Race Report: My First Triathlon Event!

Allrighty! As y'all know, I did my first Triathlon as part of a 2 person team this weekend.......only because I couldn't do the swim this time. First feedback: A Tri is TOUGH! I did the cycling and running part, and that was near enough to kill me.

Part I: Cycling.............

My Niece did the swim, so she made the 1K swim in 11 minutes and change, first transition was done in 1:45. Here is where I came in. I took off on the cycling course. 13.82 miles, and I was riding against a 10-15 MPH headwind on rolling terrain. The course ran from Warsaw, Indiana to Pierceton, Indiana and back. The course was very well marked. I hammered as hard as I could against the wind, and generally uphill against a headwind. When I got to the turnaround point, my wonderful luck strikes. The blasted wind switched, and it was starting to look like storms were moving in. The wind switch no meant I was riding back, you guessed it, against a headwind......again! So much for the good thoughts of a tailwind!

So, I'm slogging back against the headwind, pushing through the wind like a wall. I got passed by a kid on a full suspension mountain bike....a Huffy, no less, with knobbies. This wasn't going to fly, I can tell you. I pushed hard and managed to pass this kid back. he was holding an 18 MPH average speed, and was really a strong rider. I dropped down into the aerobars and just held on to the ride....and can guarantee you I went anaerobic on the return. 58 minutes on the cycling section, and a 4:45 transition to the run. I could have done better, I think, but still managed to hit a peak of 28 MPH coming back into Warsaw at the very end of the cycling leg. I got into the transition area and that last sprint had nearly done me in, and I still had the run segment to do.













I did the 5 K in 1:08 and a few seconds, and I really am NOT a runner. I had to shuttle back and forth between a run and a walk. I did make the finish at a run, though. That's my Aunt running along beside me, encouraging me to keep pushing. That last quarter mile of the run was literally the worst hurting from exercise I've ever experienced. I made it across the line so bonked I couldn't even undo the ankle tag device and could barely stand. I was literally on the edge of falling, I was so spent. I was pretty cooked at the end, and I really have no idea where I got the push from for that final run, but where ever it came from, I love it! My finish was at the middle of the pack out of 50 teams, we placed at 25.













This was bar none, the toughest event I've ever done. I definitely have the triathlon bug......bad! Our time of 2:31.6 wasn't the fastest, by any means, but when you consider that 3 years ago, I was more or less in a wheelchair, you can get the scope of this in my mind. I'm in the Tri game for the long haul....it's a blast! If you really want to challenge yourself, this is where you can do it.

I've also added a bit of video from the race. It's time compressed to make it a bit more interesting. http://www.badongo.com/vid/777019

Nice Training Ride today....

I have a training partner, one of my former instructors from School. Her name is Jennie. I'll tell you, she has some serious potential as a rider! She's strong pushing into the wind, and steady and rides the dame pace as my average. She likes to push it, too.

We did a nice little 20 miler today, just playing around in Lafayette, but have set the goal of a loop to Frankfort and back by the end of July, a nice little 59 miler. I may tweak the route a bit to make it a full metric century though.

Things are also looking up for my upcoming triathlon Saturday up in Warsaw, Indiana. It's the Optimist Club Triathlon, and this will be my first one. As I mentioned, my shoulder is still giving me issues, so I'll be doing the cycling and running part only, and my niece will be doing the swim.

I'm able to hold a decent average speed, so, I don't think I''ll be coming in dead last......I really don't care what place I finish, though. I just plan on finishing it.

After a modestly successful Tour de Cure,, I'm now gettiing ready for my first Triathlon....

June 28th, I'll be in Warsaw, Indiana for the Optimist Club Triathlon. You can click the title of this post to go to the Triathlon website, if you'd like. Since I'm not healed up from the crash a few weeks ago completely, I did have to go team on the tri!

I recruited a swimmer, since I'm not back even to 60% on shoulder strength and 75-80% mobility. I am doing mobility therapy though and can expect a good recovery, just some pain is all. Wish me luck, all! I don't care if I come in DFL, I'll come in.

Tour de Cure, 2008 is in the bag!

This years Tour was a rousing success! We had a great ride and both my personal efforts as well as Team Stormcrowe exceeded our goals!Let me introduce the rogues gallery of Team Stormcrowe, to start things off.

Photo by Chad, our team photographer/videographer

Left to right, rear row, Phil (St Louis), Beverly (Ohio), Me, Joe (Bloomington, IN), and Mark (Greenwood, IN)
front row, Denny (SW PA) and Jerry (Chicago area). We had trouble getting everyone in the shot because we'd scattered a bit at this time and as a result, couldn't get everyone together....so, I'll add in some other shots singly momentarily.

Fred, aka 10wheels. He came up from Houston, TX for the ride

Here we are, getting registered for the ride. My wife also volunteered for this event. She ran the registration for the Century ride on the track.

Now, a little about Fred. He missed the Century mark by 6 miles....he just ran out of time on the track. He's a mile monster....and I'm really impressed with his performance.


Another member was Thomas R, aka scummer on http://www.bikeforums.net. He got a little later start, and still cranked out the Century, + a few insurance miles and a tad over 105. No pictures of him, unfortunately.

Bev: 67 miles
Denny: 67 miles
Jerry: 84 miles
Mark: did the 50K ride
Me: 41.2 miles attempting the Century with an injured shoulder. It got too painful to ride.
Phil: 70+ miles

People were riding all kinds of bikes, ranging from Trikes



to a Penny Farthing



and all configurations of road bikes









The track is the smoothest surface you'll ever ride, there at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. It made for some fast riding conditions. It was a great day and all of us are going to do it again next year.

Now, to close with Jim McKays words, in sports, there is the thrill of victory



and the agony of defeat



This year, my injuries from my training crash 3 weeks ago stopped me, but I'll not let that discourage me.....next year, I will finish the Century.




Team Stats: Fundraising:

Me: $1100.00
Team Stormcrowe overall: $3935.00

Tour de Cure: 3 Whole Days Away!

Well, here I am, in 72 hours, I'll be in Indianapolis for the night before the ride. 100 miles on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. I've got less than 2 weeks post crash training, so the ride is definitely going to be a challenge for me. Well, pain is life, they say.....so I'll be experiencing some definite life!

I have about 80 % of my shoulder mobility back and about 45% of the strength. My next entry will be after the ride, to either bask in glory or as Jim McKay used to say, experience the agony of defeat.....

I hit my fundraising goal of $1000.00, personally and Team Stormcrowe hit over the goal at $3750.00 of a $3300.00 goal. In expectation of Saturdays ride, here's where MY head is going to be......