Wednesday, August 31, 2016

Built to Hurt! Interview with Travis Iverson

"Hard hat, punch the clock, back to work. I'm bigger, stronger, faster, built to hurt." For some reason that line from the old school Xzibit song "Multiply" is what kept coming to mind during this interview. Travis Iverson isn't B.J. Christenson tall, but he's a rare combination of size and speed who does nothing but get better every year.

Thanks for the time, Travis, and best of luck going forward!

What’s your athletic background and how did you get into triathlon?

I actually played football and basketball growing up. I played collegiate basketball in Iowa before moving to Utah. I was in Utah working with some coaches to go play overseas when I blew out my ankle. I needed to get reconstructive surgery in the winter of 2011 and that was the end of my basketball career. Being an athlete I needed to find something I could still be competitive in, and that fall I saw the Ironman World Championships on TV for the first time. After watching that I realized that was harder than all my years in college basketball, and I wanted to prove to myself that I could do what I thought was the hardest athletic event in the world.

It seems like you’ve improved a ton every year… to what do you attribute your steady results?

Honestly you can sum it up in one word: “consistency.” Just doing something every day you can. Even if it’s not the whole workout you were supposed to do, at least put in as much time as you can. Not to make his head any bigger as a coach, but Rory Duckworth also played a huge role in my ability to make such large gains so quickly. My first year having him as a coach was the perfect accountability partner and that is key to have. Most importantly, surrounding yourself with good friends who also love the sport makes it easy to keep working hard.

Rank the three disciplines from strength to (relative) weakness.

This is a hard one because it seems it changes each year. It used to be that biking was the weakest discipline for me because I had weak legs and a lot to pedal. Running was my strong point because I naturally had a lot of aerobic ability. Now I would say biking has become one of my greatest advantages while running is becoming what I need to work on most. This might be because as you make your way from sprints to Ironman 70.3s and eventually to an Ironman, being able to run the last 13 miles in the marathon is where it's won or lost.

You’re a taller, stronger dude than most triathletes… what are the pros and cons of your size, and what distance do you feel suits you best?

I don’t really like to talk about the pros and cons and size and whatnot. So many people focus on these as excuses or benefits. Some people will say you have long legs and arms therefore you should be a good runner because you have longer strides and swimmer because you have long arms to pull with. While us taller athletes would use it as an excuse like “we have a lot more surface area for the wind to hit on the bike so it affects us more than a smaller guy.” So really I don’t think an athlete's size and shape helps or hinders him or her in the grand scheme of things. It’s all about how you look at it too. Don’t ever use it as an excuse but rather use it as a benefit. Distances also are hard to pinpoint. I would think a longer race might be more beneficial to myself. Maybe not because of my size but because I have more time to make up on the bike or run if I'm facing a fast swimmer in a sprint race.

You just destroyed Coeur d'Alene, can you give us a quick recap of your day?

Ironman CDA was amazing like every Ironman event is. I’m sure I could go into details on times and transitions and whatnot, but I think anyone interested in that has already looked up Ironman tracker like we all do for our fellow athletes (editor's note: I'll brag for him, 10:17 and 41st overall in tough conditions). I'd like people to know how great the swim is there and how great the venue and local fans. That honestly was the highlight of my Ironman. The water is crystal clear and the trees and green scenery makes for a perfect bike course. The headwind that decided to come throughout the day wasn’t much fun as many of the other racers know, but we all got it done. I did have a hard time stomaching anything after mile 80 on the bike and that was a first, but after talking to other racers it doesn’t seem uncommon. Then the run was a perfect way to cap off a great race. Our local fan clubs of SLTC and BAM were great support on the run course and made for a memorable finish. 

After a tough bike, there was a lot of carnage on that run course… yet you ran a 3:45 marathon. How were you able to put it together like that when so many others weren’t?

Honestly having a game plan before the race and sticking to it is what made the difference. I told myself I was going to go out at an 8:30 pace and I did that. Last year I made the mistake of going out way too fast and before I knew what happened my legs and knees were out of the game. Although a few people passed me in the first 13 miles I made myself stay at 8:30's and trusted my training. I was able to hold that pace pretty much the whole race and actually was able to run my last 2 miles my fastest just as I planned. I would be lying to you though if I didn’t want to go faster out of the gate because my bike time was slower than anticipated. Also those guys that went out harder and faster seemed to fall apart around mile 20, which made me feel like I did the right thing.

