Santa Barbara Half Marathon
By Vince Mattera
Cool, foggy and windless, best describe the weather conditions for this year's Santa Barbara Half Marathon. Moist ocean air was a welcome change from the hot, dry conditions I'm accustomed to training with in Simi Valley. I unexpectedly met up with a few friends who are runners and decided to try to hang onto their pace. The first two miles are a slight uphill climb and before the gun, my friends warned me about taking off too fast at the start. The old adage, "Do as I say, not as I do" certainly seemed to apply to my friends. They took off at a sub- seven minute pace for the first two miles. I struggled to keep up and kept wondering how long they would continue to torture me. At the second mile, the course looped around and for the next two miles the downhill pace got faster. Feeling much better on the downhill, I picked up the pace and soon found myself ahead of my friends. As the course leveled out from mile 5-9 I settled into a cruising pace as the miles seemed to effortlessly pass by. It wasn't until mile 11 that I began to tire and I struggled to hold on. About 10 competitors passed me at mile 12 but my legs were getting heavy and fighting to hold their current pace. I was very satisfied to have held a 7 minute pace and finished with a time of 1:31:42 bettering my time by 6 minutes from last year's race.
By Vince Mattera
Cool, foggy and windless, best describe the weather conditions for this year's Santa Barbara Half Marathon. Moist ocean air was a welcome change from the hot, dry conditions I'm accustomed to training with in Simi Valley. I unexpectedly met up with a few friends who are runners and decided to try to hang onto their pace. The first two miles are a slight uphill climb and before the gun, my friends warned me about taking off too fast at the start. The old adage, "Do as I say, not as I do" certainly seemed to apply to my friends. They took off at a sub- seven minute pace for the first two miles. I struggled to keep up and kept wondering how long they would continue to torture me. At the second mile, the course looped around and for the next two miles the downhill pace got faster. Feeling much better on the downhill, I picked up the pace and soon found myself ahead of my friends. As the course leveled out from mile 5-9 I settled into a cruising pace as the miles seemed to effortlessly pass by. It wasn't until mile 11 that I began to tire and I struggled to hold on. About 10 competitors passed me at mile 12 but my legs were getting heavy and fighting to hold their current pace. I was very satisfied to have held a 7 minute pace and finished with a time of 1:31:42 bettering my time by 6 minutes from last year's race.
U N D E R S I E G E
The land of perfect weather and Triathlon training is under siege by wildfires that officials say may burn all the way from the mountains to the ocean before it is over. Destroying training sites and cycling routes favored my many local athletes Full containment is not expected for quite some time. California some say is dubbed the land of natural disasters where we are prone to droughts, earthquakes, mudslides, and yes wildfires. As I headed to work this morning ash particles fell from the sky. My windshield was covered with the stuff. Talk about reality check.Team POLAR LA & San Diego is spread through out many of the affected areas and we can only hope that those in the line of fire remain safe.
Yes, California is under siege today; under siege by Mother Nature.
SANTA MONICA 5000
I'm very impressed with this team! Congratulations to all of you for your incredible achievements!I have been out recovering from injuries. BUT now...I'm ramping up again. I am starting with the shorter races so I will be ready to conquer WildFlower this year. I ran the Santa Monica 5000 this weekend. The course is flat and interesting to run. There is a small loop on the last mile, so I had the opportunity to see the Elite runners finish. The man who ran a 14.06 5k won a cash purse. I ran a 23.40 and won 3rd place in my division. That was really great because I haven't added any speed workouts to my running program. I have only been running flat roads (watching my heart rate and pace) and doing endurance strength weights each week. I'm starting hills this week and will then add track workouts.
Is anyone interested in track workouts during the winter time? I'm going to run the Venice Christmas 5k. Any takers?
=)
Emma
2007 Ironman World Championships
From a Lottery Winners Perspective
From a Lottery Winners Perspective
Overall
This race contains the best of the best at Ironman distance triathlon. I had to keep reminding myself that throughout the day when I’d get passed. Most of my nagging injuries proved to not be an issue on race day. I was still “expelling” a bit of my cold on race day with some coughing. But I felt A LOT better than I had in the previous few days.
The weather forecast was mid 80’s, windy, and humid. Unfortunately, the cloud cover wasn’t supposed to hit until the very late afternoon. Not good news for the bike ride.
The Swim
As many of you know, the swim is a water start. I swam out about 50 meters into the water…about 25 meters from the start line. I normally seed myself to be in the front half to third of a swim start. Here, I was behind the halfway point knowing that these swimmers were much faster than most I’ve competed against. In fact, that’s pretty much the mindset for the entire day!
The swim was fine and pretty uneventful. No nearly as much contact and traffic as IM Canada. I hit the turn around at 32 mins and felt pretty good. I did notice that my neck was starting to burn from my speed suit. I lubed up my neck pretty good but I think there is seam or something that started rubbing my neck raw. The salt water allowed me to feel just how deep the raw spot was getting. Ouch!
Out of the water - Time: 1hr 12mins
Swim-to-Bike
With the swim behind me, I’m up the stairs and I hit the fresh water “shower” area. Rinsed off, drank a bit and I’m off to get my bag. Roll into the tent and I’m doing a full clothing change here. I decided not to ride and run in salt water soaked suit I used on the swim. So off with the speed suit and Speedo, on with my tri shorts and top. Got some sunscreen and I’m off to the bike. Out of the 50 bikes on the rack, mine was one of 5 left. Not used to that at all! Haha…yep, there are some fast people here today.
