Issue #24 Fall 2004

Page 4

4 THE COLORADO TRIATHLETE 2004 Amid a crisp Colorado morning adorned with a colorful hot air balloon display at race start, this year’s 5430 Triathlon once again received accolades for excellence as a top-notch venue with stellar competitors and an agile volunteer base.

Over 450 competitors, plus hundreds of volunteers, supporters and members of the media attended the 2004 5430 Triathlon on Sunday, July 18th at the Boulder Reservoir.

After breaking the course record, claiming 1st place and winning $2500 in the Pro men’s division, world-class triathlete Cam Widoff stated, “I was happy with my strong finish. It was a well-run event in the heart of the endurance mecca of Boulder. My training going into the event helped me to have a record setting day.” “I would like to extend a special thanks to all of the great volunteers and support staff,” added Widoff.

While Widoff took the lead from New Zealander Kieran Doe early in the run, it was not until mile 10 of the 13.1 mile run that Claire Murray, from Hong Kong, passed Monica Caplan, who had led the women’s field from the start. Caplan, coming off a Full IRONMAN race 2 weeks prior, just did not have enough to hold off the fast charging Murray. In it’s 3rd year, the 5430 Triathlon/Duathlon is one of the premier USA Triathlon (USAT) sanctioned events in the country. Nearly 500 competitors raced in the 1.2 mile swim/56 mile bike/13.1 mile run triathlon AND 6.5 mile run/56 mile bike/6.5 mile run duathlon.

“Overall participation was up by 30% from last year,” noted race director, Barry Siff. “I was completely floored by the phenomenal volunteer support, and the hot air balloon display over the race start was breathtaking,” added Siff.

The event was produced by 5430 sports, and was made possible by 2004 sponsors: Go Fast Energy Drink, Pearl Izumi, Trek, HeadBlade, Holiday Inn Express, Fleet Feet, Boulder Running Company, Craft, Balance Bar, Gatorade, Sports Garage, Wild Oats and OutsidebySide.com. -by Tiffany Stasny 5430 Draws Pro Field Photos: left: Monica Caplan; above: Claire Murray; below: race director Barry Siff presents the award to winner Cam Widoff (photos by Courtney Johnson)

Page 5

Place Name Town Swim T1 Bike T2 Run Final Sex Age Class In Class Top Fifteen Men

Top Fifteen Women

Relay Results

5430 Duathlon: Top Ten Men Place Name Town Run 1 T1 Bike T2 Run 2 Final Sex In Sex Age Div. In Div.

Duathlon: All Women Finishers

Page 6

How did you feel race morning? “I had typical pre-race nervousness, but in spite of the fact that it was the Olympics I felt really relaxed. I was excited to race. I knew that my preparation was exactly where I wanted it to be. I was definitely excited to go race and see what I had in me.” Was your body injury free? “Several days before, my hamstring had been letting me know that it wasn’t perfect, but nothing had hurt. I hadn’t had to not do any running workouts or strides or anything. So I felt I was 100% ready to go.”

How did the swim go? “The swim went pretty much as good as I would have thought it would. I was really happy with how I got out. On the pontoon there was [positions] 1-58 and I was in the middle at like 24th. And I got out and usually I’m like elbowing with people right off the bat but I just got out so well and I had kind of clear water for a good part of the distance to the 1st buoy, which was about 400 meters. At one point I looked over and I was next to Sheila [Taormina, former Olympic swimmer and 2 time Olympic triathlete] and I was like, ‘Yeah! This is great!’ Then, as we got close to the buoy all the people that were all spanning out in their little sections kind of merged together and there was maybe like ten of us and that’s when I did get a little elbowing. I got behind someone and I got around the buoy and then I see that right in front of the girl I’m behind there’s a gap to the leaders... So I went around her and was leading the next, second, group. And then with maybe 400 meters to go I dropped them...I was 9th out of the water, which I was really psyched about because I was kind of within striking distance of the other girls.”

Watching on tv, it seemed like you were better than that in transition. Did you pass people into transition?

“Yes. I had the best transition of my life. My helmet went on right and all I had to do was buckle it and go. I probably passed a couple of those girls in the transition. And then I got on the bike and just started hammering and passed a few more. I remember passing Jill Savage and Rina Hill before the first big hill. When we got to the big hill basically it was just Loretta [Harrop], Barb [Lindquist], and Sheila ahead of me, and I saw that Barb was starting to fall off Sheila and Loretta...I thought, ‘This is awesome. Barb and I can work together and we can go catch Sheila and Loretta.’

