Issue #20 June/July 2003

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Veteran U.S. National team triathlete Susan Bartholomew Williams showed that she has returned to top form this spring as she collected two big wins in the opening races of the international racing season.

Starting with the famous St. Croix race, a 15-year-old event, she came out ahead of Joanna Zeiger this year after having been second to her last year. Coming out of the water about a minute behind Zeiger and the lead men, she hadn’t realized that they had all missed a bouy.

“I didn’t know that. Someone did tell me within the last few weeks. I noticed that all of the sudden they were really far ahead of me, but I just thought, ‘oh, they’re working together with the fast guys pulling them and I’m just here slugging along I guess.’” Susan had raced in St. Croix two other times, so she had experienced the famous “Beast,” a 600 foot climb on the bike leg with an average grade of 14%.

“I didn’t do anything special to prepare but this time I did use a 27 cassette on the back wheel. I know when I did it last year with a 25 I was mashing quite a bit. I thought with the 27 it would help me spin a little more.”

Clocking a bike split six minutes faster than Zeiger, she passed her and also Julie Gibbons, who had also been in the lead swim group.

“Honestly I felt like it was even harder this year. I think part of that is because the road is in a lot worse shape and there was a lot of resistance.”

The following weekend she island-hopped over to St. Kitts for the olympic distance International Triathlon Union points series race. Susan also had plenty of experience with this race also, as it was her fourth time competing there. She felt that the competition wasn’t as stiff there, but another win was still very sweet.

Although she took plenty of rest time during the week before the race, she did get in a few workouts. “I did one quality run, like a tempo run, and then one longer bike, and a couple quality swim workouts before I left St. Croix.” At 34, Susan recently left her job at LockeedMartin after eight and a half years. She had been the rocket scientist triathlete for long enough. They had been very supportive of her six year professional triathlon career over the years, but it was time for her to focus more on her daughter and one more shot at making the U.S. Olympic Team. Just days before the Olympic Trials in 2000, she found out she was pregnant with her daughter and was forced to take it easy in the race. She aptly named her new baby Sydney.

“I was getting to the point where I had Sydney in daycare five days a week. Three of them I was working and two of them I was training. I wasn’t happy with that. I wanted some time to spend with her and still do the training. Here I was with three jobs: an engineer, a pro athlete, and a mom, and I got rid of the one that was the least fun. It was just too much. My heart wasn’t into it.”

The extra energy for training and family seems to be paying off. -K. McFarland On Our Cover...

Susan Bartholomew Williams Takes First at St. Croix and St. Kitts Photography by Rich Cruse (this page and cover). “Here I was with three jobs: an engineer, a pro athlete, and a mom, and I got rid of the one that was the least fun.”

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IRONMAN Champion. After finishing an IRONMAN race in first place, one earns the right to have this descriptive term permanently attached to his or her name. In all discussions triathlon-related, from pre-race hype to play-by-play action, this term quantifies the caliber of competition and the quality of the field. On April 5th, eight men and women possessing this very moniker joined several of the world’s long-distance elite in competition at Ralph’s Half IRONMAN California. For the second year in a row, the city of Oceanside and Camp Pendleton Marine base played host to one of the nation’s most competitive triathlons. In attendance were Heather Fuhr, Chuckie V, Chris Legh, Jamie Cleveland, Tim DeBoom, Spencer Smith, Chris Lieto, Heather Gollnick and approximately thirty more professionals, each hoping to earn a share of the $25,000 prize purse. In addition to the stacked pro field, over 1600 age-group athletes made the trek to southern California to vie for the 20 qualifying slots for IRONMAN Hawaii. As is typical at most of the country’s more popular events, numerous Colorado triathletes made their way to this early season race in hopes of starting the year off on a positive note.

For current IRONMAN World Champion Tim DeBoom, the race “fit into my shcedule well. I want- Springing Forwards and Falling Back: Ralph’s California Half IRONMAN by Michael Lovato The Colorado Crew: Paul Fritzsche, Nicole and Tim DeBoom, Amanda Gillam, Michael Lovato, and A.J. Johnson; Photo by Heather Fuhr!

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ed to race maybe a little more than the year before, and that this one was a month earlier than the year before helped. I could fit that in and fit another half in.” Arriving in the San Diego area in early April, I was shocked to find that the weather of this "sunny Southern California paradise" was quite chilly compared to that of our warming Colorado spring. In fact, anywhere near the water, it was downright cold. Adding to the chilly sea breeze a less than comfortable water temperature of 59 degrees, we had the makings of a brisk morning start. Many of my Colorado counterparts were caught warming up with a substantial amount of clothing. Boulder resident Paul Fritzsche commented that, "after doing a lot of late morning/ early afternoon ITU races over the past couple years, it almost seems strange to have to get up early again and be out and about before the day heats up."

Amanda Gillam, preparing her transition while clad in fuzzy tights and a windbreaker, made sure to include arm warmers next to the standard T1 items. "I enjoy racing in bad conditions, I kind of hope it is cold when we come out of the water," she noted as she began her warm-up. However, closer to start time, most of the participants began to realize that it was warming up considerably in comparison to the last couple of mornings. Due to the sizable field, the race directors decided it would be impossible to allow a pre-race swim warm-up. Changing venues from the twice-run IRONMAN California, the entire swim course would be confined to the calm waters of Oceanside Harbor. Lining up according to wave start, the multitude of age-group racers enjoyed a front row seat to watch the pro men and women enter and exit the chilly waters. Meanwhile four-time Hawaii IRONMAN finisher, Tim Hola awaited his turn to dip into the salty seawater, as his wife, Nikki readied her transition. The studly tri-duo was anxious for the race to get underway, and was likewise anxious for Tim to earn their trip back to the Big Island of Hawaii, thus affording them the opportunity to celebrate their oneyear anniversary where they were married (see his wonderful story of their Hawaii IRONMAN wedding in our Winter 2003 issue or online at www.coloradotriathlete.com). Holding a race the day before clocks switch for daylight savings is a smart idea. There is the possibility that an athlete might arrive an hour late, but sunrise comes at a remarkably prompt 5:40 AM. This allows for a timely 6:40 start, without concerns of darkness hindering racers’ ability to spot swim buoys. In just over 24 minutes, 2002 defending champion, Torbjorn Sindballe was the first to exit the water. Hot on his heels was defending IRONMAN World Champion, Tim DeBoom, notching his first of three second-fastest splits on the day. Rounding out the remainder of the top six swimmers were ex-short-course stud, Paul Fritzsche, Jamie Cleveland, Chris Lieto, and eventual DNF, Spencer Smith. Roughly a minute back was a pack of five or six, including sometimes-Colorado-resident, Chuckie V (in his first race in 18 months) and myself.

