The 2011 Sully Super Sprint triathlon race report

Today I raced in one of my all time favorite triathlons, the Sully Super Sprint Triathlon in Alpine Texas. It's an extremely difficult 3 mile run, a 15 mile bike, & a 360 yard swim. Some of my favorite fellow competitors showed up, Rob Lovett, John Gordea, & Bobby Gonzales. I think I end up have more fun visiting with them than I do racing!

Bobby Gonzales absolutely crushed everyone at this race- no surprise there. He finished in 1st place overall with an astonishing time of 63 minutes.

A guy I've raced with for a couple years by the name of Brooks came up to me, shook my hand & told me I'd been his golden carrot. He told me we race in the same age group & one of his goals has been to beat me. He said that he can usually run faster than me but that I always bike well enough to finish the race ahead of him. Apparently he is now my golden carrot because he didn't just beat me, he mopped the floor with my butt!!! I'll have to check the official finishing times tomorrow, but I think he finished 3rd place overall male & came in somewhere around 5 minutes ahead of me!!! This guy got fast! He'll be a force to be reckoned with!

A guy by the name of Rob Lovett raced today, he is now in his 2nd year of racing triathlons. We've had some amazing neck & neck finishes. Last month he beat me soundly at the Presidents day duathlon. He had finished almost 4 minutes ahead of me on the run & then put even more time on me on the bike. Today I was able to finish the run 20 seconds behind him. I was able to make up a good 12 seconds in the transition to the bike & passed him about half a mile from the bike start. I had a lead on him of about 50 meters at the halfway point, but that didn't last long, he passed me just a few minutes later & he was able to get about 100 meters ahead of me by the end of the bike. I made up a lot of time in the 2nd transition, he was no more than 20 yards ahead of me when he entered the water. I knew last time we had raced that I was a much faster swimmer, but that was 10 months ago. I knew if his swimming had improved at all from our last race it would be doubtful if I could catch him because of the very short swim. This races swim is only 360 yards. Somehow I was able to bridge the gap & pass him on the 4th lap & was able to put a 30 second lead on him by the finish.

I finished 5th place overall male with a time of 77 minutes 10 seconds, which was a little over 3 minutes slower than I was able to do at this race last year.

I really love this race. It's held in one the the most beautiful towns I've ever seen. For such a small triathlon the race directors go all out. There are volunteers at every turn & corner of the race so an athlete never has to worry about getting off course or lost. The awards ceremony is always held quickly, the shirts are top notch performance tees, the race packet has a few goodies in it like Honey Milk post workout drinks, & the medals are top notch, there's free food post race, & there's free post race massages!

The 2010 Sully Super Sprint Triathlon race report

The 2010 Sully Super Sprint Triathlon race report

Saturday morning my buddy & I got off from working a 12 hour shift and drove to Alpine Texas for the Sully Super Sprint Triathlon. There was a terrible snow storm that started the night before. The roads were a mess, dangerous, and we were on our way!

I knew it was going to be cold for race start on Sunday morning. The near freezing temperatures that was expected had me jumping for joy! I have break out performances at races where the temperature is at or below freezing.

I was feeling confident for this race. Along with the freezing cold I was going to be racing at 193 pounds which was 34 pounds lighter than my usual race weight.

My training has been at an all time high. I had really been hammering out the hill training & speed intervals! The only thing that may negatively effect my race would be fatigue. I'd just finished 3 consecutively harder weeks of KILLER training. & since the Sully Super Sprint Triathlon was a C race I wasn't taking any time to rest, which included a 1.5 hour base run the night before the race.

As soon as we got to Alpine we set up our tent. It was cold! It ended up getting down to 25 degrees that night. 25 degrees & sleeping in a tent made for a memorable uncomfortable night!

The triathlon was a reverse sprint, a 3 mile run, 15 mile bike, 360 yard swim. It was as cold as was expected at the start, somewhere around 33 degrees. As usual I raced with as little equipment & clothes on as possible. Most of the athletes were racing in shorts, cycling tops, cycling pants, a wind breaker, ear muffs, & gloves. I started with gloves & a triathlon suit- see the picture above of me in a triathlon suit. Not much to it eh? That's right, that is what I raced in, nothing else. I do this because racing with as little on as possible saves time transitioning from the run to bike & the bike to the swim.

The Sully Super Sprint has a very hard run for a sprint triathlon! Massive hills! Because of the fatigue from the hard training I'd been going through the 3 weeks before I was having a difficult time getting my legs going on the run. I ended up finishing around 13th place overall on the run portion. Not any where as well as I was hoping. Thankfully by the time I got on to the bike I felt like my legs were warmed up & I was ready to start reeling some people in!

As soon as I started out on the bike I knew I felt great & started hunting people down! The question remained: was I going to be able to make up the time I'd lost to my competitors on the run?