The Bike
Settling into a pace for the longest part of the day. There are some out and back sections in the beginning of the race that take you through town. I just tried to take it easy and let the heart rate settle down a bit before I got into my aero position and got comfortable. Finally made it out on the Queen K Highway…where I’d spend most of the ride time. The wind wasn’t too bad. The aid stations on the bike here are awesome. They seem like they are a mile long. Water, then Gatorade, then fruit, power gel, power bars, fruit, Gatorade, and then water again. Gave you plenty of time to get all you needed. I pretty much grabbed one bottle of water to drink and used one to pour on my head, chest, and back to stay cool. It was getting hot in a hurry. The first 30 miles seemed to click off pretty quickly. I made the left turn heading towards the turn around at Hawi. This is where the wind and heat really started to pickup. The winds here blow from 5-35mph and temps can get above 100 F due to the reflective heat of the lava fields. At about mile 50 I started to see the pro men heading back. I was on a climb at the time, so they were heading downhill in a hurry. So I really only got to see the bikes. Seeing the Trek in first place, I guessed it was Lieto. The rest of the group was about 2-3 mins back…maybe not even that far. That was exhilarating. Seeing all of those guys flying by…I put a little kick in my bike and I cranked up the hill. The halfway turn around was around mile 65…which seemed to be getting farther away with each crank. The wind was really strong (blowing from every direction at times) and there is a very long, steady climb to the turn around. Finally made it, grabbed my special needs bag, hopped off the bike to pee quickly and got back on. After eating pretty much everything in my bag, I felt like a million bucks. I said out loud to myself “damn, if I feel this good the whole way back I could win this thing!” But, one thing you learn is that there are times when you feel great. It won’t last. There are times when you feel like total crap. Hopefully, those won’t last either. So after a few miles, the heat and wind took back that good feeling and I was grinding my way back to town again. The last 30-40 miles took forever. I knew my speed was down, but I knew that if I fought the wind, I would pay for it on the run.
In the last 8 miles of the bike I’m starting to see the pro men and women running back to town. That was quite humbling knowing that they are finishing the race and I still have a marathon to run! Yikes!!
Off the bike – Time: 6hrs 49mins
Bike to Run
I hopped off the bike and started the long run around the transition area. Ouch! My right ankle hurt really bad and forced me to walk. I’ll be honest, at that moment I had concerns of even being able to walk the marathon. It hurt really bad. I grabbed my bag and got into the tent to suit up for the run. There’s just one problem, the medical tape I brought to wrap up my ankle was soaking wet due to my fuel belt bottles popping open from the sun and leaking Gatorade into my bag. So that tape was useless. I propped my foot up and asked a volunteer if they had any tape. He ran off to the med tent and luckily returned with a roll. I took my time taping it up nice and tight since this would likely be the only way I could do the run. I stood up, it felt alright…so off I go. My T2 was much longer than I’d hoped for. But taping the ankle was crucial.
The Run
As I head out on Ali’I Drive, my main concern was to take it easy for the first few miles and pray that my IT band or ankle would not be an issue on this run. I got to the first turn around at 5 miles and I’m running about 9:30 miles. Not bad! And I felt pretty good too. Thankfully this out and back is right along the water so the breeze was good and the temps were lower.
I got out on the Queen K again heading north at about mile 12. The Natural Energy Lab starts at about mile 16…and it took FOREVER to get there. I was slowing down for sure….but man, that was the longest 4 miles I’ve ever run. Just before I made the turn into the Lab, I was handed the dreaded glow-stick necklace. Something that I knew I’d be given, but it’s just that confirmation of “yeah buddy, you’re going to be finishing this race in the dark.” It was about 5:45pm now…and the Energy Lab did not look inviting. Well, I’ll say this…the first part did…cause it’s downhill. But it would be 2 miles down, and then 2 miles back up. Ugh…here we go. I ran the entire way down to the turn around, grabbed my bag and walked for a bit. A really bad headache set in and I tried to cure it by eating and drinking everything possible. Walked for about 5 mins…no change. Well, it’s gonna hurt if I walk or run…so let’s run! Pushed up the last mile to the Queen K. Still have a headache. I took off my visor to rub my temples and TADAAA! Headache was gone. Either my head was expanding or my visor was shrinking. Let’s just say both. So I tossed the visor to the side of the road and I was off again. It’s pretty crazy to be running in pitch black nothing-ness. Living in LA you can’t get away from the lights. Here, all I could see where the stars, the moon, and the bouncing green glow of my fellow athletes as they trotted north or south on the Queen K. I hit mile 24 and started the steady climb up to town and to the street light marking Palani. I was on the left shoulder and needed to cross the street to make the right down Palani and into the final mile of the run…the promise land!!! I cut across the road and moved over to the lane to take the right on Palani. I was running next to a guy and then WHAM! We both got hit from behind by a car. I never heard it coming or saw any headlights. I hit the front left corner of the car and was spun around to the left catching my left hip on the hood. I fell to the ground and quickly looked up at the driver who was stunned and mumbled something. He gassed it and took off down Palani. So, no cars are allowed to be on the course at this area. Not sure where he came from. I stood up and all that really hurt at that time was a good scrape on the palm of my left hand. People began running up and asked us if were we OK. The other guy was hit more directly and I think went up on the hood of the car. He stood up too and started walking. He had people with him now and I felt good enough to go on. I was 1 mile from the finish…this wasn’t going to stop me.