After a lengthy transition, the lead group of five was off to tackle the scenic one-loop bike course, which toured the largest undeveloped stretch of California coastline south of Santa Barbara: Camp Pendleton Marine Base. Approximately fifteen miles into the 56-mile tour, Tim DeBoom asserted his dominance over the man in pink, Spencer Smith. Unable to hold onto the snappy pace DeBoom was maintaining over the gentle rollers, Smith pulled up and soon called it quits. Near the midway point, DeBoom surrendered the lead to Chris Lieto, yet maintained contact with the new leader until entering transition 2.

Intent on dropping his cycling partner, DeBoom set out with a torrid run pace, en route to notching his third second-fastest split on the day (the bike leg being his second). While the rest of the top five runners chased in vain, DeBoom blitzed the mostly flat run course in a time of 1:13.56 to grab the overall win.

“Our times were much slower than last year,” said DeBoom, “but the course was a lot different. It was back to the (original California) IRONMAN course, which was nice because it was a tougher course.”

With a view from the back, it appeared to me that DeBoom had unintentionally set his clocks forwards a day early, for how else could he have amassed such a lead DeBoom set out with a torrid run pace, en route to notching his third secondfastest split in the race.

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so soon? Also from my perspective, my race position seemed to be locked in: second place Rutger Beke of Belgium and third place Torbjorn Sindballe of Denmark were steadily becoming out of reach, and behind me the chasers looked to have too great a deficit to make up. However, while the three frontrunners held firm, a brutal late-game bonk had my race falling back as quickly as Tim seemed to be springing forwards. Through spots and stars, I began to see fellow Boulder resident, Paul Fritzsche gaining rapid ground. After a failed attempt to hold him off, Fritzsche overtook me with little more than a mile to go. Just after crossing the finish line ten seconds in arrears of my sometimes-training partner, I asked him about the latter half of his run. His thoughts were that, "after seeing that I was closer to Michael at the second turn around than I had been the first time, I decided to dig down deep and try to catch him on the way back."

In state pride competition, Colorado emerged victorious over its rival triathlon state, California by landing three of the top five spots. California, although it heavily outnumbered us (with 12 men), only squeezed four total into the second half of the top ten (one of those being Chuckie V). While a somewhat predictable men’s race was taking place, a more dramatic and far more exciting women’s race was unfolding. Living up to expectations, Lyons, Colorado speedster, Nicole DeBoom completed the 1.2-mile swim having swum the entire distance with Andrea Fisher and Deirdre Tennant. With a speedy transition Nicole pedalled off in first place, quickly putting a comfortable forty-five seconds between herself and her pursuers. Admitting that her early season bike fitness was not quite to her expectations, DeBoom still managed to hold her lead through the forty-mile mark. Entering the "no passing/ no speeding" zone (a winding descent with a dangerous hairpin turn), Andrea sped gradually away from Nicole, managing to put just over a minute on her going into T2. Of her 56-mile jaunt, Nicole commented that it "showed me that I really need to improve my fitness to ride how I know I can ride. Basically, this race jump-started my fitness." Although eventual fifth place finisher, Lauren Jensen and former pro cyclist, Andrea Ratkovic tried to heat things up on the bike, it was not until the run that the true dramatics began… Leaving T2 with a 90second lead over DeBoom, Andrea Fisher looked strong through the first 6.5-mile loop. She seemed to be holding off the majority of the field, minus a hardcharging Jensen. Heading into lap two, Jensen had snagged the lead from a faltering Fisher, while positions behind them were anything but stable. Among the stalkers who looked to pose a challenge late in the half marathon was a formidable group of runners: Heather Fuhr (5 minutes down), Amanda Gillam (8 minutes down), Andrea Ratkovic (10 minutes down), and Dolly Ginter (14 minutes down). Racing for the ever-changing lead, Fuhr ripped off a blistering 1:25.32 run en route to capturing the title in an overall time of 4:39.29. Along the way she became one of four women to pass a badly fading Lauren Jensen. Next to do so was Andrea Fisher, followed closely by Nicole DeBoom. Finishing in fourth, by means of the fastest run of the day (1:24.53), was a totally spent Andrea Ratkovic. At some point occupying each of the top five spots during the run, Lauren Jensen held on for fifth. As for the valiant efforts of some of the other fleet footed competitors, Dolly Ginter used her third-fastest run of the day to finish in seventh, while Amanda Gillam of Boulder held together the remnants of a quick-paced run start to finish tenth in her debut pro race. Upon completion of the pro races, hundreds and hundreds of speedy age groupers continued to battle each other and the challenging Oceanside course in quest of Hawaii slots, personal bests or just personal gratification and accomplishment. Among them were seasoned vets, Tim Hola of Denver, AJ Johnson and Nathan Kirkland, both of Boulder. With only one Hawaii slot up for grabs, their 25-29 division was one of the most competitive around. In spite of solid performances for all three, earning a trip to the Big Island would have to wait. A Swiss man by the name of Marc Bamert snagged the sole spot, thus sending the Colorado trio back to the drawing boards. Coming just short of winning the coveted spot, Hola remarked that "I wanted to qualify, but more importantly, I just wanted to have a solid race considering it was only April 5." He and his Boulder counterparts did just that: despite missing IM qualification, their top-five finishes were still impressive feats: Hola ended in second place, while Johnson ended a day of closely matched competition by out kicking Kirkland to snag fourth place by one second!

On another side of the age-group coin, Hola’s wife, Nikki, was very pleased to be out there testing herself against the same challenging course that pushed her husband. Although she was quite pleased with her own performance, her fondest memories of the day were sharing it with her family (her parents were spectators). Her deepest thoughts on the day were that "Tim inspires me every day with his passion for triathlon and for, most importantly, life. He takes everything in life with a smile, even if it's tough." With such encouragement and inspiration, it’s no wonder she enjoyed what others merely thought of as several hours of pain.

When all was said and done, at least two IRONMAN Champions showed that they have what it takes to back up all the pre-race talk and that the term really does indicate a little something about the caliber of race. It also shows that another, just as impressive term can be used as well: Half IRONMAN Champion. ❂

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The Sweet Tomatoes Desert Classic Duathlon was held on February 23rd just outside Phoenix, Arizona and featured a solid field of professionals from around the world. The race was run through a national park that featured single track trails and a hilly bike course with distances of 3.7 mile run/ 21 mile bike/2.7 mile run. Armand van der Smissen who racked up over 20 pro wins last year, including Powerman Alabama, flew from the Netherlands to get in some warm weather training and an early season race. Defending champion Tim Luchinske, along with former national duathlon champions Michael Tobin and Kenny Souza were there to test their fitness. The opening run finished with van der Smissen, Jenko Bensa, Tim Luchinske and Lewis Elliot all coming into T1 within 10 seconds of each other. On the bike, Luchinske took the lead by mile 2 and at the turn around at 11 miles had a 1:20 lead, which he extended to over 2 minutes by T2. After T2, van der Smissen was comfortably in second place. Luchinske ran the 3rd fastest final run to win by nearly 2 minutes.

