26th Annual Norfolk (NE) Triathlon - "The Spaz Jumper"

This is not a USAT race but Norfolk does a good job of putting on a triathlon. They've had 26 years to work on getting it right! This is kind of super-sprint distance - 300 yd. swim, 10 mile bike, then a 2.5 mile run. Pedal to the metal the whole (short) time. Shotgun type of start. Every 30 seconds, someone dives into the pool to start the 300 yd. serpentine swim. Since I never swam competitively, I never dove into a pool with goggles on. I'm quite convinced that if I tried they would roll right up my face and come off or be stuck on my hairline. Everyone ahead of me had nice looking dives that probably would have scored a 9.2 in the Olympics. Still too scared of losing my goggles, I did the "Spaz Jump" into the pool. I felt foolish and probably looked even more foolish. I used this unique entry last year and I ended up winning the race so what the heck, let's do it again and insure my Barracuda goggles stay on. Out of the pool I came thinking I had a pretty good swim but forgetting to look at my watch to see. On to my super fast Valdora PHX 2 bike to hammer out the fastest 10 mile that I could. Passed several athletes who started ahead of me and by the turn around on the bike, thought I might be in first. There were several pretty fast looking guys there with sweet bikes so you never know... Averaged over 24mph on the relatively flat bike course which I was very happy with. Off the bike in T2 and put on my super-duper, extremely comfortable Hoka running shoes. They feel amazing starting the run every time. Tried to ease into it. Wasn't sure how far behind me the second place guy was so I tried to get up to speed quickly but not so quickly that something starts to tighten up. Out 1.5 miles and back the same route. Hit the turn around and...oh no, here's the second place guy not far behind me. Better keep this pace which felt pretty fast to me. I knew that he started the swim 50 second ahead of me so to win, he's have to catch me, pass me and get 51 seconds on me. Wasn't about to let that happen. Two left hand turns on the way back allowed me to peek and see what my lead was. I was OK. Cruise on in to defend my title, so very thankful to the Lord that I didn't pull something on the run. I'd averaged 6:20 per mile for the 2.5 miles. Very happy for that. Each race this season my run has gotten faster. Again, very grateful. I need to continue to get my pace per mile faster each race and got to 6 min. miles by Aug. for USAT Nationals. So, the day that started with the "Spaz Jump" into the pool, but ended up going well. If you can't dive...don't worry about it. Just give a tri a try and you'll be fine!

"Don't Judge A Book By It's Cover" - Kearney (NE) Triathlon, May 19

Kearney hosted it's first triathlon and a USAT Sanctioned one at that! I make the 3 hour drive the night before the race and stayed in a Motel 6 that had bed bugs...I found out later with red welts on me. Nasty!!! Anyway, the next morning I was setting up in transition and checking out the competition. You know what it's like. Everyone is sizing everyone else up, checking out their bikes, their wheels, their physiques / fitness appearance, etc. You try to not psych yourself out by doing this but, it happens. I notice 5-6 guys who looked fast, were younger than me and who all had top of the line bikes/wheels. They looked fit, lean and ready to fly.

I was texting my wife Jen telling her there were fast guys racing and that I hoped I was able to beat some of them. This race had a 500m swim, a 10.5 mile bike and a 5K run. Came out of the water right where I thought I'd be and was happy with my time. I ran, hard, to and through T-1 and had a quick transition time. We biked an "L" shaped bike course with the first part and last part dealing with very strong crosswinds and on the longer portion, went straight into the wind then back with it. I was very happy to average 23.3mph with those winds blowing the way they were. Again a quick transition and headed out on the run. One big hill on this course just before the 1 mile mark. I put my head down, leaned a bit forward, shortened my stride and looked 3 feet in front of me as I chugged up the hill. Got to the top and started to loosen up and let it go a bit. Ran as hard as I dared, not wanting anything to tighten up. I took another 30 seconds off my last race's 5K time, averaging 6:30 miles running 20:15. Very thankful for that.