I headed down hill and I can hear the announcer now. I wound around through the streets and made the final right hand turn on to Ali’I Drive. People were everywhere and I got my 3,426th wind of the day and picked up the pace to finish. It was a time in slow motion. The sounds, lights and just the realization that I just did THE Ironman was starting to hit me. Up and over the finish line.
Race Finish – Time: 13hrs 25mins
That was a full day for sure. One that I’ll remember forever. Just let me get to the med tent now because the adrenaline is going to wear off and who knows what’s going to be hurting from the car incident! Big thanks to Mom, Jessica, Deann and Allie…a/k/a
BROUGHER’S BABES for all of the help and support out there! Couldn’t have done it without you all! Love you!
Portland Marathon– by Leah Hoyer
I’ve done it, my first marathon. Thank you, Portland, for putting on a great race, and for holding it at a time of year when conditions were perfect. 60 degrees, overcast, well supported and with enough spectators and entertainment to pull me through (I never knew how uplifting the opening riffs of “Call Me Al” could be until I heard them at mile 18). My one complaint is that the course was a little long—it was like 26.2 miles or something. That’s a long way to run.
I had a good day. Slept well, my nutrition was on, my clothing wasn’t rubbing in uncomfortable ways, and while I was aware of my muscles, no joints were screaming at me. I pushed it, but I didn’t die. My heart rate averaged 185 (my lactate threshold is 182, so that’s about what I would have wanted). The one thing I would have changed in my preparation is that I would have made my longest run about two miles longer. My longest training run was 20.5 miles. On race day, my muscles started to fatigue around 21/22 miles…go figure. There is always that balance to strike between training and overtraining, but I know I could have done a 22/23 mile training run, and my day would have been even better for it.
That said, though, I’m happy with my first marathon. I finished in 3:43, which at age 35 even qualifies me for Boston. When I crossed the line, though, that wasn’t a reason to celebrate. Why in heck would I put myself through that again?! But, given a given a couple of days to recover and allow short term memory loss to set in, I’m thinking that could be pretty cool. I’ve never been to Boston. Maybe their course won’t be so long.
Ironman World Championships
Well, it seems like it was just a few short weeks ago that I was heading to Canada to race in my first Ironman. And now, I'm getting set to do it all again on the island of Kona, Hawaii. It's been a bit of a roller-coaster with my health and fitness the past few weeks. Nothing serious but a sprained ankle, a good head cold, and then some pain and swelling in my nether-region aggravated by too much cycling. It's kept me from training full-on the past month or so.
But, the base training is there and I feel good about being able to better my time of 11:58:02 in Canada.
Here's the skinny:
Who:Aaron Brougher (participant #1449)
What:Ironman World Championships
When:Saturday, October 13th (start time is 7am local)
Where:Kailua-Kona, Hawaii
Why:Why Not!?!
How:Swim, Bike, Run...140.6 miles in total in under 12hrs
Comments:
You can follow my progress by going to http://www.ironmanlive.com/events/ironman/worldchampionship, clicking TRACK AN ATHLETE, and punch in my race number or last name. I'm not sure where the check points will be for this race, but the swim should be around 1hr 10mins total. The bike should avg. above 19mph...or just under 6hrs total. And the run, well...I'm still hoping I can get down to around 4hrs. But that will depend on the ol' IT Band. If it stays pain-free...a 4hr marathon is quite possible.
On a normal day, the Kona Ironman is probably not the hardest Ironman out there. Canada's bike course is VERY hilly. Other courses have very hilly conditions on the run as well. Kona is fairly flat with a total elevation change of about 700 feet. But! And it's a BIG but...if the heat, humidity and wind are all high on race day, Kona can borderline on dangerous. Nutrition and hydration are paramount not only to do well, but to finish. I'm sure you've all seen the footage of people stumbling across the finish line. No thanks!
Yeeeeeeeeeeeah Man!
Aaron Brougher
But, the base training is there and I feel good about being able to better my time of 11:58:02 in Canada.
Here's the skinny:
Who:Aaron Brougher (participant #1449)
What:Ironman World Championships
When:Saturday, October 13th (start time is 7am local)
Where:Kailua-Kona, Hawaii
Why:Why Not!?!
How:Swim, Bike, Run...140.6 miles in total in under 12hrs
Comments:
You can follow my progress by going to http://www.ironmanlive.com/events/ironman/worldchampionship, clicking TRACK AN ATHLETE, and punch in my race number or last name. I'm not sure where the check points will be for this race, but the swim should be around 1hr 10mins total. The bike should avg. above 19mph...or just under 6hrs total. And the run, well...I'm still hoping I can get down to around 4hrs. But that will depend on the ol' IT Band. If it stays pain-free...a 4hr marathon is quite possible.
On a normal day, the Kona Ironman is probably not the hardest Ironman out there. Canada's bike course is VERY hilly. Other courses have very hilly conditions on the run as well. Kona is fairly flat with a total elevation change of about 700 feet. But! And it's a BIG but...if the heat, humidity and wind are all high on race day, Kona can borderline on dangerous. Nutrition and hydration are paramount not only to do well, but to finish. I'm sure you've all seen the footage of people stumbling across the finish line. No thanks!
