Year of the Triathlon

Thankfully 2016 is in the books and we can move on to what is sure to be an interesting 2017. A new president, a new age group for me (60+), my phased-in-retirement begins in late April (4 day work weeks) and a few of us crazily agreed to make the Lake Placid half-ironman our season goal. Jan, myself, Mike and Eileen W are doing the full distance 70.3m race and Joanne and Lou K are doing a relay.

The mindset of becoming a long-distance triathlete instead of just a runner has already begun for Jan and myself. We began swimming in earnest during December and added some biking on our indoor trainers. I have missed the dead leg feeling you get after biking and then trying to run (not). The race isn't until September 10th, but we feel there is much to work on.

To this end I have ten goals to achieve (by around 2-3pm) on September 10;

1. Make swimming 2,000 yards during my pool workouts the norm.
2. Once Canandiagua Lake warms up swims there have to be at least 2 miles. No more .5-1 mile and then have a couple of beers. I don't want to come out of Mirror Lake on 9/10 feeling exhausted.
3. Possibly do the Keuka Lake triathlon in June.
4. Do the Musselman sprint triathlon on July 15.
5. Continue doing a few running races, particularly the Rochester Runner of the Year races  now that I'm in a new age group.
6. By March I want my long bike ride to be at least 50 miles once per week.
7. Run a half-marathon before June.
8. At least once in July & August bike around Canandaigua Lake (about 45 miles) after swimming 2 miles in the lake.
9. Complete the 70.3 mile race at Lake Placid. I'm not really concerned with time, though I would love to finish faster than the one other time I completed this distance (at Tupper Lake, NY).
10. I want to enjoy the process of training.

The Problem with Triathlons

I swam at MCC during lunch today, unfortunately this is the last week of lap swimming here. I used a buoy and averaged about 1 minute faster per 300 yards. Typical for me and similar to wearing a wetsuit in a race.

No music at the pool, so my mind was wandering and this is what I came up with;

In biking you can get a lightweight bike, spend $2000 on wheels, aero bars, etc, still be legal, and cream people of similar ability riding lesser bikes. Swimming many times you can wear a wetsuit and be legal, save energy and float easier, move faster with less effort.

But when running all you can wear are lightweight racers, maybe save a few seconds, otherwise…no aids. This is why running is the purer sport. It’s not up to my wallet to make me faster. Train hard, consistently, don’t get hurt and you might get faster.

Biking and swimming, open my wallet, spend money, instant speed.

This doesn't mean I am against triathlons. My long range plans may include a 2012 attempt at completing a half-ironman again. I would like to make the finish line once. It does mean I have little chance of truly being competitive in my age group though, with guys spending $5000 plus on their bikes versus my $900. Really, what other sport gives you this option? Golf I guess?

Sister Madonna Buder

Sister Madonna Buder, known as the Iron Nun, has completed more than 40 Ironman races and 325 triathlons in the last 30 years. She is now 80 and still competing.

She’s making plans to race in the Boston Marathon next month.

In 2005, at age 75, she became the oldest woman to ever complete the Hawaii Ironman, finishing a full hour before the 17-hour cut-off.

In 2009 she broke her own record as the oldest woman to complete the Ironman distance by finishing the Ironman Canada with a time of 16 hours and 54 minutes.

Sister Buder has faced many difficulties, from broken bones to a bicycle accident that almost kept her from competing in the Boston Marathon in 2009. She has always managed to push through the hard times. While still recovering from her accident, she finished the Boston Marathon in 4 hours and 42 minutes, .

These days Sister Buder has a pair of running shoes to go with every outfit. (and I thought Mike W was the only person who did this).

“When I was younger my mother used to say, ‘why don’t you act your age,’ and now I’m glad I never did.” she said. “You may age, but you don’t have to grow up.”

Read more: http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/03/17/2120156/no-ordinary-nun.html#ixzz1GxhXSjdp

As the World Turns

Funny how things work out. A few years ago Eileen and Jan decided to do their first triathlon. Lou joined in, because, well, he's Lou and will try anything we tell him to.

Mike, who happens to be married to Eileen, wanted nothing to do with a triathlon, except he whole-heartedly, well, half-heartedly, supported Eileen in this new endeavor.

After a couple of years Mike decided he would learn to swim too. A year later he bought a new bike so he could ride with Eileen.

Now Mike is the driving force behind three Sals members participating in an indoor tri this Sunday. Super Bowl Sunday, when most guys are prepping their deep fryers for the chicken wings, smathering steaks with home-made sauce and tasting beer and scotch by the big-screen tv. Mike, Al and Lou (as I said, Lou will do anything) will be swimming indoors, biking on a stationary bike and running on a 150meter banked track at the Rochester Downtown Y tri. How Mike ever got Al to do this is beyond comprehension. My image of Al as the commonsense leader among Sals is blown. This one small step may eventually lead to 1/2 IM's (ask Eileen and Jan) and full blown IM's (ask Jan).

Fortunately I will be home on Super Sunday, loading up my nachos with peppers and salsa. Go Pittsburgh! Or Green Bay! (really, I don't care too much who wins this year).

Triathlon Life Magazine

The first question is why does this magazine come to me, but not Jan? I have completed one triathlon, a sprint, while she has done many sprint distance tris, two half-ironmans and will be competing at Lake Placid IM in 2009.

But I did read the newest issue and was surprised by the number of Rochester area triathletes mentioned throughout the magazine. Also, another local connection, Jeff Henderson, race director of the Musselman triathlon, had an article about carbon footprints.

Heidi Grimm, formerly of Rochester, now from Colorado Springs, finished 15th in the ITU Long Distance World Championship in August.

Carl Johnston, of Ontario, NY, won the USA Sprint National Championship masters division at Trumansburg, NY on August 3. Tom Dutton of Livonia, NY won the Grandmaster division. Travis Kuhl, who competes in many Rochester area tris and du's, won the 30-34 age group. Dennis Moriarty won the 50-54 age group.

At the USAT age group Olympic Distance championship, held in Oregon on September 20, Curt Eggers of Henrietta finished 3rd in the 50-54 division. Tom Dutton finished 2nd in the 60-64 division.

These results prove the Rochester NY area has a lot of talented triathletes.