Since it was an out and back course on the bike I was able to count how many athletes were in front of me as they rode back from the turn around. Just before the turn around I saw there were only 2 people in front of me! I was in 3rd place overall!

At my last race, the Presidents day duathlon I was in 10th place overall spot and 10Kilometers from the end I was knocked out of the top 10 by fellow triathlete Mark Balsinger.

So same situation here at the Sully Super Sprint, with 5 kilometers left on the bike Mark Balsinger passed me (again) & knocked me out of the top 3 spot.

I entered T-2 around 15 seconds behind Mark & he swims about as fast as I do. I knew the only way I could beat him was if I had a much faster transition. This is where racing with less clothes/equipment has helped me. Even though he entered transition 15 seconds before I did, I departed the transition area before him & was able to hold him off on the swim, securing my first ever top 3 finish!!!!!!!

Lesson of the day, race as close to your birthday suit as the law will allow :-P

This was my 3rd 1st place finish in the 35-39 age group this year & I am currently winning the South West Challenge Series 35-39 with a total of 38 points with 4 races. The next placed competitor in the 35-39 is Gregory Gouveia with 17 Points and 2 races.

My next race is the Wind Triathlon on Saturday April 3rd 2010 at WSMR.

Thanks for tuning in!

The New Mexico State triathlon championships & the Sully Super Sprint triathlon?

The Jay Benson triathlon is the most competitive race in New Mexico. I've heard the Jay Benson referred to as the New Mexico state triathlon championships more than once. Since I was planning on being at an all time low body weight by then I was expecting to really throw a smack down that day. I was really disappointed when I found out I wouldn't be racing it this year. I found out that the Jay Benson triathlon's registration closed on March 6th. I had put my name down on the stand by list, but even then I was #42 & it was unlikely I'd get a slot. To say I was disappointed was an understatement! I was looking foreword to the Jay Benson more so than any other race of the year. I was planning on showing the new & improved multisport me.

I have been controlling my weight loss so that I'd be at a certain weight by each of my 2 most important races of the year. 185 by the Atomicman, & then be at my dream race weight of 182.5 by the week of the Jay Benson.

Today I received a call from Sports Systems & they said I got one of the last slots on the Jay Benson waiting list!! All I have to do is drive to Sports Systems, fill out a registration form, & pay for my slot & I'm in!!! I'm so happy!

Speaking of weight loss, I'm down to 194 pounds. The lightest I've ever raced at was 194 pounds 2 years ago (at the Jay Benson triathlon actually). I had one of the best races of my life at that weight. This Sunday I'll be racing the Sully Super Sprint triathlon in Alpine TX. By then I should be slightly under 194! Perfect timing! I'm hoping for a break through performance this Sunday! My training has been at an all time high, & my weight will be at an all time low! The last time I raced the Sully Super Sprint triathlon I had a heavier bike, heavier and less aerodynamic wheels, and weighed 227 pounds! I still finished the day in 9th place overall. So I'm really hoping & expecting a great placing this weekend! Log in here to see how I do!!!

Presidents Day duathlon race report

I competed in the Presidents day duathlon this last Saturday, February 13th. This was my 56th multisport race.

It was a 5K run & a 30K bike.

I did average on the run finishing in 24 minutes 39 seconds. I took off way to fast just like I do at every race. The run was a long gradual uphill on a sandy dirt road. I finished the run somewhere around the 25th place.

I'd been working a lot on my cycling this year. I put in 550 cycling miles in the month of January alone with a big portion of that being hill or speed work, so I was pretty sure I was going to have a good day on the bike.

Once on the bike I started hunting guys down like they were Saddam Hussein. No holes out here to hide in guys.

Since it was an out and back bike course I was able to count how many people were in front of me. When I hit the half way point I was in 10th place over all. I was able to keep 10th place for all of 15 feet before Mark Ballsinger passed me. I knew if I could keep up with Mark I'd have a great finish, Mark B is fast. I was able to hang with him for about 6 miles, which is a first. After that he started to pull away from me.You know what's really impressive about this story? Mark is 64 years old.

Anyway I ended up finishing in 11th place over all, 1st place 35-39 AG. The closest 35-39 to me was 5 minutes behind. This was my 2nd first place finish out of the 3 races I've competed this year. I have 28 points out of a possible 30 for the South West Challenge Series & am currently in 1st place. I'm pretty happy how my speed has been improving. I weighed in at 204 on race day. I'm hoping to get down to 182 by May. Oh me, oh my, but I'd be fast at 182!

My next race is the Sully Super Sprint in Alpine TX. I love the Sully. It's only $35 for the registration. It's a semi fast sprint in a great little town.

I'll keep you posted how my next race goes.