What are your goals for the next few years… is Kona or 70.3 World Champs something that’s motivating to you?

I think that any of us athletes that take this sport seriously and put as much work and time into would be lying if those championships didn’t motivate us. I’ll be the first one to admit we all don’t like talking and focusing on it, but it’s something that I think we all strive for. I mean who doesn’t want to go to “the Big Dance?”

At the same time I think it’s important to not focus and train for just those larger goals and championships. The training and the “Process” to get to any level no matter where you’re at is even more important for athletes.
The friends and memories we make with the triathlon community is what we will remember, especially when we fall short of those large goals that so many triathletes strive for. 

What will it take in your AG to qualify for 70.3 Champs at SG?

I’m not so sure. It all depends on who shows up to the race and what the conditions are. Some hate the heat and some hate the cold. But I would say regardless you would need to go below 4:30 to have a shot, and with more and more guys getting faster in the 30-34 age group it could be even lower. St George is a tough course. I think instead of focusing on qualifying for this race we’re better off just embracing the great competition and enjoy the beautiful place of St George and let the Qualifying and results take care of themselves.

Do you have any friendly local rivalries?

Most of the triathlon community already knows the answer… Rory Duckworth, Xavier Lucio and I always have a good time when we're competing in the same event. We're all best friends so it’s more of a fun rivalry if anything. I’d say we almost root for each other instead. Rory Duckworth has been my coach and mentor my first few years in this sport, so I have always used his times and races as benchmarks I wanted to hit for myself. As a result I find myself chasing him and racing against him more than others ;)… I know he’ll love this response.

What’s your podium for favorite local races?

This is a hard one, with so many great races put on by RaceTri and TriUtah…. If I had to rank them though I would say Icebreaker 3rd, Echo 2nd, and the Toughman Utah Half 1st. The Utah Half has my top spot because of the distance it is and the local legends it brings out like BJ Christenson and others. Echo always has a good showing and great competition. And Icebreaker is just a fun and fast race that gets everyone back into the race scene to start off every year.

Any more races on the schedule this year? Thoughts for next year?

I may attempt a few short races this year. I had thought of doing another 70.3, but I think recovering and beginning the training process for next year is more important. I may attempt RaceTri's Yuba Olympic just because it’s such a fun race, but we'll see. As for next year I’ll have another full schedule with a few 70.3 races and maybe 2 Ironmans. Oceanside 70.3 and St. George 70.3 are always on the schedule. Maybe throw in a Boulder and Vineman race and who knows, maybe Coeur d'Alene just because it's such a beautiful venue and close to home for me... I may just have to keep that race on the list for life.





Monday, August 29, 2016

Utah Age Group Rankings (ROUND 2): Men 40-49 & Clydesdale

Here's an updated look at our not perfect, but hopefully interesting age group rankings thus far through the season.


The methodology is pretty simple:

Utah races only, updated through Jordanelle & Black Ridge

* To be eligible, must have raced at least 2 of the races listed below:
  • Icebreaker  (RaceTri)
  • Ironman St. George 70.3
  • Ghost Town  (TriUtah)
  • Salem Spring  (RaceTri)
  • Sand Hollow S/O   (BBSC)
  • Daybreak S/O  (USTriSports)
  • Rock Cliff S/O  (RaceTri)
  • East Canyon S/O  (TriUtah)
  • DinoTri S/O
  • Echo S/O  (TriUtah)
  • Toughman Utah Half  (RaceTri)
  • Jordanelle S/O  (TriUtah)
  • Escape From Black Ridge  (RaceTri)

PLEASE NOTE!  To be "eligible" for the final Utah Tri Buzz rankings at the end of the season, you must have raced at least 3 Utah races... many of you have already done that, but if you haven't, take a look at the calendar and get one more in!  For example, Sep 10th is a huge day, with Yuba, Brineman, Kokopelli AND the Bear Lake Brawl all on the same day.

* Ranking is an average of your Overall %... so as a simple example if you placed 60th out of 100 in one race, 500th out of 1,000 in another, and 40th out of 100 in another, you average out to 50% for the three

So, under that criteria, here are men ages 40-49 & Clydesdale. As always, you can click on the pictures below to make them a little bigger.

If you're friends with someone on the list, please spread the word so they can bask in their much-deserved glory!




