HUNTINGTON BEACH TRIATHLON

Hi gang....hope all is well. Thanks for all the comments about the 32 year anniversary with The Bride. You know what they say. "Its a marathon, not a sprint". A marathon withouts Gu's Gatorades, and timing chips. The object is to enjoy the experience, and we have!!!

Training this week featured, very hot weather, which I used to do long runs in the heat of the day, pumping more water through me than the Hoover dam. I had 2 upper body workouts, one leg set. Swam 3 different times and one of which, I re-discovered Memorial Pool in my hometown of Euclid. Each swim workout was 2,400 yards. Tweaking technique and trying like the dickens to become Total Immersion Telich. I feel a little faster, stronger in the water.

Raced on Sunday at Huntington Beach in Bay Village. In all my years in the sport, this is the first time I have done this sprint. Quarter mile swim, 12 mile bike and 5k run. Huntington Beach is very, very nice. In a way, I was feeling the good vibes of my longtime t.v. colleague and late friend Casey Coleman. Case passed away in Nov of 06. Can't believe its been almost 2 years.

Thats us just a week before he passed. Case grew up in Bay and spent alot of time at the beach, getting into all kinds of trouble, I can presume. He often went there as he was dying from cancer with his wife Mary. So, Sunday morning, I kinda took Case along for the ride, in a spiritual kinda way, I guess.

I was one of the first ones at the park at about 6:45. I was able to sign up and get my stuff all set in transistion. The Red Cannondale was itching to race as it was 3 weeks since the Half Ironman. My recent workouts concentrated on more biking and I knew this could help me stay strong in the aero position and race hard. Saw Trisaratops, who had some girls from Rocky River High racing. Sara was excited for the girls and I met all of them, wished them well. TriEric was racing. he had gotten in an hour run before the race but still looked fresh and ready to rip. A girl next to me was racing for the first time. She was understandable nervous. I talked to her and her parents and told he she would do well.

The water was flat, 73 degrees. I opted for no wetsuit. Good decision. Was in the 4th wave ..Mens 55-59, Clydesdales and teams. It was a beach start. I was one of the first in as we ran about 4o yards into the water before stroking. Found my rythmn pretty well. Not congested at all. Exited the water at 7mins, 30 seconds...then a run up an incline...a distance of about , I don't know..maybe 300 yards..I'm guessing.

On the bike, I quickly settled in a hammered strong the entire way. Passed alot of racers from previous waves. Back tire seems to be a little mushy on couple of turns!!! Shoot!!! I had pumped both up at 6am... Luckily not many turns... We headed west to Avon Lake, into a little wind but not bad. Stayed aero.. Hamstring was doing okay.

Got back to T2 and got into my running shoes and TYR cap and took off. Wanted to hit a 8 min per mile pace. Found my groove pretty quickly and pushed the pace. I can honestly say, perhaps only3 or 4 racers passed me on the run. The bricks I have been doing helped. At about 2.5 miles I picked up the pace even more. Got fooled near the end as I approached the finish. TriEric and Aimee were cheering for me. Eric said "Just one little loop back that way and back up under the road". What??? Okay, I pushed even more. Saw a guy who was 50 yards ahead and tried to reel him in. Couldn't. Finished strong. 1:16:47. Broke them down unofficially this way. Swim 7:30 Bike 39:00 Run 26:00. Transistions I am not sure on. UPDATE (TUESDAY) FIRST PLACE OF 9 MEN IN THE 55-59 AGE GROUP. WHOOOHOO. MY FIRST. 95 OUT OF 240.

Chatted with Eric and Aimee. He smoked as usual. He was very kind in given me a pair of Crocs he got from the Bolder/Boulder race. Thanks Eric!!! Saw Bill Marut and son Tony. Both guys can really fly. Trisaratops girls did well. I saw a couple come in. I had a "creepy old guy" moment, I think. Remember the young girl who I saw before she did her first race??? I saw her approaching the finish and ran over and was right there at the end "Hey Great job..High Five!!! The girl looked at me very weird. It was the wrong girl!!. Stupid J.T. Later I saw the rookie and she came in 1:33:00. She was all excited and so were her parents....

The Huntington Beach race was a great experience. It was one of those last minute decisions and I am glad I raced. Next week is the Fairport Harbor Lighthouse Sprint.

One final schedule change. I will be racing with the Cerebral Palsy teams in the Cleveland Triathlon Aug 3rd. I said I would be a swimmer for them and they put me on one of the teams. In all the years I have raced...this is the first relay I will have done. It worked perfectly as my Half Ironman race is the next week.

Thanks gang. Have a great week. Tip the waiters and waitresses. Life's a Blast!!