Then I got a little too excited. Because then we had this steep Susan Williams Brings Home Olympic Bronze Special thanks to photographer Jay Prasuhn of Triathlete Magazine

Page 7

downhill and I think with the excitement I didn’t break soon enough. I had too much speed going into that tight left turn at the bottom of the hill and I had my crash...The way the course is there’s kind of a slight turn in the road so you can’t really see that technical turn until you’re pretty close to it. So if you hadn’t started breaking yet and then all of the sudden you see that turn then it’s too late. So I braked hard and my back wheel slid out. I thought those boards looked pretty soft, so I tried to side swipe them and stay on my bike but I didn’t get enough turn... It was scary, but once I got back on my bike its like I almost forgot it. I was afraid that the group of people that had already formed a pack behind me would catch me as I was on the ground but they didn’t. On the hill on the last lap Sheila fell off of Loretta and by the time we got to the bottom of the hill Sheila came back to Barb and I. That was kind of the highlight of my race, getting to ride with just the three Americans. For me that was very special because I’m not used to being out there with those girls. They’re usually way ahead on the swim and they stay ahead on the bike.”

So you got into second transition in fourth?

“I had the best transition from swim to bike and the worst transition from bike to run. I couldn’t get my shoe on. This part here [the heel] was getting folded under and then the insole was getting all bunched up and I couldn’t get my foot in...and right in front of all the fans...It seemed like forever but it was probably only like seven seconds longer than the others, but that can be a pretty big gap... I felt pretty strong on the run. I just tried to stay controlled. It was three loops. I passed Barb pretty much right away and then I caught Sheila a little bit later on in that first lap and she ran with me for the rest of the first lap. And then coming out of the transition area after the first lap my hamstring tightened up again and that just really freaked me out after what happened at Worlds in Portugal where it just got worse and worse until I couldn’t even run...Then there was kind of an uphill and it didn’t hurt as much...after that it didn’t bother me again.”

So Sheila and Barb both blew up a little bit?

“Barb was just having an off day from the beginning. She typically is one of the strongest cyclists out there and she couldn’t keep up with Loretta and Sheila at the beginning. That right there told me she’s not having a good day. And then on the run she suffered a bit. But Sheila apparently was getting really bad cramps and she fell off after that first lap of the run.” At that point it was just you and Loretta?

“Yeah, Loretta was first and I was in second... Kathleen Smet was moving up on me but when I saw her at the turnaround she still seemed a safe distance. It wasn’t like she was right there breathing down my neck...So I’m running towards the finish thinking I might get a silver medal and this girl goes by me and I see on her rear ALLEN and I’m like ‘oooh, that’s Kate Allen. She’s a really fast runner.’ And by the time all these thoughts went through my head she was already 200 meters ahead of me. She was flying. So I was feeling ok, I was still in the medals. I was actually surprised that she even ran down Loretta. But I was obviously pretty ecstatic to finish third.” So what was your experience overall in Athens? Was the security overwhelming?

“I was expecting security to be everywhere you looked but I was surprised at how little security I actually saw. There was probably a lot of undercover security that they didn’t want you to see... In general the Greek people were really, really nice, and I felt very comfortable there the whole time...There’s some cool history there.”

After the race you went on a cruise?

“My husband Tim, my daughter Sydney, my mom, and a friend of my mom, the five of us went on a four day cruise. That was pretty spectacular, too...Some of the islands have those white washedwalled houses with the blue roofs all over them and it was really pretty. We got to see ruins of a city that were 3500 years old.” -interview by Kristen McFarland

Page 8

Miller.

Top Ten Men and Women, Any “Order” Place Name “Order” Age Town Total !st 2nd 3rd

Fastest Finish Times for Each “Order”

Action packed race transitions were one of many highlights for competitors and spectators alike in the first-ever My Way or the Tri Way triathlon at the Aurora Reservoir on Sunday, July 25th, 2004. Over 150 competitors came out to “tri” one of six different race configurations in this unique race event within the sport of triathlon. Competing for prizes, participants helped raise money for the Challenged Athletes Foundation in the 800 yard swim/15 mile bike/4 mile run event.

Overall winners for both men and women were Josh Friedman and Ann Lantz, respectively. After crossing the finish line and claiming the top-spot in the women’s category, Ann Lantz stated, “I always race to do my best and winning is such a nice perk. I was thrilled to cross the line in first place and next year will try to catch the three men in front of me!”

Josh Friedman, men’s overall winner, was equally excited and credited his victory to the intense training and direction his coach had given him. “Any race you enter in the Front Range is going to be competitive. The quality of athletes is incredible, and it is a huge accomplishment to win a triathlon in Colorado,” explained Friedman. “Strong guidance and coaching from mentors that really understand the sport helped me to elevate my performance,” added Friedman. “We are thrilled to have played a part in triathlon history by hosting this firstever choose your own race order event,” commented race director, Alexia Bregman. “Participant feedback has been very positive, and everyone wants to come back next year to try yet another race order! It was really fun for spectators too because there was activity on the course all the time,” added Bregman. -by Tiffany Stasny Want to Run First? How About Bike First?

Have it Your Way at “My Way or the Tri Way”

Page 9

Enhancing Your Talent … Mental Talent, That Is.

I recently competed in the Pikes Peak Ascent Half-Marathon. My friend Kristie, a hill-addict, had signed me up a full seven months prior to race day. The course demands limited runners and this popular race fills up months in advance by eager masochists. Pikes Peak, standing at 14,110 feet (4,299 meters), looms over Colorado Springs, CO. The United States has 61 "fourteeners" ...52 of them are located in Colorado. Pikes Peak is the fourteener charged with guarding the Front Range as it overlooks the great plains heading East.