AG Rankings Round 1:

Utah Age Group Rankings: Local Pros & Rising Stars


Utah Age Group Rankings: Wonder Women Ages 25-39

Saturday, August 27, 2016

Utah Age Group Rankings (ROUND 2): Men 25-39

Here's an updated look at our not perfect, but hopefully interesting age group rankings thus far through the season.

The methodology is pretty simple:

Utah races only, updated through Jordanelle & Black Ridge

* To be eligible, must have raced at least 2 of the races listed below:
  • Icebreaker  (RaceTri)
  • Ironman St. George 70.3
  • Ghost Town  (TriUtah)
  • Salem Spring  (RaceTri)
  • Sand Hollow S/O   (BBSC)
  • Daybreak S/O  (USTriSports)
  • Rock Cliff S/O  (RaceTri)
  • East Canyon S/O  (TriUtah)
  • DinoTri S/O
  • Echo S/O  (TriUtah)
  • Toughman Utah Half  (RaceTri)
  • Jordanelle S/O  (TriUtah)
  • Escape From Black Ridge  (RaceTri)

PLEASE NOTE!  To be "eligible" for the final Utah Tri Buzz rankings at the end of the season, you must have raced at least 3 Utah races... many of you have already done that, but if you haven't, take a look at the calendar and get one more in!  For example, Sep 10th is a huge day, with Yuba, Brineman, Kokopelli AND the Bear Lake Brawl all on the same day.

* Ranking is an average of your Overall %... so as a simple example if you placed 60th out of 100 in one race, 500th out of 1,000 in another, and 40th out of 100 in another, you average out to 50% for the three

So, under that criteria, here are men ages 25-39. As always, you can click on the pictures below to make them a little bigger.

If you're friends with someone on the list, please spread the word so they can bask in their much-deserved glory!

























AG Rankings Round 1:

Utah Age Group Rankings: Local Pros & Rising Stars


Utah Age Group Rankings: Wonder Women Ages 25-39

Thursday, August 25, 2016

Jason Crompton: A Tribute

Sent by B.J. Christenson. Whether by commenting via this forum or on social media, please continue to add any stories you may have as well.

The local triathlon community was shocked early this week to learn of the tragic accident that took the life of one our communities’ greatest athletes. Jason was a fierce competitor and a staple at the local races finishing on the overall podium in nearly every race he entered. Those of us who knew him and raced with him are deeply sadden by this loss. Even though he lived in Wyoming I think those of us from Utah would gladly call him one of our own. I wanted to open this up for anyone to share their condolences and to write down any lasting memory you have of Jason so that it may be preserved for future generations to know a little bit more about this great man with the heart of a champion.

I first met Jason in Burley Idaho at the infamous Spudman Triathlon. I was running in college and the spudman was the only tri I did at the time. During the late 90’s Jason was my idol not only because of his amazing ability but because he had such charisma. He had long flowing locks of hair and big bushy sideburns and resembled a young Steve Prefontaine. At the time He and Aaron Olsen were always battling it out for the top spot in Burley. He won several years in a row and even Qualified and Competed in the Ironman World Championships in Kona HI. He was the king and I admired his tenacity and his burly looks. It would be several more years before I could compete at his level but he made me want to be better.

When I finished school I turned my focus to Triathlon and started to cut my teeth in the sport with Heath Thurston, Monte Still, Tom Thorum and many others. Jason had stopped racing at the time and it wouldn’t be until the Dino Tri a few years later that our paths would cross again. I remember riding the bus to the start and striking up a conversation with him and when I realized it was him he probably thought I was crazy how I went on and on about how awesome he was and how much I admired him. This was his transition back into the sport and it wasn’t long before he was back to his winning ways. For the next 5 years or so Jason would always be the guy to watch out for on race day.

Jason was the true age grouper who would work long hard laborious hours and fit in his training where he could. He didn’t geek out on all the fancy gear or toys that were flooding the market. He would race on feel, his ability, and his heart. He would always be approachable and often wear a costume or try some antic to get a rise out of people and truth be told some of the crap I do is because Jason would.

He understood that sport and fun do not have to be separate and that at the end of the day you went home and regular life was your priority. I never saw him lose his composure or treat any one with disrespect. Racing with Jason was truly a good time. You knew he would make you hurt when you did but it was always fun. I lost my fair share of races to him and never felt down because you knew you gave your best and losing to a friend like him, well never felt like a loss. Jason embodied all that is good about the sport of triathlon.

