Friday, July 10, 2020

New Adventure Every Day: Interview with Utah Pro Nick Chase


Year to date Utah's only open water tri has been The Doughboy, three weeks ago in Beaver. Would you have guessed that the winner of this friendly, grassroots event was on the pro podium of Ironman Chattanooga last year?

 Us neither, but hey, you race where you can in a pandemic! We had the chance to meet Nick Chase at said Doughboy, and this St. George-based pro graciously accepted our interview request.

 You can learn more about Nick thru his website (racechase.org) and other links at the end of the interview. Thanks for the time Nick!



 What’s your athletic background and how did you get into triathlon? What/where was your first race?

 Athletic background… well, I mowed lawns when I was 14-18 and worked at a pizza place! I never played anything but some light soccer in middle school. I raced a lot of 4-wheelers, snowboarded, powerlifted and kiteboarded… then one day, I was 22 and ran my first marathon. WOW, that was painful and the next year, I ran again… but that was really it.

 I joined the US Air Force around 19 years of age and excelled in running for physical training but never really thought I could do something with it. My first race was way back in 2011, a sprint triathlon called Escape from Ft. Desoto in St. Petersburg, Florida.

When did it occur to you that you had the chops to become a pro triathlete and how/where did you actually qualify to make it happen?

 I would say after I started winning races in 2012 and then on a national level, earning top 5 placement in 70.3 events. I qualified for my elite license in 2012 and waited until 2014 to accept!

 What do you like most about the pro triathlete lifestyle?

 I live a new adventure every single day. Not only that, but I am able to explore my mind and body via endurance sports. We all want to find out how far we can push ourselves… or how much we can suffer.

Where are you from originally and what attracted you to St. George? How long have you been in Utah now?

 I’m originally from Grand Blanc, Michigan. I spent 13 years in the Air Force but mostly lived in Florida. After racing here in St. George over the last 3 years and spending a lot of time on the west coast, my wife and I knew we needed a place to grow and explore. Now, we couldn’t imagine NOT being here in Utah.

 What’s your favorite/most memorable race performance of your triathlon career thus far?

 Last year I finally made the podium at Ironman Chattanooga after a hard fought day in over 100 degree heat. I had TV cameras on me for most of the race and found my epic state of flow! That was honestly something I had dreams of for so long… finally validating all of my hard work over the years.

Theoretically what’s on your schedule for 2020 and are you optimistic that some will get the green light? Which races do you feel have a better chance of running than others?

 Right now I’m hoping Ironman St. George will be the kick-off… if not, there might be more in October. Maybe Shanghai, Cabo, Cozumel or Patagonman XTRI. In the mean time I will look to knock out my first 100k trail race in the Tushar Mountains… because, why not. Maybe I will try for the Yuba Half as well here in Utah!

 EDITOR'S NOTE: sadly it was just announced that local races Yuba (8/22) as well as Jordanelle (8/8) have bitten the dust... 
Top 20 from St. George 70.3 2019

 What are your thoughts on the Ironman St. George venue & course?

 It’s why we moved here. It’s one of the toughest 70.3 distance races and is still one of the toughest 140.6 courses around. Of course, I want to live where I can race! We are a product of our environment!

 Where were you stationed throughout your time in the Air Force, and how has your Air Force career helped you as a triathlete?

 I was mainly in Florida but was deployed to Iraq a few times. My business sense has been incredibly boosted via Air Force experience. I am more of an entrepreneur than I ever knew I was, building new sponsor relationships, running a podcast and creating fun and meaningful content. Also, the Air Force allowed me an opportunity to manage huge projects and manage people…so as a coach I certainly thrive.

Who are some of your friendly rivals on the pro circuit, who do you find yourself battling a lot on race day? What 3-5 pros make up your dream list of beating one day?

 I want to beat my best pal Jackson Laundry, but mostly so we could laugh about it! I also would love to race toe to toe with Sebastian Kienle and be able to hold my own. A few others would be Justin Metzler and Lionel Sanders on their best days.