At the base of the mountain, the race starts in the town of Manitou Springs, a peculiar hybrid of Southwest architecture and a Swiss village. The altitude of Manitou is 6,295 feet (1,918 meters). The race distance consists of 13.32 miles with an average elevation gain of 11%. The summit elevation is 14,110 feet (4,299 meters). The net elevation gain is 7,815 feet (2,381 meters); hence, 1700 sadistic individuals climb on average, 590 feet (180 meters) per mile, mostly on single track and rough terrain no less.

At the time Kristie registered me for the race, I figured I had months to prepare for the event. However, other things came up - life. During those months before the race, I only averaged an hour and a half to two hours of running per week; Tuesday morning track sessions or hill repeats with my local athletes, and one other hilly run for 45 minutes to an hour each week. As I am sure is true for many of you, precious time flew by as I dedicated it to my careers, WHP Triathlon and Legendary Property Real Estate, as well as my 3 year-old daughter, Makenna. Two weeks before the event, I became ill for five days and I told Kristie I was not going to race. She persuaded me to do it anyway; as she wanted support for her "A" race...as Kristie did put in the proper base training for this event. So, race day came, the gun went off, I ran … and I finished in the top 10 out of 1700!

The objective of this article is not to boast an overall finish, but rather to explain how I accomplished this gnarly endeavor. An opinion could be made that it is because of my residual muscle memory from over two decades of doing triathlon; however, since retiring from triathlon in 2001, I have only averaged one to two hours of running a week. This can't explain such a high overall placing, competing against high-altitude runners and ultra-athletes. Genetics is part of the answer; however, I am now 37; no longer a young buck with an endless supply of muscle elasticity. So what enabled me to achieve this respectable result? Your answer: The mental capacity to suspend the agony of physical pain to achieve a goal.

Nobody instinctively moves toward pain. You have to have the courage to be willing to accept shortterm pain for the long-term payoff. Meaning, the pain on race day lasts a specific number of hours; however, the feeling of accomplishment from achieving goals lasts much longer. I have always believed talent is not just physical, but also mental. In any race, a competitive athlete will experience pain. If they don't, then they are not competing, but rather just participating. Everyone has a pain threshold, but few reach it in a race. Many are afraid of realizing their pain threshold; thus, doubting their ability to achieve success. The mental aspect of racing separates those from just the physically talented athletes that excel in training, but falter on race day, from those athletes who combine athletic ability with mental tenacity, finding true satisfaction at the end of an event.

For several years I competed against 2004 Olympic champion, Hamish Carter, on the World Cup circuit. In 1996, I asked Hamish how he consistently raced so well. He responded by saying something along the lines of "I have done all of the physical training in preparation for the race. On race day, I put my body on auto pilot as it knows what to do. It is my mind that determines my performance on the day."

I would like for you to imagine being in my shoes as I climb each of the 13.3 miles to the top of the mountain; relating how this might have felt in your past races and how you responded to your pain. It is race day. You admit to yourself that you aren't as physically fit as you would like to be, but with your toe on the starting line, let the strength of your mind help you achieve success. Allow your mind to take over, ignoring the gripping in your chest, or the stabbing, ripping pain of muscle cramping. At what point will you reach your pain threshold? If you do reach it, do you slow down, give up, or push on to new limits? Pre race: You have never done the race. All you know is it is up and you have a goal time of 3:15 based on other entrants' times of previous years. You have eaten a smart breakfast for energy and are well hydrated. Ten minutes before the scheduled start time, the race announces a delayed start by a half hour. The rain in Manitou from the previous day laid eight inches of fresh snow on the summit. You relax when you hear the news as it gives you time to stretch, continue to hydrate and take another trip to the bathroom. Race start to mile marker 1.5: The gun sounds, triggering your instinctual competitive drive. No longer is this a race to finish, it is a race to compete. You have one and a half miles of paved road to get yourself in good position before the single track. The goal is to be in front of as many of the 1700 competitors as possible, yet not go above lactate threshold (LT). You are not wearing a heart rate monitor. You are doing this race by feel. You reach the single track in about 70th place. You feel no tingling sensation, but by the early steep grade, you already know this will be an epic run. Mile 1.5 to 3: This section, called Wes Words by Wes Hobson

Page 10

10 THE COLORADO TRIATHLETE 2004 Barr Trail, traverses along the east face of Mount Manitou. Switchbacks and steep grades are the norm for this section. Think short little steps. You follow a person who looks strong that you picked up at the beginning of the trailhead. You go his pace, and fall into rhythm by focusing on nothing else but his leg turnover. You stick to him like glue. You pass about 10 people. Your body screams as your pain increases. It has been months since you experienced this feeling. Negative thoughts enter your mind telling you to slow down. You have both the devil and the angel whispering in each ear. "Slow down. Why do you want to be in pain?" "You are doing great, even pace while suffering and you will be rewarded with accomplishment at the end!"