Yeeeeeeeeeeeah Man!
Aaron Brougher
Piru TT
Piru Time Trial
by Vince Mattera
by Vince Mattera
My Tri Season is complete for 2007, but the racing continues. Since I have to put in a two hour run this afternoon (training for the Santa Barbara Half Marathon in November), I elected not to ride with my usual Sunday Cycling Club (40-60 miles). Today I did something new - a time trial.
Piru is located in Ventura County and the course is on a two-lane road that follows along orchards and farmland. It is an open course, but this morning I saw only one car.
There are serious competitors that enter this race against the clock, with very expensive TT bikes and helmets.
This is a fun, family atmosphere race. All ages and skill levels welcome. The out and back course has slightly rolling hills, and a total elevation gain of 300ft.
Registration opens at 8:00am and closes at 8:55am for both 40k/Sat and 20k/Sun. The first rider will leave at around 9:00am, with remaining riders leaving in 30-second intervals. They give awards 5 deep in a variety of age groups/levels.
There are two more events scheduled for 2007, one in November and one in December.
Check out the website if you're interested. http://www.blogger.com/www.uncletren.com
Nautica Malibu Triathlon - Zuma Beach 9/16/07
by Leah Hoyer
The Nautica Malibu Triathlon is the one event where my two tri teams come together into one great race. Not only was there a large Polar presence this year, but 300 of my closest coworkers from the Walt Disney Company also descend upon Zuma Beach. They were there to compete in the Entertainment Industry Challenge, which pits media companies against one another to raise the most money for Children's Hospital Los Angeles. I am happy to to say that, as a company, we raised $235,000 dollars this year for this great cause and took first place (by a large margin!)
Being able to train and compete with folks from work has been a huge part of my growing love for triathlon. Sometimes it is so hard to make the time to stay in shape and work towards your athletic goals. Thankfully, my job encourages this. And this year, with my new Polar sponsorship, I've been doubly motivated to train and achieve faster times. I've also been able to share the benefits of heart rate training with the dozens of folks that I run and bike with every week. Not only did I have my best time on this course (and made the podium for the first time in five years of competing in this race), but the Disney team's overall understanding of how to train efficiently and smarter helped many of my coworkers finish their first triathlon or improve their personal bests. Great job Disney and thank you Polar!
by Leah Hoyer
The Nautica Malibu Triathlon is the one event where my two tri teams come together into one great race. Not only was there a large Polar presence this year, but 300 of my closest coworkers from the Walt Disney Company also descend upon Zuma Beach. They were there to compete in the Entertainment Industry Challenge, which pits media companies against one another to raise the most money for Children's Hospital Los Angeles. I am happy to to say that, as a company, we raised $235,000 dollars this year for this great cause and took first place (by a large margin!)
Being able to train and compete with folks from work has been a huge part of my growing love for triathlon. Sometimes it is so hard to make the time to stay in shape and work towards your athletic goals. Thankfully, my job encourages this. And this year, with my new Polar sponsorship, I've been doubly motivated to train and achieve faster times. I've also been able to share the benefits of heart rate training with the dozens of folks that I run and bike with every week. Not only did I have my best time on this course (and made the podium for the first time in five years of competing in this race), but the Disney team's overall understanding of how to train efficiently and smarter helped many of my coworkers finish their first triathlon or improve their personal bests. Great job Disney and thank you Polar!
Leah checking her time and heart rate after leaving the chilly ocean swim!
My Summer Vacation - Vince Mattera
What I did on my Summer Vacation
By Vince Mattera
Every summer I head back to Rhode Island to spend a few weeks at our family summer home in Matunuck Beach. Usually it’s 85 degree sunshine with a cool ocean breeze. This summer was different. Heat and high humidity invaded the seashore and there was no relief for most of the summer.
Prior to venturing back East, I had made plans with a couple of high school friends to run in a local 10-mile road race. The Blessing of the Fleet (boats parade through the harbor and are blessed by the Catholic Church) is generally held on the last weekend in July each year, the event is "kicked off" with a scenic, 10-mile road race on Friday evening. The course, which winds its way through historic Narragansett, is officially sanctioned and listed as one of the top three races of its distance in New England. More than 3,000 runners competed, hailing from all over New England, across the country and around the world.
While I have been to many Blessings of the Fleet events, this year was the first time I have done the run. It was interesting to say the least. While waiting before the start in a sardine-like mass, on a small, rural 2-lane road, I was dripping in sweat. At 6 p.m. it was close to 90 degrees and 90% humidity. The street was tree-lined so there was no wind. When the gun finally sounded, it seemed like a minute before I started walking, then jogging, and close to 2 minutes before I crossed the starting line. I was glad to get the first mile out of the way, and finally to begin running. At mile three I glanced down at my heart rate and I was over 90%. I was running at my typical race pace, so I guess the heat and humidity were making my heart pump harder.