The women's field was dominated by recent Boulder, Colorado transplant, Desiree Ficker. Jeanne Krizman was 2nd and Amateur World Champion, Sue Davis, was 3rd. Nearly 300 people competed at the Sweet Tomatoes Duathlon. After the race, several thousand dollars worth of gear were raffled, including a pair of Reynolds race wheels and 2 bikes. The organization was top-notch in making this race one of the best in the country. For more information on next years race, check out the Phoenix Triathlon Club on-line. -Wes Hobson Luchinske and Ficker Win Early Season Duathlon YOUR LOCAL TRIATHLON NEEDS YOUR SUPPORT .

VOLUNTEER TODAY!!

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As the weather forecast for May 10, 2003 includes a reasonable chance for snow, my thoughts turn back to the winter triathlon season of 2002/03. As a triathlete, I’m always seeking new challenges, and when Mountain-Quest put on the first USA Triathlon Winter Triathlon National Championships in February of 2001 I was there. Winter triathlon is a relatively new sport combining running, mountain biking, and Nordic (aka cross country) skiing. The ITU has been holding World Championships in Winter Triathlon since 1997. I faired well in the 2001 race, but made it a winter training priority to improve on my 12th place finish in 2002. I contacted fellow Boulder triathletes Jimmy Archer and Jared Berg to help me learn how to ski. Both are successful summer triathletes who also know how to ski – very well. If you compare the sports of triathlon and winter triathlon, skiing closely resembles swimming. Both take place in (on) water (frozen in winter), and both rely heavily on technique for speed. Unfortunately, I didn’t know the proper technique in 2001…and I was still far from being a good skier a year later. As a typical compulsive triathlete, I spent several months gasping my way around the trails at Eldora to reach a level of mediocrity on snow. By the time the winter triathlon season rolled around in 2002, I had some fitness though I still lacked the finesse necessary to be fast. I was contemplating going to the ITU Winter Triathlon World Championships in Italy in February to represent the US. In 2000 and 2001, Jimmy Archer was the sole US representative at the ITU Winter Triathlon World Champs, placing within the top 25 each year. I asked Jimmy to continue to mentor me in the art of skiing, as I realized I needed the help to be competitive. He taught me the differences between V1 and V2, which waxes work when it’s really cold and dry, and other random facts known by good Nordic skiers. In Nordic skiing, you need to train your body and properly prepare your equipment to be really fast! Training for winter triathlon in 2002 began a little late. A lack of snow in the early season pushed back the normal Thanksgiving Day start of Nordic skiing a few weeks. By the time I got onto snow at Snow Mountain Ranch, I knew that my training time needed to be accelerated. I trained to get in some aerobic base miles, but training at high altitude in a new sport, I was borderline anaerobic the whole time. After a couple of weeks, though, I could actually talk with Jimmy while skiing, and realized that I was getting a little better. I also upgraded my first generation skate skis and combi boots to new lighter and faster skis and boots. In skiing, like cycling, equipment matters…but it’s the preparation of that equipment that really is important. The US Ski Team reportedly spent about $200,000 at the 2002 Winter Olympics on waxes alone! Speed costs money…but saves time. By January, I actually felt like a skier at the Eldora New Year’s Day 10K race. Unfortunately, a lack of publicity and poor pre-registration caused the USA Triathlon 2002 Winter Triathlon Championship race to be cancelled in late January. Jimmy and I kept training, though, as we both had purchased tickets to go the World Championships in Brusson, Italy over the weekend of February 23-24, 2002. The event in Italy would consist of the individual race on Saturday with an 8K run, 15 K bike, and ending with a 10K ski on an FIS World Cup ski course. On Sunday, the first ever Winter Triathlon Relay was to take place with three athletes each completing a 3K run, 5 K bike, and 3 K ski one after another. If you think that preparing for a triathlon transition is difficult, try putting on skis, boots, and poles when you’re tired and cold!

After the cancellation of the US event, Jimmy and I scrambled to find a 3rd US teammate for the trip to Italy. We were self-funded, so it was a little challenging finding another US athlete to go over to Europe for a winter triathlon. Needless to say, we were in for some tough races, but we were committed and hungry. After an exhausting search for a teammate, we found Denver triathlete Mason Rickard, a former pro cyclist and XTERRA pro veteran racer, who agreed to join us on our European invasion! For some stupid reason, the weekend before the Winter Triathlon World Championships, Jimmy, Mason, and I went to Grants, NM to compete in the Mt. Taylor Winter Quadrathlon. It’s an epic event (read stupid T T T Th h h he e e e " " " "O O O Of f f ff f f f" " " " S S S Se e e ea a a as s s so o o on n n n W W i i n n t t e e r r T T r r i i a a t t h h l l o o n n S S t t r r u u g g l l e e s s t t o o E E s s t t a a b b l l i i s s h h I I t t s s e e l l f f i i n n t t h h e e U U . . S S . .

B B B By y y y N N N Ne e e ea a a al l l l H H H He e e en n n nd d d de e e er r r rs s s so o o on n n n

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and hard) combining cycling, running, cross-country skiing, and snowshoeing climbing from Grants, NM (at 6,000 feet) to the top of Mt. Taylor at 11,300 feet over 22 miles (13 bike, 5 run, 3 ski, 1 snowshoe). Oh yeah, then you have to do everything in reverse order to get to the finish! As you can imagine, 16 hours of driving, and 4 hours of hard racing 7 days before a World Championship event wouldn’t be considered an ideal tapering strategy. We also forgot to consider the effects of jet lag and international travel with bikes and skis! The race was held in the tiny cross-country ski area of Brusson, in the Val d’Aosta region of Northwest Italy, bordering France and Switzerland. It was my first trip to Europe, and I was soaking it in. On Friday, the snow on the course felt a little bit soft, though it was expected to get colder overnight. We were excited for Saturday’s race, and spent the rest of the day prepping our equipment (cleaning the mountain bikes and waxing skis). We hung out with the team from Lichtenstein whose top racer, Marc Ruhe, was leading the ITU Winter Triathlon World Cup series. Marc and Jimmy had met a couple of years earlier, and it was nice to have someone who could translate to and from almost any language (Italian, German, French, Spanish, and English to name a few). He also helped out with recommendations for bike tires/pressures and ski waxes. Saturday morning was the elite individual race, and conditions were tough. Jimmy had a mechanical before the start, and wasn’t able to start on time. When he got to transition after the run, his front tire was flat and he called it a day. Mason and I struggled to avoid last place. In the end, I stayed just in front 32nd overall…with Mason in 33rd out of 33. We went back to the hotel unhappy, but ended up celebrating with Marc who had won his first World Championship. In the team relay on Sunday, our bad luck continued. We did make it the finish though, and we weren’t last! The 2002 experience made me hungry to return in 2003 for a better and faster race.