Mile 4: The next three miles traverses over to Pikes Peak. The grades of this section are much gentler, and even include a couple of downhill sections. The end of this section is Barr Camp and a big aid station. Your left hamstring feels overworked, pinching as it is continually stressed on the incline. You remind yourself of your goal. After about 10 minutes, the pain goes away or you just forget about it. It doesn't matter anyway because the only way to go is up. From the heavy breathing, you hear that a person behind you is closing the gap. Although you shouldn't care since this race is for personal achievement, your competitive spirit drives you forward. You and the person you follow come upon two competitors at once. You sprint around your pacer and the two others during a slight opening in the trail. Ouch, that hurt as you feel tingling in your body from going above your LT. You need to get your breathing back under control. You look at your watch and realize you have only been running for 45 minutes. Stay in control; you still have 2:45 of racing left. Mile 5 to 6.5: Since you have made your move on the pacer and the other guy gaining ground, you feel obligated to stay ahead of them. This propels you forward, ignoring your tightening chest and the increasing discomfort you feel in your quadriceps. On some of the turns, you look back and you see them within 30 seconds. Why are you doing this? Why do you want to hurt so badly? You don't race competitively anymore. You gave this up three years ago.

Ahh, but race entry fee was $55. You need to get your money's worth!

Around mile 6, you pass a guy that is walking/running. He has race bib #5.

Hey, he must be good. At the halfway point of the race, you look at your watch and you are at 1:15.

Whoa, if you keep this pace going, that means a 2:30 finish! You continue to run up the mountain; pain is suppressed to the back of the brain if you can continue this pace. Mile 6.5 to 8: During this segment, you have a mile of flat terrain with even a slight descent. The good news is you get to rest some, in a different body position, relaxing your shoulders and back. The bad news is this only adds to the steepness of the ascent for the course overall. The downhill counters your climbing of altitude, thus making 11 miles of the course an average of 720 feet (215 meters) per mile. The pacer from earlier catches you on the downhill, shadowing your chosen line between the protruding rocks. As your knees twinge from the jarring impact, you encourage him to go ahead of you. He steps in front just as the climbing starts again. You concentrate on his legs, trying to work in his rhythm, but realize how skinny his legs are. They have no power you say to yourself. He is slowing you down during the climbing. At an opening of the trail, you power past him. You are stronger than he is climbing. The air is definitely getting harder to breath, your body has an overall ache, and you wonder if you will reach "the wall." Why do you allow yourself to hurt so badly? What made you decide to accelerate past this person? Why?

Mile 8 to 9: Mile 8 is the last aid station until mile 11. You fill your water bottle halfway with the Gatorade powder you had it. You didn't want to carry the liquid up the first 10 miles. Yes, yes, this is not a competition, but you want to have the least amount of weight possible. You have your third of four Clif Shots at that aid station. The three miles from Barr Camp to A-Frame bring back steep grades and there are more rocks and boulders to negotiate along the trail. You are in no man's land. You see no one in front of you as there are many turns through the trees. You know there are people behind you and you can't slow down. It seems like you will be in this place for the last four miles. You are two thirds done and this seems to be your destined position, around 40th place. Not good enough. You make the decision that you can take more pain.

Mile 9 to 11: Keeping the same pace, you see a competitor in front of you. Wow, you caught that person quickly. You thought you were done catching people, but that person came to you quickly. Then you see the lead woman about a minute up the trail. Wait, she is passing two people and catching another. You can get four people within three minutes! You pass all of them. It is nice to pass the lead woman. You are not a sexist, but there is something about letting a woman beat you in a grueling race such as this. This is a "man's" course!!! After passing her, you hear her talk to another competitor as you climb. Their voices aren't getting distant, but rather staying about one minute back. How can they be talking as you suffer through another step?!

The final three miles from A-Frame to the summit are the toughest miles on the course. It is entirely above tree line. The grades are still steep and the high altitude means the oxygen supply is less than abundant. Still, you pass oth-

Page 11

ers. These guys look like elite runners, who have been dismantled and demoralized by the climb. They had such high hopes, yet now they trudge up the mountain. They succumbed to the pain their mind tells them which slows their physical movements. It inspires you all the more to push on. At the end of mile 11, your time is 2:00. Yes, you can even split to get a 2:30 time. That mile and half of downhill helped your overall average on the back side. There is starting to be more snow. The people at the aid station warn you of icy conditions on the trail. Your abdominal muscles hurt from breathing in the thin, cold air. You are no longer in your body. You are watching your body climb. It hurts, but you have been doing this for two hours so what is another 30 minutes? A hiker/spectator says you are in the top 20. This is an unexpected surprise and all the more motivating. You remind yourself that tomorrow, you will have forgotten the pain. Next month, you will still relish in your overall performance.