After 7 miles of running in direct sunlight, the course finally turned into a tree lined neighborhood that provided 3 miles of shade. As I approached mile 10, it was difficult to determine where exactly the finish line was located. There was a mob at the end of the road and spectators were crossing in front of 6 finishing chutes that were set up parallel to the road. Some racers were stopping in front of the chutes and mingling with spectators, some were running through the chutes to the end. At the end of the chutes were race officials tearing off bib numbers. Since the race didn’t have chip timing, and no distinct finishing line to cross, I’m still not sure where the race officially ended.
I started my watch as I crossed the starting line, and stopped it as the guy tore of my bib number. My unofficial time was 1:13:20 (about a 7:25 min/mile). I had hoped to finish in 1:10, but all things considered, for me it was a good run.
Not so, for some racers. More than 20 people were taken off the course with heat exhaustion. One gal landed on her head and was taken to the hospital with serious head trauma as a small child wandered in front of her, just ten feet from the finishing area. After the race, it didn’t get any easier. The post-race nutrition area was set up in the street and spectators, who were there for the Seafood Festival, were taking advantage of the free food and drinks. A race like this makes you really appreciate a well-run event. The race kicked off my vacation and afterward I was ready to relax.
The rest of the trip was spend trying to keep cool – body surfing at the beach, sailing, water skiing, wake boarding, and fishing.
After completing the race, Vince is joined by his daughters.
By Vince Mattera
Every summer I head back to Rhode Island to spend a few weeks at our family summer home in Matunuck Beach. Usually it’s 85 degree sunshine with a cool ocean breeze. This summer was different. Heat and high humidity invaded the seashore and there was no relief for most of the summer.
Prior to venturing back East, I had made plans with a couple of high school friends to run in a local 10-mile road race. The Blessing of the Fleet (boats parade through the harbor and are blessed by the Catholic Church) is generally held on the last weekend in July each year, the event is "kicked off" with a scenic, 10-mile road race on Friday evening. The course, which winds its way through historic Narragansett, is officially sanctioned and listed as one of the top three races of its distance in New England. More than 3,000 runners competed, hailing from all over New England, across the country and around the world.
While I have been to many Blessings of the Fleet events, this year was the first time I have done the run. It was interesting to say the least. While waiting before the start in a sardine-like mass, on a small, rural 2-lane road, I was dripping in sweat. At 6 p.m. it was close to 90 degrees and 90% humidity. The street was tree-lined so there was no wind. When the gun finally sounded, it seemed like a minute before I started walking, then jogging, and close to 2 minutes before I crossed the starting line. I was glad to get the first mile out of the way, and finally to begin running. At mile three I glanced down at my heart rate and I was over 90%. I was running at my typical race pace, so I guess the heat and humidity were making my heart pump harder.
After 7 miles of running in direct sunlight, the course finally turned into a tree lined neighborhood that provided 3 miles of shade. As I approached mile 10, it was difficult to determine where exactly the finish line was located. There was a mob at the end of the road and spectators were crossing in front of 6 finishing chutes that were set up parallel to the road. Some racers were stopping in front of the chutes and mingling with spectators, some were running through the chutes to the end. At the end of the chutes were race officials tearing off bib numbers. Since the race didn’t have chip timing, and no distinct finishing line to cross, I’m still not sure where the race officially ended.
I started my watch as I crossed the starting line, and stopped it as the guy tore of my bib number. My unofficial time was 1:13:20 (about a 7:25 min/mile). I had hoped to finish in 1:10, but all things considered, for me it was a good run.
Not so, for some racers. More than 20 people were taken off the course with heat exhaustion. One gal landed on her head and was taken to the hospital with serious head trauma as a small child wandered in front of her, just ten feet from the finishing area. After the race, it didn’t get any easier. The post-race nutrition area was set up in the street and spectators, who were there for the Seafood Festival, were taking advantage of the free food and drinks. A race like this makes you really appreciate a well-run event. The race kicked off my vacation and afterward I was ready to relax.
The rest of the trip was spend trying to keep cool – body surfing at the beach, sailing, water skiing, wake boarding, and fishing.
After completing the race, Vince is joined by his daughters.
IRONMAN CANADA RACE REPORT
By Aaron Brogger
By Aaron Brogger
August 26, 2007
I’ve tried to make this report down the middle on detail. Some of you won’t understand a few parts…the triathletes will get bored with some of the detail. But here’s a not-so-quick recap of my first Ironman event. The best part is that I’m definitely up to do it again. Which is good considering I am doing another one on October 13th in Kona, Hawaii. Here we go….
The Swim (2.4 miles)
This was the largest start to any Ironman event ever. What does that mean you ask? Well, it means that there were over 2500 people that started swimming when the gun fired. Yeah, chaos.The course was basically a very long triangle…all right turns. So, I started to the left a bit to try and be out of the huge crowds that always seem to stay close the buoys marking the course. There were a lot of people out there, but it never got horrible. There would be traffic for about 5 mins…then it would thin out. And then randomly I would hit a bunch of traffic again. I got kicked in the face twice…had to reset the goggles. Nothing too tragic. I have four words that I recite to myself while swimming. Reach. Pull. Glide. Breathe. After repeating those words about two thousand times, I found my self at the beach! Time 1:08…goal was 1:10. Lookin’ Good! Special thanks to Sierra for showing me my new swim moves!
