Maine"s first half IM distance race! Thank God the weather was much better than expected. It poured and blew all night before the race, but the rain stopped before the race

Overall Rhode island ironman/2 gets a thumbs up!

The course starts with an ocean swim at the southern tip of the state followed by a partly coastal then turning hilly, country, middle bike course. The last miles leading into Providence were on very poor inner city roads with many turns and potholes steet debris etc. The run was hot ~86, humid ~85 and mostly unshaded. And there were two very steep hills an each loop to slow you both up and down (too steep to coast). The run conditions called for cooling measures, ice , sponges, douse with water etc. which slowed my (everyone's) run time some. I was able to pick it up the last couple miles to finish under 5 hours, my #1 goal for the day.

Belgrade Lakes Triathlon

A good day a good race.

We arrived fri evening for check in with a hailstorm leaving 1in deep pea and marble ice everywhere. The hail tore a lot of leaves on to the roadway and muddied up the trails thru camp there.

Next morning the hail had melted but the lake surface temp had dropped, someone said 4-5 degrees, thanks for tri wetsuits. The swim was Ok for me. Some lessons are quickly forgotten in this case frequent sighting in open water races. For the muggles (non tri folk) out there, sighting is when you look up between breaths to stay on course for the next marker buoy on the swim course. In the pool there's lane lines and the bottom to keep you straight. In open water, bigger races allow for checking position with those around you if you're a middle of the pack swimmer like me. This race had about 200 entrants in the water so you have to look up. Something to practice.

Again with the offer for Tues. on the road bike. I hope to log every tues on the road this spring. Any distance really, just need to be back by 3 pm. looking for time in the saddle here not so much speed efforts. Park loops or Cadillac climbs would suffice.

Past requests have gone unanswered but hope springs (in spring).
Athletics is more than running you know.

Any cyclists or bike trainers out there?

Bike fit expert John Howard is coming to MDI in May for individual fitings and other group activites. Howard is a true legend in the cycling world.
Olympic cyclist 3X
Ironman Kona winner '81
24hr world record
Bike speed record

These days he helps getting the best fit on the bike for road, off and tricylists. I'm signed up and totally stoaked.

The swim

I cut my hand deeply on tues before the race so had to keep it dry until race day. I devised a bandage for the race but it mostly fell apart by the halfway point. My biggest fear was striking another swimmer on the palm and opening it up again.

The choice I made was to lay back on the scrum that is the Ironman mass start and try to swim away from the dense inside lane. This would mean a slower split but loosing more blood into the Pacific was not going to help my bike or run.

Aloha and Mahalo

So,
We're leaving tomorrow after the crosscounty meet for Boston then off to Hawaii.
Starting to get excited which is good I think. Can't possibly stay "up" for the next
ten days can I? Being a dude from California I rely on that ability to chill, to go
laid back and let it flow. Then hit it hard when it's time. Of course Hawaii may be
even more laid back . . further west . . warmer island time. We'll see.

So all you Edenistas, want another athletic challege?

Consider the 1st Annual MDI Time Trial
Sun Aug 26 at the Tremont Community Center (day after NEH 5mi)

The race is sponsored by the Downeast Bicycle Club and the Bar Harbor Bicycle shop.
The course is mod hilly 13.74mi and awards will go to the top three in age and gender divisions. In addition there will be a division for first time racers and for law enforcement, fire, public support, etc. participants.

Sometimes your dreams come true.

The day, the weather, the support, the fans all were nearly perfect. Sure the afternoon run was hot and there was some headwinds on the second bike loop but, no complaints by me.

The swim is a mass start and a first for me in a race this size ~2400 started.
I cannot tell you how many bumps, shoves and blows I recieved and dealt out, it's part of this crazy sport. The worst were kicks to both goggle sockets, a firm kidney punch and a hand/palm in the teeth while I'm turned to take a breath. My 32/1:08 splits were excellent for me as I had hoped for ~1:10.

What a day. and a half.

In Ironman qualifiers slots to the Championship in Hawaii are offered to those fastest in each age group. If not wanted the slots "Roll down" to the next fastest finisher. So it pays to show up to the awards reception 'cause I nabbed the last Kona slot for M45-49. YEAH

I'll put in a full race report when we get back home.

Kona Oct. 13

dr dave

Looks like great running this past weekend on Eden.

This week I'm off to NY for the Lake Placid Ironman. We will pull out on wed., the race is sun. Too much to think or write about really so I'm focusing on trusting the training and having fun, if a 140.6 mile race can be fun. (they are)

My # 1499 per the website.

Will put in a report next week.

dr dave

Overall a good day.

I felt the most rain early and any showers after Natick were not noticed or OK
The wind was most against at the start where the pack is so tight plus its most downhill, through Framingham where there's few trees and quite low and set back buildings , the 128 overpass hill sometimes called the first of the Newton hills and most of Com Ave down to the Citgo sign. Looking at those section splits, as my race plan was to run at even effort (not splits) the wind took from me about 4-5 minutes.

Sat. 2pm on NBC look for me among the many triathletes from last Nov. Championships in Florida. My best chance for coverage would be passing one of the artificial limbed women on the bike. (She must have outswam me)

Any thoughts on Boston runners and others getting together for a taper run before the marathon?

Dr Dave

I got this opportunity to bike train in NC last week and it was great! Carmicheal training puts it on and did a superb job, covering all the bases. The rides varied but covered 40-80 miles daily and lots of hills and Mtns. No swimming was nearby and my only run was on the last day in Pisgah Nat'n Forest. It's early spring down there with wildflowers and roaring waterfalls.

Bad news found by the bike mechanics: two cracks in my road bike frame. Trek has a lifetime coverage so I hope to get it replaced but still. . . have rode and raced a fair distance on that bike and would hate to see it go.