Mile 11 to 12: The voices behind you have stopped, but now Anita Ortiz, the lead woman, is within 10 meters. You press on, but you are feeling nausea, or altitude sickness, as you are above timber line and the air is thin. The views are said to be incredible, but you watch the trail, navigating the snowy, rocky trail. Ortiz catches you. She is amazing and you have no qualms of having her pass you. Her talking partner passes you as well. You encourage them, yet their momentum as they pass you, makes you even more aware of your pain. You won't be like the ones you have passed, beaten by the mountain and lack of will. If the incline is an even grade up to 1-2%, then your mind tells you to run, but it is really a quick shuffle. You can't slow down now. Since you are above timber line, you see competitors below you on the traverses. You have worked too hard to let them beat you now. They inspire you to press on. You look at your watch and the last mile took 20 minutes. There goes your even split. You hear the race announcer at the top blare out the arrival of the first finisher across the line. Someone passes you that you have never seen before in the race. He is flying. Great pacing you think to yourself. You are so close. Just one mile!

Mile 12 to 13: This is no ordinary last mile. You navigate the 16 Golden Stairs with frequent step-ups of some 12 to 22 inches (the Golden Stairs were so named as an allusion to the golden stairs leading to Heaven). This last mile has an elevation gain of 900 feet. As your lead leg climbs up a set of boulders, your quads lock up. This is not good. Ortiz has gapped you, but the other partner is right in front of you. You have leap-frogged with him for the past 20 minutes, offering each other words of encouragement. This motivation has enabled you to catch a few other competitors. Yet, there are still runners in the distance you can catch. They are done, slowly marching toward the finish - so close, just a few switchbacks up.

For the last three miles, the snow has deepened and the trail is intermixed with sandy gravel, loose stones and slush. You no longer try to keep your feet dry as streams of icy snowmelt rush down the trail. You hear the announcer, yet he doesn't seem any closer. The mind is outside of the body. The body screams in pain, yet your mind ignores it. If this race went another mile, your quads would lock for good, but you are almost there, so let the quads suffer. You will guide your leg forward with your hands and arms if you have to.

Mile 13 to 13.3: Spectators are cheering excitedly and ringing their cow bells. Your partner for the last 40 minutes is 10 meters back. You push it to the end. Through the snow, freezing water and lack of oxygen, you cross the finish line and you are approached by race volunteers. You don't feel the pain anymore. Wow, you say to yourself, that was an awesome experience! But, the volunteers realize you need oxygen as your eyes roll up into your head and you stagger for stable footing. In the medical tent they place a mechanism on your finger to measure the oxygen content of your blood, 82%. No wonder you don't feel pain. They give you oxygen through your nose and within 10 minutes, the content is 98%. As the oxygen absorbs inside you, you start thinking about next year. What if you actually trained for this race? What if you did plyometrics twice a week? What if you did weight training? It is amazing how quickly you forget the mental pain, yet how well you remember the achievement and experience.

You finish 10th place overall male with a time of 2:45. Finishing top 10, race organizers award you with lifetime free entry into the race. That in itself is a motivating factor, yet you lose one of your primary inspirations for the race, to get your money's worth! Ortiz finished 30 seconds in front of you. Dang, she is good and she deserves the utmost respect. You hear from the race organizers that she has won this race for several years, including setting course records, as well as competing in ultra runs all across the country. For her third year competing, Kristie had a personal best time by taking 16 minutes off her time, and placing 3rd in her age group. Great time as the course was much slower this year with the snow.

So, what is your pain threshold? Too many people give up too early in a race. They feel pain and say that is enough, and instantly slow down or pull back to provide the body with relief. You won't know your pain threshold unless you push through it a few times, usually reaching a higher level each time. Leave no doubts when you race. Don't second guess your effort at the end. Your heart rate will never be able to tell you your pain threshold. Only your rate of perceived exertion can make you realize your pain threshold. Go for the 20 on the scale of 1 to 20 and see how long you can hold it. Only then will you realize true achievement and satisfaction with yourself during competition. Wes Hobson has competed in over 220 triathlons, from sprint- to IRONMAN-distance. He garnered 35 first places, 60 topthree finishes and 96 top-five finishes during his 12-year professional career that also included being selected "Triathlete of the Year" by the USOC. Wes co-authored Swim, Bike, Run, and created three triathlon and cycling related films. Wes coaches multisport athletes and singlesport athletes. He can be reached at: whperformance@aol.com.

To purchase any of his films or book, visit: www.weshobsonperformance.com. (photo of Wes by Rich Cruse)

Page 12

In a hotly contested race, Susan Williams and Nicole DeBoom duked it out this summer at the Boulder Peak Triathlon. Race Director Paul Karlsson looped the pro run course this year, which made the event especially spectator-friendly, and with the tight competition it was quite an exciting morning. To add to the suspense, the pro women got a 14:36 head start on the men (based on last year’s finish times) with a $1000 bonus going to the first one across the finish line. Nicole DeBoom, who had won the last three years in a row wasn’t expecting to win at all this year. “I was positive I wasn’t going to win,” she said after the race, “because I figured Susan [Williams] would be really gunning for it.”

