Featured athlete at Training Bible Coaching

Checkout this athlete profile over at Training Bible Coaching. Dan is a former high school swim team teammate of mine. We spent many hours chasing and pushing each other in the distance freestyle events.

Dan laid down a scorching 10:29 at IM Wisconsin a few years ago, I hope to get within 3 hours of that time someday!

Congrats Dan!




Wear Your Support! Visit our website for Triathlon t-shirts, Running t-shirts, Marathon t-shirts, Cycling t-shirts, Swimming t-shirts and t-shirt personalization options supporting family and friends on race day. Browse our selection of designs, it's likely we have a triathlon t-shirt, marathon t-shirt, running t-shirt, cycling t-shirt or swimming t-shirt that will appeal to you.

5430 Sprint - Race Report

My first 5430 race is in the bag and I can't say it was easy. For some reason, I just wasn't "feeling it" today. It may have been a combination of factors including heat (it was a lot hotter today than last week for Greeley and Bolder Boulder), hang over from Greeley last week, allergies or letting the fact that my wave got changed (4th wave) the day before the race to the last wave (9th wave). For some reason, that last one really bothered me. I didn't want to be last and I was glad when the waves were posted on Wednesday that I'd be in the middle of the pack. I shouldn't have let that bother me, but it did and I think it diverted my focus. Can't let outside factors, particularly those that I don't control, have a negative impact. The one benefit of being the last wave was no line porta-a-potty time. As every racer can attest, there's nothing like waiting in line prior to a race. Last wave, no problem, take your pick and take your time. Ahhh... I just didn't have it today.

So, the day started at 5 am, shower, breakfast (oatmeal, bananna) and I was off to the res with Craig. We got a headstart, with the wives and kids close behind. We got to the res about 6:30 am and there was a line of about 200+ people waiting to get into the transition area. The line went quick, but by the time I got inside, there was no room left in my designated area. The volunteers were scrambling for additional bike racks and I finally got one, right next to the run exit. I setup my stuff and proceeded to wait, which I carried in myt my new transition bag / bucket! Very handy, handles everything I need and something I can sit on to change my shoes. The time difference between the 1st and last wave was almost 45 minutes. (The winner was almost done when I started.) I killed time with the ipod and did some stretching, but I was anxious to get started.

15 minutes before my wave I started putting on the wetsuit and headed down to the reservoir for a quick warm-up. The water temp was just right. I was finishing up my quick warm-up when I noticed a boat on the beach and I immediately thought of Rick & Dick Hoyt and the associated video I had watched earlier in the week. Very emotional, tried to block it out of my head.

Swim:
Finally it was time. I put myself right in the middle of the pack and I was off. It was slower going than I remember from my first open water start at the Sodus Point Triathlon last year, but I managed to escape without any major touching or damage. I've struggled with the wetsuit, just doesn't feel right and about 200 yards or so into the swim I was ready to quit. I was just totally freaked out. I don't know what it is, I just don't like the feeling of confinement. I settled down, got comfortable and it was pretty uneventful from there on in. The buoy turns were fine, sighting was good and I felt good when I reached the end in under 14 minutes. I finished with the Dad pulling his son in the boat, which is absolutely amazing. I was hoping to catch up with him after the race, but I didn't see him on the bike or run.

Bike:
After a quick jog up the beach into the transition area across horribly painful pavement, I transitioned in just over 3 minutes, which I thought was relatively good considering the distance from water, fumbling with the wetsuit and transition position. I felt good getting on the bike and I was off. Felt good on the bike, passed a lot of people on the ride out, which is a steady incline for the first 5 miles. The next 5 miles are a steady decline and I was maintaining 25+ mph tucked down on my aerobars, feeling really good. The next 5 miles I lost some focus and my average speed suffered, but overall pretty happy with the bike and I made it in under 1 hour, 58:59. Still room for improvement, but 2 for 2 on goals so far. And then the RUN. Ugh.