The winter of 2002/03 I dropped my swim training, and added more Nordic skiing. I became more proficient, and entered many of the local ski races…often finishing in the top-10 overall. With new confidence in the skis, I felt better prepared for the upcoming winter triathlon race season. Helping preparation for European racing, Barry Siff and Liz Caldwell of MountainQuest Adventures agreed to put on a 3race Winter Triathlon Series at Snow Mountain Ranch, near Granby, CO. The races were held in December, February, and March and had progressively longer distances. These races attracted between 40 and 90 racers, with the series final attracting athletes like Mike Kloser (former MTB World Champion and top Adventure Racer), Travis Brown (Olympic MTB racer), and Danelle Ballangee (super-tough Adventure and endurance athlete). Keep an eye out for more races in 2003/04! The 2003 ITU World Championships were held in Oberstaufen, Germany. I was the sole US athlete, and had a crazy trip to Europe. The race situation was similar to the 2002 race, with the individual elite race on Saturday with a 7-km run, 12-km mountain bike, and 10-km ski. I felt well prepared, and excited to race. There were 63 starters in the men’s Elite and U23 race. I made a rookie mistake, having put a pair of toe heaters inside my running shoes before the race to try and keep my feet warm. After 1 lap of the run course, the heater had slid to the front of my shoe…cramming my toes with every step. The black toenail is still there, as a reminder of that mistake 3 months ago. Never the strongest runner, I dropped off the back of the race. Though I wasn’t last on the run, I wasn’t far behind. In transition, I removed the heaters from my socks, and got onto the bike...ready to make up ground.

My excessive enthusiasm caused me to overshoot a couple of turns, and I completed several snowy superman maneuvers into the snow before I settled down. After the first lap, I calmed down enough to get into a little rhythm. Riding a mountain bike on soft snow is challenging…big tires and low pressures are the only way to keep riding. By the end of the bike, there were at least 5 racers behind me…with about 50 ahead, though some racers were already quitting. I had traveled way too far to quit, though the idea did cross my mind a few times. The ski course was brutal, but my training was paying off. I picked off several racers, though my split was still minutes behind the leaders. By the finish, I was 43rd place…out of 44 finishers. I guess most of the Euro winter triathletes didn’t want to be beaten by an American. Either that, or I didn’t understand the German officials "encouraging" me were actually trying to get me off the course. Maybe 2004 will be a little better! For more information, visit www.triathlon.org, and select Winter Triathlon.

Neal Henderson is an elite triathlete, and coach. He is the Coordinator of Sport Science at the Boulder Center for Sports Medicine. He can be reached at nhenderson@bch.org.

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Sound Mind and Body by Adam Hodges Triathlon: No Longer Just a Summer Sport Triathlon has always been a warm weather sport, conjuring up images of San Diego and Hawaii. Once the leaves fall from the trees and winter sets in, triathletes either enter hibernation or head to warmer climates to work on their base and/or continue to race. The vibrant triathlon scene in Australia makes it possible to finish up a season in the northern hemisphere and jump into the beginning of another one in the southern hemisphere. But aside from the globe trotting lifestyle that provides an endless summer for many hard-core triathletes, there is also another option for those athletes who relish the sight of the first snow flakes each year in alpine climates such as Colorado. Triathlon is no longer just a summer sport, but now has a full-fledged winter complement. When swimming is relegated to indoor pools and the water outside is mostly found in the form of snow, the fast-becoming-standard winter triathlon consists of running, mountain biking, and skate skiing-in that order, and all on snow, of course.

A big sport in Europe for the past seven years, the ITU started conducting world championships for winter triathlon in 1997. The year after, a World Cup circuit similar to its summer counterpart was conceived, along with world rankings. The 2002 world championships were held in Italy; and this year, sprint races are being added to the mix. The world championships for the 2003 season are being held in Oberstaufen, Germany from February 12-16. The distances are 8K run / 12K bike / 10K ski.

Although winter triathlon in the US has not had the popular past as in Europe, winter multisport events have nevertheless made their presence known in the Rocky Mountain region. The annual Mount Taylor Winter Quadrathlon in Grants, New Mexico consists of cycling, running, snowshoeing, and skiing up to the top of 11,301foot Mount Taylor, and then the events are reversed for the descent back down to the 6,500-foot starting point. The race draws a slew of multisport athletes from Colorado each year and this year's event is set to go off on February 15. In the realm of three-sport events, Barry Siff and Liz Caldwell of Mountain Quest Adventures started putting on events at Snow Mountain Ranch in Winter Park several years ago. The original events included snowshoeing, skate skiing, and running. These events morphed into the standard European format now seen in the World Cup and world championships. In 2001, Winter Park was the site for the first official USA Winter Triathlon Championships. A similar race had to be cancelled in 2002, but now Mountain Quest is back this season with a three-race winter triathlon series. If all goes well, the final race of the series on March 9 may once again become the US championships-with an 8K run, 15K mountain bike, and 10K cross country ski.

Triathlete Neal Henderson started racing the winter events three years ago, along with another Boulder triathlete, Jimmy Archer. Henderson, Archer, and Denver's Mason Rickard all competed in last year's world championships in Italy, in both the individual event and the combined team relay. Henderson's advice for summer triathletes looking to switch up their training with some winter racing, "Work on your ski technique. When dealing with water, whether it's in liquid form in the pool or frozen in the form of snow, it's all about technique." Henderson suggests starting off with a skate skiing lesson to get a few pointers right from the start.

Winter events add exciting new venues to the world of multisport, and Colorado is uniquely positioned to lead the way for winter triathlon's upsurge in North America.

Above: Ned Overend and Ryan Bolton compete in the 2001 U.S. Winter Triathlon Championships at Snow Mountain Ranch; right: T2 takes the athlete from mountain bike to XC skis (photography by Scott Schumaker) ❂

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It was my first time. The last time I said that about a multi-sport event, I was nineteen years old and I was referring to my first ever sprint triathlon: an intramural event at the University of Texas at Austin. Over ten years later, I returned to the status of Newbie when I ventured down to Grants, New Mexico to participate in the Mt. Taylor Winter Quadrathlon. Normally I race during the warmer months of the year when the race objectives are more often complicated by my efforts to stay cool. This time of year, when my training gives break to an occasional cross-training race, I’ve found that different concerns take center stage: what do I wear, how quickly will I warm up, or how do I keep from stepping in snow during transition? Alongside these concerns are a host of other dilemmas such as what pace do I take, who are the favorites, and will I embarrass myself? In quest of answers to each of these questions, and in hopes of finding a phenomenal workout, I entered "the Quad", my first ever winter multi-sport event.

