Race Coverage
'Each Mile Seemed Longer Than the Last"....
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Saturday, 21 October 2023 00:10
By Terri Jaksha
2023 Kona Ironman World Chamionship Race Report - The day started with a 3:15 alarm and 4:10 shuttle ride to the race site. I didn’t use personal needs bags (available at halfway points on bike & run), so I went to body marking to get race tattoos applied. Next stop was my bike on the pier to pump tires (with my electric pump) and add water bottles & computer. Then I waited an hour near porta potties, dropped morning bag, lined up with my age group (55 - 59) and watched the pro women take off. Lots of energy as we made our way into the water, treading water until our horn sounded at 6:50.
The swim was beautiful and felt wavy but fast. A few collisions, but nothing major. I finished with my fastest Ironman swim time ever… 1:18:22.
My first transition was 12:56. I spent a lot of time rinsing the salt water off and putting sunscreen on in prep for the hot bike. I skipped the aero helmet and went with a more vented option with new Roka shades. Glad I did!
It was a long run around the pier to grab my bike and head out. Saw Cari at the beginning.
We rode in town a few miles then headed out on the Queen K Hwy. I started off faster than expected (17.5 mph). But as the day heated up and climb to Hawi wore me down, my average slipped to 15.5 mph (still my fastest Ironman pace). I couldn’t get comfortable on the aero bars thanks to recent injuries - this caused extra sore & fatigued neck & shoulders.
I stayed on track with BASE salt, water, and nutrition (Maurten gels, apple sauce, and maple syrup). I grabbed water at each aid station, filling my front bottle and dumping the rest on me to cool down. Happy with my PR of 7:17:43! ...
Arigato & Ganbanhte...
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Friday, 13 October 2023 00:10
By Tim Bontrager
I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to spend the summer/fall of 2022 in Japan and do a few triathlons. I’ve got a pair of races that I think should be on every triathlete’s short list of “destination races”. If anyone has questions about scheduling a trip, or questions about racing in Japan please feel free to contact me and I’ll be happy to assist. \
Lake Nojiriko Triathlon – Olympic Distance
Have you ever wanted to do switchbacks on a bike? What about on the run? Set in a national park in Lake Nojiri on the outskirts of Nagano, the Lake Nojiriko triathlon offers a challenging Olympic distance course with a small-town feel. Bring a road bike and get ready to do some punchy climbs and technical descents! Signup: http://nojiriko-triathlon.com/, signup is only available in Japanese. I used Google Translate and was able to figure it out.
How to access: Fly into Tokyo. If you are planning on exploring the country while you’re there, I would ship your bike to the race using a takkyubin service (Sagawa will for sure take bikes, the other services might not). Then, you can take a train/bus to Nojiri, or you could train to Nagano and then rent a car for the rest of your time. Alternatively, you could rent a car in Tokyo and drive the 3.5 hours to Nojiri....
Highways to Hell & Patience...
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Sunday, 08 October 2023 00:10
By Brandon Lee
Ironman Chattanooga Race Report - Absolutely the most fun at a race I’ve ever had. Having so many people I love being at the event was so special and I can’t thank you all enough. @megklef @mergemultisport @lee_cj777 @adamlee3642 @kelceyrae08 you guys are the best.
The Tennessee River did not disappoint, and I felt like a pro swimmer swimming 1:07/100yard. The extra 4 miles on the bike course and notoriously hard run makes up for that fast swim.
Transitioned well and took off like a rocket on the bike, trying to get out with a pack of guys who were all riding similar speeds. Power felt great all day, and I stayed about 15-20 watts higher than our plan, but knowing I was out in front I decided to roll the dice a bit. Mile 80 I was still feeling good so kept pressing on, heart rate started to elevate a bit as it got hot on the back half of the course, and I was starting to get a little nervous for the run. I knew I was probably in the top 5 overall when I got close to town as I had a moto following me in, that gave me an extra mental push to finish strong and transition to the run.
Saw coach at the run out, he was cheering and told me to just let other people blow up and stay patient. My legs felt great immediately and didn’t have any trouble holding 7:10-7:20 pace. Again rolled the dice on the pace, thinking I put myself in a pretty good position to have a day out there. I had a feeling I was probably in 4th or 5th place overall, but I wasn’t focusing on that. I know this course and I knew how hot that second loop would get....
Fluffy Cows, Insane Climbs & Mount Rushmore...
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Sunday, 01 October 2023 00:10
By Noah BIllings
Wildlife Loop Triathlon Race Report - When I was younger, I was very shy. When I started doing tri, I got a bit more outgoing. I think that it helped me socially because I liked the feeling of confidence and accomplishment that I gained....
Dreamy Bike Course & Forgetful Legs...
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Thursday, 21 September 2023 00:10
By Dani Treise
Incredible day at 70.3 Michigan!
8th place with an overall and bike PR!
The chilly morning and water temps added a challenge to the swim, but I made it through and I could still feel my fingers by the end!
The bike course was a dream, with pretty roads and the much welcomed company of @astrehlow16 (Annamarie Strehlow). We worked together on the way back to town to keep the gap down to the chase pack and I was thrilled to push my best power and have fun working hard.
My run legs didn’t know quite what to do after that bike unfortunately, but I gave it my best shot and held on and was happy a tight hamstring leading into the race stayed at bay...
Fog & Bittersweetness...
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Tuesday, 19 September 2023 00:10
ONE LAST TRI COVERAGE - Bittersweet. The final tri of the season. This year's OLT Olympic and Sprint participants, 256 of whom crossed the finish line, were greeted with fog and coolish temps. We know that much. We weren't there, but it's fun to analyze results. Here's what we think happened, starting with the Olympic race. Two of our state's fastest guys, actually our state's hands-down fastest guy, PRESTON YOUNGDAHL and perennial podium finisher SAMUEL HAUCK separated themselves from the rest of the field shortly after the start. They swam fast, them Dr. Sam started cranking out 25+ mphs on his bike. Youngdahl started to crank his signature 27+ mphs, but somewhere along the line something went terribly wrong for Preston. He was passed by gaggles of triathletes and would have to run his way into the Top 5.
Meanwhile Hauck, who won this race convincingly --by 9:12--in 2018 in a brisk 1:58:09, was even faster and his margin convincinger than last time. He finished in 1:56:13, and had 18:09 to recover and rehydrate before the runner-up officialized his performance...
