people completed it. But it was plain from the start that the depth of the competition would be lacking. Two blocks into the event, five of us had already pulled away from the field. I glanced at my Garmin and we were pulling an astonishing 5:20 per mile pace and I asked myself, "What the eff ARE you doing!?!?", and pulled it back to the lower 6's. There was no way I was going to last at that pace.
A little over one-half mile in and eventual race winner (James Schanandore - 32:23) had left us in the dust. That left four of us in a pack. By mile two we had separated into little groups, each no more than forty yards behind the other. I was in the third group and dropping off. At this point I had a decision to make.
One, I could attempt to close the gap with the lead chase group. The risk here being that I catch the cahse group but the result being I could have a nuclear meltdown near the end of the race. Two, I stick to my original goal of going under 40-minutes. I went with option two. That's what I had been training for. It made no sense to go nuts at this point.
This meant that I was now running by myself. I mean, by-my-self. A quick glance over the shoulder and there was no one behind me. I could see no one at all. It was akin to running a workout by myself. This was very strange to me given the number of people in the race. There were five people busting their humps up front and no one else within the same zip code.
This made it a challenge for me to keep on my goal. Interestingly enough, I kept the distance between myself and the lead chase group the same. Shortly after mile three, I could see I was gaining. Again, I struggled with going all Prefontaine or just keeping within myself. It was at this point that we had the wind at our backs and I'm glad that once again I stuck to plan. As I was starting to heat up.
At this point, I need to discuss the first five. Again, Schanandore had pulled away early and was nowhere in sight. There was a second male that had now broken away and had about a 300-yard lead on me. In third was female extraordinaire Gina Aalgaard Kelly who had separated slightly from a fourth male. I was about 60-yards behind those two. And that is how we would finish.
However, as the first set of results were posted I noticed something very strange. I was listed in seventh overall. "That's just not right," I thought to myself. Like I said, there was no one within the same zip code as us. Someone had cut the course was my first thought. So I talked with some race officials just to make them aware I didn't think those results could be valid.
What I think happened was that two people had signed up for the 10K, but somehow ran the 5K course. That explains those two. But later in the day when the official results were posted, I was now listed as third overall! Now I was really scratching my head.
I could see that a Christopher Johnson who had run a 37:59 had been DQ'd. This is the person had had been in second place the whole race. I saw nothing....absolutely nothing....that could have lead to his DQ so I can only assume he ran the wrong race (was signed up for the half marathon) or had a chip malfunction?
Subsequent update - It appears that the results have been updated, moving me from 3rd overall to 4th. Glad to see Christopher Johnson was reinstated.
We had D-tags for this event? Ever had to deal with these? Not easy for the first timer user. I had a race official actually walk up to me as we stood at the starting line to adjust mine.
D-tag
So whatever happened to Johnson, I don't know. But there is no mention of the fourth runner who would have finished behind Kelly, the overall female winner. So, somehow I ended up 3rd overall and 2nd overall for the males.
I liked the course. We started on roads that wound through the residential section of Moorhead (on Minnesota side of the Red River) before crossing the river again to finish on a very scenic run along the Red itself on their trail system. There was some rolling hills. So again, I was glad I didn't bust my balls and held to my goals and ran my race. My splits:
Here is the Garmin information and map for those interested.
The Family
Yes, this was the debut race for the Well Kept Wife™. And trust me, it was not me who insisted that she begin running. It was not me who planted, then germinated that idea. This was 110% her idea and goal. I provided her the training guidelines and support.
She had been running for a little over six weeks prior to this event. So we had no aspirations going into the event. When she had been reporting her training times to me in the last week, I had an thought she could go under thirty minutes. In fact, I was pretty positive if it.
Before the race we talked about that she would be running much faster than it would seem, especially that first mile. I wrote her targeted mile splits on the back of her hand in green marker just as I do for myself. I knew she would have a good race if she kept to those splits.
But, I did not expect her to go 28:11. Nor did I expect her to literally blow away the competition in her age group (Female 45-49). She was 1:09 faster than second place. She beat thirty other women in her age group so its not like she had a light field. A truly awesome first time effort. I just hope she doesn't expect to be first, or on the podium, at every event because of this! In fact, after the race she asked me when I thought she could try a 10K. I just laughed and let her know we'll see how she does over the winter.
The Boy® ended up with the family honor in the 5K, coming in ahead of his mom. There had been considerable smack talk between the two that morning. What may have hurt is that the Boy® ran a total of TWO TIMES during the six weeks his mom was training. I think he may be training a bit more in the coming two weeks.