Swim to Bike Transition
So I’m feeling pretty good at this point. The wetsuit strippers peel my suit off and I grab my bag to head into the tent. I get my bike gear on, stop at the suntan lotion stand for a quick apply and I’m off on the bike. Time: 4:38
The Bike (112 miles)
So my goal here was 6 hours. Looking at my friend’s times from years past, I knew this was going to be rather optimistic. They are all stronger cyclists and have consistently had faster bike times in other races. So, I was praying that the bike Gods would be good to me. The plan was to keep my heart rate (HR) as close to 140bpm for the first 30-45 mins so I could ease into the bike…then turn it up to 150bpm for the remainder of the ride. I stuck to that plan. I passed people. Some people passed me. Such is life. The first big hill comes by around mile 40. I was feeling pretty good here. Gear down, sit up, take it easy and don’t let the HR get crazy. Climbing…climbing…climbing…and finally to the top. Aaahhh…that wasn’t so bad. Now down hill…fast! And man do I mean fast. I passed everyone that I could see. Not sure why, but gravity liked me on the way down the hills today. I hit the rolling hills after the Richter Pass climb and the wind really picked up. It made for some sketchy descents, but I just tucked in and watched that heart rate. Made it to mile 80 which is the turn around. I stopped to pee. Had to wait in line for about 2 mins before I could get in the damn port-o-potty. Hated seeing people passing me, but nature called. Back on the bike with one major climb left and then the long descent into town. Climbing again…the crowd was crazy. It was like being on the Tour de France. They lined the road leaving one single lane for us to ride. Got to the top…tucked into my aero position and let it fly down the hills. I hit over 50mph on the way down. After a long descent, I’m now back in town and feeling good except for my shoulders and neck. I stayed in aero position for nearly 6 hours straight. That killed the neck. But, I was back and ready to hit the run. Time: 5hrs 52mins. My goal was 6:00 hours….sweet Jesus! I done good!Bike to Run Transition
It’s awesome to just roll in and have people take your bike for you. Love it. So, I grabbed my bag and hit the tent to change. I sat down in the chair. And that was by far the most comfortable folding plastic chair that has ever been manufactured. Haha. No joke! I lubed up my toes and my arm pits (you have no idea the places that will rub raw when you run for hours on end). I ate, drank and stretched. Since I was a head of schedule, I was in no rush to get out on the run. Put on some more sunscreen and I was on my way. Time: 9mins 41secs
The Run (26.2 miles)
And so it begins…the real part of the race. I was clicking off 8 minute miles for the first 3 miles. Feeling really good. My HR was around 150…a pace I can hold all day long. Starting off fast is fairly typical for most…especially rookie Ironman athletes like me. The adrenaline will have you flying. But, I really did feel fine. That is, until my left IT band decided to act up. I’ll spare you a lesson in physiology, but IT band syndrome isn’t an overly serious problem, but it hurts like a mother. The pain is localized to the outside of the knee. Thankfully it can be relieved a bit with some regular stretching. So, that’s what I did. I ran for about 5 mins…then stretched for about 30 seconds…then ran another 5 mins. You get the picture.I settled in for what was going to be a longer run that I had hoped for. I stopped a few times to pee. I also had a little kid race me the whole length of road in front of his house. He gave me a hi-5. It was awesome. I drank the chicken soup and the “cola.”. Which was Pepsi…if you know me, that’s not a good thing. But At mile 20, I realized that I had one hour to make it back under my 12 hour goal. It was time to block out the pain and make sure I ran under 10 minute miles from here on.
I rolled into town and no amount of pain was going to hold me back now. I made the turn on to Lakeshore for the final little out and back. I picked up the pace and broke the tape at 11hrs 58mins and 02secs. And then I heard it….”Aaron Brogger…you are an Ironman.” Almost the sweetest words I could ever hear on race day. Haha. Big thanks to my girlfriend Jessica and friend Jami. They are great athletic supporters!!! And special thanks to my Dad and Rae. You made the day possible! Thanks to all the friends and family that gave support and encouragement along the way. Love you all!
Times:
Swim: 1:08:19 (1:48/100m pace)
T1: 4:38
Bike: 5:51:55 (19.1mph)
T2: 9:41
Run: 4:43:31 (10:50 min/mile pace)
Total: 11:58:02
Good luck to POLAR LA athlete’s racing this weekend in Louisville & Canada.
Rick (Ironman Louisville)
You can track Rick Sunday at by clicking the imbedded link above.
“Athletes are in for a challenging day –
Thanks to “significant rainfall upriver,” race organizers were forced to change the swim course, which will now consist of a short leg upstream followed by a fast downstream journey along the Ohio River to
The bike course promises to be a deceptive challenge. While it begins with a 10 mile stretch along River Road before heading into the beautiful “horse country” that this area is so famous for which offers a series of relentless “rolling hills” that will make this a tough ride for pros and age groupers alike.
The flat run will pass many of
It all ends with a finish line sure to be one of the most memorable in Ironman racing at “Fourth Street Live,” a closed off street area in the heart of Louisville’s downtown that features a number of restaurants and bars and certainly has the potential to be one very loud and exciting finishing venues.”
Aaron (Ironman Canada)
You can track Aaron Sunday at by clicking the imbedded link above.
It all started in 1983 when 26 athletes entered
On Sunday, August 26, 2007, the 25th edition of Subaru Ironman
2007 Dwight Crum Pier to Pier Race start
Here is a video someone shot of the Aug 5th 2 mile Pier to Pier swim held annually here in the Southbay. Great practice for the triathlon mass starts.