Run:
If you've been reading the blog or know me at all, you know that me and running are like oil and water, it just doesn't work. Despite the nagging back pain on the bike, it only appears on the bike and as soon as I get off, I'm fine, no lingering affects from that. (I've had my bike position checked at CMS and chiropractor visits, just haven't found the problem yet on the bike) I started off good for the first .5 mile or so and then thoughts of walking started to enter my brain and by the end of the first mile, I took my first walking steps. Boooooooooooo. Once you start walking, it's hard to stop. I attempted to restart, but soon after found myself walking again. The course is an out and back on dirt trail around the reservoir with no shade at all and by this time it was getting quite hot. I don't have any good excuses here, just didn't feel like running today and the result was 33 minutes for the 5k.

Overall:
Overall, I finished in 1:53, which exceeded my goal of 1:45. I didn't meet my goals but I still feel good about the race overall. One thing it really brings to light is that I've got a lot of work to do before July 20th and the 5430 Boulder Peak race. I've got to get comfortable in my wetsuit (lots of open water swimming), I need to start training for Old Stage (Yikes!) and I need to start a consistent running program. I also need to consider transition times in my goals, because I spent 5+ minutes in transition.

It was a nice day at the reservoir with family and friends, a great way to spend Father's Day.

5430 Sprint

One day until the first 5430 Triathlon of the year. The weather is outstanding today and expected to be so again tomorrow. We've got 3 vendors selling FamilyFanClub.net gear at the 5430 Sprint Expo and with over 1500 competitors, many of whom I suspect could be beginners, we should have a good sales day. Plus, it's Father's Day, who could resist a Triathlon Daddy t-shirt?

My race preparation has been pretty good. I'm coming off last week's Greeley Triathlon, so the base work is done. I swam Monday and Tuesday, ran on Wednesday and Thursday and took a 20 mile bike ride yesterday. Today I'm just going to be relaxing at Connor's t-ball game and heading to the Boulder Reservoir for packet pick-up and relaxation.

My goals for tomorrow's race are:

* Under 1:45 overall with
* Under 15 minute swim
* Under 1 hour bike
* Under 30 minute run and no walking!

In order to make 1:45 I'll need to go under in one or more of the categories and have fast transitions. My training times and Greeley suggest all of my goals are achievable, I just need to go out and execute and have a great race!

I'll blog more tomorrow to let you know how the race went!

Bolder Boulder

Today was the 30th annual Bolder Boulder and my first. As you know from reading this blog, I'm not much of a runner, but I figured if I was going to be doing a 10k after swimming and biking as part of the Boulder Peak, I better have at least one 10k under my belt first. It was also the rare occasion that Kim and I both got to compete in the same race. We partnered with our friends Steven and Rebecca to get a baby sitter for the morning and tackle it together. Kim and Rebecca have also been training for the Steamboat Half Marathon.

My goals for the race included:
* Running the whole race
* Finishing in 1 hour or less
* Keeping up with Kim and Rebecca
* Have fun!

We left the house at 6:30 this morning and took the shuttle from Twin Peaks Mall. It was a short 25 minute ride or so, where we got dropped off right at the start line. Of course we were running late, but it was no big deal as your time starts when each individual crosses the start line. It was a nice day for running, overcast about 60 degrees, but a bit muggy. The course winds in and out of Boulder neighborhoods finishing at Folsom Field on the campus of the University of Colorado. We ran the first mile in 10 min and for the most part kept that pace the entire run. I stayed with Kim and Rebecca the first 5k or so, but started to fall off the pace shortly there after. While I was falling behind, I kept them in my sights and caught a second wind around mile 5 that allowed me to catch up and briefly pass. I was feeling good, but ultimately ran out of gas down the stretch. Kim and Rebecca came in at 1 hour 1 min, with me right behind at 1 hour 2 mins.