That is because I see the score possibly being evened up in a couple of weeks in Arizona. Then we'll have the series tied at one apiece going into 2011. Hmmmm.
The Boy® ended up with a new PR of 27:48 and ended up 6th in the male 14 & Under age group which had 22 total runners. He was beaten by a 14-yo, 13-yo, 10-yo, 12-yo, and a 13-yo. But he beat a bunch of kids four years older than himself. He was pretty happy, but that may have been more to beating up on mom than any thing else.
The Well Kept Wife™ and the Boy® with their medals.
Let's get back to the event itself and break down the typical components, discussing what was done well and what needs improvement.
Packet Pickup - As far as I know, there was only same-day packet pickup. So we had to scream out of the Twin Cities at 3:30 PM Friday to make it to the Fargo Civic Center before 8 PM in order to get our packet. What was nice, we unexpectedly took the exit that took us right past the “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” house in south Moorhead that was still under construction. It looked great. Amazing work and amazing story for those that follow that show. The house was handed back to the family this past Sunday. Grade - B- Suggestion - Packet pickup itself was fine. Hardly any wait. Everything was in the bag. Maps of the course posted. There had been a change due to continuing work on flood walls in south Moorhead. I am docking the grade, though, as several attempts to verify if race day packet pickup would be available went unanswered. I expect better from race officials.
Volunteers - All the volunteers from packet pickup to post race were splendid and very helpful! I was especially impressed with the number of enthusiastic teenage volunteers. That is always good to see. Grade - A Suggestion - Just repeat in 2011
Run Course - As I said, there had been a slight course change that really only affected the half-marathon. The 5K course apparently was very nice, taking the runners past the Hjemkomst Center. The 10K was just beautiful fall foliage. It was special to me to again revisit some trails that I ran on when attending school at NDSU. I was recalling some XC meets as well when we hit Gooseberry Park. I believe I earned my very first XC medal ever in that park way back in the day. Grade - A+ Suggestion - Just repeat in 2011
The Hjemkomst Center
Awards/Goodies - Long sleeved T-shirts were given for the 10K runners and short sleeved for the 5K runners. The good ol' cotton variety. And believe it or not, finishers medals were provided to all three events including the 5K! That was really cool. And they are nice medals. The top three overall males and top three overall females also received something but since I was not listed as within the top three males at the time of the award ceremony, with the DQ's coming later in the day, I have no idea what those would have been. The top three in each age group in all three events received gift certificates for Go Far Sports in Fargo. It is a very nice runners paradise and we shopped there after the event as I had a $20 gift card and my wife had a $10 gift card for our first place age group finishes. I'll be writing about some of the new gear in the coming days. Grade - A Suggestions - Offer to mail the gift cards next year. We had to wait for well over 115-minutes for the gift cards.....very much appreciated, mind you....to be passed out.
The Maas medal collection from Fargo
Post Race Food - I've not included a review of post race food in my race reports before. But the Well Kept Wife...this being her first event...made a point about it and wanted me to make mention as she was appalled by the nutritional value being put forward. I told her it was no worse than any other event I've ever done and that some events don't offer anything at all. Still she found issue with the bags of potato chips and chocolate milk. She wanted protein and granola and something healthier. You know....mom food. They also had orange juice (which I loved) and banana's. Like I explained to her, any food after a race is a bonus and not a expectation. Lots of this stuff is donated and you have to love sponsors, otherwise these events would not happen. But I can see her point. Less processed food. More natural selections. Oranges, apples....fruit! And some good old protein bars or natural snacks as additional options. I'm sure other readers have a take on post-race food as well....feel free to share. Grade - C Suggestions - Introduce a focus group and be sure some mom's are represented. What would they like to see on the list of possible foods for 2011?
Overall - Loved the race. Great setup. We really lucked out with the weather. I will be very much considering this event for my 2011 race calendar. I whole heartily recommend it. Over 2500 people competed in the three events and one would not have known that as it was so well put together.
It is always nice to go back to the state of my birth and visit with the family. And yes, we visited the massive Scheels store....as promised....twice. Let me tell you something about that store, and I'm not making this up: They have a better collection of running gear than any store in the Twin Cities. Bar none. Heck, they even have tall and short sizes of most things. They also carry items such as heavy duty UnderArmor for winter events that I've not seen here, even at Dicks. Just love that Scheels store. And the Well Kept Wife™ spent more than me this time around!