2007 SEAC - Jeff Vicario
2007
Siku Extreme Arctic Challenge
by: Jeff Vicario
Team POLAR / Feed the Machine
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Adventure Racing at the end of the world… Tasiilaq, Greenland is the stage, population 1,849 where the summer is a miraculous combination of almost 24 hours of daylight, huge icebergs, vast glaciers, monumental mountains and crystal clear air.
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Our team, Team POLAR/Feed the Machine, includes Jon Barker, a UK guy living in Atlanta, Christian Burke a good friend from LA, Egon local Greenlander who has placed 3rd in this race twice and myself.
Getting here is of course no simple feat. A myriad of planes, trains, automobiles, boats, trucks and donkey carts (not really) and we arrive in the town of Tasiilaq, Greenland, about 1000 kilometers off the end of the planet. This was to be our base camp for the race duration. It is very small Inuit town with seal and polar bear hunters, fishermen, and sled dogs waiting for winter again. Seventeen teams of four, mostly from Northern European countries descend on the town to tackle icy fjords, man-eating glaciers and mountain peaks on foot, canoe, and mountain bike for five days. Greenland, Iceland, Denmark, Norway, France, Netherlands, New Zealand, England, Scotland, United Kingdom, and of course us Americans are represented.
After a couple days of non-stop preparation of gathering food, testing and outfitting inflatable canoes, organizing gear, we started stage 1 on Saturday morning.
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Stage 1:
After some agonizing hours by race officials when Air Iceland didn’t deliver the gear we needed for the race including our team’s bikes they were able to find everything to substitute the missing gear. The first stage started as planned and our team was good and fast. It was relatively short in comparison to the next three stages. Stage 1 began as a mass start in our inflatable canoes paddling the icy fjord to the foot of the Polhelm Mountain. We had nice movement together and moved quickly through the 35 degree water. We exited the water in fifth place. After that we quickly transitioned to our trekking gear and headed for Polheim's Peak, a very famous mountain peak in Greenland. If you ever see pictures from Greenland and they show mountains, you were probably looking at Polheim's Peak. We powered up the mountain very quickly, although it was not easy. Very loose rock and very, very steep. Once we arrived at a ledge (the checkpoint), most of the way up the mountain, they smartly stopped the clock and allowed us to head to the summit for the photo-op with safety in mind and not worry about knocking someone off the hill to their imminent death trying to race to the top. When we arrived back to the checkpoint, the clock started and the game continued.We flew down the hill opting for a not so obvious route choice though we were not alone since there are other Greenland teams here as well with local knowledge. We arrived at the water, again, quickly transitioned to our water gear and canoed back to the Tasiilaq and the start/finish line.
After Stage 1 we sit in fifth place. 1st and 2nd place are occupied by Greenlandic teams.
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Stage 2:
This stage began with 35 Kilometers of mountain biking on a course that gives new meaning to ‘single track’ and makes you work for every hill, every turn. We got the bike part done, quickly transitioned, and were on to the trekking leg in, what else, fifth place.
The trekking venue consisted of ascending...then descending...three mountain tops, and back to the start/finish. Teams that ranked with an even number in Stage 1 go were to go clockwise over the tops, while those ranked with an uneven number summated the peaks counter clockwise so as to make it more difficult for close competitors to get an idea of how the other teams are doing. It is very hard to describe the violence in which Mother Nature created these mountains. A trail in Greenland is non-existent, the rocks are severe, there is no such thing as gradual; it is either straight up or straight down. On each ascent, we took the most direct lines, usually the steepest too. On climbing the second peak, it was nearly vertical, ascending through these vertical slots of granite rock, with the ground sliding away from us with every cautious step.We finished the stage in seventh place.
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Stage 3:
Again we were to begin this stage from the town with a two man time trial followed by the other two teammates along the same course. Egon and Christian went out first and returned in second place. Jon and I headed out and tried to hold the lead as the other team tried to narrow the gap. Our team did very well and we had a good head start to the trekking section.
We started out on a cross country run with a path to the Kittimenfkasfnaf glacier. Once we passed a long valley, we started our climb up. Once again, steep and rocky was the theme. Greenland, France and Iceland passed us on this assent. We made it up to the glacier trying to stay clear of the many crevasses, started our way to the checkpoint and eventually down the glacier. We worked our way down to the end, finished with a canyon bouldering session over all the rocks that the glacier tossed out of its mighty way, and made it to base camp on the beach.*********************************************
Stage 4:
We woke, ate, received our maps and instructions, and began to prep for the expedition leg of the race. It was an estimated 120 kilometres (depending on your navigation and route selection), a long hard navigationally difficult course that covered the entire island. The stage would start with a short canoe section, then a difficult trek section, glacier work, canyoneering, coasteering, canoeing, the longest glacier trek on the island, more canoeing, trek with very difficult navigation, shorter glacier, canyoneering, and then finally a canoe to the end.