To those unfamiliar with New Mexico’s premier winter sporting event, a brief description of requirements is likely appreciated. Such description follows. Racers begin in the town of Grants at an elevation of 6,500 feet above sea level. After approximately thirteen miles of road biking, participants make the transition to their running shoes. Five miles up the mountain, they strap on the skis which they will attempt to drag uphill for another two miles. At that point in time, each crazy competitor makes a third transition to snowshoes. For about a mile, and the final 600 vertical feet, these lunatics do what it takes to reach the 11,301-foot summit of Mt. Taylor. Upon reaching the top, each of those willing to race is only halfway finished. The second part of the race consists of the return trip: repeat the steps it took to get there, in reverse. In other words: bike-run-ski-snowshoesnowshoe-ski-run-bike (collapse). All in all, there are six transitions, loads of equipment, startlingly strange outfits, many able volunteers, and tons of duct tape. Duct tape, you ask?

Duct tape use #1: Colored pieces are attached to each and every piece of equipment you own. With the race numbers written on each piece, volunteers know where to drop off each ski, snowshoe, backpack, boot, and pole. Duct tape use #2: Standard gray tape binds together everything that belongs together (your skis and your poles, for example). All pieces of gray tape will be removed by the time you see it race day. Duct tape use #3: Colored tape keeps the climbing skins from slipping off your skis while you climb up the treacherously steep slopes.

Having covered as much background information as I feel necessary to understand the events that I am about to recount, I will proceed to relate the details of my first time… I’ve never really been very good at drafting on the bike. It’s not because I don’t have the skills to sit behind a wheel, maneuvering safely in an energy-saving air pocket; but rather because I have trouble racing my bike without riding as fast as I am capable. In a mass start situation, it’s very difficult to prevent drafting. From the outset of the race, I found myself at the front of a group of cyclists, fighting the wind, challenging myself and the others to an uphill battle.

Soon enough I was alone with five other riders on my wheel. Realizing that I was hard pressed to drop them in one fell swoop, I determined I’d make them pay for their "free ride". Arriving at transition two I had eliminated my partnership with all but one of my competitors.

Knowing that this race presented me with six transitions, I had doubts that I would pass seamlessly through the event without at least one blunder. I did, however, think that my first error would occur later in the race, perhaps while transitioning from ski to snowshoe, or ski to run. After all, I had no prior experience there. It soon became painfully clear that I did not know what I was doing. Leaving my bike and hustling off in my run shoes was something I had done numerous times before. This time I forgot one little step in the process. One hundred meters up the dirt road, it occurred to me that I had not removed my helmet. Ah, the thought of it now brings a smile to my face (along with a slight blush). Overcoming my first blunder, I pressed on eager to challenge for the lead. Running side by side with last year’s snowshoe national champion, looking up the road at one of the country’s top adventure racers, I realized that I was a The Mount Taylor Quadrathlon by Michael Lovato A Newbie’s Tale of the Tape

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summer sport fish out of water. Not only was I out of the figurative water, but I was further up the snowy beach than I realized… Arriving at T2 seconds behind the leader, I quickly realized that I had chosen poorly when it came to my ski equipment. Taking the time to strap on my knee-high telemark boots, I watched as I was left behind. Transition proved to be the least of my worries, as I realized that knee-high telemark boots are also quite heavy and inflexible. Within two miles of skiing five or six racers had passed me, each of whom had smartly chosen lightweight boots to match their lightweight skis. Those darn lightweights! When the first ski leg mercifully came to a close, I found myself with a huge deficit to overcome. Noting the credentials of my competitors, I was aware that odds were against me. Up and down the final stretch of the mountain, I relished the fact that I was more than halfway done with the race. Little did I know that blunder number two was awaiting me at T4. Pulling a smoother-than-planned jump from snowshoes to ski boots, I thought my strategizing had paid off. I was on my way. Or was I? Looking down I realized that I still had climbing skins on each of my skis. To leave them on would be suicide, and would eliminate the compensation I deserved from having dragged heavy downhill-style equipment up the mountain. I wrestled the unfamiliar bindings off my boots, and fussed and fought the little pieces of duct tape off the skis. Once free and clear, I reattached myself to the skis and proceeded down the mountain.

Two miles of downhill skiing after biking, running, skiing and snow shoeing is roughly the equivalent of doing four million squats with two thousand pounds on the bar. But it’s relatively quick. Transition 5 brought me back to familiar territory: the run. I was immediately at Mach 1 in an attempt to make up the time I’d lost. After reeling in one other mountain man, but seeing no others, I realized my final position was already set. I then eased into the last transition. Seeing to it that I smoothly transitioned run to bike (helmet on, run shoes off), I proceeded down the final leg of the race. As I biked down the road, I reflected on my morning of competition. Knowing that my helmet blunder didn’t cause me to lose precious time, it was quite evident that I was outclassed by my fellow quadrathletes. Factoring in my poor equipment choice and my rookie transition errors, I decided that next time around I could challenge the leaders. All said and done, my first time tackling the Quad was a success. Not only were the views from atop the mountain breathtaking enough to make the trip worth my while, but the quad-burning workout I subjected myself to far exceeded expectations. ❂

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Despite some of the worst weather in the history of Tri California’s 21-year-old Wildflower Triathlon, Colorado’s pros and age-groupers fared well. Braving chilly temperatures along with relentless rain and wind at the start of the long-course swim on Saturday, May 3, Colorado athletes, along with racers from 42 states and 16 countries ranging from age 8 to 75, dug their heals in a finished the race in surprisingly strong times.

Often called the "Woodstock" of triathlons , Wildflower is located at remote Lake San Antonio in Monterrey County. Halfway between Los Angeles and San Francisco , Wildflower draws some of the best triathletes in the nation, most of whom camp out for a weekend of racing and revelry. However, this year’s weather dampened some of the fun. Rainstorms Friday night forced athletes into the lake lodge for a fireside spaghetti dinner and into tents for an early bedtime. Die-hards donned wetsuits and took a practice splash despite the dreary, cold conditions. Long Course A feat in itself, race officials rerouted the scheduled longcourse trail run to a two-loop onroad course. Thick mud would have made it nearly impossible for athletes to run along the 13-mile off-road course. Early-morning announcements prepared athletes for the new run course, and new mile markers guided the way. While some athletes were happy that the new course was moved on road, many quickly realized the route included two laps up tip-toe steep Beach Hill. Participants familiar with both courses said the rerouted run was actually much harder than the trails that the halfmarathon normally covers. Rain let loose intermittently throughout the race, finally clearing with short bouts of sun during the run. Participants who brought singlets or shorts were quickly scrambling for long-sleeves and water-wicking layers. Talk of potential hypothermia ensued, but faded as adrenaline pumped and temperatures rose throughout the race.