One experience in particular that makes me smile often is running the Halloween Half Marathon with him. On this particular occasion Jason wore a full Super Grover costume complete with fur and head piece. Imagine running 13.1 miles in essentially a theme park costume. Not only did he do it but I think he finished in the top 5 that day. When he got to the finish line he pulled the head piece off and threw up. His face was as red as a tomato and told me that that may not have been his best decision.

He was always up for a challenge and nothing seemed too hard. He gave everything he had at everything he did. I know he will be missed and I will miss our swapping of war stories at the finish line. You left us too early Jason but you certainly lived while you were here.

Mostly I hope we can all realize that life is so precious and short. I challenge us all to live a deeper and more fulfilling life in this loss. We all face obstacles and hardships. Be grateful for the opportunity to improve and live. I know I will strive to continue to do that very thing. Life is not fair sometimes and though I wish I could be reminded of how precious it is in a way other than this. You will not be forgotten my friend and will treasure each day even more because of you.


If you would like to add your condolences and stories please do. I would love to give them to his wife and children so they may see forever his impact.

Wednesday, August 24, 2016

Utah Age Group Rankings (ROUND 2): More Wonder Women

Here's an updated look at our not perfect, but hopefully interesting age group rankings thus far through the season.


The methodology is pretty simple:

Utah races only, updated through Jordanelle & Black Ridge

* To be eligible, must have raced at least 2 of the races listed below:
  • Icebreaker  (RaceTri)
  • Ironman St. George 70.3
  • Ghost Town  (TriUtah)
  • Salem Spring  (RaceTri)
  • Sand Hollow S/O   (BBSC)
  • Daybreak S/O  (USTriSports)
  • Rock Cliff S/O  (RaceTri)
  • East Canyon S/O  (TriUtah)
  • DinoTri S/O
  • Echo S/O  (TriUtah)
  • Toughman Utah Half  (RaceTri)
  • Jordanelle S/O  (TriUtah)
  • Escape From Black Ridge  (RaceTri)

PLEASE NOTE!  To be "eligible" for the final Utah Tri Buzz rankings at the end of the season, you must have raced at least 3 Utah races... many of you have already done that, but if you haven't, take a look at the calendar and get one more in!  For example, Sep 10th is a huge day, with Yuba, Brineman, Kokopelli AND the Bear Lake Brawl all on the same day.

* Ranking is an average of your Overall %... so as a simple example if you placed 60th out of 100 in one race, 500th out of 1,000 in another, and 40th out of 100 in another, you average out to 50% for the three

So, under that criteria, here are the rest of the women's age groups. As always, you can click on the picture below to make it a little bigger.

If you're friends with someone on the list, please spread the word so they can bask in their much-deserved glory!


AG Rankings Round 1:

Utah Age Group Rankings: Local Pros & Rising Stars


Utah Age Group Rankings: Wonder Women Ages 25-39

Monday, August 22, 2016

Utah Age Group Rankings (ROUND 2): Wonder Women 25-39

Here's an updated look at our not perfect, but hopefully interesting age group rankings thus far through the season.


The methodology is pretty simple:

Utah races only, updated through Jordanelle & Black Ridge

* To be eligible, must have raced at least 2 of the races listed below:
  • Icebreaker  (RaceTri)
  • Ironman St. George 70.3
  • Ghost Town  (TriUtah)
  • Salem Spring  (RaceTri)
  • Sand Hollow S/O   (BBSC)
  • Daybreak S/O  (USTriSports)
  • Rock Cliff S/O  (RaceTri)
  • East Canyon S/O  (TriUtah)
  • Echo S/O  (TriUtah)
  • Toughman Utah Half  (RaceTri)
  • Jordanelle S/O  (TriUtah)
  • Escape From Black Ridge  (RaceTri)

PLEASE NOTE!  To be "eligible" for the final Utah Tri Buzz rankings at the end of the season, you must have raced at least 3 Utah races... many of you have already done that, but if you haven't, take a look at the calendar and get one more in!  For example, Sep 10th is a huge day, with Yuba, Brineman, Kokopelli AND the Bear Lake Brawl all on the same day.

* Ranking is an average of your Overall %... so as a simple example if you placed 60th out of 100 in one race, 500th out of 1,000 in another, and 40th out of 100 in another, you average out to 50% for the three

So, under that criteria, here are women ages 25-39. As always, you can click on the picture below to make it a little bigger.