Nicole had been in the middle of long -distance training for IRONMAN Wisconsin in September and hadn’t truly rested for the race. “I had my longest day of training in three years on Tuesday,” she added. She hasn’t done a full IRONMAN since Hawaii in 2002. “But Susan was probably smart,” conceded DeBoom. “I think she held back on the bike a bit. She needed to. She shouldn’t have gone all out. So I think that helped my chances.”

Nicole was referring to the fact that Susan Williams would be leaving for the Olympics in Athens later that week and was probably not going to give it all in the race. Susan did admit to easing up on the bike on the second half.

“It was kind of the plan for the day,” she said. “But 12 THE COLORADO TRIATHLETE 2004 Shall We Make it Four?

Nicole DeBoom Defends Her Title Yet Again At Boulder Peak Above: Susan Williams, left: Amanda Gillam, facing page: Nicole DeBoom (photography by Courtney Johnson)

Page 13

its hard to know if I would have won because Nicole had an amazing run. Even though I did back off on the bike I still faded a lot on the run. So it’s hard to know ‘cause I might have faded even more if I would have pushed on the bike more,” she said graciously. As a last race before the Olympics Susan wanted to race to keep sharp, practice transitions, and stay race-ready. She was glad it was a close race. “It’s good to have competition right there. Obviously in Athens there’s going to be people right with me the whole time, so it’s definitely good practice.”

Susan came out of the water only 45 seconds ahead of Nicole. Then she added another 45 seconds to her lead by the top of Old Stage Road, a brutal climb. They came in to the second transition only 25 seconds apart.

On the run Susan was about 15 seconds ahead of Nicole for the first two miles, but then Nicole closed the gap and passed her at about the three mile mark. She didn’t get too far ahead, though, only crossing the finish line a mere 15 seconds in the lead. To add to the victory, she was the first across the line, ahead of the men, and collected the bonus prize money. She had never been able to do that since the race has had that format. In third place was Boulder’s Amanda Gillam, making it a 1-2-3 sweep for the Colorado women pros. She was also surprised at her strong finish.

“This is my best finish of the year!” she exclaimed. “I want to go back to olympic distance!” she said over and over. “I got on the bike and had a phenomenal ride.” She passed people the whole leg and got to T2 in forth place. Her run split was the third-fastest of the women and that moved her into third at the line. -K.M.

Page 14

14 THE COLORADO TRIATHLETE 2004 Class Name Sex Swim T1 Bike MPH T2 Run Pace Total Overall

Boulder Peak Triathlon August 8, Boulder Reservoir

Page 15

Class Name Sex Swim T1 Bike MPH T2 Run Pace Total Overall

Page 16

16 THE COLORADO TRIATHLETE 2004 Boulder Peak Kid’s Triathlon “Look Ma, no pedals!” “These kids are flying! Parents, can you do this? That’s what I wanna know...” -Johnny Davis 7 years old and under kids’ parents were allowed in the transitions. “We’re glad the parents could help in transition. Otherwise it would be 45 minutes or so!” - dad Tom Russell Tiny triathlete Sarah Halperin puts on her race face.

“This is how Daddy taught me to finish.”

Future Olympian? Tim and Susan Williams’ daughter Sydney. photos by Kris McFarland Overheard: “Go get those boys, Allie!”

Page 17

Rocky Mountain State Games Colorado Springs, July 31st 400-meter swim, 15.2-mile bike, 3.07-mile run Division/Place Name Age Total Swim Bike Run

Page 18

Simon Lessing Breaks Records in his IRONMAN Debut Much was made of Simon Lessing moving up tho the IRONMAN distance of racing in Lake Placid, but he himself would have none of it. He stressed that he had competed along side Mark Allen in the long distance race in Nice (about a six hour race with a 30K run) a couple of times, but also admitted that it had been back in ‘94 and ‘95. But, he added, “I feel substantially stronger than I did back then.”

“For me this will be my 19th or 20th season of triathlon,” he said before the race. “I think, for me, it’s almost a natural progression. I spent so many years doing short distance races and I pretty much decided I had to make a decision at the beginning of this year whether I wanted to pursue Olympic aspirations or whether I wanted to try something completely different,” said the four-time olympic-distance world champion. “The honest truth of it is that I was sick and tired of the style of short distance racing and the inconsistency of it.”

Lessing is one of the best swimmers in the sport, and took the lead in the swim right from the beginning. His long arms and incredible stroke efficiency were visible all the way from the shore as the spectators could see that he was taking almost a third less strokes than his pursuers behind him. When he came out of the water after the first lap, he was already a minute ahead of the rest. His final swim split was an amazing 47:08. Once on the bike he tried to hang back a bit to let second-place Luke Bell catch up so they could ride together, but he kept dropping Bell on the hills. “ I waited for him once or twice and I gather that I was climbing better. Maybe that’s the benefit of living in Boulder.” He finally just went ahead on his own, though, drawing on his training to know what kind of speed he could expect out of himself.