There were several heats so I really didn't know where I stood til the results were posted. Walked over and took a look, knowing I'd done my best that day and would just take the results however they came out. There, at the top of the list was my name. I won. First place overall. Wow. What about all those other fast bikes and intimidating athletes I spied before the race? Well, they were fast, good athletes but, I was a little faster that day. I could have easily "given up" even before the race started and just hoped to maybe go top 5 or 10. I was reminded that you can't throw in the white towel before the race even starts. Instead, before I hit the water, I said to myself, "Let's do this and see what you guys got!" One of them was wearing a K-Swiss / Trek racing outfit and looked, honestly like a pro. I thought he was a young pro. I really thought he'd win. Think again. I'm blessed to have won my 11th triathlon since I stared doing these almost 20 years ago. Thank you Lord!

"Change Things Up" - SiouxperMan Triathlon Race Report, May 5

Sioux Center, IA is a beautiful place for a triathlon in NW Iowa. This race has an indoor pool swim of 400yds. then a bike of 15 windy miles and a 5K run. I did this race three years earlier when I was a young spring chicken at only 52 yrs. old. I'd gotten 7th overall in that race and was surprised by the fast guys who came to this race. This year was cool, foggy and we were all waiting for it to start raining, which, it never did.

Had an OK swim, hammered the bike hard through bad cross winds and took off on the run. I was interested to see how much faster I could run this 5K than at Lake Havasu. Well, I cut a minute and a half off going 20:45 I think. Very happy with that and a 4th place overall and first in my age group finish. Lesson learned in this race - at the 2 mile point in the run my left hamstring started to tighen up...badly. I thought I might need to stop and try to rub it out. Instead, I slowed my pace and tried to change my stride. I started praying hard for the Lord to help me, and, as I kept after it, more slowly, it actually loosened up vs. getting tighter and tighter. SO thankful for that. So I learned to change things up - if you start to cramp up or a muscle tightens up, before stopping, change your pace, chance your stride, change something...maybe it'll allow you to keep going and maybe, it'll loosen up! I was able to finish the run, running hard which, a few minutes earlier, I would have not guessed was possible.

"Am I Going The Right Way???" Lake Havasu Triathlon Report

In March I did a very early season triathlon in Lake Havasu City, AZ. I've only missed one year out of the last six so I know the race course really well. About halfway through that run of races, I once took a right hand turn up a hill...it just wasn't the right hill. I turned too early, up the wrong street. I was in 2nd or 3rd place when I made the wrong turn. I was in 18th when I came back down the hill and got back on course. Figured that I'd gotten that rookie mistake out of the way never to do such a foolish thing again. Well, my buddy Randy and I rolled into town late afternoon the Friday before race day. We registered and heard the water in the lake was super cold, so before dinner we grabbed our wetsuits and went for a short swim. That water was really COLD! Glad we did it because it helped us to start the swim slow and build into it. Had a good swim and took off on my bike and felt really good. Since this was an early season race I was doing it mostly off of base training with little speed work at all. It felt good to get out there and (try to) go fast.

The bike course took us into a residential neighborhood and wouldn't you know it, I took a right hand turn too soon down the wrong rode. RATS! I went a couple of blocks before I realized it, turned around and headed back on course. How dumb! I'd done this course before...like six times! No worries. Back on course ready to make that right turn...so I did, again, too soon. Wrong turn # 2. I couldn't believe it. Chewed myself out really good and got back on course. Passed a guy that I'd already passed earlier. He did a double take wondering how I'd gotten behind him after being ahead of him. Rode really hard to make up for my mistakes. The run went well. I didn't push it at all and cruised in for a 5th place overall finish. The wrong turns cost me 4th and probably 3rd overall. Won my age group - the one for old men who's brains no longer work. It's a bad feeling to be going the wrong way. I went the wrong way in my life for 22 years. Then the Lord helped me to get my life on track and on the right course. I've made a couple of wrong turns since then, but God has always been faithful to help me make a course correction. Is you life on course? Hope so!

My Latest Equipment Discovery - Might Buy Me 30 More Years Of Running!

So, I've always had this "thing" for running shoes. From the day I started running back in the 70s, running shoe technology and performance has intrigued me. I started out wearing Brooks and loved them - smooth, comfortable ride for sure. That was back when I was young and had no real bio-mechanical / physiological issues. At about 42 my body seemed start falling apart and I had to switch up my approach to training and equipment to stay in the game. At that point, the running shoes I chose to wear became even more important to me due to the fact that some of them, can really help solve issues that long-distance running produced.