 Anything else you’d like to share?

 I’d like to offer some advice to athletes who dream for Kona as if it’s the only thing that matters. Kona is of course something to strive for if you want to compete with the best in the world, however there is SO much more to the triathlon journey. I’ve seen it time and time again… great experiences overshadowed by Kona. While I certainly respect the journey and end-goal, there are thousands of smaller goals that drive us… they may be even more valuable.

Performance can sometimes overshadow the experience because even if you make top 3 at a heavily contested race… it wasn’t Kona. Triathletes are big critics of themselves and I want to make sure all success stories are celebrated and given proper acknowledgement.

 Focus on the best journey possible and strive to make each day count… and before you know it, maybe you’ll get there because you focused on the joy of competition. 


Chase Nick if you can!





2020 has been a mess... but "since
when are you the quitting kind?"



POPULAR LINKS

LATEST AGE GROUP RANKINGS --> HERE
CHAMPIONSHIP BELT HOLDERS --> HERE
MOST IMPROVED TRIATHLETES --> HERE
TOP LOCAL RACER AWARDS --> HERE
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR AWARDS --> HERE
IMSG 2020 "COUNTY COMPETITION" --> HERE

UTAH TRIATHLON HISTORY 101 --> HERE


Sadly it's now clear there won't be enough events for a 2020 Series Championship, but don't give up!  We'll come back with a vengeance in 2021.

UTAH TRIATHLON CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES 2020 DETAILS -->  HERE !
Below are links to all remaining potential races of the original 2020 Series:


Thinking about Lasik or have other eye health needs?
Dr. Brice Williams is offering some incredible
deals for fellow Utah Tri Buzz readers
www.claysonwilliamseyecenter.com




Local triathlete Steve Monson has a stellar reputation
as one of Utah's finest financial advisors
www.edwardjones.com



www.trentperry.com



We started a Patreon account (link below) with the hope of raising a few bucks towards awards & swag for athletes of all abilities in our tri community. We've given out a lot over the past 3 years, but would like to continue to expand our offerings & the volume we can do.

If you enjoy Utah Tri Buzz and would like to pitch in, any amount would be greatly appreciated... (there may be something in it for you as well!)


We're also always grateful for talented people who contribute in terms of time... let us know if you'd like to be part of the Utah Tri Buzz team.



HISTORICAL U.T.B.
"BELT HOLDERS"


Interviews



























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Friday, June 5, 2020

The Doughboy is On! Interview with RD Ryan Wells


Been itching to get back out there?? Here's a super chill but legit way to do so... the Doughboy is on! The Doughboy offers sprint and olympic distances, takes place in rural Beaver, and is a laid back, fun event for all ability levels.

 Given its location combined with precautionary measures, the Doughboy still has the green light from local leaders to take place on June 20th. Hope to see you there!

What’s your background with triathlon and the inspiration behind this race?

 Some friends got me to try the Spudman a few years ago. Before the race, this guy could tell that I had no idea what I was doing, and he generously gave me all kinds of help and advice. After the race my wife says to me, “you know that guy who was helping you? He won the race.” [later found out it was local legend BJ Christenson] That’s when I learned just how awesome the triathlon community is.

I love to bike, but I’m not a runner, and I’m not really a swimmer either. Last year I did a couple Olympics and St. George 70.3. People I work with were mocking me at St. George with a wheelchair waiting for me.

 Some of them said things like “I would love to try this, but I’m scared of open water,” or “I don’t have a fancy bike,” etc… the normal fears people have at first. One of them mentioned they would try a race if they could have some form of assistance in the water, and from there the idea was born… let’s go create our own!

My dad lives in Beaver, and I went fishing with him one day at Minersville reservoir. I thought it was a great venue and approached the county authorities about putting on a race. They were very supportive from the start. Last year was the first year and it was such a fun event.

 What makes the Doughboy unique? Who is this race for?