“At the end of the day you have to go your own pace,” he said afterwards.

Still, having a huge lead took its toll as well. It was a “little lonely out there, I must say. Hours of racing on your own is tough.”

Lessing has been living in Boulder for a few years with his wife and daughter (and has a new baby as well) and has been training with Dave Scott, which he credited with Photos this page: a victorious Simon Lessing; top right: Paul Martin on the run with the Olympic ski jumps in the background; below: Tim Luchinske runs the river road; bottom left: Judith McSweeney in T1.

Story and Photos by Kristen McFarland

Page 19

IRONMAN North America Moves to Boulder One of the premier race organizations in the world recently relocated its headquarters to Boulder. IRONMAN North America, which produces the Lake Placid, Coeur d’Alene, Florida, Canada, and Wisconsin IRONMANs as well as several half-ironman distance races, decided its Florida offices weren’t working for them and began looking for a more central location on the continent. They had recently moved there from Lake Placid, thinking it would be good to be near both the World Triathlon Corporation offices and the USAT Training Center.

“The travel was killing us,” said president Graham Fraser (pictured above). And most of the staff enjoy winter sports unavailable at their Clermont location. “We’re skiers, and everybody who works for us, and my boys are hockey players,” said Graham.

They considered the major airport hub cities of Chicago, Dallas, and Denver, and with Boulder being the triathlon center it is, and close to good snow, it was an easy decision.

“I have a lot of friends in Boulder, and everyone tells me how wonderful it is,” said Fraser, who visited just before IRONMAN USA Lake Placid. “Here’s what sold me: Saturday I ran with Dave Scott for an hour. Sunday I go for a run and bump into Tim DeBoom, and then I ran into Frank Shorter. And I’m thinking, ‘hey, this is pretty cool, this is the endurance sports place of the world.’” preparing him for the race. “It’s been very beneficial because he understands this distance so well.” He especially noted Dave’s help with his in-race nutrition and strength conditioning. His run split of 2:46:39 broke Ryan Bolton’s course record of 2:49 set in 2002 when he won the race. With that Lessing smashed the full course record of 8:33:11 by ten minutes. “I’m pretty happy with my race, all things considered. I struggled a bit on the last half of the run, but then again, I think most people struggle on the last half of the run,” he laughed.

Luchinske Top American Considering how the trip to Lake Placid went, Tim Luchinske of Lafayette had a great race. It took he and his wife, Jo (whose name is on his jersey along side his other sponsors), 48 hours to get there because of cancelled flights. To top that off, the airline lost his luggage and bike and only got it to him right before the bike check in. His 2:52:50 marathon split was the third best of the day and the consistent, steady pace led him into 6th and the top placing American. With that finish he qualified for the World Championships. “I’m happy to go to Kona,” he sighed. And Speaking of Moving to Boulder...

Australian Courtney Ogden (pictured above), New Zealander Joanna Lawn, and her husband Armando Galarraga have been living and training in Boulder. All three had terrific races, with Ogden and Lawn both coming in third, and Galarraga 65th overall, with a time of 10:10:36. ❂

Page 20

20 THE COLORADO TRIATHLETE 2004 O’’ALL TOTAL NAME CITY DIV. DIV. PLACE SWIM BIKE RUN

Page 21

Pro Men

15 - 19

20 - 24

25 - 29

35 - 39

40 - 44

45 - 49

50 - 54

55 - 59 1 Allan Marvin :19:47 01:51:01 01:03:27 3:14:15 2 David Innes :22:12 02:13:32 01:10:10 3:45:54 60 & Over

Challenged 1 Willie Stewart :20:47 01:48:23 00:44:51 2:54:01 Pro Women

15 - 19

20 - 24

25 - 29

30 - 34

35 - 39

40 - 44

45 - 49 1 Susan Bird :21:21 02:41:14 01:13:42 4:16:17 50 - 54

X XT TE ER RR RA A C CE EN NT TR RA AL L C CH HA AM MP PI IO ON NS SH HI IP PS S J Ju ul ly y 1 K Ke ey ys st to on ne e, , C CO O 1K K s sw wi im m 1K K m mo ou un nt ta ai in n b bi ik ke e 0K K t tr ra ai il l r ru un n above: Josiah Middaugh (file photo: Scott Schumaker)

Page 22

22 THE COLORADO TRIATHLETE 2004 In 1984, a German triathlete named Detlef Kuehnel was so aweinspired by his experience at the Hawaii IRONMAN, he set out to bring a triathlon of similar magnitude to the European continent. Twenty years later, and after two name changes, the former IRONMAN Europe has proven that the small village of Roth can and will provide the world’s triathlon community with an alternative to our sport’s fall classic. For those who wish to experience a race that is larger (over two-thousand participants), more widely viewed (over 100,000 spectators), and faster (world record times abound!), than all other IRONMAN distance races worldwide, Roth is a must. For those who wish to see triathlon as a recognizable, well-appreciated sport, Roth is a must. For those who wish to race across beautiful countryside, over flawlessly smooth road surfaces, to the sounds of thousands of screaming fans, Roth is a must. For those who wish to experience ultra-distance racing, out from under the m-Dot umbrella, Roth is a must.