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With our course instructions understood, the short canoe section started with helicopters flying overhead. We get out of the water uneventfully in about fifth place. Off on what we could see would be a difficult navigation section. Everyone was everywhere. We eventually decided to take a very uncommon route and it paid off. We hit the glacier very quickly and without much expended energy, which would turn out to pay off in a big way later. Unfortunately we took forty-five minutes to figure it out. Climbing up the glacier, as we had done before, we felt that the glacier was solid enough to allow us to travel without crampons, we would however rope in. The crevasses were simply out of control, we found ourselves jumping over one or working your way around another literally every few feet. Eventually we arrived at the top of the glacier in seventh place. Lost two positions, but the other teams that heard of our route selection were jealous.Down the glacier, into and down a valley to CP3, the canoe. After a short canoeing section to CP4 and realizing that a few teams lost their way, we left CP4 in 5th. Up, up, up the longest glacier of the trip. Again, no crampons until we needed them. Being the very early hours of the morning the sky remained as bright as mid-afternoon. Being so far north, literally on the polar ice cap, there is no real darkness only a few hours of twilight each night. This helped fight off the sleep monsters as we continued through the night and into the following day. Upon arriving at CP5 we learned that we moved up to 4th place. The French team seemed to have gotten lost along their way. Down, down, down the other end of the glacier and then what seemed a forever long trek to CP6.
We make it to CP6 and third place is just heading out on the canoe section. Totally energized by that, we frantically inflate our boat, ready our gear, and head out. As we are depart Team France is coming in, a few minutes later, we see Team Intersport Iceland, and in the distance, Team Explorer.
Into the water, we move. In the distance we see third place, the Greenlandic team. We eventually make it to CP7 only seconds behind third place. Now the pace picks up. Team France lands on the beach just minutes after us. This next section turns out to be one of the trickiest navigation sections. We head out and notice that Team Greenland is taking a different route. We absolutely nail the first part of and re-join them and traveled together. We make it to CP8 in what felt like record time. We proceed up a valley and onto the final glacier, with second place at the top and in sight. We're sans crampons of course even though this glacier is a bit slushier and no less difficult. Greenland does pull away ever so slightly and the race is back on. CP9 is at the top. Looking back down the glacier and valley we cannot see any teams behind us.
Off the glacier, we had a simple downhill to the final canoe section and to the finish. Starting down we became separated as Christian and Egon who suggested they would move ahead to prep the canoe. Jon & I were without the map and ended up descending the wrong valley. After an hour plus we arrived at CP9 and frantically swap our glacier gear for paddling gear. We paddle hard and come out and up to the finish line with the canoe on our shoulders. We have finished the last stage in 4th place.
Now, the clock runs as we wait for the other teams to finish. A change of clothes, food, and stories abound. The times start coming in and our fears become reality. We have landed in sixth place overall, twenty five minutes behind the French, and ninety minutes behind Explorer. Our mistake cost us fourth place overall.
Final results:1. ISI Salomon - Danish
2. Neriusaaq - Denmark/Greenland
3. Maniitsoq 225 - Greenland
4. Explorer - US/Kiwi
5. Les Couleurs - France
6. POLAR / Feed the Machine - US/UK/Greenland
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Thanks to all who responded for your kind words of support.
T Minus 7 Days and getting excited
Just 7 days till I depart for Greenland and I'm getting excited ... my team, Team POLAR/Feed The Machine, is the only one representing America. We will be racing the SIKU EXTREME ARCTIC CHALLENGE.
The SIKU EXTREME ARCTIC CHALLENGE is 5-day combined stage and expedition race takes teams through a distance of about 250 km and climbs 9,000+ vertical metres in the magnificent and wild beauty of Ammassalik Island, Greenland. The race is always held in July, as this month unfolds, the Arctic summer reaches its very height with long sunny days and just a few hours of twilight. The average temperature during daytime is between 10 - 15 degrees celsius.
The SIKU EXTREME ARCTIC CHALLENGE consists of the following stages:
Mountain Biking
The bike sections have received the best reviews from very prominent mountain bikers. Very demanding routes both physically and technically. The routes are laid out on a mixture of gravel roads, paved roads, dirt tracks and "no tracks at all".
Mountain Trekking
Navigating through mountainous terrain, with very few - if any - defined tracks. Cols, culoirs, peaks and rivers need to be crossed with a lot of loose rocks and some easy scrambling. On one of the stages we might incorporate actual climbing, but this will be done with the timing on hold, to make this experience accessible for all racers, including those without any previous climbing experience.
Glacier Trekking
Several glaciers will be travelled. This requires full glacier gear (crampons, harnesses, ropes, ice axes) and the requisite knowledge to use this equipment. There will be crevasses on the glaciers, but generally the crevasses are easy to navigate - though in bad visibility difficulties can arise.
Ice Fjord Paddling
The Canoe venue is a unique experience on the ice-filled waters of the Sermilik Icefjord. Paddling among the huge icebergs is an awesome experience and not to be found anywhere else. Our Grabner Adventure inflatable canoes have proved their value - they are stable (very safe) and carry the whole team. Safety on this venue is a main issue and security boats are at all times close to the racers.
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Below are a few pictures from previous years races. You can watch a short clip from last year's race here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Agdpq2y1oM0
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Team Saab Salomon on the Mittivakkat Glacier
Part of the base camp
Race start
Team Tscherning, canoe sprint
Stunning Arctic vista
Team Inu:IT on the Mittivakkat Glacier
MTB route in the streets of Tasiilaq
Team Peak Performance
Polhems Fjeld
Jeff Vicario
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