Last Summer, at USAT Triathlon National Championships in Vermont, I ran into an old friend from Phoenix who was there and I noticed his shoes and asked about them. He took them off, told me to put them on and run to to the fence and back - about 30 yds. I was immediately and I mean immediately, convinced that these were the shoes for me. The ride was like...a cloud...a pillow. They were the most comfortable running shoe I'd ever put on.

I'll let their web site do the explaining about what makes these so unique. Go to www.Hokaoneone.com to learn more. They were developed in France and ultra-marathoners love them because they are so comfortable over dozens and dozens of miles. I have custom orthotics in mine which gives me the support that I need for my feet and the Hokas do the rest Check 'em out. They just might allow me to run another 30 years!

What Can Athletes Learn From Border Collies???

Two days ago we had to put down our 13 year old Border Collie that we raised from when she was eight weeks old. Man, that was tough. Of course, times like this call for reflection and remembering...all the good times... I got "Newby" initially to be a running partner for me. I'd heard that Borders could run up to 50 miles in one day herding sheep. I thought, "Now THAT'S the dog for me!"

As I've reflected, I've so appreciated how God made (and man bred) this type of dog. I think athletes (not to mention the entire human race) could learn a few things from Border Collies. Here's just a few:

1. Be Active - Borders were created to always be working or playing. Their energy level is off the charts. Potential buyers are told, "Do not get a BC unless you live a very active lifestyle in which you can include your dog." BCs are always waiting for whatever job you want them to do or to go for a run or catch a Frisbee. Those that work on farms are worth three men I'm told. Some athletes think that if they only have a small amount of time that they may as well skip the planned workout or training session for the day. Don't do it. A little is WAY better than nothing. We think that a little is just a little better than nothing. Wrong. A 15 min. swim or run is way better than doing nothing. A 30 minute bike ride is not three hours, but it's WAY better than doing nothing. So, stay active!

2. Be Focused - Borders have the ability to concentrate like a scientist. If I had a Frisbee in my hand, Newby would NOT take her eyes off it til I let it fly. She was focused on exactly what she was going to do if/when it left my hand and she studied every move and twitch I made to try and figure out when it would be her's to run down. Athletes could learn from this. Study the sport in which you're trying to excel. Read about it. Talk to others who do it. Concentrate when you workout on your form...like when I swim, I have to concentrate like Newby on the mechanics of my stroke if I'm going to improve.

3. Be Ready - Newby was always ready. You've heard the phrase, "I was born ready!" Well, I think a BC probably barked that first. Anytime the drawer where her leash was kept was opened...she was ready to GO! About 12 hours before we put her down, I took her for her last walk (the evening before the morning we took her in.) Even then, with a failing body, she perked up and was ready to go. Our last walk was very slow and only about 200 yds. total, but, she was ready.
Athletes need to be ready for whatever comes their way in competition. I tell the triathletes that I coach to be ready for three things to go wrong in every race. Just prepare yourself and be ready, then when (if) they happen, it's no surprise. Being ready includes mental preparation for "worst case scenarios" that can happen. Learn from Newby - be ready...for anything!

4. Be Loyal and Faithful - Newby's first love was my wife, Jennifer. She would
follow her all over the house...up the stairs, down the stairs, everywhere! If I tried to hug Jen, Newby would bark and get between us. That dog was loyal! All of us could learn from that. Newby exhibited unconditional love all the time. She was a faithful, loyal friend. Are we? Nuf said.


5. Do What You Were Born To Do - Newby's instincts were totally "Border Collie." She portrayed every behavior and skill that these dogs carry in them. Mainly bred to herd sheep and some cattle, BCs will charge at and cut off anything that's moving. Why? They might not even know - they just do it instinctively. What were you put on the earth to do? I can't answer that, other than to say that first and foremost, you were put here to know and love God and to serve Him and others. Beyond that, we each have a unique calling from God and destiny He's given us. Discover what that is and just do it. It may flow out instinctively right from the start or, it may take a bit of discovery and development, but when you find it, you're then in your "sweet spot," and work, no longer is work.

So, there are a few things we can learn from Border Collies. YouTube them and watch what they can do. You'll be astounded. They rank at the top of most dog intelligence lists. Newby was a special gift from God to us and we cherish the 13 years we had her. I've learned a lot from her for which I'll be forever grateful.