Overall it was a fun time, I met my goals (for the most part, I'm happy with 2 mins over my goal!) and I'll definitely be interested in doing it again next year. We didn't stick around for the pro race or memorial day activities due to the weather, but something to look forward to next year. It also reminded me that if I'm going to be happy with the Boulder Peak results, I'm going to need to run more. I've been doing a lot of Boot Camp, Kick Boxing and Biking, but not much running. Leading up to this race, I think I ran a total of 11 miles, not exactly a rigorous training regime. I need to start running!

Everything Tri - Parker, CO

We're excited to announce that Family Fan Club t-shirts and rompers are now available at Everything Tri in Parker, CO. Stop by and checkout the newest tri shop along the front range.

Fleet Feet Sports - Boulder, CO

We're excited to announce that Family Fan Club t-shirts and rompers are now available at Fleet Feet Sports in Boulder, CO. Stop by and talk with Kathy and browse her selection of Family Fan Club gear and outfit your support team today.

Summer Open Sprint Triathlon - Expo

We had a great time at Colorado Multisport, meeting and introducing FamilyFanClub to over 100 people. The romper and t-shirts definitely created a buzz at packet pick-up.

We also made a great connection with Todd Lowe from the Greeley Triathlon team and subsequently FamilyFanClub will be at the Greeley Triathlon expo and race day on June 7th and 8th. If you're doing the Greeley Triathlon, please stop by and say hello!

Adrenaline Tri Sport - Niwot, CO

We're excited to announce that Family Fan Club t-shirts and rompers are now available at Adrenaline Tri Sport in Niwot, CO. Stop by and talk with Gail & Roger and browse their selection of Family Fan Club gear and outfit your support team today.

Family Fan Club makes a great Father's Day gift!

Summer Open Sprint Triathlon - Expo

Family Fan Club will be at Colorado Multisport in Boulder, CO on May 17th for the inaugural Summer Open Sprint Triathlon at Union Reservoir in Longmont, CO by Without Limits Productions. Family Fan Club will be selling Run Mommy Run t-shirts, Run Daddy Run t-shirts, Triathlon Mommy t-shirts and Triathlon Daddy t-shirts. Stop by and see these designs as well as other designs available on our website.

See you at the expo.

Mommy Ran - 6th Mother's Day Title 9k Run

It was another beautiful day at the reservoir to support Mommy's at the 6th Mother's Day Title 9k run. Connor (5), Griffin (3) and I came out to wear our support with our Run Mommy Run & custom Run Kim Run t-shirts. We also met up with our friends Rebecca, Steven and Tyler who were also wearing their support.



The race photographer took some awesome shots of us. Here's a picture of all of us and here's a picture of Connor and Tyler, with the sign I attached to the bike wagon. See all race day photos and support Christina Kiffney Photography here.

Connor, Griffin and I rode the bike out to the 7km mark to cheer on all the Mommy's and wait for Kim and Rebecca. Everyone loved the shirts and sign, as the boys cheered wildly. Here's a picture of Kim and the boys finishing up the 9k.

Why do I tri - Part 2

Picking up where we left off with Part I, I completed my first triathlon on June 10th 2008. I arrived early and picked out my spot in the transition area. I staged the transition area with my triathlon gear exactly has I had mentally prepared, laying out each item as I expected to use it. I was a bit nervous, but excited nervous. I took a quick dip in the pool to warm up, as Greeley is a 500 m pool swim. The Greeley Triathlon pool swim is a snake, where you start on one side of the pool and swim up and down the lanes until you get to the other side, completing 500 m in a 50 m pool. Seeding is important and I wondered if the time I submitted was accurate. I used to be able to cover 500 yards in about 5:20, but that was almost 20 years ago. I submitted a time of 10 minutes, hoping to go faster, but at the same time not embarrassing myself.

I waited and watched 105 competitors go and finally it was my turn. I can't recall being so pumped for competition, probably back to high school. I took off feeling fresh and strong. By the end of the first length, I was ready to pass the first swimmer. I passed about 10 other people on route to a 9:20 swim, which I was really excited about. I hopped out of the pool and headed for the transition area. I quickly toweled off and prepared for the bike, just as I had mentally envisioned. In fact, I felt like I had a lot of time in transition. I came out of T1 in about 1:30.