 We try to make it as friendly as possible. It’s a really chill, no pressure environment. We put people’s names on their legs, not numbers. In place of orange buoys are inflatable unicorns and flamingos to swim around. Barbecue at the finish line.

Some people go all out, and we want to support fast people as well as beginners. The Doughboy is for anyone who has the right attitude that this race is purely for fun. The first wave of the Olympic and Sprint are more hard core, for people who want to let it rip, get in a hard training session, etc.

 The next wave is the “get your feet wet” participants, who are allowed to use whatever they want in terms of flotation devices, fins, etc. if they choose.
local legend BJ Christenson

 Other races have been cancelled - how confident are you that yours will take place in two weeks?

 We’ve worked closely with Beaver city and county. When covid came out, we were like “ok what do we do?” We were in wait and see mode like everyone else. As of now though, we’re looking good and have the support of all stakeholders.

 We’ll be following CDC and the governor’s guidelines. We’ll have hand sanitizer at the start, packet pickup, etc. We won’t have a massive field, but we’ll still stagger the start and otherwise practice social distancing.

We met with officials again this week, and they’re excited. Unless something major happens over the next 1-2 weeks, it’s a go. That said there’s a full money back guarantee of your $30 if it can’t go or you don’t feel comfortable.

A recurring dream triathletes often have is everything going wrong on race morning: forgetting stuff, running out of time, etc. What would you recommend in terms of logistics and timing for people to be ready to go?

 Packet pick up is Friday 5-8 at Pioneer Park (450 E 300 N Beaver), but if people communicate with me ahead of time we can arrange for morning of. You’ll need to drop off run stuff at T2, and it’s a 13 mile drive to T1 at the reservoir.

 Olympic starts at 8:00, Sprint at 9:00. A lot of people drive out to the lake with a family member or friend, then that person meets them at the finish line. We can coordinate rides in small groups though as needed, hop in the back of a pickup, etc.

At Minersville lake there’s also a campsite if you like that option for the night before.

 What can you tell us about the venue and the course?

 Minersville is about a mile across and couple miles long – a good open water lake without being too overwhelming. The bike course is a false flat (very slight incline) from the reservoir to Beaver, then a few slight “climbs” but for the most part flat. I’d have my 6 year old ride it.

 The run is changing a bit, I need to update the site so stay tuned! The Olympic will have a different loop through town than the sprint.

Anything else you’d like to share?

 I’m an accountant by trade, doing something like this is not in my wheelhouse. There are a lot of people who made this a success last year – thank you to the participants and locals in Beaver. Hope to meet more of you soon!

 Register here!
Contact Ryan at (385) 350-5811


POPULAR LINKS

LATEST AGE GROUP RANKINGS --> HERE
CHAMPIONSHIP BELT HOLDERS --> HERE
MOST IMPROVED TRIATHLETES --> HERE
TOP LOCAL RACER AWARDS --> HERE
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR AWARDS --> HERE
IMSG 2020 "COUNTY COMPETITION" --> HERE

UTAH TRIATHLON HISTORY 101 --> HERE

UTAH TRIATHLON CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES 2020 DETAILS -->  HERE !
Below are links to all the races in the 2020 Championship Series:


Thinking about Lasik or have other eye health needs?
Dr. Brice Williams is offering some incredible
deals for fellow Utah Tri Buzz readers
www.claysonwilliamseyecenter.com




Local triathlete Steve Monson has a stellar reputation
as one of Utah's finest financial advisors
www.edwardjones.com



www.trentperry.com



We started a Patreon account (link below) with the hope of raising a few bucks towards awards & swag for athletes of all abilities in our tri community. We've given out a lot over the past 3 years, but would like to continue to expand our offerings & the volume we can do.

If you enjoy Utah Tri Buzz and would like to pitch in, any amount would be greatly appreciated... (there may be something in it for you as well!)


We're also always grateful for talented people who contribute in terms of time... let us know if you'd like to be part of the Utah Tri Buzz team.



HISTORICAL U.T.B.
"BELT HOLDERS"


Interviews



























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