This year, I added my name to the list of people whose wish was just that: to experience triathlon German-style. July 4th started out as most race days begin: breakfast with a bit of nerves; transition area with a couple exploding tires; my fiancé Amanda smearing Vaseline all over my neck and shoulders; and a final rundown of my race moves, prior to jumping in the water. Somewhere in there, however, the similarities seemed to diminish. I noticed a peculiar amount of Euro- Techno on the loudspeaker, mixed with a smattering of late-Eighties "wish-Ihadn’t-heard-that-song" songs (the type that annoyingly sticks in your head, in spite of your better efforts to dispatch it). Most of the dissimilarities were favorable; however, indeed they were quite nice: five or six hot air balloons hovered at the start; several thousand spectators lined all sides of the course; and there was even a blimp. For some reason a blimp really adds that extra sporting-event punch! I found my position on the start line of my wave (all professionals, all women, and all firefighters), and readied myself for the gun. My pre-race strategy called for me to stick to the previous four years’ defending champion, Lothar Ledar, through legs 1 and 2 of the event. I assumed that if anyone knew how to race this course, it was he, and I would be right there to learn from him directly.

After what felt like an abnormally moderate paced swim, I exited the water right where I planned to be: mere steps ahead of Leder, and within two minutes of the lead pack. Entering the change tent with a speedy transition in mind, I was soon faced with a pair of hands assisting me in the removal of my wetsuit. Unfortunately for me, I found that the owner of those hands did not understand my pleas in English to help with my feet, not my hands. As we struggled to remove my right sleeve, my fellow competitors slipped through and on to the bike.

Shaking off the sloppy move from swim to bike, I focused on continuing along my strategic pace. Cruising through the initial downhill five kilometers of the ride, I searched ahead for my day’s rivals. Where were they and when would I catch them? Confidently I began to press the pace… or so I thought. For some reason, I was unable to find my rhythm; I was unable to get it going. I chalked it up to an iffy start, but I soon realized there was something wrong. My pace did not seem to correlate to my effort. In spite of my increasing pressure, I found myself losing ground. Within the first twenty kilometers, I discovered my issue: my stomach was bloated and it was beginning to cramp. Within a few more minutes, I began having trouble staying in the aerobars; I was suffering, and not in the good way. Had I swallowed too much water in the swim? Trying not to let it bother me that I was riding twenty miles per hour— downhill with a tailwind!—I focused on bettering my situation. What was wrong; what was the cause? I could not come up with the answers, and I was running out of time. At one hour thirty eight minutes into the ride, I concluded that I needed to begin taking on some fuel. After all, I was still planning to run a marathon at the conclusion of this deteriorating bike. Just before the famous Solarer Berg hill (a short, steep hill lined four- and five-deep with crazed, screaming fans only inches from the riders!), I stuffed a Power Bar in my mouth. Oddly, the least appealing thing to me (putting something in my distended belly) proved to be my salvation. Within moments I had relief! It was time for my ride to begin; it was time to go. For the next three hours, I pushed as hard as I could push; I rode with abandon and hope. I had thoughts of making good on my plans to make the podium. How much time had I lost? As soon as I left transition 2, I received my first time split: two and a half minutes out of eighth place. I put my head down and ran for it. Seeing the 5k splits whiz by, I was again encouraged as I charged onward: I felt great, and I had made my way into fifth place, but along the way I caught my first glimpse of my deficit to the leaders. It looked unlikely that I could catch them, but this was IRONMAN and anything could happen.

By the time I came to the final turnaround on the fast marathon course (much of the course follows a soft dirt path alongside the canal in which we had swum), I found myself overtaking my early marked man: Lothar Leder. I urged him to go with me; to see if we could push each other toward catching third place (Timo Bracht). He declined my offer, and I set off alone. Energized to have caught the local favorite, I pressed on.

As it turned out, my personal best marathon time was not enough to gain me a podium spot; however, it was enough to secure a fourth place finish. As I entered the final horseshoe-shaped loop of the finish stadium, I gladly accepted a large bouquet of flowers from one of the race organizers. Although we were all aware I was not the first across the line, the organizers and the fans of the Quelle Challenge Roth made me feel just as important (a welcome that was extended to each of the race’s proud finishers!). The day’s victor was Chris McCormack, and second went to Faris al Sultan, however, each and every one that crossed that finish line were made to feel like the winner, and made to feel welcomed back. As promised, the QCR proved to be a definite must-do race! Quelle Challenge Roth by Michael Lovato ❂

Page 23

Crested Butte Bank Trails Triathlon Nissan XTERRA Points Series Race #31 July 25, 2004 Skyland - Crested Butte, CO 0.62 mile swim / 14.8 mile mountain bike / 5.6 mile trail run Top Ten Men and Women OA NAME SEX AGE STATE TOTAL SWIM BIKE RUN