If you're friends with someone on the list, please spread the word so they can bask in their much-deserved glory!





AG Rankings Round 1:

Utah Age Group Rankings: Local Pros & Rising Stars


Utah Age Group Rankings: Wonder Women Ages 25-39

Saturday, August 20, 2016

Locals at Ironman Coeur d'Alene




Ironman Coeur d'Alene in northern Idaho takes place tomorrow. Good luck all!
photo credit Tiffany Kriss




Thursday, August 18, 2016

Utah Age Group Rankings (ROUND 2): Local Pros & Rising Stars

Here's an updated look at our not perfect, but hopefully interesting age group rankings thus far through the season.


The methodology is pretty simple:

Utah races only, updated through Jordanelle & Black Ridge

* To be eligible, must have raced at least 2 of the races listed below:
  • Icebreaker  (RaceTri)
  • Ironman St. George 70.3
  • Ghost Town  (TriUtah)
  • Salem Spring  (RaceTri)
  • Sand Hollow S/O   (BBSC)
  • Daybreak S/O  (USTriSports)
  • Rock Cliff S/O  (RaceTri)
  • East Canyon S/O  (TriUtah)
  • Echo S/O  (TriUtah)
  • Toughman Utah Half  (RaceTri)
  • Jordanelle S/O  (TriUtah)
  • Escape From Black Ridge  (RaceTri)

* PLEASE NOTE!  To be "eligible" for the final Utah Tri Buzz rankings at the end of the season, you must have raced at least 3 Utah races... many of you have already done that, but if you haven't, take a look at the calendar and get one more in!  For example, Sep 10th is a huge day, with Yuba, Brineman, Kokopelli AND the Bear Lake Brawl all on the same day.

* Ranking is an average of your Overall %... so as a simple example if you placed 60th out of 100 in one race, 500th out of 1,000 in another, and 40th out of 100 in another, you average out to 50% for the three

So, under that criteria, here are our local pros and youngsters. As always, you can click on the picture below to make it a little bigger.

If you're friends with someone on the list, please spread the word so they can bask in their much-deserved glory!





AG Rankings Round 1:

Utah Age Group Rankings: Local Pros & Rising Stars


Utah Age Group Rankings: Wonder Women Ages 25-39

Tuesday, August 16, 2016

Jordanelle Breakdown 2016

Assisted by a couple of number crunching fellow triathletes, we'll be breaking down 2016 results race by race. The idea is to show everyone's percentile for each discipline, which is simply your swim rank, bike rank, etc. divided by the # of total participants. That way you can better compare your performance from one race to the next. Lower # the better!

Special thanks to Sportstats for supplying the source data... visit here for the official results page, and contact here for any questions.

As always you can click on any of the snapshots below to make them a little bigger.

OLYMPIC  

just to clarify, overall times beginning in 2 hrs, as in winning time was 2:12:30




SPRINT  

just to clarify, overall times beginning in 1 hrs, as in winning time was 1:05:33




Monday, August 15, 2016

Don't Mess With Sam Hobi!

Sam Hobi has had a meteoric rise since doing his first triathlon in 2013. Among other things, here he talks about life lessons from the sport, his journey to Kona, and beating down a would-be car jacker in a Whole Foods parking lot.

Thanks for the time, Sam, and best of luck at the World Champs!

What’s your athletic background and how did you get into triathlon?

Three sport athlete in high school (football, wrestling, and track - hurdles and mid-distance sprints) and continued football throughout college. About 10 years into my professional career, I began supplimenting my weight training with some running for fitness, which I did in ernest for about a summer. After re-locating to Utah I fell into short-course triathlon in 2013 and then full Ironman races last year. I knew very little about the sport. Initial impressions: The swim is awful; This sport is too expensive; How can other people swim so fast; Races here are all on Saturday (sweet!); How much is that bike? The swim is killing me; This is sooooo fun!

As you may remember I swam with you and mutual friend Jackie Muterspaugh once at Black Ridge… at the time you were a self-proclaimed “terrible swimmer” but I think that was an exaggeration ;) That said, what do you most attribute to your vast improvement in the water?