A slick, hilly bike course, including a bridge where racers were told to walk their bikes, made for an interesting battle among the pros. Racing for a total purse of $40,000 may have pushed some through the harsh conditions. Tim DeBoom of Lyons, who was on the heels of the best swimmers, put in a strong bike only to be passed by California’s Steve Larsen before mile 30. Despite Larsen’s more than three-minute lead after the ride, DeBoom—considered the quintessential "closer" in the sport of triathlon—overtook Larsen during the second run loop to win the long-course professional race in a speedy 4:04. DeBoom logged the fastest run of the day— the half marathon in 1:10. Many suggested DeBoom was still riding the high from his April win at Ralphs California Half-Ironman. Tim’s wife Nicole DeBoom finished eighth in 4:57 in the women’s pro race. After a six-minute flat— her first ever in a race—at the beginning of the bike, DeBoom said she just had to "play the catch up game." Since she typically comes out of the water strong and stays near the top in most races, DeBoom said "going through the field" actually carried some momentum in itself. Her biggest regret was not putting on her arm warmers for the 56-mile ride. "I wasted a lot of energy by not putting them on," she said. "I was shivering during a lot of the bike."

Ten minutes ahead of DeBoom, Desiree Ficker, now of Boulder, pulled out an impressive third in the women’s pro race. In the age group races, Colorado made a mark despite being significantly out-numbered by local triathletes. Young Boulderite Molly Nickerson took home third in the 20-24 age group with a 5:42 overall; Kerrie Wlad of Longmont smoked the 30-34 class in 5:18; and former Boulder pro Teri Cady (Duthie), 26, blasted the 25-29 age groupers with a lightening-fast 5:12 first place. After sitting in the rain Friday and enduring a leaky tent over night, Cady said the toughest thing for her was mustering the right mentality to race in adverse conditions. "Normally it’s hot and you’re seeking shade," said Cady, who has done Wildflower seven times. "Because of the weather I just decided to go into it [the race] as a big training day." In fact, that Wet, Hilly Wildflower Doesn’t Faze Coloradoans By Julie Moyers

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approach worked well for Cady, who having raced formerly as a pro, didn’t know many of the agegroupers she was racing against. Cady said she decided to "get a real job" and has had little time to train as she juggles her career as a high school teacher. "It was time to have a career," says Cady. "Now I’m just doing it [racing] for fun." Male Colorado triathletes performed well too. Along with overall winner Tim DeBoom, Boulder pro Cameron Widoff, who has four Wildflower titles to his name and the second-fastest time in Wildflower history, wrapped up fourth in 4:11.

Top Colorado male agegroupers were led by Kevin Dessart of Colorado Springs, who at 4:53, snuck into the top 10 in his age group.

Mountain Bike Also on Saturday was the Wildflower Mountain Bike triathlon. The race included a quarter-mile swim, 9.7-mile mountain bike, and two-mile run. Featuring hills, mud and lakefront views, this year’s mountain bike triathlon was a challenging if not epic race. Athletes endured mud-caked brakes during the halfmile trail section. Many bikes returned to the transition area were mud-splattered and barely functioning due to the rough course. Clouds broke during parts of the bike and helped athletes dry out during the 10K run that followed.

One Colorado’s top finishers was Carbondale’s John Campbell, 57, who in his nineteenth year at Wildflower won his age group in 1:13. Campbell said mud was three to four inches thick in some spots. "The leaders rode up onto the grass bank, and the smart people stopped and walked their bikes," said Campbell. "It was too muddy to run, so you saw people carrying their bikes in every fashion." Overall, Campbell said there was little more than "friendly grumbling" as racers made their way through the mud fest to the welcomed site of a running hose in which to wash their brakes. "At one point my hands were so slimey that I couldn’t even shift gears," Campbell laughed. As if winning the mountain bike triathlon wasn’t enough, Campbell also raced the Olympic-distance course the following day, placing fifth in his age group. Also from the Western Slope, Cathy Kopf, 59, of Glenwood Springs bested her class at the age of 59, while 15-year-old Nick Vanderhoof also of Glenwood Springs took sixth in his teen group with an impressive 1:30 overall. Stephanie Slavick, 37, from Nederland took eighth in her age group in 1:38.

Olympic Distance Sunday cleared up for a race day more typical of past Wildflowers. Long-coursers, who had dried out over night, were in attendance to cheer on about 2,500 Olympic-distance triahtletes. Like the rerouted long course, the Olympic-distance race also included one loop, climbing up steep Beach Hill in the beginning and plunging Lynch Hill at the end. Part of Sunday’s Olympic distance race was the Seagate Collegiate Championship, which brought together top college triathletes from around the nation. University of Colorado – Boulder’s Sonny Gilbert, 24, who helped CU- Boulder sweep the podium and the national collegiate championship last year in Memphis, took second this year at Wildflower in 2:26, just 21 seconds behind the winner. Her speedy 19 mph hour bike helped launch her into the top two.

Overall, Colorado’s more than 30 participants showed California what the nation’s highest state is made of—staying power. ❂ F.I.D.O.S. is Friends Interested in Dogs and Open Space "Dogs shall not be allowed on Open Space except where specifically permitted. Where dogs are permitted on Open Space, they shall be on a hand-held leash." These words are quoted from the Draft Long Range Management Plan of 1994 for City of Boulder Open Space. Thanks to the dedication of FIDOS volunteers' efforts this never became a reality. Instead a privilege was created for responsible dog lovers known as "voice and sight". It means that your dog must be within your sight and under verbal control at all times.The work continues with every new land acquisition, and every proposed change of visitor usage. We are striving to create voice and sight areas in County of Boulder Open Space, where dogs presently must be on leash. Join us in being heard as the civil and equitable voice of responsible dog lovers on the Front Range. If you have a dog on the Front Range, you should belong to FIDOS. FIDOS P.O. BOX 18928 BOULDER, CO 80308 303-447-FIDO FORT FIDOS P.O. BOX 821 FORT COLLINS, CO 80522 970-226-2100 Call or write for a free copy of our newsletter!

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The Valle De Bravo ITU points race, located approximately eighty miles north of Mexico City, was surely one of survival. The course was rather unconventional for an ITU event, with a ten-mile climb originating at the belly of the valley at Lake Valle De Bravo. The city rests at about 4500 ft. and the bike course ascends to approximately 7100 ft.. The climb tired even the most altitude comfy fellas from our very own Front Range.