Since this was my first triathlon, I rode my 8 year old Specialized Rock Hopper Mtn Bike, big fat tires, panniers and all. Like Slow Fat Triathlete recommended, no need to run out and buy a road bike or triathlon bike. I completed the two lap course in approximately 45 minutes. I was gassed and getting passed, but I still had a great time. I was encouraged and cheered by my family, in particular my two boys dressed as pirates. Arrrrr!!

As I entered the transition area, my legs were weary and tired. I quickly transitioned from biking to running in about 1:30. I came out of the transition area strong, but I was gassed. I was just hoping to make it past the wave of spectators, at which point I'd take a breather and walk / run. I continued to walk / run and finished the 5k in about 37 mins for a total time of 1:30 minutes.

In hindsight, Greeley was the perfect 1st triathlon. It was small (200+) and an excellent introduction to the fun and friendly triathlon community. We made several new friends, just sharing in the spirit of the day. I also liked that I got a number of door prizes including Road ID braclet, Tifosi sunglasses and a bunch of snacks.

I drove back home with my first triathlon in the books replaying the day already identifying areas for improvement. It took 17 years to get here, but I did it and now I'm hooked! I challenged one of my college buddies and we competed in the Sodus Point Sprint Triathlon in Sodus Point, NY.

June 10th also marked the birth of Family Fan Club. More on that in another post.

Why do I tri - Part 1

I recall watching my first Ironman back in the early '80's on Wide World of Sports. I was around 10 and distinctly recall asking my Dad if he'd ever want to do that. His response was something along the lines of "Heck no". It looked grueling, but as NBC does today, Wide World of Sport told a compelling and interesting story.

My first in person experience with triathlons was as a volunteer supporting a triathlon at Sea World in 1990. I don't recall the name, distance or who won, but I recall saying that someday I would do a triathlon.

Flash forward to 2007, 17 years later. I hadn't forgotten about triathlons, but I wasn't making any active progress towards actually doing one. I'd followed the sport on Wide World of Sports and NBC, I knew who the big names were Dave Scott, Scott Tinsley, Mark Allen, but it never really occurred to me that this event was for regular people like me. The biggest deterrent was the run. I really do not like running. Probably has something to do with not being good at it, it hurts and in general, why run when you can walk? Two contributing factors led me back to thinking about triathlons:

1. I'm not getting any younger, my waistline is expanding and I've got a family that I want to stay healthy for.
2. We moved to a new house on a cul de sac where everyone is running, cycling and doing triathlons. Healthy lifestyle is a way of life on my street!
   

I started again to think about triathlons and the impression it left 17 years earlier, that maybe I could do this. I joined our local recreation center in March of 2007. I started attending Boot Camp class 1x per week weighing in at 240 lbs on a 6' frame, not exactly in shape. For two months or so, it took a full week of recovery. Gradually I built up my endurance to attend twice a week, usually sore between classes. I ran my first 5k at the end of April and although I had to walk more than I wanted, I did well enough to keep the dream alive of completing a triathlon.

I looked online and asked friends for recommendations and finally settled on the Greeley Sprint Triathlon, which was scheduled for June 10th. While I was hemming and hawing about signing up, my neighbor encouraged me to just do it and tell all of your friends and family, then you're committed, so I did. Immediately I started to wonder what I had gotten myself into and doubts creept in and out of my mind. The one thing that really helped me was a book called Slow Fat Triathlete: Live Your Athletic Dreams in the Body You Have Now by Jayne Williams. Great book for beginner triathletes, that you don't have to be Dave Scott or Scott Tinsley or in great shape, basically, just do it. Jayne also let me know that I didn't need all new equipment or a road bike or any of the other fancy nice to haves, just the basics. I trained 6 to 8 hours a week, running, cycling, swimming and boot camp cardio classes for the big day.

To be continued...