I've come to appreciate that swimming is a high-skill sport requiring good technique, properly structured workouts, and a lot of practice to improve. During the summer of 2013, my first year in this sport where I raced short-course, swimming was my glaring weakness and I became fixated on getting better. Over the past two years, I have had a good coach and a good group to swim with regularly. I think the instruction, good surroundings, and my eagerness have all played a role. It's the most technical aspect of triathlon and for beginners it's likely love-hate. But patience and a steady approach will bear fruit. I must say that this journey of learning to swim has been quite fulfilling.

After getting into the sport, how soon did Kona become a big goal for you? Did you believe it was possible right away, and if not, when did that belief set in?

My first consideration about Kona came from my then swim instructor, now triathlon coach, Wes Johnson. One day, after a master's swim session, he said, "I can get you to Kona in two years." I honestly didn't understand the reference. "What's Kona?", I asked myself. Given some success at short-course and a reassuring first half Ironman (St. George) in 2014, I began to believe it was possible. I had the motivation, the support, and was willing to make time for the two-year commitment. From then it took two years and two months.

To address your question of belief, from time to time after setting the goal I did experience moments of doubt. "How can someone who can barely swim without a distance running background who hasn't been on a bike since he was a teenager qualify for the Ironman World Championship?" Not to mention the reality of supporting and raising a large family. During such moments, I leaned on my wife, my coach, and the lessons I'd learned through past experiences for grounding and then simply continued to work. My confidence grew considerably after Ironman Florida in November of last year (my second IM) - where I was in the money for a Kona slot until I ate something disagreeable, causing vomiting and a lot of walking the last 10 miles and finished 12th.

Ironman is a big commitment, why do you do it? What made you consider Kona?

A couple reasons. First I have sought Kona to prove to myself, and to show my family that big goals can be accomplished. In the big picture, Ironman is a small thing, but can become bigger by teaching principles required for a successful life. So seeking Kona has served to remind me of this connection while providing regular practice to internalize such principles. From this journey, I hope to help my family to understand and to improve in similar ways.

The more personal reasons are spiritual in nature. As funny as it might sound, I have sought Kona to experience God; to see if we could do it together. In the past with me, the bigger the challenge, the more I focus, the more I feel God, and the more we accomplish. Yet I was unsure whether He'd give me this one. Although there have been periods during this journey where I haven't felt Him near, I have experienced on the other hand sweet moments with the heavens while training and racing. This spititual reward is a real motivation for me. It also helps me leave the results to the heavens, buckle down and focus on the process--where I tend to find Him anyway. This rapport I hold quite close to my heart, which started during my teenage years when I began my personal walk with God.

What were your emotions throughout the debacle and afterwards that was IM Texas in May? (the shortened bike course, swim venue change, storms, pulling people the course, etc)

The shortened bike course caused initial angst given my relative strength on the bike. The swim course change I saw as a positive change given the fewer turns. (on the contrary it turned out to be quite a rough swim). Either way, I had little issue with the course by race start. We all had the same course to race. Fortunately for me, I finished before the storm hit leaving me to internet stalk my friends still on the course while trying to gauge the storm severity from my comfortable hotel room--yeah, not fair, I know.

The race result for me at IMTX was instructive and humbling. Once more, I was positioned safely for a Kona slot before bonking towards the end of the run caused by a nutritional mis-step made on the bike. After understanding this reason, I felt quite disappointed that since starting Ironman last year, I had made significant nutritional mistakes on each of my races. I was now 0 for 3. So, now what? I had signed up for Ironman Florida again but that wasn't until November--after Kona. The day after the race I learned that Vineman was not only on Saturday, but also still open for registration. By that evening, I had signed up. Time to revisit the plan and try again.

On the flip side, how sweet was it when you learned you had KQ'd at Vineman? Did they make you wait until the day after to find out for sure?

I knew I finished third soon after crossing the tape and that the slots went three deep after an unofficial conversation with a race director. I let time go by to ensure the place stuck given the staggered swim start. By the evening I felt confident of my ticket. It has taken a bit to set in, I'm surprised to say. What's helping here is the number of people who seem interested, who congratulate me (even if we're almost strangers). I'm obviously looking forward to it.

Were you aware of your AG placing through the race and were there any head-to-head battles? Looking at the results, you beat a fellow M4044 by 7 seconds... was that the difference or did he qualify as well?