The city itself is not a common tourist destination and has been well preserved as a result. It maintains a kind of charming pedestrian design with steep, narrow, cobbled streets that network around the forested lake. Two Colorado pros, James Carothers and myself, ventured to this mysterious, tightly set town in an effort to acquire those coveted points so shrewdly administered by the ITU. The U.S. was well represented with thirteen American men and women on the start list, each in pursuit of points. Both Carothers and myself, entering the race unranked, were intent on leaving otherwise.

The race began with an inwater start, and a tight line of competitors. In the men’s race, only seven would break away, while Carothers and I would exit shortly after in a second pack ready to chase them out of the valley and up the mountain. The bike course proved exhausting and Carothers and I moved up to 7th and 6th position before the start of the final ten kilometer run, where those in contention would vie for a podium finish and more importantly, points. Because only the top ten receive points and must also finish within 5% of the winner’s time, the pressure was on, both to stay in touch with the leaders and to stay ahead of those scrambling in pursuit. The race would end successfully as both Carothers and I would head home with a world ranking. Carothers finished 7th with a solid run, maintaining his position while I ran up two places to cross the line fourth overall and first American. On the women’s side, Alexis Waddel of California was the first American, finishing 2nd overall and Kelly Rae of Georgia followed closely finishing 5th. Additionally, our U23 National Teams coach, Boulder resident, and my personal coach, Bettina Younge, was present at the race. I was glad to have her along and could not have met with such progress these past couple of years without her persistent support. I would also like to thank my sponsors, Total Trainer, Active Elite – Breatheright nasal strips & Road ID, and Rudy Project. As many of us know, triathlon is an often bohemian endeavor and has been made more feasible for myself by sponsor subsidy and support. -Chris Valenti Chris Valenti 4th at Valle De Bravo International Points Race

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Boulder triathlete Curt Chesney is becoming known as one of Colorado's top amateurs. Since his first triathlon in Longmont in 1999, Chesney has been a member of five national teams and received three All-American honors. Chesney comes from a professional cycling background, where he started racing for the Boccacio team in Europe at age 19. After 11 years of cycling, Chesney hung up the bike and retired from the European scene. He was ready to never look at a bike again…that is, until 1999 when he discovered triathlon. You have been racing triathlons now for just over three years, how have you adjusted from focusing on a single discipline to three? Knowing how much time to devote for each discipline can be difficult. Finding a balance between all three sports that will achieve the fastest combined time is what I find interesting about multisport.

What advice would you offer to other cyclists who are looking to make a switch to multisport? Don't change the way you have trained for cycling in the past. If you have achieved cycling fitness through racing and group rides don't start doing only intervals and long solo tempo rides. A triathlon is all three sports, concentrate on swimming and running. If you have a big lead after the bike it means nothing if you can't run. In 2002, you won the Colorado Triathlon Series, which included distances from sprint to half- IRONMAN, and then you raced at Olympic distance nationals, and the world long course championships in Nice. Do you feel better suited to any particular distance, or do you have any distance you're trying to focus your training on? In 2001 I went 9:33 in my first IRONMAN and thought that was my distance. My next two IRONMANs got worse. I feel that I can race well at that distance but for now the short races are very appealing. I like to race a lot and, with short races I can race more. My training for long races is not much different than for short races, so I can compete at any distance throughout the season.

In the triathlons you've competed in so far, what has been your favorite course? What about your most memorable experience? My favorite course is Nice, France. Locally it would be Loveland Lake-to-Lake. My memorable experience would have to be crossing the finish line in Hawaii last year after a bad race and swearing I'd never do that race again or getting a drafting penalty this year at Nice with no one in front of me.

How do you structure your Athlete Profile...

Meet Curt Chesney

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training?

I like to make sure that I do one hilly run per week and one long run with tempo at the end. For the bike at least one group ride per week, which is usually my long ride and usually at least two hilly rides. I try to swim masters 4 to 5 times per week and rarely swim on my own. I do about half of my total weekly training on the weekend because I work full- time. I always bike Saturday and run Sunday so my legs can be used to running with fatigue from the bike.

Do you work with any coaches?

I like to do Dave Scott's multisport classes one to three times per week. Dave has helped with my swimming and running. I'm my own coach when it comes to making my schedule and knowing what type of workouts to do.

Do you train best on your own or do you prefer to train with others?

Training with others is always more fun. I like to train with people that are better than me; it's the best way to improve. Lately I've been running with Nathan Kirkland and riding with Mike Larsen and some of the local top cyclists.

Give us a glimpse of your favorite bike and run routes in the area?

Lee Hill to Ward, Peak to Estes. Or down South Saint Vrain for something shorter. I have some run loops from my house to South Boulder Creek trail to Mesa trail to Big Bluestem and back home. What are your goals for the upcoming 2003 season? Locally, nationally, and beyond? I'd like to continue my 2002 streak as first amateur at all local races. This will be more difficult next year as there are some good local amateurs that I am sure are improving faster than I am. I'll be racing long and Olympic distance world championships next year and would like to be top three in my age group. For 2003 I will travel more to attend races that attract top amateurs. I know you've raced on a serious level in cycling, and now you have a more laid back attitude about triathlon. But given continued success in the sport, would you ever have any desire to get a pro license?

Right now I would rather compete with other athletes that have to work full time so there is an equal playing field. There is still a lot that I would like to accomplish as an age grouper. What is the most important aspect of the sport for you? Being healthy and fit is the reason I got into triathlon to begin with and is what motivates me to train hard. I've met some pretty cool people too. What is one accomplishment you definitely want to achieve as a triathlete?

I would like to be an age group national or world champion at any distance. A sub 9 hour IRONMAN would also be nice.

Where will your first race of the 2003 season be?

ITU long distance worlds in Spain on May 11th will be my first important race. I may race in Arizona in March. Good luck and thanks! -Adam Hodges Curt Chesney of Boulder: Colorado's top amateur triathlete 2002 Race Highlights ITU World Long Distance Championships, Nice 9th (1st American), 30-34 male National Olympic Distance Championships, Idaho 5th, 30-34 male Colorado Triathlon Series - 1st overall Wildflower Long Course - 2nd, 30-34 male Longmont Triathlon - 1st overall, (new bike course record) Desert Sun Half - 2nd overall, 1st amateur, (new bike course record) USA National Team, long distance - 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003 USA National Team, Olympic distance - 2003 USA Triathlon All-American - 2000, 2001, 2002

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As tall saguaro cacti captured the early morning sun casting shadows across the hilly desert landscape of Arizona, the sound of random tent zippers broke the silence. For the University of Colorado Triathlon Team, the low 60-degree weather was a treat from the previous week of cool rainy weather back home. With the high of reclaiming the National Championship last season, the buffs were ready for another team title. The team overcame numerous obstacles throughout the season, but that was not about to stop them from accomplishing their goals.

Last years leading scorers, Chris Valenti, Blake Ottersberg, Sara Tarkington, and Jamie Sizzler have since moved on to pursue other avenues in their lives and were greatly missed. In addition to last year’s scorers, Justin Caskey battled a knee injury keeping him on the sidelines further throwing off dynamics of the previous year. Sunny Gilbert, the only remaining scorer from the 2002 team, is ready to race this year and has a great chance of taking the overall women’s title.

Another obstacle the team encountered was the loss of Head Coach Bettina Younge. Faced with the opportunity to run the junior development program at the Olympic Training Center, Bettina struggled with the decision to continue coaching the team but realized her role at the OTC would consume too much of her time. Moving up in the ranks from his assistant coaching position, Ryan Ignatz was ready for the challenge of taking over as head coach. As head coach, Ignatz tried to keep the athletes focused through all the adversity while getting the team ready for Nationals with some early season racing. To start out the spring season, the team held their own aquathlon to compete against the CU club swim team. Even with the wet snow coming down, everyone who raced enjoyed themselves and had a good starting point. With bad weather as a central theme, the team’s Olympic distance practice triathlon turned into another aquathlon along with the triathlon event hosted by the Air Force Academy.

In hopes of remedying the issues of cold weather, over 30 Buffs made the 20 plus hour drive south of the border to Puerto Peñasco, Mexico for the 8th annual Rocky Point Triathlon. Once again, Mother Nature took control and high winds caused a cancellation of the 1500m-ocean swim in the Sea of Cortez. With a 2k beach run replacing the swim, the new coarse proved challenging, but black and gold prevailed with Ryan Ignatz winning the overall standings as well as the collegiate division. Replacing some of the strong men from last year’s team, Davin Anderson placed 2nd in the collegiate race with J.P. Henry (4th) playing a role in the overall men’s victory. For the women, Mary Dishman held her own placing 4th. Followed closely behind were teammates Laura Freeman (5th) and Nicole Gibson (7th) helping the CU women to a first place finish with University of California Santa Barbara and UC San Diego rounding out the top standings. With Nationals approaching, University of Colorado Girls Lead Team to Collegiate National Championship by ryan ignatz photography by nicole gibson

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only one returning scorer and early season mishaps, CU’s team was still looking strong. On the men’s side, the depth seemed endless.

J.P. Henry, Davin Anderson, Will Kelsay, Lance Panigutti and Christian Cravens were some of last year’s team members with scoring potential along with newcomer Micah Howard. The front-runners for the women consisted of returning members Sunny Gilbert, Hailey Garside, Mary Dishman and Susan Einberger while Kendra Snyder, Laura Freeman, Rachel Klein and Cindy Rosenberg rounded out the stronger new women. Once at Nationals, just north of Phoenix, AZ at Lake Pleasant, the 56-member team started the beautiful spring morning with their game faces on. After a good warm-up to the venue, the hustle and bustle of the transition area began.

Glances were being exchanged in every direction from team to team. Some of the top teams looking to snatch the Championship from CU were 2001 winners Montana, long time rivals Cal Poly, Stanford, and Navy. As the 7:45am start time approached, the competition was already getting warmed up as teams began chanting their cheers before heading down the boat ramp to the chilly spring water. When the horn sounded the first men’s wave churned up the water, kicking off the event. Three minutes later, the first female wave battled for position around the diamond shaped swim course.

Amongst the front-runners out of the water, CU’s J.P. Henry exited in a time of 18:42 and was already a couple minutes off the blistering pace set by the Navy boys who completed the 1500 meter swim around 16:45.

Shortly behind for the buff’s were Lance Panigutti and in the following wave things were heated up by CU’s Davin Anderson, Ted Romero, Micah Howard and a list of others in Black and Gold. On the women’s side, the pace was set high by NAU’s Annie Warner who posted a 20:08 swim split. CU’s Sunny Gilbert was in the first chase pack about a minute back and ready for action once on land. Some of the other quick swimmers from the CU women were Rachel Klein, Kendra Snyder, Mary Dishman , Susan Eignberger, and Laura Freeman just to name a few.

With temperatures starting to rise, things began to heat up as the racers tackled the hilly landscape over the 40-kilometer bike course. Putting a gap on his next competitor, Stanford’s Erik Bean was first off the bike after posting a blistering 58:33 bike split on the rough pavement. Also making up lots of time on the swimmers, Anderson squeaked into the top ten while Micah Howard pulled ahead of teammate J.P. Henry. The women’s race saw a similar change in the first place spot as Univ. of Virginia’s Andrea Dvorak entered transition alone. Not far behind for CU was Sunny Gilbert looking fresh for the run. A bit off the pace but still making up ground were CU’s Cindy Rosenberg and Hailey Garside. Bikes racked and shoes on, the competitors set off on the extremely hilly and exposed10k run course of mixed pavement and dirt roads. Holding his lead, Eric Bean posted

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the fastest time of the day in scorching 1:54:50 and set a new course record. Just over three minutes back O’Donnell crossed while still under 2 hours Virginia Tech’s Dan Peairs rounded out the top three men for the day. CU’s top male scorers were Davin Anderson (9th), Micah Howard (24th), and J.P. Henry (29th).

For the women, Dvorak also held onto her 1st place spot finishing in a quick time of 2:11:52. Making up lots of time with the fastest run split was Sunny Gilbert coming in just two minutes back for another second place finish like the previous season. Rounding out the women’s top scorers were Cindy Rosenberg (7th), and Hailey Garside (12th). Overall on the day, CU’s team showed dominance in numbers and everyone on the team seemed to have great individual performances.

While the buffaloes cleaned up and packed the trailers to get ready for the long haul back, results were being tallied and the western themed banquet was being set up. The final results put CU’s men in 4th behind Navy (1st), Univ. of Hawaii (2nd), and Stanford (3rd) while the women’s team cleaned up for another first place title followed by Cal Poly and Stanford. For the label of the 2003 National Collegiate Champions, CU once again prevailed with the depth of the female squad, making this the 8th National Championship in CU history. The competition was again close putting Cal Poly right behind in second and Stanford in third.

For a first time collegiate race site, Jonathan Grinder of Tucson Racing, Inc. was pleased with how the event as a whole turned out and should be hosting the event next year as well.

Photos (both pages) top row: Sunny Gilbert, Davin Anderson, and the group: (from left to right) - Davin Anderson, Tyler Nielson, Brian Rech, Colin Finch, Jeff Caughin, Sunny Gilbert, Rachel Klein, Hailey Garside, Kendra Snyder, Mary Dishman, and Ted Romero. Bottom row: Cindy Rosenberg, Hailey Garside, and J.P. Henry. ❂