I raced my own race until mile 18 of the run when I counter attacked a man passing me. I had moved from fourth to second on the run by this point, but I assumed I was still fourth. As he slowly edged by me my first thought was that letting him go I was moving to fifth--most definitely out of the Kona allocation. I asked him a couple questions including whether it was his last lap (and it definitely was). I gathered that he was on the edge and I believed that I could break him so I picked up the pace and dropped him until mid-way through the 23rd mile when his steady-eddy approach came through (I probably should have remembered the tortoise and the hare fable). The move almost cost me Kona as I needed to collect myself from the effort running some slow miles mixed with walking (one at a snail-like pace of 10:22 min). In the end, I estimate it cost me 3-5 minutes. So in hindsight, the move was a bit too early, which, combined with skipping half of the aid stations in the process led to the short circuit. I had to dig deep, focusing on my oldest daughter, to push through it and eventually put the wheels back on. God was truly good to me here. I can see Him quite clearly in this part of my race. This man took second. The man I beat by 8 seconds crossed the finish line before me given he began the swim sooner. He also qualified gaining a roll-down slot from the winner of our age group.

Vineman appears to be a popular race among Utahns (~70 competed this year). For those considering it in the future, what can you tell us about the course?

Vineman is a picturesque course. The Russian River is a quaint sitting at the base of tree-filled surrounding hills. The water level is shallow and for years has been wetsuit legal. The bike is touted as one of the most beautiful on the circuit taking you through the rolling hills of the Northern California wine country. Much of the run course offers similar views. The bike gives you about 4,000 feet of climbing and the run 1,000. This year's run course was altered to a three- vs. a two-loop course as in years past. I'm unsure what next year's will be. The two transition areas sit about 15 miles apart which extend your pre-race prep and make spectating more challenging for family and friends. It's still typical Ironman, yet the race had a comfortable, almost small-race feel.

Similarly, any advice for people doing it next year?

On balance, it's a challenging, but not overwhelming course, relatively near home for those in the Intermountain West, offering a wetsuit swim, mild weather and a managable path to finishing--even for beginners. If considering, train with hills on both the bike and from time-to-time on the run--luckily something almost unavoidable for most Utahns. I imagine this race growing in popularity so sign up as soon as practical.

Occasionally I'll see posts related to nutrition from you on FB. How important do you consider healthy eating to your performance?

Over this past year, I have learned that the constraint for improvement for me in Ironman isn't training necessarily, but recovery. Healthful eating, along with sleep, became the two critical elements for quick and meaningful recovery. I've eaten well for years so I needed few adjustments for successful triathlon fueling--save making sure I had enough nutrition, which has caused me to consider meat and dairy from time to time vs. my more strict regimen.
the precious

On a similar note, rumor has it you got into a knife fight in a Whole Foods parking lot. Is this true? Was some cretin trying to steal your fresh veggies??

Yeah, I sure didn't expect my car to get jacked at my local Whole Foods. After getting out of the car, I was immediately appoached by a man with sun glasses, hat, baggy clothes, a knife, and a strong stench of alcohol.

After realizing his intentions some words were exchanged, some shoving, and eventual jostling in the front seat before he got the hint that he wasn't getting my car--besides, my bike was in the back! Fortunately my son and property were safe and I sustained only a sliced upper hand and the loss of some sleep. I missed most of my much anticipated race-simulation the next day as a result, a bummer at the time, but little else was affected. So be careful shopping at Whole Foods while driving a 14-year old car with a broken bumper--apparently a magnet for the not-so-skilled car jackers.

What do you think it takes to make it to Kona?

First of all you have to find purpose in the journey. It's a lot of work and time, which wears on you especially if Kona is the only motivation. Beyond the love for the sport, I have considered a few elements that have at least helped me. I call them the three "Cs": commitment, consistency, and coaching. You need to structure your life to a considerable extent around the sport if you seek to race at a high level-- particularly true if you have little or no experience in the sport.

Consistent effort in diet, training, and recovery has kept me improving. I have not taken any meaningful breaks. By mid-week following an Ironman I'm itching and back in the pool. This approach fits my personality I suppose and isn't for everyone, but I think the point is that taking long breaks or training inconsistently fails to provide the necessary base for the long distance. Finally, coaching matters. I had a hard time convincing myself of the value given my confidence in my prior sports experience/knowledge and that Ironman is quite straight forward: just go straight as fast as you can. But I have learned that even though the sport requires less coordination and technical skill (outside of the swim) than many mainstream American sports, Ironman racing is punishing and deceptively strategic, requiring a wise training plan and a thoughtful approach.



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